Today in Comics History, January 29: Tom Selleck! We celebrate his birthday twice!

Born today in comics and television (and a few not-that-bad movies) history: Tom Selleck! Yes, yes, I know: we've already celebrated Tom's birthday today by looking at the Magnum, P.I. Annual 1982...but that was an update of an older post that was more spotlighting the annual itself than the man. As I mentioned briefly in the other post, you may cringe at his politics (a Republican and supporter of the G.O.P. and lifelong member of the NRA), but instead I'm going to focus on the happiness his work has brought me, especially all those episodes of the original Magnum, P.I.. Among other things, Magnum was my late mother's favorite TV show (and Selleck her favorite actor), so the guy is to me, barring any terrible specific potential disclosures, A-OK by me.

What's more, Thomas Magnum, Private Investigator, has been heavily featured in comic books, and that's what we're all here for, right?


from Uncanny X-Men (1963 series) #167 (Marvel, Marvel 1983), script by Chris Claremont, pencils by Paul Smith, inks by Bob Wiacek, colors by Andy Yanchus and Glynis Oliver, letters by Tom Orzechowski

Today in Comics History, December 16: Hickman invents milk cartons

from The New Mutants (2020 series) #9 (Marvel, May 2020), script by Ed Brisson, pencils and inks by Flaviano Armentaro, colors by Carlos Lopez

Today in Comics History, December 14: Tavern on the Green makes a bold move towards no tablecloths and paper napkins from a dispenser

from The New Mutants (1983 series) #99 (March 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Brad Vancata, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 13: Liefeld finds a perfect excuse for not drawing feet

from The New Mutants (1983 series) #99 (March 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Brad Vancata, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 8: Pink people in their pink sedan gather to hunt down the guy who squashed their brother

from New Mutants (1983 series) #99 (Marvel, March 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Brad Vancata, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 7: Amazing Colossal Man crushes neon pink Jeep

from The New Mutants (1983 series) #99 (Marvel, March 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Brad Vancata, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 3: Liefeld continues liefelding

from The New Mutants (1983 series) #98 (February 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld; script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, September 8: Happy birthday, Peter Sellers!

Born on this day in 1925: actor and comedian Peter Sellers, who appeared (several times more than once!) in many films over a thirty year career, notably as bumbling Inspector Jacques Clouseau in the Pink Panther movie series.


from Film Fun #2095 (Amalgamated UK, 12 March 1960)

Today in Comics History, May 7: Happy birthday, Jon Bogdanove!

Born on this day: comics artist and writer Jon Bogdanove, penciller on (among many!) Power Pack and the Superman franchise. He co-created John Henry Irons, the Man Known as Steel!


cover of Superman: The Man of Steel #22 (DC, June 1993), pencils by Jon Bogdanove, inks and colors by Dennis Janke
Here he is (well, his hand!) in a New Mutants back-up where Boom-Boom wishes to meet the cutest guy in the Marvel Universe. Jon's art skills to the rescue!



from "A Case of the Cutes" in New Mutants Annual (1984 series) #5 (Marvel, 1989), script by Judy Bogdanove, pencils by Jon Bogdanove, inks by Hilary Barta, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Joe Rosen
Who's the cutest guy in the 616? Why, of course that's gonna be Bogdanove-favorite Power Pack character Tattletale (aka Franklin Richards!). Awwwwww!


Did you know that Tattletale's look and mannerisms were based on Bogdanove's then-toddler son Kal-El Bogdanove? Cool name, cool legacy, and hey, K., cool costume!


from Marvel Age #64 (Marvel, July 1988)
Jon Bogdanove was, of course, an invited guest at Superman's wedding. Can you spot Jon (and Kal-El B.) among the happy crowd?

from Superman: The Wedding Album one-shot (DC, December 1996), pencils by Dan Jurgens, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by Bill Oakley
Click top picture to honeymoon-size
A very happy birthday to Jon Bogdanove, one of my favorite comics artists!

365 Days of Power and Responsibility, Day 64: With great power comes lotsa crosshatching

Panels from The New Mutants (1983 series) #89 (May 1990), script by Louise Simonson, pencils by Rob Liefeld, inks by Hilary Barta, colors by Brad Vancata, letters by Joe Rosen

A Month of... Celebrities in Comics, Day 23: Lethal Weapon 8: Dial M for Mel

Hey kids! That's Mel Gibson and Alfred Hitchcock hanging around the Salem Center, New York hospital (Our Lady of Mutated Grace Memorial)! EDIT: Oh, no, wait, as joecab correctly points out below, that's Vince Edwards as Dr. Ben Casey, which makes a lot more sense in the setting. I am humbly and gratefully corrected! Please just ignore all the Lethal Weapon jokes I've liberally scattered around this post, won't you?


Panel from The New Mutants (1983 series) #19 (September 1984), script by Chris Claremont, pencils and inks by Bill Sienkiewicz, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Tom Orzechowski
Also in this issue: the proof that Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters was the inspiration for Betsy DeVos's "arm a student, stop a bear" proposal! She was trying to warn us: demon bears kill!

Today in Comics History, December 5: Rob Liefeld proves he cannot draw bootleg Bart Simpson

from New Mutants (1983 series) #98 (Marvel, February 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Joe Rosen

Today in Comics History, December 5: First appearance, Cable's gigantic area

from New Mutants (1983 series) #98 (Marvel, February 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Joe Rosen
(Click picture to pouch-size)

Today in Comics History, December 4: All that emphasis on high heels and Liefeld barely draws her feet

from New Mutants (1983 series) #98 (Marvel, February 1991); plot, pencils, and inks by Rob Liefeld, script by Fabian Nicieza, colors by Steve Buccellato, letters by Joe Rosen

Psylocke Psaturday: Warning: Psylocke May Not Actually Appear in This Post

I often joke in these (digital) pages: "Hey, remember when there was only one X-Men comic?" I mean: how the Sam Scratch could they ever have a crossover event with only one comic? Luckily by the early '90s there was a fine assortment of titles that began with "X" on your comic book shop shelf, and for that matter one of 'em began with "N," one with "E," and one began with "Wolver." Most of which would somehow get tied up in the x-citing x-over x-Travangza The X-Tinction Agenda,, the Marvel event that taught a generation how to misspell the word "extinction!" And also produced house ads that were nigh-invulnerable to reading comprehension. The X-Men: blocking the literacy of America's youth since 1963!

Bear Attack! Month, Day 25: Tom Orzechowski was so scared he forgot to letter this page

Page from New Mutants #18 (August 1984), script by Chris Claremont, pencils and inks by Bill Sienkiewicz, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Tom Orzechowski

Psylocke Psaturday #15: Heavens to Betsy

So, where were we? Ah yes...Betsy has come to America, is living in the X-Mansion, and is in the diabolical clutches of scripter Chris Claremont, who will fill her life with unbearable angst, even more so than under the magic, bearded hands of Alan Moore. As Uncanny X-Men Annual #10 opens, the Uncanny Ones are working out in the Danger Room (again). Betsy's either running the controls or maybe laying down some backing tracks for Supertramp, and Cypher and Sunspot are alongside, angsting away. Well, I told you it was a Claremont comic.


Panels from [Uncanny] X-Men Annual #10 (January 1987), script by Chris Claremont, pencils by Art Adams, inks by Terry Austin, colors by Petra Scotese, letters by Tom Orzechowski
Suddenly Longshot! Which is something different than Suddenly Susan or Suddenly Salad. Ann Noincenti and Art Adam's luck-based superhero teleports into the Danger Room and into the X-Men's lives, accompanied by a whole slew of sticky goo. Look, it's best not to think about all the goo everywhere. Anyway, all of the X-Men including Betsy are covered in it. Even Nightcrawler's scary, scary toes.


A note for all you X-Men trivia buffs: Wolverine's eye line is on the same level as Psylocke's breasts. So that explains that.


Where there's Longshot, there's also Mojo, but I'm going to spare you the sight of any panels that feature probably one of my least favorite X-Nemeses. Especially the panel of him in a pig mask. Instead, let's look at Rogue's first pre-Gambit crush. She's heavily into them, not least for the reason that they have similar mullets. Also in this scene: the panel border warns them to hold it.


The mysterious goop has de-aged all the X-Men and turned them into...oh, dear, it's the first appearance of the X-Babies. Sigh. Nobody explains how their uniforms shrunk with them (unstable molecules, probably), or why, as the other X-Men de-age from their twenties to pre-teens (and Kitty Pryde to a baby), Wolverine is also a kid. Well, still, it's nice to see him without his arms being covered in hair for once.


As much as I loathe the X-Babies, you cannot deny this is the single greatest exclamation ever out of the mouth of Wolverine:


Meanwhile, the New Mutants, who have changed into their individual, "grown up" costumes that we'd seldom see ever again, are tracking the X-Babies, who have been led by Mojo to a production of Shakespeare in the Park. I am not kidding you.


Present in the audience: the Bratpack from Longshot (also seen in New Mutants Annual #2)...


Also present: Puddlegulp and the frog family from Thor #364-366 (yes, the ones where Thor got turned into a frog). And: Walt and Louise Simonson.


Somewhere also in this issue is supposed to be Carrie Kelley, the futuristic Robin from Batman: The Dark Knight. But I can't find her (she's probably among the audience members). Anybody who knows where she is, let me know so I can post the panel!

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ADDED ON JUNE 9, 2013: Hooray; I knew one of my faithful readers with better eyes than my button ones would come through! Thanks to the ID by by Boistrous Bully backer OTL in the comments, here's Carrie Kelly, and I'm ashamed I didn't recognize her dialogue!:


And sitting next to her is Michelle, ma belle Carrie's cautious companion:


Panels from Batman: The Dark Knight (1986 limited series) #1, script and pencils by Frank Miller, inks by Klaus Janson, colors by Lynn Varley, letters by John Costanza
A closer look at Carrie:


But who's this Art Adams-added aquatic-appearing animal-man in the same panel?!?


I'm baffled! Answers on a postcard to get your name added in another color in a second edit to this post!

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Oh yeah, I forgot: this is a post about Psylocke. Like the other X-Men, she's been returned to her original age but turned into a villain by (sigh) Mojo. You can tell she's not a hero by her color scheme. Green and purple? No self-respecting Marvel superhero would be seen in those two colors.


I also forgot to mention all the New Mutants have pink masks. Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Tim Gunn could not join the Marvel Universe fast enough. Yep, even Cypher's Cyclops-wannabe visor has a pink screen. And Wolverine is running around naked. Golly GUMbucks, Claremont!


We begin to see the genesis of the ruthless ninja "kill 'em all and let Jim Shooter sort 'em out" version of Psylocke:


By the end of the issue Longshot has joined the X-Men and we're barreling headlong towards the Outback era of the X-Men, where they sit around eating steak and onion blossoms are headquartered in an Australian hidden base. Psylocke will be a major player during this era of the X-Men, so stay tuned: Ol' Purple-Head will be back!

Next up: We've seen Betsy Braddock among the X-Men, but when did she decide to be an X-Man? We'll see how and why and what hideous monstrosity of fashion she'll be wearing in Uncanny X-Men #213, which I think happens chronologically before this Annual because Longshot isn't in it, but who the heck knows? All I know is that it's drawn by Alan Davis, so it's Psylocke at her Psylockiest. And facing off against Sabretooth. Hope you survive the experience!


Panel from Uncanny X-Men #213 (January 1987), script by Chris Claremont, pencils by Chris Claremont, inks by Paul Neary, colors by Glynis Oliver, letters by Tom Orzechowski

Psylocke Psaturday #13: Welcome to being written by Claremont, Psylocke...hope you survive the experience

At last, a decade after her first appearance in Marvel UK comics, Betsy crosses the pond to pop up in her very first Marvel USA book: New Mutants Annual #2 (and not, as we might expect, a Daredevil annual). In this comic, I'm sure she'll be a strong, forceful, solid role model figure who won't ever get victimized or refrigeratored or have anything horrible happen to her mentally or physically ever again...

Oh shoot. She's now being written by Chris Claremont. So sorry, Miss Braddock. So very sorry.


Page from New Mutants Annual #2 (1986), script by Chris Claremont, pencils and inks by Alan Davis, colors by Glynis Oliver, letters by Tom Orzechowski
OH DEAR GOOD GOLLY MISS BETSY! As a former fashion model, surely you should realize that a red and blue skisuit clashes horribly with purple hair. Why, you'd have to be blind to...oh. Wait. Yeah. Sorry. (Seriously: Daredevil Annual. Woulda been a great crossover.) Anyway, Betsy is being attacked...


...by Iceman! (or maybe, Crystal.)

Actually, no: she's been kidnapped by Mojo long before we all got seriously tired of him. Mojo is another of those characters you might think Claremont created because he became so identified with the X-Universe, but Mojo was actually created by Ann Nocenti and Art Adams in the Longshot limited series. Most recently, Ann Nocenti has scripted issues of the New 52's Green Arrow and Katana, but you may also know her from many fine issues of Daredevil, Marvel Comics Presents, Classic X-Men, and of course we all know that she's on the cover of the final issue of Spider-Woman:


Cover of Spider-Woman v.1 #50 (June 1983), photograph by Eliot Brown, touch-ups by Bob Larkin
Yes, that is indeed a photograph of Ann Nocenti...as Tigra!


And that is by far not the strangest cameo of Ann Nocenti in a Marvel comic book. There's this one:


Panels from Avengers v.1 #215 (January 1982), script by Jim Shooter, pencils by Alan Weiss, inks by Dan Green, colors by Christie Scheele, letters by Joe Rosen
And that portrayal is why Ann Nocenti punched Jim Shooter in the face.

We love you, Ann! But this feature is not titled "Ann Nocenti Nsaturdays," so let's get back to Betsy Braddock. And she's been kidnapped by, before our long digression, Mojo, the only Marvel supervillain who has a UK music magazine named after him! (If you don't count Captain America's frequent nemesis NME.)


Say, have you ever wondered when Betsy first got the name "Psylocke" and who gave it to her?


Yep: Betsy was named Psylocke by the hideous blob creature who kidnapped, physically violated and mind-enslaved her. You know...I'm pretty sure I'd drop that name as soon as possible after I got back to the real world. Then again, I am not a Chris Claremont character. This little stuffed bull has rarely never worn spiked heels, frilly garters or a velvet collar.

Mojo also gave Betsy back her vision by implanting bionic eyes. It's nice to see Betsy with her baby blues again. Unless it's written by Claremont, in which case it's FREAKY AND CREEPY.


Besides the debut of Psylocke, this Very Special Issue™ also contains the first-ever appearance of Jubilee! Wow, she really changed from her debut, didn't she?


A-ha-ha-ha! I have pulled a little trick on you. While this is the first appearance of a Jubilee in the Marvel Universe, t'aint "our" Chinese-American mallrat yellow-raincoat-wearing teenage vampire Jubilee. This is, in fact, Claremont using another Nocenti/Adams creation from Longshot, Darla of the Bratpack (not to be confused with Rick Veitch's Brat Pack, thank heavens for my gentle sensibilities).


Panels from Longshot #4 (December 1985), script by Ann Nocenti, pencils by Art Adams, inks by Whilce Portacio, colors by Christie Scheele, letters by Joe Rosen Script:
The Bratpack were thinly disguised members of the Little Rascals/Our Gang who befriended Longshot when he landed on Earth. Yep, there was even an Alfalfa:


Meanwhile, just in case you had forgotten this comic was written by Chris Claremont, suddenly: Evil Lingerie Psylocke! That is, Psylocke is evil, not the lingerie. Unless it is evil alien lingerie from the same place that the Venom symbiote came from. (!!!) Hey, Marvel, have I got a crossover concept for you!


And, the moment every Marvel fanboy has been waiting for...Naked Psylocke! And a teen-age boy. Oh ick Mister claremont make it stop make it stop



And so, Betsy comes to stay with the New Mutants at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, where she will have to learn to think in lengthy, stilted inner monologues. Tom Orzechowski's children's college fund thanks you, Betsy.


Dressed in a très unfashionable lime-green Laura Ashley princess gown, Betsy Braddock, the newly-named Psylocke, has joined the New Mutants, and will be a continuing and regular cast member for many years to come!


Next time: Betsy dumps those loser New Mutants and joins the X-Men.


This week's Psylocke Psurveillance Psummary:

• Hair: Actually a lot more lavender than purple.
• Eyes: Baby-blue 'n' bionic.
• Outfit: Averages out to about .65 of an outfit across the entire issue.
• Being allegorically stuffed in the refrigerator count: Two and rising.