Issue(s): Dazzler #13
Cover Date: Mar 82
Title: "Trial... and terror!"
Credits:
Danny Fingeroth - Writer
Frank Springer - Penciler
Vincent Colletta - Inker
Jim Shooter - Editor

Review/plot:
I've never seen a "women in prison" exploitation movie, but i'm a little surprised to see what i assume is a rather racy genre spilling over into a mainstream Marvel comic.

Dazzler is arrested for the murder of Klaw...

...and she has to spend the night at Rykers. The female ward is basically run by the Grapplers...

...and Dazzler is forced to fight them.

Luckily, one of the Grapplers is Screaming Mimi, who gives Dazzler a super-charge, enabling her to "Go for it!" and fight off the villains.

The rest of the issue, Dazzler's day in court, is actually not too bad. It's not exactly Law & Order quality court dramatization, but it's done relatively well. The jury finds Dazzler not guilty, thanks in part to testimony from Quasar.

Prior to being arrested, Alison spends some time going through her mother's old possessions until her father returns home. Their relationship is still icy since he found her laying dazed on her couch after what he assumed was a long weekend partying but was really her adventure with Galactus. It's also hinted that there's a dark secret involving Alison's mother.

And Paul Janson breaks off his relationship with Alison this issue. He basically tells her she's too flaky. Alison doesn't take it well.

Luckily, when Danny Fingeroth closes a door, somewhere he opens a window, and we're introduced to legal super-hunk (that's his real hair, ladies) Kenneth Barnett, Dazzler's court appointed lawyer, this issue.

Quality Rating: B-

Historical Significance Rating: 1

Chronological Placement Considerations: Moving this issue back in publication time to account for the Enchantress' appearance in Defenders #107-109, which must occur after Dazzler #16.

References:

• Dazzler's disappearance in Dazzler #9-11 put a strain on a lot of her relationships.
  
• Dazzler considers going to the X-Men for help when she's on the run from the law, but she decides that since she refused their offer of membership in Uncanny X-Men #131 she has no right to impose on them. She subsequently turns herself in.

Crossover: N/A

Continuity Insert? N

My Reprint: N/A

This issue was singled out by the Comics Journal over the following mistakes:
P. 7-9: Her jewelled choker appears and disappears.
P. 11-12:Her red pajamas turn into a bolero top.
P. 14:Poundcakes loses about 30 lbs. to make the all-butt panel look good.
P. 21:The courthouse exterior looks like the NY Public Library, and her defense attorney is just plain incompetent.

Jeez, that's a disturbing amount of Code-approved underboob in the above fight scene. Probably could've done without that.

Dazz's lawyer looks suspiciously like Terry Long.

A story that involves the Grapplers and Quasar, but wasn't plotted or edited by Mark Gruenwald and/or Ralph Macchio? Astounding!