All October long I will be exploring the context behind (using reader danjack's term) "meta-messages." A meta-message is where a comic book creator comments on/references the work of another comic book/comic book creator using the characters in their comic. Each time around, I'll give you the context behind one such "meta-message." Here is an archive of the past installments! If you have a suggestion for a future meta-message, e-mail me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com.

Reader Alex B. suggested that I feature Lobo #60-62, a three-part story that is basically about a meta-fictional as a comic storyline can get. In it, Alan Grant (writer of Lobo) is ordered by Mike Carlin to turn Lobo into a superhero because of complaints about Lobo from Wizard: The Magazine. Hilarity, as the say, ensues.

Pretty much every page of the three issues applies to the idea of Meta-Messages, but just to keep from featuring, well, every page, I'll just spotlight a few pages from #61.

First off, Alan Grant establishes the premise of the story (as well as the cast of characters)...

Later, we meet the "villains" of the piece, the folks at Wizard...

Grant rebels against Carlin...

(Raspler does, indeed, return)

Finally, after getting fired, Grant snaps!

The resolution in #62 is awesome, especially the interactions between Grant and Lobo.