Last week I posted a complete issue of Smash! This week it’s another Power comic - the first issue of Pow! There’s even a strip based on @Barbel as a kid 😉😂
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
In the 60’s one of the burning questions in DC Land was who was fastest, The Flash or Superman? The Flash had the tagline “ The Fastest Man Alive”, so a race was organised and who would win?
SUPERMAN #199 (August 1967) Part One
You’re going to have to wait until next Tuesday to find out the answer!
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,570Chief of Staff
I remember reading this, and the outcome. One question - who's that on the cover standing between the Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow? Doesn't look quite like Aquaman.
FAMOUS FIRSTS - THE ELONGATED MAN - 1st Solo Adventure
Detective #327 is notable for two “famous firsts” - the first “new look” Batman of the Silver Age, and the first solo adventure of secondary superhero The Elongated Man. Debuting in Flash #112 Ralph Dibny is The Elongated Man and he partnered The Flash in a number of adventures before getting his solo feature in the pages of Detective. Gardner Fox scripts and Carmine Infantino is on art duties.
The Elongated Man joins fellow “stretchy” DC superhero Plastic Man (Marvel had Mr. Fantastic) in the rubbery superhero department. I always liked Elongated Man (could have come up with a better name though, I feel) and he went on to become a member of the JLA.
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,570Chief of Staff
good choice, CoolHand, and you covered all the important info, every word you write is true! Elongated Man is a slightly more obscure character but these Infantino drawn stories are a connoiseurs fave!
heres the cover to Elongated Man's first appearance in the Flash 112, May 1960
according to Mikes NewsStand, Elongated Man was the backup feature in Detective Comics til Detective 383, Jan 1969, after which he was replaced by a BatGirl solo series
isnt Infantino's art beautiful? for me thats the main draw in these Elongated Man stories, The clean elegant lines, and spacious compositions. and look how he varies the panel sizes and page layouts to emphasise the elastic qualities of Elongated Man's superpower, especially the fight scene on pg 8. And Infantino draws beautiful women. (speaking of which CoolHand, will you be sharing with us Detective 359?)
personally I prefer Plastic Man, the original stretchy superhero, published by the Quality Comics company through the 1940s and early 50s, written and drawn by Jack Cole, the original Plastic Man is one of my favourite comics ever
there was one other stretchy superhero: Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen was exposed to a mysterious space chemical and temporarily became Elastic Lad! first appearance Jimmy Olsen 31, Sept 1958, art by Curt Swan. He would regain his powers several more times throughout the silver age, acquired a proper supercostume, and even joined the Legion of Superheros
yep, thats Aquaman. As CoolHand says, the colourist just made a mistake. those figures are very tiny and the colourist had to clip out bits of halftint red and yellow film to make the colour orange.
@Barbel you know your Justice League, identifying the Martian Manhunter! I think thats all the JLA at the time, plus Robin.
Left to right: Robin, (referee), Batman, the Atom (who we all met last week), Green Lantern, Supes, Flash, J'onn J'onzz the Manhunter from Mars, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Hawkman, and Wonder Woman
typically of DC at the time, theres no credits listed in the story. Art is by Curt Swan, who drew that Jimmy Olsen panel above. Swan went from drawing Superman spinoff stories to becoming the main Superman artist though most of the 60s and all the 70s. also a clean elegant style that made dumb stories look very good, but less experimental than Infantino.
written by Jim Shooter! Shooter was a kid at the time, in his midteens he submitted some scripts through the mail and was hired by editor Mort Weisenger to write Legion of Superheroes, they had no idea of his age when they hired him! as a grownup, he became editor in chief for Marvel through the 1980s
Thank you @caractacus potts for the extra detail, especially interesting to read about Jim Shooter, that’s all new information to me, and much appreciated. And a great spot for Elastic Lad, I’d forgotten that one! I love the Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane titles 🙂
Detective #359 1st Batgirl appearance - yes this is on the (very long) list of intended postings.
I like Plastic Man too and both Golden and Silver Age versions are planned in due course.
Infantino’s artwork is magnificent, one of the legends of the comic industry.
More Golden/Silver age comics next Tuesday and Wednesday.
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.
thinking more about @Barbel 's question re why is Aquamans costume the wrong colour, I found this excellent detailed article on the mechanical process for colour production in early comic books: A Brief and Broad History of Post Golden Age-Pre-Digital Comic Book Coloring. Its not quite snipping out bits of colour as I has thought, its more complicated. Still it ends up there are nine sheets of acetate adding up to 64 possible colour combinations prepared for the printer. I wont try to summarize further (the math is hurting my head), but suggest following my link if interested.
What I'm now guessing: Aquamans shirt is indeed a tiny amount of the page. but Martian Manhunters suspenders are even tinier and yet they are indicated as red. But... theres lots of red on that page, so those suspenders are just a bit more of a colour already being used. However, I dont think theres any other orange at all, so the person doing the colour separations probably decided not to waste a sheet of acetate on a detail so small.
Glad you’re enjoying this superlative comic strip, gents.
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.
Todays British entry is an annual, not a comic. Annuals were produced for the Christmas present market, an ideal gift for kids to open on Christmas Day. The majority were large hardbound versions of popular comics of the day. In later years some annuals were focused on pop stars or movies. Here are some strips from the 1956 Beano Book, it’s my birth year so a little indulgent 😂 and some definite non-pc panels 🤣
Yeah, well, sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 27,570Chief of Staff
Comments
It’s understandable why no more stand alone Felix stories were issued, but there is promise there…
I've got the LTK adaptation, so I’m glad you are going down a different route next week 😁
Funnily enough, I have that too 😁. Agree with everything you've both said.
Last week I posted a complete issue of Smash! This week it’s another Power comic - the first issue of Pow! There’s even a strip based on @Barbel as a kid 😉😂
😄😄😄 I don't know this comic, apart from the Marvel reprints, though I do remember seeing it on the shelves.
Don’t recall any of that at all…apart from the Pow! Wow! bit…must have been used in other comics…
In the 60’s one of the burning questions in DC Land was who was fastest, The Flash or Superman? The Flash had the tagline “ The Fastest Man Alive”, so a race was organised and who would win?
SUPERMAN #199 (August 1967) Part One
You’re going to have to wait until next Tuesday to find out the answer!
Darn it 😩🤣
I remember reading this, and the outcome. One question - who's that on the cover standing between the Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow? Doesn't look quite like Aquaman.
I think it’s supposed to be Aquaman. The colourist has got it wrong, perhaps? Over to you for the definitive answer @caractacus potts 😁
FAMOUS FIRSTS - THE ELONGATED MAN - 1st Solo Adventure
Detective #327 is notable for two “famous firsts” - the first “new look” Batman of the Silver Age, and the first solo adventure of secondary superhero The Elongated Man. Debuting in Flash #112 Ralph Dibny is The Elongated Man and he partnered The Flash in a number of adventures before getting his solo feature in the pages of Detective. Gardner Fox scripts and Carmine Infantino is on art duties.
The Elongated Man joins fellow “stretchy” DC superhero Plastic Man (Marvel had Mr. Fantastic) in the rubbery superhero department. I always liked Elongated Man (could have come up with a better name though, I feel) and he went on to become a member of the JLA.
These are great, another one I’d never heard of 🤭
That was good, thanks CHB.
good choice, CoolHand, and you covered all the important info, every word you write is true! Elongated Man is a slightly more obscure character but these Infantino drawn stories are a connoiseurs fave!
heres the cover to Elongated Man's first appearance in the Flash 112, May 1960
according to Mikes NewsStand, Elongated Man was the backup feature in Detective Comics til Detective 383, Jan 1969, after which he was replaced by a BatGirl solo series
isnt Infantino's art beautiful? for me thats the main draw in these Elongated Man stories, The clean elegant lines, and spacious compositions. and look how he varies the panel sizes and page layouts to emphasise the elastic qualities of Elongated Man's superpower, especially the fight scene on pg 8. And Infantino draws beautiful women. (speaking of which CoolHand, will you be sharing with us Detective 359?)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
personally I prefer Plastic Man, the original stretchy superhero, published by the Quality Comics company through the 1940s and early 50s, written and drawn by Jack Cole, the original Plastic Man is one of my favourite comics ever
(first appearance Police Comics 1, Aug 1941)
(Police 11, Sept 1942)
(Plastic Man 1, Feb 1944)
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
there was one other stretchy superhero: Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen was exposed to a mysterious space chemical and temporarily became Elastic Lad! first appearance Jimmy Olsen 31, Sept 1958, art by Curt Swan. He would regain his powers several more times throughout the silver age, acquired a proper supercostume, and even joined the Legion of Superheros
whoops almost missed the Superman/Flash race! two DC silver age classics in one day, we are very lucky!
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
barbel asked: who's that on the cover standing between the Martian Manhunter and Green Arrow? Doesn't look quite like Aquaman.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
yep, thats Aquaman. As CoolHand says, the colourist just made a mistake. those figures are very tiny and the colourist had to clip out bits of halftint red and yellow film to make the colour orange.
@Barbel you know your Justice League, identifying the Martian Manhunter! I think thats all the JLA at the time, plus Robin.
Left to right: Robin, (referee), Batman, the Atom (who we all met last week), Green Lantern, Supes, Flash, J'onn J'onzz the Manhunter from Mars, Aquaman, Green Arrow, Hawkman, and Wonder Woman
typically of DC at the time, theres no credits listed in the story. Art is by Curt Swan, who drew that Jimmy Olsen panel above. Swan went from drawing Superman spinoff stories to becoming the main Superman artist though most of the 60s and all the 70s. also a clean elegant style that made dumb stories look very good, but less experimental than Infantino.
written by Jim Shooter! Shooter was a kid at the time, in his midteens he submitted some scripts through the mail and was hired by editor Mort Weisenger to write Legion of Superheroes, they had no idea of his age when they hired him! as a grownup, he became editor in chief for Marvel through the 1980s
Thank you @caractacus potts for the extra detail, especially interesting to read about Jim Shooter, that’s all new information to me, and much appreciated. And a great spot for Elastic Lad, I’d forgotten that one! I love the Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane titles 🙂
Detective #359 1st Batgirl appearance - yes this is on the (very long) list of intended postings.
I like Plastic Man too and both Golden and Silver Age versions are planned in due course.
Infantino’s artwork is magnificent, one of the legends of the comic industry.
More Golden/Silver age comics next Tuesday and Wednesday.
Thank you very much, @caractacus potts. I read dozens of comics when I was a kid, some parts just stick in the memory.
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 Seven: The Denver Working (Part One)
To be continued tomorrow…
Very clever this…and I’m loving it 👏🏻
thinking more about @Barbel 's question re why is Aquamans costume the wrong colour, I found this excellent detailed article on the mechanical process for colour production in early comic books: A Brief and Broad History of Post Golden Age-Pre-Digital Comic Book Coloring. Its not quite snipping out bits of colour as I has thought, its more complicated. Still it ends up there are nine sheets of acetate adding up to 64 possible colour combinations prepared for the printer. I wont try to summarize further (the math is hurting my head), but suggest following my link if interested.
What I'm now guessing: Aquamans shirt is indeed a tiny amount of the page. but Martian Manhunters suspenders are even tinier and yet they are indicated as red. But... theres lots of red on that page, so those suspenders are just a bit more of a colour already being used. However, I dont think theres any other orange at all, so the person doing the colour separations probably decided not to waste a sheet of acetate on a detail so small.
And I am too. It's one of the best, if not the best, stories you've presented for us here, CHB.
Thanks for the tech info, caractacus!
Glad you’re enjoying this superlative comic strip, gents.
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 Seven: The Denver Working (Part Two)
So, another chapter ends in this intriguing story. Continues next Thursday.
And don’t forget that tomorrow is the first part of a very exciting secret agent series that is FUN! FUN! FUN! Yes, in CAPITAL letters…
Thanks, CHB.
All of a sudden, Wednesday’s & Thursdays are the best days of the week 😁
If you blend James Bond, Charlie’s Angels and Indiana Jones then you’re in for a fun ride, indeed.
CONTENT ADVICE: Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended.
DANGER GIRL (1998) Part One
Part Two tomorrow…
"This never happened to Roger Moore " 🤣🤣🤣
CONTENT ADVICE: Reader discretion is advised for those who may be easily offended.
DANGER GIRL (1998) Part Two
That’s a good a PTS as you will ever see. The story continues next weekend…
Donavin Conrad has a look of Tim Dalton about him 👀🤣
There’s quite a few lookalikes as the story continues 😁
Todays British entry is an annual, not a comic. Annuals were produced for the Christmas present market, an ideal gift for kids to open on Christmas Day. The majority were large hardbound versions of popular comics of the day. In later years some annuals were focused on pop stars or movies. Here are some strips from the 1956 Beano Book, it’s my birth year so a little indulgent 😂 and some definite non-pc panels 🤣
Beano was always my favourite..🤗