Saturday, July 06, 2013

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 187: Meet your new Justice League Cosmos starting lineup


House ad for Cosmic Odyssey #1 (November 1988); printed in Detective Comics #591 (October 1988)
Ad art: pencils by Mike Mignola, inks by Carlos Garzon (?), colors by Steve Oliff

Today in Comics History, July 6: Catwoman begins to regret inviting the Joe Chill family to her wedding



from "Terror Train!" in Batman #345 (DC, 6March 1982), script by Bruce Jones, pencils by Trevor Von Eeden, inks by Pablo Marcos, colors by Tom Ziuko, letters by Todd Klein

Captain Tootsie Month, Day 6: That bear from Day 1 seeks revenge


"Captain Tootsie in the North Woods," printed in The Adventures of Bob Hope #8 (April-May 1951 ), by Bill Schreiber

Today in Comics History, July 6, 1966: Comic book artist figures out a way to give all his girlfriends a cameo appearance


from "The Man From L.E.G.I.O.N. '007: The Spy Who Fragged Me" in L.E.G.I.O.N. '95 Annual #5 (DC, September 1994), script by Tom Peyer, pencils by Mike McKone, inks by Wayne Faucher, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by John Workman

Friday, July 05, 2013

Today in Comics History, July 5, 1966: Moe Howard's new job is working out just fine


from "The Man From L.E.G.I.O.N. '007: The Spy Who Fragged Me" in L.E.G.I.O.N. '95 Annual #5 (DC, September 1994), script by Tom Peyer, pencils by Mike McKone, inks by Wayne Faucher, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by John Workman

76 of a Kind: I'm a free born bull of the USA








76 of a Kind for 200720082009201020112012

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 186: Have no fear, the Man of Bronze is here


House ad for Doc Savage (1988 series) #1 (November 1988); printed in Detective Comics #591 (October 1988)
Ad art: pencils by Rod Whigham, inks by Steve Montano


One of several shots by DC at the Doc Savage license, although this one has a slightly different approach (to begin with, at least). This is the "Doc and Son" series of adventures based in the current day and set up in the 1987 4-issue miniseries.

While it's not a patch on the gorgeous Doc Savage paperback cover art by James Bama, here's the lovely painted cover to Doc #1 by Eric Peterson:


Cover of Doc Savage (1988 series) #1 (November 1988), painted cover by Eric Peterson

Captain Tootsie Month, Day 5: Bend It Like Bendix


"Captain Tootsie and 'The Babe Ruth Story,'" printed in Wonder Woman #32 (November-December 1948), by C. C. Beck


Here's the movie scene referenced in the Captain Tootsie ad:


Papa Bull loved the Yankees all his life. This one's for him.

Today in Comics History, July 5, 1914: Turns out he actually meant tartar sauce



from Moriarty #1 and 2 Image, (May-June 2011), script by Daniel Corey; pencils, inks, and colors by Anthony Diecidue; letters by Dave Lanphear

Today in Comics History, July 5, 1914: The bawdy euphemism "chasing the dragon" is invented


from Moriarty #2 (Image, June 2011), script by Daniel Corey; pencils, inks, and colors by Anthony Diecidue; letters by Dave Lanphear

Thursday, July 04, 2013

Today in Comics History, July 4: Batman is sorry he hired a robot DJ for his Fourth of July party


from The Brave and the Bold (1955 series) #103 (DC, September 1972), script by Bob Haney, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Frank McLaughlin, letters by Milt Snapinn

Today in Comics History, July 4: America, Heck Yeah!

Hey, it's the Fourth of July, which is the birthday of Uncle Sam! What better time than today to take a look back to the world of America immediately post-9/11 and see how we coped with our new uncertainty on the world stage and the sudden surge in paranoia-fueled patriotism, but most important, how you could fight al-Qaeda by buying action figures. Because if you don't continue with your hobby, the terrorists will have won. Just in one single issue of the late Wizard's late ToyFare magazine, there's so much flag-waving that your head will explode with six red stripes, seven red stripes, and and a heckuva lotta stars. First up: in the words of Graham "Suggs" McPherson: I'm sailing across the sea to see my Uncle Sam.


from ToyFare #56 (April 2002)

"He comes with two extra hands." I'm pretty sure I don't remember that about the mythical spirit of our country, and that it hasn't been previously featured in any of the history or guidebooks about Uncle Sam...


Huh. I stand corrected.

Here's an ad in the same issue by the manufacturer of that Uncle Sam figure. Well, it's a decent-looking figure and proceeds went to good causes, so I'll refrain from making fun by guessing how many of those 1,776 figures are still in the warehouse. The usage of Comics Sans, however, warrants a proper guffaw. "Guffaw!"


In case you prefer your Uncle Sam to be copyrighted by a major entertainment conglomerate, here's a competing figure of the Earth-X DC Comics hero version of U.S. No sign of his secondary mutation of two extra hands, but check out that snazzy star-spangled waistcoat he's sportin'. Fresh duds, Sam!


But hey, what if you want your fervent love-it-or-leave it for your country in anthropomorphic funny animal form complete with ripped abs and blasted delts? Well, in 2002, Toyfare has you covered. Oh boy do they have you covered.


IT'S A FREAKIN' KICK-ASSIN' EAGLE. WITH MUSCLES. Also, fingers. But at least he only comes with one set of hands.

So, from sea to shining sea, Toyfare has you covered for all your jingoistic opportunistic proud-to-be-American action figures needs. What do you have to add to that, Twisted ToyFare Theater?


Uh, Happy Independence Day, I think.

Today in Comics History, July 4: Pretty much business as usual in Gotham City



from Batman: Arkham City: Endgame (2012 digital series) #5 (DC, June 2012), script by Derek Fidolfs, pencils and inks by Jason Shawn Alexander, colors by Lee Loughridge, letters by Travis Lahnham

Today in Comics History, July 4: The Jimmy Olsen Gang pulls its most daring heist


from "The Rise and Fall of a Gangster" in Detective Comics (1937 series) #137 (DC, July 1948), pencils by Jack Kirby (?), inks by Steve Brodie (?)

Today in Comics History, July 4: Martian Manhunter dies


from "The Impossible Messages" in Detective Comics #247 (DC, September 1957), script by Jack Miller, pencils and inks by Joe Certa

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 185: Another Fine Mess


House ad for Larry Harmon's Laurel and Hardy #1 (July-August 1972); printed in Inferior 5 #11 (August-September 1972)
Ad designed and lettered by Gaspar Saladino

Here's the cover of the one and only (literally; there never was an issue #2) DC Laurel and Hardy comic book:


Cover of Larry Harmon's Laurel and Hardy #1 (July-August 1972) pencils by Mike Sekowsky, inks by Henry Scarpelli


Today in Comics History, July 4, 1966: The Fictional President of the United States regrets his agreement to do a cameo in the movie Catalina Caper


from "The Man From L.E.G.I.O.N. '007: The Spy Who Fragged Me" in L.E.G.I.O.N. '95 Annual #5 (DC, September 1994), script by Tom Peyer, pencils by Mike McKone, inks by Wayne Faucher, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by John Workman

Today in Comics History, July 4: Before he added an additional dimension, Mr. Mxyzptlk used to be a lot easier to fool


from "The Genius with Super Power" in Detective Comics #227 (DC, January 1956), script by Jack Miller, pencils and inks by Ruben Moreira

Today in Comics History, July 4: The Holiday Hijackers all suffer massive hearing loss


from "The Holiday Hijackers" in Adventure Comics #145 (DC, October 1949), script by Edmond Hamilton, pencils and inks by John Sikela

Captain Tootsie Month, Day 4: Geez, Mrs. Kelly, buy him some proper toys


"Captain Tootsie and the Hand Grenade," printed in World's Finest Comics #19 (Autumn 1945), by C. C. Beck and Peter Constanza


Remember, kids, when celebrating the Fourth of July by throwing hand grenades, be sure to throw them away from, not towards, your friends!


Today in Comics History, July 4, 1946: Johnny Everyman means well but OH MY GOD PLEASE STOP CALLING HIM BONGO, JOHNNY


from the Johnny Everyman story "The Spirit of '46" in World's Finest Comics #26 (DC, January 1947), script by Jack Schiff, pencils and inks by John Daly

Happy Independence Day, all the citizens of the Republic of the Philippines! And on behalf of us here in the lower eastern 48, I humbly apologize for Johnny Everyman and the name "Bongo."

Today in Comics History, July 4, 1978: Spider-Woman suspects the color tone is off on her Avengers movie DVD


from Spider-Woman (1978 series) #7 (Marvel, October 1978), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Steve Leialoha and Al Gordon, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, July 4: Smallville, Kansas is destroyed


from "The Holiday Hijackers" in Adventure Comics #145 (DC, October 1949), script by Edmond Hamilton, pencils and inks by John Sikela

Today in Comics History, July 4, 1978: Well, that'll happen on the Fourth of July


from Spider-Woman (1978 series) #7 (Marvel, October 1978), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Steve Leialoha and Al Gordon, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Rick Parker

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

Today in Comics History, July 3, 1978: C. W. McCall gets the inspiration for his hit song


from Spider-Woman (1978 series) #7 (Marvel, October 1978), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Steve Leialoha and Al Gordon, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, July 3: Clark plans his neck-snapping holiday


from "The Holiday Hijackers" in Adventure Comics #145 (October 1949), script by Edmond Hamilton, pencils and inks by John Sikela

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 184: Where's Flop?


House ad for Leading Comics #24 (April-May 1947); printed in World's Finest Comics #27 (March-April 1947)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Otto Feuer (?)

Hey, that's a pretty impressive all-star line-up of anthropomorphinals, but where's Flop? Where, oh where, is Flop?

Oh, he's right here!:


Cover of Flippity & Flop #4 (June-July 1952), pencils and inks by Jim Davis (no, not that one)

Captain Tootsie Month, Day 3: The Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to both foxes and monsters would like to have a word with Captain Tootsie


"Captain Tootsie Battles Monster Man," printed in World's Finest Comics #11 (Autumn 1943)

Today in Comics History, July 3, 1978: The LOLcat is invented


from Spider-Woman (1978 series) #7 (Marvel, October 1978), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Steve Leialoha and Al Gordon, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Rick Parker

Today in Comics History, July 3, 1978: It's Casual Day at Army, Mother


from Spider-Woman (1978 series) #7 (October 1978), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Steve Leialoha and Al Gordon, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Rick Parker

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Today in Comics History, July 2, 1937: Amelia Earhart leaves aviation job for a lucrative new career in speculative history


from Time Lincoln: Apocalypse Mao one-shot (Antarctic, November 2010); script, pencils and inks by Fred Perry; colors by Robby Bevard and Wes Hartman

Well, that'll happen


Panel from "The Reptile Girl of Metropolis!" in Lois Lane #61 (November 1965), script by Leo Dorfman, pencils and inks by Kurt Schaffenberger, letters by Vivian Berg

Today in Comics History, July 2, 1978: Criminal boss pounds table, spills water, seals his inevitable doom


from Spider-Woman (1978 series) #7 (Marvel, October 1978), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Steve Leialoha and Al Gordon, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Rick Parker

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 183: Jimminy, Comics Oughta Be More Fun


House ad for More Fun Comics #122 (May 1947); printed in World's Finest Comics #28 (May-June 1947)

Here's that cover in glorious full color:


Cover of More Fun Comics #122 [Jimminy and the Magic Book] (May 1947), pencils and inks by Howie Post

And another couple lovely Jimminy covers by Howie Post:



Cover of More Fun Comics #121 and 126 [Jimminy and the Magic Book] (April and September 1947), pencils and inks by Howie Post