Follow the Leader: Episode 90: I’m Alone in my Likes!



Martinex1:   Who follows the followers?   Follow the Leader! 

Two Questions: Seasonal Songs and Tagalongs

Redartz:  Greetings, gang! Once again, we have a couple of things for  you to ponder over. Let's get right to them, shall we?

1. What songs bring to mind, for  you, a particular season? 

I was thinking about this recently, as Summer is rapidly nearing it's end here in the USA. There's a whole genre known as 'summer songs', and each year much debate can be found on chat sites debating which song will be the 'song of the summer'. But what struck me is that nobody ever speaks about the other seasons! Sure, 'seasonal music' can refer to the holiday-themed tunes you are surrounded with at the end of each year. But discounting those, what songs are linked, for you anyway, to a specific season? I'll give my example right now: Gordon Lightfoots's "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald". This great tune will be forever associated with Autumn, in my mind. Perhaps because it  was popular in the fall of 1976; I still recall hearing it playing on a radio while helping my Dad rake leaves in the yard. And lyrically, it has some fall-ish elements: referring to the "gales of November". Even the production, the sound of the song, has a wistful feel that almost chills you. So, that's my Fall song.

 Gordon Lightfoot, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"

2. Name an unusual Team-up / Mash-up that you'd love to see in a comic.  

In the recent post about 'fun' comics, I mentioned the "Archie Meets Batman '66" comics. These days crossovers between companies are returning (although Marvel seems the exception to this), and even crossovers between different media (Green Lantern and the Planet of the  Apes) are becoming a 'thing'. In that spirit, what oddball combo would you like to see; any pairing is fair game. I'm going for some haunted humor in my answer: Casper the Friendly Ghost meets the Ghostbusters! Would Peter and the crew immediately try to capture the ethereal youngster, or would Casper convince the 'busters' to help him corral the "Ghostly Trio"? I'd buy this book sight unseen...

Okay, there's my questions and answers. Now let's hear from you!  

Chew the Fat: "Just For the Fun of it"...

Redartz:  There are lots of reasons for selecting the particular comics that filled our shelves as youth. The reasons are much the same now, with the addition of hindsight and years. We may pick a specific comic because it's continuing an ongoing storyline. It may feature a favored artist or writer. Perhaps we grabbed it up for the sake of completeness: we don't want to miss an issue. Some folks will buy a given issue for perceived collectible. Some will buy a book just for the cover (I've done that numerous times, as recently as last month). But one of the best reasons to buy a particular comic book is "just for the fun of it".

Last weekend I doubled up; visiting a comic shop and a flea market! And since I've long ago abandoned completion as a goal, I just look for books that appeal to me. Some are books I once had and would like to reacquire, some are books I've always wanted to read. But often I just pick up a book because it looks like a lot of fun. This was the case last weekend, as I picked up these little smile-inducers:

 


My first stop was on Sunday, at a local comics shop. I try to visit one about every month or so, to see what's new, and to pore over some back issues. This go-round I spotted these gems on the rack: if you're not familiar with them, DC has been publishing comics based on the 1966 Batman  TV series for several years. The characters and villains are drawn like, and scripted like, the portrayals we remember: Adam West, Burt Ward, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, and all the rest. What's more, they bring some of the TV villains onto the page that previously were only seen on the show: for instance, these books feature the Bookworm (resembling Roddy McDowell, of course) among some of the more familiar faces. 

And of course, as you saw recently in my Archie post, I have a fondness for the denizens of Riverdale. So seeing these two favorites paired up was , in a word, irresistible. And  irresistibly fun. So for any of you who may despair that 'fun' comics aren't available any more, you can rest assured. There are many lighthearted, amusing, 'just plain fun' books being published yet today. 

 

Next day was Monday, and it meant a trip to the flea market. There were many comics for sale there, including several comic dealers with nice back issues at full collector's prices. I did pick up a couple books from one (he had everything for half off), but where I most enjoy looking are the random comics found in random booths, usually stacked (you guessed it) randomly. It was at one such table that I saw this comic. As you can see, it's certainly been read before. Many times. And that's part of it's charm. Of course the biggest part is the subject: Little Lulu. Lulu is another character hearkening back to my youth, particularly in the form of those Golden Comics Digests that usually accompanied me on family trips. Artist /writer John Stanley came up with clever, amusing stories, and gave the kids (Lulu, Tubby, Alvin, and the rest) loads of personality. Tubby is always coming up with some kind of scheme, usually to Lulu's detriment. And Lulu is no helpless victim: she shows great ingenuity in her various forms of revenge. The books were great fun to read as a kid, and are still a kick. Finding this for a dollar was another 'must succumb' moment. You know, just for the fun of it. 

So, what comics have you grabbed up, 'just for kicks'?

Adventures in Comics: Sensory Overload- Your First Comic Convention!

Redartz:  Greetings and salutations to all! The other day I was researching topics for a post, and happened to discover a reference I missed. Awhile back (actually, over a year ago) we had a post discussing our first visit to a comic book shop. In that post I mentioned my first comic convention, and added that it would be the subject of some future post. Lo and behold, that later post never occurred. That is, until today. You now will be regaled with the story of my first comic con (and as your reward for sticking with me this long, you get to follow up with your experiences). And now, to the story...

It was about six months after I first started collecting (and obsessing over) comics. It was 8th. Grade; it was my best comics friend and me, it was a big weekend. And the big weekend actually started on Friday night- our school had scheduled a sock hop; and it was my first dance as well (a whole weekend of firsts). And at that dance, I actually danced with a girl for the first time (to "Express", by B. T. Express, in case you were wondering). Although my dancing left much to be desired, I was having fun. And the fun continued after the dance, when I went over to my pal's house for the night to prepare for the next day's event (his Mom was kind enough to drive us).  That evening was filled with enthusiastic talk about comics, girls, school, dancing, girls, comics, and girls. 

Come Saturday morning, it was off to the comic convention. It was the first ever for our modest sized town, and was sponsored by  our local comic book shop. When I walked into that convention room, it was like the experience upon first encountering a comic shop: I was dumbstruck. Dozens of dealers, displaying literally thousands of comics of all types and eras. And the prices! It must have been the effect of competition among the dealers, but the books were priced lower than I'd expected. 

There were actual Golden Age comics, Superman from the 1940's! There were EC comics, Western comics, early Marvels from before the 'Marvel age' even began. There were even some examples of original art- I was amazed to look upon the actual drawn page from which a comic was reproduced. There were toys and comic-oriented memorabilia. Who would have thought so much cool stuff could be derived from the pages of four color newsprint?

 

It took a great deal of self-control not to simply run to the first table and start grabbing books. I forced myself to look the whole place over, and select some tables to revisit. I noted several books I wanted, and methodically went back and picked most of them up. The biggest treasure I bought that day was Amazing Spider-Man 19; the first Ditko issue I'd purchased to that time. And it was acquired for the total of 5 dollars; a great deal in my eyes- and it was in such beautiful condition. Like new...

After several hours of looking, buying, admiring and gawking, we went home with stacks of books and hours of reading to look forward to. In fact, most of the next day was spent doing just that. Looking back now, I realize it was a pretty humble show; a couple dozen dealers and no pro guests. It was only later, at a bigger convention in the sprawling city of Indianapolis, that I first got to meet some of the artists and writers responsible for all those great comics. And a few years after that, the mammoth Chicago Comic Con raised the stakes even higher. Nevertheless, that first small town convention will always remain a treasured First, safely bagged and boarded in my memory. 

Okay, as you've been kind enough to sit patiently while I reminisced, I'll give you the same courtesy. Tell us the stories of your first Con; and if you've never been to one, describe what you'd like to see and do at one...

Follow the Leader: Episode 89: The Mount Rushmore of Bands!



Martinex1: If you have a chance, look back at the 88 topics that we have previously discussed on Tuesdays as we Follow the Leader! Every week we wait for a topic starter and then jump in with plenty of comments.  What is it going to be today?

Chew the Fat: Secondary Favorites!

Martinex1: Recently I posted a litany of tweets (over @backinthebronzeage) that highlighted some of my favorite comic book heroes and my musings about their series.  Sub-Mariner, Nick Fury, and Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell) have always held a special place in my collecting heart.  There was always something about these secondary characters that captured my imagination.  Their books were inconsistent and never ran as long as the A-list greats' titles, but the characters always leap to mind when I think of my childhood reading.

When people name the great creations of Marvel and DC, I am certain that the stars will lead the lists.  Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Captain America, Wonder Woman, and Iron Man are always near the top.  But you will also get common top tier listings of Thor, Hulk, Flash, and Green Lantern.

Somewhere way down the runway are the heroes from books that never quite made it as big.  Firestorm, Nova, Black Lightning, Metamorpho, Black Goliath, and Omega the Unknown just never had as big a following. 

Surely some of us had these also-rans as favorites. Surely some of us picked up their books regularly and in our minds their adventures exceeded those of the superstars.  So who were your secondary favorites and why? 

I like Fury and Namor because they were tough, stubborn, and had a no-nonsense approach.  Both were often unlikable and gruff but also tried to do what was right.  Captain Marvel started out as a traitorous spy, but somehow overcame.  I liked those nuances in their character. 

How did these heroes and heroines fit into your collecting profile and what made them shine?

 

Two Questions: Who's on Your Mount Rushmore?



Martinex1: Today we have two questions based on a poll I posted recently on twitter.  Here is the poll and the results.

Because twitter had limitations regarding the number of choices and options, let me pose the question to you a little differently:


QUESTION 1: Who is on your comic book artist Mount Rushmore?  Name four artists that you think should be on the monument.  It is open to any artists from any genre of comics.  Tell us why you chose your selections.   Here are some options (this list is definitely not all inclusive):


Jack Kirby, Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, John Byrne, Wally Wood, John Buscema, Frank Miller, Steve Ditko, John Romita Sr., Joe Kubert, Neal Adams, Will Eisner, Jim Steranko, Gil Kane, George Perez, Gene Colan, Jim Starlin, Bill Sienkiewicz, Marie Severin, Mort Drucker, Joe Shuster, Carmine Infantino, Todd McFarlane, Bill Everett, Sal Buscema, Paul Smith, Don Heck, George Tuska, Michael Golden, Carl Barks, Mike Ploog, Jim Aparo, Amanda Connor, Bill Finger, Frank Frazetta, Moebius, Fiona Staples, Walt Simonson, Bob Bolling, Stan Goldberg, Harry Lucey, Ramona Fradon, Bob Montana, Dan DeCarlo, Frank Robbins, Nick Cardy, Bernie Wrightson, etc.

QUESTION 2: Who is on your comic book writer Mount Rushmore?  Name four writers that you would honor in this way.  Again, it can be a writer from any genre of comic book, and again tell us why you made the choice you did.  Consider anybody that has written comics including but not limited to:

Stan Lee, Bob Haney, Chris Claremont, Al Feldstein, Grant Morrison, Jim Shooter, Edmond Hamilton, Art Spiegelman, Doug Moench, Roger Stern, Mark Waid, Otto Binder, Jack Kirby, Bill Mantlo, Roy Thomas, Frank Miller, John Byrne, Ann Nocenti, Bill Mantlo, Alan Moore, Gardner Fox, Joe Gill, J,M, DeMatteis, Gail Simone, Gaiman, Peter David, Denny O'Neil, Jim Starlin, Mark Gruenwald, Kurt Busiek, Kelly Sue DeConnick, Jeph Loeb, Don McGregor, Marv Wolfman, Len Wein, etc.


Cheers all!

c