Saturday, October 06, 2012

Horrifying Halloween Same Story, Different Cover: Got myself a crying, talking, sleeping, walking, killing doll

Left: Black Magic v.1 (Prize Comics) #1 (October-November 1950), pencils and inks by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby
Right: Black Magic v.2 (DC) #8 (February-March 1975), pencils and inks by Jerry Grandenetti

(Click picture to cabbage patch-size)

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 280

Panel from Batman: The Order of Beasts one-shot (September 2004), script and painted art by Eddie Campbell, co-scipted by Daren White, letters by Michael Evans

Hellmouth: Hanna-Barbera, Night 6

You know, I can't find any cover writing credits, but I suspect Mark Evanier is behind that Wolf in Chief's Clothing pun.

Cover of Scooby-Doo (Gold Key 1970 series) #22 (December 1973), pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle

Another spine-tingling Countdown to Halloween site to visit: Who Is Afraid of...Mrs. Lovett? (Me, I'm only afraid of Lyle Lovett.) The Divine Mrs. L is posting and counting down 31 Horror Films definitely off the beaten path, complete with images of vintage movie posters. Spooky cool! (And don't forget to check out the whole graveyard of ghoulish Countdown to Halloween features!)

Friday, October 05, 2012

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 279

Panels from Batman: Hong Kong graphic novel (August 2003), script by Doug Moench, painted art by Tony Wong, letters by Kurt Hathaway

Today in Comics History: During-dinner telemarketing is invented

'But ma'am, have you heard the good news about Sgt. Essen...?'

Panel from Batman #407 (May 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein

Hellmouth: Hanna-Barbera, Night 5

Funeral services for Boo-Boo Bera will be held from two to four this afternoon at Jellystone National Park. There will be a buffet of a pic-a-nic basket.

Cover of Yogi Bear (1992 Harvey series) #2 (January 1993)

Another spine-tingling Countdown to Halloween site to visit: Caffeinated Joe! He'll keep you awake all night...with horror! That's talkin' incisive episode recaps of the classic Friday the 13th TV series and creepy-gruesome movie clips! (Plus, Joe's a F.O.A....that's Friend of Aquaman, which means Joe's all right by me! (And don't forget to check out the whole graveyard of ghoulish Countdown to Halloween features!)

Thursday, October 04, 2012

Today in Comics History: That time Captain America died (#2 of a series)

If Cap's dead, why is Iron Man on the morgue table?

Panel from Captain America and Bucky #627 (April 2012), co-plot by Ed Brubaker, co-plot and script by James Asmus; pencils, inks, and colors by Francesco Francavilla; letters by Joe Caramagna

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 278

OH NOES ALFRED'S BRAIN IS INFLATING maybe it's because they're in space

Panels from Detective Comics #839 (February 2008), script by Paul Dini, pencils by Ryan Benjamin and Don Kramer, inks by Saleem Crawford and Wayne Faucher, colors by John Kalisz, letters by John J. Hill

Today in Comics History: Batman begins his extensive bullet collection

'To fit this here, I had to move the exhibit of the bullets that killed my parents to the East Wing of the Bullet Museum.'

Panel from "Bullet-Hole Club" in World's Finest Comics #50 (February-March 1951), script by David Vern, pencils by Dick Sprang, inks by Charles Paris

Hellmouth: Hanna-Barbera, Night 4

Cover of The Funky Phantom #2 (June 1972)

Another spine-tingling Countdown to Halloween site to visit: Wonderful Wonderblog, where Erick is posting 31 Halloween t-shirts! Plus Halloween videos! Monsters! Toys and other good stuff! Arroooo! (And don't forget to check out the whole graveyard of ghoulish Countdown to Halloween features!)

Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Things in Comic Books That Are Not Other Things, Part 239

Donald Duck is Not Thor.

I bet there's an entire chapter in the Junior Woodchucks Handbook devoted to this situation.

Panel from "The Village Blacksmith" in Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #239 (August 1960),
script, pencils, and inks by Carl Barks; letters by Garé Barks

Next time on Things in Comic Books That Are Not Other Things: Daredevil is Not Little Lulu!

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 277

'Is your name not Bruce?...that's going to cause a little confusion.'

Panel from Detective Comics #786 (November 2003), script by Ed Brubaker, pencils by Patrick Zircher, inks by Aaron Sowd and Steve Bird, colors by Jason Wright, separations by Wildstorm FX, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History: Reed Richards discovers the great mint flavor in new Wrigley Doublemint Gum

Panels from Startling Stories: Fantastic Four: Unstable Molecules #1 (March 2003), script and layouts by James Sturm, pencils and inks by Guy Davis, colors by Michael Vrana, letters by Paul Tutrone

Hellmouth: Hanna-Barbera, Night 3

This episode features a special guest appearance by Chris Rock!

Cover of The Flintstones (1977 Marvel series) #7 (October 1978)

Another spine-tingling Countdown to Halloween site to visit: pal Andrew's Armagideon Time! Every night Awful Andrew spotlights another spooky tune (you'll get to listen to a lot of great music!) accompanied by his usual fine essays of eeeeeeevil! (Note: Andrew himself, nor his blog, are actually technically evil.)

(And don't forget to check out the whole graveyard of ghoulish Countdown to Halloween features!)

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Today in Comics History: The first test of the Cone of Silence is a dismal failure

Aieee! Commissioner Gordon's mouth exploded!

Panel from Batman #407 (May 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History: The Best Jack the Ripper Walking Tour Ever

Panels from Thunderbolts #167 (February 2012), script by Jeff Parker, pencils and inks by Declan Shalvey, colors by Frank Martin, letters by Joe Sabino

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 276

Panel from Batman #407 (May 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein

Hellmouth: Hanna-Barbera, Night 2

Cover of Magilla Gorilla #9

Another spine-tingling Countdown to Halloween site to visit: John Rozum.com! John's counting down 31 macabre movies beginning with The Innkeepers, the trailer of which, as you may remember, pal Dorian and I skewered in his "In a World" over at (postmodernbarney.com) in February! (John R. was kinder to it than I was.)

Hey, the hulk used that accordion in the corner and squeezed it all up!'

Hey, the hulk used that accordion in the corner and squeezed it all up!'

A big little stuffed thank you to John R. for settin' up the whole Countdown shebang! Please check out this year's spooky offerings in the whole graveyard of ghoulish Countdown to Halloween features!)

Monday, October 01, 2012

BEST CAPTCHA EVER.

We can but WISH for a Judicial Ape/Lawyerbear Team-Up.

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 275

Panel from Robin #82 (November 2000), script by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Pete Woods, inks by Jesse Delperdang, colors by Noelle Giddings, separations by Jamison, letters by Willie Schubert

Love me like a rock

Hey look! The current issue of Revolution Art is all about Ben Grimm!

'Hey baby, ever do it with a giraffe?'

I sure hope they cover that one time he said

Stan Lee got paid a dime a word for that!

Today in Comics History: The word "waugh" is invented

Followed by the Sharper Image catalogue.

Panel from The Unwritten #35.5 (Late May 2012), plot by Peter Gross, script by Mike Carey, pencils and inks by Gabriel Hernandez Walta, colors by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein

Today in Comics History: I begin working for Prime Minister George Orwell

In the back there's a giant poster of a cat dangling from a branch saying 'Hang in there, baby, Friday's coming!'

Page from The Unwritten #35.5 (Late May 2012), plot by Peter Gross, script by Mike Carey, pencils and inks by Gabriel Hernandez Walta, colors by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein

Hellmouth: Hanna-Barbara, Night 1

Wow, the Beatles really changed after Yoko joined.

Welcome to 2012's Halloween Countdown! In the past we've traveled during this sinister month to Duckburg and Riverdale, two of the deadliest October vacation destinations on Earth (after Detroit). This year, let's head to another calamitous cartoon civilization, where ursine predators lurk in the woods ready to steal your pic-a-nic baskets and your lives, where savage cavemen abuse their prehistoric animal comrades all in the name of it being a living, and where I would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for you meddling kids. (Needless to say, although we'll be tip-toeing nervously through all of the Hanna-Barbera shared universe, Hellmouth: Hanna-Barbera really oughta be subtitled "Thank Goodness for Scooby-Doo".

As usual, I'll be joining the blogosphere-wide Countdown to Halloween 2012 with a daily dose of Hanna horror and Barbera beastliness. But don't forget to check into Countdown to Halloween to peruse pernicious posts from across the evilnet! I'll be giving you links to some of my favorites, but I won't be able to cover 'em all, so check out the whole cauldron fulla fun at Countdown to Halloween 2012!

But that's not all, my ghosties and ghoulies! Throughout the entire month of October there'll be Halloween-themed Tens of a Kind; Same Story, Different Covers; Saturday Morning Cartoons; 366 Days with the Undead Alfred Pennyworth, and the proverbian monstrous more! So don't panic, be manic as we Countdown to Halloween! It'll be boo-tiful!

Wow, Life of Pi is TERRIFYING.