Fun Fifty of 2007: Part 2 of 5

The countdown to adventure continues! But we're not looking for Ray Palmer—we all know he's hidin' out inside Starfire's uniform. (Well, wouldn't you?) Instead, we're continuing the countdown of my favorite Fun Fifty of 2007. If it's fun, it's in here, baby! Yesterday, as you may remember, we covered numbers 50 through 41, so today, in a shock surprising twist, we move to numbers 40 through 31. On with the countdown!


#40: THE COMPLETELY MAD DON MARTIN Sure, it's not goin' for the price of a usual issue of MAD magazine (cheap!), but save your dimes up for this elegant slipcased set: every single page of MAD magazine work from MAD's Maddest Artist. Plus, at 25 pounds, you can whack rats with it! This is a book that you'll be proud to own and display, but don't let it just sit on your bookshelf—tug it out and read some Don Martin a day, every day. It doesn't contain Don's brilliant original paperback book work (clearly fodder for another volume!), but in between these four covers you'll find everything he wrote for MAD: every single AAHT AAHHT BLOOOOT, CHUGA CHUGA CHUGA CHUGA, PLOOSH FLAPF, SPITZ SPOPPLE SPATZ, and GLIP SHPIKKLE GLUP GAPLORK SHLIPP SPLOP GLIT PLOBBLE SHLORP GLOOP BLOP SKLOP SHLURP PLiPPLE SLOTCH SHLOOP.


#39: JACK KIRBY'S FOURTH WORLD OMNIBUS Speaking of sets of big books, here's four big books collecting the biggest stories about the biggest heroes by the biggest creator in the business. That's a whole lotta big for your buck, buster! Kirby's masterpiece is presented for the first time in chronological order so you can see how the pieces originally fit together. The paper is closer to newsprint than glossy, but it holds and presents the vibrant colors and solid blacks brilliantly. Three volumes were released in 2007 with a fourth to follow later this year. How much do I recommend these books? Well, to paraphrase the King: Bully says "Don't Ask! Just Buy It!"


#38: THE TRIAL OF COLONEL SWEETO If your local alternative paper doesn't carry Nicholas Gurewitch's brilliant and batty Perry Bible Fellowship comic strip, then you oughta be checking him out online. But even if you faithfully read his comics on the web, run, don't walk, to your local bookstore and grab yourself a candy-colored copy of The Trial of Colonel Sweeto, the first book collection (we can but hope there will be many many more) of the strip. Gurewitch is not only a wonderful humorist and a fantastic artist, he's also an amazing designer: his style and even typography changes from strip to strip to fit the story and the humor to create some of the most hilarious and beautiful comics being done today, from classics like "Penguin Enemy," "Kitty Heaven," "Hey Goat," "Guntron Alliance Force" and several pages of never-seen strips. They're not only beautiful, they're laugh-out-loud.


#37: THE BLACK DIAMOND DETECTIVE AGENCY Eddie Campbell: Cool guy. Great Artist. Fantastic hair. And, maker of one of the Funnest Comics of 2007: The Black Diamond Detective Agency, an adaptation of a (not-yet-filmed) screenplay by C. Gaby Mitchell (Blood Diamond). It's a perfect story for Campbell: a turn-of-the-century Pinkerton-type firm hunts down the mystery criminal behind a deadly railway bombing. But is the leading suspect really the culprit? Campbell's unique and expressive artwork is perfect for the moody mystery tale, and if it's not as brilliant as From Hell, it evokes the same level of time and place with distinct details and an incisive and entertaining look at American Victorian-era police procedures.


#36: FRIDAY NIGHT FIGHTS All hail Bahlactus, grand cosmic funk master of the galaxy! The creator of the ultimate Galactus homage site (also featuring solid and informative looks at black heroes in comics, like the Falcon and the Milestone heroes) cemented his authority over the blogosphere in 2007 with the introduction of the infectious Friday Night Fights meme, the ultimate comics bloggers' fighting league. On Friday night when the bell rings, comics bloggers all around the world post panels or stories featuring fight scenes, and Bahlactus gathers them into a raucous round-up post, giving announcer's commentary to the power and might of the four-color knock-outs. One of the beautiful things I've enjoyed most about FNF is its simplicity: you can post a panel with a thrown punch, or if you're feelin' more ambitious, you can discuss a entire fight scene or story in depth—it's all copacetic with the Big B. FNF is still going strong in 2008; although I don't participate every week, I'm always looking for great fight comics and thrust my hooves into my boxing gloves and punch onto the web. Bahlactus has even begun offering prizes for the knock-out of the week, but in many ways, the fighting is its own reward.


#35: LAIKA The sublimely-drawn, touchingly-scripted tale of the first astronaut—the rescued mongrel mutt launched into outer space by the Russians aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. Nick Abadzis's expressive art reminded me of Herge, but he avoids the hyper-intelligence of Tintin's Snowy by avoiding anthropomorphizing Laika. Laika's story is paralleled with those of her human trainer and the engineer in charge of the Sputnik project. Even if you know your space history and the eventual fate of Laika you'll shed an unexpected tear at this touchingly-wri8tten and beautifully-drawn dogography.


#34: READING COMICS I've met Douglas Wolk and he's a heckuva nice guy. But even if I didn't know him, I still woulda enjoyed his book of comics history and criticism Reading Comics. Genial, spirited, sometimes argumentative and opinionated but never uninteresting, Douglas strolls through the work and influence of classic creators old and new and addresses the divide that a lot of fans find difficult to straddle: superheroes and art comics. I especially enjoyed the second part of the book, each chapter of which focuses on a specific creator and their work, ranging from Eisner to Starlin's Warlock to Alan Moore and Steve Ditko. You're never going to agree 100% with the opinions expressed in a book of criticism like Reading Comics—even genial little me got riled up a bit reading the second chapter—but Wolk doesn't settle for just telling you about the comics not tells you what to think, he helps teach you how to think about them.


#33: SIMPSONS COMICS In a year highlighted by a big-screen premiere and a dandy videogame, The Simpsons franchise continued to be done proud by the good folks at Bongo Comics not only in their flagship Simpsons title but various spin-offs: Bart Simpson, Simpsons Super-Spectacular and various seasonal specials. Like the TV series itself, it's business as usual but always a delight and fun read in the Simpsons comics: Homer trundles around Springfield on a Rascal scooter, tall tales are told, and 24 is deftly parodied (a couple months before the TV show itself!). Pound for pound, month after month, Simpsons Comics continue to provide solid bellylaughs and the most consistent fun of any licensed comic line.


#32: POPEYE THE SAILOR: 1933-1938, VOL. 1 Toss away those crappy public-domain cartoon DVDs from the dollar store: here's the ultimate collection of the gorgeous high-adventures Popeye shorts from the 1930s. Produced by the famous Fleischer Cartoon Studios, these are "the good stuff"—the Popeye cartoons that open up with the titles on the ship's doors, from the heyday of cinematic cartoons. There's plenty of documentary extras and hours of commentaries here, as well as silent cartoons and the gorgeous longer "two-reelers" that featured amazing 3-D-style background animation that set the Fleischers apart from their competitors—60 crispy and sharply restored cartoons in all. Best of all, check that subtitle: this is only Volume 1 and there's more to come.


#31: MOOMIN: THE COMPLETE TOVE JANSSON COMIC STRIP, BOOK TWO The Moomintroll children's novels by Tove Jansson are cheerful, quirky and moody, and her Moomin comic strip, collected in a second stunning collection from Drawn & Quarterly, follows in the same Moomin-footsteps. Here are tales of discovering prehistoric Moomins, Moominvalley in mid-winter, long-staying guests, and a most miserable maid, all in Jansson's own fluid and crisp black-and-white artwork. D+Q has done this series proud with its oversized and sharply-designed series look. If you grew up (like me) alongside Moomin and the Snork Maiden and Snufkin and Sniff, rediscover your childhood friends in comics form. If you've never met a Moomin, well, this is the perfect medium to make their fuzzy, chubby acquaintances.


Whew! That'sa lotsa fun. How, oh, how, can we top that tomorrow? Maybe we can't! That's just the risk you'll have to take, Bully-backers! Tune in tomorrow: same bull time, same bull channel, for countdown numbers 30 through 21!

Fun Fifty of 2007, Part 1 of 5

Well, looking at my 2008 Keira Knightley calendar, I spy that it's better than one-twelfth of the way into the new year, that Keira looks as smashing as ever, and that I'd better get the lead beans out of my little stuffed butt and post my Best of the Year for 2007. Except as always, I'm more interested in fun, so like last year, here's my Fun Fifty of 2007, presented in several parts to preserve surprise, build anticipation, and fill up a week's worth of posts by talking about stuff that came out as long ago as twelve months past. As usual, I won't be talking solely about comics—other media always finds a way to sneak onto the Fun Fifty—but it's all genre-based and has a solid cross-over with our own special fandoms. And most of all, it's all fun! Now, as Casey Kasem would say, "Zoinks, Scoob! I'm getting' outta here!" Oh no, wait, he would say...let's get the countdown started!

#50: FANTASTIC FOUR 2: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER There's a lot to point out that wasn't that fun in FF2: the repeated poor use of Doctor Doom. The amorphous Galactus. That the entire FF weren't involved in the movie's penultimate fight scene. That the FF weren't involved at all in the final battle versus Galactus. Reed Richards's elastic disco dance. But there's also a heck of a lot that is fun and enjoyable in this sequel: the portrayals of Johnny and Ben are spot on target with the best characterization of the comics. The design and voice of the Surfer are pitch perfect (who'da thunk Laurence Fishburne, huh?) The goofy and self-conscious Stan Lee cameo (basically straight outta the comic, only missing Jack at his side). The FF movies will never be seen as high art or even the best examples of their genre, but there's moments of sheer, exhilarating, memorable fun in 'em.


#49: ASTONISHING X-MEN AXM would placed higher on my list if it had come out more frequently. Its 24-issue run logically should have taken 2 years. Instead, this series started in...well, it premiered around 1949, didn't it? Never mind. Removed from the extensive and convoluted contemporary current events of the Marvel Universe, AXM features solid action, quirky dialogue, vibrant art and a couple fastball specials of its own in sharp and surprising plot twists. Plus, who can resist a decently-written Kitty Pryde? (Not me, that's for sure.) AXM reads better in a stack or as a trade than as a monthly quarterly comic book, but it's the most primal fun I've had with a post-Morrison X-Men comic.


#48: MARVEL ADVENTURES: AVENGERS Ego the Loving Planet. Let me repeat that. Ego the Freakin' Loving Planet. Fast on the heels of the ish where all the Avengers became MODOK-ized, Jeff Parker's Ego as Barry White riff made this team of Avengers definitively more fun than the two groups being published in the MU proper, whether New or Mighty. Other issues featuring the Vision, Hawkeye, and Hercules brought these classic characters in the Marvel Adventures Universe in compelling new stories that don't violate the original spirit of the Avengers saga or the characters themselves, at the same time preserving a sense of adventure, fun, and action. If you're not picking up this because you think it's a "kid" title, hoo boy, bub, you're missin' the best Avengers title currently being published.


#47: KING CAT CLASSIX This hefty collection of the past ten years of John Porcellino's justly-acclaimed self-published comic is as thick as a brick and twice as solid. His bold but minimal lines belie the intensity and emotion of many of these tales, especially the heartbreaking story of his childhood dog. A hefty section of annotations and new comics makes this a must-buy even if you own all the originals. Giggles, tears, and wonder: an art and writing evolution over ten years leading to powerful and assured storytelling.


#46: JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED R.I.P. the Justice League/Justice League Unlimited animated cartoon, especially the brilliant last couple seasons, but the style and action of the series lives on in the comic book, preserving the crisp and distinctive design of the original while telling new, mostly done-in-one focus tales on individual members of the League. Highlights this year were #36's focus on the enigmatic Question (more incisive and entertaining than the recent focus on the Renee Montoya Question in the mainstream DC Universe) and #39's team-up of the three greatest detectives: Batman, Elongated Man, and Detective Chimp. Detective Chimp. All's right in the world when a comic can give us DC (hey!) and Batman and Ralph Dibny and Gorilla City in the same story. Long live the League!


#45: RASL PREVIEW I happily lined up at the Jeff Smith booth this past July at San Diego Comic-Con to plunk down my cash for the oversized, glossy RASL preview edition: Smith's upcoming 2008 new series focusing on a thief who can walk through different dimensions. Only six pages long (but taller than this little stuffed bull), it's no more than a short preview, but it's both gorgeous and provocative. If you thought Smith was a one-trick-Bone-y, think again: between this and his 2007 Shazam series, he's showing that his appeal can span different genres in the comics field. RASL is one of my most anticipated comics of the upcoming year. Will it appear on next year's Fun Fifty? We'll see!


#44: SPIDER-MAN LOVES MARY JANE In a year where the most highly-promoted Spider-Man story involved him giving up and losing the love of his life, this title preserved the romance and (for the moment) unrequited love of that famous redhead Miss Mary Jane Watson, in soap-operaesque but never banal tales of high school infatuation, gossip, cliques and friendships. The artwork of Takeshi Miyazawa is simply sublime and gives the series a unique look of its own: not quite superhero, not quite manga—in a class of its own and utterly charming. Plus, Firestar! The series ended in 2007 but is set to start again this year as written by Terry Moore (Strangers in Paradise) and drawn by Adrian Alphona. It remains to be seen if I enjoy the new creative team as much, but one thing remains constant: Spider-Man does love Mary Jane. And in this universe, at least, that can't be wished away.


#43: SUPER-VILLAIN TEAM-UP: MODOK'S 11 Okay, hands up: who doesn't love MODOK (Mental Organism Designed Only for Knickers)? I thought so! Like Raymond or Hypnotoad, everybody loves MODOK, big-headed loveable supervillain that he is, so it's long past time he had his own book, this quirky and comical miniseries that teamed up a rogues gallery of second-string super-baddies in order to pull off the ultimate heist. MODOK, of course, has a more deadly plan in mind than just unlimited riches, and his team's falling apart with every issue—this ain't George Clooney at the helm! Subtract a handful of points for not enough MODOK in the later issues, but bonus marks to Marvel for the sheer chutzpah of producing a miniseries in which the villains all have sympathetic moments: even old big-head himself. You rule, MODOK. You totally rock, dude.


#42: HOUDINI: THE HANDCUFF KING Nominally written and designed for children (like this six-year old little stuffed bull) but entertaining and lovely enough to be appreciated by adults, Houdini is Jason Lutes and Nick Pertozzi's graphic novel biography not only of Harry Houdini but of his circle of friends, family, life and times. It's brief and brisk and fairly straight-forward (essay discussions round out the book in the back and add to its educational appeal), but for all its simplicity it's a lovely and detail-oriented look at the frenzy and fandom of an amazing entertainer in a true age of wonders.


#41: JOHN LUSTIG'S "SUMMER MOONSHINE" BY P. G. WODEHOUSE Yes, it's a one-page "book review" comic by John Lustig (Last Kiss) and yes, it's available for free on the internet (although I highly recommend ordering the limited print edition), but it deftly and colorfully combines two of my greatest loves besides Miss Knightley: comics and P. G. Wodehouse. Summer Moonshine is a book I haven't gotten to yet in my "A Wodehouse a Week" project, but when I do, I can't imagine summing up the book in a more concise and entertaining manner than Lustig already has. There's never been a Wodehouse comic book, but now I think there oughta be: Lustig preserves the joy, twists, and razor-sharp dialogue id the original (even adding a sassy "yo' mama" joke that made me giggle. It's plum fun.


So. Ten down, forty to go. And every single one of the remaining numbers is taken up by Civil War and One More Day crossovers. So tune in tomorrow for the Fun Forty through Thirty-One, and be sure to strap on your Captain America memorial black armbands!

Ten of a Kind: The Top Ten Billboard Chart

(More Ten of a Kind here.)

Separated at Birth: She asks me why/I'm just a hairy guy

L: Superman #38 (January-February 1946), art by Jack Burnley and George Roussos
R: Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #110 (April 1968), art by Neal Adams
(Click picture to beehive-size)

Saturday Morning Cartoon: Porky in Wackyland

"Porky in Wackyland" (1938), directed by Bob Clampett

Superman, Interrupted (and other comics I read this week)

SUPERMAN CONFIDENTIAL #11: This comic is sorta fun. Ah, so that's what happened to that storyline. The Darwyn Cooke/Tim Sale "Kryptonite" saga from Superman Confidential #1-5 pops up many months laters, more than a year after it started, and in the main book rather than (as in Wonder Woman) an annual. Is this the first time a story has ever been interrupted by so many regular issues? But then, while this raises serious questions about the effectiveness of modern Big Two comic book scheduling, it's irrelevant aside from pointing out that the momentum and energy of this story has been mostly lost during the interruption, and a story I loved has slipped to merely being interesting and okay. Tim Sale's artwork, which I normally praise, seems sketchy, rushed, and rough in this conclusion, especially (perhaps intentionally) in Kal's hallucination sequences. That said, it'll probably read better in one sitting or as a trade, and there's still some lovely, personal moments here between Clark/Supes and Lois, most notably the final page. Six months off didn't help this story, but there's still gems to be found in it.


FUTURAMA COMICS #35: This comic is fun. Speaking of flashing back to previous stories, Futurama is a callback to the animated series episode "Less Than Hero", which you might remember better as "The One With The New Justice Team." Like Simpsons Super-Spectacular, it's chock-full of classic comic book references: Zoidberg gets turned down for membership in a scene parodying the cover of Adventure Comics #247; the Legion of Doom's secret headquarters pops up next to the Planet Express building ("It creeps me out having that place in the neighborhood." "Yes, yes, but it helps keep the rent down!"). To deflect fanboy criticism of the type "Yes, but at the end of Episode 4ACV04, The New Justice Team disbands owing to the depletion their tube of Miracle Cream," these new adventures are flashbacks thanks to Bender's new memory chip, and while a few jokes fall flat, there's enough of them in here to populate a decent-sized chuckle-fest, and better yet, the density of dialogue and quips means it'll definitely take you more than five minutes to read this comic. Plus, it features The Best Line[s] of the Week: "I think the heat's giving you an irrational hatred of 1980s bands, Professor." "From hell's heart I stab at thee, Duran Duran!"


BATMAN #673: This comic is sorta fun. I love you, Grant Morrison. But golly, I really haven't the slightest of what's going on in this book. A dream doesn't make a story, and this seems to be mostly an extended hallucinatory sequence in Bruce's brain following his heart attack (I'm not buying that health twist in Batman, but hey, whatever). Nice vibrant and energetic art by Tony Daniel isn't a great help in following a non-linear, head-trip story, which has something to do with Joe Chill and Bat-Mite. Maybe it'll read better in the trade surrounded by other chapters, and I like the dialogue and art, but for the moment I still feel like I'm not smart enough to be reading Batman.


THE SPIRIT #13: This comic is fun. The post-Darwyn Cooke era begin for The Spirit (or, as I keep thinking the cover logo says, "The Spirito"). Hey, wait a minute, there's actually a Darwyn Cooke cover on this issue, but it's an anthology special with three separate stories by different creators. It's billed as a "Holiday Special," which seems odd to come out a month after Christmas, but it actually contains a Halloween story (crooks dress up as The Spirit) plus one that takes place in the rain and another in the snow. That last, by Gail Simone with Phil Hester and Ande Parks on art, is by far my favorite of the three: dialogue is told almost exclusively in pictograms inside word balloons (only the final panel has a true word it in), and it's both funny (a freezing-cold Spirit in his underwear is chased through a snooty restaurant) and touching (Dolan laments the apparent second death of Denny Colt). Inventive and clever, without being cloying, in a style I bet Will Eisner would have approved of. Although I'm looking forward to Evanier, Aragones, and Ploog as the regular team starting next issue, I'd like to see Gail and Company sink their teeth into a full-length, fully-dialogued Spirit comic.


JACK OF FABLES #19: This comic is fun. "Americana" continues and Bill Willingham and Lilah Sturges squeeze in months of adventure, half-a-dozen destinations and a million and one shady plans by Jack as he, Hillary, Gary, Paul Bunyan, Babe the Little Blue Ox, and a giant cracked egg zip around and about the mythical United States. It doesn't exactly further the storyline tremendously, but it's fun, and that's the most important part, isn't it? In fact, I'll go so far as to name JACK OF FABLES #19 the most fun comic of the week, from its ubiquitous saucy reading line above the cover title to the usual boastful "next issue" plug. Jack's not the only comic book featuring a tiny blue ox with a rich internal fantasy life*, but it's certainly the best.


*Oh wait. Yes it is.

Today in Comics History, January 31: Goin' Bananas on National Gorilla Suit Day

Hi hi hi everyone! It's me, Bully! No, it really it is me: I'm in my gorilla suit! That's because it's the most wonderful day of the year: National Gorilla Suit Day! I certainly hope you are wearing your gorilla suit today too. I could hardly sleep last night: I laid out my suit before I went to bed and I kept getting up to look at it all through the night! (But you're not allowed to put it on until morning). And you do have to go to sleep! While you are sleeping, The Great Ape swings in through your window, helps himself to the coconuts you have left out, goes through your fridge and makes himself a banana daquiri, and then blesses your gorilla suit with a loving "ook ook" before he swings on down the street! So you can only imagine my thrills when I woke up and found banana peels on the kitchen floor and the blender had been used! Hooray! I climbed right into my suit—I only need a little help zipping it up the back—and set about having an fun-filled day of the most exciting National Gorilla Suit Day activities:


First, I sat and read the full history of National Gorilla Suit Day. Remember that National Gorilla Suit Day is not just about the bananas and the ooking...it's a day to honor MAD's maddest artist, Don Martin! We in ape costumes salute you, Don!


from MAD #480 (August 2007)
A little traditional NGSD snack is always appropriate. Also, yummy!


Hooray! Cartoons! This one's fun any day but especially significant today!


A classic movie is appropriate viewing today too. Make sure you cheer for the right character! Knock those planes down, King!


Speaking of gorillas: those of you who were following my London blog know that I was obsessed with getting those wonderful vinyl figures of the band Gorillaz. I didn't buy them over in the UK but much to my surprise they were available over here, so they were my special National Gorilla Suit Day present! Hooray! Set 'em out, put on your G-Sides CD, and it's just like being in a Jamie Hewlett cartoon! Except Tank Girl is nowhere to be found. Darn.


My gorilla suit was getting a bit hot and whiffy, so in the evening I took it off to play with my new action figures. I know that shocks some of you. "Keep them in the box, Bully!" you scold. "If you take them out and play with them you'll ruin their resale value! How will you even sell them in eBay later?" To which I say to you: "Pfui!" Toys were made to be played with. If you don't take 'em out of the box and set 'em up and move 'em around and make them clash in Infinite Crises of Ultimate Secret Wars, what good are they? If you keep your toys in the cases and never take them out, you may as well just lock them away in a steel vault. I bet you seal your comics in those cheesy CGC plastic cases without even readin' 'em! People like that have no idea how to have fun.


F'r instance, why not join your favorite cartoon band in an impromptu jam session? Here I am plunking along with Gorillaz. Miss Noodle said I was a very good banjo plucker. Mister Murdoc said I was some other kind of plucker, I think.


Now it is time for a megaconcert for the City of London! Everybody sing along! "Don't get lost in heaven/They got locks on the gate."


Suddenly, giant mutant Kitten Kong (my kittycat Gus!) crashes the concert!


Londoners flee in terror as the giant kitten stampedes through the panicked city, knocking over the Post Office Tower and toppling the Gherkin! (Well, every cloud has a silver lining, I guess.)


Music may have charms to sooth a feline beast, but even the awesome power of Gorillaz rock can not stop her rampage!


Who can stop the terrifying giant kitten? Who can stop the terrible rampage? Who? Who? Teeny-tiny Harriet Jones, Prime Minister, puts out the call for help!


Vworp...vworp...vworp... Hooray! The Doctor and Rose arrive to save the city and drive off the giant mutant kitten! Hoorah!


Using the awesome power of timey-wimey stuff, The Doctor puts London back almost as good as new!


"I'm not the tin dog!" protests 2D.


Now it is time for a fabulous jam concert to celebrate. Everybody sing!


But Kitten Kong plots her revenge! The End...?


So, as you can see, it was quite the best National Gorilla Suit Day of them all. Hope you had a action-and-fun-packed one as well!

Mmmmm, pie chart.

Some days, you can blame Mighty Mike Sterling for the way my mind works: