WonderCon 2022 (Part 2 of 3)
Anaheim Convention Center, April 1-3, 2022
WonderCon 2022 (Part 1 of 3)
Anaheim Convention Center, April 1-3, 2022
A few days late… and definitely a few dollars short. (Parts 2 and 3 coming tomorrow and Thursday.) So nice to be at conventions again, and you can quote me.
John Byrne — Spider-Man’s Giant Headache
Spider-Man: Chapter One #11, September 1999
Concluding the 60th anniversary celebration of Ant-Man/Giant-Man.
John Byrne provides his own spin (that pun was intended) on Spider-Man’s early days with the “maxi-series” Spider-Man: Chapter One. This series created some controversy, as many fans believed the early Stan Lee and Steve Ditko stories did not need a refresh. (Unlike say Byrne’s own Superman revamp years earlier, which was the right reboot at the right time. But… we digress.)
This fun page from issue #11 guest stars Giant-Man and Wasp in a revamping of Spider-Man’s very early Spidey crossover in Tales To Astonish #57. (How early was the original story? It’s the same month as Spider-Man #14, which also featured the Hulk. Spider-Man had a very busy month in the Marvel Universe, as Annual #1, featuring the Sinister Six, was also published at about the same time.)
Bob Layton — Incredible Shrinking Dad
Marvel Comics Presents #11, January 1989
Continuing the 60th anniversary celebration of Ant-Man.
Bob Layton (pencils and inks) creates a terrific looking title page for a short story featuring the second Ant-Man, Scott Lang. (Of course Lang’s version of the character is the one most familiar to most audiences since he’s the version currently inhabiting the Marvel Universe, played by Paul Rudd.)
I seem to own a number of pages from these short stories from Marvel Comics Presents and Marvel Fanfare, and none of this material has yet to be collected. I’ve probably said it previously, but it seems easy enough to create collections that are themed around specific characters, etc.
I hope that actually happens one of these days.
Fun fact: David Michelinie, John Byrne and Layton share co-credit for the creation of the Lang vesrion of the character, who first appeared solo in Marvel Premiere #47(April 1979), a month after he had a guest spot in Avengers #181.
Don Heck — Giants (& Ants) Among Us
Tales to Astonish # 54, April1964
2022 is the 60th anniversary of Marvel’s shrinking and enlarging superhero Ant-Man (Giant-Man), sometimes hyphenated, sometimes not. Either way, we’ve got a cool page from Dandy Don Heck to lead off a mini-anniversary celebration.
That middle right panel has big (pun actually not intended) appeal to me — it appears that Giant-Man is about to break right through it, as he grows o his larger size.
Plus we have he lovely Janet Van Dyke (Wasp) and the ridiculous villain El Toro to boot.
What’s not to like?
Fun Fact(s): Henry (Hank) Pym invents his shrinking serum in Tales to Astonish #27, cover dated January 1962, but actually appearing on newsstands that previous September. But he doesn’t actually become the Ant-Man character until his second appearance in issue #35. The Wasp appears first in #44, and Pym becomes Giant-Man in #49. Whew.
Bruce Wayne At The Movies
Forget about The Batman for a moment, who is the best cinematic Bruce Wayne?
Irony.
Even without the Internet and social media, the trolls managed to make so… much… noise.. about Michael Keaton cast as Batman in Tim Burton’s 1989 feature.
The long knives were definitely out for Burton, Warner Brothers, DC, and pretty much anyone and everyone associated with film prior to release.
And you know what?
Keaton is still the most enjoyable version of Bruce Wayne on screen.
Not to take anything away from Christian Bale, who, overall is terrific and definitely has his Bruce Wayne moments, there’s both a charm and weirdness to Keaton’s Wayne. (And who wouldn’t be weird, dressing up as a bat and fighting crime at night? But we digress.)
And Pattinson might turn out to be a terrific Bruce Wayne. But we didn’t see much of him as Wayne in The Batman so the jury is still out.
Keaton’s Wayne is very self-aware, less brooding, has a sense of a humor and charisma, but still — on the edge, and likely psychotic. He provides many shades to the Wayne persona.
He might not be the best-looking Batman in a cowl (I specifically never warmed up the style guide art based on his Batman likeness) but as Bruce Wayne, just a blast.
Evan Dorkin — World’s Funniest
Bizarro Comics, August 2001
Concluding our 70th celebration of Superman and Batman (Robin, too) teaming up for the first time.
Why so serious?
Why, indeed.
DC has typically been afraid of too much humor in its traditional superhero storytelling. Frightening flashbacks to Batman ’66, in all likelihood.
But somehow, management green lit this great “Bizarro” graphic novel anthology, lovingly edited by my longtime* pal Joey Cavalieri, and featuring alternative interpretations of the world’s greatest superheroes.
I considered it a home run, and obviously others did as well because it’s an Eisner and Harvey winner, and an acknowledged classic. (They had me at the Matt Groening cover.)
Evan Dorkin (Milk and Cheese) wrote a few of the stories, and drew this one as well. I smile every time I look at it.
*Fun Fact: I’ve know Joey 50 years. And if tell you I KNEW he would be a star in the comics and/or animation field way back then, well, you can trust me on this.
Chris Batista — Nasty Combo
Superman / Batman Annual #3, May 2009
Continuing our 70th celebration of Superman and Batman (Robin, too) teaming up for the first time.
Ah, the Composite Superman (Half Superman, half Batman). I’m not sure why I found this character so compelling as a kid, but I did.
I purchased his second appearance (World’s Finest #168) off the racks as a little kid. I was a bit too young for his first, a few years prior. (Both are shown below.)
Years later, what I can’t figure out is why he’s not on the cover in that issue. It’s not like I wouldn’t have flipped through the issue quickly and figured it out before I either gave Mr. Wurman my 12 cents or got tossed from his candy store.
In contemporary times, Chris Batista delivers a terrific page featuring the villain, plus Superman and Batman, and Metallo thrown in for good measure.
The issue also features a rare cover from the late Bernie Wrightson. No surprise, Bernie’s interpretation of the composite character is… intimidating.
Frank Miller & Lynn Varley — Family Feud
Batman: The Dark Knight #3, August 1986
Continuing our 70th celebration of Superman and Batman (Robin, too) teaming up for the first time.
Today’s original art oddity:
Two original pages exist for every page of Frank Miller, Klaus Jansen’s and Lynn Varley’s The Dark Knight Returns.
First of course, are the traditional pen and ink black and white line art pages. Gorgeous, of course.
Next up, are Lynn Varley’s stunning hand-painted color pages. For emphasis: These are NOT color proofs. DC shot acetates of every line art page, and Lynn hand painted each one. (And, the color palate of DKR is of course critical to the storytelling.)
And his stunner is one of those pages. One of only a handful that features Superman, Batman and Robin all on the same page.
Anyone want to sell me the original Miller line work to go with it? I can start working on my line of credit with the bank today.
George Tuska — Lost Team-Up
World’s Finest, “Inventory” Story, 1984
Continuing our 70th celebration of Superman and Batman (Robin, too) teaming up for the first time.
I can’t quite put my finger on it… But I always appreciated George Tuska’s art s at DC more than I did at Marvel.
I think it’s because — in my mind’s eye at least— George’s art seemed much more suited to the Bronze Age DC house style.
Or it could just be my imagination.
Here we have a “inventory” story intended for World’s Finest that appears to have never seen the light of day. Dynamic action featuring both Superman and Batman. What more could you possibly ask for?
Except possibly the published page to go with it.
I never understood DC’s policy regarding inventory and cancelled stories. Once they’re fully inked, and in many cases lettered, it’s really difficult to lose money coloring it and publishing it. The prior sunk cost is already sunk.
Except… as my friends in finance would happily point out, the investment in the story and artwork counts as an asset. If you never actually put it out, you never have to write the whole thing off.
Tricky, very tricky.
I’ve owned pages from quite a few DC cancelled stories. There’s an omnibus in there somewhere. Assuming (big assumption) all the scans and files have survived myriad changes in management over the years, and a few physical moves as well.
