Martinex1: Hey pals, welcome to "The Quarter Bin" This may be a new section for Back In The Bronze Age, but it has some distinct and familiar links to the past.
There are a couple of types of posts that will appear here:
1) It may be an exploration into obscure or lesser known comics that appear in your Local Comic Shop's cheap bin. There are some beloved Bronze Age series that didn't quite make it but they may resonate with you.
2) Or it may be an exercise that some of you may know as "If I Had A Buck..." from the BAB site. Here we challenge ourselves to choose four comics from a topical spinner rack, share our selections and thoughts about the comics on display, and discuss any aspects of the theme and the covers.
So in a sense of unity, today please play along with "If I Had A Buck... I would spend it on odd comic titles that never quite made it long term." Each of the series displayed below lasted less than 25 issues in total. Some had a good go at success and some were more obscure; some came close but none of them made it to a third year of publication.
Here are a few of my random comments and questions about the titles on the rack today: I'm rooting for Lady Cop. I'd prefer the Rubbles to the Flintstones as neighbors. In the latter work of Jack Kirby, if he had a good inker his art looked fantastic. What is Combat Kelly's origin ... birth? I wouldn't think Casper would need a Space Ship. How many kids tried to spin a basketball like the Harlem Globetrotters? Is that a mini-lion chumming around with the Jungle Twins? Gobs? That is Frank Brunner art on Warp. And say what you want about Team America (and it was indeed horrible), but that is a nice cover by Ed Hannigan.
Some of the below you may not know or some you may despise; some you may adore and some you may want to explore. So when the mainstream titles aren't available and you have a hankering for something weird or different or short-lived, which of these titles would you try? Pick four and let us know why. We welcome your comments and hope some of you can point out the hidden gems.
19 comments:
Yeesh. Team America. There's apparently no escaping it. Although I'll readily acknowledge that the covers were often quite nice - really the only nice thing I can say about that series.
These are some nice choices, by the way. I like all the non-big 2 examples featured, especially Captain Victory. I'm already on record as saying I think the first 6 or so issues of that series are actually better the most of the work Kirby did during his second tenure at Marvel in the mid-'70s.
Anyway, my choices - I made it a point to avoid Marvel/DC this time around:
Monster Hunters #6: that's a great cover by Mike Zeck, and according to the GCD, it contains stories illustrated by Zeck, Ditko and Tom Sutton.
Mighty Crusaders #3: these revived Red Circle superhero comics were coming out pretty much just right after the peak of my comics buying, but I don't recall ever seeing any of them and I've always regretted missing on out on them.
Dagar #7: these Gold Key books with the lovely painted covers always intrigued me as a little kid when I was browsing the spinner racks, but I don't think I ever bought one. Again, according to the GCD, the interior art is by Jesse Santos, who had a pretty interesting style.
Warp #3: I recall seeing these in comic book shops back in the day, but never picked any of them up, and like with Mighty Crusaders, regretted it later.
I'll take:
1. Plastic Man - love me some Plastic Man, nuff said.
2. Devil Dinosaur - That reminds me. I have the complete "Devil Dinosaur" hardcover on my shelf that I need to get around to reading one of these days soon.
3. Godzilla - I was a huge 'Zilla fan as a kid, and I started reading the comic from issue #1.
4. Fun and Games - I remember getting a couple of these. I've always like puzzles and such.
The first three picks came easily; the fourth was more difficult.
1. Hercules Unbound -for a few years now I've found myself intrigued by this series but I still haven't gone out and picked up an issue (or even bothered to see if it is collected somewhere). I read about the premise -maybe in a Back Issue article? - and it seems like it was somehow connected (vaguely) to some of DC's other futuristic/post-apocalyptic series like Kamandi but maybe in a slightly earlier or later time frame? In any case, it definitely sounds interesting and maybe I should add it to my winter vacation "to-do" list.
2. Devil Dinosaur -Another series that looks at least amusing. I've already read through a good chunk of Kamandi, why not check out this later Kirby work? Although it does seem like a much more limited concept.
3. The Jungle Twins - no idea what this series is about but it has a UFO attacking cave men, and as you put it, an adorable mini-lion, so sign me up. Also, the blurb on the over is just too many types of awesome -"Hominid masters guard the secret of the tower" - utterly irresistible if I was 12 (or about 40 years older than that).
4. This was a tough choice. Nothing really called out to me. I collected Omega when it appeared on the stands, so I ruled that out, since I already had it. I guess I'll go with Machine Man - the main reason being, I know it had a connection to the movie 2001 and I always wondered about that and how much it might have played a role in Machine Man's story. Plus I did get the later Machne Man miniseries with the Trimpe/Barry Smith art...although I can't recall if I read it or not!
Thanks for an entertaining diversion this morning!
Thanks for chiming in on these strange choices. I am glad you liked the variety. Even picking the items for display, I had a tough time choosing my own selections. I like venturing outside the core and I've seen some of these titles for ages but haven't made the plunge
Edo I have to try Captain Victory as I too have heard good things. What is it though with Kirby heroes having those blonde bob haircuts?
Karen- I thought the exact same thing on the Jungle Twins. The UFO and use of the word "hominid" just dragged me in. I love the sheer lunacy of that cover.
Now the last two choices are tough. I've always been curious about Kobra but may steer clear of the big two this time. Likewise I like Plas but will venture out of the mainstream this time. I own no Supergirl and my interest in mythology and the cruel punishment of Medusa almost pulled me in but suspect DC will soft pedal it, so...
Sorcery. I just can't wrap my head around Sabrina from the Archie crowd telling horror tales. It looks like this mag evolved shortly after into a typical horror anthology but I am curious about this hybrid. And frankly I never heard of it until very recently.
And last is Mod Wheels because I'm wondering how they stretched what looks like a take on the Hot Wheels and Matchbox Car craze into a full blown series. If I was six, I'm sure I would have loved it because I was in my Speed Racer phase.
I liked how concept diverse comics in the early 70s were. The creators and publishers seemed to try anything.
Hercules-- I've read through the first 6 issues with Garcia Lopez art. Nice covers, but unfortunately the interiors are obscured by Wally Wood's late style inking. Not bad, but could've been awesome. Simonson draws the last 6 issues, so you at least get good artists on this series. I prefer the Herc miniseries by Bob Layton.
Omega-- I avoided this series for a long time, but read it a couple years ago. Liked it! Not a typical series, but interesting writing and decent art.
Warp-- I bought the first few issues when they came out, and the series seemed to have potential with art by Brunner. But looking at it in recent years, I wasn't digging it.
Every time I see Kobra in a comic bin I pick it up but don't buy it. Plastic Man is another that I want to like, but haven't found an issue that calls to me. When I open an issue of Supergirl, it has nice art, but the stories don't seem like something I'd get into.
So as my last choice I'll try Monster Hunters for the Zeck art, or Modwheels for the groovy looking characters on the cover.
There's not one on this list I would buy. I would have probably bought four Hostess Choco-diles with the money and been buzzed on a delicious sugar rush.
Yeah, there's not a lot here to tempt me. I might check out Warp, since I've heard it's interesting. I'd probably just keep the other 75 cents ... or buy one of those cheap SF paperbacks they used to sell back in the 70s :)
Mike Wilson
Wonderful variety today,Martinex 1! It's that crazy eclecticism, the "who knows what you might find " that makes the Bronze Age so much fun!
I choose:
Lady Cop- just sounds cool, different cool.
Casper- I'm a sucker for a space cover.
Chilling Adventures in Sorcery- always wanted to pick up an issue, never did.
Harlem Globetrotters- just for fun. Loved the cartoon.
And hey, no superhero choices...
Karen, it's very possible that you read that Machine Man mini and then just forgot about it. While the art is indeed lovely throughout, the story is very oddly bland and entirely forgettable.
As for Hercules Unbound, as far as I know, it's never been reprinted in its entirety, unfortunately. The last two issues, in which Simonson did the complete art, are reprinted in this out-of-print tpb called the Art of Walter Simsonson (which I found for a reasonable pice on eBay some years ago).
Time to crack open the Funny Funny Books!
Richie Rich and His Girlfriends
Sad Sack Navy Gobs'n'Gals
Harlem Globetrotters
The Inspector and the Pink Panther
Why? Because I've developed an unexpected interest in Little Dot comics and would love to compare and contrast these with other 'kids' books.
My wife on the other hand, in her first ever comic blog post:
Flintstones Presents Barney and Betty Rubble (reflects my 70s TV tastes)
Bionic Woman (ditto)
Richie Rich and His Girlfriends (looks like fun stuff)
Plastic Man (don't know the character but yep, looks like fun stuff too)
Colin I think you would find some of those choices enjoyable. I don't recall having any of that particular Sad Sack title's issues in my collection but in general I found Sad Sack and his buddies to be very fun. Considering all of the Richie Rich titles that lasted for eons, I am not sure why this particular one with Dot, Lotta, Audrey and others didn't cut it.
And welcome to Colin Bray's wife! Welcome to the site and congrats on your first comment! Is my memory fuzzy or did Jamie Summers have a bionic dog too? Is that my imagination?
Mrs Colin Bray (otherwise known by her alter-ego name 'Liz') is nearly asleep but can be heard mumbling that she thinks Jaime Summers had a bionic dog. And upon further research, 'Maximillian the Bionic Dog' it was. I dunno, sounds a bit far-fetched to me...
I'd pick up the Supergirl and Machine Man issues, and save the other two bits x2 for a Pepsi...
If I had a buck (and I was playing with House Money), I would go with Combat Kelly, Devil Dinosaur, Omega and Machine Man. Ha, I still went Marvel!!! Remember Halloween when I went DC? Good times, good times.....
I was thinking Lady Cop is in a skirt, but then again, Hercules is in a skirt also, so there's that.....
(Nobody on the road
Nobody on the beach
I feel it in the air
The summer's out of reach
Empty lake, empty streets
The sun goes down alone
I'm driving by your house
Though I know you're not home
But I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got your hair combed back and your sunglasses on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone
I never will forget those nights
I wonder if it was a dream
Remember how you made me crazy?
Remember how I made you scream
Now I don't understand what happened to our love
But babe, I'm gonna get you back
I'm gonna show you what I'm made of
I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
I see you walking real slow and you're smilin' at everyone
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone
Out on the road today, I saw a DEADHEAD sticker on a Cadillac
A little voice inside my head said, "Don't look back. You can never look back"
I thought I knew what love was
What did I know?
Those days are gone forever
I should just let them go but-
I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got that top pulled down and that radio on, baby
And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone
I can see you-
Your brown skin shinin' in the sun
You got that hair slicked back and those Wayfarers on, baby
I can tell you my love for you will still be strong
After the boys of summer have gone).
PS: Pandora is Robot Radio!!! The Robots have ears!!!
I forgot to say that the Hulk should be angry about that crossword puzzle on Fun and Games. I am pretty sure that the "A" coming down from Space Phantom cannot possibly spell anything - unless it is some crazy Marvel word that Stan came up with. A hearty handshake and BITBA no-prize if anybody can tell me if there is a Marvel term that can fill that gap.
Also, to give the sidebar a plug, our friend Groove is sharing that very issue of Omega the Unknown over at Diversions of the Groovy Kind today. So if you want to see what it's all about, save a quarter and take a look.
Great minds think alike.
Colin & Martinex1, yes,indeed Jaime did have a bionic dog called Max as my admittedly fuzzy memory recalls ... :)
OK, I'd pick Godzilla, Omega, Shogun warriors and Hercules.
- Mike 'back in my stone age' from Trinidad & Tobago.
I think the 1st ISSUE SPECIAL anthology series exactly captures the obscure-but-oddly-engaging vibe that you emphasized in the post. I have several issues from that run (although not "Lady Cop", here-- hoo-boy, Cover Made Me NOT Want To Buy This Book--!), and almost anything could pop up in this short run. A few things quite good (the true first issue of WARLORD, in fact!), others pretty darned sketchy (Kirby's late-career revisiting of the Dead-End Kids-type genre, THE DINGBATS-- hoo-boy. And Joe Simon's OUTSIDERS-- a poorly-drawn team-of-misunderstood-freaks offering.)
And DC's Hercules was an okay book-- a little dense, IIRC, and I missed an issue early on and could never quite get caught back up. It was indeed in the Kamandi-verse-- and was kind of jarring to see those anthropomorphic animals done in a very different artistic style.
Hey, y'know what? I always pass right over old issue of Kobra as well. And you know what I think it's fundamental problem is? IT'S THE LOGO. Of all things. It just looks. . . cheesy & kinda Saturday Morning lame cartoon-y. Like it's trying too hard. All in one logo, yup. I mean, that's a darned good cover-- but I don't see it 'cause the logo puts me off!
I had that issue of Sad Sack Navy. Generally you couldn't tell one Sack title from another-- but this one you could. The weakest of their offerings. The Gabby Gob character/co-feature was a big mistake.
So, whom do I choose, assuming little prior contact?
Give me Captain Victory ('cause that's just a great cover, period!); Combat Kelly ('cause it's a name you sort of heard of, but never gave a single thought to); Plastic Man (I have that issue, but I almost never don't like Plas, and wish I had more); and WARP ('cause it's always had nice eye appeal-- just never picked it up).
HB
1. Lady Cop!
2. Devil Dinosaur (I have the complete original series and love it, and love the new Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur series)
3. Godzilla! Godzilla in the Marvel Universe? Yes, please!
4. Hard to pick btwn Omega and Machine Man!
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