The Quarter Bin: Gone and Perhaps Forgotten!

Martinex1: When Redartz and I started The Quarter Bin and the "$1 Challenge" all those moons ago, we promised to look at some of the obscure books you actually might find in the Local Comic Shop  quarter box.   Well, I am finally getting around to it.

I can honestly say that I don't believe I own a single issue shown below (I may be wrong as my memory gets a little foggy nowadays but I do "believe" that to be true).  I stretched the borders of the Bronze Age a bit when I searched for issues to spotlight, so we are looking at an approximate 25 year span from the late 1960s until 1990.  The books include many genres, from war stories to humor to licensed material,  and they are from many companies.   It is definitely an eclectic set, but all of the comics depicted below are #1 issues.  

Some characters I recognize, and others I have no clue as to who they are, what they do, and how their story unfolds.   You will see comics from the big two, Marvel and DC, plus samples from Archie, Harvey, PC, Comico, Charlton, Atlas-Seaboard, and more.  They include work from Kirby, Steranko, and many other recognizable talents.  Some are reprints. Most have new stories.   All are relatively obscure.

So your chore as a BitBA reader is to sort through the selection and let us know what four you would choose to purchase given the opportunity.  And please, if you have any recommendations regarding any of the books we would appreciate it.  It is always fun to find something new and enjoyable on a comic hunting trip.  I am sure somebody may criticize me for never having read The Forever People, Ragman, or Obnoxio the Clown, but that is why I rely on you BitBA fans to steer me in the right direction.  Likewise let us know what is better left alone or relegated to the bird cage.

Have a great time diving into oddities looking for forgotten treasure.   Cheers all!

 

 

 

Follow The Leader: Episode 20: Great Comics After the First Issue!

Martinex1: It is hard to believe we have hit our 20th Episode of Follow the Leader.  Tuesdays have been particularly enjoyable as I never know what to expect. 

Let's see who gets here first to get a topic rolling with a Bronze Age twist.   Comics, creators, movies, books, music, television, and pop culture are all fair game.  Let's see how long we can keep the conversation going.

Cheers all!

Two Questions: The Fan of Hercules and the Dark of DC!

Martinex1:  Let's kick off our manic Monday with a couple of comic book questions.   They are not necessarily related (unless you can draw some of your own connections) so feel free to answer one or both.  

QUESTION 1:   Why wasn't Hercules a more popular character in the Marvel mythos?   What do or don't you like about Marvel's Hercules?

 

QUESTION 2:  We talk about the impact darker characters like the vengeance driven Punisher and the violent Wolverine had to comics approaching the modern age, but did Deadman, the Spectre, and the Phantom Stranger have a similar impact on DC much earlier as they appeared throughout the Bronze Age?   If not who were DC's harbingers of a darker age?

May Day? Cinco de Mayo? Nope... Just Another Fantastic Sunday!

Martinex1: Here we are making the cycle again - another day, another week, and already seven days into a new month.  There are some recommendations below, but before we jump into that how about a recap?

THIS PAST WEEK:

Monday May 1st we enjoyed Ed Hannigan's covers, art, and influence from the Bronze Age.
On Tuesday May 2nd, we followed the leader with analysis of Arnold Schwarzenegger's career.
Wednesday the 3rd,  we welcomed Doug from the BAB as a guest writer and explored the DC imaginary stories with all kinds of craziness from Bat-Lad to Lois Lane wedded to Bruce Wayne.
Thursday May 4th we discussed the future and transition of comic collecting. 
On Friday the 5th, we took a look at covers that used the color yellow predominantly.
And yesterday Saturday the 6th we enjoyed some Bronze Age Public Service Announcements.

Who says this isn't the blog to find for variety and enlightenment?   Visit our past posts and many fun comments through the links in the sidebar, or just scroll through for dozens of enjoyable topics. 

SUNDAY FUNNIES:

Today let's look at what Marvel and DC were putting in the newspapers back in the Bronze Age. From Batman to Spider-Man, the short lived Hulk comic strip, and of course the World's Greatest Superheroes!

COMING SOON: We have tons of fun in store - more Bronze Age action, more Bronze Age art, and more Bronze Age comments.  In other words we are running by the seat of our pants!  Come back each day for a new topic each day. 

RECOMMENDATIONS:  As I have been told, "Don't walk.... Run!   Run to see Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2."   The film has much that will appeal to the BitBA crowd.  And to give you fair warning - one week from tomorrow on Monday May 15, 2017, we will have an open forum to discuss everything about the movie, spoilers and all!  So mark your calendar!   That gives you two full weekends (and more outside the US) to see the film and gather your thoughts.  Cheers!

TV Guided: And Now...Saturday Morning Public Service Announcements!

Martinex1: As we have discussed before, Saturday morning television was a weekly event for many Bronze Agers.   Network cartoons and kid shows along with a big bowl of cereal probably brings back nostalgic memories for many in our age group.

One aspect of cartoon television watching that evolved in the mid 1970s was the advent of the Public Service Announcement.   Following pressure that kids' programming was not educational, healthy, or socially aware, the television landscape started to change.  There was less violence allowed in cartoons and additional shorts were added between shows to share a "message."  Some of these PSAs were indeed informative while also often being highly entertaining.   The major networks, CBS, NBC, and ABC took specific approaches to the problem of educating while maintaining a grip on the audience.  

Shorts like the various Schoolhouse Rock offerings were hits and would have us at full attention and even singing along.  CBS opted for the more serious In the News which were sporadically interesting depending on the current event or topic.  ABC offered some cartoons that highlighted healthy eating, diet, and exercise.

I have to say that these PSAs were probably successful.  Anecdotally I know I was more successful in my grammar studies having learned about the conjunctions "and, but, and or" on the "Conjunction Junction." I definitely learned about Apollo Missions from In The News.   The downfall is I still "hanker for a hunka cheese" which may not help me as I age.

Below are some examples to trigger some memories.  Perhaps you have a favorite or can relate a tale.  Are our kids missing out because they were not exposed to "Mother Necessity" or "I'm Just a Bill"?

These short programs were so widely popular in the States that there was actually a long running stage show based on Schoolhouse Rock where the various stories were reenacted and sung live. 

For your enjoyment, we have a few PSA for you, including a classic history song about innovation from Schoolhouse Rock, an August 1976 episode of In The News, and my favorite Time with Timer from ABC.   Take a gander at these samples and then share your comments on the Saturday AM PSAs!  Cheers!