tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post4307627667012708852..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: Return of the Goblin: Amazing Spider-Man 135Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-54091285444943978532012-05-01T20:07:32.016-05:002012-05-01T20:07:32.016-05:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.diorenteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09537784201956614376noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-31178611645738378112012-05-01T02:42:49.305-05:002012-05-01T02:42:49.305-05:00Love the cover as well, and I see no major composi...Love the cover as well, and I see no major compositional problems. As for the interior art, I have nothing but respect for Romita, but since I came into Spider-man in the mid-1970s, while Andru was still drawing the regular series, and avidly reading the reprints in Marvel Tales, for me Andru ranks about the same as Romita as a defining Spidey artist.<br />By the way, Karen, I think you quite concisely hit the nail on the head regarding Punisher and Wolverine - the major part of what made both characters interesting was that they were mysterious. Take that away, and both of them rapidly become annoying.Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-4099576528694353002012-04-30T20:37:29.660-05:002012-04-30T20:37:29.660-05:00As far as Spidey goes, I became a regular reader j...As far as Spidey goes, I became a regular reader just at the tail end of Romita's run, but also about at the beginning of his 2nd year in the reprints in Marvel Tales so as far as I was concerned Romita was THE Spidey artist (and the only sample I'd seen of Ditko's run was the Amazing Fantasy reprint in Origins of Marvel Comics). Andru's art looked weird to me, particularly his faces, but I still enjoyed it -- certainly it didn't turn me off the way Frank Robbin's art did in Captain America. I think Andru's art worked in Spidey better than in most other superhero mags due to the nature of the greater mix of superheroics and soap opera elements in Spider-Man. He did both well, but his action scenes lack the great dynamics of Kirby or Buscema.<br />As to the issue at hand, as David B pointed out, Harry's finding Peter's costume wasn't a big surprise, but still a nice touch -- the final proof Harry needed to justify going homicidal. Regarding the Punisher, considering the reputation he would later develop, he seems fairly tame here -- otherwise he would have shot off the Tarantula's head before taking aim at Spidey. But, of course, this was long before ultra-violence became the norm in comics.Fred W. Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07602124919964053532noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-80072929383754277122012-04-30T19:01:04.958-05:002012-04-30T19:01:04.958-05:00Count me among those who love this cover! As human...Count me among those who love this cover! As humanbelly pointed out, the creative use of black really sets off the figure of our hero. This issue, and the one to follow, both feature classic Romita at his dramatic best. And yes, I had that school folder; seems I used it for Spanish class in Middle School.<br /><br />Andru's art grew on me over the years; at the time I was a Romita fanatic above all others. Soon I gained a great appreciation of Ditko, and an enjoyment of Andru and Kane followed. <br /><br />Karen and Doug- thanks for this series of reviews; the Osborn storyline was one of my favorites!Redartznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-6416139434258718442012-04-30T19:00:43.319-05:002012-04-30T19:00:43.319-05:00Hmm. Osmond. . . Osborn. . . sharp features. . . ...Hmm. Osmond. . . Osborn. . . sharp features. . . curly hair. . . pronounced widow's peak. Surely- SURELY- Ken Osmond wasn't the model for Norman or Harry, was he?? Oh, that would indeed be hard to assimilate.<br /><br />Wow-- great reference Doug. Mucho appreciado.<br /><br />Brylcream's still out there, too. I had to gunk my hair up with it for a show a couple of years ago. After you shampoo it out, it leaves your hair surprisingly soft. . . <br /><br />HBhumanbellynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-27881304406546204782012-04-30T18:03:06.318-05:002012-04-30T18:03:06.318-05:00Funny, I looked at the cover and thought it was Gi...Funny, I looked at the cover and thought it was Gil Kane. I think I still see Kane in most of the faces. Did he maybe do some touch-up work, perhaps?<br /><br />'Course it could just mean I need to get my eyes checked ...Inkstained Wretchnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-8237027290294061822012-04-30T15:34:37.740-05:002012-04-30T15:34:37.740-05:00Ha! I will never look at Harry the same way again....Ha! I will never look at Harry the same way again.<br /><br />"Gee that's a lovely dress you're wearing Aunt May."<br /><br />TomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-54576341919031090372012-04-30T14:59:50.984-05:002012-04-30T14:59:50.984-05:00"A little dab'll do you."
Doug"A little dab'll do you."<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-17415456569650510732012-04-30T14:54:54.293-05:002012-04-30T14:54:54.293-05:00LOL... Doug, you're plain awesome.
Again, I c...LOL... Doug, you're plain awesome.<br /><br />Again, I cannot think of a way to explain Osborn hair.., I can picture it, but Eddie was the only guy I could think of on a Monday morning. Perhaps with some brylcreem combed in..<br /><br />("Aaaah, shoot, now we old guys have to explain what THAT is..")david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-76767209587177098982012-04-30T13:51:23.342-05:002012-04-30T13:51:23.342-05:00David, and all --
The ever-annoying Ken Osmond n...David, and all -- <br /><br />The ever-annoying Ken Osmond now indeed occupies a space at the bottom of today's post, for those users who may not know of or recall Eddie Haskell.<br /><br />Your full-service emcee,<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-69647306607535175942012-04-30T13:31:52.025-05:002012-04-30T13:31:52.025-05:00On the subject of Harry and Norm's hair.. (did...On the subject of Harry and Norm's hair.. (didn't think that would creep in on today's discussion, but what-the-hey..), I've seen men with that type of hair.. <br /><br />Not too attractive, but it's like a close-cropped curl, extremely wavey, so at the time it was better to keep it cropped short to the scalp. Guys could pay to have it greased/straighten, but I've seen it that way. Wish we had a picture to actually display how the hair would look in real-life. <br /><br />Sort of like an 'Eddie Haskell' hairdo..?david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-77060349075663444102012-04-30T12:51:29.546-05:002012-04-30T12:51:29.546-05:00Thanks Karen. As I even now only dimly remember h...Thanks Karen. As I even now only dimly remember her, I feel less embarrassed. OK, so for another 10 points......what happened to Betty Brant? And am I alone in thinking that that was a pretty low profile role for Elizabeth Banks? Her presence in the films made me think Betty was going to do a lot more. I think she was originally supposed to be MJ. Maybe they just confused her real name with her character name? <br />RichardAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-72972619222944861142012-04-30T12:37:32.525-05:002012-04-30T12:37:32.525-05:00The blond is Liz Allen. After interviewing Conway ...The blond is Liz Allen. After interviewing Conway a few times, I know one of his methods was the "toss it on a wall and see what sticks" idea. I suspect he was considering her as a love interest for Peter and that's why she was around at this time.<br /><br />KarenKarenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032477453891087135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-34711318175860111942012-04-30T12:31:29.079-05:002012-04-30T12:31:29.079-05:00I’m with the crowd on this one. I like the dualit...I’m with the crowd on this one. I like the duality of this cover. On the one hand, a spider normally sits in its web as a predator waiting for its prey, but when you look at the ‘prey’ entangled in this particular web, it suddenly becomes apparent that Spidey is being closed in on. Who says Americans don’t do irony ????<br /><br />Doug – also agree about Ross Andru. I prefer Romita and Kane, and, in his season even Ditko, but in the same way that Jon Pertwee IS Dr. Who and (less fortunately) Roger Moore IS James Bond, I’m bonded to Andru as the artist of Spider Man in the same way you are. <br /><br />Who is the blonde girl, top left? Anyone? Anyone?<br /><br />RichardAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-13131814092478951812012-04-30T12:24:02.966-05:002012-04-30T12:24:02.966-05:00Y'know, I have to say that it's not really...Y'know, I have to say that it's not really my favorite cover either, but it's w/out a doubt striking and memorable. Hmm. Why?<br /><br />It's an unusual layout & style, isn't it? It's partly floating-head; partly cut-scene. It has multiple layers of background elements. The "panels" are divided by the mid-ground spider's legs, rather than traditional borders-- that's a particularly cool, artsy touch. And the central Spidey figure is quite dynamic and eye-catching-- coming right at us off the page. Also like the heavy use of black in the background.<br /><br />Generally, I really DON'T like multiple-scene covers-- feel like they're an artistic & editorial cop-out. Which is probably why I don't exactly like this one. But I daresay it's an almost perfect execution of the convention. Not that I'm trying to put words in Anonymous' mouth-- just submitting what might be a concurring opinion.<br /><br />OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTION:<br /><br />What kind of hair, exactly, is it that Norman & Harry Osborn have?? I have wondered about this for about 40 years or so. Has it ever been determined? Is it just really, really, short and curly? Is there some sort of vague ethnic suggestion there? (Sheesh, not that I could determine what it would be. Maltese? Tasmanian? Nova Scotian?) And heck, even little Normie inherited that pronounced widow's peak. What the heck-?<br /><br />HBhumanbellynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-90008633929343476012012-04-30T12:12:24.541-05:002012-04-30T12:12:24.541-05:00This was MY Spiderman.
I was about a year along i...This was MY Spiderman.<br /><br />I was about a year along into being really into the Marvel Universe. The Conway/Andru Spidey was my Spidey while at the same time I was catching up on my history in the Marvel Tales Lee/Romita reprints.<br /><br />An aside: I think this was also around the time that Marvel started putting the line at the bottom of the reprints - "Originally presented in Spiderman#XX" It was rather confusing to 10-11 year old how Gwen Stacy was alive in one series and dead in another until they started telling us those were reprints. And then about a year later, they cloned her. :-(<br /><br />TomAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-25785663388168827282012-04-30T11:09:14.873-05:002012-04-30T11:09:14.873-05:00"Anonymous said...
I'm surprised you..."Anonymous said...<br /><br /> I'm surprised you all seem to like what I think is a very poorly composed cover. Not what I expect from a talent like John Romita.<br /><br />A) After blogging on the Bronze Age Babies for almost three years, and blessed with a wonderful community of commenters, I cannot tell you how frustrating it is when someone posts anonymously without even signing a screen name. Not that one cannot do so, but it just seems like some sort of drive-by. Join the crowd and be friendly.<br /><br />B) OK, so what are your problems with the cover? -- sort of an incomplete answer given in the original comment. Enlighten those of us who obviously don't know John Romita.<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-49395726751012753752012-04-30T10:55:28.773-05:002012-04-30T10:55:28.773-05:00Spidey blames rolling decks for his poor performan...Spidey blames rolling decks for his poor performance last issue. I don't buy it. Wouldn't someone with his particular set of powers do <i>better</i> than the average mook in that situation?<br /><br />Face it, fella. You got punk'd.Lemnocnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-42206532478532520642012-04-30T10:46:39.645-05:002012-04-30T10:46:39.645-05:00I'm surprised you all seem to like what I thin...I'm surprised you all seem to like what I think is a very poorly composed cover. Not what I expect from a talent like John Romita.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-55194111985475200762012-04-30T10:14:25.698-05:002012-04-30T10:14:25.698-05:00Yes, great cover.Yes, great cover.Garettnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-8073742307119242222012-04-30T09:51:53.910-05:002012-04-30T09:51:53.910-05:00I didn't have this issue in my collection (bei...I didn't have this issue in my collection (being about the time all the distribution was being reduced..), nor do I do still, but have read it a bit in passing. <br /><br />From a breezing-through viewpoint, the boat sequence in the beginning seemed like a big cop-out from the startling cliff-hanger. Everyone exits quickly, without a longer fight, leaving Spidey holding the bag, definitely underwhelming.<br /><br />While missing ish 135, going from 134 to 136 didn't really need much seque for Harry. You obviously saw it coming, the hints were there that he had reasoned his roomie was responsible for his dad's death, so these scenes, as scary as they are, didn't add too much.<br /><br />All in all, will love to track this ish down, for the magnificent cover alone.david_bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00218727673816200051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-83274117239465663682012-04-30T09:41:14.988-05:002012-04-30T09:41:14.988-05:00I assumed the black background was to give the imp...I assumed the black background was to give the impression of sitting in a dark room watching slides . Like Spidey was doing.<br /><br />--Matt alias Anonymous<br /><br />P.S. Thank you, Frank Miller, for turning Batman into a poor man's Punisher.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com