Super Friends Coloring Book Original Art by Alex Toth

Check this out! Later this month there's an auction of original preliminary drawings the master, Alex Toth, did for a 1975 Super Friends coloring book! I'm amazed stuff like this is still around, considering material like this was usually used in-house and then discarded. But of course, this is Alex Toth we're talking about here--even his napkin scribbles were worth preserving.

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

Challenge of the Super Friends Storyboards by Alex Toth

Check out these super-cool storyboards for episode 9 of Challenge of the Super Friends, "Revenge on Gorilla City" by the master, Alex Toth. Toth's little thumbnails were so beautiful, so full of life, that sometimes I think you could just print them all and release them as comic books, full stop.

I love how much energy and character Toth managed to put into the faces of Giganta and Grodd, and how simply rendered Black Manta's chrome dome is. They are a pure pleasure to look at.

Behind the Scenes with the Super Friends

Back when DC steroided-up a lot of their regular series into monthly 100-page giants, they slotted in lots of fun little bonus material to fill up the books (in this case, World's Finest Comics #224). Case in point, this keen "Behind the Scenes with the Super Friends" three-page feature giving all us kids a glimpse into how the show is made.

While Aquaman is not seen or mentioned in this piece (other than in the classic SF stock art by Alex Toth), I still love it: I think it was via the Super Friends show that I first ever saw Aquaman, and it was articles like these that helped plant the seeds for my future career in illustration. Plus, I could look at those Toth storyboards all day!

Super Friends Storyboards by Alex Toth

I found this scan of some Super Friends storyboards by The Master, Alex Toth, on a random Google search one day--Batman and Robin vs. Black Manta! (click to embiggen)

Alex Toth's storyboards were so complete, so evocative, that I'd love to see someone compile them all into one book and just release it as a sort of comic book--you pretty much can follow his boards like they're completed art, they're that good.

I honestly don't remember what episode of this is from--it would have to be Challenge of the Super Friends since that's the only SF series that Manta appeared in. Anyone have an idea of the episode?

DC Super Friends Maquette - 2003

As stated in the previous post, I had plans to sort of "take the day off" from the Shrine, but destiny (and a large group of F.O.A.M.ers) had other plans.

A few days ago, I found this package sitting on my doorstep. I was intrigued by the return address:

...F.O.A.M. HQ? I thought my house was F.O.A.M. HQ!

Anyway, I opened it up, and inside was the Aquaman maquette from the Super Friends line by DC Direct! Great Neptune!

This was one of those Aqua-Items I of course always wanted, but dropping $90(MSRP) on any Aquaman doodad was just not in the cards (at the time of its release, 2003, or now) so I let it pass me by. But, thanks to the generosity of Russell and his fellow F.O.A.M.ers, it was now mine mine mine all mine!

Once I composed myself, I took this baby down to my favorite photographic spot, the lake by our house, and snapped a couple of pics on a crystal clear summer day:

...measuring 9" tall and bearing the classic Alex Toth character design, this is one beautiful piece.

I am of course humbled that so many of you would put in the time and money to get me something for my birthday, since its all of you that makes the Shrine what it is. That said, this baby is mine mine mine all mine!


Update: Between writing this and posting it, Russell informed me that he did not send me this; rather, its the work of some F.O.A.M.er who asked to be anonymous. C'mon, anon, fess up and take a bow!

Aqua T-Shirts, Part 3

This is another Aquaman T-shirt from the vast collection of F.O.A.M. member extraordinaire Russell Burbage.

This shirt is pretty darn obscure, based as it is from a panel from Limited Collectors Edition #C44, the all-Super Friends issue. But its such a happy, fun shot (by Alex Toth, of course) that I think it makes for a really great t-shirt--even if Aquaman is tucked way in the back.

Way cool, thanks again Russell!

Limited Collectors' Edition #C41 - Dec. 1975

Comics Weekend Time for something a little different for today's Comics Weekend installment.

As most of you know, I am an obsessive fan of over-sized, "treasury" comics. But unfortunately, as an Aquaman fan, DC's treasuries were exceedingly frustrating, because Aquaman made so few appearances in them, even via reprints, from which most of these books were put together.

But this book--Limited Collectors' Edition #C41--is a glorious exception, because not only does it feature two Justice League of America reprints, but it comes with an amazing, all-new wraparound sequence, set in the Hall of Justice and drawn by the incomparable Alex Toth!

And since this book always reminds me of the summertime (even though it was released in September), I thought now was a good time to talk about it on the Shrine. Here's the opening pages, courtesy regular Super Friends writer E.Nelson Bridwell and Toth:

At this point, the book shifts to a reprint of "Operation: Jail the Justice League!" by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, and Sid Greene from Justice League of America #61.

This story is about all the JLAers posing as Green Arrow to help foil a plot by a group of super-villains, including a villain of Aquaman's named Cutlass Charlie, who was never seen before or heard from again:

Cutlass Charlie quickly got out of super-villainy and got a job as a greeter at Arthur Treacher's.

Anyway, after that first story is over, we catch back up with the Super Friends as they continue their tour for Wendy and Marvin:

Then its time for another reprint, "The Case of the Disabled Justice League!", from Justice League of America #36, by Fox, Sekowsky, and Bernard Sachs.

This is a sweet story--one of my all-time favorites--where the JLA, in taking on the supervillain Brain Storm--show a group of disabled kids that being handicapped doesn't mean you can't lead a successful, fulfilling life (using examples like FDR, Helen Keller, and Beethoven).

We then get one last page of Toth's Super Friends, including a shot of...Aqua-Marvin?:

As if all this wasn't enough, the book finishes up with a ten-page article--drawn and hand-lettered by Toth in that famous style of his--about how TV cartoons are made. For a kid reading stuff like this for the first time, its an amazing glimpse into how these shows--which seemed like magic to my five-year-old mind--were actually made.

The book's back cover is this wonderfully...well, friendly goodbye from the Super Friends:

'Bye, Super Friends!

Black Manta Color Model Sheet by Alex Toth

After yesterday's video, I thought we'd spend a little more time on Black Manta this week, with this colored model sheet for the Challenge of the Super Friends version of Black Manta, which was sent to me by F.O.A.M.er Tommy Brookshire of the Bat-Blog. Thanks Tommy!

It's amazing to think, that its pretty much just from Manta's one season on the Super Friends show that he is as well known as he is in the wider culture (I think if you asked 100 random people who is Aquaman's #1 foe, at least some of them would be able to name Manta, while not a one would mention Ocean Master).

Part of it had to be that voice--that genius combo of voice actor and the reverb/echo effect was just so unusual, so memorable.

Plus, how does he get his head in there like that?

Aquaman Color Model Sheet by Alex Toth

This shot of the colored model sheet for the Super Friends version of Aquaman was sent to me by F.O.A.M.er Tommy of the Bat-Blog. Thanks Tommy!

I've talked about Alex Toth's pitch-perfect version of Aquaman before, so what else is there to say? This is very first version of Aquaman I ever remember seeing, setting the template for an obsession that will carry me through the rest of my life.

Nice job, Mr. Toth!
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Shameless Plug Dept.: Today is the debut of my newest character-centric blog, I Am The Phantom Stranger.

Hopefully, in time I can do for the Stranger what I've managed to do for Aquaman here...introduce him to comics fans unfamiliar with the character before now, as well as giving those who already know and love the guy a place to revel in The Phantom Stranger's mysterious and unique charms.

And when else to start up a Phantom Stranger blog than on Halloween?

Super Friends Paper Plates - 1977

If you find yourself with more Twinkies than you can carry on your own (thanks to yesterday's swell sales pitch), then you can use these spiffy Super Friends paper plates to handle the job.

I simply never get tired of looking at this piece of Alex Toth art. I hear those opening "Bom-bom-bombom" Super Friends opening theme notes every time I look at it.

Curious, this sealed pack of plates comes in a quantity of eight--not five, not ten--but eight. Apparently the Super Friends weren't above participating in that weird 6 pack of Hot Dog buns/8 pack of Hot Dogs conspiracy foisted on us by Big Business.


And as you can see, my family got a lot of use out of these plates in the 70s:

Black Manta Model Sheet by Alex Toth

This was the other Aqua-related model sheet from Alex Toth's book By Design!, featuring page after page of his marvelous character designs.

As popular a villain in the comics Black Manta was, it was his debut in Challenge of the Super Friends--with that unforgettable voice--that vaulted him into the popular culture. He remains pretty much the only Aquaman villain anyone who has never read a comic book has probably heard of.

Too bad Hanna-Barbera never had any scripts for the show that would've guest-starred Mera; I would've loved to have seen a Toth model sheet for Aquaman's queen!

Super Friends Loot Bag - 1977

I never went to a birthday party that was Super Friends themed except my own; hence I never got one of these awesome Super Friends loot bags.

Truth be told, if anyone ever had handed me one of these at a party, I probably would've dumped the crap inside of it and just kept the bag. I simply never get tired of seeing this classic Alex Toth piece.

Aquaman Model Sheet by Alex Toth

This nifty model sheet is of course by The Master, Alex Toth, from his book of animated character designs, By Design!

I can't be exactly sure, but the Toth/H-B version of the Sea King might well have been the first time I ever saw the character--I can't remember not watching The Super Friends, so Toth's simple, heroic take on the character most likely set the template for Aquaman in my mind for life, just as it probably did for an entire generation.

Super Friends Party Favors, Circa 1977/1978

Today's my birthday, so I thought I'd run my two favorite family photographs, both Aqua-related of course!

My Dad got two weeks of vacation every year, and we always spent them in a cabin at the Poconos, in Pennsylvania. The cabin overlooked Lake Wallenpaupack (immortalized in the "Booze Cruise" episode of The Office) and we always went the same time in mid-August, which covered my birthday and my parent's anniversary.

Even though there was no TV and not much to do, I loved going to what we called "the Mountains." I would anticipate the four-hour drive for weeks, amassing a huge pile of comics for the trip up, and once we got there I would constantly badger my parents to take me to the various newsstands, tobacco shops, and grocery stores that all carried comics. Sitting on the porch, looking out over the lake, reading my comics was heaven. Of the few comics I still have kept from my collecting days, the vast majority of them were ones purchased up in the Mountains.

Anyway, as you can see from these photos of my birthday celebrations, taken in 1977 and then in 1978, I was a creature of habit. I loved the Super Friends--and a certain orange-suited Sea King, who was of course among them--so these two photos are nearly indistinguishable from each other, save the "6" and then "7" candles(and the addition of a Tie-Fighter in '78). I was easy on my parents(in that way, at least). Heck, we probably had the same decorations in August 1979, too.

So Aquaman was always there, present for some of the best times of my childhood. Is it any wonder I have this blog?

Super Friends Placemat - 1976

Can you imagine having this beauty staring up at you from under your bowl of Count Chockula (or FrankenBerry, if you will) first thing in the morning? You'd just know it was going to be a good day, having the Super Friends smiling up at you like that.

It's not until I recently starting adding Super Friends stuff to my Aquaman collection that I began to fully understand how much of a merchandising juggernaut the show was in the seventies. I've come across literally hundreds of products either specifically created around the show or some pre-exisiting item retrofitted as to be a piece of SF merchandise.

And of course, all us Aquaman fans everywhere have that show's enormous success to thank for Aquaman's enduring, seemingly-indestructible presence in pop culture, even though that popularity has never been reflected in the arena of his original creation, comic books.

When I won this on ebay, it was for a set of four, so someday I can have a really fun, uber-nerd dinner party...

Drinks All Around - Aquaman WB Store Coaster - 1999

For my first piece of merchandise proper, I thought I'd start with something I really like (oh boy, will we get to some crap later). This was one of a four-coaster set sold at the late, great WB stores (thanks for nothing, AOL), along with, of course, Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. All with gorgeous, perfect Alex Toth art (redundant, I know).

When I packed up most of the Shrine to go into storage, I kept this out, and it sits, to my left, as I type this.