Bully Says: Comics Oughta Be Fun!

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Today in Comics History, March 14: Hey hey hey...it's Smart Albert!

Hey, cats and kittens, raise up your frosty mug of A&W Root Beer in salute of one of the greatest minds of the Twentieth Century...no, no, not Reed Richards, but his third uncle twice-removed, Albert Einstein! And today's his birthday! Today he would have been 134 years old (and he probably is, thanks to relativistic time differentials!) In celebration, here's a few facts you prob'bly didn't know about Einstein!

He's been on the covers of several comic books! (Although, as far as I can tell, not ten of them.)

Einstein's head was so massive and dense that small planetoids have been known to orbit around it.

Einstein's head was so massive and dense that small planetoids have been known to orbit around it.

Oh, I remember this story: it's the one where Firestorm manifested in Blackhawk as the spirit of Albert Einstein.

I'm really tired of all these comic books that think they can attract an audience by putting a bust on the cover.

Two-Fisted Einstein Adventures as you like 'em!

Also: he's been featured in too many comic book stories to list! I'll sum them all up by posting a single page from one of the greatest Albert Einstein chroniclers in comic book form, Michael Kupperman!

ALL TRUE EVERY WORD OF IT

from Tales Designed to Thrizzle #7 (September 2011); script, pencils, inks, colors, and letters by Michael Kupperman

All of Einstein's adventures in comics are pretty much like that, yeah. Including the time he met the Scarlet Witch and Moon Knight.

Say, is that Kal-El's rocket? (Or is Albert Einstein just glad to see us?)

Say, is that Kal-El's rocket? (Or is Albert Einstein just glad to see us?)

from Marvel Super-Heroes: The Weird Weird West (TSR gaming module, 1989), written by Ray Winninger, art by John Statema
As far as I'm concerned, the finest team-up between superhero and super-brain occurs not in a comic book but in a comic book novel: Elliot S! Maggin's 1978 Superman: Last Son of Krypton. In it, we learn the secret connection between Jor-El and Einstein and why Lex Luthor wants to steal a secret Einstein document. Bully sez, check it out! (If you can find a cheap copy, snap it up!)

Mister S! Maggin also has given us a great Luthor/Einstein story in the comics as well, which explains why Lex escapes from jail every year on this very date: March 14. Hey that makes this post a Today in Comics History!

'...a CHOCOLATE waste!'

Hey, I never knew Albert Einstein was a Muppet.

from "The Einstein Connection!" in Superman (1939 series) #416 (DC, February 1986), script by Elliot S! Maggin, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Al Williamson, colors by Gene D'Angelo, letters by Ed King
So, in conclusion, let's all gather to sing along with Albert Einstein's favorite song. Happy birthday, Al!

2 comments:

Michael Jones said...: You're aware that he once spent time with Atomu aka. Astroboy, aren't you?

http://mytwoyenworth.blogspot.jp/2009/06/atomstein-ive-spoken-of-atomu-before.html; 3/15/2013 7:02 AM
Blam said...: I heartily second your recommendation of Superman: Last Son of Krypton.

What the heck does "Ten thousand muskets water for Springfield classroom to an age house of hope" mean? Is that some kind of code or did the copywriter get too close to Marie Curie's radioactive sample?; 3/24/2013 3:59 PM