Words not deeds.
So last time I was talking about Carmine Infantino’s alleged list of “things what you put onna cover to make a funnybook sell.” It’s just one of those things that’s generally common shared knowledge in the comics world.
But like many things that are common shared knowledge, there’s more to the story, and to the rescue is Comics Worth Reading‘s Johanna, who drops a link to a Bluesky interaction between Mark Waid (editor of that Secret Origins comic I presented last time) and Kurt Busiek, a couple of comics fellas who obviously know more about what’s going on here than I do.
In short, publisher Irwin Donenfeld came up with the list in the 1950s, which Infantino related to Waid in the ’80s. But I think we can all agree comics would be improved if we returned to list.
Hey, Old Timey Comics Blog Readers? You remember Dave Campbell, don’t you? The man who brought us “Dave’s Long Box,” which ended in 2008 and that seems like so long ago. Good gravy.
Anyway, Dave’s been busy lately, working on a documentary about Hal Needham’s 1982 film Megaforce, starring Barry Bostwick, and remembered by all of you for the “DEEDS NOT WORDS” ads that were all over the back covers of comics at the time. The doc, Making Megaforce, is currently funding on Indiegogo.
Plenty of contributor levels, which can get you Blu-rays and/or digital downloads of the doc, autographs, patches, screen credits, and at the top of the heap…an actual film-used (non-operable) dune buggy from the original movie! Only one of those buggies are being offered, so don’t worry, I didn’t take that option so it’s still available for you to get!
I like Dave, and hope this project reaches its goal. Looks like a lot of fun.
The latest comics drama to break out is a noted cartoonist allegedly being a creep to a young lady. I’m using the word “allegedly” for my own protection here, but…said alleged creep has shut down his social media, and I’d seen reports of the associated popular YouTube show being closed down as well. A quick look at YouTube shows ’em all still up and running, so who knows.
Now this just happened over the weekend, so we’ll probably get some actual reporting on these events in the next day or two (or likely a reposting of the chat screenshots and some additional commentary, like what everyone’s doing on Xwitter and Bluesky). It’s an ugly situation, and the person who was the object of the reported harassment (she is also a cartoonist) has been driven off social media by people attacking her because of course they are. Waiting to see how all this shakes out…it sure doesn’t seem good.
And on a much lighter topic…I watched Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom the other night, and I think I may have liked it more than the first one. Not that the initial installment was bad, it was enjoyable, but it just felt very “by the numbers” superhero filmmaking. It could be I’d just seen enough “superhero origin” movies by that point that getting yet another one was trying my patience.
The second one just felt more fun, with an enjoyable dynamic between Aquaman and his half-brother Orm AKA “Ocean Master.” I think the fact that the main antagonist of the film was Black Manta, who appeared briefly in the previous movie. He’s here full-time however, and there’s no logical reason in the world as to why that costume should work in live action, but boy it looks cool.
It’s goofy and outlandish and Randall Park’s character “Dr. Shin” should have died no less than like a half-dozen times during the course of this story, and if I never see a diaper-changing scene ever again where the dad gets a stream of pee directly to the face it’ll be too soon…but it’s a breezy ride and I enjoyed it. Two movies is probably enough, though, so it’s probably just as well it’s ending here 1) because I think the sequel only barely broke even at the box office, and 2) they’re clearing the way for the new DC Media Adaptation regime by James Gunn and that other guy whose name I never remember.
I think there’s been some talk about Aquaman star Jason Momoa turning up as Lobo, maybe possibly, and I can see that.
I agree with you on the Aquaman movie. First one felt too long and weighty for the character and subject matter. This one was leaner and more fun.
Sigh. I miss Dave’s Long Box. And most of the rest of the comicsblogosphere.
Cassandra Miller, you are not alone.
Going back to the topic of comics-inspired TV pilots, I just stumbled upon the fun 1961 pilot for Lee Falk’s The Phantom comic strip. This has a peppy theme song, stars stuntman Roger Creed as The Phantom, and, best of all, features Paulette Goddard, Lon Chaney Jr, and Richard Kiel as the baddies!
Here’s the link:
https://youtu.be/kT-b-119oV0?si=UZyXyfpGVNixEMUD
I also miss Dave’s Longbox, it was one of my favorite blogs! I’ll check out the Indiegogo.
As for the allegedsex pest… I’m appalled, but not shocked. I got a bad vibe from that guy in his videos. I just hope his target is able to move on from his awfulness.
Richard Kiel–in 1961, he hadn’t even appeared yet in his star-making turn as a Kanamit in the “To Serve Man” episode of the Twilight Zone–that one didn’t air until 1962!
I worked “Deeds, Not Words” into my best man speech for my college roommate’s wedding.
I like his art and his new comic strip is genuinely amusing. That said, it’s always been obvious that the ‘pest’ in question is an absolutely massive edgelord with a bigger ego than Tarantino’s.
I’m with you regarding Aquaman 2.
It is by all means a complete mess of a movie, but it was a fun mess.
@Mike Loughlin
Yeah, I just find it interesting that The Phantom pilot included Paulette Goddard–who was Charlie Chaplin’s co-star in “Modern Times,” Lon Chaney Jr.–“The Wolfman,” and future Bond villain Richard “Jaws” Kiel (also of note, at one point Kiel was in the running to portray The Hulk). Apparently, Roger Creed doubled for Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra back in the day, and he went on to have bit parts in “RoboCop 3,” “Ghostbusters 2,” and “Batman Forever.”
I was saddened to hear about the possible shuttering of my favorite youtube channel. I have watched the channel daily since the early in the pandemic. Though,as Mike Loughlin and Oliver point out, his edginess & ego can be rather trying. Of the two, I much prefer the partner of the alleged creep. He seems like a good guy, and he likes to showcase a lot of Toth!
I appreciate the woman standing up to him and spreading the word to help keep other young people from falling victim to possible predatory behavior.
Mrs.LouReedRichards and I watched Aquaman 2 a few weeks ago. I enjoyed it overall. I’ve been a Black Manta fan since Challenge of the Superfriends days,so it’s cool to see him look so badass in live action. I was most struck by how wild and trippy the underwater scenes were. We had a chance to see it on the big screen, but saw Godzilla Minus One instead. In the end I think we made the right call.
Thanks for the recommendation for The Phantom. A really dark print but not bad. Look for the Nero Wolfe pilot from 1962 with William Shatner as Archie Goodwin. Also a pretty good attempt at a pilot, just don’t think Nero Wolfe was much of a selling point.
@LouReedRichards: i haven’t watched Aquaman2 yet, but Godzilla Minus One was the best movie I saw in a theatre last year. I don’t care much about industry awards, but GMO winning best special effects made me happy to an unexpected degree. I’ve recommended the movie to many people I know, even those that don’t share my tastes.
As for the YouTube channel… I stopped watching regularly a while ago because I found the alleged sex pest host so off-putting. They had some good interviews and content, but his smugness and immaturity were grating. Unfortunately, there aren’t too many video channels about comics that aren’t awful, so I get that people are disappointed. The more we find out about comic book creator misbehavior, the more I shudder to think about what else may have gone on behind the scenes.
@John J.
Yes, I’ve seen that Nero Wolfe pilot with William Shatner and enjoyed it. There was also some other show I stumbled upon on YouTube where a young Shatner is a lawyer and a young Steve McQueen is brought to trial. It was quite good.
@Mike Loughlin:
I agree. I don’t see many movies in the theater, my wife is much more of a film buff than I am. Of the few I saw, Godzilla was by far the best. We were the only people at our screening, which just added to the enjoyment of it all. I never expected to actually tear up at a Godzilla movie, but there I was all sniffly! Felt the same way about it winning an award, don’t usually care, but that made me happy.
I could put up with the youtuber’s braggadocio for the sake of hearing his partner’s thoughts. A lot of his partner’s tastes align with mine, so it was always good to have him leading the show. I hope he’s ok, I feel bad that he’s having to suffer through this because of his buddies alleged creepitude.
So many comics channels either focus on stuff I don’t care about or have such cluttered studios that I get claustrophobic from all their superhero knick-knacks. The worst of course is trying a new channel only to get a minute or two in (if that long,) and they start going on some right-wing “WOKENESS IS KILLING COMICS!!!” diatribe. Christ, there’s a TON of those…
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom”
All I’ve seen is the advertisement, but the movie LOOKED like a video game I’d never play. Full of garish colors that look make the whole thing look cheap.
“DEEDS NOT WORDS”
I LOVED THOSE ADS! That movie’s a trash classic. Oddly enough, I used to think it was Chuck Norris who was the star, not Barry Bostwick. Probably because of that beard and CN making a dozen cheaply-made action movies in the 80’s.
“a young Shatner is a lawyer and a young Steve McQueen is brought to trial.”
Man, the coolest guy on TV, EVER! Plus, Steve McQueen!
“Godzilla”
Saw the oroginal again last week on TV. Still holds up!
@ Snark Shark
Here’s the link…”The Defender” with Ed Asner, William Shatner, and Steve McQueen.
https://youtu.be/wlvK6iGi5is?si=aMjb4cfOfe4x6HYF
Sean,
NEAT!!!
THANKS!
Aww thanks Mike! I appreciate it. We’re almost 100% funded so I am pretty stoked.