What can be said about The Heckler that hasn't already been said? Well quite a lot actually, since the bloody book only lasted six issues.
The Heckler was another offshoot of the partnership of Keith Giffen and Tom & Mary Bierbaum, who have also given us Legion of Super-Heroes and The Thunder Agents. Giffen had already pretty much brought humor back to super-heroes comics with his creation of Ambush Bug and his work on Justice League/Justice League International (BWAHAHAHA!), so doing his own character was a natural extension. Unfortunately, he tried it during one of the two periods where DC Comics was allowing new titles but not giving them much of a chance to develop a following before axing them (the original Justice Society of America book was also cancelled during this period, and Giffen's Vext was put on ice in the last nineties along with such titles as Chase, Chronos, and Xero). One would like to view it as a mini-series (like Angel and the Ape), but it just ain't the case. DC canceled it after just six issues, and probably well before any adequate sales figures had been even recorded.
Who is The Heckler?
"He is called by many names. Swift Justice. The Haunting Avenger. The Duke of Disdain. The Sultan of Swipes. Mr. Heckler. Ol' Heckster. Hecky. The Big Heck. But just who is this Heckler? Who is this dark instrument of justice? This champion of the downtrodden? This noted orator and statesman? This founder of the European Coal and Steel Union and the first Chancellor of the German Republic? He could be anybody. He could be your best friend. Or the guy next door. Or that fleeting shadow in the alley. Or that guy who hangs around your copy shop wearing bermuda shorts. With dress shoes and black socks. He could even be You. Hmmm ... come to think of it, we've never seen you and the Heckler together at the same time, Have we ... ??????????????"
-- Splash page, The Heckler #1
Umm...actually, the Heckler is Stuart "Stu" Mosely. He owns a little restaurant (ostensibly named "Eats", though you couldn't usually tell it by the sign) in downtown Delta City. We've never been told exactly why Stu became the Heckler ... he just is. Think of The Heckler in terms of The Creeper without super-powers, or Daredevil with a sense of humor. He's real acrobatic, very resilient, very lucky and can crack wise with the best of Web-slingers. Rabbi Zone bestowed upon The Heckler the powers of the Zone Magi (and the Zone Patch) to thwart the menace of the Flying Buttress, but it is unclear if Stu retained the Patch after the creature's destruction (he did survive the equivalent of about a thirty-story fall, so perhaps he did retain at least a little of the magic), since the story ended with the book being cancelled.
Does The Heckler have a Supporting Cast?
Well, of course he does. Ever super-hero has a supporting cast. How else would Commissioner Gordon keep getting re-elected? I mean the man's a duly-elected officer of the law and he abides rampant vigilantism in his city and cavorts with the biggest offender. Hell, he let his daughter run around in a skin-tight outfit for years doing the same thing. How else ... umm ... where was I? Supporting cast, yeah. There is a supporting cast. There are Good Guys and Bad Guys.
Good Guys
These are the nice folks in Delta City ... the ones who don't go out of their way to commit crimes or make Stu's life difficult … at least not on purpose.
Ledge (a.k.a. The Nose), Stu's assistant in his work as the Heckler. Think of that guy who helps out the Punisher, then dumb it down a few notches. Well, quite a few notches, I think.
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Mr. Dude, a regular customer at the restaurant. He knows considerably more than most of the folks in Delta City, Stu included. He is always reading and has helped out many a soul and government agency. He's sorta like Fonzie with Einstein's brain. He is well aware of Stu's double identity as The Heckler.
Nina, the clerk at Dozen's O' Donuts (also called Dozens of Donuts). They only have glazed doughnuts, but they do have dozens of them.
Mr. Creedy, a regular customer at Dozen's O'Donuts. Creedy passes the time reading capsule descriptions of television shows in the newspaper, and being a bit of a nutcase.
Mr. Francois, cook at Stu's restaurant. Francois fancies himself a chef artistè.
Leonard, the newsstand guy. The kind of reliable guy you'd find on your stereotypical street corner in your stereotypical city.
Britt Breeding, Stu's partner in the restaurant, a "behind-the-scenes kind of guy". Think Milo Minderbinder from Catch-22.
Officer Gus McDougal, a police detective. Stu meets him most every morning, at the former site of his favorite doughnut shop, where he is usually crying and bemoaning the loss of "42 varieties".
The Minx, bounty hunter. Trish used to be married to Police Detective Newton. She makes a point to keep track of all of her old dates and boyfriends and goes after them with glee if they step outside the law. She had once dated John Doe and was instrumental in the prevention of his plan to "genericate" Delta City.
Newton, police detective and The Minx's ex-husband.
Axi, Minx's teen-aged daughter.
Uzi, Minx's cat, after being "genericated" by John Doe. It is assumed the cat returned to normal after Doe's death, like all other effects of his power.
Noriko, a young woman that Nina tried to set Stu up with. Unfortunately, their first date at Dance In Yer Pants was interrupted by the criminal C'est Hay.
Prince Konshu and His Mother, inhabitants of the Planet Rotcod, Temporal Coordinate 298-K (1966), who were attacked by the Cosmic Clown.
Bob, dedicated fan(atic) of the classic science fiction show "Quest Vision". He donned his Commander Gantry outfit and tried to capture the Cosmic Clown in order to impress an actress he was stalking. He ended up only getting the android's head, which is slowly driving him insane (well, more insane).
Krinkley, Prince Konshu's bodyguard, who while he could never pronounce the young man's name properly, was able to save him from the Cosmic Clown by squirming around.
X-Ms is another of Delta City's super-heroes. She patrols the Tinseltown section of town and is "the protector of its Elfin population". As you might expect, she has a Christmas thing going on. She and the Heckler apparently
have an agreement to stay out of each other's territory, but The
Heckler accidentally strayed into Tinseltown while on a nightly patrol. Fortunately, he managed to leave before X-Ms's got too far into her ramblings.
Mr. Bananahead, Stu's contact at the Breeding-Mosely Circus. He went to get the car when the Cosmic Clown attacked and has never been seen since.
Lawrence the Dancing Bear, an attraction at the Breeding-Mosely Circus, and a mighty fine two-stepper.
Mayor Clump, the head of the Delta City municipal government.
He has many faces. Rabbi Zone helped him survive the Bambi Maracas
scandal.
Rabbi Zone is the last of the Zone Magi still on Earth, entrusted with protecting the Dimensional Zone and enforcing order on the Cosmos. He bestowed
the power of the Zone Patch upon the Heckler so that the hero could travel into Flying Buttress and destroy the Rose of the Eternal Flame, which in turn would destroy Flying Buttress.
Dreidel is the youthful assistant of Rabbi Zone. He can whirl himself around like his namesake toy. He goes "Golly" and "Gee Whiz" a lot. Just makes ya sick.
Lord Ronson, greatest knight of the Zone Magi, was the one originally responsible for banishing the Nether Gods and their priests from Delta City
(then known as Machupolytechulan). It cost him his life, and he left behind the Rose of Eternal Flame. The Four Mopeds of the Apocalypse found the Rose and it was incorporated into Flying Buttress.
Lex Concord was a hero of Colonial Delta City, a section of which was swallowed by Flying Buttress. The Heckler came upon the neighborhood which passing through the digestive track of the giant creature, and found a note Lex that had left him. Apparently, Lex went off and ended up in 2776, in "a world in which all who survive are harsh and cold and ride on rollerblades!". Or maybe he didn't.
Other Good Guys include Officer Liggett, a policeman killed by El Gusano as he tried to track him (run over by the "E" Train Local), and Johnny Gearshift, radio deejay on the Night Owl Forum (and other programs) on W-HEN 95.
The Minx also mentioned several of her previous dates during the series, including:
Bad Guys
Here are the villains of the series ... the baddies, thugs and oft times misunderstood folks that end up on the wrong side of the law.
Boss Glitter (Alessandro Hummer) and his lieutenants control Delta City's criminal
underworld. He is never seen without a mask on (one of those quaint masks on a stick that you see at old masked balls and the like). He even uses one while bathing.
El Gusano (Hector Alberto Hernandez Hernandez Hernandez Blanco III) is a large man with no discernible facial features with the ability to move through the Earth with ease, like a worm. He was in control of the South
Side for Boss Glitter, who also assigned him to the Beach District after King
Mambo's imprisonment After a chase and battle through the city, the
Heckler brought El Gusano in as well.
Miss Tiphani, El Gusano's companion and (perhaps) common-law wife. She assisted El Gusano and wanted him to have the same status and perks as
Boss Glitter's other lieutenants. She was very concerned about maintaining the lifestyle she had become accustomed to after El Gusano's
defeat and arrest at the hands of the Heckler.
John Doe, The Generic Man has the unique ability to turn anything he touches into a generic equivalent of what it once was ... bland, blank and very normal. Doe had been released four weeks earlier from St. Stigmata State
Hospital. Doe opposes individuality, believing it to be the cause of all human conflict, and sees the Heckler as "an extreme expression of
individuality". Doe bathed himself in the Delta City Reservoir, spreading his
"genericating" ability to anyone who drank the water. He was later killed in by a stray shot from a cross fire between Ratchet Jaw and The Minx. The generic effects of his body wore off after his death, but John Doe has
apparently been reincarnated (as the son of a Mrs. Smith).
Buckshot, John Doe's companion. She can shoot buckshot out of the freckles on her body. She shot the newspaper stand guy in their
neighborhood when he insisted she purchase the paper she was taking. She's not a very nice person. Minx took her out of the picture when John Doe tried to "genericate" the city's reservoir.
The Cosmic Clown was an android assassin disguised as a clown toy that was presented to Prince Konshu as a birthday present. After he was damaged, The Clown ended up on Earth, where Bob mistook him for the Time Jester from the cult TV show Quest Vision. When working properly, the Cosmic Clown was nearly unstoppable, having superior sensory, defensive and offensive capabilities (including anti-grav floppy shoes and constrictive kazoos).
Ratchet Jaw and Krieger are "triggah-men" hired by Boss Glitter to kill John Doe before he could "genericate" the city.
P.C. Rabid, cartoon creator and star. Rabid has a particular beef with the Heckler, though the series ended before we really found out what it was. His peculiar cartoon series did its best to paint the Heckler as a rude and evil creature. Rabid also killed a Miss Forthwright during lovemaking, and may be a vampire of sorts.
Fred, Dwight and Hugh, P.C. Rabid's assistants. They're all identical and do Rabid's bidding. Imagine If Beaker from The Muppet Show joined the Men in Black.
The P.C. Rabid Show, broadcast on WPMS Channel 3, is set in Harmony Land, and is sponsored by Sugar-Coated Gore Whammies. The star-spangled P.C. Rabid appears by saying the magical phrase "Red, white and blue makes a rainbow for you!" and fights to stop rudeness and insults. Rabid used the cartoon to promote his own agenda against the Heckler, portraying the hero as a vile, rude monster.
Bushwack'r was the hitman hired by Boss Glitter to kill The Heckler. Unfortunately, Bushwack'r has the luck and aim of a Manga-influenced Wile E. Coyote, and apparently gets all his murderous equipment from Acme, Inc. as well. It is believed he holds the record for number of injuries and hospital visits in an evening in Delta City. He has a pet ocelot named Minute Maid.
C'est Hay, straw-filled villain with acting proclivities who stole the box office receipts and performed at Dance In Yer Pants the night Stu and Noriko went there. Hay is completely made of hay and can control his body parts at a distance (such as hitting someone across the room with his straw fist). The Heckler managed to stop him by getting him so drenched in water that he was too heavy to move.
The Four Mopeds Of The Apocalypse and Flying Buttress
Famine Lass was using her parasitic talents at the Chew N Spew Diet Center (to secretly eliminate midriff bulges) when she saw the third
Portent in the Sign of 6-6-3 (her Orioko cookie had three chocolate cookie
outsides). She can cause hunger and/or extreme weight loss in anyone. She could not fit into the Ceremonial Robes, so Plague Boy was forced to perform the ancient rites.
Plague Boy was living at the Still Alive Retirement Village when he saw the first Portent (six pigeons exploding in Drooler's Park). Like his
Horseman namesake, he can cause any disease or ailment in anyone.
Kid Pestilence was living in a box near the 2-Fisted Deli when he saw the
second Portent (The Delta City Blue Hens won 6-0).
Skippy is the Fourth Moped of the Apocalypse, being the spawn of War. To be honest, he didn't do too much, or make any war at all.
Flying Buttress is a Nether God which was brought back into our world by The Four Mopeds (using the Rose of Eternal Flame and the
ceremonial robes from the Sacred Chest of Mansfield). The entry was noticed by Rabbi Zone, who contacted the Heckler and bestowed
upon him the Zone Patch and the powers of the Zone Magi, guardians of the Dimensional Zones. After being briefed on his mission by the Rabbi, The Heckler disguised himself as a large antacid and allowed Flying Buttress to swallow him. He searched through the creature's digestive tract until he found the Rose of Eternal Flame. He used the Zone Patch on the Rose, destroying it and Flying Buttress in the process.
Delta City? That ain't near Metropolis, is it?
Lord knows. It was never established during the series that The Heckler even takes place in the DC Universe. I just assume it does. Delta City reminds me of your average mid-sized city with a large population of riffraff and criminal elements and general weirdness. Sorta like Scranton, Pennsylvania. Particularly for the criminal element and general weirdness parts. Delta City's suburbs include Steubenville (where the airport is located), Bobtown and Little Phnom Pehn.
Delta City does make an appearance in another Keith Giffen-scripted book though, as it was the setting of the similarly short-lived Vext. Vext did meet up with Superman and Zaurial of the JLA, so I guess Delta City is indeed in the DC Universe. Though exactly how close it is to Metropolis is anybody's guess.
The major industry in Delta City appears to be the production of bassoons, and there is even a Miss Bassoon Festival. The businesses that make up the economic life force of Delta City are many and varied even though many stores with the word "bassoon" in their names. The identifiable businesses (via signs) include:
The local amusement park includes the following attractions:
There is also a monument to The Tomb of the Unknown Accordionist.
The Sign
Stu had a running battle with the sign company over his sign for the entire run of the series. He wanted it to say simply "EATS". However, the signage people could never quite get it right. In the final issue, the sign company tried to bill them for all 32 signs that they had made to correct the original one.
Quest-Vision
This was a popular science fiction television show, akin to Star Trek. The main characters were Commander Gantry and Doctor Retro of the Solar Alliance. As with Star Trek, it spawned a revamped TV show and some movies.
Episodes mentioned included:
COVERS AND CREDITS
Keith Giffen and Tom & Mary Bierbaum were listed as co-creators in most of the issues.
The Heckler #1
September, 1982
Story: "Our First Issue"
Synopsis: Most everyone is introduced. El Gusano and the Heckler duke it out all over Delta City. The Heckler wins.
The Heckler #2
October, 1982
Story: "Title"
Synopsis: John Doe attempts to "genericate" Delta City to stop individuality.
The Heckler #3
November, 1982
Story: "The Heckler Meets The Cosmic Clown"
Synopsis: The Cosmic Clown, damaged after a failed assassination attempt, comes to Earth.
The Heckler #4
December, 1982
Story: "Let 'em Make Up Their Own Stupid Title"
Synopsis: Boss Glitter hires Bushwack'r to kill The Heckler. Bushwack'r is as adept as Wile E. Coyote. 'Nuff Said.
The Heckler #5
January, 1983
Story: "The Coming of the Four Mopeds of the Apocalypse"
Synopsis: C'est Hay decides to go into show business, and the Four Mopeds summon the Nether God Flying Buttress to destroy Delta City.
The Heckler #6
February, 1983
Story: "Don't Get Mad, Get Eaten!"
Synopsis: The Heckler goes inside Flying Buttress to save Delta City. And, of course, is finally beaten by low sales.
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