Some Assembly Required
Here’s another sheet of DC Valentines with some thought behind it.
The Batgirl is very corny, but has come cool cache, too. Superman, Robin and Aquaman are ones you pass out to people you aren’t worried about impressing.
Plastic Man on the other hand…
Well, be careful who receives this one or you may get a restraining order in return.
While we’ve discussed Superman and Aquaman’s loves, the other two are more intertwined. Batgirl and Robin, Barbara Gordon and Dick Grayson, have a long history of romantic involvement. Their involvement extends from from the printed page to small screen.
Have a Happy Valentine’s Day…or else!
The Hulk doesn’t normally inspire fancies of Cupid, but ol’ Jade Jaws has had his share of romances. More so than his alter ego Bruce Banner.
His first, and truest, will always be Betty Ross.
Betty has been around since Hulk (1962) one. In true Marvel manner, she is the daughter of Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross, Banner/Hulk’s oldest nemesis.
The two were romantically involved off and on throughout every incarnation of the Hulk’s books. They eventually married in Incredible Hulk (1968) 310 in 1986.
Next in Hulk’s black book would be a toss up. Caiera Oldstrong is his baby mama, but Jarella was pure puppy love from the dawn of the Bronze Age.
Jarella became the Hulk’s love interest, not Banner’s. When Hulk was miniaturized, he found himself ruler and betrothed with the princess of Ka’i. Their love couldn’t last as Hulk found himself yanked from the micro verse.
Caiera would play a lead role in Planet Hulk – Incredible Hulk (1968) 92-105 – becoming his wife and bearing their child, Skaar. Her death would result in the World War Hulk story arc that spanned most titles in the four color Marvel Universe.
As another famous green celebrity once said, “It’s not easy being green.”


True Love?
And, since women love the bad boys, let’s throw one of the founding members of Batman’s rogues gallery in for good(?) measure.
Edward Nygma,..
Wait, does a name like that make you wonder about predestination?
Anyway, Edward Nygma, or E. Nygma, first donned his green togs in Detective Comics 140, October of 1948. Bill Finger and Dick Sprang are responsible for the criminal mastermind hobbled by the obsession to incorporate riddles and puzzles into his crimes.
His Golden Age appearances were limited to his debut and Detective Comics 142. Presumably the Riddler was a guest of the state until the Silver Age when, upon his release in Batman 171 he continued his criminal career.
Since then, Nygma has made up for lost time never far from a comic book appearance throughout the ensuing ages and crises.
And, if you’re curious as to the answers on the Valentine, it’s printed upside down in the lower left hand corner and the title of today’s post.
Have a MARVELous Valentine’s Day
So far this countdown we’ve had the boys showing their feelings, so lets soften the mood with one of the ladies.
While the moniker Ms. Marvel encompasses others, we’re talking about the OG Carol Danvers. She first graced the four color world in Marvel Super Heroes issue 13 in 1968. At the time she was a non-powered United States Air Force officer. The following year she was caught in an explosion with Captain Marvel, courtesy of the Kree. The explosion caused hers and Marvel’s DNA to merge giving her super powers. In 1977 she was given her own self-titled book and became a mainstay on the periphery of the Avengers.
X-Men scribe Chris Claremont would have her memories and powers stolen by the mutant Rogue in Avengers annual 10. Her misadventure would lead her to the X-Men where she would become Binary and, later, Warbird.
Carol officially became Captain Marvel in 2012.
Others assuming the title of Ms. Marvel include Sharon Ventuera, Karla Sofen and Kamala Khan.
DIY Valentine Fun
Okay, I kinda wanna try these out myself.
DC’s Super Friends was still airing in the 1980s when these hit the shelves. The show’s full tenure ran from 1973 to 1985. It’s original incarnation would premiere and rerun through 1977 when an annual renewal would continue till its demise in ‘85.
Apparently one of the licenses sold would lead to these Uber cool Valentines cards that were almost too good to give away. This sheet features the Joker, Batman, Superman and Aquaman.
Each have had their share of romantic partners, Joker with Harley Quinn/Harlequin. Harley has the distinction of first being introduced on Batman: The Animated Series.
Batman/Bruce Wayne with Julie Madison from way back in Detective Comics 31. Vickie Vale who first appeared in Batman 49. She would go on hiatus from the Bat titles between 1964 and the early 1980s. Selina Kyle/Catwoman who was introduced in Batman issue one. Talia Al Ghul from Detective Comics 411. There would be others, but the above mentioned were the ones who got away.
Unlike his playboy counterpart, Kal-El/Clark Kent/Superman has only had eyes for one woman: Lois Lane.
Arthur Curry/Aquaman is pretty much a one-woman hero himself. That honor falls to wife Mera.
The Thing I Want Most…
Continuing to show some love this February is a Hallmark classic with the ever lovin’, blue eyed Thing.
For anyone who’s ever felt self conscious about their appearance, here’s Yancy Street’s most famous alum, Aunt Petunia’s own Bashful Benjamin J. Grimm.
Ben would spend most of his comic book career dating blind sculptress Alicia Masters. Their romance would be interrupted by teammate Johnny (Human Torch) Storm’s advances. She and Storm would marry only to learn later his Alicia was really a Skrull imposter.
The real Alicia, it was learned, had been in suspended animation during that time.
Ben would propose to schoolteacher Debbie Green only to leave her for fear of retribution by enemies.
Ben and Alicia would finally marry in Fantastic Four issue 650.
So, don’t give up hope, there’s someone for everyone.
Vroooom!
Welcome to February.
As with December we’re gonna count down to the big day: Valentine’s Day. Instead of ornaments we’re gonna use the commodity of the month, Valentine’s Cards.
Not those contrived, costly Hallmark cards, either. These are the the meaningful missives passed out in elementary school.
I grew up in the 1970s when you bought those box bound greetings by the dozen in a colorful container, promising puppy love could flourish as your favorite mascot pitched your woo.
The night before handing them out, you sat down with mom and made a list of your fellow classmates. Then came decisions as to who received which of the barely three dimensional greetings.
The following day you were turned loose to drop these sappy salutations into school-made boxes or bags.
I don’t know if this still transpires today, but here’s a memento of days gone by and a good example of what passed for poetry for primary school pupils.
Whaam!
Looking at the calendar, there seemed to be too big a gap between Observe the Weather Day and the start of the countdown to Valentine’s Day. So, here’s a quick filler to bridge the hole between events.
And with that, welcome to Pop Art Day.

Drowning Girl
Artist Roy Lichtenstein is regarded as the father of pop art. His use of Ben-Day dots offered a commercial print quality with its pixelated effect.
Though not originally considered a high art form, Lichtenstein’s appreciation of the mass-market entertainment was his inspiration. Wham! and Drowning Girl are two of his more iconic pieces.
Though initially branded as plagiarism, pop art was eventually accepted by the comic book community. In 1965 the National Cartoon Society commissioned Lichtenstein for a piece. He was also the first of honor at the event.

Whaam!
The Flash 110 (1959)
If you’ve looked outside to see what the weather is like, you’ve already celebrated today’s non-holiday.
Today is Observe the Weather Day which has its roots in the birth of astrology in Babylonia around 650 BC. Around 360 BC scholar Aristotle jotted down weather patterns in his book Meteorologica. Fast forward 60 years and Indian astronomers began developing techniques to predict weather patterns. In 1854 Naval Officer Francis Beaufort and Robert FitzRoy start their campaign for forecasting to become a science, giving birth to weather observation as known today.

The Flash (1959) 110
And, that in a nutshell, is a history of weather forecasting.
Today’s emcee will be Flash foe Weather Wizard, first appearing in The Flash 110.
Created by John Broome and Carmine Infantino, Weather Wizard – aka Mark Mardon – originally wielded a wand crafted by brother Clyde to control weather patterns. The wand eventually drove Mardon insane, but DC’s New 52 cured him, allowing his return.
As part of The Flash’s Rogue’s Gallery, Mardon has appeared outside of comic books in a plethora of multi-media formats.
So, depending on the weather, choose an appropriate activity for the day which might include a review of today’s man of the hour and a little Weather Channel to fully appreciate the strides made to keep you warm and dry.
I Feel Strongly about You…
Iron Man is the hero, while Tony Stark is the playboy.
Created in 1962, Stark was an early victim of the conflict brewing in Viet Nam. Misadventure led to the Howard Hughes illustrated surrogate’s heart issues requiring an outside power source to permitting further function.
And, a good thing, too, considering Stark’s other real life inspiration was silver screen Lothario Earl Flynn.
While most of Stark’s trysts are short lived, he has had his more serious entanglements. Employee Pepper Potts was one of the first comic book conquests. She would eventually marry another Stark employee, Happy Hogan.
Roxie Gilbert was introduced to spice the title up. Her plot twist branded her as the sister of Iron Man villain Firebrand.
Another relationship was curtailed when Whitney Frost became Madam Masque.
Bethany Cabe helped Stark dry out when he hit bottle’s bottom during Demon in a Bottle. Cabe would end the relationship for her husband she didn’t know was still alive. Ironically it was Iron Man who found him.
Bringing back the femme fatale, Indries Moomji helped ruin Stark and bring down Stark Enterprises.
The Avenger would mix business with pleasure by dating both the Wasp and She-Hulk, aka Janet Van Dyne and Jennifer Walter’s respectively.
His playboy ways were even expounded upon by Robert Downey Jr. in the big screen adaptation.
Yet, somehow Shell Head finds time to run a company and play hero. Hard to tell what his real super power is.