Saturday, February 09, 2013

Psylocke Psaturday #4: My whole life was ruined because of the puffy shirt

Annnnnnnd...she's blonde again.

Panels from Captain Britain v.1 #12 (December 29, 1976), script by Gary Friedrich, pencils by Herb Trimpe, inks by Fred Kida, colors by Don Warfield, letters by Irving Watanabe


Today in Comics History, February 9, 2009: The "Giant Mecha Only" parking space is invented


from Atomic Robo and the Shadow from Beyond Time #5 (Red 5, September 2009), script by Brian Clevinger, pencils and inks by Scott Wegener, colors by Ronda Pattison, letters by Jeff Powell

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 40: DC House Ads Super-Subscription Week, Day 7



Subscription ad for 'Mazing Man (1986); printed in The Legend of Wonder Woman #1 (May 1986)
Ad art: pencils by Stephen DeStefano, inks by Karl Kesel (signed)


Today in Comics History, February 9: Calendar Man defaces a Gotham City building with graffiti


from "The Last Days of Batman" in Batman (1940 series) #125 (DC, August 1959), script by Bill Finger, pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Charles Paris, letters by Stan Starkman

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:45 AM: Black Widow needs a shave


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Oh, so you think it's all over now? Ha! Think again, and be back here on April 6!


Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:41 AM: Black Widow defeats Wicked Witch of the West


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:40 AM: Wait, why didn't you do that at 7:36, Natasha?!?



from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:39 AM: He knocked her face off!


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:38 AM: Oh c'mon, comic book, now you're just being misogynist


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:37 AM: Krak is whack, kids


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:36 AM: Opponent breaks Natasha's Rice Krispies


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:34 AM: Black Widow battles Rob Brydon


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:31 AM: Beloved trench coat is discarded


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:28 AM: Hey Natasha, what's your favorite Bill Withers song?


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:15 AM: Trench coat is beloved


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:14 AM: Scarlett Johansson works out divorce proceedings with Ryan Reynolds


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 7:13 AM: Monster picks someone up


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 6:00 AM: An airplane lands in the middle of downtown Moscow


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 9, 1987, 5:10 AM: Black Widow earns a kopeck


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Friday, February 08, 2013

Today in Comics History Future, February 8, 2972: The Legion of Super-Heroes all get Amazon Kindles


back-up page from Legion of Super-Heroes (1989 series) #8 (DC, June 1990), text by Tom Bierbaum and Mary Bierbaum

365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 39: DC House Ads Super-Subscription Week, Day 6



Subscription ad for Detective Comics; printed in Detective Comics #489 (April 1980)


Today in Comics History, February 8, 1951: I run those same Batman Club of Dead Men panels again


from "The Death-Cheaters of Gotham City!" in Batman (1940 series) #72 (DC, August 1952), script by David Vern, pencils and inks by Jim Mooney, letters by Ira Schnapp

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:13 AM: Enter Bozo


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:12 AM: Ivan mutters under his breath that she didn't phrase it right and he can't say "You're a cab."


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:11 AM: And now, for some reason, a circus strongman enters the story



from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:10 AM: Black Widow can't remember if anything actually happened at 10:09



from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:08 AM: Women are from Venus, doughboys are from Mars


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:07 AM: I think the important thing we learn here is that Dr. Gorff totally struck out with Natasha



from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:06 AM: SHIELD unsuccessfully attempts to re-create the Pillsbury Doughboy


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:05 AM: Watch is synchronized


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:04 AM: HIIYAAAA is performed


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:03 AM: SHIELD agents mistake Black Widow for Rogue


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:02 AM: Sorry, that's me, I had chili for breakfast



from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

Today in Comics History, February 8, 1987, 10:00 AM: Everybody is heading for Pizzeria Uno at South Street Seaport*


from Black Widow: The Coldest War graphic novel (Marvel, April 1990); script by Gerry Conway; pencils by George Freeman; inks by Ernie Colon, Mark Farmer, George Freeman, Mark Harris, Val Mayerik, and Joe Rubinstein; colors by Lovern Kindzierski, letters by Ron Muns

*Actual unretouched photo of Black Widow at South Street Seaport in front of the Pizzeria Uno::


Thursday, February 07, 2013

Everybody Hates the Chitauri



365 Days of DC House Ads, Day 38: DC House Ads Super-Subscription Week, Day 5



Subscription ad for The Adventures of Bob Hope and other National Comics; printed in Batman #175 (November 1965)
Comic cover art: The Adventures of Bob Hope #96 (December 1965-January 1966),
script by Arnold Drake, pencils and inks by Bob Oksner, letters by Stan Quill
Ad designed and lettered by Ira Schnapp; Super-Hip art by Bob Oksner


Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Who's that girl, who's that girl? It's Jess!

Sometimes comics focus too much on the hitting and the fighting and the kicking with the feet and the don't punch me in the face, oh missus lady person! So let's begin a new feature that focuses strictly o n the pretty-much civilian social life one of of your and my favorite heroines! Yes, it's time for some perfectly ordinary scenes of Spider-Woman Jessica Drew having a perfectly ordinary romantic life with perfectly ordinary consequences! And as befits her position as Marvel's swingin'-est gal of the High-Flying Seventies, Jessica ain't at no party...she's at a disco!


from Spider-Woman (1978 series) #17 (August 1979), script by Mark Gruenwald, plot assist by Josh Wilburn, pencils by Carmine Infantino, inks by Mike Esposito, colors by Ben Sean, letters by Diana Albers, hairstyle by Clea of the Dark Dimension

Say, why so blue, Jess? Honestly, don't worry...people won't laugh at you when you order a sloe gin fizz, and even if it makes you hallucinate the floating head of Tony Stark and other eligible bachelors of the Marvel Universe. (Whoa, heckuva birthmark on that one guy's face.) Why, here comes one now! I'm pretty sure he's a roguish extra left over from one of Infantino's Star Wars stories, but that's okay: he goes right with Jessica's Shi'ar-styled haircut! So boogie down, Spider-Woman! (What is wrong with me?)


But what's this? (I just can't stop impersonating WIlliam Dozier!) Spider-Woman shimmying seductively on the samba stand? But that can't be, because I'm Spider-Woman. I mean, she's Spider-Woman! Gosh, can't Jess just have a night off from belly-aching mysteries?


Let's flash back for a moment and check out the aptly named Fluffy McRedHead who has stolen Jessica's purse! The hussy!** Despite apparently having cross eyes (and hey, who wouldn't with that haircut!), she sees the perfect opportunity to turn the head of her love interest Tony Mercury. Well, at least she has a chance. After all, it's not Freddie Mercury.


Luckily, Jess lunges right into the frame, Kirby-style, in time to see Faux-sica boogie on down out on the balcony and onto a pink thing that does not like being stepped on. Pepto-Bismol? Pink lemonade? Some discarded cotton candy? The liqufied remains of Elvis's Cadillac? The Psychedelic Furs's greatest hit?*** Alecia Moore?


Later, Jessica strips the costume off her and leaves her in her undies at the bottom of a cliff. So far this is running about the same course as most of her dates.


Well, that's done with! Time now for some parkin' and smoochin'****. Look out, Eric! Don't gouge your eye on Jessica's sharp, sharp hair spikes!


Then, just like any other ordinary date, her guy starts melting.


THIS WAS ONE OF JESSICA DREW'S BEST DATES EVER.

*She is not actually named that.
**Da da da da da da da da da, da da da da da da da da da...DO THE HUSSY! Da da da da da da da da da, da da da da da da da da da...
***Okay, "The Ghost in You" is pretty great, too.
****I only understand this concept theoretically, but my extensive research has shown me this is what does happen there.