On the other hand, nitrous oxide ain't half bad. I'm beginning to see why Batman continually faces off against the Joker: to get more of that deliriously dreamy laughing gas. Ha ha ha!
Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha...owwwwwwwwwwww.
Ow.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Owwwwwww.
Bully's advice for the day: Comics are fun, but dental surgery is not fun. Owwwwwwww.
On the other hand, nitrous oxide ain't half bad. I'm beginning to see why Batman continually faces off against the Joker: to get more of that deliriously dreamy laughing gas. Ha ha ha!
Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha...owwwwwwwwwwww.
Ow.
On the other hand, nitrous oxide ain't half bad. I'm beginning to see why Batman continually faces off against the Joker: to get more of that deliriously dreamy laughing gas. Ha ha ha!
Bwah-ha-ha-ha-ha...owwwwwwwwwwww.
Ow.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
The little things.
Sometimes it's the little things that count.
A clever panel, an arch expression, an unforgettable line...it doesn't make a comic book great by itself, but it's a highlight, a treat, a "way cool" moment that shows off the care and love the creators have for the story and the characters. The comic would work just fine without it...but it just wouldn't be "the same." It's a beautiful little moment that we remember and cherish.
It's not solely restricted to comic books, of course. I've been watching my Superman: The Animated Series DVDs recently, and Bruce Timm and Paul Dini's bright and bombastic follow-up to Batman: The Animated Series will probably never get the same praise and respect the Dark Knight's revolutionary cartoon did, but it's still one of the finest portrayals of the Man of Steel on screen, cartoon or live, and the love and respect the creators have for the character and his tropes shines through in episode after episode...including those fun little moments.
Case in point: the episode "Tools of the Trade" in the first season, one of the "Terrible" Turpin episodes. There's a delightful bit of character portrayal in making Dan Turpin look like Jack Kirby, but that's only one example. My favorite one in the episode—maybe one of my favorites in the whole series—is the smart and cool twist on the usual "Clark becomes Superman" scene we've all watched a million times in movies and on TV. You can usually expect that when there's trouble Clark will dash to a storeroom and, silhouetted against the window, change into his big blue-and-red alter-ego, or maybe the camera will zoom in on that impressively broad chest as he pops open his Arrow shirt to reveal his Kryptonian Underoos.
"Tools of the Trade" does the Superman reveal a little differently.
Clark Kent, chiseled nose buried in today's Daily Planet, strolls through the lobby of the impressively art-deco Planet offices...
...noticing in surprise one of the elevators is out of order.
Lois Lane rushes past, barks out the news of a big train wreck, darts into an open elevator, stabbing repeatedly at the door close button. Dana Delany has a wondering voice-acting moment here, channeling both The Front Page and Margot Kidder as she rapid-fires the news at Clark, her voice raising to a rant against "the guy who built this stupid elevator!" until the door closes behind her.
Clark backs up against the out-of-order open shaft of the central elevator...
...smiles slightly as he removes his glasses...
...steps, without looking back, into the open shaft...
...and disappears falling down the shaft.
Cut to the ground lobby of the Planet, where a blue-and-red streak, too fast to be distinguished, shoots out of the elevator...
...only noticed by passers-by through the cause-and-effect wind it leaves in its wake...
...before continuing, in the blink of an eye, out the revolving doors...
..sending the door spinning and papers whipping through the air.
Superman's on his way, and nobody even saw the quick-change act. Heck, we didn't even see Clark change: the entire sequence, including the funny Lois bit, takes 25 seconds, but even more impressive, the time from Clark dropping down the shaft to the revolving doors spinning is about three seconds. Now that's a little moment.
The beauty of the scene is that it's not necessary. The creators could have used the usual shirt-ripping reveal, or even completely lose the transition sequence and just have Superman showing up at the scene. But the beauty is in the details, and this little moment makes us all coo "Way cool!" Listen to the creator commentary on the DVD and you'll even hear Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett and company turn into fanboys at their own work at this sequence. "That was a cool bit!" "Ah, that's a good transition!" "Really nice."
There's moments a-plenty like that throughout Superman: The Animated Series. Sure, Batman gets the acclaim as the pioneer, and Justice League Unlimited appeals to the inner fanboy in us all by tossing every DC Universe hero we can think into the mix, but for this little stuffed Super-fan, well, I like Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh just fine, thank you, but there's no Superman like the nineties animated Superman. And it's not just because he can bend ink-and-painted steel girders and change the course of mighty animated rivers, oh no siree bob. The big moments are fun. But it's the little moments that make a man a Superman.
A clever panel, an arch expression, an unforgettable line...it doesn't make a comic book great by itself, but it's a highlight, a treat, a "way cool" moment that shows off the care and love the creators have for the story and the characters. The comic would work just fine without it...but it just wouldn't be "the same." It's a beautiful little moment that we remember and cherish.
It's not solely restricted to comic books, of course. I've been watching my Superman: The Animated Series DVDs recently, and Bruce Timm and Paul Dini's bright and bombastic follow-up to Batman: The Animated Series will probably never get the same praise and respect the Dark Knight's revolutionary cartoon did, but it's still one of the finest portrayals of the Man of Steel on screen, cartoon or live, and the love and respect the creators have for the character and his tropes shines through in episode after episode...including those fun little moments.
Case in point: the episode "Tools of the Trade" in the first season, one of the "Terrible" Turpin episodes. There's a delightful bit of character portrayal in making Dan Turpin look like Jack Kirby, but that's only one example. My favorite one in the episode—maybe one of my favorites in the whole series—is the smart and cool twist on the usual "Clark becomes Superman" scene we've all watched a million times in movies and on TV. You can usually expect that when there's trouble Clark will dash to a storeroom and, silhouetted against the window, change into his big blue-and-red alter-ego, or maybe the camera will zoom in on that impressively broad chest as he pops open his Arrow shirt to reveal his Kryptonian Underoos.
"Tools of the Trade" does the Superman reveal a little differently.
Clark Kent, chiseled nose buried in today's Daily Planet, strolls through the lobby of the impressively art-deco Planet offices...
...noticing in surprise one of the elevators is out of order.
Lois Lane rushes past, barks out the news of a big train wreck, darts into an open elevator, stabbing repeatedly at the door close button. Dana Delany has a wondering voice-acting moment here, channeling both The Front Page and Margot Kidder as she rapid-fires the news at Clark, her voice raising to a rant against "the guy who built this stupid elevator!" until the door closes behind her.
Clark backs up against the out-of-order open shaft of the central elevator...
...smiles slightly as he removes his glasses...
...steps, without looking back, into the open shaft...
...and disappears falling down the shaft.
Cut to the ground lobby of the Planet, where a blue-and-red streak, too fast to be distinguished, shoots out of the elevator...
...only noticed by passers-by through the cause-and-effect wind it leaves in its wake...
...before continuing, in the blink of an eye, out the revolving doors...
..sending the door spinning and papers whipping through the air.
Superman's on his way, and nobody even saw the quick-change act. Heck, we didn't even see Clark change: the entire sequence, including the funny Lois bit, takes 25 seconds, but even more impressive, the time from Clark dropping down the shaft to the revolving doors spinning is about three seconds. Now that's a little moment.
The beauty of the scene is that it's not necessary. The creators could have used the usual shirt-ripping reveal, or even completely lose the transition sequence and just have Superman showing up at the scene. But the beauty is in the details, and this little moment makes us all coo "Way cool!" Listen to the creator commentary on the DVD and you'll even hear Paul Dini, Bruce Timm, Alan Burnett and company turn into fanboys at their own work at this sequence. "That was a cool bit!" "Ah, that's a good transition!" "Really nice."
There's moments a-plenty like that throughout Superman: The Animated Series. Sure, Batman gets the acclaim as the pioneer, and Justice League Unlimited appeals to the inner fanboy in us all by tossing every DC Universe hero we can think into the mix, but for this little stuffed Super-fan, well, I like Christopher Reeve and Brandon Routh just fine, thank you, but there's no Superman like the nineties animated Superman. And it's not just because he can bend ink-and-painted steel girders and change the course of mighty animated rivers, oh no siree bob. The big moments are fun. But it's the little moments that make a man a Superman.
Monday, November 27, 2006
Ten of a Kind: How Can I Save My Little Boy from Oppenheimer's Deadly Toy?
Friday, November 24, 2006
Christmas Shopping Made Classic
Welcome to Black Friday, folks—the single busiest shopping day of the year! If you're like me you have plenty of Christmas shopping to get started on, so crack open those piggy banks and get buying! But heading out to the mall is a mug's game...the smart consumers shop at home on their computer, with a big leftover turkey sandwich by their side. Why, you can even do it in your underwear! I'm doin' it right now. Haw! No, I kid. I don't wear any underwear!
This year I'm making my Christmas giftin' easier by choosing one-stop shopping and a similar gift for everyone on my lengthy list: everybody gets comic books this year! And not merely any old comic book, oh no oh no. No foisting off old issues of Civil War on my extensive group of recipients! Everybody on my list is getting a vintage issue of the single greatest way to avoid reading great works of literature in their original editions: Classics Illustrated!
Classics Illustrated ran for so long and with such a diverse collection of stories that it's perfect just absolutely everybody on my Christmas list. Don't believe me? Why, here's what I'm getting for these fine friends of mine:
Frank Castle!
Oliver Queen!
Reed Richards!
Nick Fury!
Steve Rogers!
Morpheus!
Sergei Kravinoff!
Jack Napier!
Bruce Banner!
Betty Ross!
Emma Frost!
Alex Summers!
Ralph Dibny!
Tony Stark!
Logan!
Wanda Maximoff!
Victor von Doom!
The Anti-Monitor!
And, ahem, just in case any of you were wondering what to get me, hint hint:
This year I'm making my Christmas giftin' easier by choosing one-stop shopping and a similar gift for everyone on my lengthy list: everybody gets comic books this year! And not merely any old comic book, oh no oh no. No foisting off old issues of Civil War on my extensive group of recipients! Everybody on my list is getting a vintage issue of the single greatest way to avoid reading great works of literature in their original editions: Classics Illustrated!
Classics Illustrated ran for so long and with such a diverse collection of stories that it's perfect just absolutely everybody on my Christmas list. Don't believe me? Why, here's what I'm getting for these fine friends of mine:
Oliver Queen!
Reed Richards!
Nick Fury!
Steve Rogers!
Morpheus!
Sergei Kravinoff!
Jack Napier!
Bruce Banner!
Betty Ross!
Emma Frost!
Alex Summers!
Ralph Dibny!
Tony Stark!
Logan!
Wanda Maximoff!
Victor von Doom!
The Anti-Monitor!
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Folks to be Thankful For (John Romita Edition)
It is a universal truth that no one draws a crazed-lookin' J. Jonah Jameson quite like John Romita, Sr.
And as if in some act of fate or cosmic balance, it's also a universal truth that no one draws a gorgeous-yet-wholesome Gwen Stacy quite like John Romita, Sr.
For these and thousands of other beautiful moments in comic history, we salute you, John Romita, Sr.!
all panels from Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine #1, July 1968
And as if in some act of fate or cosmic balance, it's also a universal truth that no one draws a gorgeous-yet-wholesome Gwen Stacy quite like John Romita, Sr.
For these and thousands of other beautiful moments in comic history, we salute you, John Romita, Sr.!
all panels from Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine #1, July 1968
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Nor is it Bella Abzug.
from Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine #1, July 1968
Stan, Stan, Stan, you're writing for the ages...don't do topical.
For the curious among you.
Monday, November 20, 2006
The Unsettling Slang of Mister Peter Parker
What with work, travel, and yummy, yummy, turkey, this is a busy busy Bully week, folks, so hope you'll excuse brief picture-oriented entries most of this week. Most of them are going to be from the great but not quite successful black-and-white Spectacular Spider-Man magazine of 1968, featuring the fantastic artwork of Jazzy John Romita. That alone is worth the price of admission, especially in glorious black-and-white, but there's a few oddities lurking within these greyscale pages. For example:
from Spectacular Spider-Man Magazine #1, July 1968
Whoa, who says that it wasn't the Mighty Marvel Age of Innuendo and Double-Entendre?
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