Ambush Bug: Year None
Encyclopedia
Ambush Bug: Year None is a six-issue comic book
limited series
written Keith Giffen
and Robert Loren Fleming
, and illustrated by Keith Giffen and Al Milgrom
. The first issue, "Hey, You Sank My Battle-Ax!", was published on July 23, 2008. DC Comics announced that instead of releasing a sixth issue, the series will skip issue #6 and conclude with issue #7. Ambush Bug: Year None #7 was released on October 28, 2009.
trying to solve the murder of Jonni DC, a female version of Johnny DC
. Through the course of the story, Ambush Bug encounters such DC Comics
characters as Yankee Poodle
, Egg Fu, Ace the Bat-Hound
, and 'Mazing Man
. Through the course of his investigation, he is pursued by his evil sock, Argh!yle!, and his minions bent on Ambush Bug's destruction. Also pursuing him is "Go-Go Chex", a mysterious being whose face is completely covered with the checkerboard
pattern that appeared at the top of DC comic covers during the 1960s; he constantly speaks in 1960s phrases and slang, and refers to everyone around him as "Wonder Chick". Occasionally, the Source Wall
, as a sentient slab of concrete, appears vacationing across time and space in places where Ambush Bug passes.
The second issue makes fun of Zatanna
's mindwipe
of the Justice League of America
, Rama Kushna, OMACs (who appear to take the places of all normal, background humans), Babe the Blue Ox from Jack of Fables
, the Space Ranger
, the Green Lantern Corps
, Zook
, Mr. Nebula, and Blue Beetle
's death. Go-Go Chex continues to pursue Ambush Bug. In the Mr. Nebula segment, he briefly takes on the uniform of the Amber Butane Corps, a lampooning of the Green Lantern Corps that wields a sentient lighter instead of a ring.
In the third issue, Ambush Bug discovers that he and Dumb Bunny (of the Inferior Five
) got married in Las Vegas
while he was drunk. He spends most of the issue running from one reality to another trying to find a way out of his marriage; along the way he encounters Neron
(whom he asks to nullify his marriage in a spoof of Spider-Man: One More Day
), Darkseid
(whom he goes to a Karaoke bar with), Super-Turtle (who wreaks massive destruction, à la Superboy-Prime
), Jerro the Merboy
, the Odd Man, and Go-Go Chex and his assistant Saki Toomi ("Sock it to me").
The fourth issue starts by referencing a mistake made in issue #2, where one page was printed without its dialogue balloons. DC editor Dan DiDio
takes responsibility for the mistake despite having nothing to do with it, a jab at the angry reaction from fans when certain characters were changed or killed off without him having anything to do with it. Dan DiDio is crushed and killed by a falling Ambush Bug, and Argh!yle starts to believe that he and Ambush Bug are actually one and the same. The issue continues mostly without Ambush Bug for the first half, focusing on lesser characters Argh!yle and Mitsu Bishi as a parody of the series 52
. In trying to find Ambush Bug they feature Golden Age Robin, Renee Montoya
, and most of the main characters from 52. Near the end Ambush Bug chats with Argh!yle on Wonder Woman
's invisible speaker phone
and confirms that he is alive and is not Dan DiDio. He then gets kidnapped by the Ambush Bug Revenge Squad, who argue over obscure comic quotations while Ambush Bug gets bored and escapes.
The final issue of the miniseries had been delayed for more than six months for undisclosed reasons. Fans have speculated that the delay was related to the departure of DC’s Senior Coordinating Editor Jann Jones from the company, as she was included in the story as a character. The final issue of the series was released on October 28, 2009.
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
written Keith Giffen
Keith Giffen
Keith Ian Giffen is an American comic book illustrator and writer.-Biography:Giffen was born in Queens, New York City....
and Robert Loren Fleming
Robert Loren Fleming
Robert Loren Fleming is an American comic book writer.-Biography:Fleming worked for DC Comics initially as a proofreader and later writer, creating Thriller, and was writing an Aquaman limited series and one-shot special in 1989 with plotter/breakdown artist Keith Giffen and artist Curt Swan.He is...
, and illustrated by Keith Giffen and Al Milgrom
Al Milgrom
Allen "Al" Milgrom is an American comic book writer, penciller, inker and editor, primarily for Marvel Comics. He is known for his 10-year run as editor of Marvel Fanfare; his long involvement as writer, penciler, and inker on Peter Parker, the Spectacular Spider-Man; his four-year tenure as West...
. The first issue, "Hey, You Sank My Battle-Ax!", was published on July 23, 2008. DC Comics announced that instead of releasing a sixth issue, the series will skip issue #6 and conclude with issue #7. Ambush Bug: Year None #7 was released on October 28, 2009.
Plot
The first issue, "Hey, You Sank My Battle-Ax!", revolves around Ambush BugAmbush Bug
Ambush Bug is a fictional character who has appeared in several comic books published by DC Comics.His real name is supposedly Irwin Schwab, but he has mental problems that prevent him from truly understanding reality around him, so even his true identity might be no more than a delusion on his part...
trying to solve the murder of Jonni DC, a female version of Johnny DC
Johnny DC
Johnny DC is a character that DC Comics has used at various times as a mascot for its lines of comic books, and occasionally as metafictional character who comments on the comics in which he appears.-History:...
. Through the course of the story, Ambush Bug encounters such DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
characters as Yankee Poodle
Yankee Poodle
Yankee Poodle is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe, an anthropomorphic poodle. Yankee Poodle is a superhero who lived on the otherdimensional world of Earth-C , an alternate Earth populated by sentient animals...
, Egg Fu, Ace the Bat-Hound
Ace the Bat-Hound
The comic book character Ace the Bat-Hound was the canine crime-fighting partner of Batman and Robin in DC Comics of the 1950s and 1960s. Ace debuted in Batman #92...
, and 'Mazing Man
'Mazing Man
Mazing Man is the title character of a comic book series created by Bob Rozakis and Stephen DeStefano and published by DC Comics. The series ran for twelve issues in 1986, with additional special issues in 1987, 1988, and 1990...
. Through the course of his investigation, he is pursued by his evil sock, Argh!yle!, and his minions bent on Ambush Bug's destruction. Also pursuing him is "Go-Go Chex", a mysterious being whose face is completely covered with the checkerboard
Checkerboard
A checkerboard or chequerboard is a board of chequered pattern on which English draughts is played. It is an 8×8 board and the 64 squares are of alternating dark and light color, often red and black....
pattern that appeared at the top of DC comic covers during the 1960s; he constantly speaks in 1960s phrases and slang, and refers to everyone around him as "Wonder Chick". Occasionally, the Source Wall
Source Wall
The Source Wall is a fictional structure in the . The wall lies on the edge of the known universe, in the Promethean Galaxy. Beyond the wall lies what is known as the Source, a cosmic essence or being that is the "source" of all that exists. The wall is theoretically passable. However, all those...
, as a sentient slab of concrete, appears vacationing across time and space in places where Ambush Bug passes.
The second issue makes fun of Zatanna
Zatanna
Zatanna Zatara is a fictional character in the DC Comics universe. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Murphy Anderson, Zatanna first appeared in Hawkman vol. 1 #4...
's mindwipe
Mindwipe
For the Transformers character, see Mindwipe .Mindwipe is a technique used in some science fiction scenarios, where the subject's memories and personality are erased and replaced by new memories and personality more useful to those who are carrying out the mindwiping, or to their area's...
of the Justice League of America
Justice League
The Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
, Rama Kushna, OMACs (who appear to take the places of all normal, background humans), Babe the Blue Ox from Jack of Fables
Jack of Fables
Jack of Fables was a spin-off of the comic book Fables, both of which were published by DC Comics as part of that company's Vertigo imprint. It shows the adventures of Jack Horner after his exile from Fabletown. A preview of the series was shown in Fables #50, and the series itself debuted in July...
, the Space Ranger
Space Ranger
Space Ranger is a science fiction hero who was published by DC Comics in several of their 1950s and 1960s anthology titles. He first appeared in Showcase #15 , and was created by writers Edmond Hamilton and Gardner Fox, and artist Bob Brown...
, the Green Lantern Corps
Green Lantern Corps
The Green Lantern Corps is the name of a fictional intergalactic military/police force appearing in comics published by DC Comics. They patrol the farthest reaches of the DC Universe at the behest of the Guardians, a race of immortals residing on the planet Oa...
, Zook
Zook (comics)
Zook is a fictional character that appeared in comic books published by National Periodical Publications in the 1960s. He was the partner of the superhero, J'onn J'onzz, the Manhunter from Mars...
, Mr. Nebula, and Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle
Blue Beetle is the name of three fictional superheroes that appear in American comic books published by a variety of companies since 1939.-Publication history:...
's death. Go-Go Chex continues to pursue Ambush Bug. In the Mr. Nebula segment, he briefly takes on the uniform of the Amber Butane Corps, a lampooning of the Green Lantern Corps that wields a sentient lighter instead of a ring.
In the third issue, Ambush Bug discovers that he and Dumb Bunny (of the Inferior Five
Inferior Five
The Inferior Five are a parody superhero team that premiered in the DC Comics title Showcase #62 . Created by E. Nelson Bridwell and Joe Orlando and Mike Esposito , the group was intended as a parody not only of the Fantastic Four, but of all the superhero teams whose members had such great...
) got married in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
while he was drunk. He spends most of the issue running from one reality to another trying to find a way out of his marriage; along the way he encounters Neron
Neron
Neron is a fictional demon, a comic book character published by DC Comics. He first appeared in the DC Comics cross-over event Underworld Unleashed #1, , and was created by Mark Waid and Howard Porter.- Publication history :...
(whom he asks to nullify his marriage in a spoof of Spider-Man: One More Day
Spider-Man: One More Day
"One More Day" is a four-part, 2007 comic book crossover storyline, connecting the six main Spider-Man series concurrently published by Marvel Comics at the time. Written by J. Michael Straczynski and Joe Quesada, with art by Quesada, this story arc concludes the fallout of Spider-Man's actions...
), Darkseid
Darkseid
Darkseid is a fictional character that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #134 and was created by writer-artist Jack Kirby....
(whom he goes to a Karaoke bar with), Super-Turtle (who wreaks massive destruction, à la Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime
Superboy-Prime, also known as Superman-Prime, or simply Prime, is a DC Comics superhero turned supervillain, and one of several alternate Supermen. The character first appeared in DC Comics Presents #87 , and was created by Elliot S...
), Jerro the Merboy
Merman
Mermen are mythical male equivalents of mermaids – legendary creatures who have the form of a human from the waist up and are fish-like from the waist down.-Mythology:...
, the Odd Man, and Go-Go Chex and his assistant Saki Toomi ("Sock it to me").
The fourth issue starts by referencing a mistake made in issue #2, where one page was printed without its dialogue balloons. DC editor Dan DiDio
Dan DiDio
Dan DiDio is an American writer, editor and publisher who has worked in the television and comic book industries. He is currently the Co-Publisher of DC Comics, along with Jim Lee...
takes responsibility for the mistake despite having nothing to do with it, a jab at the angry reaction from fans when certain characters were changed or killed off without him having anything to do with it. Dan DiDio is crushed and killed by a falling Ambush Bug, and Argh!yle starts to believe that he and Ambush Bug are actually one and the same. The issue continues mostly without Ambush Bug for the first half, focusing on lesser characters Argh!yle and Mitsu Bishi as a parody of the series 52
52 (comics)
52 was a weekly American comic book limited series published by DC Comics that debuted on May 10, 2006, one week after the conclusion of the seven-issue Infinite Crisis. The series was written by Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison, Greg Rucka, and Mark Waid with layouts by Keith Giffen...
. In trying to find Ambush Bug they feature Golden Age Robin, Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya
Renee Montoya is a fictional comic book character published by DC Comics. The character was initially created for Batman: The Animated Series, and was preemptively introduced into mainstream comics before the airing of her animated debut in 1992....
, and most of the main characters from 52. Near the end Ambush Bug chats with Argh!yle on Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman is a DC Comics superheroine created by William Moulton Marston. She first appeared in All Star Comics #8 . The Wonder Woman title has been published by DC Comics almost continuously except for a brief hiatus in 1986....
's invisible speaker phone
Invisible Plane
The Invisible Plane is the fictional DC Comics superheroine Wonder Woman's venerable, though now seldom-used, mode of transport. It first appeared in Sensation Comics #1 The Invisible Plane (sometimes referred to as the Invisible Jetplane, Invisible Jet, and Robot Plane) is the fictional DC Comics...
and confirms that he is alive and is not Dan DiDio. He then gets kidnapped by the Ambush Bug Revenge Squad, who argue over obscure comic quotations while Ambush Bug gets bored and escapes.
The final issue of the miniseries had been delayed for more than six months for undisclosed reasons. Fans have speculated that the delay was related to the departure of DC’s Senior Coordinating Editor Jann Jones from the company, as she was included in the story as a character. The final issue of the series was released on October 28, 2009.