Strange Adventures (Volume 1) with a cover date of February, 1969.
Synopsis for Deadman: "All This Has Gone Before But I Still Exist"
Deadman exits the Society of Assassins' headquarters and encounters Vashnu, to his great surprise. He inhabits Vashnu's body, reads a scroll in his hands, and learns of the existence of Nanda Parbat, a paradise on Earth. After saving Vashnu from a pair of the Sensei's killers, he trails them back inside the Society's headquarters and hears the Sensei order Willie Smith to board a plane and destroy Nanda Parbat with a laser weapon. Deadman accompanies Smith, inhabits the body of the plane's pilot, and, while they are over the part of the Himalayas which contains Nanda Parbat, engages him in battle. A pistol shot punctures a window, and Smith is sucked outside by the outrush. Deadman leaves the plane with the pilot, who turns back without harming Nanda Parbat. Deadman descends towards Nanda Parbat, which proves to be a Shangri-La of sorts, and, unexpectedly, materializes into human form, making a hard landing without his ghostly powers. He encounters Taj Ze, the massive, sword-wielding guardian of the realm, and Lotus, a beautiful Asian woman who shows him the cave in which Rama Kushna resides. Deadman wins a test of entrance with Taj Ze and enters, to confront his guardian spirit. Rama Kushna, in the cave, hears Deadman's plea and his demand to be allowed to return to the outside world, that he may help redress the imbalance of evil. Rama agrees, and Deadman is allowed to leave and begin his mission anew. At the exit to Nanda Parbat, Deadman is stopped by Lotus, who wishes to leave, but fears that her former nature, which was quite evil, will corrupt her again. She wishes to remain in Deadman's company, for safekeeping. But Deadman refuses, exiting and becoming a ghost again in the outside world. Lotus sobs behind him for a few seconds, until Willie Smith appears, yanks her past the boundary of Nanda Parbat, and watches as an evil smile fills her lovely face.
Appearing in Deadman: "All This Has Gone Before But I Still Exist"
Featured Characters:
Supporting Characters:
- Rama Kushna
- Vashnu (Hindu Fakir)
Antagonists:
- Society of Assassins
- Roy "The Hook" Martin (Appears only as a corpse)
- Willie Smith
Other Characters:
- Lotus (First appearance)
- Taj-Ze (First appearance)
Locations:
- Hong Kong
- Nanda Parbat (First appearance)
- Shangri-La (Mentioned only)
Synopsis for "I Lost My Past"
This story is reprinted from Tales of the Unexpected #3.
Appearing in "I Lost My Past"
- Appearances not yet listed
Notes
- Last Deadman story in Strange Adventures.
- "All This Has Gone Before But I Still Exist" reprinted in Deadman #7.
- This issue contains one of the most famous comic book easter eggs. In one panel, Neal Adams creates a "Jim Steranko effect" that also literally spells out "HEY A JIM STERANKO EFFECT"
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Deadman Recommended Reading
- Strange Adventures (Volume 1) (1967)
- Adventure Comics (Volume 1): (1978)
- Deadman (Volume 1) (1985)
- Deadman (Volume 2) (1986)
- Action Comics (Volume 1): (1988)
- Deadman: Love After Death (Volume 1) (1989)
- Deadman: Exorcism (Volume 1) (1992)
- Lobo/Deadman: The Brave and the Bald (1995)
- Batman/Deadman: Death and Glory (1996)
- Deadman: Dead Again (Volume 1) (2001)
- Deadman (Volume 3) (2002)
- Deadman (Volume 4) (2006)
- Deadman: Dark Mansion of Forbidden Love (Volume 1) (2016)
- Deadman (Volume 5) (2018)