Saturday, July 25, 2009

Separated at Birth: I always feel like somebody's watching me

Crisis #5/Flash #225
L: Crisis on Infinite Earths #5 (August 1985), art by George Perez
R: Flash #225 (October 2005), art by Howard Porter, John Livesay, and James Sinclair
(Click picture to Earth-6-size)



365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 206

The Thing #23
Panel from The Thing #23 (May 1985), script by Mike Carlin, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Bob Layton, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by John Morelli



Saturday Morning Cartoon: Starship Farragut "Power Source"


Starship Farragut: The Animated Episodes "Power Source, Part 1" (2009), produced by NEO f/x in association with Farragut Films



Friday, July 24, 2009

Kirby says: Don't Ask, Just Buy It! (Next Month.)

Captain American #197Hey kids! Remember when the final panel of a comic book story teased and tantalized you with the promise of the excitement, adventure, thrills and Skrulls of next month's issue, winding you up so much that you could hardly wait to bike on down to Mr. Gower's drugstore and plunk down your twelve cents to pick up the very next issue featuring the conclusion of the storyline that sent shivers up your spine and poked out your eyes with a very sharp, long, pointed stick but you didn't care because it already said "senses-shattering" on the cover of the book?

Nope, me neither.

So let's let the Archduke of Anticipation, the Emperor of Expectation, the Tycoon of To Be Continued, the King of Comics...recapture that giddy, glorious feeling through

Jack Kirby's 'Next Issue' Panels from Captain America #193-208!


#193
Captain America #193 Next Issue

#194
Captain America #194 Next Issue

#195
Captain America #195 Next Issue

#196
Captain America #196 Next Issue

#197
Captain America #197 Next Issue

#198
Captain America #198 Next Issue

#199
Captain America #199 Next Issue

#200
Captain America #200 Next Issue

#201
Captain America #201 Next Issue

#202
Captain America #202 Next Issue

#203
Captain America #203 Next Issue

#204
Captain America #204 Next Issue

#205
Captain America #205 Next Issue

#206
Captain America #206 Next Issue

#207
Captain America #207 Next Issue

#208
Captain America #208 Next Issue

#209
Captain America #209 Next Issue

#210
Captain America #210 Next Issue

#211
Captain America #211 Next Issue

#212
Captain America #212 Next Issue

#213
Captain America #213 Next Issue

Wow! I'd buy every single one of those comics! So, that's the lesson, Marvel...if you can't bring back Kirby...bring back the cliffhanger 'to be continued' box!


365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 205

The Thing #10
Panel from The Thing #10 (April 1984), script by John Byrne, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by Hilary Barta, colors by Julianna Ferriter, letters by Jim Novak



Thursday, July 23, 2009

"Spidey, this is not 'Nam. This is bowling. There are rules."

Amazing Spider-Man #92
Panels from Amazing Spider-Man #92 (January 1971), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Gil Kane, inks by John Romita and Tony Mortellaro, letters by Artie Simek


(And if it's more Gil Kane action of the fisticuff variety you're cravin'—well, bub, head yourself over to Dr. K's 100-Page Super Spectacular for the ever-lovin' Gil Kane Punch of the Week! It'll knock your block off!)


365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 204

MTIO Annual #7
Panel from Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 (1982), script by Tom DeFalco, pencils by Ron Wilson, inks by a whole lotta guys (Bob Camp, Mike Esposito, Frank Giacoia, Dan Green, Armando Gil, Chic Stone), colors by George Roussos, letters Jim Novak



Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Loose lips sink ships

Let me do the talking!...so nobody tell FDR that Sergeant Nick Fury is a blabbermouth! What's that you say? The consummate Army man, the tough son of a gun who bleeds khaki and spits bullets, is a lousy yellow-bellied troop-movement-fact-giver-outer? The pride of Easy Company? (No, not the one with Sergeant Rock...the other Easy Company.) The hard as nails never-shaved still-two-eyed Nick Fury? How can this be, you ask yourself, Mr. and Mrs. America and all the ships at sea? How can this be? Well, maybe if Fury would stop publishing the details of America's military might in the back pages of his own furshlugginer comic book!!!




He gives away secrets of Allied armaments! To be fair, of Axis weaponry as well, but that's no excuse, Fury!
Sgt. Fury #4
from Sgt. Fury #4 (November 1963)



And here's the US Army's secret hand-signals! Not shown: the one fingered salute he gives those lousy Ratzis! (If British, add an extra finger.)
Sgt. Fury Annual #1
from Sgt. Fury Annual #1 (1965)



No need to let Herr Schiklgrüber know what our tanks, guns, and war-bound livestock cost, Nick...when after all we all know the true cost...human lives! (bum bum bum!)
Sgt. Fury #6
from Sgt. Fury #6 (March 1964)



What's that, Fury? Let's publish the details of some more guns in your lousy comics? And sell them at newsstands where "kindly old" Mister Bimmler and Goseph Joebbels down the street can pick 'em up? They aren't in it for the investment, Nick...uh, uh, no way! How can I tell, you ask? They don't put the comics in Mylar snugs!
Sgt. Fury #5
from Sgt. Fury #5 (January 1964)



Who do you think you are kidding, Mister Hitler? You don't have to have spies to capture the secrets of the B-26 bomber...just pick up this month's issue of Sgt. Fury and His Howling Commandos Who Give Secrets Away in the Back-Up Section Just Before the Letters Column and Stan's Bullpen Bulletins (only 12 American cents per copy!)
sgtfury14
from Sgt. Fury #14 (January 1965)
Click picture to big-size...if you're a traitor!


Yes, that's the Martin Marauder...not to be confused with the Martian Manhunter!
Martian Manhunter



This diagram of Fury's base in Dover, England, gives every element of the layout away to the enemy. The only detail that's missing? All those bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover!
sgtfuryA1-plane
from Sgt. Fury Annual #1 (1965)
Click picture to bilden Sie Ihnen, Naziabschaum jeden Detailfreien raum!




Now here's something you don't see every day...if you're a Nazi spy!: Nick Fury and Easy Company's base of operations! Won't Uncle Adolph be happy to see that Stan Lee and Dick Ayers are visiting that day. Bomb the place now and the world need never face the horrors of...Ravage 2099!
Nick Fury's Army base of operations, from Sgt. Fury Annual #1
from Sgt. Fury Annual #1 (1965)
Click picture to catch all the hilarious off-color Army men banter...
before you blow 'em up!




But in the end, it's all part of a massive disinformation planned down to the finest detail by Fury's CO, General "Happy" Sam Sawyer! The Ratzis ain't gettin' their hands on a single copy of these comic books...instead they'll be carpet bombed by thousands of these colorful portraits of a guy who will soon be wah-hooing his way into Berlin and storming up to Hitler's Bertesgarten to put his stone-hard fist right in der Fuhrer's face! You go get 'em, Fury! Waaaaaah-hooooooo!
Nick Fury
from Sgt. Fury #12 (November 1964)



365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 202

FF #47
Panels from Fantastic Four #47 (February 1966), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Joe Sinnott, letters by Artie Simek



Monday, July 20, 2009

Hey Kids! #!%@#$&ing Comics!

So, I'm reading my comics the other day, including the all ages imprint Marvel Adventures which features ultra-fun and not at all Dark versions of our favorite Marvel characters. Ah, Earth-20051, with your high-adventures stories, clever plot twists and humorous characterization, I think I love you most of all!

Marvel Adventures Super-Heroes #9


Of course all the Marvel Adventures books are completely appropriate for a little stuffed bull to read. (Why, they even keep them at bull's-height reach over at Bergen Street Comics so I don't have to ask Tom or Amy to borrow a stool or to boost me up!) See, it says so right on the cover:

All Ages


Yup, there ain't nothin' on that cover that suggest this is a comic book I shouldn't be reading, not a trace at all that this book is age-inappropriate for a six-year-old little st...

UPC box


In the words of the late great Marvel humor mag...What Th--?! This book is labelled Ultimates? Why, I'm not 'llowed to read that book at all what with the sex and the violence and the swearing and the Wasp-eating and the nasty Jarvis and the...golly. Golly.

Huh. Well, I guess that explains this panel in the book:

Marvel Adventures Doctor Strange


Okay, okay, I Photoshopped the last panel...but everything before it is real! It really does say "Ultimates" on the UPC box of Marvel Adventures Super-Heroes #9! Whoopsie!


365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 201

What If? #36
Panels from What If? #36 (December 1982), script and art by John Byrne, colors by Bob Sharen, letters by Joe Rosen



Sunday, July 19, 2009

Ten of a Kind: Come let us make bricks and burn them hard





















But if you want hands-down the finest book ever written about the Empire State Building, well, then you need:


(More Ten of a Kind here.)