Saturday, January 19, 2013

Psylocke Psaturday #2: Down you go, Synne make me strong


Panels from Captain Britain v.1 #9 (Marvel UK, December 8, 1976), script by Chris Claremont, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Fred Kida, colors by George Roussos, letters by Irving Watanabe

In her second appearance, Betsy's hair color has now changed to auburn. She displays her first aptitude for handling edged weapons. The villain is Doctor Synne (not to be confused with Doctor Syn, Alias The Scarecrow. Also, Claremont takes next week's title from a line in Macbeth (or maybe, he's seen Star Trek at one point or another).

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 19


House ad for The Three Mouseketeers #1 (March-April 1956); printed in Sugar and Spike #1 (April-May 1956)
Ad script, art and lettering by Sheldon Mayer


Yes, Disney gave the world the word "Mouseketeer" first, but not by muchThe Mickey Mouse Club premiered November 1955, and The Three Mousekeeters #1 was released January 19, 1956. Given the lead time in production of comics and TV series, it's likely both Disney and Mayer developed the term separately. Talk about your laws of parallel development!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Today in Comics History, January 18, 1860: Happy birthday, James Clarence Withencroft...hope you survive the experience!





from "August Heat" in Secrets of Sinister House #12 (July 1973), based on a story by W. F. Harvey, script adaptation by E. Nelson Bridwell, pencils and inks by Alfredo Alcala; cover art by Luis Dominguez, logo by Gaspar Saladino

Today in Comics History, January 18: Obamacare comes under fire for covering werewolf medical costs


from "Wulf Hunt" in World's Finest Comics #246 (DC, August 1977), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Michael Netzer, inks by Terry Austin

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 18


House ad for The Flash #177 (March 1968); printed in Batman #200 (March 1968)
Comic cover art: pencils by Ross Andru, inks by Mike Esposito,
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp


Today in Comics History, January 18, 1952: Tara King does not approve of John Steed's new facial hair


from Batman: Death and the Maidens #8 (DC, May 2004), script by Greg Rucka, pencils and inks by Klaus Janson, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Clem Robins

Thursday, January 17, 2013

Comics News for January 17, 2013



Everybody Hates Gladiator



365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 17


House ad for Legends of the DC Universe #14 (March 1999); printed in Superman Adventures #29 (March 1999)
Painted art by Steve Rude


Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Today in Comics History, January 16: Black Canary wonders "How will the wolf survive?"


from "Wulf Hunt" in World's Finest Comics #246 (DC, August 1977), script by Gerry Conway, pencils by Michael Netzer, inks by Terry Austin

Put the mask up on the face just to make the next day

All right, DC Comics! You guys totally rock! (And I don't say that too often.) I wanna thank you so much for the totally awesome series of masks you've put on the covers of the Batman crossover event "Death of the Family!" They are awesome masks!


I have only one request.

Can you please publish the other halves so I can finish my Batman mask?


I need 'em, please...so I don't look so much like Harvey Dent.

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 16


House ad for World's Finest Comics #124 (March 1962)
and Batman #146 (March 1962); printed in Detective Comics #300 (February 1962)
Comic cover art: World's Finest Comics #124: pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Sheldon Moldoff;
Batman #146: pencils and inks by Sheldon Moldoff
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Spy in the House of Ideas

How good are you at espionage? Can you spot the double agent spy on this house ad page from Avengers #20 (September 1965)?!?






365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 15


House ad for 80 Page Giant #8 ([More Secret Origins]) (March 1965); printed in Batman #170 (March 1965)
Comic cover art: pencils and inks by Murphy Anderson
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp


Monday, January 14, 2013

Today in Comics History, January 14: Uatu, P.I., solves another tough case


from "The Man With the Life Ray" in Detective Comics #190 (DC, December 1952), pencils and inks by Ruben Moreira

Who's the bald private dick
That's an observing machine to all the multiverse?
UATU!
Darn straight!



For more hard-hitting crime thriller action-adventures with Uatu, P.I., just click here!

Star Wars Cosplay Theater: Loki finds your lack of faith disturbing

And now it's time for another sunny, funny, at-least-it's-not-Episode One-y installment of


Tonight's exciting episode: Episode 73: A Norse Hope! Standing in for Lord Vader tonight will be the god of mischief, Thor's villainous brother, and everybody's 2012 internet crush Loki! As our scene begins, Zarrko the Tomorrow Man (yes, it actually says that on his driver's license!) has told his partner in an uneasy rebel alliance against Thor not to frighten him with Loki's sorcerer's ways, and that his sad devotion to the ancient Norse religion has not helped him conjure up the stolen Scandinavian scrolls, or given him clairvoyance enough to find Avengers Mansion (ignoring the general knowledge that it's here). To the surprise of no one, except perhaps the portly gentleman in the rear (a special guest appearance by Orca the Man-Whale, on special loan from Sub-Mariner Comics), Loki does not take kindly to this. That said, when does Loki take kindly to anything? It's like not suffering fools gladly. Who does that? Loki is more the type to gladly make fools suffer:


Panels from Thor v.1 #441 (Late December 1991); co-plot and script by Tom DeFalco; co-plot and layouts by Ron Frenz; finishes by Al Milgrom; colors by Mike Rockwitz; letters by Mike Heisler

Later, Loki was seen chopping off the hands of superheroes and telling them he's was their father. He wasn't really. He just likes cutting off hands.

Tune in next time to Star Wars Cosplay Theater where you'll find Lieutenant Jeb Stuart and the Haunted Tank pretending they're Han Solo and the Millennium Falcon! Until then, as they say in the Star Wars films: "You just watch yourself. We’re wanted men. I have the death sentence on 12 systems!"

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 14


House ad for Lois Lane #1 (March-April 1958); printed in World's Finest Comics #93 (March-April 195)
Comic cover art: pencils by Curt Swan, inks by Stan Kaye, letters by Ira Schnapp
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp

Yes, truly, this was The Greatest Lois Lane Story Ever. And you can read more about Lois becoming a witch here.

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Ten of a Kind: They Say That Breaking Up Is Hard to Do












(More Ten of a Kind here.)

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 13


House ad for World's Finest Comics's format change to an 80-Page Dollar Comic with issue #244 (April-May 1977);
printed in Batman #284 (February 1977)