So how do you get me to buy Modeling with Millie?

filed under Categories love is in the air 10 Comments

Well, actually, it doesn’t take much to get me to take a look at a Millie the Model comic, but by God, if it’s filled with art by Herbie cocreator Ogden Whitney, it’s a must-buy!


Whitney had illustrated several romance books during his career, but I haven’t come across too many of them at the shop, simply because romance comics are few and far between in the collections we see. But, just this past week, we picked up a pretty good stack of ’60s and ’70s romance titles in conditions that we can charitably describe as “mostly readable.” This particular issue, Modeling with Millie #54 (June 1967), also the last of this particular iteration of Millie the Model comics, was actually one of the better-conditioned copies in the collection, topping off at a glossy Fair to Good.

And oh man, the art inside…even when Whitney was trying to play it straight, the characters usually looked like the wiring needed some work behind their eyes, there:


Or here, where you can enjoy some ’60s-style rockin’ and / or rollin’ lyrics along with a swell fashion display from Millie (click on the following image to Super-Millie-Size it):


More snappy lyrics, more splendid fashion:


The last story of the book opens with Millie getting way into Fantastic Four #63:


…which makes her wish for superpowers of her own:


…though she gets derided a bit for her choice of reading material:


That doesn’t stop Millie from dreaming herself up as a superhero:


…and performing incredible feats of strength while providing important moral messages:


“Also, don’t snap bad guys’ necks! Excelsior, friends!”

And is this Whitney’s only drawing of the Thing?

I don’t know just how much Marvel work he did, but I would have paid good money to read an Ogden Whitney-drawn Fantastic Four story.
 
 

images from Modeling with Millie #54 (June 1967) by Gary Friedrich and Ogden Whitney

I’ve got two stripes.

filed under Categories this week's comics 4 Comments


Well, it’s definitely in the Dexter novel continuity as opposed to the TV show continuity, based simply on the fact that his sister’s name is spelled “Deborah” and not “Debra.” Oh, and the fact that the comic is written by the novelist who created Dexter, so it’s probably a given that it’d follow the books over the show.

Actually, all things considered, there’s not really anything here to trip up a fan of the TV show who’s never read the books, given that likenesses of the characters are general enough to be kinda/sorta like the show’s actors, if you squint a bit, and the presence of one particular character who’s…no longer around can be chalked up to the series being a “flashback,” if you’re really that concerned. And Deb is called “Sarge,” which is a rank I don’t think she ever held in the show. And the familiar supporting cast of the rest of Miami Metro Homicide aren’t involved, thus far.

Of course, this can all change with #2. An interesting trick they’re doing with the covers, which they’re apparently continuing based on the “next issue” ad in the back, is covering most of Dexter’s face, sidestepping the whole “this doesn’t look like Michael C. Hall” problem that might turn off folks browsing the racks.

The comic’s good, by the way. Dex goes to his high school reunion, encounters a former bully of his, and suddenly murders ensue. I think Dexter fans of either stripe, or both stripes (like me) will enjoy this.


It’s odd, but Clive Barker comics, aside from that brief period in the ’90s when anything that was vaguely comic-shaped would sell, are not big movers for us. The Hellraiser anthology from Marvel/Epic was the biggie, followed by Eclipse Comics’ Tapping the Vein, and then Nightbreed a distant third. Everything else (and frankly there’s not much else) never really sold that well. (Don’t get me started on Razorline.) Even the recent Hellraiser series from Boom!, which started off strong, has withered away to only a few hangers-on (including me, in case you’re wondering), as the structure of the series is mostly nonforgiving to latecomers (aside from the mostly self-contained Road Below mini, which had slightly higher sales).

I had high hopes for Next Testament (formerly New Genesis, until DC Comics suggested otherwise) which is perfectly fine religiously-themed horror and an entertaining read, but, well, the first issue sold okay, not great. Having “Clive Barker” splashed across the front cover isn’t the sales incentive one would think, at least with our clientele. Your future-of-horror mileage may vary at your own funnybook store.


ATTENTION:


SWAMP THING COVER CAMEO

Well, it’s tying into the “Trinity War” event, but I like the premise of the first issue, following Pandora over the centuries as she lives out her eternal curse, so we’ll see how it goes. I’ve read enough comics that tie into events I’m not otherwise reading to know how to deal with it, and so have all of you.


Yup. Still good. Still feels like classic pre-Vertigoization Swamp Thing comics. I’m not quite committed to the “actual Alec Holland in Swamp Thing’s body” status quo, but I’m coping. The vapors no longer come upon me quite so suddenly.

How the Green Lantern movie could have become a box office success.

filed under Categories dc comics, green lantern, sir-links-a-lot 5 Comments

So I was looking through this DC Sneak Previews freebie:


…which you know came out several years ago, since it actually cover-features superheroes who are (gasp) not in their mid-20s, and featuring previews of the Justice Society of America mini-series and Green Lantern: Emerald Dawn II. Of note is the intro to the GL:EDII preview:


…which features this phrase that pays:


Now that’s a slogan that would have brought attendees to movie houses in droves, should Warner Brothers’ marketing division only have dared to use it. Of course, that would have required a slight rewriting of the film to facilitate its use, but I think we all agree a rewrite for the GL film would not entirely have been out of order.

• • •

In other news:

  • Happy Sixth (Give or Take A Year or Three) Birthday to Bully, The Little Stuffed Bull Who Apparently Ages Like Jonathan Winters on Mork and Mindy!

  • Comic Book Galaxy is going off the air within a week or so, so if you’re gonna catch up on any articles there, now’s the time to do it. I wrote there for a while (I’ll repost the articles on my own site here, soon), plus I contributed this little blurb about the Thing (in relation to a still-MIA Barry Windsor-Smith graphic novel) which I think is one of my favorite things I’ve ever written.

    Thanks for asking me to contribute, Alan!

  • And now, your Indian-style Swamp Thing promo poster for the day, celebrating Charles Soule’s run on the series. BRB, going to India to get one of these.

 
 

images from DC Sneak Previews #1 (1991)

Progressive Ruin presents…the End of Civilization.

filed under Categories End of Civilization 20 Comments

O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! It’s time once again for the gift that keeps on giving, no matter how much you’d like it to stop…the End of Civilization, as brought to us by the monthly arrival of the new Diamond Previews! Grab your copy of the July 2013 issue and follow along…and keep in mind, my Iceman joke could have been a lot more awful:

p. 30 – The Star Wars #1:


Yes, it’s an actual adaptation of George Lucas’s original…outline? Rough draft? Bar napkins? for what we would come to know and love as The Movie Series That Would Eventually Bring Us Jar Jar Binks, only this time starring Idealized Version of George Lucas as Himself, and, um…


…Swamp Thing, apparently, as pointed out to me by a few Internet pals.

Clearly this blazes an important trail for future Dark Horse projects along these lines, such as Billie The Vampire Kicker, The Horrible Ambulatory-Penis Alien Monsters, and Conan the Fellow with Simply Barbaric Table Manners.

p. 44 – Kiss Me, Satan #1:


Ew, gross, Satan’s breath smells like stale cigarettes and his tongue is, like, everywhere. …Don’t ask how I know.

p. 69 – Marvel Classic Character X-Men #5 – Iceman:


Made entirely of that stuff you find inside Twinkies. Lick your Iceman today!

p. 71 – DC Villains Month:


As noted before, trying to order DC’s books for this month will almost certainly kill me. So it’s not just the End of Civilization this time, kids…it’s the End of Your Pal Mike. So long, everyone! Thanks for reading!

p. 141 – The New 52 Swamp Thing Deluxe Action Figure:


Yeah, yeah, you’ve got my money, DC. But wait, what’s this?


Okay, I’m skipping all that Villains Month nonsense and using the money to order boatloads of these just to make sure I get one. “Allocated,” my ass.

p. 178 – Sex Criminals #1:


I like this strategy of Image’s to throw the word “sex” into the titles of their new series. Maybe they can go back and do the same with some previous series, to perk up flagging sales a bit. Sex Projects. East of Sex. Sex Grand. Sex Dragon. Sex Hunters. Skullsexers. Cyber Sex. Sex Tank. No-sex Men…ooh, no, scratch that one.

p. 233 – Gorn on the Bayou T-Shirt:


Man, I don’t even know.

p. 246 – Afterlife with Archie #1:


“Archie Zombies,” everyone. I’m surprisingly amused by this, though this particular variant cover:


…is a bit alarming. HOT DOG, NO

Am also looking forward to Breaking Archie, with Mr. Flutesnoot recruiting bad boy Reggie to help build his drug-dealing empire.

p. 255 – God Is Dead #1:


On the one hand, it’s an Avatar cover with no one being disemboweled or otherwise tortured, for once. On the other hand…well, that’s gonna get some looks, regardless.

p. 373 – The Official DC Super Hero Cookbook HC:


The Swamp Thing garden salad is surprisingly easy to make. The Ocean Master’s Fugu Surprise, not so much.

p. 374 – DC Super Heroes: Batman – Bat-Mite’s Big Blunder TP:


“Hee hee, Batman! I restarted all of DC’s superhero titles, including a whole bunch that star you, and took away Superman’s red trunks so he’d look silly and everyone would like you more! Aren’t you happy?”

“Oh, Bat-Mite…!”

p. 395 – Sons of Anarchy “R.I.P. Opie” Black T-Shirt:


I knew Opie was chafing under Sheriff Andy’s paternalistic care, but I never thought it would come to this. NOT THIS

p. 396 – Star Wars “I’m Not Sorry” Black T-Shirt:

p. 413 – Marvel Infinity Gauntlet Bottle Opener:


Yeah, fine, that’s all well and good, but what we need is an actual Infinity Gauntlet glove. No, not like that high-end “prop” that may or may not have been wearable and cost hundreds of dollars. I mean, like, a mass-market thing (or as mass-market as the direct comics market can manage) – something relatively inexpensive and readily available for fans across the world to wear, each and every day, at home and work, on dates and to church, declaring to the world around them that yes, we, the comic fans of America and lands abroad, love wearing single gloves with colored plastic jewels on them that the general public will eventually recognize as something from Marvel Comics if and when it puts in an appearance in The Avengers 2.

p. 419 – Axe Cop Avocado Solider 8-Inch Plush and Wexter 12-Inch Plush:


Toys based on the comic book written by a five-year-old and drawn by his 29-year-old brother…makes me wish someone would make a stuffed doll out of my five-year-old self’s drawings:


You know you’d buy one.

p. 444 – DC Comics Shazam New 52 ArtFX+ Statue:


Not to be disrespectful or anything…but do you think C.C. Beck’s body has ever stopped spinning since being put in its grave?

p. 458 – Star Wars Jabba the Hutt 12-Inch Talking Plush:


Only 12 inches? PFFFFT. Call me when you get to 1/1 scale, baby…I’ve got a living room to fill.

p. 458 – Star Wars Yoda Super Deluxe 24-Inch Talking Plush:


WARNING: Do not hollow out and use as children’s Halloween costume. Also, don’t do…things with it, you weirdos.

p. 476 – Stan Lee Signature Cologne for Men:


Moustache not included. BUT IT SHOULD BE.

p. 492 – My Little Pony Equestria Girls:


So a while back on this site, I talked about a series of videotapes released by a certain indie comics publisher that featured girls in superhero outfits fighting each other, and when I made reference to this as essentially a fetish video, I received an impassioned response from said publisher that nothing could be farther from the truth, there’s no way videos of girls in costumes fighting each other could be construed as any kind of fetish thing.

Just came to mind, for some reason.

p. 497 – Swamp Thing Blu-Ray:


Finally, I can see each fold and zipper in every rubbery suit with the clarity I deserve. …Speaking of fetish videos.

Marvel Previews p. 8 – Infinity #3 Lego Variant:


Oh for God’s sake, yet another new kind of variant cover, but, um, well, it’s kind of cute NO STOP you know I guess it’s okay SMITE HIM

And then there was the time the Amazing Randi accused Superboy of being a fraud.

filed under Categories superman 8 Comments

Well, okay, it’s “Indra the Incredible,” not the Amazing James Randi, but, you know, we see what you’re doing there, E. Nelson Bridwell:


Scientific thinking and skeptical movements have enough trouble gaining traction in our real world, where UFOs and psychic powers and Atlantis are all a bunch of hokum. Any skeptics in the DC Universe don’t stand a chance: “ATLANTIS IS A MYTH!” “Hi, I’m Aquaman!” “mumble mumble lousy superheroes mumble”

There is Doctor Thirteen as sort of your token DCU skeptic, but talk about your uphill battles. But perhaps there are some fringe groups who think superheroes are just some kind of overblown media hoax, despite all evidence otherwise, who are probably regarded on the same level we hold those folks who think lizard people are secretly running world governments. …I’m pretty sure in the DC Universe the lizard people proponents have government funding and support and are hailed as freedom-protecting heroes.

Here’s young Clark Kent relating some of theories he’s heard about himself on Coast to Coast AM:


Ma Kent has some valid concerns:


…considering in the year 2013 some folks still flipped their lids because they were briefly exposed to a mixed-race family in a cereal commercial.

Anyway, it all works out for Superboy, at least…word on his Kryptonian origin gets out, and most people are cool with it. Hope that’s not a spoiler.

 
 

images from The New Adventures of Superboy #12 (December 1980) by E. Nelson Bridwell, Romeo Tanghal and Kim DeMulder

Kim Thompson.

filed under Categories fantagraphics, obituary 6 Comments

As I’m sure you know, Fantagraphics mainstay Kim Thompson has passed away at the far too young age of 56. I was a fan of Thompson’s work on The Comics Journal and Amazing Heroes, and of course have enjoyed many comics that he helped along the path of publication. Tom Spurgeon gathered together lists of some Thompson-related publications from fans here, and gives a more general overview of his contributions to the comics world here.

A few comics from the archives that have Thompson credited as editor:


Critters was Thompson’s funny animal anthology, containing a high-quality selection of material throughout its run. This issue, near the end of its run, was a follow-up to Mike Kazaleh’s sci-fi comedy Adventures of Captain Jack, catching up with a couple of cast members after the end of that series in a decidedly down-to-earth non sci-fi story. I see in one of the above links that Spurgeon mentioned Thompson’s dismay that Kazaleh didn’t have more exposure in the industry…well, I found Kazaleh thanks to Fantagraphics, and I’ve been a fan since. Once, at a local convention, Kazaleh was a guest, sketching Ninja Turtle after Ninja Turtle for kids, since that’s what he was working on at the time. I asked for a Captain Jack drawing, and he was so happy he almost insisted I take it for free!


I’ve spoken about Eye of Mongombo before…a bizarrely hilarious adventure book in the style of Carl Barks’ duck books, kinda sorta. Still not complete, but still completely great. Thompson is listed as editor, and if he was responsible for getting this published under the Fantagraphics banner…oh, man, thank you.


I miss seeing the occasional J.R. Williams comic from Fantagraphics, but I’m grateful for the ones we got.

I honestly don’t have a lot to add that hasn’t already been said more thoroughly and more eloquently by others about the passing of Kim Thompson. All I know is that his name was on a lot of comics and magazines I enjoyed, and I’m thankful for his efforts in bringing them to us.

So long, Kim.

Post #4000.

filed under Categories dc comics 36 Comments

Batman and Batman – Batman teams up with Batman to fight their arch-nemesis…Batman! Guest-starring Batman!

Swamp Thing Team-Up – Your favorite hero teams up with the rest of the DC Universe in this exciting new title!

Superman and the Flash – Earth’s two fastest heroes compete in race after race, in this dark and terrifying tale of obsession and fierce rivalry!

Justice League: Binky and His Buddies – Binky and pals get into wacky hijinks in each and every issue! Special guest stars: the Justice League!

All-Star Batman and Robin the Boy Wonder – the only Batman title worth reading returns in an all-new series, and is now part of official continuity! Everyone wins!

Jonah Blechs! – Mad Magazine gets a New 52 makeover in this all-new western-themed parody anthology! Cringe at our new mascot, Alfred E. Hex! Special guest star: Batman…er, I mean, Blech-Man!

O.M.A.C. – screw sales…we’re bringing it back! It’s awesome! Deal with it!

The Legion of Super-Pets – Finally, a Legion title that will sell, starring Krypto the Super-Dog, Comet the Super-Horse, Streaky the Super-Cat, Beppo the Super-Monkey, Proty II, and a timelost-from-the-20th-century Rex the Wonder Dog!

Superman Celebrates the Bicentennial – All new Revolutionary War adventure with Tomahawk! Not guest-starring Superman!

Detectives in Action – Slam Bradley and Congo Bill team up to fight crime, from the darkest city alleys to the deepest jungles!

Superman Dies! – Superman dies in each issue! How does he come back? Read the next issue!

Aquaman – Aquaman beats people up, swears a lot, smokes cigarettes, drives fast cars and gambles! He’s badass, yo!

Atom and the Hawkman – the powerhouse duo team up for another seven issue run!

Superman: The Married Life – we follow Superman through multiple ongoing what if Elseworlds scenarios, as he marries Wonder Woman, Lois Lane, Lana Lang, Lori Lemaris, Lex Luthor, and more!

Fishnets Ahoy! – Paul Dini and Brian Bolland bring you the Zatanna/Black Canary team-up comic you demanded!

Alfred – Batman’s butler gets up to awesome stuff while Bats is out doin’ his thing! You know you’d read this!

Justice League: G.I. Combat – hard-hitting war stories told by today’s top talents! Special guest stars: the Justice League!

Hot Wheels – the classic ’60s DC title returns, featuring the DCU’s most famous vehicles in exciting races! The Batmobile! The Supermobile! The Arrowcar! The Whiz Wagon!

Superboy and Supergirl – Copyrights are just as easily maintained in one title rather than two! Twenty pages filled every month!

Swamp Thing Forever – Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson pick up where they left off on their legendary horror comic!

Justice League: Swamp – Swamp Thing teams up with his predecessors, Alex Olsen Swamp Thing, the one that totally isn’t Man-Thing, the one that totally isn’t…well, okay, it’s the Heap, that awesome trilobite Swamp Thing, and Swamp Knucker just so we can say “Swamp Knucker” on a regular basis!

Dark Mansion of Forbidden Lobo – mysterious gothic romance and plenty of fraggin’ starring the last Czarnian!

Furry of Firestorm – our nuclear-powered hero finally finds a way to connect to his arch-nemesis, the Hyena — via the power of anthropomorphic costuming!

Bat-Mite Incorporated – the extra-dimensional imp sets up business in our world, with new Bat-Mites in every country! Thrill to Monsieur Mite!

Superman Chained – complete mundane daily activities with Superman, doing things that barely involve his powers, in strict six-to-nine panel grids! Sometimes he’ll warm up his coffee with his heat vision!

Birds of Prey Season Two – continuing the fan-favorite WB TV series! Batman still won’t be in it!

Nightwing Swimsuit Spectacular – Dick “Nightwing” Grayson fights crime in the sexiest, most daring swimsuits! The Sling! The Swimjammers! The simply shocking Gun Turret!

Suicide Squid – directly pandering to the few people left who remember comics Usenet! Will probably receive typical direct market sales figures!

Watchmen Plus – a brand-new ongoing series taking place immediately after the award winning graphic novel drawn by Dave Gibbons, and by an endless stream of creators you can add to your boycott lists! Guest-starring David Lloyd’s legendary character V!

Superman’s Weird Stalker Jimmy Olsen – pretty much self-explanatory! The dude made a signal-watch to bother Supes! I mean, c’mon!

Captain Marvel – the Big Red Cheese gets his own title, under his real, actual name! Bring it on, Marvel — try to sue us! We dare you! We’re not scared of Disney!

Justice League of Skeptics – Doctor Thirteen leads his group of skeptics (Randi, Plait, Novella, Wiseman) around the DC Universe, explaining to various superheroes why what they’re doing is actually physically impossible!

Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis – updated for the 21st century! Jerry sees a shadowy figure out of the corner of his eye…but when he turns, there’s nothing there! Creepy supernatural mystery!

Superman-Tim – the nigh-forgotten Golden Age title returns in an all-new revamped series, and Superman and his pal Tim Gunn take on the fashion disasters that have spread across the DC Universe!

Sugar Vs. Spike – those plucky toddler pals have grown up to become teenage rivals! And how does junior software magnate Bernie the Brain fit in?

Metal Men – the hardest rockin’ robots of all — will their tour dates take them to your town?

Challengers of the Known – Follow Ace, Haley, Rocky and Red and their continuing struggle against evolution, physics, biology, medical science, climate science, and more!

The Many Deaths of Dobie Gillis – an adult Dobie becomes a rugged and deadly vigilante, taking out criminals that the law can’t touch!

Scooby-Doomsday – what unspeakable events shaped a congenial talking dog into the universe’s most terrifying supervillain? Follow the tale of tragedy in this new ongoing series!

Beware the Creeper – the ongoing anti-heroic adventures of the super-“hero” who behaves really inappropriately towards women! An object lesson for the socially inept!

Teen Titans – Teen Robin! Flannel Flash! Wonder Goth! The heppest, grooviest, new-waviest super-kids in their own happenin’ title! It’s gnarly, daddy-o!

Justice League: Preacher – Jesse Custer moves to the DC Universe and reteams with his best pal, the vampire Cassidy, along with his girlfriend Tulip, as well as special guest star Cyborg, as they battle against the nefarious Captain God and his partner-in-crime, Felix Faust!

Phantom Stranger – the continuing saga of that dude who’s always hanging out, a friend of a friend or something, but never around when you need to, like, move a couch or paint a house or any stuff like that!

Justice League: Deathstroke – the Justice League fights Deathstroke issue after issue after issue, following up on their conflict from Identity Crisis which may or may not have happened, who knows!

The DC Avengers – Marvel’s popular super-team makes its most shocking brand-extension yet — into the DC Universe! Captain America recruits Looker, Blue Beetle, Elongated Man, and Blue Devil into an exciting new fighting force!

Batman and the Justice League – Batman takes on the role of headmaster at the Justice League School of Super-Heroing! Guest-starring Batman and the Justice League!

The New Green Lantern – based on the hit movie starring Ryan Reynolds! Will Sinestro go bad? Will that giant cloud-Parallax-thingie seek revenge? Will Hector Hammond continue screeching unpleasantly? Read this series and find out!

The Omega Men – Primus and his crew find themselves on a far-flung future Earth, fighting a world of vampires!

The Water No Longer Flows – a sensitive and informative biographical tale of a young man struggling through poverty and the loss of his family and friends in a war-torn Third World country. Special guest star: Booster Gold!

Superman’s Trunks – Superman’s little red pants make their triumphant return in this ongoing solo series!

Justice League: New Gods – okay, maybe THIS time it’ll stick! We’ll make some real money on these Kirby characters yet!

Wonder Woman – all-ages adventures featuring Wonder Woman fighting super-villains in bright, colorful and fun stories! …Hey, might as well dream big!