Heads Up

Before you think I'm getting too sentimental in my old age with my postings, here's a pretty splash page from 1942 by Charles Biro that should keep us feeling heady.

Full disclosure: I don't think anyone actually lost their hat-holder in this story, thanks to Crimebuster and his monkey. 

I jes' love the old comics.

Early Works—Obscure Material—Unpublished Art

I love this book, signed by Eisner, and I especially love this cover, adapted from one of his early comics. This is one of those kind of books that they'll have to pry from my dead bony hands in some forlorn nursing home (assuming of course that I make it that far).

Will Eisner — The Art of Will Eisner 

Why Did She Make Strong Men Shiver?

Hmmm, why indeed? Al Capp loved to tease, in more ways than one.

Al Capp's Wolf Gal #1

Hey, I Love This Guy!

By popular request (one of you) (yay), the Robert Crumb introduction to the previous post's komic of Harvey Kurtzman, one of the (great) cartoon geniuses (and there have been so many of 'em) of the 20th century (of course Crumb himself is one of them there), and . . . good lord, I've used so many parentheses in this sentence I forget where I was going with it . . .

Thanks, Sim, for the request. Crumb's intro is worth the time to read, and especially about Mr. Bad Taste  himself, HMH.

Robert Crumb — intro to Kurtzman Komix — 1976

Pygmalion Complex

I think there may be a bit of a Pygmalion complex in most artists, and as the creator of Annie Fanny, well —yeah!

© Harvey Kurtzman estate — Kurtzman Komix — 1976

Finally, a label (below) that fits perfectly! (snort, chuckle)

Gothic Manner/Manor

The character of Batman has been drawn by a plethora of artists and interpreted in a multitude of ways. Yet it all started with Bob Kane, though quickly he became more of a publicity hound as other artist and writer ghosts toiled in his shadow. 

Still, among a number of brilliant Batman artists, it is this somewhat crudely drawn image by Kane that set the tone and manner for the best interpretations to come. Early on, Batman was of a gothic manner, here looming over a gothic manor, and ventured into mystery before turning his full attention to thugs and gangsters and the occasional alien or two.

Bob Kane — Batman to the Manor Borne 

Mea Pulpa

It didn't use to be cool for a person to admit to liking comic books. For a while in the '40s, it wasn't such a bad thing, as soldiers, sailors and fly-boys read them for quick and cheap entertainment. But in the '50s, it was pretty shameful for an adult to be caught reading comic books (the exception being Walt Kelly's Pogo—that was a hip trip). In the '60s it was cool to read Zap and Fat Freddy's Cat and anything by Crumb or Jaxon. Then the '80s started the trend toward adults frequenting comic shops and finally the industry pretty much relies on adult obsession with pulp adventures. Mea Pulpa.

I'm an old guy, and I've always loved the funnies in whatever format they came, some of them not so funny. Although, I haven't always wanted anyone to know that. They're certainly not my only interest, as I love the whole spectrum of printed matter and I'm a social type person as well. But here's a confession that some of you might understand: when I'm feeling blue and overwhelmed and frustrated with life, I retreat to a cozy spot and pull out the OLD comics to revel in their primary colors, bold drawing styles, and esPECIALLY to bury my nose in the pages and smell that old musty pulp smell that the comics used to have even when they were new and in 'mint' condition. I close my eyes, take a deep whiff and all my troubles melt away.

I LUV COMIC BOOKS (the old ones).

A.C. Holly — Inspector Roc — from Famous Crimes Comics — 1948

In these days when comic book stories drag on for issue after issue after issue, it's enlightening to know that in the old days a mystery could be told in ONE page, and even have you share in trapping the killer.

Tok Lyke a Py-rit

Ahoy maties! 'ow kin it awready be Tok Lyke a Py-rit Deh? Itz bin a hole yir? Dat ol' ledy time is a rill bitz, she is. Wull, whadaya waitin' fer? Git to it, ye swabs!

Out of This World

For all their imperfections, comic books are still out of this world for primary color entertainment. This is a nice panel.

John Giunta — Crom the Barbarian - panel detail

Out of This World comics

Rarified Atmosphere

Whenever I'm feeling tired and overwhelmed, all I have to do is spend a few minutes with images that catapult me into the rarified atmosphere of fantasy, and I am energized like the ion thrusters of a space cruiser exiting an asteroid field.

The isolated panel below is one of my all time favorites from the golden age of 'science fiction', or more aptly 'space opera' or just plain 'fantasy adventure'. Totally unsophisticated, it is supremely iconic of the genre, from Flash Gordon to Buck Rogers and beyond. Drawn by a young Murphy Anderson, Star Pirate must have influenced Ron Goulart and Gil Kane with their StarHawks, and I'd even venture that the young Frank Frazetta probably admired this work as well.

Imagine, if you will, the pulpy smell of old comics, and let your mind unfocus from your worries as it wanders the astro lanes from distant worlds — but always keep your blaster close at hand.

Murphy Anderson — Planet Comics #50 _ 1947

That Silly Season

Ah, the first ever appearance of Uncle Scrooge McDuck, from Christmas on Bear Mountain, already iconic in his first panel. Zoom in on the iconic beauty of Carl Barks' art.

Carl Barks — Christmas on Bear Mountain — December 1947

Demon of Gothos Mansion

In 1970 I was ready to give up on comics, and I might have but for the comic book stylings of Neal Adams. I always bought multiples of Neal Adams covers and stories—not for speculation— but because, well, because, well I dunno, just because. Neal Adams revitalized the Batman character, and in my mind his version remains the best.

The Halloweenish cover below is so iconic, and was a tribute to the iconic Bob Kane cover from Batman's first year. Both are my favorite Batman covers, and might be some of yours as well.

Neal Adams — Batman #227 — 1970

Bob Kane — Detective Comics #31 — 1939

Hanging Out

A Halloween mood cover, hanging out with the bats. Another favorite Batman cover by George Pratt.

George Pratt — Batman #431 — 1989

The Mightiest Heroes of Our Time

When I was just a wee lad, starting to cruise the DC universe, this house ad popped up in one of the lesser titles, and I just went all popcorn. I had to have it! Well, none of my wee friends read comics and there were no back issue catalogues or stores. Even the drugstore didn't carry the JLA title until #9 , the first JLA I bought off the spinners (the cool origin issue which I read a gajillion times). I only finally got to read this issue once I bought the hardcover JLA Archives many years later.

This ad was for JLA #1, yet the actual cover had no number on it. A 1st issue DC comic, with no #1 emblazoned on it? JUST IMAGINE!

Beautifully Staged

Those of you who are following modern comic books know that the DC Universe has been rebooting, starting storylines from scratch.

I have not been following it at all. First, I have no time to get up to the comic store. Second, I have no desire to even browse the selections. My experience with modern comics presents no charm for me. Nothing against the creators' skills, but rather the editorial dictates.

You don't have to go all the way back to the ancient ages of comics to find some appealing DC books. Below, from 1992, this cover by Matt Wagner is one of my top ten favorite Batman covers of all time, very iconic, beautifully staged and drawn. I bought the comic just for its cover.

If modern DC comics would apply this level of quality to their editorial concepts throughout their books, well, I might just make time to get up to the comic store.

Matt Wagner — Detective Comics # 649 — 1992

A Saga

Oh, hey! Happy birthday to Joe Kubert, whose gold, silver and bronze age work brought so much enjoyment to so many people!

I bought ANYthing with a Kubert cover!

Joe Kubert — Showcase #82 — May, 1969

Nembo Kid

Super stuff from 1962 . . .

The Siren of Satan

Picture, if you will, growing up in the 60s having read tons of comics that were silly, inane and pretty much cut from the same cloth. Oh, there were highlights and all of it was fun for a growing boy. But just as I was about to drop comics out of boredom and embarrassment, along came a new breed of graphic storytellers—their stories were 'daring and dynamic'. I look back on them now and see and read flaws of all kinds, but at the time they were unique enough to keep a high school teen involved in collecting.

Neal Adams was the first major artist to make a major impact on me in the late silver, early bronze age and revive my interest in collecting. I would buy multiple copies of his work, not to salt away to sell another day, but to cut-up and create advertisement-free graphic novel albums (who knew that someday all comics, good or bad, would be reprinted in handsome editions, sans advertising?).

These days, the comics market is so saturated with thousands of examples of dynamic storytelling, that some of those from the past may seem a bit lame. But back in days of yore, when something unique snuck up on me in the middle of really lame material, it was pretty electrifying. Among many such examples were the stories illustrated by Berni Wrightson.

House of Mystery #181 — July-August 1969

And hoo boy, the marketing departments spared no effort in pulling out their typography and hyping up our frenzy to seek out the 'daring and different'. They had me with the Neal Adams covers. I bought anything with Neal Adams on it or in it:

Demon Dick

I know nothing about these characters, or their creator Dick Spencer (other than I'm speculating that he was the cowboy/cowboy poet/songwriter [there's an award named after him], who was also the late long time publisher of The Western Horseman Magazine).

I like the 1930s cartoon aesthetic of this cover of a big little book that got stretched to a bigger big little book.

Dick Spencer — Tales of Demon Dick & Bunker Bill — 1934

Inside the Trap Door

For those of you who don't always make it over to Whirled of Kelly to see Walt Kelly's magnificent art and stories, be aware that some exceedingly rare material is unfolding, right now.