NFL SuperPro #3: Video Evidence

NFL SuperPro #3
“Timeout”
Writer: Fabian Nicieza
Breakdowns: Jose Delbo
Guest Finisher: Charles Barnett
Letterer: Janice Chiang
Colorist: Evelyn Stein
Cover: Romita, Frenz, Sinnott
Editor: Bob Budiansky
Editor-in-Chief: Tom DeFalco
Published by: Marvel
Released: Oct. 1, 1991

After battling Quick Kick last issue, SuperPro takes on Snake Eyes, decked out in special stabbing battle accessories. OK, not really, but look at that cover. Plus, the guy doesn't talk.

His actual handle is Instant Replay, although I'm guessing that's not his birth name. The issue opens in rather dramatic fashion, with Mr. Replay* facing off against SuperPro in a darkened room. One of his gauntlet-mounted blades slashes through 'Pro's armor and when the hero moves to tackle him, ol' I.R. makes some weird noises and vanishes, reappearing behind the former football star and... slicing his head clean off.

Don't worry. We've got nine issues to go, and it turns out this was a robot double of SuperPro for Instant Replay to practice on in Marco Sanzionare's personal Danger Room. He mentions the Probot was built by Stane International, a thorn in Iron Man's side, in a nice way to remind readers this does take place in the Marvel Universe without over-relying on guest stars.

Sanzionare suggests Instant Replay will find his quarry in Philadelphia because SuperPro fights crimes that specifically intersect with pro football. In the city of brotherly love, a gang of masked men have been robbing Eagles fans and capturing their crimes on video.

As Phil “SuperPro” Grayfield and cameraman Ken Reid review the footage, Ken seems distracted, like maybe he recognizes one of the masked men. Phil, still blurring the lines between journalist and crimefighter, suggests they make themselves bait for the group.

At the group's hideout, their leader, Ronnie, gets worried that some of his fellow thugs will turn violent rather than stick to theft and harassment. Donning green ski masks, they head to an Eagles fan club dinner and proceed to vandalize a vehicle decorated with the team's colors and logo. But it's actually Phil and Ken's “Sports Inside” van and SuperPro bursts out of it, mildly pleased that one of the thugs gets his name right.

One of the thieves draws a gun on 'Pro, much to Ronnie's dismay. The group flees and before SuperPro can give chase, he's cut off by Ken, backing the van up allegedly to give chase, as Instant Replay watches from a nearby rooftop.

The next morning, Ken goes to his sister's house to confront his nephew: Ronnie McLaren, who has orchestrated the thefts to embarrass the Eagles after they cut him as a free agent punt returner. Ken tells Ronnie to put an end to the scheme before he goes to the police.

That night, the police and SuperPro respond to a store whose Eagles merchandise display has been trashed. But instead of Ronnie and his gang, 'Pro finds himself facing off against Instant Replay, whose blades do indeed slice through his armor. His disappearing/reappearing gimmick keeps SuperPro off balance until the hero nails him with an elbow. The assassin goes flying into the sporting goods store where his equipment is disrupted – 'Pro later theorizes a metal golf club disrupted the electrical conduit – and he disappears.

Ken comes clean about his nephew's involvement with the Eagles Gang. But since this crime scene was a setup by Instant Replay, the gang is in another part of the city, menacing a woman and two special needs kids. Ronnie puts a stop to it and declares the gang finished. When he returns home, he finds the police, his uncle and Phil waiting for him. Ronnie confesses and is taken into custody.

The final two pages jump ahead three weeks as Sanzionare rants about SuperPro's interference and reveals that he's discovered who the hero really is** and plans to don a suit of souped-up armor to take the hero out himself. Because it's either that or start targeting NHL players.

The Eagles Gang's crime and motivation are a bit flimsy, but these stories have to have a football theme. Ronnie's conflicted reaction to what he set in motion and Ken's reluctance to turn his nephew in are good story fodder.

The opening sequence sets Instant Replay up as an imposing foe, but the actual fight with SuperPro is pretty short. The nature of his powers isn't really made clear. The promo from last issue, this issue's cover and Sanzionare's dialogue all seem to focus on them having something to do with time, but to me, it just looks like teleportation. Maybe he's stopping time or something, though being able to manipulate time and using it to be a hit man seems a little like wasted potential. I mean, he could go back in time, steal stuff and return to the present. Maybe somebody just really liked the name Instant Replay and backtracked from there.

Another highlight is that one of the officers on scene when SuperPro takes on Instant Replay is named Nicieza, a nod to the writer.

This issue felt like it had a little more personality than the first two. I would like to throw a flag on featuring the Eagles since Phil played for them and wore Eagles gear in the last issue. Then again, maybe that's just my Red-Foot-Manders fandom showing.

* - Or maybe that's his father.

** - Which isn't all that challenging with him showing up wherever Phil is covering a story and his not really mask