Same Story, Different Cover: Lizards on a Space Station!

Left: Mystery in Space #14 (June-July 1953), pencils by Gil Kane
Right: Strange Adventures #232 (September-October 1971), pencils and inks by Joe Kubert

(Click picture to 70mm-size)

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 252

Panel from Batman #217 (December 1969), script by Frank Robbins, pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Dick Giordano

Today in Comics History, September 7: Batman begins...to regret buying a diary that only goes up to September 7th

from Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #73 (DC, July 1995), script by James Robinson, pencils and inks by John Watkiss, colors by Digital Chameleon, letters by Willie Schubert

Well, that'll happen: I think this solves Zatara's problem

Quite possibly the greatest difference in tone and mood between two consecutive comic book panels ever!:


Panels from "Tidal Wave of Terror" in Venus #18 (February 1952); script, pencils and inks by Bill Everett


4,900.

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 251

Panels from The Untold Legend of the Batman #1 (July 1980), script by Len Wein, pencils by John Byrne, inks by Jim Aparo, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by John Constanza

Today in Comics History, September 6: Green Arrow and Artemis take a bow

from "Young Justice: Common Denominators" in DC Nation Free Comic Book Super Sampler 2012 one-shot (DC, May 2012), script by Greg Weisman and Kevin Hopps, pencils and inks by Chris Jones, colors by Zac Atkinson, letters by Dezi Sienty

Liar, liar, star-spangled pants on fire

Captain America can not only fight Batroc ze Leapair, he can also diss him:


Panels from Captain America and...[Iron Man] #635 (October 2012), script by Cullen Bunn, pencils and inks by Barry Kitson, colors by Javier Tartaglia, letters by Joe Caramagna

Ouch! Why do you have to hit a guy where it hurts, Cap?

Not quite meanwhile, across 1992's Marvel Annuals, the Top Ten Villains for each superhero and team were spotlighted. Including Cap's. Huh! Shall we take a look at Captain America Annual #11? Oui! We zhall. Let's begin the countdown!

Starts off simple enough with The Serpent Society at number 10 and Flag Smasher at number 9...


Panels from "Captain America's Top 10 Villains" in Captain America Annual #11 (1992), script by George Caragonne, pencils and inks by Larry Alexander, colors by Larry Alexander, letters by Jon Babcock

It then continues with #8: Doctor Faustus and #7: Viper. And then, as I'm sure you can predict, at number six:



Ah ha! I knew Cap was lying. To one of comicdom's favorite villains, Batroc the Leaper! Shame on you, Steve Rogers! In the words of popular progressive rock group and umlaut-hoarders Blue Õyster Cult: "Come on baby / Don't smear the leaper / Baby take my hand / Don't smear the leaper.

(For the record: #5: Arnim Zola. #4: Baron Zemo I and II. #3: The Skeleton Crew. (Who?) #2: Crossbones. And the number one of Captain America's top villains...Stilt-Man! Naw, i'm jus' joshin' with ya. It's the Red Skull.)

In my usual attempt to explain the error logically in order to claim a Marvel No-Prize (if the statute of limitations isn't over on this one), I'm gonna guess that Cap was lying about Batroc not being on his Top Ten list—just to demoralize our French pal. (Swift and clever thinking, Cap!) After he beat Batroc, Cap went back to his room in Avengers Mansion Tower and re-arranged the list on his bulletin board for the third time that week. He's still not certain what position in which to put Turner D. Century.

So, let's salute the Sentinel of Liberty! Keep lyin', Cap...I mean, keep flyin'!

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 250

Panel from Superman: Speeding Bullets one-shot (1993), script by J. M. DeMatteis; pencils and inks by Eduardo Barreto, colors by Les Dorscheid

Today in Comics History, September 5: Commissioner Gordon forgets to shut his filing cabinet

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

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 249

Panel from "Alfred's Mystery Menu!" in Batman #191 (May 1967), script by Gardner Fox, pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Joe Giella, letters by Gaspar Saladino

Arataz si lla tew

Zatara, Master Magician, is fighting mad...


Panels from "Liquid Larceny" in World's Finest Comics #51 (February-March 1951), script by Joe Samachson (?), pencils and inks by Ralph Mayo
...fighting mad about water conservation!


And what better way to stop water waste on a global scale than...going door to door?!?


Of course, he gets a little help from his friends...like Hosey the Hose! "I'm a hose!" "Thanks, Hosey!"


I think by this point we can all agree on one thing: Zatara is a jerk.


Now it's around this time I usually ask the question I bet you're expecting...


...namely: Where do you buy a green suit jacket?!? And at last, I've got an answer for ya.


This discovery of this outlet for green suits, however, neither stops Zatara from his ceaseless quest to badger everyone in town about wasting water...


...nor does it prevent him from continuing to be a jerk.


So be alert for commie scum who destroy America by wasting water! Question your neighbors! Spy on their water usage! Monitor their water habits and keep records in a little book! Turn those H2Outlaws into your local branch of the FBI (the Federal Bureau of Irrigation)! Stand tall, proud American, and stop water waste today! This has been a paid announcement on behalf of the Water Resources of the United States, Zatara the Master Magician, and Captain Cold, who relies upon air humidity in order to battle against the Flash using weapons that turn things into ice.)

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 248

Panel from [Batman:] Legends of the Dark Knight #15 (February 1991), script by Doug Moench, pencils by Paul Gulacy, inks by Terry Austin, colors by Steve Oliff, letters by John Costanza

Today in Comics History, Labor Day: Batman and Catwoman decide to not go out of town for Labor Day Weekend

from Batman: Dark Victory #13 (DC, December 2000), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils and inks by Tim Sale, colors by Gregory Wright, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Richard Starkings

Today in Comics History, September 3: Things keep occurin'

from Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #73 (DC, July 1995), script by James Robinson, pencils and inks by John Watkiss, colors by Digital Chameleon, letters by Willie Schubert

Today in Comics History, Labor Day: Batman enjoys the popular hits of Bing Crosby

from Batman: Dark Victory #13 (DC, December 2000), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils and inks by Tim Sale, colors by Gregory Wright, color separations by Heroic Age, letters by Richard Starkings

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 247

Panels from "The Bomb, The Bull, The Butler & The Bat" in The Batman Chronicles #23 (Winter 2001), script by Doug Moench; pencils, inks, and colors by Bo Hampton; letters by Ken Bruzenak

Today in Comics History, Labor Day: A crime happens

from Detective Comics #648 (DC, August 1992), script by Chuck Dixon, pencils by Tom Lyle, inks by Scott Hanna, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by John Costanza

Today in Comics History, September 2: Jim Gordon attends another* meeting of the Edward Hopper Re-Creation Society

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

Ten of a Kind: Pic-a-nic Baskets

(More Ten of a Kind here.)

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 246

Panel from Action Comics v.1 #654 (June 1990), script by Roger Stern, pencils by Bob McLeod, inks by Brett Breeding, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by Bill Oakley