Noetic Concordance

Well, damn. Maybe I will get an iPad

2010-04-02T20:18:00.001-05:00

Wired has a review of Marvel's iPad app and it looks pretty sweet.

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R.I.P. Dick Giordano

2010-03-27T20:56:00.000-05:00

R.I.P. Dick Giordano

_

Whew! Take that Senator Kelly!

2009-05-18T20:03:00.001-05:00

Hypericon Gaming Schedule

2009-04-25T18:34:00.001-05:00

The Hyperion 2009 game schedule has been posted. We've also added some new guests.

Hypericon 5! June 5 - 7. Nashville, TN.

BatLogo Evolution

2009-03-20T17:52:00.000-05:00

See more funny videos and TBT Videos at Today's Big Thing.

Cosmopolis Lexicon

2009-03-15T23:56:00.006-05:00

The three of you who are still reading this or who are seeing this post through the magic of the RSS feed might be interested in the Cosmopolis Lexicon. A Lexicon is a shared world-building exercise created by a really cool guy called Neel Krishnaswami a few years ago.

Click the link above for details on that.

This Lexicon features the superheroes and supervillains of a fictional city called Cosmopolis. The game begins on March 18, 2009 and is open to anyone who's interested.

Check it out.

Thanks.

Awesome Cover Friday: The Spirit Part Two

2008-12-05T00:31:00.001-06:00

Hey, Kids! It's part two of my Spirit coverfest! Part one is over here.

What I said yesterday still stands but I want to point out Eisner's use of shadow and line. Especially in the first two covers below. Also, I want to reiterate how awesome it is that each of these covers tells a story. Each image feels active as if there are things happening before and after it instead of just being a portrait.

Awesome Cover Friday: The Spirit Part One

2008-12-04T14:10:00.004-06:00

I love The Spirit. I have a deep fondness for Will Eisner's work and I am a big fan of Darwyn Cooke's recent reboot. I have such a love for this comic that I am making this Awesome Cover Friday last two days. The covers below are from Kitchen Sink Press's reprints of the post-WWII spirit issues.

I'm not going to comment on each one because they speak for themselves. Each one is an exemplar of what comic-book covers should be. They are evocative and each one practically tells a whole story in a single image. It really makes me want to see how The Spirit got into that predicament and, more importantly, how he's going to get out.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Feature Comics

2008-12-03T14:57:00.006-06:00

Greeting, subcreatures. I have returned to shake each of you out of the stupor induced by your recent food-and-gratitude orgy.

For the record, I am thankful for my three brains, limoncello, and lax extradition treaties. Now, go and enjoy the jocularity! King Clownape commands you!

Vaklam: Thanks again, your majesty and welcome back. This week, we're going back to the late 1930s - early 1940s to focus on Feature Comics:

I so want the octopus to be named Vincent so this cover will be the lead-in to a Twilight-Zone style twist ending!

Joe Palooka was actually a highly-skilled assassin. Knobby was never seen again after this tragic "hunting accident".

Fun Fact! This same cover also appeared on an issue of Laundry Fetish Quarterly,

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday Goes to Hell

2008-11-19T00:02:00.008-06:00

Ah, Marvel Comics in the 1970s. They were both awesome and ridiculous. This was the company and the decade that brought us Hellcow, Manphibian, Shang-Chi, Heroes for Hire, the motorcycle-riding Ghost Rider, and a whole slew of monster titles.

They also brought us Daimon Hellstrom, Son of Satan. You know how he got that nickname? It's because he's literally Satan's kid. Unlike his sister Satana (now, that's a name!), Daimon rebelled against his father and sought to do good. Seriously, though, how surprised can Satan be when his son betrays him? He really should have seen that coming.

Daimon (not Damien, please don't sue!) was a badass magician and healer who went around the Marvel Universe kicking ass. And being the son of Satan. Check out the covers from his title:

This comic wasn't messing around. You know that climactic confrontation that most story arcs end with. This one started with it! Take that dramatic expectations!

Marvel was known for it's hyperbole, especially on its covers. This is the company that proclaimed The Fantastic Four to be "The Worlds Greatest Comic Magazine" every single month. Now, let's take a look at the text in the lower right-hand corner of the cover:

Possibly the most thrill-packed supernatural adventure you'll read this month!

Hey, now! Don't get cocky, Marvel copy writers!

What's with all the qualifiers? "Possibly" and "this month" are bad enough but to further limit this issue's competition by only including supernatural adventures does not inspire the reader with confidence.

Holy crap! That dude's got three faces! And he's fighting Satan!

Hmmm. Maybe this one should have gone in with the Awesome covers.

Again with the Watchmen

2008-11-15T00:06:00.003-06:00

I just saw the new Watchmen trailer and hoo-boy! I continue to be encouraged by what I'm seeing.

Also, I noticed something on the Ozymandias poster that thrills me beyond words:

That long-eared cat thing looks exactly like the ones Gibbons drew. Aieeeee!

I am easily amused. Carry on.

Awesome Cover Friday: Creepy

2008-11-14T00:11:00.002-06:00

Apparently I've still got Halloween on the brain because I was thinking about Creepy the other day and how cool the covers were. Creepy was technically a magazine due to its larger format but it contained sequential art so to me it counts as a comic book. The covers did a great job of selling the stories inside.

Frank Frazetta did a lot of covers for Creepy and this is one of my favorites. I love the dark palette and the sense of claustrophobia the image evokes. Also, the fact that you can't quite make out all the details on that beast just rocks.

This cover by Vic Prezio is in sharp contrast to the moody, dark Frazetta above but it is no less effective. The palette is bright but still fairly limited. Prezio's sense of composition and line really comes through on this piece.

Here's another cool Frazetta piece that is more indicative of his fantasy-action work. That dude with the knife has got his work cut out for him.

This is one of the Creepy covers that lives up to the magazine's title. It's by Kenneth Smith and there's not much I can say about it that the image doesn't say for itself.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday From Beyond The Grave

2008-11-13T00:29:00.009-06:00

Casper's adventures were pretty lighhearted, in general. However, in the 1970s, the editors at Harvey Comics approved a title which put a darker spin on the character. They added a spectral horse named Nightmare to the Casperverse and the two of them rode around the world making more dead people in the name of their unholy lich lord, Morguul.

This policeman reported a strange sighting out past the old Johnson place on Highway 4. He was never heard from again but they say that on moonless nights, when the wind is right, you can hear a spectral voice saying, "Is this sort of thing even my jurisdiction?"

And here we have Casper and Nightmare cooperating to lead ships to their doom against the sharp, unforgiving rocks. There was much celebrating in the Grand Bonehalls of Morguul's blood-soaked realm that night.

Having a drought, boys? Well, let's see how you like it when my horse and I drink all your water. And here's the kicker! We don't even need it! We're already dead! See you in hell, amigos!

Hey, Sonny Bono! Race you to the bottom! Loser buys the hot chocolate!

Casper Covers Preview

2008-11-12T13:53:00.005-06:00

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday is going to be Weird-Ass Cover Thursday this week. So, here's a hint of what I'm working on:

Hey everybody! It's DEAD-alus.

Thank you, I'll be here all week.

And here's everyone's favorite spectre on his dead, rabid horse!

More ghoulish hilarity tomorrow.

Watchmen Posters Revealed

2008-11-12T10:35:00.004-06:00

These look pretty sweet:

Click here for more images.

Hope? Hope!

2008-11-05T10:33:00.004-06:00

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday is taking a week off. King Clownape has retreated to an undisclosed location but he reports that two thirds of him is pleased with the results of the recent US presidential election.

Speaking of which, does Alex Ross need to 'have a talk' with the Obama campaign? You be the judge!

It's a good thing this didn't come to light during the campaign.

Kelly Does Zatanna

2008-11-04T22:50:00.001-06:00

So, Zatanna is one of my favorite characters and Ryan Kelly is one of my favorite artists.

Behold!

VOTE!

2008-11-04T09:24:00.000-06:00

OK, so this isn't directly comics related but if you are in the US and have not yet done so:

BPAL + Gaiman = CBLDF Win!

2008-11-02T01:26:00.003-05:00

The Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab has released a series of scents inspired by Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book.

This is awesome news for two reasons:

1. BPAL makes incredible scents that people go crazy over. Seriously, I've seen it. Dozens of women in a hotel lobby sniffing each other.

2. The proceeds from every single bottle go to the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

Go buy yourself something nice.

Video Time: Sing - Dresden Dolls

2008-11-01T12:03:00.000-05:00

The Dresden Dolls are one of my favorite bands and this is one of their best songs. There are two versions of this video but I like this one better because a friend of mine is in it.

Hey (web)kids! Webcomics!

2008-11-01T00:37:00.006-05:00

Happy Day after Halloween! Here are some of my favorite recent webcomics:

Cat and Girl go trick-or-treating!

OK, this one from Dinosaur Comics isn't Halloween-themed but it is funny.

Finally, Vexxar and crew sit around telling scary stories:
Click image to Embiggen

Awesome Cover Friday - Halloween Style!

2008-10-31T00:00:00.002-05:00

Monster comics hit their peak in the 1970s. Marvel put out a ton of scary titles featuring Ghost Rider and various relatives of Satan. But since this is Halloween and this is a pop-culture blog I am bound by the Monster Squad Act of 1976 which states that at least one reference must be made per year to the iconic movie monsters Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster, and The Werewolf.

Sweet! This one's got a giant spider and a dude in flashy RenFest garb! It really captures the combination of action-adventure and creepy horror that Marvel did so well.

Damn! Just...damn! This is one messed-up cover. I really want to know what's going on in this issue.

Also? My D&D character totally fought something like that and got a badass sword and, like, a billion experience points out of it.

Just in case you thought the movie monsters weren't part of the larger Marvel Universe, we have Silver Surfer throwing down with Dracula. I don't know what the vampire did to piss off Galactus's herald but he's gonna be sorry.

Doom '08

2008-10-30T00:02:00.005-05:00

Last year, for election day, I featured some outstanding election-type covers. Two of them featured Dr. Doom as president. And with the US presidential election coming up soon, I thought I'd post an update:

See more here.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday - Black Diamond Western

2008-10-29T00:00:00.003-05:00

Black Diamond Western ran in the early 1950s and had some of the wackiest covers ever. OK, maybe not Rex The Wonder Dog wacky but these things are insidious.

If only we had listened to Black Diamond, we wouldn't be in this mess! Damn sub-prime mortgages!

Black Diamond don't let a little thing like Euclidean geometry get in the way of meting out justice. The Law of the Frontier takes precedence over the Laws of Physics. Is he the sheriff of Flatland?

Ahd the snake pit! And the horde of ninjas!

And ebola!

And the fact that your torso is twisted at a hideous angle!

This might just be the best comic-book cover ever. This one practically has an entire issue's worth of words on it. Let's break down the elements that make this great:

A wicked awesome villain named Randito who refers to himself in the third person.
A guitar that is actually a gun.
The sentence "Oh! Your guitar is a gun!"
Horse fight.

Badasses on Parade

2008-10-28T14:22:00.004-05:00

It's been a while since I put up a Baddass Files entry for you but Scott from Polite Dissent has done it for me by celebrating Teddy Roosevelt.

Speaking of badasses, check out this dude from the cover of Black Diamond Western. He's gonna knock that door down with his head!
I also want to bring your attention to the guy in the front who is such a huge Charles Biro fan that he has put his name on his hat. And the fellow on the far left whose concern for his floors has caused his beer to defy the laws of physics.

Shortpacked Weighs In

2008-10-27T09:13:00.005-05:00

Thanks, Shortpacked!

Video Time: Ready To Go

2008-10-25T00:34:00.000-05:00

This week, Video Time moves out of the 80s and straight into the mid 90s! Republica burned hot and fast but while they were around they put out some rockin' electronic music. I saw them live in '97 and it was a hell of a show. Kinda like this video but louder.

Awesome Cover Friday - Whiz Comics

2008-10-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Whiz Comics began with issue #2 in 1940. It was also the first appearance of Captain Marvel. You know who else showed up in that issue? Spy Smasher, that's who!

I usually reserve the old-school covers for Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday, but this week, I want to take a few minutes to highlight the awesome that some of these WWII-era covers brought.

Look at that! He's throwing a freakin' car! Superman had to pick his car up to smash it around but Captain Marvel just tosses the thing. One-armed. Do not mess with the Big Red Cheese.

Any time a tank barrel is tied in a knot an angel gets his wings.

Yeah, how'd you like to be those pilots? You wouldn't! That's how!

Those poor schmucks picked the wrong day to get in Captain Marvel's airspace. Also, any cover that has a dude attacking a plane gets extra points from me.

You knew I was going to save the best for last, didn't you? Well, here you are. I can't say anything about this cover that the picture doesn't convey to perfection. Bask in the glory folks.

Watchmen: A Growing, Excited Movie

2008-10-23T00:37:00.001-05:00

Click To Embiggen

Also, Patches presents a superhero for the 21st century.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Brides Romances

2008-10-22T00:18:00.012-05:00

Ah, marriage!

I have three wives!

How do you like them apples?

Carry on with your tomfoolery. I have a canasta game to get to.

Subcreatures

Vaklam: Thanks again, King. Good to have you back. So, romance comics. There sure were a lot of them back in the day. 'The day' for Brides Romances was the 1950s. The art on the covers is actually pretty good but what makes them hilarious is the unintentional commentary provided by the placement of the titles of the secondary stories.

They're like tragic, little thought balloons. Check 'em out!

"Summer Fling"

"I was ashamed of him"

"Nobody wanted me"

What, exactly, is she wanting to explain?

Yeah. If he's saying 'Heaven is right here' and the woman he's kissing has already made her choice, I don't think you've got a dog in this race anymore.

Oh, honey! He's trying to let you down easy because of his fickle boyfriend! Take my advice and leave him now before you see him in the arms of that well-oiled lifeguard in Ibiza Getaway VII.

This one's interesting because the Brides Romance Thought Detector 3000 seems to be picking up the brainwaves of that lady in the audience rather than the main characters. But I have to say, if that's an accurate description of the arc of her love life, she's doing all right now that she's found someone to pamper her. Look at the smile on her face. Heartwarming!

Video Time: Head Over Heels

2008-10-18T00:24:00.001-05:00

Video Time is still in the 80s. "Head Over Heels" is my favorite track from Songs From The Big Chair. Tears For Fears was the first concert I ever went to where I paid for the ticket with my own money. It was an awesome show.

Also, the video has a chimp in a library! Genius!

Awesome Cover Friday - Galactus

2008-10-17T00:23:00.004-05:00

This week's Awesome Cover Friday is extra large because it's about the Marvel Universe's favorite extra-large character.

Galactus!

Few things are more awesome than Galactus. Literally. He raises the awesome quotient of any cover he is on by 64%. I can prove this using algebra.

This is the first cover to feature the flying purple planet eater. I love this image! It's Kirby-riffic and a tough act to follow but some of the ones below manage it.

OK, Hercules is a badass. Other Olympians think he's a badass. But that ain't nothin' to Galactus. I've featured this cover before but it's awesome enough to be brought back. The composition and sense of action on this makes it a near-perfect cover. Also, something similar to this scene actually happens in the comic.

The Galactus silhouette is eye-catching and cool but the thing that keeps me coming back to this cover is the collage of images in the background.

Here it is. This is the cover many people think of when Galactus is mentioned. It is, in fact, one of the best covers ever. I mean, that's a whole bunch of badasses and The Big G is barely expending any energy against them.

This is my favorite Galactus cover so far. It's the follow-up to the Everyone vs. Galactus issue and it does more to convey the power of a being who can eat a planet than any of the ones above do. Also, the composition and the garish colors really sell this.

Also, what's Ben Grimm doing up in the corner, there? Gathering firewood?

From Diesel Sweeties

2008-10-16T10:22:00.000-05:00

Click To Embiggen

Candy - Submitted (almost) Without Comment

2008-10-16T00:34:00.004-05:00

I was working on some Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday posts when I ran across the cover for Candy #18 and, well...just look at it.

Mere words simply cannot do this justice.

Also, um, what's going on up there in that 'N'?

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Mad About Millie

2008-10-15T00:26:00.007-05:00

King Clownape decided to sit this one out. I'm not sure exactly why. He just wandered off muttering something about a 'history' with Millie.

I've got a soft spot in my heart for Millie the Model and so does Marvel Comics, apparently, because she keeps showing up in other titles. She was at Reed and Sue's wedding as well as issues of The Defenders and She Hulk. She is officially part of the Marvel Universe.

The character originally appeared in 1945 in Marvel's predecessor Timely Comics and later in Atlas Comics. Mad About Millie ran from 1969 - 1970 and was, as far as I can tell, one big advertisement for the era's swingin' sexual revolution. I present the evidence below:

Millie and her boyfriend cannot delay the satisfaction of their carnal desires long enough to assist their friend in the pedaling of the bicycle. Shameful! And kinda hot.

Um...they're not exactly knocking. If you know what I'm sayin'.

Millie and her boyfriend the "photographer" are either once again so enraptured with each other that they don't notice the burglar or this is some sort of kinky, elaborate roleplay scheme. Shocking!

And here we have the culmination of all these shenanigans. A freaky, outdoor swingers party! I guess comic books do lead to the corruption of our youth. Go figure.

This post has been

Video Time: Invisible Sun

2008-10-11T00:15:00.001-05:00

This week on Video Time, it's another Police song: Invisible Sun.

Can you tell I like the depressing ones?

Josh Brolin to Play Jonah Hex

2008-10-10T10:28:00.003-05:00

Josh Brolin has been tapped to play Jonah Freakin' Hex. I freaking love Jonah Hex. So does, Dwayne "the canoe guy"! I mean, he runs a whole blog about Jonah. I just feature his covers every now and then. Dwayne's pretty hardcore.

Anyway, I think Brolin's a good choice for the character. I wonder how they're going to handle the makeup for the scar.

In other news, the two most recent issues of Jonah Hex are really good.

Awesome Cover Friday - Nexus

2008-10-10T00:30:00.005-05:00

I'm a huge First Comics fan. They put out some of the best titles of the 80s. My favorite of their publications was The Badger but Nexus was a close second.

The covers below are from the '90s during Dark Horse's possession of Nexus but I will always consider it to be a First title.

Woo! That's scary. Graveyard + Big Green Ghost Head = I'm buying this issue right now!

I absolutely love the composition on this one. It reminds me of some of my favorite Astro City covers. The stunning central image surrounded by all this muted, swirling chaos.

This one looks like a bad trip in all the best ways. An image like this is so much better than a static portrait no matter how well painted. This kind of thing smacks you in the head and shouts "Read me!". Kind of like the stuff in Through the Looking Glass but with big-ass bugs.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Monkeyshines

2008-10-08T00:14:00.006-05:00

Greetings, subcreatures. I have returned from my vacation and am now ready to introduce another installment of Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday. This week, the proprietor of this 'blog' has chosen to poke fun at Monkeyshines Comics.

Monkeyshines. I see.

You must be kidding. Funny animal comics? I go away for a couple of weeks and this is what I find!

Also, "monkey". How droll. I tire of this. Carry on with your little jape-fest. I expect improvement next week. Serious improvement.

Vaklam: Welcome back, Your Majesty. Monkeyshines is a comic from the 1940s which featured most of the funny-animal tropes anyone who has seen more than three Warner-Brothers cartoons is familiar with. Some of the covers reveal a significant malacious streak. Enjoy!

OK, this one's pretty standard. Quite clever, actually. The rabbit and the mouse have instituted double-redundancy. If one of those weapons-of-cat-destruction doesn't wipe out their target there are two more that will surely do the job.

Also, the characters on the left are all people I went to college with. True story.

Roller Coaster. Nice touch. What gets me, though, is the expression on the mouse's face. On the cover for issue #21 above, he looks malicious but also a little angry. Like the cat has done something to deserve this fate. In this one, however, he is obviously beginning to enjoy causing this cat to plunge to a horrible death. Fortunately for Mouse and Squirrel, the sign meets all OSHA standards.

All right, now it's obvious that the mouse is a fucking sadist. He's made an elaborate game out of harming the cat and his rabbit buddy is on call to resuscitate the cat, keeping him alive so they can play out ever greater torture scenarios until their feline captive begs for the sweet release of death.

Hey, kids! Comics!

Oh, damn. Now, that's just mean. This is the final depredation. The killing blow. The mouse has literally defanged his would-be predator. And look at the mouse's expression. He has truly become that which he despises. He has stared into the abyss and the abyss has stared back. Things fall apart. The center cannot hold.

Fun for the whole family!

New Greg Land Image

2008-10-05T10:47:00.003-05:00

I had forgotten about the LOLcats feed for Noetic Concordance. It takes anything with an RSS feed and sticks the titles on pictures of kitties. Here's my favorite one from the new batch:

Of course, the picture of the kitty was heavily photo-referenced and cribbed from someone else's work.

I may have to use this picture as the intro to any post I do about Land.

Video Time: Synchronicity II

2008-10-04T22:07:00.002-05:00

It's not comics-related but I thought I'd resurrect Video Time. This time, it's The Police: Synchronicity II.

This video is one of the things from my formative years that really shaped my aesthetic. The post-apocalyptic, thrown-together look showed up in nearly every role-playing game and short story I created for the next ten years. Plus, it's a kickass song.

Linkin' Ain't Easy

2008-10-04T08:05:00.001-05:00

Are you reading The Comics Curmudgeon? 'Cause you should be. His latest post is an excellent place to start.

Who's awesome? Heidi Meeley is awesome! She's started a new feature on Comics Fairplay called Naughty or Nice.

The latest Comic-Book Urban Legends entry tells the story of Jedi Master Soon Baytes. Teehee.

Check out Polite Dissent for the latest in science-based comics blogging.

And now, your moment of zen:

Awesome Cover Friday - Weird Science

2008-10-03T00:14:00.005-05:00

Long before the movie Weird Science came along, there was a comic book by the same name. Many of the title's stories were adaptations of Ray Bradbury pieces and the covers, most of them by Wally Wood, are spectacular.

Dinosaurs! And spaceships! And a volcano! This thing literally sells itself.

I literally can't get enough of this cover. The weird space creatures (who are wearing the same spacesuits as the humans from the issue above) contrasted with the kids make for a terrific image. Also, check out that dog.

Woah! The composition of this cover alone blows me away (no pun intended). The subject matter is stunning as well. Keep in mind that this issue came out in 1953.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Konga!

2008-10-01T00:07:00.003-05:00

In 1961, Herman Cohen and American International Pictures made a film called Konga. Turns out it was not about the tiny, Swedish village but, instead, about a giant ape. This disappointed many people. Despite this, it was a big hit and Charlton made a comic book out of it. It ran for 23 issues and had some of the ca-ray-ziest covers ever.

King Clownape is still away. He has decided to follow Foreigner during this leg of their comeback tour. So, we have a special guest who will provide the commentary for each issue. Konga himself! Take it away!

Um...guys? Little help? Pardon me, but I seem to be stuck in the-- Hello? Giant ape behind you. Over here. Oh, for the love of!

Funny story: I find that I am often hunted by humanity. So the fact that you, a group of alien invaders, are on the verge of attacking me is, while an interesting twist on the basic giant-monster tropes, rather annoying as I am generally unconcerned by what happens to the inhabitants of this planet.

***KZZZZORT!!***
OW! OK, now you have forced my hand by making me mad. How predictable.

Another alien invasion? Fine. You know what? I'm not even going to bother trying to talk to you this time. Just don't hurt the guy on my shoulder. He's like a pet.

You see that look on my face? It's not from the pain of the laser blast. It is an expression born of the crushing ennui I now have because of all these would-be world conquerors singling me out. What, do I have a target on my back? How did I end up as the thing one must get through before taking over Earth? I mean I'm big but I'm not--

You know, what? Forget it. No per diem is worth this. I'll be in my trailer. You'll hear from my agent.

Links and News

2008-09-26T14:00:00.003-05:00

Comic Book Resources reports that DC is pulling the plug on Minx. This is too bad. In fact, it sucks. Brian Wood agrees with me.

In lighter news, A Japanese comic is responsible for wild increases in the sales of specific wines.

Also, XKCD continues to rule.

Awesome Cover Friday - Adventures Into Weird Worlds

2008-09-26T00:37:00.001-05:00

Last year, I posted a Weird-ass Cover Wednesday entry about Adventures Into Weird Worlds. I mentioned that the covers from this title straddle the line between Weird-ass and Awesome so this week I'm going to highlight a few of the awesome ones.

Wow! Just look at this. Anything else I say will only distract you from the awesome that is the cover for issue #7.

Oh, crap! Check out that green dude's knife! Also, is that skeleton ambulatory or is it just hanging around back there. Like a dungeon accessory.

BONUS: Look over on the sidbar. 'Don't lose your head'. Genius!

The art on this one is really cool and it's a great cover but I might not have included it if it hadn't been for the one-two punch of puns it contains. Knight! Shriek! Spectacular!

I...um. Dude. Seriously.

Just...dude.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Dick Tracy

2008-09-24T00:11:00.005-05:00

King Clownape is on vacation this week at the big Stevie Nicks convention but he sent a message for you all.

"Balls"

OK. Thanks, Your Majesty. Here are some weird-ass Dick Tracy covers.

And he found him with a dowsing rod! This kid is a badass!

Dick Tracy, Adbuster!

Officer Doyle: Sir? Sir? You don't need a jeweler's loupe to examine a shoe.

Dick Tracy: Shhhhhh. I'm having some 'me' time, here.

Officer Doyle: But, sir, that shadow looks--

Dick Tracy: It's OK, Shoe. No one understands our love.

And, finally, Jason, this one's for you.

Dick Tracy vs. Race Bannon.

International Talk Like Terry and the Pirates Day

2008-09-19T21:35:00.002-05:00

Terry and Hotshot are here to help you out with your pirate talk.

Take it away, boys!

Awesome Cover Friday - Amazing Spider-Man

2008-09-19T15:06:00.007-05:00

I'm going old-school on you this week. I've been thinking about Spider-Man a lot lately so I'm going to bring up four of my favorite Amazing Spider-Man covers from the late 1960s. They show why John Romita is considered one of the greats. From the composition to the action to the backgrounds, these are excellent covers that make me want to know what's going on inside the comic.

Thanks, as always, to the Grand Comic-Book Database for the images. Check 'em out. Donate if you can.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Shield-Wizard Comics!

2008-09-17T19:08:00.002-05:00

Hello, again! It is I! King Clownape I. That's right. I put a 'the first' on my name. Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. I can smoke three pipes simultaneously. Ha!

But enough about me. How awesome do you think I am. Good, good. As it should be. I have met the requirements of my "contract" with the proprietor of this "blog" by allowing all of you unworthy, single-brained subcreatures to gaze upon my magnificence. Now, I leave you. Oprah's on.

Vaklam: Er, thanks, Your Majesty. This week, Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday is actually being posted on a Wednesday!

In 1940, MLJ Comics (which would later be renamed Archie Comics) put out a title which combined The Shield with The Wizard. Or, as they put it, "The G-Man Extraordinary and the Man with the Super Brain". Check out the covers below and see if you can pick up on some of the subtle themes.

#3

This one's a little blurry but you can see what's going on. Lizardy alien dudes with Tommy guns. And the sidekicks are tied to missles. MmmHmm.

The sidekicks are named Dusty and Roy the Super Boy. Make of that what you will.

#5

Shield and Wizard are kicking some NAZI ass! Yeah! But wait. Those goose-steppers are armed with...torches?

Oh, they're burning Roy the Super Boy at the stake. I guess that explains why they don't have guns. My head hurts.

#6

It looks like those lizard dudes are back. And this time, one of them is dressed as Dr. Strange! Nefarious!

It's a good thing Dusty was there to catch the nitro-glycerin. And, oh man! If Roy hadn't been manacled to the vault door just in the nick of time I don't know what we would have done.

Seriously, though. He's smiling. Roy, get help.

Linksburg, Linksylvania

2008-09-16T01:21:00.004-05:00

The LA Times Online interviewed Eric Powell about the animated Goon movie!

The prospect of a Goon movie is cause to bring out the awesomest image ever:

Click the picture to order the awesomest shirt ever

The San Diego Reader has a very long but very good article about comics in San Diego in the 1980s. Unfortunately, the story starts in the '70s and there are pictures of '70s suits. You have been warned.

Links for the Memories

2008-09-09T12:59:00.004-05:00

First, I want to plug another blog I contribute to: Geekzor! It's a listing of weird, geeky ephemera that a bunch of us think is cool.

Francesco Marculiano, the guy who writes Sally Forth as well as writes and draws Medium Large, has put Comic Strip Writing 101 on his site. It is one of the funniest things I have ever read and even has some good advice amidst the drunken ramblings. You know, kind of like the internet.

IGN interviewed David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky about Marvel's upcoming 'noir Spider-Man' title. Also on the way: noir versions of Daredevil, X-Men, and Wolverine. Because it is written on great stone tablets deep in Marvel's basement that Wolverine must appear in everything.

USA Today online has a story about Alissa Torres, a 9/11 widow who wrote a graphic novel about her experience. It was drawn by Sungyoon Choi.

And just because I can't get enough of it, here's a picture of a bunny cold-cocking a turtle:

Awesome Cover Friday - Amazing Adult Fantasy

2008-09-07T13:33:00.004-05:00

I spend a lot of time here making fun of covers from the 50s and 60s but there are some really awesome ones from the past, too. One batch of awesomeness I just found out about is from the period of time that Amazing Fantasy was called Amazing Adult Fantasy, also known as the first half of 1962. My knowledge of Amazing Fantasy up until now began and ended with issue #15 which is the one featuring Spider-Man's origin. On a whim, I looked into the earlier issues and discovered the following covers. Each cover from #6 to #14 is great.

I have picked out some of my favorites to show you but a search for the title on the Grand Comic-Book Database will reveal the rest. Each one is a case study in elegant design and sensational imagery. Sketchy or solid-color backgrounds, crisp foreground images, and spectacular art make these things really jump off the shelves.

Also, the comic has the best tagline ever: The magazine that respects your intelligence.

More From Unshelved - Everybody's a geek about something

2008-08-25T15:48:00.004-05:00

Here's one from the Unshelved archives. If you're reading this blog, you can relate to the last panel or you know someone who can

Click to Embiggen

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Spy Smasher!

2008-08-24T01:06:00.002-05:00

Greetings inferior, single-brained creatures! It is I, King Clownape! The proprietor of this 'blog' has been typically lax in 'updating' and other activities which require the use of 'quotation marks'. Therefore, I sent my army of Gibbons and Siamangs to 'convince' him that he should begin the Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday posts once again.

And by 'convince' I mean 'physically assault'.

So, this Wednesday-- What? It is, too Wedensday! I am your monarch! I have decreed that it is now Wednesday. And circus peanuts are our national bird. So, there!

As, I was saying. This Wednesday, the hairless ape who 'runs' this place has chosen to blather on about spy comics of the 1940s. Normally, I would have him summarily executed for choosing such a lame subject but I have decided in my magnificence to 'cut him some slack' as the kids say. He is still a bit rusty. So, Vaklam, 'take it away'!

Vaklam: Thanks, Your Majesty. Anybody who knows me, knows I love pictures of dudes attacking planes in mid air. Back in high-school they used to call me "That Guy Who Loves Mid-Air Plane Attacks By Dudes". I also love making fun of comic-book covers from the 40s and 50s. And so I present to you, Spy Smasher! It was tough to limit my choices to just three but here they are in all their weird-assery. It is too a word. The King says so.

#8

Let's start right off with the dude kicking a plane! How badass is that? This guy is serious about smashing spies. Although, I'm not sure that a pilot wearing a Japanese uniform and flying a clearly-marked Japanese plane counts as a spy. Maybe he was flying really high. Or maybe Spy Smasher has overstepped his original job description. He's a real go-getter, that Spy Smasher!

#7

OK, I don't mean to harp on the whole 'Jap' thing but, look! He's fighting a dragon! That's almost as good as kicking a pilot out of a plane!

Hm, wait a minute. How is the dragon a spy? Maybe he was operating undercover among the American dragons. Filtering information back to his masters.

I'm beginning to doubt the Smasher's commitment to smashing spies.

#10

First let's answer the question on the cover: No.

Next...Well, I give up. Hitler is not a spy. I guess shooting someone in the face is a valid form of smashing but the leader of an enemy nation cannot be a spy. He's too high profile.

Spy Smasher, you are brave and willing to kick dudes out of planes but you really need to either change your name or find some actual spies to smash.

Seriously. Get help.

Greg Land

2008-08-23T13:38:00.004-05:00

I've mentioned my dislike of Greg Land's reliance on photo references before. Here's a link to an article on Jim Smash that I found by way of Heidi Meeley's excellent blog.

Turns out he's doing more than just copying pictures out of magazines.

Also, I figure this is a good post for Noetic Concordance's return. It's linkblogging and bitching about an artist. If I could have worked a link to Mike Sterling's blog into it I would have had a hat trick. Hey, wait.

Baby Steps

2008-08-23T11:42:00.003-05:00

Regular (but not daily) updates will resume here on Noetic Concordance.

To get us started again, here's an appropriate strip from Unshelved:

Click to Embiggen

Charles Schulz Estate Sues Alan Moore

2008-04-01T21:35:00.004-05:00

Representatives of the estate of Charles Schulz have contacted Alan Moore regarding a concept drawing from Schulz's files dated March, 1964.

You be the judge:

OK. Here's the real article.

Why Comics Fairplay Rocks

2008-02-24T00:48:00.003-06:00

Obviously Noetic Concordance is in a bit of a slump. Regular updates will return but I'm not sure when.

Until then, check out one of the best comic blogs that is being updated regularly: Heidi Meeley's Comics Fairplay.

Her recent post about Jodi Picoult's Run on Wonder Woman is some of the best comics writing I've run across. The rest of Heidi's site rocks, too. Sometimes literally.

Freakangels

2008-02-15T19:43:00.003-06:00

I'm really enjoying Freakangels so far. It's a post-apocalypse steampunk emo adventure!

Comic Book Resources recently interviewed Warren Ellis about it.

I do what Warren Ellis tells me to

2008-02-13T19:59:00.001-06:00

R.I.P. Steve Gerber

2008-02-11T22:41:00.000-06:00

The Comics Reporter Obituary

New York Four

2008-01-23T16:38:00.000-06:00

I am so totally looking forward to Ryan Kelly and Brian Wood's New York Four. Here's one of the reasons why:

Click to Embiggen

One More Shortpacked

2008-01-08T10:16:00.000-06:00

Once again, Shortpacked comes through. And now, One More Day.

Awesome Cover Friday: Planetary!

2008-01-04T14:11:00.000-06:00

Planetary is one of my favorite comics. It combines the talents of Warren Ellis and John Cassaday. The story is compelling, cool, and like nothing else I've read. The setting of the story spans multiple worlds and dimensions which gives Ellis license to tell any kind of story he wants. The covers reflect the setting by being all over the place. And they're all awesome:

The Return of NEWUNIVERSAL

2007-12-28T10:24:00.000-06:00

Newuniversal is set to return with a new artist, Steve Kurth. The pencils on Warren Ellis's post above look great. Kurth has some big shoes to fill but it looks like he's up to the task. I'm going to take this opportunity to highlight three of my favorite pages from Salvador Larroca's run on the book:

Click to Embiggen

Awesome Cover Friday: Christmas Style!

2007-12-27T12:40:00.000-06:00

We'll close out Christmas week with a few seasonally-themed awesome covers.

Uncanny X-Men #143

Not only is the cover awesome, it's wrapped around one of the best single-issue stories in any X-title.

Bone Holiday Special

Merry, merry Rat Creatures!!

Howard The Duck Holiday Special

Howard The Duck always manages to encompass both 'Weird-ass' and 'Awesome'. This cover is no exception.

The Punisher Holiday Special

Moody, limited palette, excellent art. This one is truly awesome. The little Santa hat on the Punisher logo is just icing on the awesome cake.

Again with the webcomics

2007-12-27T10:53:00.001-06:00

Click to Embiggen

This bit of jocularity has been brought to you by the fine folks at DieselSweeties.com.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Christmas Special!

2007-12-26T21:09:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas from Noetic Concordance!

Because Christmas is all about the lovin'.

A classic. That little frightened elf cowering behind Santa makes my heart grow three sizes.

And now, a couple of space-Santas with a bit less violence and kidnapping:

Bad News About Erick Wujcik

2007-12-26T16:15:00.000-06:00

This is more gaming-related than comics-related but Erick did write the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles RPG. Erick Wujcik, one of my favorite game designers and one of my favorite people, has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

I got to play in a game he ran at Dragon*Con a few years ago and that single session gave me tons of things I have since used in my own gaming. I've played more sessions of his Amber Diceless RPG than I can remember and I'm spending lots of time on a MUSH which wouldn't exist without him.

Kevin Siembieda has put together a website where people can leave comments about Erick, his games and his life.

Awesome Cover Friday: Moon Knight Scarlet Redemption

2007-12-21T11:08:00.000-06:00

Moon Knight is a badass. This is an undeniable fact. The Moon Knight comic, more accurately the Marc Spector: Moon Knight comic, also had some awesome covers. My favorite Moon Knight covers are the ones from issues 26 - 30, the storyline called "Scarlet Redemption". The story about a crossbow-wielding ex nun by the name of Stained-Glass Scarlet was pretty cool but the covers by Bill Sienkiewicz are pure awesome. Check 'em out.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Blackhawk!

2007-12-19T14:00:00.000-06:00

Blackhawk is an action comic from the 1950s which featured flying aces from a bunch of different countries and the wacky adventures they got into. Howard Chaykin created a limited series based on this original in the '80s but those covers aren't as funny. So, I bring you Blackhawk!

#42

Oh, man! Not only is it a giant robot, it's got, like, the coolest robot name ever! The Iron Emperor? Awesome! Is he actually the head of an empire?

Also, for a squad of international flying aces, the Blackhawks sure do spend a lot of time out of their planes shooting at stuff.

#56

This cover is a perfect example of the fact that "Weird-Ass" and "Awesome" are not mutually-exclusive terms. Look at that thing! It would never work! Seriously, though, it's this sort of impractical defense spending that lost the war for the Nazis.

#107

One-man helicopters. Why aren't we using these in today's Army? Oh, yeah, because they'll CHOP THE PILOTS INTO TINY PIECES!!

#106

Flying Tanks. This one needs no further commentary. This cover is zen-like in its perfection. Bask in its magnificence.

I'm Not Dead Yet

2007-12-15T10:21:00.000-06:00

An insane level of non-connectivity (mine and others) has caused updates to Noetic Concordance to stall, lately. I am posting this from a secure, undisclosed location to let you know we are still thinking about comics and will be resuming normal snarky, dumbass activities as soon as possible.

Keep the faith.

Fight the power.

Squeeze the Charmin.

And now, please enjoy this creepy-ass picture of the Red Skull's restless shade rising from his grave to take your soul to Hell. Happy Holidays.

Happy Holidays From Shortpacked!

2007-12-14T09:17:00.000-06:00

Awesome Cover Friday is on the way. Until then, enjoy these Super-hero Christmas Lists from Shortpacked.

Ain't no party like a CBLDF party!

2007-12-08T09:55:00.000-06:00

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is throwing Holiday Parties! Admission is free to members and you can sign up or renew at the door.

You also have to be able to get to New York City, Los Angeles, CA, Berkeley, CA, or Vienna, VA on the right dates.

Friday Night Fights: Desolation Jones!

2007-12-07T20:22:00.000-06:00

Do. Not. Fuck. With. Desolation. Jones.

Don't fuck with Bahlactus, either. SRSLY.

Awesome Cover Friday: Sandman Mystery Theatre

2007-12-07T01:29:00.000-06:00

This is Noetic Concordance's 500th post

News Flash: Not all comics from the '90s were bad!

Sandman Mystery Theatre was an excellent series which ran from '93 to '99. It was written by two of my favorite comic writers, Matt Wagner and Steven Seagle and it featured Wesley Dodds in these cool, pulp-noir stories. There was a bit of confusion at the time because it overlapped a bit with Neil Gaiman's Sandman, another Vertigo title. Also, the covers of both series had that same multimedia look.

The design work on these covers, alone, is worth a look. The cool subject matter is just icing on the cake.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Repeal Day Special!

2007-12-05T10:25:00.000-06:00

Happy Repeal Day!

Noetic Concordance salutes the anniversary of the repeal of the 18th ammendment with these vaguely prohibition and booze-related covers. Work with me, here.

First, we have Robert Stack as Eliot Ness. No one will be seated during the thrilling phone-conversation scene!

Beer. It's a comic about beer. What more do you want?

Fun fact: This is Wolverine's favorite comic.

And for those of you who may indulge a bit too much, we have Drunken Fist. Jeez, that kid has a big head. And great hair.

Friday Night Fights: Superpunch!

2007-11-30T20:49:00.000-06:00

Here's a little crossover action for your Friday Night enjoyment:

Ooh! That's gonna leave a mark!

I have it on good authority that Bahlactus has a pocket fulla kryptonite and he's not afraid to use it.

Awesome Cover Friday: The Extremist

2007-11-30T01:00:00.000-06:00

The Extremist (not to be confused with the excellent webcomic Death to the Extremist) was a four-issue series by Peter Milligan and Ted McKeever. It was dark and cool and erotic and creepy. The story bounced around in time a little but it was nicely self-contained. Check out the covers below. They need no further commentary and each cover plays off the previous one.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Jughead's Time Police!

2007-11-28T13:21:00.000-06:00

Greetings, blog readers! It is I, King Clownape! I have returned to bring you images which will blow your minds! None of my minds were blown, of course, because I have three. That's why I'm king. Three brains.

Observe (if you dare!) the madness that is Jughead's Time Police. Did you know that your precious timestream is safe only because of the efforts of one Forsythe Pendleton Jones III? His tireless fight against those who would use time travel for their own nefarious purposes should be in the history books. But you know what? It's not! Because if it was in the books it never would have happened! Wrap your single brains around that one! Here, check out the covers. And peel me a banana.

Linking For Science!

2007-11-27T17:21:00.000-06:00

The Periodic Table Of Comic-Book Elements

Wikipedia article on Batman's costume is pretty good but the real gem, as usual, is the discussion page. Here's a relevant quote regarding the kryptonite ring:
And since he's the Goddamn Batman, he only carries it when the plotline dictates.

Greg Burgas from Comics Should Be Good has some nice and accurate things to say about Transmetropolitan.

And now the big news: Fifth-place Eurovision contestants to star in comic book!. They're Bulgarian! They're singers! And they fight crime!

Finally, Manga Dr. Strange!

Awesome Cover Friday: Thanksgiving!

2007-11-23T14:33:00.000-06:00

Since people have been wandering around blabbing about what they're thankful for lately I thought I'd get in on the act. Here are some comic book things I am thankful for and the awesome covers to go with them.

The Authority #12

I am thankful for the alignment of planets that brought Warren Ellis, Bryan Hitch, Paul Neary, and Laura DePuy together for the first twelve issues of The Authority. I can't imagine that story being told without any of those four people being involved.

Astonishing X-Men #2

I'm thankful for Joss Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men. I'm doubly thankful that John Cassaday is drawing it. Sure, it's been slow but each issue has been worth the wait. Whedon didn't come in like the Pro from Dover and assume that he knew everything about Comics. He worked hard and came up with an awesome story. This latest issue had two "holy crap" moments in it that I'm still smiling about.

Immortal Iron Fist #4

Speaking of awesome creative teams, Matt Fraction, Ed Brubaker, and David Aja are doing magical things with Immortal Iron Fist. For example, they are sticking to a reasonable release schedule. I kid, I kid. This incarnation of Iron Fist is my favorite comic currently on the stands. Check it out if you haven't already.

The OHOTMU Gadget Issue

I am thankful for the existence of the old-school Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe, especially the final issue which was all about the equipment used by the various super-beings of the MU. This thing had cutaway pictures of Avengers Mansion along with specs for Stilt Man's stilts, Wizard's gadgets, and Nomad's discs. Who knew depleted uranium was so useful? The OHOTMU is available as a three-volume Essentials collection. It contains both versions from the '80s and it's awesome.

Finally, I am eternally thankful for the Grand Comic Book Database. Throw 'em some money this holiday season.

Deadly Beloved by Max Collins on the way!

2007-11-22T22:33:00.001-06:00

Actual content will reappear Real Soon Now but things are slowing down this month because I've seriously overbooked myself. I'm writing a novel for NaNoWriMo (fifth year in a row), I've just started playing on this awesome, new MUSH, and I'm running a tabletop Amber Diceless game. So, the reviews I want to do will have to wait. Things will clear up after the end of the month but until I get caught up on my word count the posts here will be down to two or three a week.

Until then, check this out:

Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty did a cool comic called Ms. Tree which hopped around from publisher to publisher. The premise was similar to what would have happened if Mike Hammer had married his badass secretary and then been killed during the honeymoon.

Why am I telling you this? Because I'm a member of Hard Case Crime's book club and I just got my copy of Deadly Beloved which is the first Ms. Tree novel. It hits the retail stores in December so keep an eye out for it. Beatty even did the cover:

Also, here's one of the covers from the comic back when it was with Renegade Press. Click to embiggen:

Happy Thanksgiving from Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday!

2007-11-21T10:23:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving here in the States so King Clownape and I went out and foraged for some covers to help celebrate our national day of gluttony and togetherness.

Stack your plates high, folks!

But, er, watch out for genies!

Watch some football!

Eat a lot of turkey and take a nap.

And enjoy the leftovers for weeks to come.

Happy Thanksgiving! See you on Friday!

Friday Night Fights: Spider vs. Furry Spider

2007-11-16T17:02:00.000-06:00

Sixteen legs enter! Eight legs leave!

It's Spider vs. Other Spider!

Bahlactus wouldn't let Spider-Man get the drop on him like that!

Awesome Cover Friday: The 'Nam

2007-11-16T05:23:00.000-06:00

Last Sunday was Veterans' Day here in the U.S.
Noetic Concordance salutes all our veterans along with everyone currently serving in the military. Thank you all.

The 'Nam was a Marvel series about The Vietnam War that ran for 84 issues in the late '80s and early '90s. It was a well-written book that took an unflinching look at the war and its effects on the people and countries involved. Well, as unflinching as the comics code would allow but they managed to tell some compelling stories.

I don't have a complete run of the book because it got a little stupid near the end but the original team of Doug Murray, Michael Golden, and Larry Hama is one of those teams that makes comic-book history. Also, say what you will about Jim Shooter but he greenlit the project in the first place. Here are some of my favorite 'Nam covers.

Again with the Linking!

2007-11-14T11:17:00.000-06:00

I just found out about Marvel Digital Comics. I don't generally enjoy reading comics on my computer but they have a hell of a selection and a lot of free samples. Monthly subscriptions are $9.99 and annual subscriptions are $59.88. This definitely won't replace my comic-shop habit but it's a cool idea.

Also, Patrick McEvoy just left word in my comments section that he's signed an exclusive contract with Marvel's Licensing division. So, starting the first of 2008 you'll see more of his awesome art under the Marvel logo. He's still going to be working on Starkweather: Immortal, though, for which I am glad.

Here's one of my favorite examples of Patrick's work. It's from The Gatesville Company #1 which is a title I really enjoyed.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Weird War!

2007-11-14T00:02:00.000-06:00

This past Sunday was Veterans Day. This week, King Clownape and I want to salute our veterans with a collection of Weird War Tales covers from the 1970s. Weird War had its share of But They Are Actually Skeletons!! covers and most of them were about WWII. Here are some of the best and the weirdest.

Tune in Friday for a more serious salute!

#36

Your superior intellect is no match for our inferior weapons!

#59

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the next internet meme:
Skeleton vs. Samurai vs. Robot!

#96

Form of an X-Man!

#89

Apes, people. Nazi apes. You're welcome.

Linkity-link-link-link: This Time It's Personal

2007-11-09T21:48:00.000-06:00

There's gonna (probably) be a Starkweather: Immortal Movie. I'm enjoying the comic so far and I'm looking forward to seeing how this shapes up.

Looking for a bunch of Kirby Monster Stories which were never reprinted? I wasn't but I sure am, now!

Are you a plumber? Do you want to be in a comic book? Click here to realize your dreams! Also: Free Toilet!!

And now, here's a sequence in which Guy Gardner gets beat up by a mouse:
Click to Embiggen

Friday Night Fights: Thor vs. Thanos!

2007-11-09T17:02:00.000-06:00

Oh, I'm sorry, Thanos, did you say somethi--BLAM!!

Bahlactus has the Power Cosmic and he's not afraid to use it!

Awesome Cover Friday: Decision 2007!

2007-11-09T10:38:00.000-06:00

With an election day just past, I wanted to focus on some awesome political-office-related covers. General Zod's Campaign is still going strong, by the way. Here are a few other superheroes who have thrown their spandex into the ring:

Lex 2000 #1

This striking cover comes from the time that Lex Luthor was elected President of the United States. Comparisons with the actual election of 2000 flew fast and furious. The situation in the DC Universe's version of America reminds me of Alfred E. Neuman's perpetual campaign slogan: You Could Do Worse; You Always Have.

Captain America #250

Roger Stern and John Byrne teamed up for a story in which Cap runs for President and would have won but he drops out of the race in order to keep on bustin' heads. That's a good thing. If he'd been elected someone might have tried to assassinate him.

Green Arrow #60

DC skipped the entire Universe forward a year and then spent the next year catching the readers up on what happened. It was a pretty cool idea even if it had a few speedbumps along the way. My favorite change was the election of Oliver Queen as Star City's mayor. Yeah, let's see how that kid from Pittsburgh does in an archery contest!

Doom 2099 #28 & Doom 2099 #29

And now, two covers from Warren Ellis's run on Doom 2099. President Doom. 'Nuff said.

This is even better than that time Zod put his face on Mt. Rushmore!

Video Time!: Little Dee!

2007-11-07T23:28:00.000-06:00

Little Dee is one of my favorite webcomics. It's cute, funny, and well-drawn. The video above is taken directly from a couple of weeks' worth of strips and, well, you just have to see it. No one can be told what "We Rogues of Wool" is.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Decision 2007!

2007-11-07T13:35:00.000-06:00

Yesterday was election day here in The States so, this week, Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday is devoted to our elected officials!

Prez #1

Prez is the best comic series ever written about a teenager who became President of the United States. Nothing more needs to be said.

3-D Bullwinkle For President #1

Hey, Rocky! Watch me pull a swing state out of my hat!

The Governor and J.J. #1

Governor Drinkwater was a widower so his zookeeper daughter fills in as First Lady. Zookeeper! Governor! This thing just writes itself!

Prez #4

Here's another Prez cover. As you can see, he was a very hands-on Commander-In-Chief. Trivia: "Vampire in the White House" is also the title of Dick Cheney's upcoming autobiography.

Video Time: Split Enz - One Step Ahead

2007-11-05T11:09:00.000-06:00

Here's another one from Split Enz. Man, this was 80s, 80s, 80s!

Actual, factual content Real Soon Now.

Friday Night Fights: Alice Fight!

2007-11-02T23:10:00.000-05:00

It's Alice vs. Alice. Oh, no! She just picked up The Looking Glass and smashed the other Alice over the head with it!

You know, most sites would charge for this sort of content. You're welcome.

I got home too late to make it into the official record but that doesn't change the fact that Bahlactus has spoken!

Awesome Cover Friday: The Long Halloween

2007-11-02T10:11:00.000-05:00

The Long Halloween is a 13-issue limited series by Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale which came out in the late 90s. It's could have been called Batman: Year Two because it followed Batman: Year One chronologically and it involved the origins of most of Batman's rogues' gallery. The covers were different from nearly anything else on the racks at the time and they are all beautiful. By the way, Tim Sale is the guy who paints all of Isaac Mendez's pictures for Heroes.

#6

This cover is a prime example of why I love Tim Sale's work. It's a beautiful combination of art and graphic design. I'm a sucker for limited palettes when they're used well. That combined with the black, empty background really sells this cover.

#4

The composition on this cover is superb. The images of Batman and the Joker didn't hit me until I'd been staring at it for a few seconds. When I saw them I actually got a little chill. Mission accomplished.

#12

Now, this is impressive. DC found a way to make Labor Day scary.

#6

Thanksgiving, on the other hand, needed absolutely no help. It's already the scariest holiday. However, dang! Look at it! That's really creepy!

Video Time: Split Enz - I Got You

2007-11-01T00:05:00.000-05:00

The Crowded House video I posted the other day got me thinking about Split Enz which was Neil Finn's band before Crowded House. When this song was recorded in 1980, Neil was a couple of years younger than his son Liam (who tours with Crowded House) is now.

Weird-Ass Cover Wednesday: Halloween Special!

2007-10-31T00:03:00.000-05:00

Archie and Friends

Hey, I didn't know Sonic and Archie were friends! Or, wait, is that just Jughead in a really convincing costume. Oh, man. Maybe they're all Jughead! Scary!

Adventures Into The Unknown

Dudes, dudes, dudes! There is such a thing as taking theme costumes TOO FAR!

Lulu and Tubby #2

They hate him for his industry. He'll show them. He'll show them all.

Lulu and Tubby #6

On second thought, I guess he won't show them. Lulu will make a pact with the Powers of Darkness to exact her revenge. Lulu is the new Scarlet Witch! Run!

Video Time: Crowded House - Mean To Me

2007-10-30T23:37:00.000-05:00

Crowded House got the band back together, man! They came to town last month and it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen. Here's "Mean To Me" from 1986. It's my favorite Crowded House single. Enjoy!