Short Cuts: Quick (non-medicinal) Mood Lifters...

 

Redartz:  Hi gang! Today, here in the US, there's something going on that will occupy most folks' attention. Can't quite recall it but I'm sure it'll come to me. Anyway, it seems appropriate to keep things quick and light here this go-round. Therefore, it's just a single question, one whose answers may be helpful to us all from time to time. 

 When you are looking for a brief diversion, mood improvement, or just something to make you smile, what comic title / music/ anything do you turn to?

My remedy for a pick-me-up is an issue of DC's Sheldon Mayer classic, "Sugar and Spike". Those two torrid tots never fail to evoke a smile and a chuckle. Just wonderful light-hearted, charming fun. If no comics are within reach, I'll fire up the tablet and play anything by the B-52's. There's simply no way you can hear that group and not perk up noticeably. Perk up, and probably break out in embarrasing Dad Dancing movements...

 Ok, like I said, quick and light.  So what lifts your spirits in a  pinch?

Chew the Fat: A Quick Quantity of Questions, Comics Connected...

 

 Redartz:   Anyone up for a quick quiz? Here's five questions for each of you to mull over. No right or wrong answers, no pressure, no biggie. 

1.  What is the oldest (in terms of earliest date published) comic you ever possessed?

2.  What is the most recent comic or graphic novel you have acquired?

3.  Congratulations, your life story is about to be made into a comic. Who writes and draws it?

4.  A young person, newly introduced to comics, comes to you for advice. What sage wisdom do you give someone 'just starting out'?

5.  For many of us, 'superhero' comics are the genre of choice. But what is your second favorite comics genre; what do you turn to when you want something different?

 As is only fair, here's my answers to the above questions...

1.  Back at the height of my original collecting years, I had an old Little Orphan Annie promotional comic from 1934. I still love to pick up promotional comics, as they tend to be rather unusual (and often somewhat cheaper than 'ordinary' comics. Don't recall why I parted with that, but so it goes...

2  My most recent comics purchase was DC's "Superman Smashes the Klan", a tpb done in anime style, and an issue of Bart Simpson's "Treehouse of Horror" (it being Halloween season, and all).

3. Being a rather odd individual, Steve Gerber would be a natural for the script. Artwise, I'm kind of old school, so Bruce Timm would be a good fit, he'd keep it light.

4. Very simple, I'd tell them to collect what they like to read. Don't worry about value, just find  your own interest and follow it.

5. Humor, without a doubt. If I'm not reading about Spidey or Batman, I'm perusing Archie or Uncle Scrooge...

 

Like I said, quick and easy. Now it's your turn!

Adventures in Comics: A Virtual Flea Market Excursion!

Redartz:  Hello all; glad you could make it. Today we're doing something a little bit different. Many times, in the course of our dialogues, I've noted a fondness for visiting flea markets. That hasn't changed with the pandemic; since some have opened up (with social distancing and masks required), my wife and I have toured several. Now probably most of you have experienced a flea market or two. But for the benefit of those who may not have been 'flea-ing', and for those who have but miss the fun do to pandemic restrictions, we present a 'virtual flea market'. More accurately, you get a play-by-play with scenes from today's market visit. Everyone masked up? Okay, let's see what we can find. 

As we enter the place, we take a brief look around to get the lay of the place. For indoor markets, we usually go down each aisle checking out both sides at once. This is a fairly good-sized building, and features a cafe in the back ( unfortunately we already ate). 

Incidentally,  as we go through we will skip over many booths; those offering 'new' items, discount tables, clothing and the like. Also it's advisable not to buy groceries at flea markets (at least, we never do). We are looking for collectibles, music, antiques, pop culture items; and , well, anything unusual. The first thing that grabs our notice is a booth with some superhero figures and other miscellaneous toys. The Iron Man is pretty cool, but I'm not really looking for figures today, so it's a pass. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We go on a little way and find a dealer with a bunch of books. Among them is a shelf of vintage Dr. Suess hardbacks; just like the ones I (and probably many of you ) learned to read with. In particular, that "Dr. Suess' ABC's" was one of my childhood favorites. A sentimental temptation, but not today. We move on...

 

 

 

A few booths later, we encounter a table with numerous Star Wars memorabilia. Figures older and newer, some books, posters, and miscellany. Probably would catch the eye of some among us!

 

 

 

 

A bit further, as we round the end of the aisle and start back in the other direction, we come to a booth with a wide variety of glassware. The Coke glasses get my notice, especially the nice holiday-themed ones on the right. On another shelf is a line of Mason jars; a very common antique in the US Midwest (countless families used them for home canning and preserves).

 

 

 

About halfway down the aisle is a big booth with loads of vinyl lp's! We always go through such stacks, as we have a couple family members who are big vinyl collectors. Also, I've been known to pick up the occasional album to convert on my computer, if the price is right. Most flea markets have LOADS of vinyl available, albeit much of it pretty worn. Today however, I find one to take home. Yes, the first purchase: a nice copy of John Barry's soundtrack to "From Russia With Love". And yes, the price is indeed right.

 

We find another interesting LP, this one of the inauguration of President Richard Nixon. Not sure why someone would want

a recording of an inauguration anyway, but it's a notable bit of history. A good example of  "you never know what you might find'..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We move on. On the next aisle one single booth has a couple things that draw us in. One is an attractive old bicycle; a bit beat up but still pretty nice. Sharp color, too. And right behind it is a basket full to overflowing with dolls. One of which, from it's appearance , is none to happy about being there...

 

 

 

Turning another corner and starting down the right side, we see one of those "never seen one of these before" things. Our family closely followed all the Apollo space missions, and had plenty of moon memorabilia. Yet we never had a Command Module Cookie Jar! Any of you ever see one of these?

 

 

 

After a few more unremarkable dealers and craft tables, we arrive at a booth selling cds, dvds and vcr tapes. As with vinyl, I'm always on the lookout for cd's of interest. Both of these were considered: Julee Cruise singing for Angelo Badalamente (from Twin Peaks), and Meco (of 'disco Star Wars' fame) doing an instrumental collage album. The Julie Cruise disc becomes the second item in our purchase cart.

 

 

A brief observation at this point: it's a bit disappointing that we've so far seen no comic books whatsoever. However, we do find some toilet tissue...

 

 

 

 

 

Well, we're nearing the end of the flea market. One more aisle to go, and here's a promising booth with lots of paper memorabila. First we notice this; anyone else remember S&H Green Stamps?

And did you folks in the UK ever have anything of the sort: trading stamps; given away at grocery stores 'back in the old days'. You'd save the stamps in a booklet until you accumulated enough to trade them in for a toaster or some such prize. My Mom had a drawer full of these things.

And as we turn around, we finally find a few stacks of comic books! My patient wife goes on ahead to look while I rifle through the boxes. Most of them very recent stock, and little of interest to this collector.

 

 

However, one book is worth a look (a look, not a purchase). "Zody the Mod Rob"? Man, you just had to love the 60's!

And with that booth, we come to the conclusion of our flea market. Up to the counter we go, coughing up the funds for the pair of musical items we chose. Then it's back out to the car, and finally off with the mask. Hope you found this 'visit' a bit amusing. Even on those occasions when we don't actually buy anything, we find these flea markets fun to walk through. Sort of like a mini-museum. Any thoughts on anything we've seen today? Any comments on markets you've been to, and oddities you've found? Share on...

Two Questions: Remnants of Youth and the Women of Comedy!

Redartz:  I've been 'hogging the mike' lately , so here's a chance for those of  you who've been saving up a good topic. We are dealing with two questions this week; I'm providing one,  you get to submit the other. Fair is fair, right?

Question 1: Do you still have any of your original comics /toys/books/memorabilia from your youth? 

For many of us, those old toys and comics went away with the trash years ago, or were donated, or sold (my Mom did annual yard sales, and that's where many of my items went). Some things just 'disappeared' . I've no idea whatever happened to my old baseball cards ; when I was about 9 years old a neighbor who was a big Cincinnati Reds fan traded me a whole box of late 50's/early 60's Topps baseball cards. All he wanted were the Reds players I'd picked up among my 1970 Topps cards. That old box of cards would be quite a find now; but it vanished inexplicably before I even reached ten. Alas...

 Nonetheless, I do still have a number of the actual things I treasured back then. Several old red line Hot Wheels cars still reside upon a shelf in my home.

Also, did manage to keep a Topps  Willie Mays coin pulled from a pack  in 1971 (Mays was my favorite player)...

And, I still have a fossil fish my Dad bought me during a trip to Colorado in 1971 (that must have been a memorable year for me)...

 So how about you? What vintage originals managed to remain in your possession over the years ? And, what is our spectacular second question ?

Adventures in Comics: The Things I Didn't Buy...

Redartz:  One thing every collector (of comics, ballcards, antiques, or whatever) loves to do is talk about the finds they have made, the purchases they have indulged in while on the hunt. We here have certainly done so, on several occasions. Well today, we'll talk about things we saw but chose to pass on. 

Anyone familiar with us here at BitBA knows I love  a good flea market excursion. Like an Indiana Jones treasure expedition, but without the snakes and gunfire. You truly never know what you'll see at these events. Many things you'd love to take home, others you wouldn't be caught dead with. Here are a few things that caught my attention recently:

 Love this Archies LP; but condition of the vinyl was a factor in passing it up. Nonetheless, I was tempted to buy it just for the cover. Had to photograph it, at the very least...

 Not really sure what this is, or why Santa is standing still for it. But after being somewhat creeped out by it, I had to get a shot of it. Although I wouldn't put this pink...whatever...in my living room, the Blackhawk poster behind it might be a different matter.

 Speaking of movie posters, this one is great. Very odd; perhaps if I'd had some of that Fabulous Treasure I would have been able to take this one home....

 


 Werewolf delivery man? I don't know, but this 6 foot tall nightmare totally dominated this corner of the room he dwelt in. I'll be seeing him in my nightmares from now until doomsday.

 












 Another stop by a vinyl lp booth, rifling through the covers revealed this toothsome group. Hootenany, anyone?






  Fear not; the flea market trip wasn't a washout at all. I took home several nice CD's, and a small stack of comics, including a cool 1961 Strange Tales (rough shape, but a fun pre-Marvel monster cover). But sometimes there's fun in what you skip. Have you any tales of oddities found 'on the hunt'?
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Short Cuts: "You CAN Take it With You"...

Redartz:  Good day, everyone! Today we offer a quick and easy exercise, tinged with just a little bit of demented morbidity. Got your attention?   Excellent; after all, Halloween isn't that far off...

Our premise this episode:  our time has come, the Boatman has arrived to take us across to our Eternal Rewards. But it's all good, we're ready, peaceful, and what's more, They tell us that we can take One (and only one) favored comic or collectible along with us. I know, farfetched; but just  humor me. Aaaaanyway, what is the comic or special collectible item that you would you 'take with you'?

 

As I step onto the boat, I'm holding tight onto my aged copy of Not Brand Echh! 5. Why, you may ask? Not a valuable book, or rare. But it is meaningful to me in several ways: it was one of the first comic books I ever bought as a child. It was the first back issue I ever bought as a pre-teen neo-comic collector. I still love the book, and the three classic hilarious stories held within. It featured the Hulk and Thing,  Captain America and the Avengers  (okay, "Bulk and Thung", "Charlie America and the Revengers"), and Forbush Man. And although my favorite hero Spidey doesn't appear inside, he is on the cover (on a "Spidey-Man" t-shirt). So this comic kind of summarizes my whole comic experience; with a loony humor that is most appropriate for my goofy self. So, that's why I'm "taking it with me". 

What's going with you, and why?

Adventures in Comics: Comics and "The Big Picture"

Redartz: Good day, everyone! Hope you'll forgive me for some verbal wandering today. Usually in these  "Adventures in Comics" installments, we discuss fairly specific activities or events related to our favorite hobby. Today, though, I'd like to look at the 'big picture'. That is, comics in general. Have they had an impact on our lives, our attitudes, our goals? How have they affected our journey down this long road we call Life?

Let me start by saying I don't mean to trivialize anything about life itself, our decisions, the highs and lows we all face as human beings. Indeed, life has enough challenge each day to sober up even the most cheerful of Pollyannas. And regarding the things that affect our lives, there are many factors far more influential than any hobby or pastime (our families and friends, to begin with).

That said, I feel no apologies needed for my love of comics. Most every person who ever lived has had something they enjoy doing to relax, to escape for a bit, or just to help them 'feel themselves again'. Comics have been my 'thing' for most of my life now. I've loved them from the start. 

I started reading pretty young, in fact I recall reading the newspaper at age 5 (specific memories of reading about the "Palm Sunday Tornadoes" of 1965).  Book reading followed soon after, and already I was noticing the pictures in those books. And when an older neighbor introduced 7 year old Redartz to this thing called a 'comic book', well, the die was cast. Already  an enthusiastic book reader, now there were these fascinating magazines with cool artwork to enjoy along with the textual material.

 An aside, historical type- I recall reading Dr. Frederick Wertham's book "Seduction of the Innocent". One passage was rather denigrating to comics as a medium, referring snidely to 'pictures with words in balloons'. The inference was that reading comics was lower, or less intellectually challenging, than reading an actual book. I couldn't disagree more. Comics as a medium combine the best elements of both literary and visual arts. And subject matter varies as widely as it does in any other creative format: film, books, or whatever. That's one of the things I find most rewarding about comics; there's something for any mood or interest. How can you not love a hobby which gives you light fun with Archie, dramatic adventures with Spider-man, crazy satire with MAD, chills with any of the horror books? Or if you're looking for something a bit deeper, Maus is as powerful a tale as any film or novel you'll ever find. Looking for adult material- there's the undergrounds. Will Eisner was right, comics (or as he preferred, 'sequential art') is perfectly valid as an art form, high or low.

Anyway, once I started reading comics, I never stopped. Sure, the material changed; Casper to Superman to Spider-man to Archie and then to full scale collecting. And adulthood added a whole range of graphic novels to the mix. But through it all, the appeal of comics remained consistent. And that's not all. Comics led me to explore other areas, as well. Initially, when I started college, my goal was to become a comics artist. Of course I soon learned that my figure drawing was insufficient, but on the other hand discovered a whole new world of fine art and photography. Reading various graphic novels inspired more curiosity about history and other cultures. New friends and new experiences followed, all stemming from the  welcoming atmosphere of art school and the company of like-minded folks ( and numerous comics fans). And to push this all even further, I met my wife at a party with one of my art-school buddies. So I used to tease my sons with "You know, if it wasn't for comic books...". At any rate,  I found it funny. The point is:  comics, in general, enhanced my life in various ways and pointed me in directions I might otherwise have bypassed.

So, to sum things up, comics have been a pretty big part of my life; and a beneficial one at that. Comics have provided entertainment, education, inspiration,  diversion, and indirectly a career. They have given me wonderful stories such as "'Bone" and "Y-The Last Man". " The Avengers/Defenders War" and  "Days of Future  Past". "A Contract With God" and "Sugar and Spike". Enemy Ace and Little Lulu. Batman and Forbush Man. And so on, and so on, and so on. You get the idea, there's no limit to the wonders that I've read, and to the ones that await. It gives you something to look forward to; whether rereading an old favorite or discovering some new comic creation. So Dr. Wertham, if you're out there listening, I'll continue to take my words with pictures and balloons; thank you.

Adventures in Comics: Spreading the Word...

Redartz:  It's sometimes hard to imagine, in these days of big screen comics adventure being big box office draw, how it used to be; back before everyone you meet could name the membership of the Avengers, or Iron Man's secret identity. Back in that era we affectionately call the "Bronze Age", many of us comic fans dwelt in some degree of isolation, enjoying those four color fantasies in the solitude of our own rooms. Some of us were fortunate enough to have a friend or two who also 'had the bug'; but even then the sense was one of a very secret, very exclusive club. This is not to say that attempts weren't made to educate others on the wonders of comics: Marvel Comics even had a specific 'rank' for those who recruited others, the "K.O.F."...

  Anyone among you ever try 'spreading the word' about comics? How successful were you at rousing someone's interest in checking out a book or two? Did your peers seem receptive, or were they dismissive of all that "Zap, Wham, Kapow!" they only knew from the 1966 Batman TV show? Or, did you pretty much keep your hobby to yourself? That's the basis for today's discussion. 

For my part, I was one of those lucky enough to have a comic collecting friend (indeed, he's the one who got me started in the first place). Nevertheless, I was so fired up about what I was reading and collecting, I just had to share. Starting with my brother, and continuing through most of my friends and acquaintances, I told tales of exciting stories, dramatic artwork, eye-catching covers, fascinating characters, and thrilling 'treasure hunts' seeking elusive back issues. It wasn't long before I was universally known for my comic mania (which may or may not have been a good thing at the time). Most everyone I talked to was polite, of course they may have had a few comments after I left. But I was actually somewhat successful at gaining a few converts. One friend started collecting, but only stuck with it for a year or so. A neighbor was enticed enough to buy quite a stack of comics, many of which I purchased from him some years later when his interest waned. A bit later, one of my girlfriends was so intrigued by my hobby that she started collecting. She actually haunted flea markets with me and competed for the boxes! Whether she still collects, I have no idea.

Yet for all that, my greatest success in 'recruitment' involved the next generation.  Both of my sons caught my comics fever, and more recently two of my grandsons also have started reading and collecting comics. It is quite satisfying to pass along a stack of books to a young person who is excited to receive them. It's also great to hear from a grandson how he scored some Bronze Age Marvels from a flea market on his own. Ah, there's hope for the future after all; and perhaps I've earned that rank of "K.O.F." after all.

Short Cuts: "In My Room..."

Redartz:  Hello friends; today I'm using that line from a classic Beach Boys tune to set the stage for our discussion. Indeed, today's topic will require a bit of memory work and imagination: testing our abilities of recall. Recall what, you ask?  Your childhood room; your space, your private place. Whether you shared a room with a sibling or had a room all to yourself, try to remember as much as you can about it. What did you have on the walls? How did you fill your drawers and shelves? Where did you keep that all-important stash of comic books? Were you a 'neatnik', or , shall we say, disorganized? Take a few minutes, close your eyes, and return to that special place in your house that was all your own. 

I'll start off, cheating a bit as I have a photograph or two (which some of you may have seen before, sorry to be repetitive)...

 

First up is my bedroom from my pre-teen years; shared with my brother. My bed was on the left, with the remnants of a Wacky Package stuck to the footboard. Though it doesn't show here, I was rather obsessively neat and my brother and I kept our sides separate (he was 'disorganized'). Hot Wheels and GI Joes were under the bed, microscope and slides on the desk (I was, and still am, a science nerd). Not seen here is our bookshelf, home to those great Marvels, DCs and Disneys from the time. Oh, note the reel-to-reel tape recorder on the desk: I loved to use that to make my own 'radio talk shows'.  




 

Finally we have my room after age 10. Our family moved to a new house, and my brother and I now had our own rooms (our sister already had her own space). Note the 70's vintage green paneling on the walls, with a red shag carpet! By this time I'd moved to Archie comics, which were safely ensconced in a drawer. On the shelves here you can see several Monogram plastic model kits, including the Cherry Bomb which apparently I had just been working on. Also on the shelves are a selection of "How and Why Wonder Books", a fascinating series of books about science and nature sold at our local drug store alongside the comics. It was in this room (not in the photo, unfortunately) I also had my first humble stereo, and could play lp's and use the accompanying headphone set. Oh, it was perfect. Oh, you may have noticed the bare walls. It was only a couple years later that those walls would be adorned with the FOOM poster, and the Spider-Man poster that came with the Marvel Value Stampbook...





Okay, so much for my room. Let's 'go over to your house' and check out what you had...

Chew the Fat: Okay, We Love Comics. Why?

Redartz:  I love comics. Spider-Man, Batman, Archie. Donald Duck, Avengers, Little Lulu. Haunt of Fear, Spirit, Walking Dead. Journey, Mad, Enemy Ace.  Mystery in Space, Bone, Simpsons Comics. Arcade Comix, Maus, Zippy the Pinhead. I love them all and more. Every genre, countless titles and characters, even more countless stories and covers. From funny animal to superhero to horror, humor to history to undergrounds: I love comics. But why is that? 

In my case, I find the comics (or, as the great Will Eisner called it, sequential art) medium to be an endless source of interest. The combination of text and visual design is gripping, and particularly effective at storytelling. Reading books and looking at artwork are both endlessly rewarding, and obviously have been integral elements of culture for thousands of years. Prose and visual design each have unique strengths and appeal. So why have comics so often suffered the mantle of 'kiddie fare', or lowbrow entertainment?  The comic medium can access the benefits of both creative fields. There is nothing (except perhaps some of the content) about the medium itself that should be considered a lesser endeavor. 

In enjoying comics, I find satisfaction in many ways. There is pure escapist entertainment. There are engrossing tales of adventure and heroism. There are creepy tales of mystery.There are brilliant works of thoughtful inspiration. There are gut-wrenching accounts of history and personal struggle. In short, all the same attractions of other media are found in comics.  The blending of story and art is the medium's great advantage, and why it can work so well. 

Then you have the 'who's who' of comic creators, over a century of creative genius. Herriman, Siegel, Kirby, Barks, Eisner, Kurtzman, Wood, Ditko, Lee, Adams, DeCarlo,  Infantino, Crumb, Spiegelman, Byrne, Moore, Chaykin, Vaughan; and that's barely touching the surface. What an array of talent. I get all tingly just to think of the wonders to be found within the pages of their works. .

And that's why I love comics. How can you not love something which can be so much fun, while also educational, provocative, humorous, outrageous and  touching? 

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to gather a random stack of comics and indulge. Meanwhile, here are a few more reasons why I love comics. What brings out your love?