Monday, September 18, 2023

Today in Comics History, September 18: Happy birthday, Dee Dee Ramone!

Born on this day in 1951: musician and composer Douglas Glenn Colvin, better known to you and me as Dee Dee Ramone of...you guessed it...The Ramones!


from "The Origin" in Weird Tales of the Ramones (Warner Bros., 2005), by John Holmstrom




A full 25% of the quintessential Queens punk band's original lineup, Dee Dee has of course starred in a few various comics that salute the Ramones, like Weird Tales, included in a Rhino CD compilation and hard to find!


cover of Weird Tales of the Ramones; by William Stout

That book was a compilation of alternative artists creating stories about the Ramones, in an amazing mix of styles and storytelling.


from "The Ramones in the Days of the NY Punk Scene" in Weird Tales of the Ramones; by Tim Hensley




from "The Daily Ramones" in Weird Tales of the Ramones; by Johnny Ryan

Quite possibly the most amazing — well, my favorite, at least — portrayal of the Ramones in comics:

from "Ramones Live" in Weird Tales of the Ramones; by Sergio Aragonés
(Click picture to gabba gabba hey-size)

This great illo accompanies a fine interview with Dee Dee by Legs McNeil from Nice magazine. (I recommend you check it out — it's a fantastic read!)


from "Dee Dee Ramone - Portrait of a Punk" in Vice (Vice Media, October 14, 2013), by Brian Walsby

Every Ramones fan owes themselves a read of Derf Backderf's webcomic "The Baron of Prospect Ave." Here's a Dee Dee vignette from the comic.


from "The Baron of Prospect Ave." by Derf Backderf

And oh yeah, America's hardest working rock band* met the Ramones in this kinda-square, kinda-cool crossover.

*that recorded a song called "Sugar, Sugar"**

**besides Wilson Pickett


cover of Archie Meets Ramones (Archie, October 2016), by Gisèle Lagacé

Joking aside, it's a really fun comic! It's lovingly enthusiastic about the Ramones, and the (Sabrina-caused) team-up gives us some great comic art of the Ramones.




from Archie Meets Ramones; script by Alex Segura and Matthew Rosenberg; pencils, inks, and letters by Gisèle Lagacé

(Dee Dee's the one wearing the plain red tee under his jacket in this story.)


But you might consider the Archies too square guest stars alongside the Ramones. May I present for your hipper-guest star appreciation: Tank Girl!



from (top) Tank Girl: Skidmarks #1 and (bottom) #2 (Titan, November-December 2009), script by Alan Martin, pencils and inks by Rufus Dayglo, colors by Christian Krank, letters by Simon Bowland
(Click top picture to Booga-size)

Happy birthday, Dee Dee Ramone! You taught this little stuffed bull that Music Oughta Be Fun.


1 comment:

Blam said...

Call me when Josie and the Pussycats meet Suzy Quatro.