tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post6937598917927417293..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: Guest Review - "My Funny Valentine" - Spider-Man: Blue, a love letter to the Silver Age"Doughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-220439010525532282020-01-21T21:06:34.065-06:002020-01-21T21:06:34.065-06:00I have all 6 anyone interested? I have all 6 anyone interested? Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10384158773460097886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-65661317697548953102015-03-17T08:13:06.492-05:002015-03-17T08:13:06.492-05:00Karen and I have had success collaborating via ema...Karen and I have had success collaborating via email or by one of us starting a Word document with some thoughts and the other building off of that starting point. Exchanging an email or document 3-4 times usually gets it done, particularly if the roles of the writers are established up front. As you know, when we were doing our full-blown synopses, one of us was the "play-by-play" author and the other provided the "color commentary". We took turns each week in those roles.<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-52343592516005812912015-03-17T07:57:16.519-05:002015-03-17T07:57:16.519-05:00I'd be open to a collaboration in theory, but ...I'd be open to a collaboration in theory, but I'm not sure how it would work out in practice. Even so, anyone who wants to should feel free to contact me - Karen and Doug have my e-mail address, and they have my permission to give it to any of the BAB regulars.Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-73146799446028126432015-03-16T23:01:08.572-05:002015-03-16T23:01:08.572-05:00A collaboration would work for me, Osvaldo. Let me...A collaboration would work for me, Osvaldo. Let me know when you're ready (Doug has my email address).<br /><br />Mike WilsonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-70572714917108832312015-03-16T22:04:27.928-05:002015-03-16T22:04:27.928-05:00Ah another great post from our esteemed Dr. Oyola....Ah another great post from our esteemed Dr. Oyola. I'm not generally a fan of 're-imagined' comics series that try to put a different spin on classic tales, but this one here looks like the exception. Tim Sale definitely looks like he was channeling Steve Ditko here. His uncluttered art style really works here.<br /><br />Regarding Flash's reasons for joining the army, i.e. the issue of his enlisting versus being drafted, well, it seems to me that Loeb was trying to add some humanity to Flash in this series. In the classic Stan Lee/John Romita Snr. series Flash always came off as the class bully to Peter, the stereotypical bad guy who made life hell for our hero. Pretty one dimensional stuff character-wise. I know some people might say it's straying too much from the original story, but here I think it comes off beautifully.<br /><br />I agree with Doug in having a preference for Romita Senior's art. Romita Junior's art somehow has never resonated with me. Gimme Gil Kane with his contorted limbs and up-nostril shots any day!<br /><br />By the way, like my namesake Mike Wilson, I'm open to any collaborations for posts too. I think it'll add to the richness of our beloved BAB community. HB? Edo? David_B? Martinex1? Anyone? Just drop me a line on Twitter and away we'll go! (The name's included below in my handle)<br /><br /><br />- Mike 'web_dragon' from Trinidad & Tobago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-40683661610482913542015-03-16T21:10:51.313-05:002015-03-16T21:10:51.313-05:00Just a comment on the kitchen scene about what mak...Just a comment on the kitchen scene about what makes it nice for me; it is the small realistic touches. Aunt May just has the sweater over her shoulders like a shawl. Peter's tie is thrown over his shoulder to avoid a mess. He sits comfortably with his left foot tilted on its side. The Frigidaire is the old style with the internal freezer. Those are the small nuances that make Sale's work great. I can see other artists blowing past those details. <br /><br />Mike and Osvaldo that Spider Man and Human Torch review would be a highlight. <br /><br />Flash is Venom? I guess I knew that somehow. It is ridiculous though. Seems like a jumping of the shark. Cannot wait for Betty Brant to be the new Black Widow. Martinex1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-24616356502472484052015-03-16T20:22:59.148-05:002015-03-16T20:22:59.148-05:00I think that collaboration would be fabulous. If w...I think that collaboration would be fabulous. If we can help facilitate it in any way, let us know at our email address.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032477453891087135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-47131447252568537552015-03-16T20:06:02.574-05:002015-03-16T20:06:02.574-05:00Mike, I haven't written it yet and it is going...Mike, I haven't written it yet and it is going to be a while before I have time, but if you are willing to wait - I would be down to do a co-written one in the style of our illustrious hosts, Doug & Karen. . . a collaboration.Dr. Oyolahttp://themiddlespaces.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-61176230822345867752015-03-16T19:36:12.004-05:002015-03-16T19:36:12.004-05:00Aaaaah, Osvaldo! The Spider-Man/Human Torch mini ...Aaaaah, Osvaldo! The Spider-Man/Human Torch mini was the "inspiration" I referred to earlier for another guest post here; I love that mini-series too! Oh well, you called it first, so it's yours...back to the old drawing board :)<br /><br />Mike WilsonAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-57491572853225459912015-03-16T18:31:06.066-05:002015-03-16T18:31:06.066-05:00Osvaldo- Untold Tales was one of the bright spots ...Osvaldo- Untold Tales was one of the bright spots in 90's comics. Would love to see your overview. The first Untold Tales Annual is a big favorite story for me; might be fodder for a 100 word review...Redartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221459636234713619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-29551467218144294802015-03-16T17:05:47.860-05:002015-03-16T17:05:47.860-05:00Great review.
I hadn't seen this stuff before....Great review.<br />I hadn't seen this stuff before.<br />I like Tim Sale's work, which I only know from Batman. It seems to me, anyway, to have a retro feel to it.<br />Peter did have a motorcycle. If not for the sweater vest, he coulda been almost cool.<br />M.P.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-27231919455051758892015-03-16T16:55:39.039-05:002015-03-16T16:55:39.039-05:00P.S. I am really surprised no one has yet expresse...P.S. I am really surprised no one has yet expressed outrage over Flash Thompson becoming Venom. ;)Dr. Oyolahttp://themiddlespaces.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-34493419026298491532015-03-16T16:46:12.136-05:002015-03-16T16:46:12.136-05:00Thanks for all the kind words. As I said in my rev...Thanks for all the kind words. As I said in my review, I think this one is worth keeping for the art alone. And I don't mind most of the changes, they don't change the original stories (would this series even make sense w/o the originals?). I like to think of it as Peter 20 years on misremembering the order of event and who was there. . .don't we all do that? <br /><br />That said, I do hate stuff like that that Doug and Edo pointed out - the thing is, if you write it well, it doesn't matter, but if the writing is weak. . .well, part of that weakness is not considering the viability of the idea.<br /><br />Some time in late spring or early summer I am going to do an overview/review of Dan Slott's Spider-Man & Human Torch - which I absolutely love. I should probably do Untold Tales, too - since I am a huge fan and it is partially responsible for getting me back into comics.<br /><br />I really really love that two vultures splash.Dr. Oyolahttp://themiddlespaces.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-38022924050583112522015-03-16T15:10:06.677-05:002015-03-16T15:10:06.677-05:00Sorry to stray away from the topic at hand, but ma...Sorry to stray away from the topic at hand, but man, Doug, I just have to emphatically agree with you about Storm's appearance in Hidden Years - I recently re-read the entire series (gotta love those Panini digests!), and that was the one thing I found unforgivable...Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-87694527154761268832015-03-16T14:21:48.601-05:002015-03-16T14:21:48.601-05:00Mike, you just bring it on.
I've been thinkin...Mike, you just bring it on.<br /><br />I've been thinking myself about a 100-Word Review of a Thor story I read over the weekend. It's one of the all-time classics, and has been reprinted several times. Getting my thoughts into 100 words could be a real challenge!<br /><br />Your point, Mike, about Busiek introducing new villains into what should have been a "flashback" Spidey series reminds me of my main gripes with Byrne's X-Men: Hidden Years series. Additionally, introducing characters before they "could have been" introduced -- like Storm. Pfah...<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-77809729944523457212015-03-16T13:59:30.567-05:002015-03-16T13:59:30.567-05:00Great review, Osvaldo! I read this mini-series a ...Great review, Osvaldo! I read this mini-series a few years ago and thought it was pretty good overall, but some of the continuity changes really bothered me; I don't mind small changes (or even a little updating), but when they start changing villains and plot points, it bugs me. I thought Busiek did a better job fitting things in on Untold Tales (though I didn't like how he kept shoehorning in "new" villains).<br /><br />As for Flash in Vietnam, I always thought ALL college students got deferments? Hence the cliche of the student who took just enough classes to stay in college, but not enough to graduate, just to beat the draft. And Flash was there on a sports scholarship, so you'd think he'd have a deferment too...unless his GPA wasn't high enough? I assume people on a sports scholarship would have to maintain a minimum GPA or something? I dunno, I'm Canadian, so I don't know how all that stuff works (or used to work) down in the States.<br /><br />On another note, I think Osvaldo has given me an inspiration for another guest post...assuming Doug and Karen are interested, of course!<br /><br />Mike Wilson <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-21816203020548929512015-03-16T13:08:28.048-05:002015-03-16T13:08:28.048-05:00Spectacular review Dr. O. I have never read thes...Spectacular review Dr. O. I have never read these "Blue" issues, but even with the critique of the reworking of the story, you have piqued my interest.<br /><br />I am glad you mentioned the coloring, because even from the samples that you supplied I think the color palette is really nice. I like the flat colors so much more than the three dimensional toning that many attempt today. It is so much clearer to me and it really shows off the line art. In this case, Sale's art in not at all muddy or cloudy. I have to agree with you that the kitchen scene with Peter and Aunt May is striking.<br /><br />I don't ever recall Peter having a motorcycle; I had some of those early issues, but don't recall that at all. I was kind of surprised by the fact as I thought surely Aunt May would take the opposite approach and warn him of all of the dangers of a motor bike. At the very least he would be wearing a helmet, wouldn't he?<br /><br />Thanks for sharing. Very enjoyable.Martinex1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-10962028578240121532015-03-16T12:23:24.560-05:002015-03-16T12:23:24.560-05:00Well done, Dr. Double O! I read/skimmed this colle...Well done, Dr. Double O! I read/skimmed this collection in a big bookstore once. Overall I like the approach and the art, but Osvaldo's critique points up things that bug me, like the pointless revisionism. Why change the villain that Spidey fought? Why move the sequence of stories? That stuff starts out as a mild irritant, but then it grows, so that every subsequent annoyance gets magnified. Your description of the Kraven story makes it seem ridiculous! <br />One of the things I enjoyed about Marvels is Busiek's efforts at keeping the stories in context and intact. Your perspective on Flash is great. Flash's story in this series suffers from the attempt at updating. I think MJ's story does as well. I don't like the idea that she has/had sussed out Peter's secret. One of the great things about MJ was that she was Peter's (girl) friend and had nothing to do with Spider-Man. She wasn't a hostage, or a snoop, or a motivation, or a source or any other hero-girlfriend trope. <br />Oh, the bridge thing! I had read the Marvel Tales reprint of Gwen's fate early on in my comic collecting career and it made a big impact. Years later when I drove through NYC for the first time I thought about that story on the whole drive across the George Washington Bridge! (I still think of it as the Gwen Stacey Bridge!)Ward Hill Terrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-57623261605414672752015-03-16T09:59:04.802-05:002015-03-16T09:59:04.802-05:00I think I understand why these stories exist. My t...I think I understand why these stories exist. My take is that "modern" comics readers (which I suppose is not the same thing as readers of modern comics) may feel put-off by what they would consider the "archaic" art of the Silver Age. So "updating" classic stories with a more modern feel to them in terms of language, art style, and coloring perhaps makes them palatable to younger readers of today. It keeps the history alive, I guess.<br /><br />But for older readers who've known the source material for literally decades, I as one don't really find that these tales add much. And in some specific cases, notably seeing the Teen Titans of the Haney/Cardy era using cellphones for texting, somewhat puts me off. And I feel curmudgeonly when I think that way.<br /><br />But as Osvaldo states on numerous occasions in his review, the art if really nice and very respectful of the subject matter. I believe I have three of these five issues (maybe four), so they bear a second look on my part.<br /><br />Thanks for the write-up, Osvaldo!<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-65342445362882094202015-03-16T09:57:17.232-05:002015-03-16T09:57:17.232-05:00Osvaldo, this is really outstanding and I apprecia...Osvaldo, this is really outstanding and I appreciate all the effort you put into it. Although I have never read this series, I'm also interested in re-imaginings, and this particular one brings up the issue of stories that are tied to a particular time frame. For me, that sixties period is so integral to those Spider-Man stories, even more so than say the early FF stuff, that it's hard to imagine them without all those references, like the cases you cite. Those comics had something to say about their times, even if it was done in a subtle way -perhaps that also being the best way to do so.<br /><br />The situation with Flash Thompson in those Lee/Romita books was a way to make commentary without hitting people over the head. A lot of young men were going off to war and emotions at home were swirling over it. Without that backdrop, Flash enlisting loses meaning. The need for the books to divest themselves of ties to the past, so the characters aren't all 60+ years old, unfortunately deprives them of context in some ways.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17032477453891087135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-26484149029604051792015-03-16T09:53:30.308-05:002015-03-16T09:53:30.308-05:00Very nice review, Osvaldo. You've really pique...Very nice review, Osvaldo. You've really piqued my interest - I'd love to read this, despite its flaws.<br />Not too long ago, I read a sort of similar story Loeb and Sale did for DC, called Superman for All Seasons. Generally I liked it, although as you noted for this story, it had its weak points.<br />Regardless, I kind of respect what Loeb and Sale were trying to do with stories like these, i.e., evoking or using the nostalgia for those older stories and combining it was a new look at the characters and situations, and putting new wrinkles into them.<br />Also, I completely agree about Tim Sale's art - it is perfectly suited to the stories, and is absolutely gorgeous.Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-33464741031535496352015-03-16T09:45:01.166-05:002015-03-16T09:45:01.166-05:00Oops, I should have thanked Osvaldo for his hard w...Oops, I should have thanked Osvaldo for his hard work on that review, very interesting reading. And thanks to you, Doug - the only b/w Superman I know is George Reeves, but I wasn't sure if that was him or not which is why I asked :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-22436617880372863152015-03-16T09:33:21.999-05:002015-03-16T09:33:21.999-05:00I am going to be gone most of the day (I am down i...I am going to be gone most of the day (I am down in FLA visiting with family), though I will be back this evening to respond to any comments. But, I wanted to encourage everyone to make sure you click on those two-page splash page spreads to get a good look at them.<br /><br />Thanks for the kind words, so far. Dr. Oyolahttp://themiddlespaces.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-74640651778351024542015-03-16T09:13:08.090-05:002015-03-16T09:13:08.090-05:00Tangentially, did any of our readers read and enjo...Tangentially, did any of our readers read and enjoy the two Earth's Mightiest Heroes mini-series?<br /><br />I've read Miller and Romita Jr.'s DD: Man Without Fear. It was OK, but I really don't care for JRJR's art.<br /><br />Tim Sale is pretty solid, as others above have commented.<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-73391092991806100452015-03-16T09:06:12.714-05:002015-03-16T09:06:12.714-05:00Great in-depth review, Osvaldo! You raise some goo...Great in-depth review, Osvaldo! You raise some good points about the tweaks in story continuity, and the way events transpired. I have read the first three issues of this series but haven't picked up the final three yet. My take was that the artwork , as you say, was a big draw for the series. Sale does a nice job evoking Romita Sr.'s clean, smooth style. As for the variant story elements, they didn't really bother me too much, but I can't really say for certain not having read the conclusion. <br /><br />David_b: if you enjoy retellings such as this, have you read the Sensational Spiderman Annual from several years ago? It was published in the middle of the Civil War arc, but the story was an evocative look back at the Peter/Gwen/MJ triangle. It referenced events from the mid 60's up through the Conway/Andru era, and the artwork paid homage to some classic panels. A fine book...Redartzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08221459636234713619noreply@blogger.com