@caractacus potts Thank you so much for such a detailed post - I’m relying on you to fill in the many gaps on the Wednesday Famous Firsts feature! 😁👍🏻🍻
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
The content of this comic strip contains very strong language not permitted in the ongoing threads of this site. It also contains themes that some readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended. The content has been cleared for posting by the moderators.
The content of this comic strip contains very strong language not permitted in the ongoing threads of this site. It also contains themes that some readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended. The content has been cleared for posting by the moderators.
And so ends Bela Lugosi’s final movie and Ed Woods most (in)famous directorial entry. Often described as “the worst film ever made”, but it’s far from that to be fair, and this portrayal of how it should have been adds some kudos to the production.
Tune back in next Monday for another great comic strip…tomorrow is part two of First Men in the Moon.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,392Chief of Staff
You picked a great one there, CHB…very enjoyable 😁
Batman didn’t have a transition from the golden age to the silver age, the series just continued into the new era. By date the first silver age Penguin adventure was in May 1963 in Batman #155.The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot) first featured in the golden age issue of Detective Comics #58 December 1941. The Penguin became a major villain with the 1966 Batman television series, it’s notable that Burgess Meredith’s Penguin is very similar to how he is visualised here. Batman was given a “new look” in Detective Comics #327 (May 1964) and many consider this to be the beginning of the silver age Batman (and will be covered at a future date). Over to you @caractacus potts 😁
Next week - The Fantastic Four
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
I'm playing catch-up, but have time to say how much I liked the Plan 9 comic and enjoyed the old Batman story and style - and the ad at the end! Those ads were another world to British kids at the time.
well, first, the above story was written by Bill Finger and drawn by Sheldon Moldoff, according the the Grand Comics Database . We discussed above how Bob Kane did not actually draw Batman after the first year, and instead employed ghost artists, Jerry Robinson being the first, during the early forties. Dick Sprang drew most Batman stories through the late forties and early fifties, and is my favourite of the early Batman artists. Moldoff began contributing occasional Batman stories starting in 1953, alternating with Sprang, and continued as main Batman artist for nearly 15 years.
here is an example of Moldoff's early style on Hawkman from All Star Comics 3, Winter 1940/41. nothing like his Batman art, so I assume he was instructed to imitate Sprang's style, especially as the two artists were alternating stories at first and Bob Kane was signing them all, had to maintain the illusion only one man was doing all the work.
here are a couple pages from the first Penguin story in Detective 58. Written by Bill Finger, art by Jerry Robinson.
Penguin and Joker team up for the first time in Batman 25 november 1944 "Knights of Knavery". here are the first few pages, from a late 80s reprint of the story. Note the original 1940s style Batmobile in the final panel
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,392Chief of Staff
Love all this…I didn’t read these comics when I was younger…I mainly know Batman & Spider-Man from their tv shows…
Reading the Batman comic now, I only ‘hear’ the voice of Adam West…which isn’t a bad thing 😁
coolhand said: Batman didn’t have a transition from the golden age to the silver age, the series just continued into the new era. ... Batman was given a “new look” in Detective Comics #327 (May 1964) and many consider this to be the beginning of the silver age Batman
very good point, CoolHand. I would not consider Detective 327 to be the start of Silver Age Batman, though it was the biggest single change to Batman since the introduction of Robin, at least behind the scenes. We can discuss that more when we get there. Otherwise, 1964 is just too far into the Silver Age, and only a few years before a series of larger changes behind the scenes at DC and within the comics.
Golden Age vs Silver Age is only clearcut for characters like the Flash, Green Lantern, Atom, and Hawkman, all of whom had been cancelled in the late 40s, then revived (and completely reimagined) a decade later. Same with Marvel, which had not published superheroes either since the late 40s, except for a brief aborted revival circa 1954. The Silver Age Marvel comics were distinct from the superheroes they had been publishing in the 1940s.
Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman all were published continuously through the 50s, and though a 1960 comic might be somewhat different than a 1950 comic, for Batman and Superman the change was a gradual evolution rather than a single sudden change in style or concept.
Of these continuing series, Wonder Woman had the most distinct change. When original artist H G Peter passed away in 1958, Ross Andru was the new artist who gave the series a very different look, and Robert Kanigher took the opportunity to write a new origin that changed the concept in some subtle ways: no longer tied to World War II, and Wonder Woman had an earlier teenage career as Wonder Girl. Wonder Woman 98, May 1958 is uncontroversially accepted as the first Silver Age Wonder Woman.
First Silver Age Superman is usually considered to be Action 254, June 1958, which introduces his Fortress of Solitude. This also begins a period of rapid universe building and an increased emphasis on science fiction elements, which makes it distinct from the Superman comics of the early 1950s. In particular we would soon meet his cousin Supergirl (Action 252, May 1959), and so many other Kryptonian survivors were added to the cast the joke was only Supermans parents seem to have actually died in the explosion. But, Krypto the superdog had already been introduced in 1955 (Adventure 210, March), so they were already leaning in that direction well before the accepted Action 254.
Batman had also been changing throughout the 50s, but even more gradual. The series had not been selling well in these years, and only kept going as a contractual obligation. The imposition of the Comics Code meant popular villains like TwoFace and CatWoman were no longer seen (too scary and too sexy, respectively). Otherwise DC had been having great success with its science fiction genre comics, the new sci fi emphasis in Superman, and the more science oriented revival of the Flash. So Late 1950s Batman became filled with time travel, space travel, alien invasions, and giant monsters. Also, the introduction of an expanded Batman family, paralleling what was working for Superman. Superman had Krypto the Superdog, Batman now had Ace the Bathound (Batman 92, June 1956). Superman was pestered by interdimensional imp Mr Mxyzptlk, Batman was pestered by BatMite (Detective 267, May 1959). And Batman and Robin were now joined by an occasional third partner, BatWoman, secretly Gotham millionairess Kathy Kane (Detective Comics 233, June 1956).
and now a random assortment of crazy scifi Batman covers, from Mikes Newsstand . sorry I cant be bothered to transcribe issues #'s and dates for all these, but you must see them or you'll never believe me. for better or worse, this is Silver age Batman.
I would say Silver Age Batman begins roughly with the introduction of all these elements (all far outside the original, and the current concepts for the character), but I don’t think we could pick a specific issue where all this begins, any choice would be arbitrary. However, DC did recently publish an archival book called Silver Age Batman Omnibus volume 1, and it begins with first appearance of Batwoman.
Thank you @caractacus potts that is detailed and interesting information. I will keep posting “Famous Firsts” every Wednesday, and your knowledgeable input will be greatly appreciated by all who read this thread. The Fantastic Four is up next!
And @Barbel has given me an idea for Monday when he mentioned the classic advertisements in the comics 😁
@Sir Miles There’s plenty of great old strips coming up in this feature, I’m sure you will enjoy reading them!
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
The content of this comic strip contains very strong language not permitted in the ongoing threads of this site. It also contains themes that some readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended. The content has been cleared for posting by the moderators.
Comments
@caractacus potts Thank you so much for such a detailed post - I’m relying on you to fill in the many gaps on the Wednesday Famous Firsts feature! 😁👍🏻🍻
CONTENT NOTICE:
The content of this comic strip contains very strong language not permitted in the ongoing threads of this site. It also contains themes that some readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended. The content has been cleared for posting by the moderators.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH - Chapter 5 (Part 1 of 2)
Continues tomorrow…
This is shaping up nicely 😁
More about Denver International Airport
Once again, I'm wrapped in the story and need more!
Thank you @Barbel for that information regarding Denver International, it’s very interesting, and most of it I haven’t heard before.
CONTENT NOTICE:
The content of this comic strip contains very strong language not permitted in the ongoing threads of this site. It also contains themes that some readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended. The content has been cleared for posting by the moderators.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH - Chapter 5 (Part 2 of 2)
This just gets better and better - more next Thursday.
It’s certainly a twisted tale…really enjoying where this is headed
Me too. It reminds me of how "The X-Files" started off, becoming more involved and intriguing all the time.
CONTENT ADVICE: Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended.
JAMES BOND: FELIX LEITER (2017) Part 5 of 12
To be continued tomorrow…
I wasn’t sure if I’d like a purely Felix story…but this is drawing me in - pun intended 😁
Yes, include me.
CONTENT ADVICE: Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended.
JAMES BOND: FELIX LEITER (2017) Part 6 of 12
To be continued next weekend…
This is turning into a very good story 🍸
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE - (Part 5 of 5)
And so ends Bela Lugosi’s final movie and Ed Woods most (in)famous directorial entry. Often described as “the worst film ever made”, but it’s far from that to be fair, and this portrayal of how it should have been adds some kudos to the production.
Tune back in next Monday for another great comic strip…tomorrow is part two of First Men in the Moon.
You picked a great one there, CHB…very enjoyable 😁
FIRST MEN IN THE MOON (Part 2 of 3)
Concludes next Tuesday…
This is fun…loved the film…😁
FAMOUS FIRSTS - Silver Age Penguin
Batman didn’t have a transition from the golden age to the silver age, the series just continued into the new era. By date the first silver age Penguin adventure was in May 1963 in Batman #155.The Penguin (Oswald Cobblepot) first featured in the golden age issue of Detective Comics #58 December 1941. The Penguin became a major villain with the 1966 Batman television series, it’s notable that Burgess Meredith’s Penguin is very similar to how he is visualised here. Batman was given a “new look” in Detective Comics #327 (May 1964) and many consider this to be the beginning of the silver age Batman (and will be covered at a future date). Over to you @caractacus potts 😁
Next week - The Fantastic Four
I'm playing catch-up, but have time to say how much I liked the Plan 9 comic and enjoyed the old Batman story and style - and the ad at the end! Those ads were another world to British kids at the time.
coolhand says: Over to you @caractacus potts 😁
______________________________________________________________________
oh no now I'm assigned homework!
well, first, the above story was written by Bill Finger and drawn by Sheldon Moldoff, according the the Grand Comics Database . We discussed above how Bob Kane did not actually draw Batman after the first year, and instead employed ghost artists, Jerry Robinson being the first, during the early forties. Dick Sprang drew most Batman stories through the late forties and early fifties, and is my favourite of the early Batman artists. Moldoff began contributing occasional Batman stories starting in 1953, alternating with Sprang, and continued as main Batman artist for nearly 15 years.
here is an example of Moldoff's early style on Hawkman from All Star Comics 3, Winter 1940/41. nothing like his Batman art, so I assume he was instructed to imitate Sprang's style, especially as the two artists were alternating stories at first and Bob Kane was signing them all, had to maintain the illusion only one man was doing all the work.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
here are a couple pages from the first Penguin story in Detective 58. Written by Bill Finger, art by Jerry Robinson.
Penguin and Joker team up for the first time in Batman 25 november 1944 "Knights of Knavery". here are the first few pages, from a late 80s reprint of the story. Note the original 1940s style Batmobile in the final panel
Love all this…I didn’t read these comics when I was younger…I mainly know Batman & Spider-Man from their tv shows…
Reading the Batman comic now, I only ‘hear’ the voice of Adam West…which isn’t a bad thing 😁
coolhand said: Batman didn’t have a transition from the golden age to the silver age, the series just continued into the new era. ... Batman was given a “new look” in Detective Comics #327 (May 1964) and many consider this to be the beginning of the silver age Batman
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
very good point, CoolHand. I would not consider Detective 327 to be the start of Silver Age Batman, though it was the biggest single change to Batman since the introduction of Robin, at least behind the scenes. We can discuss that more when we get there. Otherwise, 1964 is just too far into the Silver Age, and only a few years before a series of larger changes behind the scenes at DC and within the comics.
Golden Age vs Silver Age is only clearcut for characters like the Flash, Green Lantern, Atom, and Hawkman, all of whom had been cancelled in the late 40s, then revived (and completely reimagined) a decade later. Same with Marvel, which had not published superheroes either since the late 40s, except for a brief aborted revival circa 1954. The Silver Age Marvel comics were distinct from the superheroes they had been publishing in the 1940s.
Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman all were published continuously through the 50s, and though a 1960 comic might be somewhat different than a 1950 comic, for Batman and Superman the change was a gradual evolution rather than a single sudden change in style or concept.
Of these continuing series, Wonder Woman had the most distinct change. When original artist H G Peter passed away in 1958, Ross Andru was the new artist who gave the series a very different look, and Robert Kanigher took the opportunity to write a new origin that changed the concept in some subtle ways: no longer tied to World War II, and Wonder Woman had an earlier teenage career as Wonder Girl. Wonder Woman 98, May 1958 is uncontroversially accepted as the first Silver Age Wonder Woman.
First Silver Age Superman is usually considered to be Action 254, June 1958, which introduces his Fortress of Solitude. This also begins a period of rapid universe building and an increased emphasis on science fiction elements, which makes it distinct from the Superman comics of the early 1950s. In particular we would soon meet his cousin Supergirl (Action 252, May 1959), and so many other Kryptonian survivors were added to the cast the joke was only Supermans parents seem to have actually died in the explosion. But, Krypto the superdog had already been introduced in 1955 (Adventure 210, March), so they were already leaning in that direction well before the accepted Action 254.
Batman had also been changing throughout the 50s, but even more gradual. The series had not been selling well in these years, and only kept going as a contractual obligation. The imposition of the Comics Code meant popular villains like TwoFace and CatWoman were no longer seen (too scary and too sexy, respectively). Otherwise DC had been having great success with its science fiction genre comics, the new sci fi emphasis in Superman, and the more science oriented revival of the Flash. So Late 1950s Batman became filled with time travel, space travel, alien invasions, and giant monsters. Also, the introduction of an expanded Batman family, paralleling what was working for Superman. Superman had Krypto the Superdog, Batman now had Ace the Bathound (Batman 92, June 1956). Superman was pestered by interdimensional imp Mr Mxyzptlk, Batman was pestered by BatMite (Detective 267, May 1959). And Batman and Robin were now joined by an occasional third partner, BatWoman, secretly Gotham millionairess Kathy Kane (Detective Comics 233, June 1956).
and now a random assortment of crazy scifi Batman covers, from Mikes Newsstand . sorry I cant be bothered to transcribe issues #'s and dates for all these, but you must see them or you'll never believe me. for better or worse, this is Silver age Batman.
I would say Silver Age Batman begins roughly with the introduction of all these elements (all far outside the original, and the current concepts for the character), but I don’t think we could pick a specific issue where all this begins, any choice would be arbitrary. However, DC did recently publish an archival book called Silver Age Batman Omnibus volume 1, and it begins with first appearance of Batwoman.
Loving these.
Those are some bonkers stories😵💫
I would have said Bat-sh1t mad stories…but there’s probably one of that 🤷🏻♂️🤭
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🍻🥂🍹🍸
Thank you @caractacus potts that is detailed and interesting information. I will keep posting “Famous Firsts” every Wednesday, and your knowledgeable input will be greatly appreciated by all who read this thread. The Fantastic Four is up next!
And @Barbel has given me an idea for Monday when he mentioned the classic advertisements in the comics 😁
@Sir Miles There’s plenty of great old strips coming up in this feature, I’m sure you will enjoy reading them!
CONTENT NOTICE:
The content of this comic strip contains very strong language not permitted in the ongoing threads of this site. It also contains themes that some readers may find upsetting. Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended. The content has been cleared for posting by the moderators.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————
THE DEPARTMENT OF TRUTH - Deviation One: Apocrypha (Part 1 of 2)
To be continued tomorrow…