tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post2985921135954314662..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: That Zany Bob Haney: The Brave and the Bold 115Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-59150715197915677512012-11-20T15:32:56.077-06:002012-11-20T15:32:56.077-06:00This is one of the best B and B stories ever. Apar...This is one of the best B and B stories ever. Aparo was a powerhouse in the early 70's. I request you do reviews of B and B issue's 98 and 116. Both guest starring signature Jim Aparo characters. <br />For my money, the worst B and B stories were team-ups with Sgt Rock. Good art of course, but Batman and Rock have no business teaming together at all...Morgan B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00861835039462479694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-2422053140260709122012-06-20T03:20:23.473-05:002012-06-20T03:20:23.473-05:00Bob Haney was one of the masters of comic book wri...Bob Haney was one of the masters of comic book writing. Grant Morrison WISHES he was half as good as Haney. <br /><br />I was just a few days ago flipping through some issues of "Brave and Bold" from this period (#119 and #127, I think) and one of them had Batman attending a baseball game just like he was some dude from Gotham who just wanted to sit back with a hot dog and a beer and watch the game.<br /><br />Awesome!<br /><br />"Excuse me, Mr. Batman? Could you autograph this program for my son?"<br /><br />Or:<br /><br />"Hey, you! With da ears! I'm trying to watch the GAME, Big Blue! Whydontcha take your ears and go and beat up da Joker or sumpin?"<br /><br />(Did "Brave and Bold" ever start out with Batman in the supermarket pushing a cart and looking for the right kind of pickles? They should bring it back just to start it that way!)Hoosier Xhttp://mushtown.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-67966902410182508772012-06-18T10:27:38.424-05:002012-06-18T10:27:38.424-05:00I love that Deadman story, B Smith--good one!I love that Deadman story, B Smith--good one!Garettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-13322666601445102662012-06-17T05:34:13.876-05:002012-06-17T05:34:13.876-05:00Can I just be a pest and point out that medical ph...Can I just be a pest and point out that medical physics is a perfectly legitimate branch of medicine/physics, and depending on what specific field of physics he's in (I'm not that au fait with the Atom), it would be quite feasible for Ray Palmer to be at a hospital to demonstrate some new piece of equipment.<br /><br />The rest of it could be complete rubbish, of course, but I liked it anyway :-)<br /><br />PS if you're taking requests, how about reviewing that one with the Phantom Stranger (against a magical cult) and Deadman (wherein the late Mr Brand inhabits some criminal and falls for said hoodlum's girlfriend)?B Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18016629838915185467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-20257688701133997302012-06-17T00:21:22.413-05:002012-06-17T00:21:22.413-05:00Drat-I skip BAB for a day, and it's Bob Haney ...Drat-I skip BAB for a day, and it's Bob Haney day! I enjoyed this review, great wacky story. Plus I get giggles reading the comments!<br /><br />Sgt Rock next would be awesome, and as mentioned #124 is primo. Thanks for spotting that pipe, Doug! I wonder how many superheroes smoked back in the day? I just watched Ghostbusters with my nephew, first time for me since it came out--startling amount in that movie as well.<br /><br />Love Mad Men, Karen! Great show!Garettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-31885536372559403472012-06-16T15:16:25.281-05:002012-06-16T15:16:25.281-05:00Ha-! You jacked your own thread, as it were--! (...Ha-! You jacked your own thread, as it were--! (Hmm-- sounds more crude by far than it actually is).<br />Oh, the bitter irony--- heh--<br /><br />Thanks for getting my corrected, fellas. Man, I wonder where in the world I saw that cover recently, then? Curse this relentless, glacial onslaught of impending, enfeebling old age, and its insidious, subtle ravaging of the memory cells. So far away, and yet it still stretches back with greedy, encrusted talons-- already scratching away at the foundations of one's castle of memory. Scratching. . . rooting. . . digging. . . <br /><br />(Man, I'm creeping myself out. Better go do some work in the yard. . . )<br /><br />HBhumanbellynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-78875234769014821152012-06-15T21:23:45.230-05:002012-06-15T21:23:45.230-05:00Ray's right, HB -- we've only had a handfu...Ray's right, HB -- we've only had a handful of B&B issues reviewed, and there's not been a Sgt. Rock team-up yet. Also as Ray said, anytime you're curious as to what has gone before in terms of our reviews, all 300+ links are on the sidebar.<br /><br />And speaking of thread-jacking, I'm gonna go ahead and just do that. I just got back from my 2nd viewing of The Avengers this evening. I saw it in 2D the first time and 3D tonight. If you've not seen it in 3D, it's a must! I'd never seen a feature-length film in 3D before, as I'd heard the effect didn't enhance the film all that much. Well, they got it right on this one! Wow! And the preview for Spider-Man was... say it -- AMAZING!!<br /><br />I'm not sure anyone else has mentioned this, as I didn't go back to our reader comments before typing this, but Thanos is clearly visible in the first scene in the film, when the Chtauri guy is talking to an "unknown" on that asteroid or whatever. The figure is huge, and the color scheme is all Thanos'.<br /><br />One last thing -- I hadn't noticed the first time, but Jenny Agutter (Logan's Run, An American Werewolf in London) is in the film as one of the Security Council panelists that Fury deals with. How about that?<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-2632437687350884012012-06-15T20:13:29.063-05:002012-06-15T20:13:29.063-05:00humanbelly,
The cover you describe is the cover of...humanbelly,<br />The cover you describe is the cover of B&B #124, but I don't recall reading about that issue here and it isn't in the lists of comics previously reviewed over on the left. <br />As to what Jim Aparo thought of Haney's scripts, he was asked that question in an early issue of Back Issue magazine focusing on team-up books. <br />"Bob was a good writer," Aparo says,"I enjoyed him very much." <br />When asked "Do you ever recall reading a Haney script and thinking 'Now this is kind of outlandish for Batman?'," the artist replied, "No, because I was going along with it." Which is pretty much the attitude you have to take when approaching Bob Haney's work. Just go with it.Ray Tomczakhttp://guttertalkcomicsblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-22661749838546871752012-06-15T18:43:14.540-05:002012-06-15T18:43:14.540-05:00Hoo-boy, it's gonna be a ThreadJackapalooza, t...Hoo-boy, it's gonna be a ThreadJackapalooza, there's just no avoidin' it-!<br /><br />@ Ray T & Doug: Wait, didn't that particular B&B story already pop up here? The one where Aparo's being threatened on the cover to finish drawing the cover that. . . he's. . . on. . . (??) Or have I misremembered? Or. . . was that not a Sgt Rock story. . . ?<br /><br />@Karen & all: Does anyone possibly remember Stan's Persona Razor commercial from the 70's? Honestly, he's so quintessentially an Ad Man to the core, makin' his pitch, that it's hilarious on that level alone. It's this wonderfully natural, almost cartoonish creative energy that he has. He could be an ad guy, or the classic Tin Pan Alley hyperactive song hack, or (shudder) any number of different theatrical types.<br /><br />@the True Thread: The art is soooo good, and the stories are soooo ridiculous-- they honestly drive me crazy. And yet-- they're not boring, for all that. (Well, actually, I thought the Kamandi team-up was a considerable slog to get through, to be honest--) Did we have any informed feedback on how Jim Aparo felt about these stories? <br /><br />"You say the Atom dances on Batman's neurons in Batman's brain, and that's what makes Batman move around skillfully enough to defeat an armed man? THAT'S what you want me to draw?? This is one of those IT'SADREAMIMAGINARYSTORIES, right?"<br /><br />HBhumanbellynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-22318032541632082842012-06-15T16:52:55.639-05:002012-06-15T16:52:55.639-05:00Funny thing. I used to look forward to being surpr...Funny thing. I used to look forward to being surprised by the guest stars in B & B so much. I always felt this huge sense of deflation every time it was Wildcat or Sgt. Rock. With all of the underutilized characters in the early 70's, why did these two keep hogging B & B was beyond me. And yet, the stories never disappointed. I just had to get over my initial reaction. <br /><br />I felt the same way when I saw the cover with the Joker as that month's partner. It was like the ultimate ripoff to do a story that could be in any Batman comic. Now, it's one of my favorite Joker stories of all time.<br /><br />James ChattertonUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15576083934906136102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-75750450835927049882012-06-15T15:46:03.924-05:002012-06-15T15:46:03.924-05:00Karen.., 'STINKER'...?
Ah, c'mon now,...Karen.., 'STINKER'...?<br /><br />Ah, c'mon now, 'Spock's Brain' was one of Trek's finest achievements. <br /><br />"Brain and brain, what is BRAIN..!!"<br /><br />It even made Lost In Space's 'Great Vegetable Rebellion' pale in comparison...david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-74046800949017006362012-06-15T15:09:33.793-05:002012-06-15T15:09:33.793-05:00I don't know if its reprinted in the book you&...I don't know if its reprinted in the book you're reading from, Doug, but if you're going to spotlight a B & B Batman/Sgt. Rock team-up, the greatest one ever was "Small War of the Super-Rifles" in #124. <br />I think I may have mentioned in a comment on an earlier post. I have written about it on my own blog. Its my all-time favorite Batman story. <br />In addition to Rock, the story features appearances by Haney and Aparo themselves, as well as editor Murray Boltinoff. It certainly fits in with your "zany Bob Haney" theme.Ray Tomczakhttp://guttertalkcomicsblog.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-27292628354829907152012-06-15T14:30:23.424-05:002012-06-15T14:30:23.424-05:00Oh, no doubt Stan acted as the major publicist and...Oh, no doubt Stan acted as the major publicist and ad man for Marvel. But wouldn't it be interesting to spy some alternate reality, where he left Timely/Marvel before creating the FF and went into the advertising business? I think he would have been terrific.<br /><br />But back to the comic (sorry to thread jack, Doug): This plot, with the Atom manipulating Batman's body, also reminds me of that third season Star Trek stinker, Spock's Brain. Dr. McCoy used a remote control device to manipulate Spock's body, after his brain had been removed. Ugh.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032477453891087135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-28461344130152860272012-06-15T14:22:32.662-05:002012-06-15T14:22:32.662-05:00In a manner of speaking, Stan was a great ad man, ...In a manner of speaking, Stan was a great ad man, Karen! Aside from editing and whatever writing he did for the comics, he was also the primary pitchman -- initially for the comics but later for himself as well. He was possibly the greatest ad man in the comics industry, resulting in his identification with Marvel Comics which continues even 40 years since he stopped regularly writing comics (not counting the comic strips and one-off projects). Certainly not a traditional ad man but he certainly made good, even if it took him until his elder years to really get rich.<br />Oh, and I never read this particular comic but just reading the premise and checking out the date of publication made me think that this particular "comatose body controlled by another person" tale must have been inspired by the Ant-Man's trip inside the Vision in Avengers #93 published just a couple of years earlier.Fred W. Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07602124919964053532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-62655815177398937532012-06-15T12:06:34.903-05:002012-06-15T12:06:34.903-05:00Karen:
I've been warming up to Mad Men the la...Karen:<br /><br />I've been warming up to Mad Men the last few weeks. Totally agreed.<br /><br />As for Russell Johnson (the fore-mentioned Professor..), I requested an autographed pic from his site about 10yrs ago. I received it with some cool Latin written at the bottom (but wonderfully, he didn't translate it, hence my search for knowledge..). Using a online translator, it basically said 'From life springs knowledge', which was soooo cool. <br /><br />A year later I wrote him about how much I enjoyed his picture, and mentioned my VA position and Reserves officer rank. He actually called me 'Sir' and mentioned he was a WWII Aviator. He went on to thank me for all my service, etc. <br /><br />Such a gracious human being...<br /><br />As for his mass intelligence, hey, he had the brains to stay on an island with Ginger and MaryAnn.. He was the smartest of 'em all.david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-59880461234418985472012-06-15T11:32:23.762-05:002012-06-15T11:32:23.762-05:00HB: I almost mentioned the Professor but I've ...HB: I almost mentioned the Professor but I've done that a few times on the blog now so I didn't want to sound like I was beating a dead horse. But I do wonder sometimes if people think that an education in a particular field of science means a person understands ALL sciences. Certainly in the comics universes that is true, but not in reality. <br /><br />And speaking of the comics industry, I was watching Mad Men the other night and it hit me that Stan Lee could have been a great ad man. But that's probably an idea for another thread!Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032477453891087135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-58138554358155901012012-06-15T11:07:12.247-05:002012-06-15T11:07:12.247-05:00Yeah, I have this issue at home and I treasure it....Yeah, I have this issue at home and I treasure it. Aparo was at the peak of his powers here and Haney takes a crazily brilliant concept and just runs with it. This is the kind of pure, undilluted joy that made me a Bronze Age comic fan in the first place.<br /><br />And talk about value for your dollar! Not only the Haney/Aparo story but a classic Justice Society feature and others too.<br /><br />We didn't know how good we had it back then...Inkstained Wretchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-68146139551079319922012-06-15T11:02:53.848-05:002012-06-15T11:02:53.848-05:00@ Karen-
. . . and I do believe the epitome of tha...@ Karen-<br />. . . and I do believe the epitome of that polymathical type was gloriously and ultimately represented (to my personal eternal delight) in The Professor from Gilligan's Island. The multi-disciplinary master to whom even Reed Richards would have to graciously and humbly defer.<br /><br />I've pounded this thesis before, but my strong hunch is that the entire comics industry was made up of artists, writers, and less-than-successful publishing business execs. You just KNOW that science classes weren't any of these guys' strong suit back in grade school, and in the early days especially, there was ALWAYS this vague use of "something scientific" (and hence not fully understood) to attach to any character of situation if it more or less sounded right.<br /><br />A lot of Ray's brain-lecture monologue up there sounds like it was barely paraphrased from a "Let's meet Mr. Brain" primer. . . !<br /><br />HBhumanbellynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-54769365807779705372012-06-15T10:53:11.244-05:002012-06-15T10:53:11.244-05:00Psychologists know brain anatomy? Did you mean neu...Psychologists know brain anatomy? Did you mean neurologist maybe? Ray Palmer is master of all science. He makes Reed Richards look like a dullard.<br /><br />XraymanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-86590374183783199892012-06-15T10:21:26.474-05:002012-06-15T10:21:26.474-05:00There is at least one Sgt. Rock story in the Aparo...There is at least one Sgt. Rock story in the Aparo tome -- do I hear a request for the next <i>Zany Bob Haney</i>??<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-32736256153869169322012-06-15T10:13:10.757-05:002012-06-15T10:13:10.757-05:00Blazes! It's Bob Haney!
I think we're in ...Blazes! It's Bob Haney!<br /><br />I think we're in the smack in the middle of Haney & Aparo's peak on the Brave & the Bold. Even as a kid, I knew how silly this premise was. But when Haney is at his best, he pulls off silly concepts by virtue of execution. It doesn't hurt that he had Aparo's art at it's best to help with the momentum. This is one of the 3 or 4 classic tales that I always think of when the Brave & the Bold comes to mind.<br /><br />Another reason this is my favorite B & B era: 100 Page Super Spectaculars! Where else were you going to get a Dr. Fate/Hourman/Alan Scott GL teamup from the 60's in the 70's? God, I loved those spectaculars.<br /><br />This story was loosely adapted on the B & B cartoon, with Aquaman added. Outrageous!<br /><br />The only thing missing here is Wildcat & Sgt Rock. But you just know they'll show up soon.<br /><br />So Karen, you're saying I don't have a brain tumor as long as I have my silver age physicist's pipe, right? <br /><br />James ChattertonUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15576083934906136102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-2599228365500665742012-06-15T09:58:52.655-05:002012-06-15T09:58:52.655-05:00I think all comic book scientists are polymaths. B...I think all comic book scientists are polymaths. But I think they inherited that from 1950s scientist-heroes of grade B sci fi flicks, who seemed to all possess knowledge in rocketry, medicine, chemistry, etc. I think that image has been impressed on the public, unfortunately. I know after I got my biology degree, family and friends would call me with medical questions! I studied animals and ecology. I don't know if you have brain tumor!Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032477453891087135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-87416874167568042942012-06-15T09:36:02.536-05:002012-06-15T09:36:02.536-05:00This was Bob Haney's favourite B & B story...This was Bob Haney's favourite B & B story he ever wrote, and it's mine too. Always loved the madness of it. Classic Haney and Aparo is, as always,<br /> on top form. Anybody who needs convincing, consider this: Most people's subconscious would be telling them to eat, or sleep, or stay warm.<br />What's Batman's subconscious telling him in this story? Rescue an innocent and beat up some crooks!pete doreehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17004574271734256770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-64113548080868475602012-06-15T07:16:48.535-05:002012-06-15T07:16:48.535-05:00Yep, I'd say Mr. Haney lives up to his nick-na...Yep, I'd say Mr. Haney lives up to his nick-name in this one.<br /><br />Yep..<br /><br />It does actually look like a cool romp.., I believe the Atom's prowlness of traversing the human brain, being able to stimulate certain nerve endings resulting in complex behavior (breathing, equilibrium, walking, eyesight, fighting.., some at the same time..), is pretty darn amazing. Almost more a Silver Age concept than Bronze, but hey, its.. zany.<br /><br />Of all the weird powers and enormous knowledge heroes 'suddenly possess', I suspect being launched into the brain-pans of super-powered JLA villains as a tactic (previously and since) was never fully utilized. A pity. <br /><br />And zany.david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-54288603439724318452012-06-15T06:42:53.252-05:002012-06-15T06:42:53.252-05:00I owned this issue and read it often. One of my fa...I owned this issue and read it often. One of my favorite comics (though even my 12-year-old self knew the science was pretty bogus). <br /><br />I have zero recollection of the backup stories . . .William Prestonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07896164917625191919noreply@blogger.com