Archive for May, 2019
Justice Society of America (2007) 50
Timing publication for Memorial Day 2011, Justice Society of America issue 50 is a two-fold celebration.
Beginning with the June cover date, the issue remembers those who have fallen in service to their country. Secondly, it pays homage to All-Star Comics (1940) issue 27.
Hitting newsstands for Winter 1945, All-Star’s “A Place in This World” is prophetic in its title. Having just closed the book on World War II, America was ready to take its place among the world powers.
Sixty-six years later the former National Periodicals has become DC Comics, America has taken a spot on the world stage and the heroes who made both publisher and nation great still exist.
In the first story, “Cornerstone,” Modern Age heroes reveal how their Golden Age forefathers influenced them. “Infinitum” showcases Robin and Huntress. Story three, “Truth & Justice,” harkens back to McCarthy-era America and the trials a nation faced in fear.
Finally, “Inaugural” focuses on the first family of speed with Jay Garrick and Jesse Quick.
Also included in the over-sized edition is a “special sneak preview” of Batman: Arkham City.
Memorial Day is observed the last Monday of May to remember those who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The federal holiday was previously observed on May 30 from 1868 to 1970.
Decorating soldier’s graves was first recorded in 1861 in Warrenton, VA. The following year it was noted Confederate soldiers were honored in the same way by the women of Savannah, GA. A cemetery dedication was held in 1863 in Gettysburg, PA.
In 1868 the southern tradition was adopted as a nationwide observance called Dedication Day. The inaugural northern Memorial Day was held May 30 that same year.
Jingle Belle (1999) 2
Jingle Belle (1999) 2
Paul Dini and Stephen DeStefano wrap up the two-issue mini with “Santa’s Little Hellion.”
When we left Jingle Belle at the end of issue one, she had released the wrath of the Blizzard Wizard after disobeying her father, Santa Claus. The good intentions of faux elf and newfound friend, Andy, allow Jingle to return to North Pole headquarters, but the damage is done.
To thwart the Bliz Wiz again, Jingle retreads old ground seeking aid from those who helped Santa before. Between a contest to prove herself and unexpected help from a suicidal source Christmas is saved.
Jingle raises her will in defiance one last time to help Andy. The good deed does go unpunished, but not unnoticed.
She is allowed a place by her father’s side on the most generous of all nights.
Another homerun from Dini and Destafano. Y2K could never have dampened the spirit released from the two issues as the duo close out the old millennium with fun and flare.
Jingle Belle (1999) 1
“Long, long ago…” so the story begins, the good northern elves became the Blizzard Wizard’s entertainment. When the elves even gooder Queen Mirabelle sought their freedom she too was captured.
As with all good fairy tales the queen was rescued. Rescued by a saint: Santa Claus. Her hero rode forth and banished the evil and vile wizard to his icy caverns while forcing him to relinquish his power.
In a show of appreciation the elves vowed their allegiance to Santa and his mission to bring happiness to children the world over. Santa and the queen fell in love and were married.
And, they lived happily ever after.
Jingle Belle (1999) 1
At least until Santa couldn’t keep his pants up any longer and Queen Mirabelle bore him a daughter. One they spoiled with the best presents.
“Miserable on 34th Street” is the rest of the story. One in which their daughter, Jingle Belle, seeks a way back into her father’s good graces. Be it through deceit, granted, but still a chance to climb from under the mountain of coal she receives every Christmas Eve.
Through misunderstanding and indifference Jingle reunites the cold czar of chaos with is power source again and earns the hatred of children everywhere.
To be continued…
Paul Dini serves up the frozen fare with Stephen DeStefano illustrating the icy tale. Pin ups are served by Jill Thompson and Sergio Aragones.
The Tick New Series (2009) 7
Star of Blunder, Star of Might! closed out 2010 in true Tick holiday fashion.
The Tick has lost his Christmas spirit. Even eight days of Hanukkah isn’t enough to dampen the depression. Not until a beacon shines the way. The Tick and Arthur undertake a pilgrimage – along with the Man-Eating Cow – to seek out the meaning of the season.
For the Tick that’s a bit skewed. As is the story.
The Tick New Series (2009) 7
Benitio Cereno III takes as many jabs at the holiday season as he does the comic book field. The Tick was originally created by Ben Edlund. Like other indy comic books of the time, The Tick was – and is – a parody of the super hero genre. In his original run the Tick even worked at a newspaper office with a Clark Kent clone. Fellow heroes included Die Fledermaus, a shameless Batman knock off; American Maid, similar to Wonder Woman in many ways and Fish Boy, an obvious take on Aquaman.
The Tick’s rogue’s gallery could be compared to Dick Tracy’s with villains like Chairface Chippendale, The Forehead and The Terror.
He received his own comic book series in 1988. The initial run ran a mere 12 issues. Since then he has been in several incarnations.
By 1994 the Tick’s popularity was enough Fox picked up the character for an animated series. It ran three seasons, 1994-96, on the Fox network’s Fox kids block. Since then the series has been syndicated to other networks as well as released on VHS and DVD.
A live-action series aired in both 2001 and 2016.
Bugs Bunny (1953) 46
Bugs Bunny issue 46 sports a Christmas cover for the December/January 1956 dated comic book, but none of the material inside reflect the season.
Bugs Bunny (1953) 46
In “Mountie’s Mistake,” Bugs is desperate to become one of the Royal Mounted Policemen. Instead he is relegated to filling oat bags for the horses. In an attempt to make the force he undertakes a mistaken manhunt for Porky rather than the real criminal.
“Big Injun Ambush” is colorful in title and synopsis as a wayward Native American tries to stop the local train.
Sylvester and Tweety tear down the neighborhood in a cycle of life struggle during “House Hunt.”
“Firewood” is the only story with a winter flavor. Bugs and Elmer vacation at the latter’s cabin. Bugs makes due with local materials for warmth.
A Year of Marvels May 01
Okay, not sure about a lot of the details on this other than from the standard release published ad nauseum on Web sites.
In 2016 it looks as if Marvel released a series of monthly one-shots under its Marvel Digital Comics imprint. Since then it has been released in hardcopy as a trade paperback.
Based on release info, artists celebrated a holiday each month throughout the year. In May, readers received a – pun intended – monstrous Mother’s Day tale.
A Year of Marvels May 01
X-23 cum Wolverine teams with She-Hulk tackling sister Wendigoes sired by Mother Monster. Her real name.
Mother Monster experimented with cannibalism to craft her (wo)man made monsters. Success was elusive until she was able to feed her “daughters” authentic Wendigo meat. The combination of human and Wendigo flesh created a hybrid pair.
With She-Hulk and X-23/Wolverine captured, Mother Monster tried to transfer their powers to the man-made Wendigoes. X-23/Wolverine is able to nullify Monster Mother’s machination and earn the respect of She-Hulk.
Dennis Culver scripted the story with Geoffo and Leonardo Romero fleshing out the visuals. Overall the story is a nice piece harkening back to the original – and first appearance – of Wolverine and the Hulk. If you have to ask what issue that was, you shouldn’t be reading this.
A fun romp for Mother’s Day.
Gen 13 A Christmas Caper
This 2000 holiday offering opened the millennium with a look at the past.
Gen 13 is/was a team of teens with a mentor. As individuals they were recruited by International Operations, a clandestine government organization along the lines of a James Bondesqe-cabal. They are trained through this organization to become heroes.
Something like that.
For the purpose of the Christmas special, that’s a good enough explanation.
Gen 13 A Christmas Caper
This story takes place when the group was still old enough to believe in Santa Claus. Grunge had concocted a calculation that will give the exact time of Santa’s arrival at the facility. His plan is to hide and record the jolly one’s visit.
What no one realizes is the facility, the children, all the trappings are just bait. IO headman The Baron wishes to exact revenge for years of coal under the Christmas tree.
The plan works and Santa is captured. However, the end result is Christmas magic that reveals The Baron’s suffering was undeserved.
I’ve had this issue for years. Just sitting in my box of holiday comic books. Can’t tell you how many times I’ve pawed past it looking for the next issue to read.
While scheduling ahead for the summer season it was just time to read this book.
Having done so, I can’t believe it took so long. What a fun read. You don’t need to be a fan. I’m not. I may have read the first issue of the original title. It didn’t do anything for me. That’s probably why it took me so long to read this.
I wish I hadn’t. Waited, that is.
Next time you’re at your local comic book shop, leaf through the back issues and see if this one is available. It’s worth the time and money.
Comic Cavalcade (1942) 5
Just a Christmas cover with a creepy Santa Claus for the 1943 winter edition of Comic Cavalcade.
In the heat of the second World War almost half the issue is propaganda. Filler between headliners Flash, Wonder Woman and Green Lantern are illustrated tales of heroism on both the European and Pacific fronts. The “Real Life Story of George Philip Corl” features the decorated sergeant who was wounded three times before taking down a Messerschmitt over North Africa.
Comic Cavalcade (1942) 5
Hop Harrigan sinks a Japanese destroyer and a convoy of troop ships in “Combined Operations.”
“Reel Life to Real Life” is spy hunt involving a soldier, sailor and Marine in Hollywood.
Wonder Woman is featured in “Mystery of the Crimson Flame.” The Amazon finds herself in Arabia to solve the mystery of the story’s title.
Green Lantern sidekick Doiby Dickles’ hat is lost and found while foiling the plans of fashion thieves.
Man-eating plants annoy the Flash in “The Plant That Challenged the World”.
Also included as reading fare are Sargon the Sorcerer and Mutt & Jeff.
May the Fourth be With You
No, May 4 is not a recognized holiday. I don’t even think there are any greeting cards available – yet.
It’s just a matter of time. With Big Bang Theory memorializing it May 1, 2014, in The Proton Transmogrification episode, it must be an important day.
And, May 4 is important. Not only is it officially Star Wars Day and Free Comic Book Day this year, it is also my birthday. A day I celebrate in a variety of forms from just hanging at the house to venturing out for Free Comic Book Day.
So, focusing on the Star Wars Day aspect let’s talk old school Star Wars comic books. The Marvel years. From 1977 to 1986. The ones that filled in holes when fans had to wait three years to see the next installment. When nothing else was available but the Holiday Special and spin-off novelizations.
These are the issues that gave us Jaxxon, a near-mythical rabbit in a space jumpsuit and green complexion. The comic books where Jabba was introduced as a bipedal humanoid with a walrus look. The ones where Luke returned to Tatooine and hijacked a Sandcrawler.
Those are the two issues I’d like to focus on this year.
Issues 31 and 32; Return to Tatooine! and The Jawa Express. Maybe my favorite story arc from the original series.
These two issues just seemed to sum up the era. Having been separated for several issues, Luke, Han, Leia and gang did regroup. On Tatooine of all places.
Together they run afoul of Orman Tagge who is attempting to build another weapon as devastating as the Death Star. As stated a couple of paragraphs above, the heroes go so far as to hijack a Sandcrawler. It’s ludacris and indicative of the times, but so satisfying for old-school fans. It’s a dip in the legendary Lazarus pit to renew the soul.
If you haven’t read these stories or it’s been a while, dig ‘em out. Show ‘em the love they deserve.
Grimm Tales of Terror 2016 Holiday Special
“Dinner Party” gift wraps the four terror tales it encompasses in a neat bow with a horror hostess to map the way.
Billy still believes in “Mall Santa.” His sister doesn’t. Not in Santa at least. Her belief proves prophetic when a psycho Santa tries to steel more than Christmas from Billy’s family.
The Pennsylvanian tradition of “Pollyanna” has all the women wanting “new office guy” Ken’s gift. Scary Gary is the real Secret Santa and the giver of a more precious present.
Playing sick to avoid school is common practice. When Kevin does it to jumpstart the holiday vacation, “Sick Day” becomes more than a way to sneak a peek at presents. What Kevin finds is his future.
Finally, “Mr. Mendelsohn” is a modern day Scrooge. However he’s stingiest with his affections – normally. When an object of his unwanted attention becomes the ghost of Christmas Past, the season is over.
Tales of Terror closes 2016 with a seasonal salutations.