Chew the Fat: Weaknesses, Temptations and Vulnerabilities; Ours and Theirs...

 

Redartz:  This afternoon I was wrapping some Christmas presents. So what does that have to do with our topic? Well, for an artist / professional picture framer, my gift wrapping skills leave much to be desired. I can execute a painting or drawing with some success, but I can't fold gift wrap neatly around a box to save my life. Which got me to thinking, just what are my various weaknesses and vulnerabilities? 

 Everyone knows about Superman and Kryptonite, or Green Lantern and the color yellow (which always seemed a bit too convenient for his foes). 

 

Marvel heroes also have their failings and vulnerabilities, perhaps  less obvious but still extant. Where would Peter Parker be without crippling guilt? So there are some obvious examples. You can guess where this is headed.

What other vulnerabilities can you think of in the comics world? They might be physical, or mental, or magical (again, Superman- if someone came up with magic Kryptonite he'd be truly sunk). After all, its' those chinks in the armor that make a hero heroic, after all- without risk, there's not really any sacrifice.

Ah, but what about us? As this is the Holiday Season, we all are surrounded by temptations, distractions, and challenges even more than we normally face during the year. So as we consider our four color friends' weaknesses, let's consider ours as well. 

As for me, I mentioned my wrapping difficulties. Certainly not a crippling affliction, but it provides annual amusement and frustration for my wife ("How can you not wrap a present neatly?!?" ). By the way, I tried to use just about every available form of punctuation in that last sentence...

You just saw another of my weaknesses- a tendency to wander off point mentally. Which seems to be getting worse as the years go by. Focus, Red, focus. So what else 'gets' to me? I'm notoriously tempted by sweets, chocolate will draw me like the moth to a bug light. Which, returning to the Holiday theme, becomes very challenging indeed. And all those Christmas cookies; Santa is lucky if I leave him any at all. 

Aaaand, I always seem  to cram too much of everything into too little time, usually to the detriment of all of it.. Bet some of you can say the same there.  And so as to avoid cramming too much verbiage here, I'll turn the platform over to you now. What is your 'kryptonite', as it were? While thinking of comic heroes and their chinks, try to consider your own. What about you brings a knowing smile and eye roll from your 'significant other'? We're all breathlessly waiting to hear...

Oh, and at the risk of appearing self-indulgent, here is an example of one of my paintings, ink and watercolor.. My thanks for your indulgence...

 

Animation Congregation: The Openings You Couldn't Resist...

Redartz:  Hello everyone! I know it's been trying times for many of us these days, what with that irritating pandemic and all. So how about a big dose of Saturday morning goodness to lift the spirits a bit? 

For this overgrown kid, the opening sequences and themes for the cartoons were almost as much fun as the shows themselves. Hearing the first notes of the music, seeing the action on the screen; you just KNEW you were in for some great animated escapism. And seeing these today still gets me excited. So for your enjoyment, here are a bunch of my favorite openings, culled from the 60's to the 90's. Of course as an older Bronze Age baby (with apologies to Doug and Karen), my choices are weighted a bit to late 60's and early 70's shows. But the 1967 Spider-man and Fantastic Four cartoons, and certainly Jonny Quest, are classics that were shown for years after their debuts. So grab a bowl of cereal and  meet me in front of the tv...

King Kong (1967)

Spider-Man (1967)

Jonny Quest (1964)

Fantastic Four (1967)

Adventures of Superman (1966)

Batman: The Animated Series (1992)

Scooby Doo (1969)

Bugs Bunny Show (1962)

Drak Pack (1980)

 Josie and the Pussycats (1970)

Valley of the Dinosaurs (1974)

 Emergency Plus 4 (1973)

Now you've had a taste of my tastes; so let's hear about your favorites. What did you think of these intros, and what ones should I have included that got skipped this time?

Off the Bookshelf: Art Books, a Visual Treat

Redartz: Comics, obviously, are a visual medium. Composed of images, in combination with text; both elements working together to produce that unique art form we all know and love. And many of us have, on our bookshelves, collected volumes of comic stories: whether a gigantic Omnibus, or a small digest format. Graphic novels, Masterworks, TPB's, there are many formats and many names. All of these showcase the complete union of word and picture that is the comics medium.

For consideration today, however, I'm concentrating only on the artistic side of comics. "Just the pictures", if you will. In the space of a couple months, I've added two such books to my humble library. 
First off, "The DC Comics Art of Brian Bolland". 

 This gorgeous volume came courtesy of a huge discount sale at a local outlet store. The book is brimming full of rich reproductions of Bolland's fine penwork, represented mainly by the covers for which he is best known. The breadth of his career is covered, from the early 80's to the 2000's. What I found particularly interesting are his discussions about the technical aspects of drawing, and his 'behind the scenes' tales involving his DC comics work. Here are a couple examples of what lie within the pages...

A wonderful collection of Bolland's artwork, and a great book I'd recommend to any art aficionado. 

My second book was acquired most recently: "DC Comics' Comic Art Colouring". 

As opposed to the Brian Bolland volume, this book is 'just for fun'. You probably are familiar with the current popularity of 'adult coloring books'. Even my mother loves to exercise her creative side with them. Well, once I saw this at a Half Price Books store, I couldn't resist it. The whole book is comprised of black-and-white reproductions of various DC comic covers, panels, pages, and even some actual page swipes from vintage childrens' coloring books. Some great covers are featured, and also some rather pedestrian ones. My only minor gripe with this book is the overwhelming focus on Superman and Batman. Probably 90  percent of the book depicts one or both of them. There are, though, JLA appearances, Green Lantern, Atom, and others. I'd have thought they'd give Wonder Woman more print here, she doesn't get a single page to herself. 



Anyway, what could be a better relaxation pastime (and, for an artist, a good skills sharpener) than doing a bit of coloring? With that said, here are a couple shots from the book, including my first attempt at a page. Incidentally, I changed the color scheme on that Justice League cover; the original purple robot and dark green background didn't work for me...

So there you have two different examples of art in comics, have you more? Again, there are many great books out there on the subject; here's a few more to kindle your thoughts.

Short Cuts: Hard to Believe! Successful Comic Concepts that Challenged Your Acceptance!









Martinex1: Recently we have talked about our appreciated seriousness of comic book concepts (as well as the opposite lack thereof).  Today let's consider characters, situations, powers, gadgets, and predicaments that challenged your personal level of acceptance.   The suspension of disbelief is an important aspect of enjoying comic books, but what particularly successful concepts really were on the edge for you?  What "strange" things became relatively accepted in comic books, but you personally never really liked or struggled to appreciate fully.


I want to stick with successful and repeated particulars if possible (because there are just so many weird one-offs), but let's discuss and create a list of the things that just about annoy you enough to make you not buy a comic.


To get us started, here are an array of those types of things that give me pause.


CHARACTERS:   I always marveled that Fin Fang Foom was an accepted and acceptable archenemy of Iron Man.  The dragon always seemed like a stretch for me.  I don't particularly dislike the character, but he does make me scratch my head.   From his name to his pants, the villain is one that when I step back and look at it, he doesn't make a lot of sense.

Similarly, I have really come to enjoy the new Guardians of the Galaxy and the whacky team members.   But there is still something about Groot and Rocket Raccoon that screams "Silver Age Madness!" to me (even through Rocket is from the Bronze Age).   I have to give credit to the modern creators for making this work.  That is good writing and characterization if you can make me care about these characters.   But I still hesitate a bit.

GADGETS AND DEVICES:  I will probably generate a lot of debate and derision in the comments with this one, but I've always thought the Batmobile is just silly.

For some reason, I just cannot put it into the proper perspective.   How does it get built?  Can't it be tracked?   It is something that is so much a part of the Batman mythos, and because of that it actually had slowed my liking of the character.  Again, it seems like a very dated concept to me.

But if you think I am ripping on DC only, I will add that Reed Richard's Ultimate Nullifier is a complete contrivance.  And even certain uses of Spider-Man's webs leave me less than impressed.  

 

POWERS: Superman's X-Ray and Heat Vision! Ugh! Wonder Woman's Magical Lasso! Huh!

 

So what do you have to say?  Are there comic book concepts that challenge your acceptance?  And maybe you love them anyway?   Let's get the conversation started! Cheers!

 

Riding the Retro Metro: Saturday July 14, 1984!

Redartz:  Come one, come all; it's time again for a quick quest back to the Bronze Age, courtesy of the Retro Metro!  On the docket today is that epochal year 1984, a true high point in 80's pop culture. In the news, everyone's talking about the US presidential campaign, specifically Democrat Walter Mondale's choice of Geraldine Ferraro as his Vice-Presidential running mate: the first woman on a major party ticket. And there's the Los Angeles Olympic Games, opening despite the boycott by the Soviets. 

There's big news on the music front, as well. The number one song on the US Billboard Chart:  Prince, "When Doves Cry"

The genius from Minnesota gives us this gem from the soundtrack to his current film "Purple Rain". The whole album is incredible, and this cut is one of the best.

Rounding out the top five: 
2.  Bruce Springsteen, "Dancing in the Dark"
3.  The Pointer Sisters, "Jump (For My Love)"
4.  Billy Idol, "Eyes Without a Face"
5.  Duran Duran, "The Reflex"

This is one of those rare occasions when the top five all score high on my personal favorite list. Springsteen's hit is danceable, and infectiously melodic. Billy Idol's "Eyes" is a moody,masterpiece. And Duran Duran score another very catchy hit. 

Some other current hits of note:  Laura Branagan, "Self Control"; just a great song. Ray Parker Jr., "Ghostbusters"; impossible to get out of your head; the theme (obviously) to the current smash hit summer blockbuster film . Eddy Grant, "Romancing the Stone", another excellent movie song; from the man who took us to "Electric Avenue". Thompson Twins, "Doctor! Doctor!"- perfect pop from a fine new group (containing no twins, incidentally).

Tops in the UK:  Frankie Goes to Hollywood, "Two Tribes"

Great song and a cool video; and speaking of video, thanks to MTV and the various video music programs for exposing such acts to those of us in the US starving for the latest sounds from 'across the pond'. And one of these days I might just be seen wearing one of those "Frankie Say" t-shirts.



Ah, before we forget: being Saturday, there may be some benefit to checking out the Saturday morning cartoon highlights:   


Charlie Brown and Snoopy, Bill Melendez brings Charles Shultz' characters to Saturday mornings. It's one of the highlights, well worth a look. 
 



Dungeons and Dragons, based upon the immensely popular role playing game. Our D&D group enjoys catching this show. 

Bugs Bunny, Smurfs, Thundarr the Barbarian, The Incredible Hulk and Spider-Man- all veteran shows by now, but still worth watching. Especially Bugs; you can never go wrong with Warner Bros. cartoons!














As far as prime time is concerned, for tonight's televised offerings, let's check out the TV Guide...

US Television Schedule: 

William Shatner

ABC:  T.J. Hooker, The Love Boat, Fantasy Island

 These days I'm usually busy on Saturday nights. I've missed seeing William Shatner as T.J. Hooker , but I still catch Fantasy Island from time to time. Tattoo never gets old...

CBS:  Whiz Kids, Airwolf, Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer


NBC:  Diff'rent Strokes, Silver Spoons, Mama's Family, People are Funny, The Rousters

 




 NBC relies pretty obviously on it's comedy schedule on Saturday nights. I do have to give a nod to "Mama's Family": Vicki Lawrence is a hoot. Loved that whole shtick since it originated on the incomparable "Carol Burnett Show". A fine comic cast, as well...



 





BBC1:  The Saturday Film: Rio Bravo, Dynasty, Bird of Prey

BBC2:  Primal, Countdown to the Moon, Mick Burke Award 1984, Saturday Review, Cricket: Third Test, Newsnight International: Iran


You know, Saturdays are a perfect time to hit the comic shop (if you're fortunate enough to have one nearby) or the newsstand . Therefore, let's see what's new on the spinner racks:

There's still plenty of excellent reading in comics today! John Byrne continues his epic run on the Fantastic Four, and his Alpha Flight displays some of his finest writing (the terrific artwork needs no explanation). Walt Simonson's Thor is quickly becoming the subject of much attention. Beta Ray Bill is a new character with loads of potential..

There are a couple big anniversary issues out this month, Hulk 300 and Superman 400 (one of those spectaculars with a veritable "Who's Who" of creators involved; buy it for the pinups if for no other reason). 

Then there's "Secret Wars"; Marvel's big company wide project from Jim Shooter and Mike Zeck. Some love it, some hate it; I find it fairly entertaining. 

Away from the Big Two, the indies have loads to offer. Bill Messner-Loebs' "Journey" is one of the most unique, most engaging epics in comics. And "Love and Rockets", by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez, is truly wonderful. Graphically beautiful; not really for kids but perfect for a college art student!
So perfect, in fact, I'm off to read an issue. Thus, we say goodbye to 1984, and return to whenever/wherever we find ourselves now. Hope we triggered a few fond memories; if so, be sure to share!

Rank and File: Justice League of America, Roll Call!

Redartz:  Hi gang! Most of the time here at BitBA we seem to discuss Marvel Comics and their phenomenal cast of characters. So this time around, we'll give a chance to DC. Specifically, the Justice League. 

 The JLA has had as many lineup changes as the Avengers, and perhaps more. Of course, the League had a couple years head start. A wide range of characters have filled the membership logs of the JLA, including DC's biggest stars, and many of their lesser lights. From Superman to Blue Beetle, from Wonder Woman to Gypsy, much of DC's lineup have occupied the pages of DC's premier team book. 

There was the classic original lineup, with the likes of Green Lantern, Flash, Martian Manhunter and Wonder Woman (and frequently Superman and Batman). In the 70's there was the "Satellite Era", with a grand array of members, adding such names as Firestorm, Black Lightning, Elongated Man, Red Tornado, Black Canary and Green Arrow. In the 80's, a new era for the JLA gave us the lineup with Gypsy, Vibe, Steel, Vixen and John J'onzz. A few years later, after the Crisis on Infinite Earths, the "Bwa Ha Ha" league, with Batman, Black Canary, Captain Marvel, Dr. Fate, Blue Beetle, Booster Gold, Mr. Miracle, John J'onzz and Guy Gardner kept us entertained. 

Which lineup was the best? Which heroes had the biggest impact? What characters did you enjoy seeing in the book, and which ones could have stayed home? Give us your opinions, and I won't tell Batman about how you missed the membership meeting...