The year is 1991. I’m a young boy in a small town in eastern Canada, population “everyone knows each other”. For a handful of change at a yard sale I buy issues 6, 15 and 34 of The Question. The only comics I had read at this point were Tintin, Asterix and Lucky Luke. I had no clue what impact these three funny books would have on me. The unusual (for me at least) art style of the covers appealed to me greatly and the “Suggested For Mature Readers” disclaimer had me feeling quite grown up. But I think above all what stimulated my imagination was the striking character design. The blue trench coat and orange shirt color scheme was impossible to ignore. But the clincher is that the man had no face! “Who is this?!” I thought to myself. Alas, no more Question comics were to be found on the spinner rack at the corner store. I had to be content with reading these three issues over and over and over. My appetite was thoroughly whet but never satisfied until my adult years.
A quick run on the cosmic treadmill fast forwards us to fall of 2007. I’m now a regular reader of comic books and DC decides to reprint The Question series in collected edition softback format. Will my hunger finally be satisfied? So many things we romanticize as children tend to lose appeal as we mature. The sense of wonder we had is greatly diminished. So it was with slight trepidation that I bought Zen and Violence. The first volume of The Question reprint. I must admit that I have mixed feelings about not having experienced this as it was originally published but I can honestly say that these reprints were very satisfying.
CHARLTON COMICS, ALAN MOORE AND PHILOSOPHY
After having acquired the Question character from Charlton Comics in 1983. DC did practically nothing with Steve Ditko’s creation for several years. Apparently Alan Moore wanted to use the Charlton characters for his eventual epic superhero story “The Watchmen” but was denied access to these and so opted for creating analogues instead. The Question narrowly avoided being the ultra conservative vigilante known as Rorschach in 1986. Roughly a year later, Denny O’Neil of Green Arrow fame (among other things) was assigned an on-going series featuring The Question. I think it’s safe to say that Denny’s political views are diametrically opposed to Ditko’s. This is reflected in the character’s drastic shift in tone and direction. Ditko’s Question series was a not-so-subtle soapbox for the writer’s objectivist views (correct me if I’m wrong, I have yet to read Ditko’s Question). Denny O’Neil’s approach might have been more subtle but was probably just as much an avenue for philosophical musings, albeit of a very different kind. 1987 was the start of a heady era for comic books and there was a character in the middle of it all who dared face the unknown and ask the difficult questions.
THE QUESTION VOL. 1: ZEN AND VIOLENCE
Vic Sage is an investigative reporter – how appropriate given his alter ego’s name – in Hub City, a town more corrupt and dismal than Gotham as it does not have a vigilant protector like Batman watching over it. Vic Sage is utterly dissatisfied and disillusioned with the town. In issue one – disguised as The Question – he investigates a group of thugs who we later learn are in possession of a videotape which unequivocally proves the political corruption present in Hub City. The Question’s methods however are rather harsh. Choosing to punch and kick first and ask questions later. What’s fascinating however is that over this first scene the narrator declares: “Vic Sage has 25 hours and 15 minutes to live.” The narrator continues this countdown as the titular character carries on with his unflinching investigation. Live at the KBEL TV station at which he works, Vic broadcasts the content of the tape and bluntly exposes it as an attempt to blackmail a less than pure politician. This of course does not sit well with those being exposed. The crooks – led by Reverend Jeremiah Hatch – conspire to kill Vic and hire Lady Shiva to help in this endeavor. Though Vic is aware he is being duped, his curiosity gets the better of him (this trait is to play a big role in the series). You know what they say about curiosity and the cat? After Shiva easily maims The Question in a hand-to-hand fight and goons beat him with pipes, Reverend Hatch is asked to decide the faceless man’s fate. Though it is Vic Sage they wanted, they will use The Question to send a message. The reverend sends Baby Gun to shoot him in the head with his air gun (because he “likes to get in close and do it quietly”). The Question is then thrown off a pier. You know, in case the beatings and bullet to the head didn’t kill him. The Reverend states: “We shall dump him in the river. And then if he arises singing Danny Boy, (an Irish folk song often sung at funerals) I shall give him anything he wants.” As the narrator predicted in the opening scene, Vic Sage dies.
So starting issue #2 the main character is dead. What’s next?
Yup. In order for the headstrong and violent Vic Sage to develop as a character the writer puts him through the ultimate test. Death. It is explained how The Question survives the ordeal but that is not the point. Sage’s subsequent transformation is what’s important. Victor’s “sidekick” – more a confidant and friend – Aristotle “Tot” Rodor, stays at Sage’s bedside and explains what just happened. Suddenly, the patient has a feverish daydream of the events leading to his near death. The lights go dim and a shadowy figure stands at the foot of the bed. It is Gotham’s Dark Knight himself! Batman chides Victor for being arrogant and lacking dedication. “You can’t half do what you were doing. It’s got to be full time. It’s got to be who you are.” The theme of identity will be present throughout the entire series. Just as Vic is about to agree with Batman, the lights come back on and Tot wakes up from a nap. Was Batman really here or was it simply a hallucination? We’ll never know. This is to be Batman’s last appearance in the series.
Eventually Victor is released from the hospital in a cast and crutches and air lifted to the middle of the woods at a cabin somewhere. The flight is chartered by “some lady“. This is where we meet Richard Dragon. Dragon is a sort of zen sensei in a wheelchair. He teaches Sage some difficult lessons. This is where O’Neil’s background in philosophy begins to rear its head. “A wise man dreamed he was a butterfly. When he awoke, he had a strange realization. He didn’t know if he was a man who dreamed he was a butterfly or a butterfly dreaming he was a man.” This is the sort of teachings Dragon instills in Sage. Victor also refines his skill in the martial arts and is ultimately tested by Lady Shiva herself. Turns out Shiva paid for the retreat because: “I saw in you a warrior, a passion.” Class dismissed.
Upon his return to Hub City, Sage immediately resumes his fight against corruption. I say corruption and not crime because that is one important characteristic which distinguishes The Question from many other DC characters who fight crime. The Question does not want to stop crime, he wants to find a cure for it. Now with a clearer mind the faceless vigilante goes after his would be murderers. Having tracked down Reverend Jeremiah Hatch in his own house, The Question begins to sing a song from the shadows. The tune is Danny Boy, a chilling call back to issue #1. Jeremiah Hatch is positively stunned and terrified. “What do you want?”, pleads the Reverend. To which The Question replies: “I want you Reverend… I want you to pray.” This my friends, is the sort of post-noir writing at which O’Neil excels like no other writer! The setup and the dunk in a tight punchy package full of palpable character. For my money, it doesn’t get much better than this. I can’t even read just these few issues unless I have time to put aside to read the entire series. It hooks me like a fish.
Volume 1: notable moments
Those first two issues are the hook in the cheek but the rest of the series reels you in deeper. I will endeavor to cover the highlights.
Issues 3-6 establish Hub City as a vile place to live and introduces us to The Question’s supporting cast such asMayor Wesley Fermin, the alcoholic political puppet and his wife of convenience Myra Connely Fermin who also works at KBEL. She has noble intents but is caught in an ethical conundrum. The morally conflicted police officer Izzy O’toole makes a brief appearance. He’ll play a bigger role later in the series. We also get to know “Tot” Rodor a little better. Sage and Tot’s interactions are always entertaining. Their dialog is laced with literary references. Philosophy, religion and science are discussed with playful curiosity. The rest of the series will mostly consist of these supporting characters but others come and go as The Question encounters increasingly twisted and deranged criminals at all levels of society.
Issue 6 is a particularly memorable story entitled “That Small Rain Down Can Rain” . It is the story of the son of a repulsive mob boss. This abhorrent father humiliates his son saying “No son of mine. Makes me wanna puke. Look at that face. Not a man’s face. A sissy boy’s face.” The son responds by disfiguring himself with acid. It’s a harrowing tale which defiantly asks the question: Is a criminal born evil or created by social ills? These are the types of themes which won Denny accolades while working on Green Lantern/Green Arrow. I might argue though that O’Neil is better at his craft at this point in his career and thus handles the themes more adeptly in this series.
VOLUMES 2-6
By issue 7 Vic Sage is no longer working at the news station. He is now freelancing. Myra’s role gets bigger as her mayor husband gets drunker. Feeling overwhelmed at secretly running the city in her husband’s proxy she begins to enlist Sage’s help. Vic and Myra’s relationship is dampened by Myra’s marriage vows and her political aspirations. But the tension is palpable. By issue 12, the two will have an affair.
The Question’s costume begins to change as well. The only thing remaining constant is the faceless mask. A highlight of most issues are Cowan’s creative renderings of Vic’s transformation into The Question. The swirling binary gas* creates a very evocative image. More on the art later in the article.
Yet another thing which distinguishes The Question from other DC characters are his villains. Though they rarely appear for more than one issue, they are always layered and compelling. Some of them pose a physical threat to The Question when he confronts them while others present a much more challenging ethical dilemma. In a few stories it seems O’Neil goes out of his way to put The Question in a scenario where he is physically unable to subdue his opponents. For instance, while tracking down a villain named The Mikado The Question becomes physically paralyzed. Another time he is buried up to his neck in the dirt for 74 hours. This forces the hero to be creative and puts him in extreme psychological duress. For instance in order to survive, the inhumed Sage leans on his skill in transcendental meditation. We follow him on an inner journey which culminates in a conversation with a scorpion who may or may not possess the spirit of sensei Richard Dragon. If that’s not metaphysical enough for you, the three part story centered on Tot sees The Question accidentally ingest LSD and Rodor witness a scientific/spiritual phenomenon which stuns him into silence for months.
In issue 13 O’Neil uses one of his trademark techniques. He folds the story back onto itself and ends the arc by hearkening back to it’s beginning. The Question encounters the man who pulled the trigger to kill him in issue 2. Baby Gun is back and he’s been killing for contract. This villain’s portrayal is repulsively disturbing and The Question’s reaction to him makes for a rather enlightening character story.
THE ELECTION
In issue 14 Myra Fermin decides to officially run for office but her campaign will not gain traction if she has no solid endorsement. Unable to get support from “respected” politicians and business men due to her ties with the disgracefully alcoholic current mayor, Izzy O’Toole steps up to the plate. A rehabilitated corrupt police officer, Izzy is a symbol of Hub City’s potential. His public support of Myra’s candidacy boosts her credibility.
In issue 17 Tot expresses concern for Vic’s growing anger. Vic ignores his warning and takes a plane in an effort to track down some criminals. On the plane he reads a book which he picked up at the terminal. The book is “The Watchmen”. Sage falls asleep and dreams of the violent and stubborn character Rorschach, except Vic himself is Rorschach in the dream**. Could it be a sign that Tot’s words of caution are founded? It would seem so. When The Question’s unbridled rage lands him at the business end of a gun he is asked if he has any last words. “Yeah. Rorschach sucks.” Fortunately Green Arrow shows up to save The Question’s life. At first the archer is reluctant to trust the faceless man but he eventually relents. The two fight off terrorists while quoting Sun-Tzu’s Art Of War. The interplay between these two characters is very entertaining.
The series continues to increasingly shift its focus on the upcoming election. In issue 19 Myra is faced with an ethical dilemma. Should she refuse financial backing from the morally reprehensible plastics manufacturer Alexander Polys?† If she does she will likely lose the election and thus her chance at cleaning up Hub City. As if that’s not enough pressure, the leading opponent in the electoral race is a man named Royal Dinsmore. This man is secretly a racist with ties to the KKK. If only Myra and Vic could prove it. If Dinsmore becomes Mayor he will no doubt oppress the poor and “racially inferior”. Myra decides to meet with Polys to accept the financial support in exchange for letting him set up a scrutiny-free factory in Hub City. Vic voices his opposition to the idea personally to Myra. As The Question, Vic investigates Dinsmore and manages to dig up evidence which would cause him to be indicted. But thanks to connections in high places, Dinsmore is not charged and remains in the electoral race.
In issue 22 Myra is seriously behind in the polls. The prospect of her losing the election is becoming very real. She decides to renounce her husband publicly. In a press conference Myra states that her husband has been sick for years and that she has covertly been running Hub City. The media accuses Myra of self-interest. “Would you be revealing this information if you were not behind in the polls?”, asks a a reporter.
Hub city’s situation becomes more dire with every day that passes. Unable to let this go by without action, The Question continues to investigate Dinsmore and uncovers a criminal plot to elect the bigot. The Question manages to stall this conspiracy but Dinsmore ups the stakes by hiring a large number of hardened criminals. His plan is for a large crew of thugs to maintain a presence near the voting stations. These goons will physically assault anyone who goes to vote, restricting acess to voting to only those who have been payed in drugs to vote for Dinsmore. All of this is happening while a storm is brewing (can you smell the sweet aroma of symbolism?). Vic’s sense of justice is again tested. He decides to forego journalistic integrity and reports a lie to KBEL. He says that some criminals have died due to bad drugs. The hired goons are fooled by the bluff and all hell breaks loose as a tornado hits the city. In this story we get to see just how deep Vic’s curiosity runs. After fighting some criminals The Question is paralyzed and is about to be burned to death. But instead of fear, Vic feels curious about the sensation of burning to death. But his demise is not to happen today, he wriggles free of his predicament only to be tossed into another, the violent tornado.
The twister finally dies down, leaving large parts of Hub City in rubble. The election results come in and Myra has lost by one vote. Dinsmore is Mayor but is found dead in a car which was flung into the river by the winds. By law, Myra becomes the default Mayor of Hub City. As a reader I am left feeling hopeful only to have that hope wrenched away as Myra’s now completely delusional husband shoots the new Mayor twice during her acceptance speech. The murderer flees while onlookers are stunned. I feel O’Neil was perhaps testing the fans’ resolve here. He certainly put me through the emotional wringer.
Myra does survive but is in a coma. This greatly upsets Vic and Tot fears Sage may again be losing control of himself. It takes a few issues but Myra does recover from her coma. She goes right to work and one of her first decisions as mayor is to call a meeting with the two top gangs’ leaders. With difficulty and help from Shiva – whose interest in Hub City has grown since it has become a city of chaos – Vic delivers the two gang bosses to Myra who proposes a deal: Put the gangs on a salary and make them Hub City’s police force. She makes a strong case for the idea and the criminal bosses seem inclined to accept. But in Myra’s absence, the leader of the Huns is stabbed in the chest, dissipating all hopes of this plan working. Plan B is to start a citizen’s brigade. Fortunately, the government stops blatantly ignoring Hub City’s plight and sends a handful of troops to help.
In a subsequent issue, Myra continues to display incredible strength of character. She decides Hell’s Acres – a decrepit area of Hub City where only criminals live – is no better than cancer. She issues an order to evacuate Hell’s Acres and blow it up. Literally. With dynamite. Some criminals don’t take kindly to having their place of business eradicated. So they kidnap Myra and place her in a building set to explode later that day. Unfortunately the goon sent to advise the explosives engineers of Myra’s impending death is killed in the process. The building will collapse on schedule, killing Myra if she can’t escape. Vic, senses something is wrong and deduces the Mayor may be in this building. He goes in to rescue her. They narrowly escape death by crawling into a water main.
Despite Myra being in distress in many plots and The Question saving her, she is far from being a typical damsel. In fact her role in the book is now as central as Vic’s and Myra often shows more poise and resolve than Sage.
GOODBYE HUB CITY
Issue 34 will be a turning point for Vic. Richard Dragon returns to Hub City. Apparently, word of Vic’s unhinging has reached him and he is concerned that Vic may not “become what he will be next but rather regress to what he was”. His concern may not be unfounded. Izzy gets reports of several murders committed by “No-Face”. “He’s finally crossed the line.” thinks O’toole ” You hang out with pigs, pretty soon you’ll go oink oink.” The Question’s violent murders disillusions Izzy. O’toole’s plan is to “kill No-Face, then go dirty again.” Hub city is indeed losing hope and slipping deeper into despair. But the fact is that Vic has not killed anyone. He suffered a car crash and was mugged. A criminal has stolen his mask and outfit, using it to rob people. Vic, naked and seriously injured, sees his mother in a vision. Faceless – a metaphor for her absenteeism‡ – she admonishes her son, urging him to leave Hub City. The anarchy and violence is eating him, rotting his soul. When Myra and Dragon find Vic, he is eager to heed his mother’s advice. As for Izzy, he finds out The Question who murdered citizens was an impostor. His hope restored, O’toole goes back to doing what he feels is right, fighting crooks.
In the series’s final issue, Vic’s decision to leave Hub City is cemented. He feels the city is beyond saving, or at least he must save himself from it. Tot, Richard and Myra are set to leave with him in a helicopter chartered by Shiva who makes the opposing decision to settle in Hub City for a while – the chaos will amuse her. At the last minute however, Myra changes her mind. Her sense of duty is too strong for her to abandon thousands of citizens in despair. Vic and Myra part emotionally and she confesses her love to him¶. Myra then entrusts Vic with her only daughter, Jackie. It is a strange and ambiguous ending to a gripping series. I wouldn’t expect anything less.
THE QUESTION QUARTERLY
Though the main series ended, the story did continue in The Question Quarterly series. In this series, Vic goes to South America hoping to leave his alter-ego behind. But he and Jackie are drawn into a drug war which forces Vic to kill a man to save Jackie’s life. His curiosity is sated but the experience leaves a bitter aftertaste. The Quarterly went for five over-sized issues, one of which was drawn by a young Joe Quesada. The letters pages continue to fascinate in this seasonal series. The fans discuss philosophy, religion, ethics and all manner of heady subjects. It’s obvious I’m not the only who felt this series was an intellectual challenge. O’Neil also included a recommended reading list in the letters pages which mirrored The Question’s investigative exploits into different political and philosophical viewpoints.
ARTWORK
To not mention the artwork of this series would be a cardinal sin. Cowan made his name on The Question title. His style evolved from an imprecise and awkward faux-pulp style to a deliberate and specific kind of grit. His character designs and renderings of the dirty city became increasingly memorable. The composition of pages gradually metamorphosed from flashy and average to calculated and rhythmic. A side by side comparison (see below) from one of the early issues to one of the later ones shows a big difference. Even the coloring improves, becoming more subtle and moody. Some might say that Cowan’s style is reminiscent of Bill Sienvewickz’s and there is a resemblance – especially in the stunning cover art which usually gives dual credit to Bill and Denys. But there are very important distinctions. Where Bill’s line is angular and scratchy, Denys’ line could be described as being sketchy but cleaner than his counterpart’s. This series is also a testament to the impact an inker has on the visual tone of a book. Though Denys’ basic drawing approach is observable throughout the series, each inker brings a noticeably different visual texture to the story. Cowan displays his skill in many ways in this series and some of my favorite pages are the fight sequences and close ups of faces. Cowan has a knack for making a face say a lot with just a small tweak in expressions. But most of all, Denys deserves credit as much as O’Neil for leaving an indelible mark on The Question character. In fact, theirs is the definitive take on the character. Other people tried other angles, and they were good in their own right but these two have established a rich mythology and look for this character that has yet to be usurped.
THE QUESTION BEYOND O’NEIL AND COWAN§
There have been some other good Question stories. Excellent writer Rick Veitch extended Question lore by giving the character mysterious powers granted by the inhalation of binary gases. The Justice League Unlimited animated series had an episode featuring The Question as a conspiracy theorist – a surprising take on the character to say the least. Greg Rucka – a long time fan of O’Neil’s Question – put Vic Sage in a central role in 52. In that story The Question is dying of cancer and chooses a replacement. Rucka positioned Gotham detective Renee Montoya as the new Question who had adventures as a co-feature to Batwoman. Not enough stories of the new status quo were written for me to warm up to the idea of Montoya as The Question. But I am certainly not opposed to the idea.
CONCLUSION
If you’ve read this far (thank you thank you thank you!), you’ll know how important this series was to me. But it was also a milestone for O’Neil, Cowan and DC Comics. The Question survived 36 issues with nary an appearance from Batman or other characters from the DCU. It took a practically brand new character and built him from the ground up (though Ditko’s series precedes this, it was 
largely ignored by O’Neil). It innovated the superhero genre by breaking from many traditions to tackle delicate subjects head on. Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns are often touted as leading a revolution in modern comics, but The Question played as important a role in spearheading the modern movement.
More than all that, it is my opinion that much of the appeal of this series lies in that The Question – an often faceless being – comes to represent something unavoidable in the human experience. Something common to all who live. That is: the search for identity. Geneticists say we are are born as the way we will be. Others would say we are who we choose. Yet another belief is that we are bound to our upbringing and background. Perhaps you believe one can create an identity from morals, ethics and beliefs. But when those values are rocked and shaken, life becomes a test of who we really are. Truly, all of us face the ultimate query: Who am I? Shakespeare had it wrong, for that is The Question.
Questions? Leave a comment below! To read an article about John Byrne’s classic run on Fantastic Four, click here. StashMyComics.com is a free, no catch, no gimmick comics cataloging and database software. Start using it immediately for free by signing up.
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Footnotes:
* The binary gas has a dual purpose, it changes Vic’s hair and clothing color and also activates the adhesive in the mask. The mask can then not be removed until it comes into contact with the binary gas again. Prior to this series the gas was also used offensively to induce coughing and confusion in opponents during had-to-hand combat. Rick Veitch reinterpreted the gas as a hallucinogen which allows sage to enter a trance and exhibit shamanistic abilities.
**Rorschach is indeed an analogue for The Question character as Steve Ditko had written him.
† Polys – among other things – manufactures plastic guns. The guns are used by criminals and terrorists to get past metal detectors.
‡ Vic grew up in an orphanage and has never met his mother or father.
¶ Vic never admits his love for Myra. Later in 52, with his dying breath he expresses his regret for never having said he loved Myra. It is a heart-wrenching scene.
§ I’m amazed no one snatched up The Question to make a TV series!
Additional info:
O’Neil’s recommended reading list from The Question series.
What a stellar article! Makes me want to give it a read! Thank you for taking so much time to give us a very thorough take on the series! I hope to come across some of these issues in the near future.
Chip, you’re a trooper and a true supporter. Thanks for reading this hefty article and most of all, thank you for commenting.
The Question is my favorite character and this series is high up there in my list of favorite DC series. It is an innovative superhero classic.
I thought your article was great… Though it was long, it was got your point across that you love the series, and you wrote a great review of the issues… As you know I tried the series, and I thought it was great.
Thanks for reading AF223!
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