Comic Book History

Karen: Usually we try to keep things positive around here. After all, the whole point of this blog is to talk about those things that make us happy -comics, films, music, and so on that have brought us pleasure since we were youngins. Sometimes we review books that aren't so good, but we still try to find something nice to say. But today's post is a chance to vent a bit about those little things that just drive you crazy -pet peeves. They don't have to be connected to our usual topics, it can be anything that gets under your skin. Here's a few of mine:Vanity license plates that simply reiterate the make or model of the car. I can see you are driving a Mustang, and I assume the car is yours, so why waste your money buying a plate that says "MyStang"? Or how about "momsvan"? Saw that too. The absolute worst, though, was one I saw just last week on a BMW 325I. I snapped a quick pic of it on my phone. In case you can't tell, the plate said, I kid you not, "325IBMW". Really? You spent $50 or however much it is to tell me that? Like I couldn't tell what kind of car you were driving?! If you're going to have a personalized plate, for Pete's sake, express yourself! Say something about who you are!Waiting 30, 40, 45 or more minutes after my scheduled doctor's appointment before I actually see the doctor. I'm on time, why can't they be? People who call Star Trek "Star Track."People who cough or sneeze and make no effort to cover it up. Thanks for the germs buddy! DJs who talk over the beginning of the song - like it's OK to talk because it's "just" music, no singing yet, and we'd rather hear their brilliant commentary! How many great intros have been ruined by these inconsiderate jerks?Doug: Karen offered me a chance to get in on this. How about...?Visiting the Department of Motor Vehicles? Rude, slow, inefficient, expensive, rude, and did I mention slow? Being a civil servant myself, these folks give state employees a bad name. There's a guy at our local office who is sort of my idol and tax-sucking nemesis all rolled into one. Seriously -- he comes back from his break, walks the length of the counter as if he's looking for something, talks to two of the workers who are helping people (interrupting the customers conversation), comes back down the counter, helps one person, walks back down the line, returns to his place, fidgets around, and then goes to the bathroom. It's a monument to non-productivity. Dire Straits sang about Money for Nothing...When I go home from school, I use a neighborhood street that comes out to a main thoroughfare, but only about 1/2 a block away from a stoplight. When I'm on my way home, the folks who work the 7 am shift are now on their way home, too, and traffic is very heavy. Inevitably, I get behind some doofus trying to turn left onto the main road. Traffic is so heavy, even when that light turns red, you then get the people from the opposite road making their right-on-red turn into the path I'd love to get on. Left hand turn from the guy in front of me? No chance... So I sit, fuming.When I coached youth sports, the kid who wanted to show everyone how good he is (which basically boiled down to mimicking some awful fundamentals he'd seen from a pro athlete on television) absolutely drove me nuts. Just play the game, son. And be a good teammate!And of course, one we can all relate to: reading issue #X, of course with a cliffhanger ending, and the next issue in the series that we found was naturally issue #Z. Where o' where did issue #Y go?? No idea.I think we can close this one out with one more "little" nitpick about modern comic art, and that's the Image-era and post-Image-era depiction of women in comics. If you'd wondered about Kara's breast-reduction surgery, you are sadly mistaken; there's no way she could even see Supergirl...

Sometimes you stumble across some very odd artifacts when perusing older comics. Below is an oddball little "Robin" short story that was surreptitiously tucked into the pages of what seemed to be yet another semi-regular BATMAN reprint volume, the kind that were common in the late 60s! In this take on the Boy Wonder's beginnings, the editors and writers take past stories, including Robin's original 1940 origin tale, and pick-and-choose the best parts, making one "canonical" final version, a practice most newer fans believe to be only a recent innovation! This senses-staggering story also features odd art by Ross Andru, later to become a long-haul SPIDER-MAN artist for rival Marvel Comics! Ross seems to have been instructed to invoke the look and feel of the "Golden Age" Batman, resulting in some strange drawing of a huge-jawed Caped Crusader and Bruce Wayne, his alter ego! Click below to enlarge each little-seen page! Those two Batman and Robin figures that flank the title are very impressive, and show Ross can certainly draw the "modern" Dynamic Duo as they appeared then! Dig that Batman! Remember that, in 1969, artists were not encouraged to offer wildly differing interpretations of Batman, so imagine how this odd Golden/Silver Age look seemed to readers at the time! As artist Andru looks back to the original and more "serious" Batman for this tale, he's unknowingly predicting the "Dark Knight" version that's about to return to comics, thanks to Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams! But, that's not all from this great treat-filled treasure! Even the letter columns were unique then! Dig that first letter, detailing the importance of DC's mags to one stressed family, caught in the midst of the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia.... One of the many reprints in the same '68 issue was "the Origin of Clayface," which originally ran in 1961, the same year as the debut of the FANTASTIC FOUR comic from Marvel! Note the similarities of Clayface to the FF's main man-monster, the Thing! Hmmmm... BONUS! Look below to view the captivating cover that fronted this amazing overstuffed issue! At first glance, the cover art seems to be made up of vignettes direct from each story, but it's really all-new custom artwork by Bill Draut!

In crime comics bad girls were usually blonde, and they wore red dresses. Those things translate to scarlet women in crime comics. Not only are such females criminals, but they probably have spent many nights standing under lamp posts luring innocent guys to moral doom. Trust crime comics to warn us of the evils of blonde hair and red dresses.“The Female Of the Species” is from Fawcett’s Down With Crime #5 (1952). Art by Maurice Gutwirth (?); “Marie Swain, ‘Rod-Baby!’” is from Avon’s Gangsters and Gunmolls #3 (1952). Artist unknown. (Also unknown is why in one panel Marie is called Sally.)**********Click on the masthead to read the story of Pappy's Golden Age Comics Crime Wave:More bad blondes from Pappy’s past. Just click on the pictures:

There were a lot of western comics published in the 1950s, but one series that was of a consistently high quality was this 13 issue Dell series. Mix in the ZGSotW installments found in Four Color and you've got quite a volume. The covers are gorgeous and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they were reprinted from Dell paperbacks. Inside, the artwork by Albert Micale is very handsome. He was perhaps best know for his work on Dell's Roy Rogers series, but was always a talented painter. Google him to see some of his western images. I am not sure who wrote the bulk of these well paced and entertaining stories - Gaylord DuBois, perhaps? They are ripe for rediscovery and I'd love to see a hardcover collection on the shelves.

The Image Round Up column aims to get some words down on every single Image Comics book published for the week. This weeks reviews are handled by William Tournas and Hansel Moreno. They'll be dropping non-spoilery reviews the day before the books are available so you can best make up your mind on what to buy tomorrow. We offer this service because Image has been putting out some amazing content lately and it will be nice to shine a light on every single title they produce. This week our intrepid team looks at The Activity #13, Dia De Los Muertos #3, Nowhere Men #5 and Revival #10. -- This week after gathering classified intel The Activity #13 is declared the COVER OF THE WEEK! Read William's preview for more info! The reviews are graded according to the following scale: Must Read. -- Do not miss this hot piece of comic action! Buy It. -- For memories sake. Check It. -- This is a toss up. Up to you really. Byrne It. (skim it on the rack). -- Look at it but don't leave with it. Avoid It. -- Steer clear. The Activity #13 Story by: Nathan Edmondson Art By: Mitch Gerads William Tournas: When it comes to comics and most other types of serialised story telling, it can be quite hard to maintain a high quality on something that's ongoing.The creative team of Nathan Edmondson & Mitch Gerads achieve this with every single issue of The Activity. Each issue is a shining of example of great storytelling, as each issue is able to stand alone on its own merits.After the Flashback issue last month, Issue #13 brings us back to the main storyline and dealing with the events of issue #12.Team Omaha has been placed on stand-down pending further investigation after the identity of the leak was discovered. A call from a colleague of Switchfoot's in the IDF (Israeli Defense Force), leads to an unsanctioned mission with dire consequences.Nathan Edmondson had me feeling mixed emotions with this issue. I was on the edge of my seat with Team Omaha's unsanctioned mission, while also have a sense of sadness for the investigation into the leak.Mitch Gerad's art is amazing as always, matching the tone of the book perfectly. It brings the story forward in fast paced scenes, as well letting the slow intense moments linger with you. Verdict - Must Read Dia De Los Muertos #3 Story by: Alexander Grecian, Kurtis J Wiebe, Joe Keatinge Art by: Riley Rossmo Colors by: Riley Rossmo, Megan Wilson Letters by: Kelly Tindall Hansel Moreno: The third and final installment of Riley Rossmo's Dia De Los Muertos is in. This Day of the Dead themed anthology features three stories: Return Of The Dead by Alex Grecian First of all, a Proof reunion is something not to be missed. This is a quiet, creepy ghost story. It's a little similar to Ed Brisson's (The Bri$$) contribution but it stands well on its own with a few key attributes: It is a silent story and the color palette is muted as well. This story fits well with in the Dia De Los Muertos mythos. Lonesome by Kurtis Wiebe This story is a touching look back on how fast love can grow. In my opinion I think this story captures the feeling of Dia De Los Muertos the best. We remember the dead in all aspects of our lives. Day Of The Dead 3000 by Joe Keatinge This story is nothing short of Ultra violent Mexploitation. This takes Riley's idea and spins it so far out of orbit. You really surprised me Mr. Keatinge. Verdict - Must Read Not Final Cover Nowhere Men #5 Story by: Eric Stephenson Art by: Nate Bellegarde & Jordie Bellaire Cover by: Nate Bellegarde & Fonografiks William Tournas: Nowhere Men is one of the most fantastic comics that I'm reading at the moment. It's smart, amazingly written and the art is astounding. A perfect collaboration between the creative team of Eric Stephenson, Nate Bellegarde and Jordie Bellaire. This issue gives a small glimpse to events prior the main story line, before jum

Welcome to your Post-Crisis Comic Book Previews. There's a plethora of excellent comics hitting stands tomorrow, including Bounce #1, Mind MGMT #11, Subatomic Party Girls #1, and many more! Hit the jump to give them all a thorough once over. I'll see you on the other side. Major Releases BATMAN INCORPORATED #11 Written by Grant Morrison Art by Chris Burnham Batman’s world has been devastated by his war against Talia, but is he willing to give up on his own humanity? Grant: We move ever closer to the grand finale of Grant Morrison's long running Batman epic, and I can't help but wonder how in the world he's going to wrap up years worth of Batman stories in three issues. Considering how solid the majority of the run has been up to this point, I'm obviously willing to trust that Morrison can find a way, but in the interim, I'll happily enjoy the fruits of his and Chris Burnham's labour as things heat up in the ongoing war between Bruce and Talia. BOUNCE #1 Written by Joe Casey Art by David Messina FIRST ISSUE SPECTACULAR! Meet the ultimate slacker superhero for the 21st Century! Jasper Jenkins is a super-head AND a super-hero! He's relatable AND reliable and he's embarking on the adventure of a lifetime! The sensational debut of the new feel-good hero of the decade! You can't afford to miss it! Grant: Image is riding high on the Joe Casey name of late, first with Sex and now with this week's Bounce. I've found Sex to be a little too slow for my tastes, but hopefully with a title as energetic as Bounce, this book's pacing will be a tad quicker. I've also quite enjoyed David Messina in the many licensed books where I've encountered his work previously, so I'm eager to see what he can do with the added freedom of a creator owned book. YOUNG AVENGERS #5 Written by Kieron Gillen Art by Jamie McKelvie • The book where when a character says “I did it half an hour ago” normally means doing “it” half an hour ago reaches its first epic conclusion. • Why Did Loki Do It? No one kno... okay, we’ll tell you...Well, part of it. • Miss America probably punches someone. She usually does. Grant: I say it every month, but Young Avengers has rocketed to the top of my must read pile. Kieron Gillen and Jamie McKelvie are reminding the world each and every issue why they are such a talented comic book duo. Everything about this book, from the characters, to the art, to the solicitations, is a ton of fun, and that's exactly how I like my comics. Seriously, what's not to love? New Kids on the Block AKANEIRO #1 Written by Justin Aclin Art by Vasilis Lolos From the brilliant imagination of video game auteur American McGee comes a dazzling reenvisioning of Red Riding Hood set in the wondrous world of Japanese folklore! Justin Aclin and Vasilis Lolos take Kania young woman torn between two cultureson an epic adventure battling devious yokai for the fate of her world! • Based on the hot new game by American McGee’s Spicy Horse Games! Grant: I'm not terribly familiar with either Justin Aclin's writings or American McGee's games, but I really dug Vasilis Lolos' work over in Conan for issues #8 and 9. That combined with the relatively interesting concept of reimagining Little Red Riding Hood in Japanese folklore is enough to get me to check out this new miniseries. GREEN TEAM #1 Written by Art Baltazar and Franco Art by Ig Guara INVENTORS! EXPLORERS! ADVENTURERS! Do you need money to finance an important project? Then you should set up a meeting with THE GREEN TEAM! • Nature of world-changing idea: _____ • Amount requested: _____ • Does your project have the potential to: Fracture space-time? __ Replace the combustion engine? __ Attract extraterrestrial attention? __ Prove/disprove existence of deities? __ Piss off The Justice League? __ Ren

In movies and popular fiction, pirates are often portrayed as swashbuckling, charming, personable rogues. Well, pirate captains, anyway: the rank-and-file pirate crewman as often as not is an unwashed lout. Either way, don't believe the hype: pirates are jerks. Occasionally they're up against jerks of equal or greater jerkitude, but still jerks. Being a big fan of Errol Flynn movies like Captain Blood and the Sea Hawk, this would be a hard lesson for Nightcrawler to learn. After getting thrown into another dimension with Lockheed the dragon, Kurt fell in with a crew of skyfaring pirates. It's all fun and games--until the pirates run across another ship, and attack it. Nightcrawler is forced to turn on them, almost scuttling their ship, then bailing out for the attacked one. (Scans from Nightcrawler #1, "How Much is that Boggie in the Window?" Story and art by Dave Cockrum; and I'm legitimately shocked I hadn't scanned anything from this issue already.)Still, Nightcrawler hasn't seen the last of those pirates...Another occasional pirate: Conan the barbarian. Whether you go by the strict Robert E. Howard timeline, or the more freewheeling Marvel adventures, Conan was up for a little piracy more than a few times over his lifetime. Especially in the Marvel comics, actually: there were long stretches of Conan the Barbarian or Savage Sword of Conan that were one-issue stories with little continuity: sometimes Conan would be in the desert, then the city, then a pirate, back to the city, and so forth. Honestly, that's how I prefer to read Conan...In today's other book, 1984's Conan Annual #9, "Wrath of the Shambling God!" (Written by Michael Fleisher, art by Ernie Chan.) Conan is once again a pirate captain. That may be a misnomer, today Conan may be less a pirate captain, than "the guy on the ship who could murder the lot of you if you look at him funny." And while Conan's has often sailed with female pirates like Belit and Valeria, it's a sausage-fest today. Worst of all, the crew is a bunch of cutthroats, backstabbers, and incompetents. The latter especially, since after attacking a ship full of "warrior-priests" with no money, the ship sails into an iceberg. Rescued by a band of Inuit-like sailors, Conan is grateful, but his crew plots to kill their captain and ransack their hosts. Drugged, Conan is attacked and falls out a window, and the pirates go nuts. Swept away by the current, Conan is forced to fight his way back through a woolly mammoth, and the idol-god Thogarh. Meanwhile, the pirates are torturing the natives and turning on each other, before they find a stash of black lotus. They think it's to, uh, "enhance their virility," but it drives them insane before long. OK, that is kind of funny, but still, pirates are jerks.

Doug: "F) None of the above" is not a choice today, my friends!

In advance of the coming movie, Disney Publishing has released a Monsters University Storybook app for iPhone and iPad. It’s fun to play with! You start by taking your picture for a student ID, which you can decorate with cartoon mouths, horns, eyeballs, and more to “monsterify” yourself. Don’t I make a scary monster? The “Read” option tells you the story of the movie (I assume), about how Mike Wazowski went to Monsters University to become a Scarer, with lightly animated screens and movie clips. If you spot the hidden IDs, you unlock other players for the “Play” option, which has five different variants on the same tilt-the-screen game mechanism. Which I failed at miserably. This is a cute memento with some good replay value, but I recommend getting it for your child (or yourself) after June 21, when the movie comes out. Wouldn’t want to spoil anything, would you?! Similar Posts: Avengers Home Video Trailer, Second Screen App Available Now § Zuda Invitational § Oliver and Company § Sketch Monsters Book 1: Escape of the Scribbles § Planet Hulk Online Game

Time for a great full colour tale now from the Spellbinders first picture story appearance in an Annual. So let us journey back to the winter of 1970 when his strip was still known as Turville's Touchstone and the pages of Lion Annual 1971 for a yarn called The Whitestoke Kidnappers. Enjoy!The End.