Panels and Pages… Art and Artists… Creators and Conventions… Musings and Memories…
New York Comic-Con wrapped on Sunday… and from all accounts, it was a smash success for all concerned, especially the fans. The show appeared packed pretty much the entire time, and gridlock enveloped the Javits Center midday, especially moving from one floor to the other. But spirits were high despite the claustrophobic conditions and many of the creators told me that had their best NYCC ever.
Many photos to be posted in the next few days, but here’s a teaser:
Superman Doomed #2, October 2014
Presenting the final post in our series celebrating Supergirl’s 5thseason premiere tonight on the CW.
As noted previously, Ian Churchill’s run on Supergirl was terrific, and his brief return here, is still a welcome one.
On this dynamic page, Supergirl shreds Cyborg Superman, who is (I think) actually Supergirl’s father, who is under the mind control of Brainiac, who is… never mind. This “prequel” to the complicated DC convergence crossover is convoluted, and the less said, the better.
But the art, of course, is great.
Justice League of America #64, August 1968
Continuing our series celebrating Supergirl’s 5thseason premiere on the CW on Sunday.
One of the cool features of all of the DC CW shows is the introduction of supporting characters you would hardly imagine would ever make it into live action TV.
Rip Hunter? Firestorm? Mister Terrific? The Ray? The list goes on… and on… and on.
One such character is Red Tornado, who made it into an early episode of Supergirl. Ok, so he’s a villain… and his backstory definitely veers from much of his retcon continuity in the DCU, but who cares. He certainly looked great.
Red Tornado’s first appearance in his contemporary droid form is in Justice League #64, and this splash – the cover scene — is actually his first rendering in that first appearance issue. More importantly, it’s also the very first JLA appearance of artist Dick Dillin, who went on to draw the series for an astounding 12 years until his untimely death in 1980.
And that cover? One of my all time favorites, enhanced by that unique greenish background, and featuring a full cast of the Justice Society. It jumped out at you on the spinner racks 50 years ago, and still does today.
Supergirl #14, December 2017
Continuing our series celebrating Supergirl’s 5thseason premiere on the CW on Sunday,
Jose Luis (not to be confused with the artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez) illustrates a lovely and simple moment with the super team of Superman, Supergirl, and Krypto. I can’t recall when I saw a similar published page, especially in contemporary comics, where Krypto has shifted in and out of continuity more than a few times.
Supergirl #36, and Action #872, February 2009
Supergirl’s 5thseason premieres on the CW on Sunday, so our next few posts will take a look at the cousin of steel.
Here’s my unsolicited story idea for the terrific art team of Chris Sprouse and Karl Story: A Superman Family “Elseworlds” limited series that includes Superman, Supergirl, Lois and Jimmy, The Super Pets, The Legion of Superheroes, Kandor, Bizarro… And a full line-up of classic villains. Pretty much everyone who populated the mid 20th century Superman comics.
In other words, a longer form story that’s similar to Alan Moore’s and Curt Swan’s classic “Whatever Happened to The Man of Tomorrow,” but with —- spoiler alert — no fatal tragedies involved.
In 2020, that’s about as likely to happen as Perry White yelling “Great Caesar’s Ghost”, or Jimmy Olsen turning back into a giant turtle, but a guy can dream, can’t he?
Much like Steve Rude, Chris Samnee, and a handful of other artists, Chris and Karl take classic styling and adapt it into a modern form. It’s both retro and contemporary.
In many ways, it’s the best of both worlds. (Hey — that could be the name of the series.)
In the meantime, we have these two great covers: Supergirl and “Superwoman” (long story) gracefully flying, and Metallo and Reactron defeating the super cousins. Cyborgs rarely look this menacing on a super-hero cover.
And, if someone at DC miraculously likes my idea, and Mark Waid is tied up, it’s pretty easy to find me…
Daredevil #100, October 2007
New York Comic Con takes place this week at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, located right at the southwest end of Hell’s Kitchen.
For non-New Yorkers who only know the neighborhood as grimly depicted in Daredevil (comics or the Netflix TV series) I will break it to you gently. Hell’s Kitchen ain’t what it used to be.
Sure, when I was a kid in the ‘70s, even the ‘80s, it was rough. Just walking the eight grimy blocks from Penn Station to Port Authority on the main avenue was a scary adventure. Among other lovely sights, I once witnessed an entire squad of police, in full tactical gear, clear out a tenement of drug addicts and dealers. It was not a peaceful bust. (Wish we had smartphones in those days.) I definitely received an unintended education in that part of town.
But now? Just like nearby Times Square, the neighborhood has been gentrified and scrubbed over time. That block where I saw the drug building invaded back in the day? You can find a really good hipster cookie shop there now.
And with the completion of a nearby subway extension a few years ago, real estate development is on fire. Hell’s Kitchen is — wait for it — a hot part of town.
This cool photo-realistic Daredevil page — sans Daredevil — from artist Michael Lark, isn’t that old. An artist’s rendition that’s definitely based on historic reputation rather than current reality, and a piece of art that I enjoy without any misguided nostalgia for a once crime-infested community. Maybe Daredevil needs to move to a tougher neighborhood.
Me? I’m going to walk each day to Javits during the convention. And probably stop along the way to grab a cookie.
Flash of Two Worlds, Commission, 2012
The Flash TV series (CW) explores DC’s multiverse legacy in creative and often reverential ways. Today’s post concludes our special feature “The Flash of Two Worlds,” as well as our five-part Flash series.
I see this cool pinup and imagine a retro moment in the DC original continuity when the two Flashes have already met, worked together, and appreciate the fact that, in each of their respective multiverses, they are indeed the fastest man alive.
That said, I never asked John what he envisioned when he drew the piece. And, I don’t think I will. It’s easier to continue to imagine the backstory to fit in with my own vision of the “pre-Crisis” DC universe.
May the Speedforce be with you.
DC Universe Legacies #4, October 2010
Part 4 (of 5) of our special Flash series.
Two legends team up, and tell the tale of two legends teaming up.
This fabulous story page comes to us courtesy of DC Universe Legacies, a ten-part 2010 series written by Len Wein that provides an overview of DC history (in contemporary continuity) through the eyes and life story of a one man. The series features an all-start line-up of DC art talent including Joe Kubert, Jerry Ordway, Dan Jurgens and many others.
The page here, showing the Flashes meeting for the first time, contains retroactive continuity (retcon), as both characters exist in the same universe — which is the established “post-Crisis” narrative. Also, in the original Flash #123, the Flashes have already met and teamed up when they get to the construction worker.
Garcia Lopez and Gibbons are a terrific pairing, and I was fortunate enough to find this great page before someone else did.
The Flash of Two Worlds — DC Comics Classics Library, 2009
The Flash TV series (CW) explores DC’s multiverse legacy in creative and often reverential ways. Today’s post, along with the next two, feature “The Flash of Two Worlds.”
Flash #123, “The Flash of Two Worlds” is one of the most important comic book milestones of DC’s silver age, establishing the DC multiverse and paving the way for countless crossover storylines that ultimately lead up to 1985’s Crisis on Multiple Earths. Its 1961 cover follows as one of the most iconic images of the era.
But, when DC went to reprint the earliest Flash crossover stories in a special collection, the original art and layout didn’t quite work within the new cover design.
So, the editors turned to the very talented (and very underrated) Rodney Ramos to recreate (and reconfigure) the iconic imagery, in the Infantino/ Murphy Anderson “style.”
He nails it — and you could be headed for a career in the FBI’s counterfeit investigations unit if you can immediately tell the published cover is not Infantino / Anderson.
(As seen below, the final published piece crops the image significantly, and also digitally manipulates the two Flashes even closer together.)
Flash #190, August 1969
Part two in our five-part Flash series this week.
Following Carmine Infantino on the Flash was obviously no easy assignment to begin with, but it appears Ross Andru and Mike Esposito had the deck stacked against them.
At the starting line was a fun issue, Flash #175, the sequel race between Superman and the Flash. Shortly thereafter is Carey Bates’ offbeat tale in Flash #179 that introduces Earth “Prime” — our earth— into the DC multiverse.
But, after that… we get: Giant-headed Flash, Flash with a broken toe, Flash color-blind, etc. Plus: Flash fighting hippies, sea creatures, lizards, demons, aliens, oh my. Samurais? Seriously?
WTF? How about the rogues, who only make a handful of minor appearances during this run, with only Captain Cold, warranting a cover? Where’s Grodd? What about Flash of Earth-2? And, if you’re going to have a Green Lantern team-up (#191) how about putting him — or at least a blurb — on the cover?!
I count seven writers —seven! — during this 20-issue run. It’s no wonder the character couldn’t get any traction. As a kid, on a kid’s budget, it was difficult not to give up on everything but the 25-cent reprints at that point. My allowance screamed: Run Away!
Still, the art can transcend the material, and does so here. On this unusual page, Andru, who always had a great sense of space and time, delivers a fascinating layout as Flash races from one point to the next in Central City. (Plus, as fans of Andru’s latter Spider-Man run can confirm, Ross loved drawing buildings, and he’s definitely warming up on this page.)
It’s also a reminder of what could have been accomplished artistically with better material to work from — and less questionable editorial choices.
Special Note:
DC needs to reprint the entire Robert Kanigher/Andru/Espo Wonder Woman run — about 73 issues — in an Omnibus. Only the first dozen comics have ever appeared in color since their original publication about 60 years ago. (Also, Metal Men needs a similar treatment… But I digress.)