Follow the Leader: Episode 65: Bronze Age Time Capsule!

Martinex1: Another episode of a favorite feature... Follow the Leader!  Who will jump on early with a comment to get our conversation rolling?  What will it be?   Music, Television, Comics, Bad Habits...who knows?  Only the Leader knows!

The Quarter Bin: $1 Challenge: The Martinex-Never-Read List!

Martinex1: Good morning BitBA fans!  Today we will embark on a $1 Challenge that is like no other.  Today there is no cover recognizable theme like similar red backgrounds, or space travel adventures, or appearances of skeletons.

Today I am simply featuring comics that I have never read.  And in most cases, these are from series that I have never read (or just barely sampled). For example, I've really only read a couple Conan comics; the same goes for Master of Kung Fu but retain almost nothing.  Or I have read a few anthology horror tales but not in more than two decades, and definitely not the ones shown here.  I've read an issue or two of Infinity Inc years ago but barely remember it.  Others like Hot Wheels, Demon, and Unknown Soldier are truly untried. These are real unknowns to me, but as I get older I get more curious about the contents.  I've started to realize I swim in the same pool constantly (usually Marvel heroes) but even within those tight parameters there is much I've missed or avoided.   I find myself drifting toward DC war stories or Charlton horror or Harvey mischief.

Are they good stories? Are they best left forgotten and untouched?  I tried to spread the selection across genres - Heroes, Westerns, Romance, Sword & Sorcery, War, Horror, and Comedy and also across publishing companies; but I am really wondering what direction you will push me.

Some of you may say, "I cannot believe he never read <fill in the blank>!'  Or you may say, "Thank goodness he was spared from reading <fill in the blank>!"

In any case, let's have a little  fun.  Pick your top four selections (based on your own reasons or just love of the cover) and give me some feedback.  If there is consensus on any of the books, I will seek it out, read it, and report back with an unbiased review.  In essence, create my read pile, give me some time, and let me report back.  What perception will I have of Bronze Age comics never sampled, never tried?

So today's $1 challenge is "Make Martinex Read Something New!"  Steer me in the right direction.  Tell me what to pick up immediately and let me know what to avoid.

Cheers all!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adventures in Comics: Getting Rid of Comics!?

Redartz:  For most of us, our years of comics fandom involved the accumulation of stacks and stacks of those four color wonders. And rightfully so; for much of that time reprints were only sporadically available, the books were less expensive, and in our collective youth we had more disposable funds. But nowadays, as many comments from many of you can attest, the tide has turned. Quite a few of us are dispensing with our collections, or at least 'trimming down'. And before we go any further, I know we've dealt with this topic previously from time to time. The difference: today, as is often the case in "Adventures in Comics", I'd like to get personal. Personal, as in 'what books were the most difficult for you to actually part with?'. Personal, as in 'how did you come to make this decision?'. Personal, as in 'if there was one book you could go back and keep, what would it be, and why?'. 

And we don't want to shut out the continuing collectors among us (after all, I'm one of that group- certainly reducing the collection, but not eliminating it; I still hunt down back issues and pick up some new books too). If you're still collecting, what keeps you going? Have you made any particular adjustments to accommodate our, ahem, increasing birthday tallies? 

In short, let's share our outlook on 'staying in vs. getting out'. If you have any specific stories of 'getting rid of some comics',by all means relate. To start off, here's a few of my own thoughts and experiences...

I'll start by repeating something I've said before: I love comics. That is, the medium of comics- the art, the stories, the diversity of content and approach, the element of nostalgia in a special back issue, the novelty of something new and unexpected. So, although the size of my collection is dwindling, it likely will not disappear until I do as well.

The first time I 'got rid of comics' was shortly after I started collecting Marvels. I'd been buying Archies for the preceding couple of years, and at that point lost interest in them totally. I actually threw all those Archie books away, thinking them worthless and unwanted (I was 13, and thought them 'kid stuff') . Fool that I was; little did I know then that I'd spend later years buying them back up again...

In more recent years, I've passed many books on to sons and grandkids, nephews and friends. It's good to see those books find new homes with someone to enjoy them. Especially if it's a specific item for someone; for example a good friend of mine got a vintage Flintstones comic from my collection- it was dated from his birth month, so it had a special significance.  One grandson likes Spidey, so he got several issues, old and newer...

 




Many others have been sold on ebay or at yard sales. And of course, most went years ago  as part of young parenthood. And that's okay; nowadays one doesn't need a bunch of  'stuff' accumulating around the house. And at the time, pressing financial issues made it a fairly easy decision. But to answer one of the questions from above, if I could have just one book back: it would be Daredevil  #7 (the classic Sub-Mariner battle by Wally Wood). I had more valuable books, scarcer books, older books. Yet that one was a special favorite: for the story, the art, the cover. Maybe I'll pick up another copy someday. 









 


Incidentally, for the flip side of that question: one book I didn't sell and am glad I kept: the Gold Key Jonny Quest one-shot. Very hard book to find, in any condition. Mine isn't great, but it's a classic.













As for today and the days to come, I plan to continue reducing the size of my collection. Many books have already been replaced by tpb's. Eventually, a modest collection of a few hundred favorite books would be ideal (down from about 2000 today). Kind of like I did a few years back with a bunch of vintage Hot Wheels cars (I had about a hundred, sold all but 6 favorites- kept for sentimental reasons). You understand, no doubt- just a few to hold, leaf through and enjoy...

Riding the Retro Metro: Monday Mar. 15, 1971!

Redartz:  Welcome; time again for a trip back to that evocative era we call the Bronze age. For this episode, we aim our sights at the early Bronze, the heady days of Spring, 1971!  If we only look at the headlines, we might be a bit troubled; serious times indeed: the war in Vietnam continues with heavy bombing of Laos and Cambodia, and the Charles Manson trial continues. Overseas, the UK has recently changed from the Pound to the decimal system.  

Nevertheless, as Bronze Age- type  babies ( apologies and a hat tip to Doug and Karen), we look with interest to the pop cultural goings-on.  Your host, 10 years old at this date, is starting to enjoy hearing pop music on the school bus radio. Commonly heard lately, and on top of the US Billboard Chart: 

 Janis Joplin, "Me and Bobby McGee"

This week the Osmonds fall out of the top spot, giving Janis a posthumous number one single. 

Rounding out the top five:

2.  Tom Jones, "She's A Lady"
3.  The Temptations, "Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me}"
4.  The Osmonds, "One Bad Apple"
5.  The Carpenters, "For All We Know"




Also on the radio playlists currently are some other noteworthy tunes:  Partridge Family, "Doesn't Somebody Want to be Wanted"- I'm an avid viewer of the show, and like their music too. My parents apparently approve, having given me their latest album as a gift! Marvin Gaye, "What's Going On- just a great song, with a great message. Santana, "Oye Como Va"-so catchy, I find myself dialing up and down the radio trying to find a station playing it. Lynn Anderson, "Rose Garden"- remarkably catchy. 5th. Dimension, "Love's Lines, Angles and Rhymes"- I've liked the Dimension since hearing "Aquarius" a couple years previously. Marilyn McCoo has a truly phenomenal voice (even though 10-year-old me doesn't know who she is), and it's in fine form on this song. Love the imagery...

On top in the UK:  
T Rex, "Hot Love"

And as we traditionally do, let's have a look at tonight's tv programming...


US Television Schedule:

ABC:  Let's Make a Deal, The Newlywed Game, It Was a Very Good Year, The ABC Monday Night Movie

The game shows are one of the programs my parents allow me to watch; and both of these are seen at our house often. I suspect some of the humor on "Newlywed Game" goes over my head. Catchy theme music...

 


 


CBS:  Gunsmoke, Here's Lucy, Mayberry R.F.D., The Doris Day Show, The Carol Burnett Show

Lucy, Mayberry and Doris are usually what our parents are watching. They don't care for the competition on NBC:

NBC:  From a Bird's Eye View, Rowan &Martin's Laugh In, NBC Monday Night at the Movies










When the parents are away, our sitter lets us watch "Laugh-In". I love the show, but don't get to see it every week. Loaded with color, zaniness and topical humor, the show is unlike anything else I've seen. I particularly like Arte Johnson's "Verrrrrrry Interesting" German!








BBC1:  Z Cars: 400th. Edition, Oh Brother!, Panorama, Doomwatch, Come Dancing, 24 Hours

BBC2:  Crime & the Criminal, Newsroom, Lancer, Gentry, Horizon What Kind of Doctor?, Thirty Minute Theatre: No Charge for the Extra Service, Four With Betjamin Victorian Architects and Architecture


Of course, no trip aboard the Retro Metro would be complete without a field trip to the spinner racks. Our local drug store has a couple of them, and they are always full. Today we find these, among many others:

1971 found me buying mostly Archies, and "TV Laugh-Out" was a favorite: it had Sabrina! And I'd pick up some Charlton television comics, such as that "Partridge Family" book. Although I do recall noticing Jack Kirby's DC work, such as that Mr. Miracle issue. And a few years down the road, many of these comics would hold much more appeal to this reader. For instance, that classic Amazing Spider-Man issue;  not code approved- Stan tackled the drug issue.  Incidentally, it seems Neal Adams was everywhere at DC in '71. His covers were as common as Gil Kane's became at Marvel. And every one is a beauty.

Well, that's about it for this date in 1971 (besides, I have a 9:00 bedtime- better get back on the bus before my parents catch us). Thanks for stopping by, and stay tuned for the next Retro, coming up soon!