Archive for the ‘New Year’ Category

Posted Saturday, December 31st, 2022 by Barry

Fantastic Four (1960) 133

Amidst the crush of humanity in Times Square the Fantastic Four relate their tussled lives in soliloquy to themselves as they wait for the ball to drop. It’s New Year’s Eve in New York City and the fabled trio are trying to celebrate the event.

 

Fantastic Four (1960) 133 page one

Trying to ‘cuz the team is minus a founding member. More importantly the family is missing two members.

Susan Richards, the Invisible Girl, has left both team and family due to differences between she and husband Reed. Included in her departure is their son, Franklin.

Johnny Storm, aka the Human Torch, is forlorn over the loss of love Crystal as played out over previous issues.

Finally, Ben Grimm, the Thing, is torturing himself about his ability to be the man his girlfriend, Alicia Masters deserves.

Time is stopped as new Frightful Four member Thundra appears literally holding back the hands of time on the clock and interrupting their musings. As the crowd stares, she issues a challenge to Ben, demanding he meet her in battle in three days. To ensure he comes, she kidnaps Alicia.

The battle is anti-climatic as Reed cheats Thundra of her believed victory by turning Ben human. Faced with the having defeated a mere man, the seven-foot siren takes her leave. Alicia is released and the team moves on to their next adventure in issue 134, A Dragon Stalks the Skies!

Fantastic Four (1960) 133

Not the most satisfying of stories, but still a Bronze Age treat courtesy of Roy Thomas, Gerry Conway, Ramona Fradon and Joe Sinnott.

Time’s Square has been the focal point for a good portion of the United States as they ring in the New Year. The event has been held since 1907.The ball drop is reminiscent of the time balls used to help ship navigators verify the setting of their marine chronometers.

Bandleader Guy Lombardo and his band The Royal Canadians served as the original entertainment beginning in 1929. In 1956 they moved from radio to television, performing Auld Lang Syne at midnight.

Following Lombardo’s death Dick Clark became the new Father Time serving as New Year’s host for 32 years. A stroke sidelined Clark and morning talk show host Regis Philbin stepped in for 2005. Since then, Ryan Seacrest has emceed the television spectacle.

However, you celebrate, do it safely and responsibly so you and others will see the New Year through.

Have a happy one from Jeff and Barry.

Posted Saturday, January 1st, 2022 by Barry

Action Comics (1938) 81

Happy New Year.

The Ball has dropped and it’s time to face another 365 days. At this point, no one knows what 2022 will offer.

To kick off the new year, we pull from the past and offer Superman in Action Comics issue 81. Like many of the covers of the Golden Age, the only suggestion of the passage one year to the next is the cover.

Action Comics (1938) 81

Action Comics (1938) 81

Headliner Superman stars in Fairyland Isle. Featured are Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen against the one-and-done villain Fancy Dan, not to be mistaken for Spider-Man’s Silver-Age nemesis.

The story is reprinted in Superman: The Action Comics Archives Vol. 5.

Congo Bill is the main character of the alliterative second feature, Nemesis of the Northland.

The Chinatown Kid, Magician showcases the Vigilante with Zatara bringing up the rear in Sea-Going Sparklers.

Sharing the cover with the Man of Steel are Father Time and Baby New Year.

Father Time’s origins hail from the Greek’s association of time, or chronos, with Cronos the god of agriculture, hence the scythe. The Romans saw Cronos as a personification of Saturn, who also carried a sickle, and as an old man. Wings and an hourglass were added later, a reminder of Death or the Grim Reaper.

Editorial cartoons would later depict Father Time as the representation of the previous year. He would be seen passing the crown to Baby New Year signifying the dawning of a new era or year.

Baby New Year is believed to be the resurrection of Father Time who grows old during the year to become the phoenix-like, aged representation of year’s end. The fresh year is presented in diaper, top hat and sash bearing the year that he represents. Though named Baby New Year, he is often represented as a toddler.

The moniker was often bestowed upon the first born of a village, town or city each year. The tradition has been dropped due to concerns the infant could be targeted by criminals.

No matter how it is celebrated, happy New Year from Jeff and I and Four-Color Holidays. May your 2022 be lived to the fullest.

Posted Friday, December 31st, 2021 by Barry

Zombie Tramp New Year’s Eve Special (2016) 1

It’s New Year’s Eve and a girls gotta eat.

Tarnishing the tradition of the Time Square’s ball drop, Zombie Tramp and friend make a pact to share a special meal. The caveat is, both want their dinner served rare.

The story is biting and the humor risqué. Along the way, New Year’s Eve is revealed to be a farce. Don’t let the PG-13 rating the title would receive deter you from giving it a read.

Zombie Tramp is really Janey Belle. She was created by Dan Mendoza in 2009. Action Lab Comics picked the character up for a 13-issue run. She was moved to Action Lab’s Danger Zone imprint and continues to see print on a regular basis.

Her origins begin as a high-class hooker in Hollywood. She ran afoul of a client and was eaten by his zombie son.

Janey has appeared in three other specials including Christmas, Easter and Valentine’s Day.

Happy New Year’s everyone.

Posted Tuesday, February 23rd, 2021 by Barry

The Simpsons Winter Wingding (2007) 2

February is almost over, but winter drags on. This second helping of winter whimsy features one Christmas story with the remainder of the book focusing on seasonal activities and other notable days.

The Simpsons Winer Wingding (2007) 2

The Simpsons Winer Wingding (2007) 2

Not a Groundhog Day clone, The Christmas That Lasted Forever, is a nightmare lived over and live.

Chuck Dixon hired out his talent for the opening salvo in the second winter special.

Bart makes a simple wish that every day would be Christmas. Rather than relive the day over and over, every following day is Christmas.      Industry halts and life entropies.

Otto’s Gnarly Snowbaorder’s Glossary for When You Need to Comp a Boarder’s Lingo is a two page, well, what the title says.

Brave Bart does not mean a smart Bart. His courage outweighed his cranium as he takes on the neighborhood bullies in a snowball fight.

Bart stumbles into a sledding contest that leaves he and Ralph struggling for survival in Junior Camper Snow Sled Jamboree.

That’s so glavin! is a New Year’s resolution turned bad. Fortunately, Lisa is able to save the day.

The middle Simpson child is the focus of the last story as well as Lisa attempts to find her secret admirer in VSI (Valentine Scene Investigators).

This is the story we’re looking at as we lead into the second month and second holiday of the year with Valentine’s Day. This is a head’s up to give you time to find that perfect gift for that perfect person.

Posted Friday, January 1st, 2021 by Barry

New Year’s Evil (2019) 1

Rotten Tomatoes gives New Year’s Evil a 14-percent score.

I give New Year’s Evil at least a 90-percent score.

Wait, we’re talking about two different things. Apples and, well, tomatoes.

New Year’s Evil was originally a 1980, low-budget slasher starring Roz “Pinky Tuscadero” Kelly.

DC Comics adopted the title in 1997 releasing eight one-shot specials featuring a who’s who of rogues.

The most current incarnation of New Year’s Evil came in my stocking of comic books from Jeff in 2019. Yeah, a little late with this one, but I wanted to save it for the big day.

And, here it is.

New Year’s Evil (2019) 1

New Year’s Evil 2019 features another plethora of villainy from the DCU.

First up is the Joker in The Amateur. New Year’s Eve is spoiled by someone other than the Clown Prince of Crime. Batman and the Joker must come to terms with accountability.

Superman foils the Toyman in Slaybells Ring. His attempt at monopolization of Christmas is thwarted by those he hoped would follow.

Bright and Terrible shows a different side of Sinestro when his past is misconstrued.

Poison Ivy learns she can’t change people in Auld Lang Ivy.

Wonder Woman cautions Ares his mercy may be misguided in Winter’s Root.

A surprising show of good intentions allows Black Adam to bring some tenderness in A Coal in My Stocking.

Calendar Man remains in Arkham Asylum courtesy of his own demons in New Year, New You.

The best of the lot is a surprise unveiling of Chronos’ childhood in Father Christmas.

A Prankster New Year! is just as the title reads.

New Year’s Evil closes with Harley Quinn in Little Christmas Tree. An act of kindness does not go unpaid.

Posted Thursday, December 31st, 2020 by Jeff

So long 2020. Thank goodness.

This is my traditional FourColorHolidays.com New Year’s Eve post – Batman and Commissioner Gordon sharing a quiet moment before the new year begins.

This year – of all years – the message seems even more poignant.

Cheers, everyone. Here’s to a safe and healthy 2021.

– Jeff

Batman and Gordon

Posted Thursday, December 31st, 2020 by Barry

Marvel New Year’s Eve (2017) 1

Top radio jock Charlamagne comes out at a New Year’s Eve party at Avenger’s Mansion.

 

Marvel New Year’s Eve (2017) 1

Do they still call it Avenger’s Mansion? It’s a tower now. Kinda like Wayne Tower back in the 1970s. Man, I’m old.

Anyway, this is a digital special send-off to 2016. As mentioned above, Charlamagne is everyone’s favorite DJ. Not sure if his show’s syndicated or not, but he has a lot of listeners. Important and influential listeners.

Not to mention some infamous ones as well.

This is where Charlamagne allows his mouth to write a check others wonder if he can cash.

The DJ has chosen Norman Osborne to talk about on the next-to-last-day-of-the-year. The super-villain-slash-CEO has threatened to move his last remaining factory overseas. Charlamagne is not a fan of the idea. Osborne is what he would consider a corporate pirate with greed his favorite color.

Calling Osborne out on the radio raises the hackles on the CEO’s neck. Enough so he and colleagues choose to crash the exclusive party Charlamagne is holding New Year’s Eve. The event is a charity fundraiser solicited by the best and most beautiful of the super hero and civilian set.

The surprise is, Charlamagne has been dosed with Terrigen Mist, freeing his hidden power. Not sure what that power is, but all the villains are left in a heap ready for deposit at the raft by Cap.

Gone are the days of Dick Clark counting down the ball drop on Times Square. If you can remember that time, join the old man club with me. Hope 2021 is better.

Posted Tuesday, December 31st, 2019 by Jeff

So long, 2019

Happy New Year, everyone.  Let’s do this again sometime.

Posted Saturday, January 26th, 2019 by Barry

Wolverine: Flies to a Spider

Wolverine: Flies to a Spider reads more like a grindhouse movie than a New Year’s Eve celebration.

Logan takes on small town corruption to avenge the death of an innocent.

The more I think about it, the more I appreciate the book. The more it reminds me of those 1970s drive-in classics. The more it feels right.

Right for the character.

Gregg Hurwitz does a good job unsheathing the claws. Jerome Opena does an equally good job in rendering those claws.

Chris Claremont gave Logan his catch phrase in the 1982 Wolverine mini-series, “I’m the best at what I do. And, what I do isn’t very nice.”

None of Flies to a Spider is nice. Just satisfying.

Wolverine: Flies to a Spider

Posted Monday, January 7th, 2019 by Barry

Hulk say Subscribe

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Remember where you were in 1984?

For me it was my final year of high school. Van Halen was about to unleash their last album with David Lee Roth. The Police were about to break up. George Orwell’s dystopian novel of political fiction was a buzz word.

Comic readers/collectors/enthusiasts were paying 60 cents a book at the news stand. Specialty shops were still in their infancy. Yet, if you heeded Hulk’s offer, subscribers would receive a 14-issue subscription for “…only $6.00. That’s just 43 cents a copy!”

As a “special bonus” if two titles were bought at the low, low price of six bucks, the subscriber would then be eligible to add a third title for – get this – five bucks. “That’s just 36 cents a copy! You save 40-percent on your third title!”

Titles available ranged from Alpha Flight to X-Men. In all, 25-regular monthly books were offered. Included were such titles as G.I. Joe, Crystar, Indiana Jones and Rom.

Only the venerable Savage Sword of Conan still existed under the magazine imprint and considered one of the “special” titles each month. The book boasted a hefty $17 price tag. Other “special” books included the in-house ad book Marvel Age, Ka-Zar, Micronauts, Moon Knight, What If…?, Conan the King, and Marvel Fanfare.