At midnight tonight...

365 Days with Ben Grimm, Day 234

Splash page from Marvel Two-in-One Annual #7 (1982), scripted by Tom DeFalco, pencilled by Ron Wilson, inked by lotsa guys, colored by George Roussos, lettered by Jim Novak

(Click picture to Freddie Mercury-size)

Saturday Morning Cartoon: The Witch is Dead

"The Witch Is Dead" by Celeste Starchild, animated by Brian Bear

Loud and long and clear

365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 233

Panels from Marvel: The Lost Generation #11 (April 2000), written and pencilled by John Byrne, co-written by Roger Stern, inked by Al Milgrom, colored by Glynis Oliver, lettered by Jim Novak

Fahrvergnügen

Yikes! I can't find the artwork for the post I had planned tonight.

So here, in its place, is a photo of me in a Volkswagen Beetle. Enjoy!



May all your driving be safe and pleasant, don't text and drive, and remember to stop at Stuckey's along the way for those delicious pecan candies. Yum! See ya tomorrow, folks!

365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 232

Panel from Marvel Adventures Fantastic Four #17 (December 2006), script by Zeb Wells, pencils by José Angel Cano Lopez, inks by Alvaro Lopez, colors by Lee Loughridge, letters by Dave Sharpe

1 Rm Rv Vu Hi Ceils

Jim Shooter is supposed to famously (although probably anecdotally) have ordered Marvel pencillers to make certain that the splash page of each Marvel comic contained 1) the title hero(es) 2) in action 3) using their powers. I'm glad that story's just a made-up slur about Shooter (honestly, I liked his tenure at EIC of MC), because although an action-packed splash-page is an immediate adrenaline rush that pulls you into the story, sometimes a quieter, more mundane tho' still quirky full-page moment when you open the cover is just what the doctor ordered. In fact, it's pretty much the Marvel Age summed up in its very first page: their heroes are just like you and me—rushing to a high school physics test, arguing with your best friend's brother-in-law who set fire to your bed, or, say, just off the top of my head, fine-tune-adjusting your television antenna. Not that these things look anything like they do when you 'n' me 'n' the boys next door do them, oh no sirree. Even in their quietest or most ordinary moments, the Marvel heroes do things...shall we say...larger than life. Take this, f'r example:


Splash page from Giant-Man story in Tales to Astonish #66, scripted by Stan Lee, pencilled by Bob Powell, inked by Frank "Frankie Ray" Giacoia, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Ray "Sherigail" Holloway

Click picture to Pym-particle-size
Check out the fine details: the architectural gargoyles; the Chrysler Building in the background, Hank's office chair, his super-computer with EIGHT, count 'em, EIGHT KILOBYTES of memory, his ash tray and speed-caulker. Not to mention the window in the next building where a vandal has scrawled the names of some miscreants all over the shades. More seriously, the way the window's in Hank Pym's building almost work, in a semi-Eisnerian way, as individual comics panels. No coincidence there: penciller Bob Powell worked from Will Eisner's scripts on, and later wrote, the "Mr. Mystic" comic strips in The Spirit Section.

So there you have it: Giant-Man isn't smashing commies or racing ants to a disaster; he's just trying to get better TV reception. Quiet as it is, it's one of my favorite splash pages of all time. We do not see the likes of this wonderful sort of splash page anymore, do we. Here's to you, Bob Powell—we salute you.

365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 231

Panels from Franklin Richards, Son of a Genius one-shot (2006), by Chris Eliopoulos

Sartorial Splendor of a Synthezoid (or, "Even an Android Can Buy...His Clothing from T. J. Maxx!")

Ladeez and gennlemen...I give you...

The Vision in a Sweater!

Panels from West Coast Avengers Annual #1 (1986), script by Steve Englehart, co-plot and pencils by Mark Bright, inks by Geoff Isherwood, colors by Petra Scotese, letters by Tom Orzechowski

Other interesting tidbits in this panel: Wonder Man proving, yes, indeed, he can have a costume worse than the one in Avengers #9, an early appearance by Crazy Wanda's fictional babies (later members of the Young Avengers), the fact that Wonder Man was present at the birth of Wanda's babies (hey, clear the delivery room, Simon!), not to mention Wonder Man politely assuming that Vizh and ScarWi have something better to do than to "crush the Avengers." (Also, looks like they have the same painting over their couch as The Simpsons.)

Still, don't let those bizarre points distract you from the weirdness and wackiness of...

The Vision in a Sweater!

Also, we learn that the Vision apparently likes Wands to cosplay as Hermione Grainger. Still...

The Vision in a Sweater!

One more look at...
The Vision in a Sweater!



Special Bonus:

The Vision in a Bathrobe!

Additional Special Bonus:

The Greatest Sound Effect of the Eighties!

365 Days with Ben Grimm: Day 230

Panel from Mighty Avengers #25 (July 2009), scripted by Dan Slott, pencilled by Stephen Segovia, inked by Noah Salonga, colored by Jean-Francois Beaulieu, lettered by Dave Lanphear

She don't lie

Now, fire this up and read it again!:



"Angel Love" "Cocaine" "She Don't Lie"