366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 221

Clip from Batman "Shoot a Crooked Arrow" (September 7, 1966), script by Stanley Ralph Ross, directed by Sherman Marks

Today in Comics History: The night Mr. Mind and his henchmen attempted to blow up Washington and put all the people to death in horrible ways

Panel from Captain Marvel Adventures #46 (May 1945), script by Otto Binder, art by C. C. Beck

Today in Comics History: The word "queer" is used incorrectly as an insult for the one millionth time in history

Panel from Batman #406 (April 1987), script by Frank Miller, pencils and inks by David Mazzucchelli, colors by Richmond Lewis, letters by Todd Klein

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 220

Bizarro cartoon by Dan Piraro (June 3, 2011)

The Official Comic Book Panels of the Day of the 2012 Olympics, Day 12

Panels from Action Comics #304 (September 1963), script by Leo Dorfman, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein

And starring the Solid Gold Dancers!

There's a point in a caper or heist film where it's time to "get the old gang back together": where the main character go around to find their old comrades and convince them to leave their retired lifestyles to "pull just one last job." You see it in The Sting, and Ocean's Eleven and Ocean's Thirteen (say, why did they completely skip doing an Ocean's Twelve?), and in Going in Style and Who's Minding the Mint?...but have you ever seen this scenario done with robots? Well, there was that Star Trek movie where Picard got all his old crew back together to heist a shipment of gold-pressed latinum from the Ferengi and he had to convince Data to get abroad with the plan...oh, wait, that wasn't a Star Trek movie, that was my fan fiction.

But yes: I can think of a version that just involves robots. And it's in comic books. The Brave and the Bold #103, to be precise:


Panels from The Brave and the Bold #103 (September-October 1972), script by Bob Haney, pencils by Bob Brown, inks by Frank McLaughlin

Before we get started: yup, it's by Bob Haney. So you know it's gonna be wacky. Awesome, but wacky.

So Gold and Mercury, questioning their human nonhuman rights as artificial beings, are drawn into a cult of Robot's Lib, which, we see later, involves hundreds of robots around the world protesting for equal rights. Which does not even make co-star Batman blink even once. Yep, Batman is running around with robots tracking robots and fighting robots and somewhere on the other side of the world, Ra's al Ghul is putting his head in his hands in dismay. Talia couldn't have fallen for the leader of Kobra or that nice Luthor boy, no, she had to fall in love with a guy who teams up with robots.

So, Gold and Mercury (the only metal that is liquid at room temperature), hit the road, and Haney spares us several pages of them driving from motel to motel across the US, hitting greasy spoon diners and taking in the occasional robotic roadside attraction. Although I'd totally read that comic book. Nope, the story cuts right to the chase and shows us how the Metal Men reassemble once again. What have they been up to? Well, Iron has been working in a junkyard:




Lead could have gotten a lucrative job throwing himself between Superman and Kryptonite, but instead he's mixing volatile radioactive chemicals at a local Arby's, making their patented "Horsey Sauce." It's the U-238 that gives it that extra kick!




Mercury guilts Tin into leaving his happy suburban family life and his wife, the aptly (un)named "Nameless." Sure, everybody talks about how much a jerk Cyclops was when he left his wife, but at least she had a name. Do you think Nameless cam back later as the evil Robot Goblin Queen? I like to think so.




And of course, Platinum (aka Tina), is...




...a go-go dancer in a nightclub. What's more, she's dancing naked. This is the point where all little stuffed bulls should avert their black button eyes. Say, did Iron just do the patented break a guy's neck by flicking your finger move?

Anyway, the old gang is back together and better than ever! Except for Gallium, but none of them ever liked him anyway.




You know, there is one benefit to a robot go-go dancer: she never gets tired and she never has to take breaks.




You're probably wondering just like I was: who the Sam Scratch goes to a club where a robot is sexy-dancing?!?



And I hope that answers your question.

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 219

Panels from JLA #80 (June 2003), script by Joe Kelly, pencils by Duncan Rouleau, inks by Aaron Sowd, colors by David Baron, letters by Ken Lopez

The Official Comic Book Panel of the Day of the 2012 Olympics, Day 11

Splash panel from "The First Lunar Olympics" in 2000 AD Prog 50 (4 February 1978), script by John Wagner, pencils and inks by Brian Bolland, letters by Tony Jacob

(Click picture to Stallone Urban-size)

Today in Comics History: Kid Superboy discovers girl-watching

Panel from "The Death of a Romantic" in Heartthrobs #3 (March 1999), script by Peter Milligan, pencils and inks by Eduardo Risso, colors by Grant Goleash, letters by Clem Robins

The truth is stranger than Hawkeye

Oh, dear, Hawkeye's going blind! Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo!


Panels from Hawkeye: Blindspot #1 (April 2011), script by Jim McCann, pencils and inks by Paco Diaz, colors by Tomeu Morey, letters by Clayton Cowles

Because we all know an archer has to have 20/20 vision and perfect sight, right? You'd never have anything like a blind crackshot archer, wouldja?


from The Observer (August 5, 2012)

So next time you're gonna have a pity party, Hawkeye, don't invite Im Dong-hyun.

The Official Ten of a Kind of the 2012 Olympics

(More Ten of a Kind here.)

Your Sunday night dose of French superhero rap

What's a Sunday evening without some French Superhero Hip-Hop, huh?

"Bienvenue" by 1995, directed by Wahib

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 218

Panels from "The List" in Action Comics Weekly #605 (June 28, 1988), script by James Owsley [Christopher Priest], pencils and inks by Tod Smith, colors by Anthony Tollin, letters by Albert DeGuzman

The Official Comic Book Panels of the Day of the 2012 Olympics, Day 10

"Desert Olympics" from Maverick #19 (April-June 1962), pencils and inks by Dan Spiegle (?)

Today in Comics History, August 4: Two-Face screws up another knock-knock joke

from Batman: Dark Victory #12 (DC, November 2000), script by Jeph Loeb, pencils and inks by Tim Sale, colors by Gregory Wright, separations by Heroic Age, letters by Richard Starkings

The Official Same Story, Different Cover of the 2012 Olympics: Say, do I smell roasting duck?

Left: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #286 (July 1964), pencils by Tony Strobl, inks by Larry Mayer
Right: Walt Disney's Comics and Stories #535 (December 1988), pencils and inks by Daan Jippes

(Click picture to Prometheusize)


Say, did you read my post this week showing off some the excellent Carl Barks panels inside these covers? No? What are you waiting for?

And, just for fun, here's another totally different Donald Duck Olympic torchbearer comic book cover. Huey, Dewey, and Louis are for once being helpful on this one.


Cover of Donald Duck Adventures #28 (September 1992), pencils and inks by Jim Franzen, colors by Jo Meugniot

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 217

Panel from Batman: Hollywood Knight #1 (April 2001), script by Bob Layton, pencils and inks by Dick Giordano, colors by Glenn Whitmore, letters by Sean Konot

The Official Comic Book Panel of the Day of the 2012 Olympics, Day 9

Two page splash spread from Doc Savage Annual #1 (January 1989), script by Mike W. Barr, pencils by Gabriel Morrissette, inks by Rick Magyar, colors by Anthony Tollin, letters by Bob Pinaha
(Click picture to Man of Bronze-size)

Doc Savage and The Famous Fabulous Five are at the Olympics! Yep, the 1936 Summer Olympics, held in Nazi Germany's Berlin! Yes, the one with Jesse Owens!



Hey look who's also here: The King of Genovia!



Genovia! Home of princesses and peaches!



Let us all stand and sing the glorious Genovian National Anthem!



Okay, we've done that. Now let's check in what's happening with Doc Savage. Oh look, he's fighting a Nazi super-athlete on top of the Olympic torch.



And yes, of course Doc wins. He's freakin' Doc Savage, of course he wins! Remember, at the Olympics, don't worry about the gold medals...always bet on bronze.

Play us off, John Phillip Sousa!






For those of you interested in such things: yes, this does mean that Mia Thermopolis is part of the extended Wold-Newton family.

The Muppet and Disney franchises are moving into interesting directions

From Comixology:

366 Days with Alfred Pennyworth, Day 216

Recently, I presented panels from a story in which Alfred posed as Batman to win the affections of (unknown to him) Catwoman in disguise. Boistrous Bully-Backer Brad Mackay posted a comment on that piece

I'm pretty sure this is the same story that sees Alfred, dressed as Bats, spank Catwoman. It might be off-panel; but still!

In the words of someone imitating Ed McMahon, you are correct, sir! Thanks for reminding me of it, Brad; help yourself to a spankin' new Bull-Prize in gratitude!



Panels from "The Duped Domestics!" in Batman #22 (April-May 1944), script by Alvin Schwartz, pencils by Bob Kane, inks by Jerry Robinson, letters by George Roussos