Scott Saavedra's Comic Book Heaven

Free Book: The Art of George Tuska

2010-11-07T16:50:00.000-08:00

I designed this book years ago (tried to do a good job but, man, there are about a thousand things I would do differently with it now) and have a few more copies on hand than I really need -- 7, to be precise. One free copy of the book will go to each of the first 7 people who contact me via email at scottsaav at my internet provider ~~comcast.com~~ comcast.net. Postage is $5 (I will accept cash or PayPal) and books will be sent Priority Mail (no exceptions). Don't send me any money until I've verified your "win" and provide payment instructions. Offer ends when I say so, I will make every effort to be fair, and the decisions of the judges are final.

UPDATE (1/20/11): OFFER IS NOW OVER!

Brand-Man: The Untold Story!

2009-09-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

This link is making the rounds today, but in case you missed it: A fellow by the name of Tom McAlister was looking for a job and came up with a cute gimmick for his resume. He had an artist draw an illustrated resume in the style of an old DC comic (more or less). You can see the result here. The comic resume didn't directly lead to a job (though he did get one) but I asked Tom what kind of reaction he got to his creativity and he wrote back to tell me:

I printed out hard copies of Brand Man for in-person interviews: color copies on thick paper stock. 50 cents per side, so they cost me exactly $1 apiece, and I got bags and boards to hold each "issue" because I wanted to sell the retro comic-ness of it all.

Inevitably, I would hand over the (bagged) comic in an interview, and people would look up and ask -- "Is it okay if I take this out of here?" Like, if it was old and valuable they didn't want to mess it up by putting their fingers on it.

Tom also reports that working on the details of the design of Brand-Man with artist Sina Grace was "fanboy heaven."

And that, as they say, is the rest of the story.

The Brooklyn Superhero Supply Catalog

2009-07-20T14:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is a real catalog for a good cause. (via Lovely Package)

Checking In

2009-07-05T23:32:00.000-07:00

You've probably heard about both Bat-Manga by Chip Kidd and Jiro Kuwata and Supermen! by Greg Sadowski. I'm currently reading Bat-Manga and, while I'm not a huge manga fan (I dislike reading right to left), it's strange and fun (and beautifully designed). Supermen! is a must-get. For me, Greg Sadowski is the gold standard for vintage comic book reproduction and his taste in material is excellent.

A quick plug for myself: If you don't mind reading something that isn't about old comics, I've got the first few pages of my revamped web comic, Java Town, up at the SLG Publishing site. It's a work in progress and new pages will be posted as I get the chance.

The Angry Red Planet

2009-03-30T18:39:00.001-07:00

I watched the B-movie-sci-fi-cult-classic-psychotronic-film The Angry Red Planet last night. As is usually the case with these types of movies bad acting, giant plot holes, and primitive special effects can have a certain charm (well, for me anyway) and in that regard The Angry Red Planet is very charming. But CBH isn't a blog about such things so I'll share some comic book-related details from the film. Joe Kubert cohort Norman Maurer (a personal favorite underated artist) is one of the Executive Producers of the film. Alex Toth is credited as the storyboard artist (and I would guess the designer of the weird rat-bat critter seen above in my favorite sequence from the movie -- it certainly looks like something out of a Jonny Quest episode). And the lead actor, Gerald Mohr, voiced Mr. Fantastic for the late sixties Fantastic Four cartoon program while doing the same for the Green Lantern on The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure. It's just a comic book world.

You can read a funny review of The Angry Red Planet here.

You can watch the entire movie online or just watch the trailer here (I have no idea how long this link will be good).

Fanzine Round-Up!

2009-03-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

It warms my heart that even in this digital age you can still get print zines.

Ditkomania #71 (!) - Steve Ditko was one of the first artists I ever took a shine to. I know everyone loves his Spider-Man and Dr. Strange work but for me it's those early Marvel mystery and suspense stories that I adore. Rob's been sending me this handsome and heartfelt ongoing tribute to Ditko for several issues now and I certainly appreciate it. Send $2.50 (includes postage) to Rob Imes, 13510 Cambridge #307, Southgate, MI 48195.

Comic Effect #47 - Another long-running zine. This issue is devoted to Julius Schwartz and the comics he edited. Another very handsome, upbeat, nostalgia-driven fanzine. Send $3.50 (includes postage I think) to Jim Kingman, Comic Effect, PO Box 2188, Pasadena, CA 91102-2188.

It's A Fanzine #50 - And yet another long-running zine! I don't actually have this issue but I do have several earlier issues sitting around here someplace. It's also a fine, handsome fanzine. You can email Gene Kehoe for more info at iaf1952(at symbol)yahoo.com or just go ahead and send him $5.00 (includes postage) at 2265 Byron Ave., Waterloo, IA 50702.

One Reason the Fail Blog is a Daily Win

2009-03-12T20:19:00.000-07:00

SEE: Wolverine image placement Fail.

Michael Jackson IS Batman!

2009-03-03T22:42:00.000-08:00

Offered for sale by Michael Jackson (via Julien's Auctions) is a life-size Batman costume worn by a life-size Michael Jackson statue. Words fail. Currently, four of the five auction catalogs are online but I can't link to the exact page of the catalog where I found the above image but you can start here, enter the page number (73), and see the whole image for yourself along with all the other fanboy/manboy toys and such. The auction estimate is in the $200-$300 range (how affordable!).

Comic Book Heaven:LIVE! Canceled

2009-02-27T17:31:00.000-08:00

I really, really hate to say this, but I won't be able to give my CBH:LIVE! presentation at tomorrow's WonderCon. Complications from my recent surgery have left me still a bit wobbly. I apologize to anyone who was looking forward the panel -- I was looking forward to doing it (probably my only opportunity to do so this year as I don't expect to be at Comic-Con this summer) -- but I just can't make it this time.

Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! at WonderCon

2009-02-18T18:28:00.000-08:00

It's time once again for WonderCon to host my Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! presentation (this is, I think, my fifth or sixth year there). Here's the official information blurb:

11:30-12:30 Comic Book Heaven: LIVE!—If you've ever wondered which superhero sleeps in his uniform, where the rudest place to shoot a giant space monster can be found, and what you really got when you ordered junk from ads found in old comic books, you'll love Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! Scott Saavedra (Java Town) shines a bright and affectionate light on some of the strangest stories and most twisted moments found in vintage comic books. Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! is like Scott's Comic Book Heaven blog (comic_book_heaven.blogspot.com) but without all the tedious pointing and clicking. Room 236/238

Hope to see you there.

Health Update and CBH News

2009-01-31T15:33:00.000-08:00

When I last posted post surgery I was feeling pretty good all things considered. That lasted about a day. Unfortunately, there were some complications from the surgery (I had an allergic reaction to the anesthesia which made so itchy that it was nearly impossible to sleep for a week) and after that I started to really feel the effects of Uremic Poisoning (a result of my kidney failure) which, believe it or not, also made me so itchy that it was nearly impossible to sleep. So, that was my December (Christmas was nice, though). I've started dialysis which has made me feel much better but it's been a bumpy road there too and complications have forced me into more surgery next week (Hoo. Rah.). But it's apparently that or having a shunt thrust into my neck for emergency alternate dialysis (trust me, I'm trying to leave out as many ghastly details as I can). I'm frustrated that things have not gone more smoothly and I'm impatient to get on with my life (altered as it will be but better). I don't expect to continue with these Health Updates because I don't want to be The Sick Guy anymore. And to that end...

Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! returns to WonderCon in February. I'll put up a proper reminder a bit later but if you plan to go to the con keep Saturday (Feb. 28) morning open for some CBH-style fun (by the way, I will be fine by then so don't plan on seeing me hooked up to an oxygen tank and wheeled in by a nurse or anything like that -- I will be a comic book comedy beast and ready to roll).

Health Update: Surgery!

2008-12-05T22:23:00.000-08:00

Since I've made my recent health issues part of this blog I thought I'd update everyone on my situation (don't worry, I will get back to talking about comic books again eventually). I had surgery today and since I'm typing this you can probably guess that I've survived (and I have). I feel a bit like someone punched me in the gut but I'm back home and my wife just handed me some hot cocoa so all is well (well, all is better). I begin dialysis in a couple of weeks and expect to be feeling lots and lots better and a whole lot more productive. So, thank you all again very, very much for the many good wishes and the help and the care packages. You've done me a good turn that I can not adequately repay and I am quite grateful.

CBH Golden Age Sale Part Three!

2008-12-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

These auctions I'm running have been pretty successful so far. It makes me wish I focused more on buying Golden Age stuff than I did. Well, a fresh batch of stuff has been put up and you can see all of the current auctions right here.

ON A RELATED NOTE: Last summer my son interned at eBay. They were looking for interface/user experience input from Young People. A couple of ideas my son concocted (developed at home but credit is shared with his workgroup) turn up on the eBay homepage. Of course, having an idea is one thing and actually implementing it is another (kudos to the programming brains at eBay) but I'm pretty proud to see my boy's creativity turn up -- albeit anonymously -- in such a public place.

CBH Golden Age Sale Part Two!

2008-11-24T16:12:00.000-08:00

Good Gravy. Look at that swell cover to Frankenstein #20. I really like that Dick Briefer version of The Monster. Very insane stuff and not as celebrated as it should be (a quality color collection would be nice). As mentioned before I'm selling off some of my Golden Age comic books via the eBay. A fresh batch of stuff has been put up and you can see all of the current auctions right here.

CBH Golden Age Sale Part One!

2008-11-19T18:38:00.000-08:00

It wasn't long after becoming a comic book fan that I fell in love with Golden Age comics. For the most part I had to content myself with inexpensive reprints but I did manage to grab a golden oldie or two over the years. Nothing too spectacular (and almost all of them are in lousy condition), mind you, but I accumulated a nifty little overview of books from those early comic book days. Over the next few weeks I'll be having a few auctions to send these tattered beauties to new homes. You can find the first batch offered up here. I'll announce the next batch soon.

Oh, My Goodness

2008-11-11T00:42:00.000-08:00

Last Friday night I wrote a post announcing that I was ill. Due to mounting medical bills I asked folks who've enjoyed my various efforts over the years to maybe buy a book or one of my t-shirts via the links on this page. As almost an afterthought I added a Paypal donation button to the post. Other blogs have the buttons -- I don't like to bug people for money -- but I thought that this one time I would do it.

I didn't anticipate two things: One, that I would upset long-time friends who I don't see often with news of my illness and Two, that more than one or two people would use the donation button.

So to my friends who weren't aware of my illness I want to apologize for causing you to worry. It just wasn't something I wanted to bring up (after all, major organ failure is a gigantic buzzkill). I'm deeply sorry for upsetting you all. The treatment is going to be a bit of a bother but I will feel tons better once it begins and I'm looking forward to that. My ability to laugh, love, create and enjoy my life and family will only improve.

To the generous people (friends and strangers alike) who sent in donations: thank you. I'm writing to everyone personally but I can't say it enough. My thanks also to all who helped spread the word including Evan Dorkin, Dan Vado & Jennifer de Guzman at SLG, Dirk Deppey at Journalista!, Chris Mautner at Newsarama, Landry Walker and/or Eric Jones at a Tron message board (sorry, I've lost the url), Mike Sterling (truly a sterling fellow) and Tom Spurgon whose post last Saturday at The Comics Reporter almost made me cry. If I've missed anyone I do apologize. I'm embarrassed to be the focus of so much goodwill and quite addled by it as well but it all helps my family enormously and so I'm grateful too. My thanks to all.

A brief commercial: I'm going to be selling some Golden Age comics on eBay soon. Nothing high grade but some neat stuff. So if you're looking for affordable vintage comics keep an eye on this page.

UPDATE: A special thanks to everyone who ordered my t-shirts, mugs, and cards (hope you like them) and bought stuff via the Amazon.com ad. I have no way of knowing who you are so I can't thank you personally as I have those who have used the donation button but please know that your actions are appreciated as well. Thank you.

My Secret

2008-11-07T16:36:00.000-08:00

All the best comic book heroes have secrets. Secret identities, secret hideouts, secret desires. I have a secret too.

My kidneys are sick and failing. For most of the time that I've lived with my illness (Polycystic Kidney Disease) this hasn't impacted me too much so I've not shared that information with anyone but some friends and family. However those days are rapidly ending and I'm feeling the effects of my disease more and more. I expect to be on dialysis by around the end of the year and will need to be hooked up to a machine for hours each day to live (until -- and if -- I can get a kidney transplant) -- a sobering thought.

On the plus side, I'm otherwise in good health (my doctor tells me I have a "wonderful body") and I do have health insurance (it's not great by any means but it'll help with the bills of which there will be plenty).

I mention all this for two reasons: One, I suspect I won't be posting for a long while as I simply do not have the energy right now (I have to focus on family and work. I still plan to do CBH:LIVE! at WonderCon next year and finish up a new Comic Book Heaven book by 2010 but will put off deciding on what to do about the CBH blog until early next year). And two, I'd like to ask for a little help (even with insurance my illness will be expensive).

You'll notice to the left and right of the main center column there are an Amazon.com ad featuring comic related books I like and an ad for a Zazzle gallery of stuff I've designed. Ordering products via either would be greatly appreciated as I'm paid a small amount per order. I realize that these are difficult times for everyone but if you've gotten any enjoyment from the magazines, blog, or presentations that I've done over the past decade this would be a really, really good time to thank me in a solid way. And if you can't buy something but perhaps have a buck to spare I've added one of those fancy Paypal donation buttons below:

Thanks for your time. I look forward to more CBH style fun in the future. In the meantime, I'm not just sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I'm making comics! Be sure to check out my latest effort (updated every Wednesday): Java Town.

Kid Frankenstein

2008-09-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

I'm a total sucker for fake comic book covers especially one as nice as this. The art is by Paul Conrad and you can see more of his excellent work at Super Robot Monster.

Cartoon Laffs

2008-09-05T21:13:00.000-07:00

Because I suddenly feel like it I'll be posting some odds and ends over the next week or so that will all relate to cartooning in general but maybe not to comic books -- as is the norm around here -- specifically. Above is the cover to Cartoon Laffs (mentioned here recently), a collection of gag panels and humor from the pages of True, the Man's Magazine. While spousal abuse hasn't disappeared it's use as a basis for "laffs" has dropped off a bit in recent years. Art by Virgil Partch (VIP) whom I'm sure loved his wife very much.

A Word of Thanks and Stuff

2008-09-02T17:28:00.000-07:00

My thanks to those who continue to stop by this blog even though posting has been light lately. Work and family have kept my attentions elsewhere but that's only part of the story. I've been going through one of my periodic feelings of, oh, disenchantment I suppose is the right word with the whole blogging thing. I haven't lost interest in the fundamental mission of Comic Book Heaven (having fun with old comic books) it's just that the charm of blogging waxes and wanes for me. If I could do my live presentation on a more regular basis I would probably stop the blog completely. The immediate reaction of the audience is a rush. The silence following a blog post, not so much. I have a little experiment in mind for a digital version of CBH and I am currently noodling around with that. If I'm happy with the results I'll post it here. If not, it'll be business as usual before too long. In the meantime, I encourage you to have a look at my Java Town webcomic or take a peak at my recently updated webpage at www.scottsaavedra.com.

Proof of LIVE!: Comic-Con Video

2008-08-22T17:36:00.000-07:00

SLG Publishing put up a three-part video record of July's Comic-Con. Included in the third part are bits from my Comic Book Heaven:LIVE! presentation. I can't bear to watch myself on video so I've only checked to see where it begins (somewhere around 4:34 mark) and how much of the 40 minutes -- we got a late start -- show up on tape (about 1). But if you didn't get to Comic-Con and are a reader of this here blog you may enjoy it. Or not. All three parts can be found here.

Early Dennis

2008-08-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Seeing this collection of pre-Dennis the Menace Hank Ketcham cartoons reminded me that I stumbled upon this cartoon a while back:

I found it in Cartoon Laffs (Fawcett 1952), a paperback collection of cartoons from True, the Man's Magazine. The cartoon, part of the "It's Only Your Imagination" series, appears to feature a Dennis prototype. Detail:

I've seen other Ketcham panels that featured similarly drawn kids but this one looks the most "Dennis-y" to me (Experts on Ketcham what say you?). But even if my "find" is not the most developed proto-Dennis ever Hank Ketcham sure did some fine cartooning and it's always a pleasure to see.

For still more pre-Menace work there's Fantagraphics' handsome Where's Dennis.

The Road to Richies

2008-08-04T16:48:00.000-07:00

Oh, if only real life worked this way. Harvey Comics house ad detail circa 1962.

From the Sketchbook

2008-08-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hulk v Thing. A doodle from, oh, I guess about a year ago.

The Chicken-Hearted Killer!

2008-08-01T00:26:00.000-07:00

REVIEW: "The Chicken-Hearted Killer" from Crime Does Not Pay #50 (Mar. 1947)

Howard “Sonny” Potts loves his chickens. So much so, that he thinks about his chickens at work (“Curse this job which keeps me away from them!”). He thinks about them on his way to the bus. He thinks about them while on the bus. He thinks about them so much that he starts to get real sweaty. At home, Howard treats his wife Muriel shabbily, smacking her with a broom and slapping her in the head. Muriel, for some crazy reason, doesn’t understand the whole chicken thing. She wants money to buy food and a new coat. Howard isn’t keen on either suggestion (“I’ll decide where the money goes in this house – and none of it goes to you!”). Even though Howard, the genius, doesn’t give his wife money to buy food he demands to be fed so Muriel cooks up Mr. Corn, a favored rooster. This outrage causes Howard to use the business end of an axe on Muriel and bury her body next to the chicken coup. Big mistake, as the chickens come home to roost and begin to dig Muriel’s body out of her (presumably) shallow grave in front of a wandering cop. Howard’s goose is cooked (so to speak) and he’s sent to the gas chamber where he utters his final words, “COUGH. I love chickens more than anything else! COUGH.”

Above: Howard's chickens make him sweat. Art by George Tuska.

Java Town

2008-07-30T16:28:00.000-07:00

I've probably mentioned more than a few times on this blog that I actually made comic books before I got into the "business" of making fun of comic books. I stepped away from the writing and drawing of comics for a long while to focus on graphic design (another long-time love of mine). But the irrational urge to return to creating my own comics has resurfaced and so now I'm doing it the Modern Way, as a webcomic. My first effort, Java Town, is spun off of a comic book series I did late in the last century. Java Town is about desire and coffee with a mid-century sheen. It is also about laffs. One warning: we (SLG Publishing and I) jumped into this before we were 100% ready so the debut was a bit rough. We're still working out navigation and other issues (the website template really isn't made for what we're attempting). However, over time I expect to smooth over the rough spots and plan on doing at least one more Java Town story for the web. After that, we plan on publishing a Java Town print collection. That should come out sometime in 2009.

You can begin reading the free Java Town webcomic here.

Comic-Con Report

2008-07-29T22:31:00.000-07:00

What should have been an hour and a half trip from Santa Ana (where my son and I stopped off for the night) to downtown San Diego -- and Comic-Con -- on Thursday stretched out to some 4 hours as we sat inching along Highway 5 as part of a 15-mile backup. A big-rig apparently hit a parked car and one or both vehicles burst in to flames. I didn't hear any news about the accident beyond regular radio reports telling me what I already knew -- that my son and I were hosed. I didn't hear about any injuries or fatalities associated with the mess so that, at least, was a good thing.

I did the usual this year: talked to folks, looked at comics and original art, hung out with my son, and did my Comic Book Heaven:LIVE! presentation. I enjoyed all of that. Unfortunately, the traffic jam caused us to miss a few panels we wanted to see (my son really wanted to go to the Jim Woodring panel and I would have liked to see Chip Kidd's presentation). One sour note: The con folks have a difficult task and I appreciate their efforts but better line management is desperately needed for the big panel events. Hundreds of people went away from the Mythbusters panel (including my son and I) without even getting close to the entry door, wasting a fairly large chunk of time. A simple headcount as the line was forming would minimize dashed hopes and hard feelings. It mystifies me why such an obvious solution isn't in place.

My son got to meet a handful of artists he's interested in this year. I'm quite pleased with his tastes in artists -- I try to steer him toward The Good Stuff of course but he has a fine eye. Special thanks to Attaboy, Jim Woodring, and Adrian Tomine who were all terrific.

About my CBH:LIVE! presentation: The room set aside for me was twice as big as it was the last time I did this at Comic-Con two years ago. I nearly had a kitten, I was so worried that no one would show up. But a miracle occurred. There were no major technical problems (unlike every single previous presentation). Plus, I had probably the biggest crowd I've ever had and man, oh, man were they in a good mood. I had a pretty good batch of crazy material to share (really, a turtle and a pair of onions could have done just as well as I did showing this stuff) and loud (scary loud, sometimes) laughter was heard throughout the entire hour. It was very fun for me and very gratifying. My thanks to everyone, friends and strangers, who came out to the show.

(I have one favor to ask: If you picked up one of the freebie postcards I did to promote this site please leave a comment. I'm a bit curious to see if my little effort created any new visitors. Thanks in advance.)

A Quick Post Before the Big Show

2008-07-23T12:40:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder that I'll be doing my Comic Book Heaven: Live! presentation at San Diego Comic-Con International this Friday. Hope to see you there.

Also: For all of you who have asked about back issues of the Comic Book Heaven magazine -- the good folks at SLG Publishing will have copies for sale at the con.

Out of Context Post of the Day

2008-07-21T18:10:00.000-07:00

(Due to shoddy record-keeping I don't know which issue of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents provided this panel.)

Modesty Fail

2008-07-11T01:00:00.000-07:00

Late comic artist great Dan Barry strikes a bathing suit pose. (From Comics Interview #83)

Behind the Scenes! E!Online! EXCLUSIVE!!

2008-07-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

Reporter Joal Ryan of E!Online interviewed me the other day for a story about the new Hulk movie. A couple of my comments made it into the final piece (you can read it here). Since the new Hulk movie appears to be doing only about as well at the box office as the much-criticized Ang Lee version Joal was wondering if maybe the Hulk -- the character -- just wasn't as viable a movie star as, say, Iron Man. I happen to believe that the Hulk is such a classic, primal creation that you could (and probably should) keep making Hulk movies until someone gets the CGI right (and pens a decent script, casts the movie well, etc.). Unfortunately, I found myself uncharacteristically tongue-tied during the interview and mostly said "um" and "er" for 15 minutes. So, so smooth. It's a miracle that Joal (who was professional and patient throughout) managed to get even a complete, coherent sentence out of me. And of course for the rest of the day I kept thinking of better, wittier answers to her questions. Oh, well... I guess I'll be a bit better prepared for the next time a reporter asks me about the new Hulk movie (as if). Maybe I'll even have seen the film in question by then.

When Verbs Misplaced Are

2008-07-07T22:28:00.001-07:00

Titles from various (mostly 60s-era I think) Marvel comics. Blog post title courtesy my wife. Thanks, hon.

Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! At Comic-Con

2008-06-30T21:03:00.001-07:00

San Diego Comic-Con International will soon be upon us. I'll be attending this year and once again will be giving my Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! presentation. You are all cordially invited to attend. Here's the official info blurb:

Comic Book Heaven: LIVE!–If you've ever wondered which superhero sleeps in his uniform, where the rudest place to shoot a giant space monster can be found and what you really got when you ordered junk from ads found in old comic books you'll love Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! Scott Saavedra (Comic Book Heaven, Java Town) shines a bright and affectionate light on some of the strangest stories and most twisted moments found in vintage comic books. Comic Book Heaven: LIVE! is like Scott's Comic Book Heaven blog but without all the tedious pointing and clicking.
Friday, July 25 3:30-4:30pm Room 30AB

No two of these presentations are ever exactly the same and this will be the only "performance" this year so stop on by won't you?

Above: Ad for an early version of Comic-Con from Where Creatures Roam #8 (September 1971).

A Dynamite Choice!

2008-06-06T01:23:00.000-07:00

Kirby: King of Comics Beats Me to the Punch

2008-06-05T22:02:00.000-07:00

I was once planning to produce a thorough examination of Jack Kirby's comic book career in a special issue of Spectrum, an 8-page fanzine I created devoted to comic books, comic strips, animation, science fiction and Star Trek. I got as far as mostly completing a cover (see image above) but I also had my notes from an interview I conducted with Jack Kirby in his home for a high school class assignment and, according to my records, 6 of the 210 comic books I owned as of June 16, 1974 featured Kirby's art so I had plenty of visual material with which to illustrate my text. Unfortunately, Mark Evanier's recent book, Kirby: King of Comics, has rendered my effort obsolete. Nevertheless, I think Mark's book is very nice. I read it in one sitting a couple of nights ago and Jack Kirby's life story is told with the same lean, galloping forward thrust of the best of Jack Kirby's comics (while suffering from none of Kirby's idiosyncratic use of the English language). And I do have to admit that the production values are quite a bit better than the Xerox machine at the Thousand Oaks public library would have afforded my publication. In fact, it would be completely wonderful if all books about comics could be this beautifully produced. So, yes, Mark Evanier beat me to the punch and that stings a bit but Kirby: King of Comics is the number one must-have for any comic book scholar/reader/fan. At least until I finish that second special issue of Spectrum.

Battle Inside of a Brain!

2008-05-25T23:41:00.000-07:00

REVIEW: "Battle Inside of a Brain!" from Wonder Woman #161 (Apr. 1966)

Angle Man is introduced as a “suave villain.” Sample pick-up line: “How about a date, baby doll?” Result of pick-up line: rejection and cigarette ashes in the hair. But Angle Man has a plan, a plan to steal Military Secrets from Col. Steve Trevor and win the over the lady who rejected him – so he can dump her (well, he is the bad guy here). Meanwhile, Steve Trevor is trying to put the moves on Wonder Woman while on a secluded dune near the coast. A man wearing fake glasses, a false nose, and a ridiculous mustache offers Wonder Woman a beautiful pin. Wonder Woman, who is as wise as Athena and swifter than Mercury, doesn't suspect a thing and is knocked out when the poisoned pin pricks her skin. Gasp! The pin guy is really Angle Man! Steve Trevor is quickly overcome when one of the Angle Man's henchmen use a gun... to smack Trevor across his noggin. Later, back at Angle Man's hideout Wonder Woman, tied up by her own lasso, wakes up in time to find Angle Man using truth serum on Steve Trevor. Thinking quickly, Wonder Woman blocks Trevor's memory cells with her own brainwaves. Unable to get Trevor to give up his Military Secrets Angle Man is forced to resort to his backup plan: a Micro-Reducing Ray he happens to have on hand. You see, by reducing to the size of “Eensy-Beensy molecules” Angle Man and his gang intend to listen to Trevor's memory cells directly (!). Wonder Woman, though still bound, uses mighty panting (I am not making this up) to propel her hard against one of the henchmen and then into the Micro-Reducing Ray to follow after Angle Man and crew. Inside Trevor's body Wonder Woman battles some invading bacteria (“By the Hippocratic Oath!”) revealing a new treatment option for infections: fisticuffs. And over in the brain, Angle Man is interrogating Trevor's brain cells, depicted as having individual (and childish) personalities and faces. Wonder Woman easily defeats the bad guys and drags them out of Steve Trevor's body using a “friendly cell” as a raft.

Above: “AHHHHHH -- If there's anything worse than a half-sneeze – I don't know what it is!” - General Darnell has clearly never seen battle. Art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. The script is by Robert Kanigher, bless his heart.

Flying First Class

2008-05-23T18:26:00.001-07:00

I watched the direct-to-dvd Justice League: The New Frontier the other night (it was okay but I liked the original comics better -- the opening title sequence was very cool however). The dvd came with 3 "bonus" episodes of the Justice League Unlimited. I'd only seen the show a couple of times during its original run so I decided to check out one of the episodes.

In "Dark Heart" our heroes battle a terrible menace that threatens the world (I know, it sounds kind of familiar -- I think that they may have used the same plot in a couple of other episodes). The one hero needed most of all this day is my second favorite shrinky guy, The Atom (first favorite is Doll Man on account of his lame-o name and beautifully drawn stories). Wonder Woman is given the assignment to transport The Atom (and she looks thrilled about it too).

So, does Wonder Woman place The Atom carefully in her ear as did Superman earlier in the episode (see highlighted area below)?:

Don't be silly. Amazonian woman don't have any ear holes! So...

And I'm pretty sure that little rascal is smiling.

Rory Root, R.I.P.

2008-05-20T00:19:00.001-07:00

Rory Root, a noted Bay Area comic book retailer, has died. I knew Rory only well enough to wave at him from the distance or to chat briefly when buying something from his booth at a comic convention (and I almost always bought something from him at every con we both attended). Back when I was making comic books more or less regularly he would always let me know when he'd brought my stuff to a show. I think he was the the only retailer to do so (in my experience he was also one of the very few to sell any SLG comics at cons) and I really appreciated that.

FYI: Amazing Heroes Auction

2008-05-18T15:26:00.000-07:00

I'm getting rid of some magazines (I just don't have the room to keep everything anymore). The first batch of stuff, Amazing Heroes #1-13, are now up for sale at eBay. Give them a nice, warm home won't you?

Superman vs. Hollywood

2008-05-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

Superman vs. Hollywood by Jake Rossen tells of the various efforts to take Superman and related characters from the printed page to stage, screen and television. Having read this book and Keys to the Kingdom: The Rise of Michael Eisner and the Fall of Everybody Else nearly back to back I think it's a miracle that anything of quality ever hits the movie screen (what a crazy business). Still, for anyone who likes to see what goes on behind the curtain, so to speak, Superman vs. Hollywood is an entertaining overview of an American icon's non-print escapades. I do have one main complaint about the book (besides a minor nit to pick when the author describes kids of 40s sitting down to "watch" The Adventures of Superman, a 15-minute radio program): the photos in the book are dinky and none of them show a live-action Superman fully in costume (one photo of Superboy teases with the tiniest bit of cape). I suspect that there may be legal reasons for this (or possibly the publishers didn't want to piss off Time Warner even though Fair Use provisions of the copyright law might allow limited use) but it strikes me as a pretty large and unfortunate omission.

Above: A photo from Superman vs. Hollywood shows creators Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in front of a Neal Adams drawing of the two being carried by Superman minus his famous "S" symbol (it appears to have been removed ~~but I couldn't find another copy to verify this)~~. EDIT: Found the drawing -- complete with "S" symbol -- accompanying an interview with Neal Adams at Confessions of a Pop Culture Addict.

Will Elder, R.I.P.

2008-05-16T15:57:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of things but few are as necessary as my complete run of Humbug magazine, Harvey Kurtzman's follow-up to Mad. And as much as I appreciate Kurtzman the writer it was his art and the artists he surrounded himself with that really drew me in. Will Elder was my favorite of that very talented bunch. One of my biggest thrills was just the opportunity to see him in person, albeit from a bit of a distance, at the Eisner Awards ceremony a few years ago in San Diego. To see him deflect the audience's great affection for him with a wisecrack completely delighted me. Yes, I'm a huge cartoon dork (somebody call Walter Cronkite). It's awful, of course, that Will Elder has passed but, my goodness, he had a good run. Fantagraphics has a collection of Humbug coming out soon and I can't recommend it highly enough.

For more about Will Elder posts at The Comics Reporter and from Mark Evanier would be, as usual, good places to start.

Edit: Journalista! shares a swell pdf of the infamous -- and for years suppressed -- "Goodman Goes Playboy" from Help! magazine. A zip file is also available.

Above: A typically detailed (and beautiful) Will Elder panel from Humbug #7 (Feb. 1958).

Spider-Man, Web Singer?

2008-05-14T18:14:00.000-07:00

I've finally decided to get rid of some of the various magazines about comics acquired in the last couple plus decades. Naturally, I can't just stick these things in a box, toss them up on eBay and be done with it. No, I have to take one last peek and see if I can find anything worth sharing here. So I guess we can consider this the beginning of a sporadic series.

Stan Lee Presents Marvel Comics' 1981 Stage, Screen and Television Prospects
From a panel with Stan Lee and then Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter at a Creation Con as reported in Amazing Heroes #1 (June 1981)

PROPERTY: The Black Widow
PROJECT: Prime time live-action television series
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: "Charlie's Angles"
DID IT HAPPEN?: No

PROPERTY: Marvel's good name
PROJECT: The Marvel Horror Show, a horror television series with Marvel's name attached to it
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: "It'll be the biggest thing in the world!!"
DID IT HAPPEN?: No

PROPERTY: Fantastic Four
PROJECT: A big budget motion picture
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: It'll be made by a young guy "like a George Lucas"
DID IT HAPPEN?: Eventually, but not before a low budget version was made and shelved

PROPERTY: The X-Men
PROJECT: Unspecified
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: It'll feature the "new X-Men" if fans get their way
DID IT HAPPEN?: Yep.

PROPERTY: Ghost Rider
PROJECT: Unspecified
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: Dino De Laurentiis would produce it
DID IT HAPPEN?: Yes, but not with Dino

PROPERTY: Thor
PROJECT: Major motion picture
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: Orson Welles as Odin
DID IT HAPPEN?: No, but a Thor movie is supposed to come out in 2010

PROPERTY: Spider-Man
PROJECT: A musical
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: "A serious musical"
DID IT HAPPEN?: Thankfully, no but you've likely heard of the successful big-budget non-musical movie franchise

PROPERTY:Howard the Duck
PROJECT: A live-action major motion picture
DID IT HAPPEN?: Sadly, yes

PROPERTY: The Silver Surfer
PROJECT: "A big movie"
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: Linear induction will allow the Surfer to fly "this high" off the ground
DID IT HAPPEN?: No, but Silver Surfer did appear in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

PROPERTY: S.H.I.E.L.D.
PROJECT: A "James Bond-type of series"
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: James Bond, I suppose
DID IT HAPPEN?: Well, a television movie with David Hasselfhoff got made and a film version is supposed to come out in 2010

PROPERTY: Captain America
PROJECT: A broadway musical about the Captain's squalid and unhappy later years
WHAT WOULD IT BE LIKE?: "I think it's going to be a hit"
DID IT HAPPEN?: Amazingly, no but apparently recordings of the score exist. A low budget movie did get made (see photo above) and a Cap movie is expected to hit the big screen in 2011

A Word or Two About The Ten-Cent Plague

2008-05-09T16:40:00.000-07:00

I recently finished reading The Ten-Cent Plague by David Hajdu and liked it. I guess I'm familiar enough with the stories about the hysteria over comic book excesses that I wasn't thrilled by the book in the way I was, say, by Gerry Jones' excellent and eye-opening Men of Tomorrow. I do applaud, whole-heartedly and without reservation, Hajdu's impressive collection of primary sources including -- amazingly -- some of the kids who burned their comics (to their regret, as it turns out) in large public bonfires. Also, the list of 800 people whose career in comics were stopped dead in their tracks during the brouhaha was affecting. I would have loved to see more illustrations (sample art from some of the comics at issue would have been welcome) and a few more quotes from former -- and quite unrepentant -- comic book publisher Stanley P. Morse. I think another chapter (at least) on the aftermath of the creation of the Comics Code would have been a good idea too. Certainly, the Marvel Age of Comics may never have happened if Stan Lee and company didn't feel the need to scratch at the chafings of the pablum-inducing nature of the Comic Code's restrictions. And not only have comics begun to produce real art post-Code creation (Maus, etc.) wretched excesses have returned as well (the rape of Sue Dibney, etc.) with hardly a raised eyebrow from the public at large. Still and all, it's a worthwhile book for anyone interested in the busy intersection of creation, commerce and concern.

On a related note, a three part (1, 2, 3) post by Bart Beaty at The Comics Reporter in Fredric Wertham's defense is worth reading for anyone who sees Wertham as an evil anti-comics badguy. My own opinions of Wertham softened around 1975 following the publication of his admiring book about fanzines (The World of Fanzines -- I loved that book). I don't think that Wertham came off that badly in The Ten-Cent Plague but the debate about his writing, his life and his motives is one of the best outcomes of the Hajdu book. I do have one quibble with Bart. He writes:

"[Wertham] is held up for ridicule for reporting the obvious -- that, for example, there is a subtext in the relationship between Batman and Robin that can be read as homoerotic."

Rather than "reporting the obvious" Wertham instead reveals a bias of the day (one that is sadly still with us) regarding Homosexuals. The fact is is that they are no more likely to be interested in little pre-teen boys of Robin's age than Heterosexuals are interested in pre-teen girls. You could make the argument that the relationship is a pedophile's dream I suppose but you could make that argument regarding adults and same-sex youths involved in virtually any common -- or in the case of comics, uncommon -- activities. It strikes me as an overly broad and poisonous assumption to make. Wonder Woman's bondage and submission subtext, on the other hand, was indeed a reflection of her creator's unconventional social sexual interests whereas Batman was created by a (straight) kid just trying to make a buck. Wertham was seeing something that just isn't there (something he was guilty of in Seduction -- his finding of a woman's sexual organs in the drawing of a shoulder comes to mind). I read this bit of Homoerotic Conventional Wisdom over and over again in discussions of Wertham and Seduction of the Innocent. It stinks of ignorance and it's past time to wish that bit of Conventional Wisdom into the cornfield.

Above: Cover detail from The Ten-Cent Plague. Art by the great Charles Burns.

From Out of the Black Pit Came… Grogg!

2008-05-02T21:43:00.000-07:00

REVIEW: "From Out of the Black Pit Came… Grogg!" from Where Monsters Dwell #27 (Mar. 1974). Originally published in Strange Tales #83 (Apr. 1961).

“A small dictatorship in central Europe” prepares to conduct secret nuclear tests in a remote part of their country. A scientist plucked from the unwanted attention of a firing squad is forced to perform the tests under the strict supervision of one Colonel Vorcutsky, a commie hardcase with no love for “men of science.” (I guess all the other nuclear scientists were on vacation.) The local natives, having heard about the apparently not-very-secret secret nuclear tests, warn of waking Grogg who sleeps in the earth below. The penalty for waking Grogg? “Vengeance!” Vorcutsky ignores the locals and explodes the nuclear weapon. Predictably, Grogg awakes, heads for the nearby village, and smashes the villager's modest huts. The locals feel that Grogg is mistaken in his wrath and one of them explains to the rampaging behemoth that his quarrel is not with the villagers but instead with the commies who exploded the nuclear weapon. Grogg, an ancient orange, scaly, be-horned creature who has been asleep beneath a small central European country for centuries understands perfectly. Grogg attacks the commies. And then he eats them.

Above: Grogg, a fierce fire-breathing giant, cruelly shoves some commies into icy cold water. "What a disaster!" Art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers.

Lotta Green for the Lantern

2008-05-01T21:36:00.000-07:00

An event calendar for Bonhams, an auction house, came in the mail the other day and as my wife was thumbing through it this page caught her eye:

It's probably too small to read but here's the most important part:

I don't even know where to begin. I'm just, well, I'm just friggin' speechless. If I had come across this painting at a comic convention fan art show I wouldn't have given it a second glance (even with that broken left leg -- good grief) and I certainly ~~would~~ wouldn't expect someone to pay more than a couple of hundred bucks for it. Elsewhere in the brochure is an original Rick Griffin acrylic on canvas Jimi Hendrix poster also coming up for auction (Estimate: $250,000 - 350,000). Pricey, but that I can wrap my head around.

UPDATE: The Green Lantern painting sold for $600,000 on May 14th.

Bill Finger's Paperweight & the Boys of Steel

2008-04-28T21:41:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I stumbled upon Another Perfect Day, a beautiful picture book about a Superman-esque character written and drawn by Ross MacDonald. His art can be seen again, more directly related to Superman this time, in the upcoming illustrated book, Boys of Steel: The Creators of Superman, written by Marc Tyler Nobleman. Marc is also working on a book about Batman co-creator Bill Finger. He must be digging pretty deep because his efforts have turned up Bill Finger's old paperweight and a nude (I think) sculpture Finger created of his first wife.

A Little Help, Please

2008-04-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

My film-making brother has an entry in the Heinz Top This TV Challenge and he needs votes. If he wins the big prize ($57,000) he'll probably celebrate by buying my mom dinner. Please help feed my mom. His entry is called "Midnight Snack." You can vote here.

UPDATE: The contest is now over. Unfortunately, my mother's dinner hopes have been squashed by the witless fools who didn't vote for my brother's video. I curse them all.

Random Bits

2008-04-07T21:37:00.000-07:00

As much as I don't really need to own Fantagraphic's upcoming complete Humbug set (I already have all the original issues -- got 'em pre-eBay even) I'll probably give into its siren call as I love that material so very much. While we're all waiting for the book's eventual release this Summer here's a neat post on preparing some Humbug art for print.

Another thing to look forward to: Will Eisner: Portrait of a Sequential Artist (I've added it as a "save" to my Netflix queue but I have no idea when it'll be widely available).

I've added a few blogs to the list at the left. You may care to give them a look-see: Stwallskull, Cartoon SNAP and Cash Gorman's Golden-Age Encyclopedia.

And finally, but not leastly, if you liked the previous Vintage Cartooning Ad posts then you'll want to see this and this over at the swell ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive (thanx to Stephen Worth for pointing this out).

Vintage Cartooning Ads Part 4

2008-03-19T22:45:00.001-07:00

Ads from Cartoons Magazine #3 (Sept. 1920). (Click on images to enlargerize.)

Vintage Cartooning Ads Part 3

2008-03-17T18:05:00.000-07:00

Ads from Cartoons Magazine #3 (Sept. 1920). More to follow in upcoming posts. (Click on images to enlargerize.)

Vintage Cartooning Ads Part 2

2008-03-16T23:00:00.001-07:00

Ads from Cartoons Magazine #3 (Sept. 1920). More to follow in upcoming posts. (Click on images to enlargerize.)

Vintage Cartooning Ads Part 1

2008-03-15T15:47:00.000-07:00

Ads from Cartoons Magazine #3 (Sept. 1920). More to follow in upcoming posts. (Click on images to enlargerize.)

A Couple of Small Stories About Dave Stevens

2008-03-11T17:41:00.000-07:00

About 24 years ago I was lying awake in Dave Steven's guest bed marveling at my surroundings. The bed -- a fold out couch -- was situated in the living room of the house in Southern California he then shared with artist Joe Chiodo (whom I would very occasionally assist on various art assignments). On that particular day I was probably helping Joe with some Masters of the Universe package art while Dave was working on additional material for the first Rocketeer collection (pictured above). I recall a lot of wise-cracks flying back and forth with big band music and Wolfman Jack on the radio. We worked almost to dawn and I was tired but I couldn't sleep. You see, the living room was set up to be Dave's studio and so I was sitting, alone, next to The Drawing Table Where Dave Stevens Drew The Rocketeer. The drawing table where, only hours earlier, my left arm had been immortalized by Dave who used it as reference for a Rocketeer panel. Yes, I was thrilled. Yes, I was -- and occasionally am still -- that much of a comic book geek.

Sadly, Dave Stevens, an impressively gifted talent, died Monday. As usual, Mark Evanier provides a heartfelt and informative obituary.

Already much has been said about Dave being a nice guy and I'd like to add my small piece to that mosaic: Around 1984/85 I was asked to help with the coloring of the first Rocketeer collection and to say I was thrilled doesn't begin to cover it. At the time I was slowly trying to make my way into the comic book business but mostly I was a huge fan who relished the opportunity to contribute to something I really loved. But I was nervous too. I already knew how particular Dave could be about quality and I didn't want to screw anything up. Thankfully my job involved applying bits of adhesive sheets of solid color, something requiring a steady hand and an anal-retentive attention to detail (nailed it). Actually, the coloring process used back then -- and hardly ever now -- was kind of interesting but that's a post for another time.

Unfortunately, before I had much of a chance to do much work I had to leave. The exact details escape me now. All I remember is that I was in the process of moving to Northern California and that one of my future house-mates was being a jerk and needed me there pronto to meet the new landlord or something and that I needed $200 right away (for what, I don't recall but it was money I didn't have). Dave offered to loan me the money. I was ditching him and the Rocketeer and not only was he understanding and gracious about it but he helped me out of a jam (he was promptly repaid). The funny thing is, as much as I hated leaving a job unfinished -- it just killed me -- Dave did me an incredible favor by not insisting I stay. I returned to Northern California, settled things with the house-mates, and eventually met one of their co-workers whom I quickly and totally married.

I consider myself very fortunate to have crossed paths, however briefly, with Dave. It's a terrible thing that he died so young with so much art left unmade.

Above: My arm on Cliff "the Rocketeer" Secord's body. When I modeled for this panel I had to just pretend to hold Betty (darn the luck).

Don't Miss: Paul Karasik Interview

2008-03-11T16:44:00.000-07:00

Very much worth reading is the recent Comics Journal interview with I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets author Paul Karasik. The interview is available free online for a very limited time and can be read here until March 16th.

Hulk Smashed

2008-03-08T15:42:00.001-08:00

A recent sketch of mine (I'm trying to get the hang of drawing with a Wacom Bamboo).

The Leap Year Menace!

2008-02-29T00:56:00.000-08:00

ARCHIVE REVIEW: "The Leap Year Menace!" from DC Special #21 (Apr.-May 1976). Originally published in Green Lantern #3 (Nov.-Dec. 1960). [This is a slightly revised version of a review that first appeared in Comic Book Heaven #2v2. I should note that the Leap Year "menace" refers to an old and dated tradition.]

Green Lantern, whose great powers are limited only by his will, imagination, and the color yellow, is attacked by the Green Lantern Fan Club. The club members -- all women -- grab at the Emerald Gladiator. He manages to just barely break away from the excited ladies and change back into his civilian identity of Hal Jordan just in time for an important meeting with his boss, Carol Ferris (another woman!). Carol, head of the Ferris Aircraft Company, has summoned Hal to inform him of her intention to propose marriage to Green Lantern since the hero “seems too shy” to propose to her himself. Carol, of course, has no idea that Hal and Green Lantern are one-in-the-same (and I have no idea why Carol needed to call Hal to an “important meeting” to share her notion). Hal suggests that Carol marry a more low key individual such as himself instead. Carol rejects the idea and Hal begins to worry that she'll actually propose to the Green Lantern (the logic of him wanting to marry Carol to prevent Carol from marring him escapes me). Hal soon changes back into his guise as the Green Lantern and flies off to a “charity affair” where -- oh, no! -- he runs into Carol Ferris. Carol expresses concern for the Green Lantern's eating habits. But before she can propose her dietary solution -- marriage -- the Emerald Gladiator creates a giant green monster (in modesty-protecting red swim trunks) to distract her. Carol hardly notices, so intent is she on her quest to become Mrs. Green Lantern. Suddenly, Green Lantern is hit on the head by a small toy airplane and knocked out cold. Meanwhile, the green monster -- a real “chiller diller” -- who happens to also be “slightly near-sighted” (!) bumps into a movie theater and then accidentally knocks over a statue. The army reacts quickly by sending out “15 tanks” (we see two). Things get serious -- the monster is heading for the local “atomic stockpile” -- and the President has called for reinforcements. Green Lantern regains consciousness “in the very nick of time” and blows the head off of his sentient creation. An army general thanks the Emerald Warrior for a job well done and calls him “a hero.” Though he feels “a little funny” about it, our “hero” decides not to tell the adoring crowd that the last several minutes of terror were a result of his attempt to avoid a marriage proposal and he flies away just as quick as he can.

Above: Green Lantern is attacked by the one thing he has no defense against (other than the color yellow)... man-marrying women. Art by Gil Kane & Joe Giella.

I Feel Super

2008-02-26T00:40:00.000-08:00

My mom recently sent a package with a handful of clipped comic strips including one attached to a new pair of Superman boxers. My mom really enjoys newspaper strips though rarely the same ones I do (that I've kept my extensive collection of mom-sent Ziggy dolls representing most major U.S. holidays will attest to my deep and abiding affection for my mother). In case you can't read it, the Hi and Lois strip attached to the shorts features Hi commenting that "Ditto looks confident and assured today." Lois, in the punchline, points out that it's because Ditto is "wearing his Superman underwear." My mom's notation on the top of the panels reads "Oh, I couldn't resist this!" And she really couldn't. That's my mom's superpower, spreading smiles from hundreds of miles away. Come tomorrow, I'll be lookin' confident and assured too.

Death by Comic Book Ad

2008-02-18T01:50:00.000-08:00

I imagine I was like a lot of young comic book readers in the early 70s in that I yearned to own the Polaris Nuclear Sub seen in ubiquitous colorful ads. Kirk Demarais over at the fine Secret Fun Blog reviews a mail-order novelty-centric episode of CSI:NY that features the tragic results of owning such a treasure. You can read Kirk's review here and see a vintage photo of the real deal here (it's beautiful and I still want one!).

The War Between Superboy and Krypto!

2008-02-15T00:56:00.001-08:00

REVIEW: "The War Between Superboy and Krypto!" from Superboy #118 (Jan. 1965)

The Superboy Revenge Squad, a group of Space Pirates who “constantly seek vengeance” against the “Vigilante of Steel,” has collected three new samples of Red Kryptonite. Unlike Green Kryptonite, Red Kryptonite's properties vary from piece to piece and don't affect Superboy consistantly. The Superboy Revenge Squad maintains a display of Red K samples in its meeting room (along with a framed picture of Superboy) labeled with their respective properties (sample #35 causes a super-itch while sample #23 gives a super-head-ache). And while, say, turning purple (sample #14) might make Superboy blue (metaphorically speaking) it won't come anywhere near to destroying him. Thanks to their handy Red K Meter the Revenge Squad is pretty sure that the new samples will cause Evil Emotions in Superboy, maybe even Hatred. Olmeg and Nar, two agents of the Revenge Squad, fly to Earth in their rocketship and search for our hero in their Gravimobile. To protect themselves, Olmeg and Nar wear “Nuclear-Mesh” Superboy-Proof Suits that will blow up “like super-bombs” if Superboy so much as gives them a “super-touch.” Helpless before such cunning Superboy and his pet, Krypto the Super Dog (who were playing nicely only moments before), are exposed to Red K radiation and try to... really, really annoy each other. Krypto, for example, wraps Superboy like a mummy in his own cape. And Superboy, the big jerk, uses his heat vision to char Krypto's stash of buried bones. Their fierce battle completely destroys a statue of Superboy, Krypto is flung hard and fast into the Sun, and Superboy flies to a tropical island through the center of the earth. The “Super-Hate Feud” moves to outer space and then back in time millions of years where a prehistoric Sea Monster loses some teeth trying to eat Superboy. Also revealed in this story are Superboy's Superboy Scarecrow, Krypo's amazing acting skills, hate serum, and Super-Speed Kryptonese blinking eye code.

Above: Covers to Weisinger-era "Superman Family" comic books were mercifully free of subtlety. Cover detail of Superboy #118 illustrated by Curt Swan and George Klein.

Found Object: Bughouse Fables

2008-02-12T00:46:00.001-08:00

This newspaper gag panel from February 2, 1929 turned up in a box of old family papers and photos we were going through this past weekend (my mother-in-law's family apparently never threw anything away). It's neat to find something like this old pre-Depression-era comic (drawn by Billy DeBeck as near as I've been able to find out) but it hardly seems like a good enough joke to have been kept for nearly 80 years. Guess you had to be there.

Close-Up: Wham-O Giant Comics #1

2008-02-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

(Click on image for larger images and more information.)

Jimmy Olsen’s Weirdo Wedding!

2008-02-08T00:10:00.000-08:00

ARCHIVE REVIEW: "Jimmy Olsen’s Weirdo Wedding!" from Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #100 (Mar. 1967) -- [This review first appeared in my print fanzine, Comic Book Heaven #1 (May 1995). Prior to reading "Jimmy Olsen’s Weirdo Wedding!" I was a Serious Comic Book Fan. Afterward I never looked at comics the same way again.]

Jimmy Olsen tries to get Lucy Lane to notice him. He drinks a “Super-Physique Formula” but it wears off and he gets punched out. Jimmy proposes to Lucy and she accepts. Jimmy is called to the future where Duo Damsel, Saturn Girl, and Light Lass all pretend to be heartbroken over his impending wedding. Superman builds Lucy and Jimmy a huge mansion with a private movie theater and heliport. Lois Lane tearfully wonders if Superman will ever propose to her. Superman turns into a giant mole and interrupts the wedding. Jimmy finds time to become Elastic Lad.

Above: Jimmy Olsen’s ultra-suave reaction to ~~Lana~~ Lucy Lane’s kiss and acceptance of his marriage proposal.

I Brought the Roc to Life!

2008-02-07T02:28:00.000-08:00

REVIEW: "I Brought the Roc to Life!" from Monsters on the Prowl #10 (Apr. 1971) / Reprinted from: Journey Into Mystery #71 (Aug. 1961)

John, an archaeologist, and Anne, his new bride, go to Cairo for a “combination honeymoon and scientific expedition.” While driving around the desert they accidentally discover a gigantic egg. John deduces that the egg must belong to a Roc, “a fictitious bird of ancient legends.” John and Anne dash off to hire a crew to take the egg “back to civilization” for study leaving the colossal object exposed to the desert sun. The egg hatches, releasing a baby Roc who “within minutes” grows into an adult. The Roc immediately attacks… a grain warehouse! Killing… absolutely no one (“Praise to Allah that we all escaped in time!”). Then the Roc flies to the Mediterranean Sea and carries off a boat causing the entire crew… to fall into the water unharmed. The Roc's reign of terror continues in Spain where he drops the boat near a village crushing… not a single soul (“Another few feet and he would have destroyed us all!”). When the Roc startles some people at a bullfight NATO finally acts, sending out heavily armed jets. The Roc quickly destroys all of the aircraft… and none of the pilots – they all parachute to safety. Next the Roc grabs an empty bridge (“Thank heavens we abandoned it in time!”), harasses three people in Holland, and while visiting France (“Mon Dieu!”) the massive bird plucks a quickly emptied underground train from the earth as if it were a large worm. In the face of such a relentless, punishing, non-fatal assault the nations of the world unite and fight the Roc the only way possible: with a giant, rocket propelled robotic Roc who lures the real mythical Roc into outer space where it is doomed to forever chase, but never catch, its heart's desire.

Above: Panels from "I Brought the Roc to Life!" illustrated by Jack Kirby & Dick Ayers.

Meeting Gus Arriola

2008-02-04T00:34:00.001-08:00

As is being reported elsewhere, cartoonist Gus Arriola passed away recently. In 1978, when I was 18 I -- along with my parents -- took my very first plane trip to meet with Mr. Arriola who lived a couple of hundred miles north of us in, I think, Carmel, California. After so many years I've forgotten exactly why we were going up to see Mr. Arriola. My dad, who was a never-ending source of ideas, may have had a notion to produce a television show based on Arriola's signature comic strip creation, Gordo. Not a bad idea but my dad worked at Sears at the time in the display department and had, I'm pretty sure, limited connections in the television business. Sadly, but really not very unexpectedly, nothing came of the Gordo television show idea. The main benefit to anyone was to me as I got to visit Arriola in his home studio and have dinner (at a real restaurant! with cloth napkins!) with him and his wife. The thing that struck me about the man was that he was so dignified. He had an Old World air about him. I am embarrassed to admit that this was somewhat disappointing to me at the time. I had the notion -- most likely due to Mort Walker's book, Backstage at the Strips -- that comic strip cartoonists were a wild and crazy lot. Gus Arriola was more monarch than jester. He gave me a then recently published collection of his strips but it wasn't really to my teen-aged tastes. The humor was too gentle I suppose. But the art was fantastic. Arriola swung a brush like nobody's business. I met Gus Arriola one more time after that but was too young, stupid and shy to take proper advantage of my good fortune.

Above: Gus Arriola signs the title page of my copy of The World Encyclopedia of Comics.

Please Excuse the Mess

2008-02-01T02:00:00.000-08:00

I'm working on an overhaul of the Comic Book Heaven blog. Regular visitors may notice odd changes here and there. I should have things worked out in a few days. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Last Minute Gift Idea

2007-12-11T22:36:00.001-08:00

I did a few t-shirt designs that are available at Bountee. You can see all my current designs here.

This Is A Job For...Digital Comics!

2007-12-08T22:39:00.000-08:00

While I'm not a fan of the unauthorized downloading of brand-new comic books (I don't believe it is fair to the creators) there is an area where digital copies are very useful, even vital: preservation and research. As the oldest and rarest comic books increasingly become too valuable to touch (much less read) and are locked away in mylar coffins digital copies offer a way to maintain access to vintage material for both casual and serious readers.

Two sources of complete public domain comic books that I've encountered are Wowio.com and Golden Age Comics. I've downloaded three comics from Wowio and quite a number from Golden Age Comics. As it turns out both places offer copies of Exciting Comics #36 so I'm using art from that issue to illustrate what each site offers. In fact, they both have scans of the exact same copy of Exciting Comics #36 (an imperfection in the paper just below the letter "o" on the title page of the first story gives it away).

WOWIO.COM
I know very little about Wowio. It's a fairly new service that provides free digital books (on a variety of subjects) as well as comic books (both newish and old). Wowio gets advertiser's to sponsor the digital books so that the reader doesn't have to. Consequently each file you get comes wrapped in advertising.

Pros: Free. Attractive interface that's easy to use. The Hero Initiative (formally known as A.C.T.O.R.) gets a donation for each download of selected public domain comics.

Cons: Limited selection. Limited downloads: only 3 publications a day. Sign-up process wants too much personal information (important to the advertisers but the only reason I bothered to go through any of it was to do this review -- I would have declined otherwise).

Scan Quality: Garish to my eye and uneven (see image above -- looks a bit better at this reduced size but at actual size the color looks blotchy).

File type: PDF (file is personalized with "markers" to help trace each copy in an attempt to discourage unauthorized duplication)

GOLDEN AGE COMICS
A fairly basic message board set-up run by anonymous but clearly dedicated readers/fans of old comics.

Pros: Free (though donations are welcome). Easy sign-up. Generous downloading (1 GB of files a day). A broad selection of titles -- there's some really wonderful stuff there. Infused with the kind of largely positive energy and sense of community that die-hard fans can bring to an effort.

Cons: I can't quit put my finger on it but it bothers me that I often don't know the source of the digital files (of course, that info simply may not exist). Some files that have been offered at the site have apparently come from "for profit" efforts -- public domain or not that seems a bit unfair to me though in at least one instance the problem was largely resolved (this exchange in one of the forums gives some background).

Scan Quality: Varies. Overt Photoshopping is generally frowned upon (a good thing) but some scans are quite good. The more the scan looks like the comic book as it actually exists the happier I am. The Golden Age Comics copy of Exciting (see above) lacked a bit of contrast but was perfectly readable (and enjoyable). All of the files I've seen made from fiche were pretty awful but I avoid those files anyway (and they tend to be clearly marked, which is helpful).

File type: Most often .cbr and .cbz.

Postscript: For what it's worth I took the file from Golden Age Comics and fussed with it for a minute or two in Photoshop to see what I could come up with (result below). I can't image taking the time to "fix" scans for an entire 64-52 page comic. Ugh. As far as these old, hard to get comics are concerned I'm thankful for the efforts of the scanners whoever they are.

On Digital Comics: A Follow-Up

2007-12-05T00:10:00.000-08:00

Newsarama picked up my recent post on digital comics and I had three times the traffic I usually get. But I guess I used too many words in the post because according to my statistics most of the visitors spent less than 5 seconds here. My post was briefly mentioned on a few message boards (so somebody must have actually read it). One person thought I was too biased (toward creators I guess) but he missed my point. If I favor comic book creators it's because they're making something and deserve respect and the scanners and torrent freeloaders are essentially robbing them. One poster (on the Newsarama message board I think) actually thought that Jack Kirby would be on the side of the the scanners and torrent freeloaders. Anyone who knows anything about Jack Kirby knows he took feeding his family very seriously. It's one reason (perhaps the main reason) he worked so hard. You can't feed your family if you're not getting paid (this is so elemental, how can some people not get that?). It's true that there are those who just don't think about it and consider that what they're doing is hurtful to someone else. Hopefully, they will learn some day. What I find disheartening is the number of folks who understand that what they're doing unfairly benefits themselves and not the creators who've earned it and they willfully continue to take and take and take anyway. They suck.

Okay, sorry about these last two buzz-kill posts. There is an upside to digital comics and I do want to talk about that as well. I will try again to get to it next time.

On Digital Comics: An Unreasonable Man

2007-11-30T23:37:00.000-08:00

I love print comic books. Sure, I don't read new ones much anymore but I still consider myself a fan. In addition to pure reading fun I enjoy the tactile and, in vintage comics, even the aromatic quality of old paper. It's very comforting. Having said that, I think that digital comic books are vital to the health and growth of comic books both as a business and as an art-form. Even more importantly, I see digitized comics as a wonderful way to preserve and share the history of the medium as well. However...

I've been reading the latest gnashing and grinding of teeth regarding comic book scanning and torrents (for more see here). I come to the debate as someone who is both a creator of Intellectual Property (my comic It's Science with Dr. Radium for example) and someone who relies on the Fair Use provisions of U.S. copyright law to comment on existing Intellectual Property (as I do here on my blog and, previously, in my Comic Book Heaven magazine). My main interest currently is how digital copies of Public Domain paper comics can be used to create an archive of out of print publications for the benefit of researchers and readers. There are some interesting things being done in this area that I want to talk about in a future post but first I want to address some of the justifications scanners and related parties have been using recently regarding their copying and use of copyrighted intellectual property.

With all due respect, I call bullshit. Here are just some of the justifications I've read recently:

Justification #1: “I'm just sharing what I've bought. That benefits the creator too!”
It's not sharing, it's making exact digital copies. I didn't have as much money to spend on comic books when I was a kid as I would have liked. Occasionally, a friend or neighbor would loan me comics to read. It was while reading a loaned comic that I discovered that Jack Kirby lived close by and I eventually was able to meet him (he was listed in the phone book -- I was stunned). That loaner comic literally changed my life. But, and here's the main thing here, I didn't own the comic and it ultimately had to go back to the neighbor. Jack Kirby got a fan for life... and a pretty steady customer after that. Of course I had to buy the comics I wanted, there was no other reliable way to get them. Making digital copies changes that equation to the detriment of the creator because it removes a major impetus to buying the physical comic book (and remember the physical comic book is the source of the income). You could give vital and necessary financial support to the creator of comic books you read but with everything you could possibly want a mouse click away you don't have to. There is no hard evidence that creators significantly benefit from this passing around of digital content. Consequently, it's disrespectful and unfair to the creators.

Justification #2: “I'm just sharing and showing my passion. Isn't that what fans do?”
Again, it's not sharing, it's making exact digital copies and distributing them. And again, there is no hard evidence that creators significantly benefit from this. Writing fan fiction, making fan art, websites, custom toys, and all that stuff is sharing and showing your passion. That's positive creativity and that's really great.

Justification #3: “Most comic books suck, why should I pay for them?”
I'm sorry, but this is just infantile. There are numerous message boards and blogs where you can get reviews of new comics. Lots of folks put up free samples of upcoming projects. Just google away. I hate paying for something that stinks too but it's a problem that can be easily minimized with a tiny bit of research done from the comfort of wherever your computer is located. Finding out what's good in a way that's creator-friendly is just not that hard.

Justification #4: “There are too many comic books to buy. I can't afford them all.”
I feel your pain, but so what? I understand that it's easy to get whatever you want in unlimited quantities without fear of serious repercussions. I get that. Satisfying your comic book fix for free with no strings attached is a powerful siren's call. And, yeah, okay all your friends do it. Fine. But look, it really doesn't get more simple than this: taking something -- that somebody else created -- without permission and without any recompense and then passing it around is a crap thing to do. You have a brain and can make a choice. You like comics? Then respect the hard work that goes into making comics and pay for them.

Justification #5: “This is all about the money. That's all anyone cares about.”
Yeah, you don't want to spend money on comics and the people who make those comics want to spend money on, oh, food maybe? I can't speak for the people who work at Marvel or DC but anyone who toils in the small press world is not in comic books because of the money. I made way more money optioning my Dr. Radium character to the Fox Kid's Network than I did actually making comic books that year (I had a better deal than most but still). Especially in the small press world, you make comic books because you really, really want to. Respect these people.

Justification #6: “ What about libraries? What if I just want to browse through a comic like I do in a comic shop?”
Graphic novels in libraries is just one of the coolest things I've seen happen in comics. Seeing kids sitting around the library reading manga and graphic novels is great. I just love it. Sure, not every reading leads to a sale but it also doesn't lead to physical ownership of a copy either. And thumbing through comic books in a shop under the watchful eye of a retailer is a fleeting, temporary experience. “Browsing” through a comic book on your computer is only remotely similar if you briefly glance at the pages and trash the file.

Justification #7: “The consumer wants digital comics.”
Great. I agree that digital comics are useful and inevitable. But anything you do that has an adverse impact on the finances of the people who make comic books make it that much more difficult to pursue a digital program. Suck all the air out of a room and you extinguish the fire. Don't be an enemy of the people who make what you love. Respect their effort. Give them a chance to figure out how and if they want to enter the digital realm. Not everyone will do what you want when you want it. Sorry.

Justification #8: “But it's my copy and I can do what I want with it.”
I'm a consumer too. When I buy a piece of entertainment I want to feel as if I own that copy and can freely do anything I'm entitled to do with it. I hate DRM. Just hate it. I understand that you might want a copy of your favorite comic book at work, a copy at home, and a copy for your rustic vacation cabin. Good. Great. That said, unless the creators give the thumbs up you simply should not be spreading copies around to parts unknown. Copying is just not simply innocent sharing in the digital world.

This doesn't cover everything surrounding the issue -- and deals essentially with recent, not vintage, comic books -- but I wanted to get some of these thoughts off my chest as this stuff has been bouncing around in my head for the last couple of days. I really think that digital comics are, in the main, an excellent development. As it always seems to happen with technological progress, it's the human element that stumbles a bit.

NEXT: A look at getting public domain comics online including a review of Wowio.com.

Out of Context Theater: Pre-Superman Edition

2007-11-16T16:55:00.001-08:00

A panel from "Little Linda," a feature from More Fun Comics #11 (July 1936). An example of how the meanings of certain word combinations change from generation to generation.

A NOTE ABOUT THE ART: I got a complete digital copy (made from a fiche) of this comic from the Internets. One of the reasons I've typically used my own scans -- or scans made for me -- is that doing otherwise feels like cheating (though I've loosened this rule a bit lately). But I have to admit being able to find even a bad copy (I'd love to know who made these -- Dr. Jerry Bails maybe?) of such an old comic is pretty amazing. With so many of these old books being so rare and, increasingly, locked away in mylar coffins the only way comicologists and fans can hope to have access to such material is via digital duplicates (a subject I think I may get into in a future post).

Humorless Cartoonists, High-Salaried Hacks

2007-11-14T20:58:00.000-08:00

Along a lengthy line of windows, all of which faced north, you would have seen a series of tiny cubicles, glass-partitioned. From within these cubicles you would have heard strange sounds emanating; here a "POW," there a "BAM," and from somewhere far down the line a burst of bitter laughter.

It would have struck you that this was the scene of toilsome labors, grim industry and horrid disillusionment. And your impression would have been correct, for in those little offices The Funniest Features in America were being produced by a staff of haggard, surly, humorless cartoonists, high-salaried hacks whose constant wonder was why the public would pay them so much for such drivel.

A revealing passage from "Funny Man," a text feature about the gray big money world of comic strips written by Paul Frederick during the early -- decidedly not high-salaried -- days of comic books. From New Comics #5 (June 1936) and published by National Allied Newspaper Syndicate, Inc., a fore-runner of what would become DC Comics.

Remembering a Comic-Con at Home

2007-11-12T22:14:00.000-08:00

From 1978:

"It was ten years ago that I went to my first comic convention. It was in Durham, N.C., and was held in the home of Edwin and Terry Murray. At the first few conventions there were only a few local people present. Now attendance is almost always over 100 -- not too bad for a con that has no advertising of any kind. The con has always been at the home of Edwin and Terry, probably the only major con in the country to be held in a private house, and in the early days their mother prepared a buffet lunch for everyone in attendance. As the crowds expanded and food costs soared, this was reluctantly dropped. Still, she serves everyone a ham biscuit even today, and I think you'll find general agreement that they are delicious."

A memory from another time as reported by Clay Kimball -- writing in his "Kimball's Kolumn" -- and published in Robert Jennings' fanzine The Comic World (Sept. 1978). Further recollections from Clay include a film program that had to end when the one fan with movies moved away and a dealer's "room" that stretched from the home's basement to a large backyard. Jeepers. I completely want to go to that convention.

Your Patient is Haunted!

2007-11-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

When I originally saw this cover I think my initial reaction was that it was an example of the comic-book-ization -- if you'll pardon the slander -- of the source material as no "serious" medical television show would have have such a silly plot. Imagine my surprise earlier this week when the popular and respected House M.D. program featured just such a story angle. Go figure.

Cover to Dr. Kildare (Dec.-Feb. 1963).

Skeletor, Letter Writer

2007-11-05T14:44:00.001-08:00

I guess manners count even when you're an Evil Lord of Destruction. Certainly Skeletor could just demand his comrades hie thee to Snake Mountain to discuss defeating He-Man.

Found this in a Masters of the Universe coloring book (circa 1986) the last time I was visiting my mom. The art isn't half bad but, unfortunately, is uncredited.

Superman Talks About Pennies

2007-10-31T00:46:00.001-07:00

I realize that he's Superman and all, but dragging two kids "on a little trip across the ocean" to multiple third world locales unsolicited and without parental permission is kidnapping pure and simple. Plus, isn't it kind of creepy for Superman to be listening in on kids' conversations? This may not be the scariest post you'll read this Halloween but if this happened to me or my children I'd be pretty freaked.

One of many Public Service Ads that DC used to run in its comic books (a nice idea, really) circa 1966. (Click on image to see larger.)

Ultron-5, Knothead

2007-10-30T22:44:00.000-07:00

Wh--? What did he just say? Ultron-5 (the blue metallic guy) is beating the (synthetic) snot out of the android known as The Vision (somewhat obscured here but looking sharp in his yellow and green tights) and his superior metal brain thinks that that's a good time to give out sensitive information? I don't know what amazes me more, Ultron-5's loose speaking parts or The Vision's total disinterest in The One Thing That Would Defeat His Foe.

From "Behold...The Vision!" from The Avengers #57 (October 1968).

Love, American (Comics) Style

2007-10-27T16:43:00.001-07:00

This panel was so hot that it apparently caused me to lose my concentration making me tear the page right out of the comic book as I was trying to scan it. I'm usually so gentle when scanning but now I'm annoyed about ruining a perfectly good coverless, torn, soiled, yellowing, severely bent up comic book. Dang.

Pre-Summer-of-Love-Sixties-Style-Adult-Romance-Action from "Dynamo Battles Dynavac!" from THUNDER Agents #2 (January 1966).

As If His Name Weren't Embarrassing Enough

2007-10-26T00:11:00.001-07:00

When all the other great golden age superheroes get together and shoot the breeze I'm betting The Doll Man doesn't bring up this little encounter:

From "The Man in the Iron Mask!" from Doll Man #15 (Winter 1948) as reprinted in Wanted, the World's Most Dangerous Villains #5 (January 1973).

"Completely Safe"

2007-10-23T18:19:00.001-07:00

Here's an ad from a comic book circa the 40s or 50s (I pulled it from a folder of scans I made from late 40s issues of Jungle Comics among other things but I'm no longer sure exactly what comic it came from). The primary selling point of this toy is that it's supposed to act like a real gun with the sound and the smoke. The ad even claims that the toy "looks like a real gun" (though the illustration clearly shows that this isn't the case). And yet:

Billy, of course, is just stupid lucky that Killer didn't shoot his damn fool head off. Still, if Billy insists on making other bad choices the ad notes that at least the "smoke powder" that creates the realistic smoking gun effect "will not hurt the eyes and may even be eaten."

The Worst Magic Word Ever

2007-10-19T23:24:00.000-07:00

Panels from "Green Mask and the Mystery of the Cat's Meow!" from Green Mask #1 (Spring 1945). Scan of the complete story found at Golden Age Comics Downloads.

Great Cape

2007-10-19T01:43:00.001-07:00

Above: a selection of Golden Age cape artistry by Bob Fujitani. Pretty neat. The panel details are from a war-era Hangman story, "The Crime-Confessors." I don't think I've ever seen capes done quite like that before. But then again my personal experience with the MLJ (later Archie) line of comics is pretty weak. In addition to the lovely cape drawings, we also get to see the Hangman battle a war profiteer and a murderous, bitter old lady. However vital the Hangman's efforts are they take their toll...

...and despite the swell cape the Hangman despairs until he meets a criminal who decides to give up his bad ways and reforms. Hope grows again within the Hangman's bosom. And then...

Bummer. Don't worry, there's a happy ending: Father Paul falls to his death with a great red splat.

Panels from "The Crime-Confessors" from Black Hood Comics #9 (Winter 1943). Scan of the complete story found at Golden Age Comics Downloads.

(Very) Essential Hembeck

2007-10-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

You'll be reading about this elsewhere of course but Fred Hembeck has an insanely huge collection coming out in February 2008. Fred has been doing witty and humane commentary on the wacky world of comic books long before any of us Internet Smart-mouths discovered that funnybooks could be funny. More info from the man himself can be found here. (via Mike Sterling)

Secrets of the Flying Bat-Cave!

2007-10-13T21:45:00.001-07:00

Batman and Robin are invited to attend a police convention in Central City. To help publicize the event the Dynamic Duo fly there from Gotham City in the Flying Bat-Cave, a bloated helicopter-like vehicle designed to show off their “specialized crime-fighting equipment.” And Batman's timing is perfect because Central City is in the midst of a crime wave perpetrated by the vile Condor Gang, a group of thieves who wear costumes consisting of a giant purple condor head over a simple business suit. But solving crimes isn't really the main thrust of this story, the true focus is the clumsy gadget-engorged splendor of the Flying Bat-Cave.

Crime-fighting equipment contained within the Flying Bat-Cave include: a giant metal hand big enough to hold a man (as seen in the splash panel above), an Observa-Scope with Magni-Lens, an Electro-Magnet to pull guns away from criminals, a voice amplifier, and, amazingly enough, a Trophy Room...

...(You have to admire Batman's modesty: “Naturally, it is much smaller than the Trophy Room in the real Bat-Cave!...”). There are a couple of beds and a galley...

...(the cop in the lower right looks a bit freaked out by this doesn't he?), and there is a combination workshop/garage...

...(note the tools: a hammer, some saws, and a drill -- when did carpentry become part of Batman's crime-fighting arsenal?). The Flying Bat-Cave apparently has enough space to keep a smaller helicopter on board (the Whirly-Bat) and the Bat-Racer (a small version of the Bat-Mobile). Other essential elements include a closed circuit television transmitter, a fake cloud maker, space for several police officers wearing parachutes, and, of course...

...a complete file of Hobo Signs (a detail that would warm John Hodgman's heart I'm sure).

From "Secrets of the Flying Bat-Cave!" from Detective Comics #317 (Jul. 1963).

Jimmy Olsen: Pal or PJ-Wearing Perv?

2007-10-12T01:44:00.001-07:00

I was in the mood for a little Jimmy today. Is it me or is it not creepy for Jimmy Olsen to be putting up pictures of his best pal Superman while wearing pajamas (are we supposed to believe that he was in such a hurry to put up yet another picture of the Man of Steel that he couldn't even wait until he was dressed for the day)? Odd chores, indeed.

Panel from Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #41 (December 1959). Comic kindly provided by our own CBH pal, Chris Loomis.

Me Am Weird - Free Bonus!

2007-10-11T02:05:00.000-07:00

When I was doing Comic Book Heaven as a magazine the "Me Am Weird" section (snappy deconstructions of crazy comic stories) was probably the most popular regular feature. Even though I enjoyed writing it and kept the pieces as brief as possible I felt that the material was a little long-winded for the weblog format. Also, part of the fun for me was designing the layout and putting the stuff into a nice little package. But, as I say, Me Am Weird was popular and so for those of you who may never have seen any of the print editions of Comic Book Heaven I offer for a limited time (until my ISP's servers cry "uncle") a complete Me Am Weird section from the final print issue of CBH. Hope you like it (if anyone has any problems with the pdf format file -- you'll need the free Adobe Reader to view it -- please let me know in the comments).

You can download Me Am Weird here.

Rob's Web Menagerie + My Tragedy = Fun!

2007-10-10T22:28:00.000-07:00

Illustrator Rob Kelly has about a million blogs and websites devoted to comic books. All of them very handsome and well-done. Rob covers Treasury-size comics, Black & White comic magazines, Digest-size comics, and he even has an Aquaman Shrine (I loved Ramona Fradon's run but Rob pretty much loses me here, sorry). He also has a blog devoted to comic book memories, Hey Kids, Comics! I contributed a tragic story of loss that will break your heart (or completely bore you -- if you're an inhuman monster) that you can read here.

The Saavedra Position

2007-10-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

I realize that it may sound ever so slightly naughty but there truly is something called "The Saavedra Position." The Saavedra Position is a "chess endgame study." I know nothing more than what I read about here. I'm terrible at chess and do not believe that I am related to the Spanish priest who created the Saavedra Position but I do enjoy the fact that my surname is part of a phrase that can raise eyebrows.

I mention all this because, well, it's a true bit of trivia and it relates to a web page I found yesterday devoted to chess in comics called (no surprise here) Chess in Comics. It's just one more example of why I like the InterWeb. No matter how targeted your interests are you can probably find at least one resource celebrating it online.

Of Retarding Rays and Tubular Spacials

2007-10-08T16:41:00.000-07:00

The success of Paul Karasik's beautiful I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets has brought much deserved attention to the mad comic book artistry of Fletcher Hanks. But Hanks has many fans (myself included) that predate the book. One of them (name unknown) has put together what has to be the most complete collections of information about Hanks' unfortunately-named hero, Stardust, that I've ever seen. I knew that Stardust traveled through space via "Tubular Spacials" (whatever that may be) and used a "TV Ray" to spy on enemies but there is much information here that was new to me. Imagine my disappointment when I discovered that his "Retarding Rays" merely slowed down moving objects. The page also reprints 8 complete Stardust adventures (at least one of which appears in the Karasik book). You can see it all here.

(Many thanks to CBH blog reader Lucas Accardo for the tip. Image from I Shall Destroy via Amazon.com.)

UPDATE: Paul Karasik writes to let me know that you can read a Hanks' Fantomah story (that was not reprinted in I Shall Destroy) here (at his Fletcher Hanks website) and after you enjoy that, maybe you'd like to purchase a Hanks t-shirt.

Fall Down and Go Boom

2007-10-06T17:22:00.001-07:00

Space-traveling Good Guy Ted Hunt punches Hajeck, dictator of the satrapy of Saturnian Xalia (home of the capital city of Temlu). As is required in these situations the hero makes a "you-look-hungry-here's-a-knuckle-sandwich" type comment:

I'm not really sure what point he's trying to make but Ted punches Hajeck so hard during their fight high atop a monorail (held up by what I don't know) that...

...the evil dictator falls 5,000 feet to his certain doom. But wait, there's more...

A rude way to go. Panels from an untitled "Space Rovers" adventure from Exciting Comics #8 (March, 1941). Scan of the complete story found at Golden Age Comics Downloads.

Whoopee

2007-10-05T00:41:00.000-07:00

Fans of those old Johnson Smith ads that used to run in comic books have I got a Halloween costume for you.

Fun with Funny Books

2007-10-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

Eventually (when I'm less lazy) I will likely add these sites to my Links list but for now enjoy these other fine blogs that to one degree or another have expert fun with comic books of yore.

Pappy's Golden Age Comics Blogzine

The Horrors of It All

Again with the Comics

Comic Books are Interesting Except When They're Not Interesting

Celebrating Short Stories in Comics

Blockade Boy (had the good taste to call me "great")

Golden Age Comic Book Stories ("Mr. Door Tree" doesn't crack wise about comics but he displays excellent taste in material)

Kill-Crazed Fury: Captain Marvel Adventures

2007-10-02T21:24:00.000-07:00

My wife and I are completely awesome parents, constantly exposing our two kids to the finest pop culture Netflix has to offer. Unlike most of their contemporaries our offspring (a teenager and a pre-teen) are more than willing to watch old movies or television shows even if they're in black and white. Since we watched and totally enjoyed all of the Flash Gordon serials months ago I'd been meaning to grab another classic serial. I eventually decided on The Adventures of Captain Marvel since I'd never seen it and heard it had impressive flying sequences. And most of those flying scenes were really effective, even 60 some odd years later. That was a surprise but so was some of the action.

In the first chapter, Captain Marvel is introduced when a scientific expedition is attacked by local Siamese tribesmen played by accent-free Caucasians dressed as Arabs. The tribesmen are quickly defeated by Captain Marvel when he suddenly grabs a machine gun...

...and shoots the fleeing natives in the back!

A bit later on this blood-thirsty version of "The Big Red Cheese" grabs a bad guy (expertly played by a very stiff dummy) and...

...flings him over the edge of a parking garage to his death (completely freaking out the surviving criminal)! Holy Moley, not only do the flying effects still hold up but Captain Marvel nails the grim and gritty modern super-hero thing too. Amazing. Mr. Mind wouldn't last two seconds against this guy.

'I Broke His Hand Like A Match!"

2007-10-01T16:19:00.001-07:00

The most awesome ad come-on ever. Imagine, for only a buck you'll learn "70 Bone-Breaking Secrets" and how to "Knock 'em Cold" (with pictures!). From Jet Powers #2 (1951). Scan of the complete issue of Jet Powers found at Golden Age Comics Downloads.

Friends and Enemies

2007-09-28T01:20:00.000-07:00

I was watching some of Ken Burns' documentary The War a couple of nights ago. This very sweet elderly Southern Lady was explaining in a pained but kind way why her family, friends, and neighbors hated the Japanese during the war years ("They were killing our boys" or words to that effect). Just then I became aware of a car outside having a difficult time moving around in our driveway. We live on an odd off-shoot of an odd private road that often confuses strangers and delivery people. It's not uncommon for drivers to realize they've hit a dead end and, after several long minutes of struggle, turn around and leave. On this night the driver was having so much trouble moving her SUV around on our eccentric patch of asphalt that she seemed to give up, resigned to her new residence just behind our own car. So I went out to see if I could help the poor driver get to where she was going. She was clearly Japanese with an accent as thick as any I've ever heard (I caught about 2 of every 10 words) and very, very embarrassed about causing me any trouble (it was no trouble) and very, very unhappy about getting lost (the glowing GPS screen on the lit up jet cockpit that was her dashboard apparently doing her absolutely no good). I got her turned around and pointed roughly in the direction of her destination. We shook hands and she drove off into the night and I thought "my goodness, but hasn't the world changed."

As I returned to The War I was reminded of the above photo during a discussion of Internment Camps. (I swiped the image from a thread about photos of kids reading comic books at Evan Dorkin's swell Big Mouth Types Again). People, being people, can do terrible things to each other. The internment of Japanese Americans was to my mind an awful thing to do to fellow citizens. And yet here you have these imprisoned kids doing what any other American kid was doing during the war, reading funny books (the titles are likely too small to see here but trust me, it's a great, juicy pile of Golden Age goodness that those guys are digging into) and, temporarily at least, forgetting their predicament.

So enemies can become friends and the wronged can forgive. It gives one hope. Oh, and kids are reading comic books again. There hasn't been a time in the last couple of years when I haven't seen at least one kid at a bookstore or library sitting engrossed at the foot of a book shelf full of comics. Comics called Manga. From Japan.

Da Agony of Da Feet

2007-09-25T01:30:00.001-07:00

Yes, NonyX Man clears out unsightly keratin debris “just like a superhero” if that superhero happens to be a prancing, barefoot, fluid-from-a-tiny-bottle squrting crime-fighter. Ad found in the February 2007 issue of Reader’s Digest.

The School of Comics: Sound Effects

2007-09-23T16:10:00.000-07:00

Observe, students: the sound of a man exploding after consuming poisoned soup.

From "Last Supper!" from Weird Chills #1 (July 1954). Art by Sal Trapani. Scan of the complete story found at Golden Age Comics Downloads.

Up with Bat-Logos (and Down with BATchelors)

2007-09-20T00:45:00.000-07:00

The always entertaining Neatorama points out (via kottke.org) a swell series (in five parts: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 ) about the history of the Batman logo by noted comic book letterer Todd Klein. I love the convergence of graphic design and comics and so I really appreciate such posts. But if design isn't your domain of interest you may at least enjoy the cover seen above. Klein uses it to illustrate the ever evolving nature of the Batman logo while I use it to illustrate our ever evolving society (it is evolving, right?). Cover from Batman #214 (Aug. 1969) -- the scan appears to be from the excellent Grand Comics Database.

The Lighter Side of Dragons

2007-09-13T01:43:00.001-07:00

Would you believe that the guy who drew this fantastic dragon...

...and then did some insane stuff to it...

...is also this guy? Well, I just had no idea.

From an untitled story of the feature "Sir Butch" from Fawcett's Ibis the Invincible #1 (February 1943). Scan of the complete story found at Golden Age Comics Downloads.

(I'm not trying to knock "The Lighter Side of..." -- though I wouldn't be the first -- it's just that Dave Berg's Sir Butch stuff is some really neat comic book work. I want to see more.)

The Fantom of the Fair!

2007-09-09T01:54:00.001-07:00

In an untitled story from 1939, the Fantom of the Fair (not a county fair but "a world fair") reveals himself to be an aggressive hero with an interesting assortment of qualities: he's strong (he can twist a rifle into a pretzel and choke a man through a wall), he can pass through solid objects, he can cause amnesia with but a look, and he may be a 1000 year-old Icelandic dude. Oh yeah, and he likes toys...

The Fantom's lair is not quite as benign a place as, say, Superman's Trophy Room in the Fortress of Solitude -- but the blood-red walls and bright yellow torture devices certainly create a festive space.

From Centaur's Amazing Mystery Funnies vol. 2 #7 (July 1939). Scan of the complete story found at Golden Age Comics Downloads.

A Temporary Return -- Threat or Menace?

2007-09-09T00:58:00.000-07:00

While strolling the Interweb the other day I stumbled upon Golden Age Comics Downloads, a message board that hosts scans of public domain (mostly) comic books. I remember the old DynaPubs reprints of complete vintage comic books from years ago -- they were an imperfect godsend to any fan with a limited budget and a love of Golden Age material. This download site is a bit like those reprints but in color (though, sadly, intangible) and cheaper (free). Some of the files appear to be of questionable origin -- I've tried to avoid anything made from fiches (in the event that they may have come from Microcolor product) and I toss out anything with a "GM" watermark as that indicates a ComicsOnCDRom scan. But even with these limitations there is quite a bit to rummage through. Unfortunately for me, I discovered as I read some of these old treasures my dormant "Comic Book Heaven" mindset resurfaced and I find myself compelled once again to crack wise about what I've found. So, for as long as I'm reading these swell, crazy, digital newsprint gems (and not standing on any rights-holder's toes) I'll drop a post about them now and again (yes, the world doesn't need yet another "aren't old comic books crazy" blog but I've got the fever).