Discuss: War Comics

Doug: It's Veterans' Day here in the States; perhaps it's still called Armistice Day elsewhere (I'll confess my ignorance). So in honor of those who serve and have served, let's delve into a comics genre not often dealt with here on the BAB -- war comics, and the creators who wrote and drew them.

Arc of Triumph? Incredible Hulk 176-178

Karen: These three issues were somewhat scandalous back in the day, taking Warlock and putting him in the role of Jesus (with Hulk as an unwitting Judas!). They also had heavy Watergate allusions. When they came out it all pretty much went over my little noggin but reading it today it seems fairly harmless if a bit silly. Any thoughts on this three parter by Gerry Conway and Herb Trimpe?

We Got Nuthin'

Doug: Good morning, good day, good evening -- whatever time you're stopping by, welcome. Between general life-busyness, Karen traveling, etc. we don't have any new content for you today (and looking at the queue, going forward as well (!!)). So for today at least, the readers become the writers -- you are in charge! Someone PLEASE start a stimulating conversation!

Buried Treasures: The Groovy Breed of Super-Heroes

Karen: "They're IN! The new, groovy breed of ...'super-heroes with super problems'." So proclaims the cover of this Fantastic Four paperback from Lancer Books, published in 1966. Despite its age, it's not in too bad a shape -the covers have some chipping and foxing, and the interior pages are  a little brown, but it's all in one piece. This little gem originally belonged to my uncle and wound up in my hands, only to get buried in the garage for many years -til now. Although I've held on to it all this time, I can't say I've really sat and read through it -not even before I had access to the comics this book reprints, because the layout is so unappealing. Each page holds a couple of black and white panels. You have to turn the book sideways to read it. 

It has the Sub-Mariner and Doctor Doom team up from FF #6, which is interrupted by a partial version of FF#1, so that the reader gets the origin of the FF. Then it's back to FF #6, then FF#11, with the Impossible Man, and finally FF #31 with Sue and Johnny's convict dad (I'm not kidding) and the Mole Man. There are also a number of pin-ups sprinkled through-out.

I also had the Daredevil book from Lancer books, but that wasn't in the same treasure hoard where I found this one. I don't think I sold it or gave it away, so my guess is it is still in a box waiting to be found one of these days.

Oh, I've Got to Set Myself Free

Doug: Today we'd like some lists, and some specifics attached to those ideas. As has been said, the main reason I moved away from the comics reviews and urged Karen to join me in our current "Arc of Triumph?" series was that the writing and art scanning just wasn't fitting in well with an increasingly busy personal life and professional schedule. So a few weeks ago I decided that I could use an hour or so of this new "free time" to just read some comics, sans the written summaries and opinions. I went downstairs and grabbed the Captain America and the Falcon: Nomad trade paperback off my shelf. I'd purchased it many moons ago, and had never taken the time to crack it open. As a kid, I had a buddy who had a few of the issues collected within, notably the Golden Archer issue that featured a wonderfully stupid rubber mask panel with Hawkeye. But I've long wanted to read the entire arc, so it seemed to be time.

Doug: The first several issues were a joy -- the Falcon solo, Steve Rogers wrestling with staying out of action after his retirement as Captain America, and some goofy villains like Lucifer and Aries from the Zodiac cartel. Author Steve Englehart was riding the crest of the wave he'd built up in the "Secret Empire" saga, and was keeping me entertained through the first half of the tpb. And then... and then it happened. Sal left. Gone. And in his place? Frank Robbins. Now I know there have been a few Robbins apologists among our readership through the years, and I'm not going to rain on anyone's parade by starting an argument. So I'll do what I do in my classroom when I have something of great personal import to bestow upon the young minds -- "Hear me: this is MY opinion!" and then I go on. I bought the Invaders mag for a long time, and never felt satisfied. Sure, the stories were OK, and I really liked the WWII settings. But that book never ever went all the way for me. And you get one guess as to why.

Doug: So here's my problem, and here's where you come in. That Cap/Falc trade has been sitting on the shelf of one of our end tables for a month now. It's half-read. And I am harboring serious doubts as to whether or not I'll pick it up to finish it! So what I want you to do today is reminisce on those books from the past where you had a little run going and then (either gradually or suddenly) said "I'm out!" List 'em, and tell what that impetus was for your departure. As is the case here, we're not doing any rip jobs because we're all mature and just flat-out nice in this corner. But we all have personal tastes, and it's just OK to not like something. I'm looking forward to some stories!

PS -- Doug: I wrote the body of this post on October 29. Later that evening I didn't have anything pressing to do, so I decided to pull the book out. Seriously -- I found that I could enjoy the first two Robbins-penciled issues if I did not look at the pictures. Seeing them only out of the corner of my eye I could allow Robbins to move me through Englehart's words and make sense of it all. But whenever I'd get to the bottom of a page I'd stop and give some time to the individual panels. And I'd miss Sal... I did see that there's a 2-issue break coming up where the art is by Herb Trimpe and it actually looks pretty good. Then it's back to Robbins for the conclusion. But if I'd been buying this off the rack way back when, I think I'd have dropped the book. It's just that jarring. 

Discuss: Surf Music

And you'll never hear...surf music again....

Arc of Triumph? Nova 12 and Amazing Spider-Man 171

Doug: We've obviously discussed Spider-Man a bazillion times around here, but I don't think we've ever reviewed an issue of The Man Called Nova. Today, hopefully our readers are going to take care of that! What's the collective memory of this 2-parter featuring Marv Wolfman's pet creation and ol' Webhead? Decent yarn, or merely a hopeful cross-pollination?

Doug: Just in -- Idris Elba and Tom Hiddleston will reprise their roles as Heimdall and Loki (respectively) in Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. Now isn't that good news!

Alex Ross's "Marvel Comics 75th Anniversary" Covers

Doug:  I believe that the line of variant covers by Alex Ross in celebration of the company's 75th anniversary has come to a conclusion.  We've presented some of these along the way, but today we wanted to run a post with the entire collection.  While Ross certainly has his detractors among our readership, your proprietors are not in that corner.

Doug:  So love him or hate him, which of these covers resonate with you?  Hey, art aside, are there certain looks or ideas that you feel Ross was going for that work?  -Or would have worked if done by one of your favorite artists?  If you're a Ross fan, which of these would make cool posters?

Who's the Best... Funny Scary Movie?

Karen: Happy Halloween, BABsters! In the 'spirit' of the holiday, we'd like to pose this question to you: What's the best funny scary movie? Here's a few candidates I'd like to throw out there. Feel free to nominate some of your own.