366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 63

Panel from Batman: Shadow of the Bat #72 (March 1998), script by Alan Grant, pencils by Mark Buckingham, inks by Wayne Faucher, colors by Pam Rambo, separations by Android Images, letters by Bill Oakley

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 62

Panels from Batman: Shadow of the Bat #73 (April 1998), script by Alan Grant, pencils by Mark Buckingham, inks by Wayne Faucher, colors by Pam Rambo, separations by Android Images, letters by Bill Oakley

I call "no way" on that stunt, Johnny Storm

So here's a story from pretty darn early in the Human Torch's career where he absorbs the entire power of a nuclear bomb:



Panels from Strange Tales #112 (September 1963), plot by Stan Lee, script by Jerry Siegel [as Joe Carter], pencils and inks by Dick Ayers, letters by Sam Rosen

Yeah, I'm not buying that he was able to do that—I call shenanigans! especially since this ultimate deadly atomic blast was a plot by none other than that most dangerous and nefarious Marvel supervillain...you're gonna guess Doctor Doom or the Red Skull or Magneto, right? One of the powerhouse baddies. Nope. T'was The Eel.




Yep! The guy with the oil-slathered costume and the 4,000 double-AA batteries built into his gloves. So he can shock you, and help provide you with a a lovely light vinaigrette salad. He didn't even give Daredevil much of a workout. And that was in his yellow costume days.



Panels from Daredevil v.1 #6 (February 1965), script by by Stan Lee, pencils and inks by Wally Wood, letters by Sam Rosen

So, you know, a villain of this calibre is going to be a pretty dangerous villain up against somebody like, say, Ghost Rider, right?


Panels from Ghost Rider v.1 #21 (December 1976), script by Gerry Conway, breakdowns by Gil Kane, finishes by Sam Grainger, colors by Jim Shooter (!) and Roger Slifer

Oh. Thus died the Eel. The guy who once almost nuked the planet. He probably ought to have listed that first on his resumé, then.

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 61

Panel from "A Tale of Time Past!" in Batman #328 (October 1980), script by Marv Wolfman, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Kim DeMulder, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Milt Snapinn.

And a special haunted Boo-ly-Prize to eagle-eyed reader Dan Longe,
who spotted that I'd posted the credits of a different story (now corrected). Thanks, Dan!

Today in Comics History, February 29: Blowing out birthday candles / I was dressed as Superman and you were a shining star

It's February 29, the date so nice we get it twice...um, every eight years. And we all know whose birthday February 29 is, right?


Cover of Whiz Comics #47 (October 1943), pencils and inks by C. C. Beck

That's right! Happy Birthday, Big Red Cheese! And he gets to spend his birthday with a freakin' talking tiger.

But the truth be known, altho' it really is Captain Marvel's birthday (and it'll be a cold day in the cabbage patch before you make me call him "Shazam"), it also happens to be the birthday of another, somewhat important superhero:


Cover of DC Super Friends #9 (January 2009), pencils, inks, and colors by J. Bone

Yes! It's the birthday of

Super-Deformed Superman!

And the real Superman, too.

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 60

Panels from The Batman Strikes #28 (December 2007), script by Russell Lissau, pencils by Christopher Jones, inks by Terry Beatty, colors by Heroic Age, letters by Rob Clark Jr.

Now you know why it's called...366 Days with Alfred. Enjoy this extra bonus day!

Happy Leap Day! (Or: What If™ Scott McCloud Drew Amazing Spider-Man #121?)

When things are tough and you've had a bad day...

This is for my good pal Randi and anybody else who needs it today!
(Bully sketch by Roger Langridge)

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 59

Page from Batman Begins: Be a Hero Official Movie Color and Activity Fun Book (2005).
Print it out and color it! Be sure you have plenty of black crayons.

It's the end of February, but still, here's some more Things Bully Got for Christmas: The Warriors Three

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 58

Panels from The Batman Family #13 (September 1977), script by Bob Rozakis, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Bob Wiacek, colors by Jerry Serpe

Ten of a Kind: Your Name in Lights

(More Ten of a Kind here.)

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 57

Panel from Batman #360 (June 1983), script by Doug Moench, pencils by Don Newton, inks by Pablo Marcos and Ron Randall, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by Ben Oda