When I was a kid, nothing seemed to excite me more in the Summer than a local carnival. The Ferris wheel, bumper cars, fun house, and cherry snow cones brought joy and excitement. Anticipation grew as the trucks rolled in and the pieces of the Tilt-O-Whirl were put into place. Today I get ill just thinking about spinning like that, but back in the Bronze Age I could not wait to get the tickets.
Carnivals and amusement parks seem to be a common setting for comic book action. The bright lights and high speed rides are a great background. And apparently the parks seem to be frequent hideouts for the villains and antagonists. I am quite certain I have not found all examples of covers featuring amusement rides, but today let's look at a fairly vast collection. From rickety contraptions to fun house mirrors, let's enjoy the ongoing fascination with the carnival theme on comic covers.
Roller coasters are the prize attraction by far. Some characters are more prone to appear at the location; Daredevil, Ghost Rider, Archie's gang, and Hot Stuff make more than one appearance. I am quite certain, there will be some covers from the Golden Age to the modern era that you have not seen before.
You know how we play the game...pick the four comics that would get your attention at the spinner rack and share your thoughts about the selection. Also today, share some stories about your amusement park experiences. We always like to remember the good old days, and this is a prime opportunity to opine about the rides, games, and food at your local amusement park. And if you recall any other great covers that fit the theme, shout it out because I am sure that I missed dozens.
Stay cool. Spread the sunscreen liberally. Grab a cold one. And as always, cheers!
Redartz: Hi gang, just had to add one more to Marti's incredible stack here. This Jughead issue is one I recall having 'way back when', and it came to mind upon seeing that "Archie and Me" cover above. Pretty similar...
Martinex1: One last note: today of course is Memorial Day in the U.S.A. Let's remember the great sacrifice from the many who helped win us the freedom and liberty to enjoy these simple things in life that we celebrate every day at BitBA. Let us not forget.
9 comments:
Gosh, National Comics #42, there. Suppose that may have been in John Byrne's childhood collection? (Uncanny X-Men #111)
In fact, I'll take that issue. I didn't realize it was Jack Cole until I clicked for a closer look. I even wondered if it was some odd, lost Byrne panel at first, somehow. (Like, a tribute or something---)
And I'll take the Phantom Stranger, 'cause I LOVE the color, honestly.
And ASM #67-- it's one of my favorite covers ever, regardless of theme.
And-- then things get a little mundane, maybe. You almost feel like there's a mandate, especially with the funny-books: "When in doubt or a hurry, stick a roller-coaster gag or fun-house mirror gag on the cover--"
No wait-- I'm liking Chamber of Darkness #6. That short-lived horror title had a lot of solid covers as I recall, and this is one-- great moment-capture-!
Happy Memorial Day, folks.
HB
Yowza! Anytime you are going to offer a crack (pun intended, lol)) at a golden ager from Quality, I'll take it! Put National in the bag please!
ASM #67 is a must, regardless of the context! That mysterious cover really just sets a mood of foreboding.
I hate to say it but the rest aren't grabbing me... not even the golden age Action! But I'd be foolish to pass on it so let's put it in the bag too!
Well, now that I have around $10,000 worth of comics for $1, I think I'll call it a day. Don't want to be greedy, LOL.
I'm almost a bit surprised there are no ferris wheels, that other classic symbol of the amusement park besides roller coasters.
Lastly, Dracula on the roller coaster seems like a really weird setting for my favorite vampire?
Anyhow Martie, I'll be by around 12:30 to pick up the comics! How bout throwing some shrimp kabobs on the barbie and I'll bring a couple of Pabst Blue Ribbons!
CH47 - sounds like a plan. We’ll throw on some ribs too. Cheers.
As far as Ferris wheels go, I believe the Batman ride is a wheel although at first glance it looks like a roller coaster. Also Barbie and Archie Funhouse have wheels as well. I found a few others but couldn’t get a good picture or scan. I expected more but the roller coasters definitely ruled the day.
I had a few merry-go-rounds as well but again my image finds were not the best.
Lots of fun, and very cool, covers today Marti! I took the liberty of adding one at the bottom, inspired by the cover with Archie and Mr. Weatherbee. Archie was recycling some gags, apparently.
As for ferris wheels, the cover of Amazing Spider-Man 161 is an example: Spidey battling Nightcrawler atop a wheel. A great book...
Speaking of great books, I'll join HB in taking that Phantom Stranger book; man what a cover. That green just grabs you. Add on the Little Lulu giant, for charming nostalgia. Add on the Shock Suspenstoris; hey it's EC! And what a cover. Finally, I'll go with the Justice League issue, for pure Silver Age goofiness. Pretty good haul for a buck.
Oh, and guys, if you toss a couple dogs on the grill for me, I'll bring dessert; a box of Hostess Cupcakes ...
Me, I'm going for the classics: Action Comics #46, National Comics #42, Shock SuspenStories #13 and ASM #67 - all of those for a buck? Awesome.
By the way, since HB mentioned it, I think X-men #111 is missing. And speaking of X-men, does the cover of #124 (or Marvel Team-up #66 for that matter), featuring Arcade's Murderworld, also count?
Otherwise, grilled shrimp kebabs, ribs and dogs sound good to me. I can bring some potato salad (Croatian-style, no mayo), and some ice-cold Coke, as I can think of nothing better to wash down those cupcakes...
I guess I waited too long, all the ASMs are gone. My picks, all Marvel of course, would be Marvel Team-Up, Daredevil (the one with Bullseye), Fantastic Four (who can pass up a Galactus story!?!), and The Incredible Hulk. HB, see what happens when you scarf up all the ASMs; I'm left buying the Hulk!!!
Here's my personal roller coaster story:
Summers of 83 & 84, I worked at Astroworld. The first year, 1983, I was in the section that included the Texas Cyclone, Warp 8, the carousel and the cars. They were the little race cars on the railed track that you drove around. Every morning, we'd all show up at the Texas Cyclone, push the cars out of the storage shed and onto the track. There was always a test run so we would pile in for the ride. The front seat and back seat were the prizes!!! I hated the front seat but had a huge crush on a girl who did so if she climbed in, I was there. Anyhoo, it was my last day of work, July 29th, 1983. I wasn't going to work till the end of summer so I could get ready for college. My supervisor let me leave 30 minutes early so I could turn in my uniforms, clear out my locker and do all the sign out things. If I hadn't left early, I would have done all this "off the clock". Just as I was leaving the race cars, a call came in over the radio for all the day shift to report to the Texas Cyclone. They wanted to add the other train and they need people to push the car out of the shed and onto the track. I hesitated but my supervisor told me, "Go, go, we got this." From what I heard later, since this car was further in the shed, it was harder to move. There was an urgency because the lines were really long. By running two cars instead of one, they were hoping to cut the wait time in half. In the confusion, they forgot to move the track back to the ride, it was still going to the shed. The car filled with employees; policy had them do the test ride, not guests. As the car left the station, there was nothing anyone could do as they saw it go into the shed, filled with people and go crashing out the other end. It was roughly a twenty or thirty foot drop, just long enough so that the back car stayed in the shed. One of the riders in the front seat, the supervisor, was killed. There were quite a few injuries. I don't think I would have been in the front or the back but I would have been in the middle...
End Part 1.
(
She had a cross around her neck
And a flower in her hand
That I picked from the side of Thomas Drive
On our way to the sand
We found an old wooden chair
Still warm from the sun
Pushed it back, gave me a kiss
With Bacardi on her lips
And I was done
And we spent that week wide open
Upside down beside the ocean
I didn't know where it was goin'
Just tryin' to keep my heart on the tracks
I should've known that kind of feelin'
Would last longer than that week did
Blown away and barely breathin'
Sunday came and it was over
Now she's got me twisted
Like an old beach roller coaster
The rest of those days
Turned into long crazy nights
When the music got loud
We'd sneak away from the crowd
Under the boardwalk lights
And with all the things we said
What I just can't get past
Is the way we let it end
Now I'm wonderin' where she is
Knowin' I can't get that goodbye back
And we spent that week wide open
Upside down beside the ocean
I didn't know where it was goin'
Just tryin' to keep my heart on the tracks
I should've known that kind of feelin'
Would last longer than that week did
Blown away and barely breathin'
Sunday came and it was over
Now she's got me twisted
Like an old beach roller coaster
She's like a song playin' over and over
In my mind, where I still hold her
I had the chance and I should've told her
When we spent that week wide open
Upside down beside the ocean
I should've known where it was goin'
Still tryin' to keep my heart on the tracks
And I should've known that kind of feelin'
Would last longer than that week did
Blown away and barely breathin'
When Sunday came and it was over
Now she's got me twisted
Yeah, I'm still twisted
Like that old beach roller coaster
Like that old beach roller coaster).
Went over the character limit so it was a two parter...
End of Part 2.
I'd have to go for Amazing Spider-Man (with Mysterio); DD (vs Bullseye); Shock SuspenStories (classic EC); and maybe MTU 91 (with Ghost Rider).
Yep, CH47, ASM 161 was one of the first covers that came to my mind as well-! Nice. . .
And edo, the one reason I didn't grab HULK 195, there, is because it still has the bittersweet association of being right after Herb Trimpe left the book, and as much as I took to Sal's Hulk almost immediately, I still had a smidge of the grief process to work through. . . (seems so silly now, eh?)
Geeze, Prowl-- that's a heck of sobering experience. Man- just one small but tremendously consequential oversight. And the mishap bypassed you on the momentary decision by your supervisor of whether or not to work you past your shift for a bit. . .
My lovely wife and I had a whirlwind road-trip/vacation at the end of last summer, and our last stop was at this truly unique little amusement park in Central Pennsylvania called KNOEBEL'S (I think. Spelling--) Admission is free; you pay for all of the rides and amusements. It's definitely a B or even C-list park--- but it is charming and delightful, regardless. It's, like local/rinky-dink on steroids. And we had a great, great day there. HOWEVER-- they do have modest wooden roller coaster that we got onto early, before the lines grew. It's been possibly decades since we've ridden a wooden coaster. And after the usual steep climb and first couple of steep drops and HARD turns, we were MORE than aware that our bodies seem to have changed considerably since our last coaster outing. The thrill factor was completely blotted out by the physical discomfort factor (!), and sure, we were laughing our heads off throughout, but not from fright/thrills/fun-- but because at every dip, bump, and hard-turn we were hollering, "OW! OW! OUCH! CRIPES!! GEEZE! OWWWWW!" --which struck us as hilarious even mid-ride. . . As we peeled ourselves out of the cramped little car, she pragmatically suggested, "I don't think we need to do any more roller coasters today after all, really. . . "
HB
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