Animation Congregation: Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends!

Martinex1:  Back in 1981, NBC aired a Saturday morning cartoon that would have caught any Bronze Age comic book lover's attention...Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends!

  

 

 The show featured Spider-Man, Iceman, and newcomer Firestar.  Today we will keep it simple and share some tidbits, pictures and trivia about the show.

The original concept was for Spidey to team up with fire and ice powered heroes, Iceman and the Human Torch.  But much like what kept the Torch out of the revamped Fantastic Four show a few years earlier, Johnny Storm was also unavailable for Amazing Friends.  To resolve the issue on the FF show, the cartoon introduced Herbie the robot.  For Amazing Friends, Firestar was created.

Did you know that during the designing of Firestar, the creators toyed with naming her Starblaze, Firefly, and Heatwave before settling on Firestar?

Do you think Angelica Jones looks like Mary Jane Watson?   There are rumors that that was intentional but there has never been official confirmation.

Firestar appeared on the television show first; her introduction in comic books was two-fold.   She of course appeared in the one-shot adaptation of the first episode of the series. 

But she did not appear in the mainstream Marvel universe until Uncanny X-Men #193, where she was introduced as one of Emma Frost's students, one of the Hellions.  That was in 1985.

 She was fairly popular and even appeared in her own 4 issue limited series.

Did you know that in the cartoon, Firestar was voiced by Kathy Garver who played the eldest sister Cissy on the hit sitcom Family Affair?

The cartoon ran for a few years, and then was recycled as part of  a Spider-Man and Hulk cartoon hour.  A total of 24 episodes were produced and some guest-starred Marvel's elite heroes.  The X-Men appeared (with Wolverine having an Australian accent), as did Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor.   One episode actually featured the Black Knight.

The main cast consisted of the heroes, Aunt May and her dog named Ms. Lion.

 Occasionally some lesser known characters from the Marvel Universe would show up.  I never thought I would see Sunfire on television back then.

Although, the series did create new and less memorable characters, some of Marvel's elite villains showed up as well.

Some of the episodes were written by Don Glut.  If you recognize the name, it may be because he was a rather prolific writer for comics, television, and adaptations.  His work includes writing for Archie Comics, DC, and Gold Key.  He also worked for Marvel on What If, Captain America, and my favorite issues of Marvel Premiere (starring 3-D Man).  He may be best known for the novelization of The Empire Strikes Back.

The series was not as memorable as the early Marvel cartoons; it had its flaws.  One of my favorite gaffes is from the episode that explores Iceman's past.  As the story focuses on the original X-Men, take note of the below scene... there are two Cyclops in the picture!

 If you are looking for some Bronze Age cartoon fun, check out the series as you are bound to run into some great guest stars and some familiar scenes.

So what do you think?  Did you watch the show?  Did you enjoy the characters, plots, and guest stars?  Or was it just typical early 80's fodder?  Did you watch or were you too old for cartoons in 1981?  And how about Firestar; did her entry into comics do her justice, or was her limited exposure in the New Warriors just enough? We'd like to get your impression of this Spidey cartoon from back in the Bronze Age. Cheers!

This & That: Hulk Annual 7!



Hulk Annual 7; 1978

Redartz:  Hello, hulkophiles! For today's installment of "HULK WEEK," we will look at a great Hulk story from 1978. Appropriately, for a BIG character like ol' Greenskin, we feature a King-Size Annual: Hulk Annual 7!  This Bronze Age behemoth was brought to you by writer Roger Stern, penciller/co-plotter John Byrne, and inker Bob Layton. Now that's a top-notch combo.

Brief note for art lovers; pardon my scans- it was challenging to get an even scan with the flat-bound spine of this book; but I think you'll get the gist of things!

Martinex1:  The scans look great to me.   What a stellar creative team this book has!  I've always liked when Roger Stern and John Byrne team up.   This was obviously before their Captain America and Marvel: The Lost Generation runs, but you can definitely see the benefits of their partnership in this classic annual.


Redartz: Our story, in a Hulk-sized nutshell: 

 

It all starts with Warren Worthington III (Angel) watching a news story about the Hulk (and it looks like he's watching Walter Cronkite). The Hulk has been staying at Gamma Base with Doc Samson, where the attempt is underway to cure Bruce Banner from his verdant alter-ego. Angel is shortly the recipient of a visitor: his teammate Bobby Drake, the Iceman (with his own date along for the trip). 

Martinex1: This book was on the sale rack in May of 1978.  The Champions had finished up their run about seven months prior.   It was good to see Byrne bringing back Warren and Bobby for this; he wasn't using them in X-Men at the time.  And I always thought he drew a nice Angel; he had a good feel for the placement and handling of the wings.   That sure is a huge tube television Warren owns. 





Redartz: As the group relaxes poolside, another visitor shows up: a buckskin clad stranger, who soon is revealed as the Master Mold Sentinel! The Sentinel defeats Iceman and pursues Angel, who (seeking assistance) recalls that Gamma Base isn't far away. He lures the Sentinel there, where the arrival causes a ruckus awakening the Hulk. 

Martinex1:  I am not that familiar with the colorist for this issue, Janice Cohen.   But I think she did a tremendous job.  I really like the mood she creates.  I am not sure how much John Byrne had a hand in the direction, but the shadowy panels on the earlier splash page and here with Master Mold in the raincoat and hat stick with me.   In regards to the story, I had no idea that Master Mold could transform or change sizes until I read this. 




Redartz: You're right, Janice does the art proud with her colors here. And I wondered about the size-change thing too- and wondered where he got the idea for a buckskin disguise...
Battle ensues, and the Sentinel flies off with Angel and Iceman, and the Hulk hanging along. To where, you ask? To a satellite in orbit; a big one sized for a Sentinel.  





As even Hulk can't breath in space, he passes out, and is imprisoned along with Warren and Bobby in the Sentinel's satellite lab. Of course, no tube can hold the Hulk, so shortly all are freed, battle again rages. The 'Master Mold' Sentinel reveals himself to be the downloaded  remnant of Steven Lang, who had supposedly been blown up after facing the X-Men. But  Hulk doesn't need details, he just wants to deal with 'the robot', and literally rips the Sentinel apart. 

Martinex1:   The tubes they were trapped in reminded me of the same glass prisons many mutants were kept in back when the Sentinels were guided by Larry Trask in Neal Adam's X-Men run.   I like that continuity as it seems logical that the Sentinel's tools would be consistent.

In the panel where the Hulk stands amongst the wreckage of the robot, does ol' Greenskin seem too small to you?   It is an amazing shot with a lot of impact but I did not think Master Mold was that big.

 





Redartz: Good point about the size! In the earlier panel with the unconscious Hulk grasping the Sentinel's foot while hurtling through space, the size comparison seems similar to the panel you mention. That must have been one mighty big satellite...
 Meanwhile, it turns out the Sentinel had activated the self-destruct (every satellite has one, of course). Angel and Iceman try in vain to convince Hulk to 'abandon ship'; he knocks them back to earth. Upon emerging from the escape capsule, they are met by the Hulk: not blown to bits, he just fell to earth with them!


I wasn't familiar with the specifics of the Hulk's storyline at this point in time, so the situation at Gamma Base was new to me. No problem here, though, Roger Stern and co-plotter John Byrne put together a fine, self-contained story that explains all you need to know (while including many references to events in other books). I did recognize Doc Samson, General Ross and Jim Wilson from some previous Hulky reading, and the Warren's reference to the Champions plane was a nice nod to that book. Stern really gets the details right, a trait he showed emphatically later with Spider-Man and the Avengers. 

Martinex1:  Ha! Yes, it has really become a sci-fi trope to have some kind of mechanism to cause the entire self-destruction of a ship.   From Alien to Star Wars to the Hulk annual, there is always something that makes everything go "Boom!" if things get out of hand.  

It is interesting you mention that you weren't following Hulk at the time; I would only pick up issues of this era intermittently.    The one thing about the Hulk though is that I always felt I knew his character, so jumping in wasn't strenuous.  Stern and Byrne handle him well here.


Redartz: The reveal of and battle with the Sentinel were well done. The clever use of the frozen swimming pool was cool (sorry, couldn't resist), and Warren's desperate flight to Gamma Base was both appropriate and dramatic. The Hulk fight was unique, as well; I loved the scene with ol' Greenskin gettting doused. His expression says everything.

Regarding the Hulk, I was impressed with the depiction of his mental capabilities. It went far beyond the old "Hulk smash." His argument with Samson evidenced that the Hulk was putting that head to some use, and showed he didn't appreciate the low esteem others had for that head. Seeing a bit more personality in Hulk really made him more engaging, less 1-dimensional. Of course, this portrayal may have been the prevailing approach then, I don't know as I wasn't following it at the time. HB, I trust you will set me straight.

Martinex1:  It always seemed to me that the Hulk had a range of emotions and relative intelligence based on his experiences, and I thought this fit into his wheelhouse.   Though like you said the prevailing instinct is to assume Hulk is more mindless than this.   When I read these older stories, I like how the Hulk is almost portrayed as a bad guy, powerful and dangerous, but he just happens to be on the side of the angels.   I like imagining how he'd take down other powerhouses if they crossed him wrong.  He is unpredictable but astonishingly fun to root for. 


Redartz: The artwork? Absolutely gorgeous. Those Rocky Mountain landscapes are magnificent. Angel's wings never looked more three-dimensional. The outer space vistas- breathtaking. Byrne in this era never disappoints, and this time he Hulkin' nails it! And those Layton inks- not commonly seen on Byrne, but what a combo! A very striking, effective combination of styles. Layton's tight inks just add a luster to Byrne's fine pencils. A joy to look this book over. 

Martinex1: I too really like the art here.   John Byrne, infamously has remarked on Bob Layton's inks - suffice it to say that Byrne did not like them at all.   I, like you Redartz, really like the combination.  On occasion, I agree with Byrne that Layton over-inks the faces and mouths.   I can see that, particularly when compared to Terry Austin's work, and if it is brought to my attention I may lean Byrne's way slightly on that.   But I do however like Layton's level of detail, use of shadow, and minor lines and overall think he is a plus to Byrne's pencils.

Since we have talked about the rest of the creative team, I'd also like to point out the lettering work by James Novak.   Again, I am not sure if it was all at his discretion (or if Byrne had drawn them into the panels) but there were a number of sound effects used to great impact.   Sometimes the sounds were melded into the background of the action  (as in the panels above when the Hulk takes down Master Mold) and sometimes they seemed to reverberate.  


Redartz: I found the ending slightly predictable but fun. We knew Hulk wasn't going to be obliterated in space, but seeing the reactions of Warren and Bobby as Hulk climbed out of the water was great.
All told, an fine annual, a solid enjoyable story that kept my interest throughout. Excellent artwork, and a nice protrayal of the Hulk. Time well spent. 

Martinex1:  I agree completely.   Sure it ends rather succinctly, but it is a self-contained annual and I feel it is better than most.  I am glad I read this again; it wasn't a Marvel universe impacting story but it was really entertaining one-off with a great amount of energy and top notch fight scenes.

The Good:  Redartz:  Again, the artwork. I'm still glassy eyed from admiring it.  Martinex1:  I am with you there; top talent at the peak of their enjoyment and creativity.  There were also some moments of humor like when Hulk bopped Doc Samson on the head; I like that blend of drama, action, and smiles.

The Bad: Redartz: Nothing really, the only minor complaint: it sort of seemed like an Angel/Iceman story guest starring the Hulk. Perhaps a bit more face time for the Big Guy would have made this book even better. But a very small complaint. Martinex1:  That is a great point, and I thought the two X-Men were good straight men for the Hulk's savagery.   The bad for me is that this creative team didn't do more together.

The Ugly: Redartz: Hulk's disembowelment of the Sentinel. Glad he was machine and not flesh and blood. Yuck. Martinex1:  Yes indeed!  No ugly here - just really glad you suggested this story.   Cheers!

When the creative team is clicking; even the most basic plot points seem grand!

Rank and File: Pop Culture Icy Icons!

Martinex1:  We at BITBA truly appreciate having viewers from around the world; and we are also somewhat jealous of you that are from a more moderate or even tropical climate.   In the upper midwest of the U.S.A. and much of North America, we have been dealing with horrendous snow, ice, and low temperatures this past week.  You know it is bad when your eyelashes stick together and your cheeks go numb after two minutes of chiseling crystals on the inside of your car window.

In honor of the wintery weather, let's rank the ice based characters and pop culture entities from all genres.   It seems we have a myriad of snow ball throwing terrors and zero degree denizens to choose from, so give us your top three favorites (including the reasons why) and also list one who just leaves you cold.

Here are my selections:

1) Captain Cold: Leonard Snark is one DC character and villain that I have liked for a long time.  I cannot remember exactly when I first encountered the cold criminal (it was in a Flash comic when the rogues teamed up), but I was fascinated by him from the beginning.  I liked his design with Parka hood and the goggles.  He didn't look like anybody else and he used his gun in dangerous and creative ways.   Sometimes ice characters can seem one note, but Captain Cold always seemed like a serious adversary.  I actually bought DC books when he was on the cover.
2) Killer Frost: What?  Two DC Characters on my list?   Has my brain been addled by the -15 wind chill?  Nope - not at all.   I recently reread some Fury of Firestorm issues while preparing for some posts and I have to say that I liked the Killer Frost character.   She was different than other villains and had a weird fascination with her heroic enemy.  And for a female character in the late 70s and early 80s, she was quite powerful, dangerous, conniving, and complex.  
3) (Tie) Slurpees and Icees: Okay I know these are beverages and not characters, but I did say "pop culture" and these delicious drinks literally give me a headache even on a hot day!  Favorite flavors:  Cherry and Blue Raspberry!

As far as the worst (in my opinion), I never thought Bobby Drake / Iceman was used to his potential at all.  I am not saying he couldn't be a great character; he was an X-Men after all.  But I don't think any writer or creative team ever found the proper voice for Bobby in the Silver and Bronze Ages.  He could have used his powers in so many strange and wonderful ways, but he was relegated almost to teenage sidekick status and never emerged from the D List.  From almost every standpoint, the character never cut it. 

So what do you say?  Here are some photos to get your brain boiling; you may be surprised how many cool characters there are to draw from.   Cheers!