Assuming the original owner didn’t die or anything.
Larry Hama, the masterful comics writer, occasional artist, and occasional M*A*S*H actor (no, really!) is the man responsible for what G.I. Joe is today. You’d think that alone would be enough for Mr. Hama to live a life of luxury and leisure in his later years, but alas, Big Corporations being what they are, the man hasn’t seen an extra dime of gratitude for the massive franchise he helped inform.
As such, Mr. Hama is striking out on his own to pull in some extra scratch, while also giving you some new funnybook entertainment. His new book, Mounties Vs. Werewolves (drawn by Guy Dorian Sr.) is being funded on Kickstarter, with only a few days to go on this campaign:
The project is nearly fully funded at this point, but I’m sure more money above and beyond the goal would be appreciated. Help if you can, spread the word either way.
Wouldn’t be a post on ProgRuin of late if there wasn’t some FANZINE TALK. Here’s just a minor thing from my collection, issue #175 of Comic Reader from 1979.
It’s a pretty swell drawing of Green Lantern and Sinestro by Don Newton, inked by Terry Austin. But if you look more closely, an inscription appears:
Yes, it’s a signature from Mr. Newton his own self, scribbled right there on that big red astronomical object. It is personalized, after a fashion, with “to my #1 fan,” and uh nobody tell the late Mr. Newton that I bought it second hand years ago. Not sure how big a fan this guy was, frankly, if he let it go that quickly.
Did I need ANOTHER Kickstarter comic? No
Could I afford ANOTHER Kickstarter comic? Maybe
Did I just back ANOTHER Kickstarter comic? Apparently
Thanks Mike!
@ Mike Sterling
Very cool! You can now say that you are Don Newton’s no. 1 fan! He sure was a great artist. Now you should see about getting Terry Austin to sign that ‘zine as well…
A quick Larry Hama side story. Six or so years ago when I was at a San Fernando Valley Comic Con and interviewing the late Russ Heath, this vivacious woman showed up with a gift for Russ. It was a bottle of fine wine compliments of Larry Hama. I always thought that was cool and emblematic of what a good guy Larry is. I hope Mounties Vs. Werewolves does well–or “Doright,” as the case may be…
“Not sure how big a fan this guy was, frankly, if he let it go that quickly.”
Maybe the original dedicatee felt compelled to sell it when he discovered a bigger fan of Dan Newton than himself.
Above and beyond the tragedy of Don Newton’s early passing, his death will always be something of a comicbook ‘What If?’ because it was his demise that resulted in Todd McFarlane getting his first big break, taking over Infinity Inc from Newton.
Oliver – I was reading Infinity Inc. at the time, and I remember not being 100% sold on the new guy.
My take at the time was that McFarlane had a certain flair for panel layouts and graphic design, but he wasn’t really a great artist in the sense of someone who could render anatomy convincingly (a la John Buscema or Jose Luis Garcia Lopez)–but more of a cartoony cartoonist. Of course, he blew up huge on Spider-Man and became an industry darling, but I never got into Spawn and probably never will. Some of McFarlane’s toy designs have been pretty decent, but in my book Don Newton’s artwork is much more expressive and refined and his figures look heroic in the classical sense a la Foster or Hogarth
than McFarlane’s figures do or art does.
“and occasional M*A*S*H actor”.
Sure was! I was wondering the other day id he wrote 100% of Marvel’s run of GI Joe, or just most of it.
“My take at the time was that McFarlane had a certain flair for panel layouts and graphic design, but he wasn’t really a great artist in the sense of someone who could render anatomy convincingly”.
Flash and panache, but lacking some basic anatomy skills. Agreed!
“McFarlane’s toy designs have been pretty decent”.
I’m a toy collector, and I frankly think that’s where his real skill lies!
“but I never got into Spawn”.
you’re not missing anything- it’s re-hashed Batman, Spider-Man, Daredevil & Dr. Strange.
@ Snark Shark
Thanks!
I guess one of the basic complaints from the toy collector community is that the McFarlane figures don’t have thigh cuts.
Do you think McFarlane will get to a point eventually where he will release a complete Golden Age JSA? I guess he’s already got first appearance Superman and Batman released, and also Jay Garrick Flash, Alan Scott Green Lantern and Spectre. But it would be cool to get the complete line up.
I’d also love to see him release a complete late Silver/early Bronze Age Teen Titans toy cohort a la Nick Cardy’s art style, featuring Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, Aqualad, and Speedy at the very least–maybe including Lilith, Mal Duncan, and the original Hawk and Dove (Hank and Don Hall) in a second wave with a Gnaark build a figure. Then a third wave could feature Joker’s Daughter/Harlequin, Bumblebee, Golden Eagle, Bat-Girl (Bette Kane), Beast Boy, and Mal as The Guardian.
That would be the complete Silver through Bronze Age pre-New Teen Titans team–but Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, and Beast Boy (as Changeling) could be repackaged as New Teen Titans toys as well.
The third team I would love to see McFarlane Toys take on is the Bronze Age pre-Giffen iteration of the Legion of Super-Heroes with the cool Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell costume designs.
“The third team I would love to see McFarlane Toys take on is the Bronze Age pre-Giffen iteration of the Legion of Super-Heroes with the cool Dave Cockrum and Mike Grell costume designs.”
That would be cool!
I should say that I rarely BUY new toys anymore, but I did get King Shark, MODOK, & Ambush Bug over the last year or two. I just don’t want to spend that much money/store that many toys anymore. I do appreciate how far Toy Technology has come, though, and still like seeing what’s being made.
“Do you think McFarlane will get to a point eventually where he will release a complete Golden Age JSA?”
If they keep making money, I don’t see why he wouldn’t. I don’t know what the demand is for the less popular characters, whereas any Batman figure has a solid, built-in market.