The Sixth Day of Classic Comics Christmas '06 [Archive]

SamuraiJack

12-19-2006, 08:59 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/SamuraiJack31/Col2decimation.png

COLOSSUS!

Piotr Rasputin- Russian mutant with super-strength and the ability to turn his skin into organic steel. When I first started reading X-Men in 1978 couldn’t decide who was cooler- Nightcrawler or Colossus. For the longest time they flip-flopped, but I think it was the cover to issue #122, “The Trial of Colossus” that cemented his spot in my top 10 (shameless plug here- there’s a new Marvel Milestones statue of this cover coming out soon).

Since then he’s gone on to better things, and his ‘death’ during the Legacy Virus storyline almost made me give up X-books. I was SO excited to hear Whedon was bringing him back, and am ecstatic now that he’s pretty much the primary character in the latest Astonishing X-men storyline.

Lone Ranger

12-19-2006, 09:03 AM

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/scottandkat/CBR/top12/unknownsoldier245.jpg

7. Unknown Soldier

My first exposure to the Unknown Soldier was in Brave & the Bold #146. What a great first impression. Oh, did I ever love the World War Two setting and the team up with this master of disguise. It seemed a lot more ‘realistic’ than other books I had read to that point. Prior to that, I was only aware of the Unknown Soldier through house ads featuring those awesome Kubert covers (the ‘Cave In’ cover to #222 stands out in my mind).

One of the aspects of the Unknown Soldier that really appeals to me is the Man of 1,000 Faces side to the character. To me, a ‘master of disguise’ character has almost limitless possibilities (hence my love for the Chameleon as underused Spidey villain). In this case, it allows him to glide from one horror of war to the next, attempting to dull the impact wherever possible.

This Man of 1,000 Faces is also a man without a face, and this allows him to move anonymously through war zones, fading into the background when necessary. The most talented writers realize that the Unknown Soldier can act as a mirror – reflecting his surroundings. This is perhaps what I like most about the Unknown Soldier. Through him we get to experience the moral ambiguities of war, trying to maintain our balance on a razor’s edge.

The panels below are from the Michelinie/Talaoc run. The Unknown Soldier is disguised as a German Officer and has just passed a loyalty test by shooting a young woman. He’s had to make this sacrifice to save thousands of other lives.

When I read this type of Unknown Soldier story, I feel like I am sharing his pain and outrage.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v471/scottandkat/CBR/top12/US2-sm.jpg

Graham Vingoe

12-19-2006, 09:07 AM

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o156/grahamvingoe_2006/2658_4_007.jpg

Killraven
Jonathan Raven – The lead character of the War of the Worlds series in Amazing Adventures came to my attention through the bizarre “reimagination” of him as Ape-Slayer in the UK Planet of the Apes comic back in 1975. I still see this as one of the most bizarre editorial decisions in comics history, but it was enough to get me hooked on the real thing.
Throughout the run, Killraven was an optimist caught up in a hopeless situation, always believing that one day he would conquer the Martians with his Freemen and would rescue his brother. Yet in the end, he failed at both of these goals and currently inhabits a comic limbo where he still battles eternally against the Martian invaders. (As an aside, it took a great deal of effort for me to discard M’Shulla as a candidate for this list as well)

Scott Shaw!

12-19-2006, 09:10 AM

No. 7: POPEYE THE SAILOR

http://www.comics.org/coverview.lasso?id=12103&zoom=4

Above is the cover to the first POPEYE funnybook I ever "read". (I was three years old at the time!) It's issue No. 32 (April -June 1955) and the whole magilla was written and drawn by the great Bud Sagendorf.

Of course, Popeye was created by E. C. Segar in the THIMBLE THEATRE comic strip, and eventually, his former assistant Sagendorf took over that. But for many years, Bud reigned over the POPEYE comic books, and did an incredible job. Indeed, his funnybook work was vastly superior to his handling of the comic strip, and this issue is a perfect example of this.

The lead story, "Alone!, or, Hey! Where Is Everybody?, or, Peoples Is All Gone!" has Popeye awakening to discover that the entire city is devoid of its population. Even weirder, the Sea Hag has sent a huge, abstract robot (it looks like a giantic vacuum cleaner, with a single metal fist on the end of a Doc Ock-like flexible metal cable) to beat the holy crap out of the sailor man. In the process, they nearly destroy the city, often in full-page panels of sheer havoc.

Popeye's philosophy -- "I yam what I yam and that's all I yam" -- is certainly one that we can all relate to. But growing up in post-war San Diego, with a father who was a naval officer (and a survivor of Pearl Harbor) and Max Fleischer "Popeye" cartoons constantly running on local television (hosted by former child star Johnny Downs), it's no surprise that I grew up to love the spinach-chomping sailor man and collect back issues of his funnybook adventures.

Aloha,

Scott!

Budman

12-19-2006, 09:10 AM

7. The Silver Age Atom

Part of the appeal of characters like Spider-Man and the Flash is that we think it would be fun to have their particular super powers. Well, I think it would be fun to be the Silver Age Atom.

Imagine being able to instantly change your size and weight. Imagine gliding around the room by riding air currents, or traveling along the electrical impulses moving through telephone lines, or swinging from a necktie around your opponents neck, or bouncing off an eraser on your desk, or riding on the back of a bird, or shrinking under a punch thrown by a criminal only to instantly grow back to full size again while delivering an uppercut to his jaw, or journeying to strange new worlds which are part of the micro-verse under your very feet.

The Silver Age Atom stories always brought out the fun inherent in the character's powers. And the artwork played a big part in this. Gil Kane drew kinetic, dynamic figures. The Atom spent a lot of time in motion.
The stories were fun, too. Products of the imagination and creativity of Gardner Fox, they had Atom being tied to a hand grenade, or stuck to the bottom of an automobile tire, or used as a power source for a strange weapon, or fighting Chronos, or being stalked by a cat, or turning into a plant, or traveling into the past by being lowered on a magnet tied to a rope into the Time Pool.

"The World's Smallest Superhero" always had a big appeal to me. And I'm happy that I've almost completed my collection of his Silver Age books, but I'm filled with regret, too. Once I get all of the stories, there ain't no more! Oh well, at least I'll have all those gems to re-read and savor again and again.

dan bailey

12-19-2006, 09:12 AM

7 -- Jennifer Walters (She-Hulk)

Technically, I may be cheating here, since my fondness for the character is based wholly on her appearances as written by Dan Slott (&, to a great extent, drawn by Juan Bobillo) over the last few years ... though she does date back to late '79. I hope that's good enough for Cei-U; if not, he can have my Jen when he pries her out of my cold, dead fingers. Or something.

Anyway, as noted this is actually the 3rd iteration for the character. I own a couple of ishes of the first series but haven't read 'em (though the Essential is pretty near the top of my TPB want list), & to be honest was sort of appalled when I learned years after the fact of the character's existence.

And while by hitting eBay I've managed to amass a complete run of the 2nd She-Hulk series, I've yet to sit down & read any of those, either (not out of disinterest but pure lack of time, I hasten to add). I have to say the covers -- most prominently by John Byrne -- do look extremely engaging, & I'm pretty sure I'll like what I find behind 'em.

It's the 3rd -- or, technically, the 3rd, 4th & 5th, given a couple of unfortunate cancellations before the current ongoing got off the ground & actually managed to hang around for awhile -- go-round that's really, really sold me on Jen Walters, attorney-at-law. Of course, the series' selling point is her irreverent, ultra-statuesque jade-giantess incarnation, but it's Jen herself whom I find utterly irresistible. She's cute (again, especially as drawn by Bobillo, who clearly isn't for everyone, & whom I really miss on the latest series, not that Rick Burchett isn't doing a bang-up job) rather than ravishing -- not that I mind the latter in a woman, but I highly value the former, too.

I dunno ... maybe she reminds me of certain female lawyers from my days covering the courts as a newspaper reporter back in Little Rock.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c129/arktrav/she-hulkv3-001pic2.gif

Simon Garth

12-19-2006, 09:17 AM

He's a thief, a reaver, a slayer, he's a kid, I say, a kid in a bunny suit!
http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Union/5145/cerebus30_angry.gif

He’s also venal, selfish, confused, fractious, brave, sometime generous, smells very bad when his fur gets wet, and did I mention, looks like a kid in a bunny suit.

Starting as a parody of Conan & his ilk, he fairly rapidly mutated into satire of various literary and less literary forms, before eventually and unfortunately mutating into tedious unreadable diatribes.

He is, of course, Cerebus the Aardvark

Slam_Bradley

12-19-2006, 09:45 AM

Wesley Dodds/Sandman.

I discovered Sandman through the JLA/JSA team-ups and various JSA appearances over the years. Though he never seemed to be spotlighted I loved the gas-mask and trenchcoat (a love that grew as I discovered the pulps). He became a favorite of mine, based more on looks than actions.

Then came Sandman Mystery Theatre. Wes Dodds was suddenly a fully realized character. Far from the stereotypical comic hero, Dodds was an everyman, albeit a wealthy and intelligent everyman, driven by his dreams to make a difference in his world. SMT, embodied by Dodds, fused my various loves of comics, pulps and detective fiction in one of the great comics of the 90s.

Hintermann

12-19-2006, 10:23 AM

#7 Betty: Elizabeth “Betty” Cooper, the delectable blonde from Archie comics. This typical small-town girl-next-door might be right out of a Capra-corn movie but for once, I would love to be in Archie’s shoes. I cannot believe that the redheaded fool prefers the snooty Veronica Lodge to the wonderful Betty. She is the perfect girlfriend – beautiful, intelligent, independent, athletic, empathic, loyal, humorous and with just the right touch of mischief in her personality. She is also the best friend anyone of either sex can have, despite being often let down by others. She is handy in a crisis and will not mind getting her clothes dirty if the occasion demands it. Over the decades, Betty’s character has subtly changed to suit contemporary times without affecting her basic personality. For instance, nowadays she eats far less junk food, does more exercise and has developed environmental concerns. In that sense, Betty Cooper is more ‘timeless’ than anyone in Archie’s world, including Archie himself.

MDG

12-19-2006, 10:24 AM

#7 Heraclio Calderon

Apparently, I like Heraclio a little more than Kurt. And, in many ways it’s a vote for the great cast of the Palomar stories in Love & Rockets.

But I think Heraclio has a unique place in the stories in that he’s pulled in a couple of different directions—he understands the limitations of Palomar, and feels the need to expose the young people to what else the world has to offer. On the other hand, he appreciates Palomar for what it is, and tries to protect that as well.

MDG

Aaron King

12-19-2006, 10:27 AM

7. Monsieur Mallah
Everyone moderately familiar with comics before 1980 knows that gorillas make for a hot comic. Plop a simian on the cover and watch the numbers rise. Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani took the next logical step: feature a villainous talking ape, French no less, and with a genius-level intellect. Created by mad scientist The Brain (an evil brain in a jar), Monsieur Mallah was a flagship member of the Brotherhood of Evil. The team membership changed through the years, but Mallah and The Brain were always there together. Why? Because they’re gay Cartesian Dualistic ape + internal organ lovers. It’s true.

Monkey Around with Mallah: Doom Patrol Archives; Doom Patrol (volume 2) #34

Mallah & Co. by Bruno Premiani (http://www.moviepoopshoot.com/comics101/images/2004/jul7/mallah.jpg)
Brain Versus Brain! by Richard Case (http://www.monkeysvsrobots.com/mvsrpm/images/doompatrol/brainandmallah.jpg)
Mallah & The Brain by Daniel Acuna (http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/d/d0/180px-OutsidersCv37.jpg)
http://www.wizkidsgames.com/images/figures/Rotating/HDCD/HDCD_084.jpg

zilch

12-19-2006, 10:51 AM

"Bring me a dream... make him the cutest thing i've ever seen..."

7. The Sandman

Like Slam, he makes my top 12. I've always like him, since i saw him in his first JLA/JSA team-up. Old, yet new. And i liked his Simon/Kirby days in the 25 cent reprints just as much.

So much potential. Still.

Red Oak Kid

12-19-2006, 11:14 AM

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q144/redoakkid/agl1.jpg

7. Hal Jordan a.k.a. Green Lantern

The first comic I ever bought myself was probably an issue of Detective, but the second one was Green Lantern 30. I read it over and over and even made my mom read it to me over and over.

If I were a superhero, I would probably be Green Lantern/Hal Jordan. Nothing flashy about this guy. No wisecracks from him. Just a very intelligent guy taking care of business in his sector of the universe. I appreciate the low key approach he has to fighting whatever menace he faces. I guess that comes from his test pilot days. You have to remain calm and clear headed when the experimental jet you are piloting is headed straight for the ground and the instruction manual hasn't been written yet.

Hal was good looking, but not incredibly handsome like Bruce Wayne or Superman. Hal looks the way I wish I looked and he handles things the way I wish I could.

And I still have that issue of GL that I bought way back when

Chris Nowlin

12-19-2006, 12:56 PM

12 characters is very few. Any attempt to think of my favorite characters leads to me a hundred. So I figured I'd only pick one character from Sandman, a series I just love to read cover to cover and discover someone knew each time. I almost chose Dream, but in a moment of madness I changed my mind and went with

7. Hob Gadling

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o1/CocaC0la99/hobgadling.jpghttp://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o1/CocaC0la99/hobgadling2.jpg

who realized that people only die because everyone goes along with it. And, at days end, I may be a sappy fella, but there's just something about his bad century when he's lost everything, starved to death but still lived and had known nothing but pain and misery, and Morpheus asked if he was ready for death. To which he responded that was silly.

"Death's a mug's game. I've got too much to live for."

Kan-Man

12-19-2006, 01:28 PM

#7... Spiderman

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/Kan-Man/Spiderman100.jpg

I have three compelling reasons. And they are...

1) He does whatever a spider can.

2) He can spin a web, any size.

3) He catches thieves, just like flies.

Look out, here comes my number 7.

Kan-Man

12-19-2006, 01:30 PM

7. Unknown Soldier

You beat me by less than 24 hours. I might just cut and paste your entry.

Incidentally, while searching for images I came across an Unknown Soldier GI Joe doll - with interchangable heads! How cool is that?

Rob Allen

12-19-2006, 01:42 PM

#7. Daredevil

My first favorite character. When I was a wee tyke, it was rare for me to buy two issues in a row of the same comic. I sampled widely. DD was the first character that I liked enough to seek and buy each new issue as it came out. I started with issue #6, the last one in the yellow costume, and I didn't miss another issue until #20. By then Wally Wood was gone and the character was never quite the same.

Those Lee/Wood (and Powell) issues of DD are one of the high points of the Marvel Age.

Lone Ranger

12-19-2006, 01:42 PM

You beat me by less than 24 hours. I might just cut and paste your entry.

Incidentally, while searching for images I came across an Unknown Soldier GI Joe doll - with interchangable heads! How cool is that?

I noticed those as well - pretty cool looking. They certainly didn't have those when I was a kid.

Glad to hear that the Soldier is going to make someone else's list.

It will be interesting to see how many multiple nominees there will be after all is said and done. Batman and Spidey for sure, but I think we've already got 3 Golden Age Sandmans and 2 Heraclio Calderons. That's pretty neat.

shjonescrk

12-19-2006, 02:01 PM

7. Conan the Barbarian (Marvel!)

Better than the original (and not so original) prose, the comics for me are the definitive Conan. The first 45 issues of Conan the Barbarian are great comics. First Smith, then Buscema. It was exotic, other worldly. And then there was Buscema & Alcala on Savage Sword, truly a match made in Heaven. Iron Shadows in Moonlight is the absolute pinnacle of Conan for me.

----

Lone Ranger's choice of Unknown Soldier is a good call. Yet more comics to dig out! I'd completely forgotten about him, but I loved Michelinie/Taloac on that book. It's easily my favourite work by Michelinie.

Steve

Kan-Man

12-19-2006, 02:52 PM

#7. Daredevil

Those Lee/Wood (and Powell) issues of DD are one of the high points of the Marvel Age.

At the height of my collecting frenzy, I tried to acquire the earliest issues I could afford of a number of different DC and Marvel titles. Daredevil was one of them and I still have my copy of #11 which features some of that classic Powell/Wood art you spoke of.

Gingold

12-19-2006, 04:14 PM

#7. Elongated Man

I use the source of his powers as my screen name, so of course he's on my list. I liked him right away the first time I saw him Justice League of America. His personality was a refreshing contrast to the big guys on the League. He and Sue had maybe the only happy and believable romance/marriage in superhero comics. (So of course they had to fix that....). I'm even digging Ralph's arc in 52, despite all the crappy ID Crisis baggage.

Essential Reading: Those early Detective Comics backup stories drawn by Infantino are great, fun comics. If you haven't bought the Showcase, pick it up. The 92 Miniseries by Gerry Jones with art by the late great Mike Parobeck and Ty Templeton is good light reading.

Scott Shaw!

12-19-2006, 04:55 PM

Incidentally, while searching for images I came across an Unknown Soldier GI Joe doll - with interchangable heads! How cool is that?

If you think THAT'S Odd(ball), I recently ran across a Hasbro GI Joe figure...of Mlle. Marie, complete with Joe Kubert artwork on the packaging! I'm not even a GI Joe fan, but I was sorely tempted by this item.

Aloha,

Scott!

Kan-Man

12-19-2006, 05:19 PM

If you think THAT'S Odd(ball), I recently ran across a Hasbro GI Joe figure...of Mlle. Marie, complete with Joe Kubert artwork on the packaging! I'm not even a GI Joe fan, but I was sorely tempted by this item.

Aloha,

Scott!

I saw the Mlle. Marie figure as well. It was alongside Sgt. Rock and all of Easy Company. Each package had Kubert artwork. And as a bonus, they had Blackhawk and Enemy Ace as well! And a few years back they made Steve McQueen from The Great Escape complete with the torn sweatshirt and motorcycle.

Having said all that, I'll probably wind up with pajamas for the holidays.

MWGallaher

12-19-2006, 05:39 PM

#7. Tubby.
I don't have much to add to those who've already listed Little Lulu's boyfriend here (nor have I a sketch!), except to say that every single Stanley/Tripp Tubby appearance I've ever read (whether with Lulu or in his own feature) has been capable of making me laugh out loud--even simple scenes of Tubby walking silently and obliviously can crack me up, no matter how often I reread them. Stanley really brought this character to life. Tubby was a true comic book treasure.

Budman

12-19-2006, 06:10 PM

dan bailey

12-19-2006, 06:31 PM

I saw the Mlle. Marie figure as well. It was alongside Sgt. Rock and all of Easy Company. Each package had Kubert artwork. And as a bonus, they had Blackhawk and Enemy Ace as well! ys.

Where are you guys seeing these? I'm the subject of a certain amount of good-natured reproach at Civil Air Patrol for having such a bare-bones office (the fact that the last "action figure" I owned was probably the GI Joe I got for either my birthday or Xmas circa 1966 doesn't help), & I figure that either Blackhawk or Enemy Ace, being pilots, would come in pretty handy ...

Mr. Palmer

12-19-2006, 06:58 PM

I have all the G.I. Joe action figures mentioned. They're all pretty cool, I have to admit. The Soldier, with his interchangable face, is my favorite.

Strangely, though, I have them all in dusty boxes and stored away. Probably upcoming cannon fodder for eBay...

Kan-Man

12-19-2006, 07:12 PM

Where are you guys seeing these?

In person, I've only ever seen them in NYC at Jim Hanley's Universe. I think ebay is probably the way to go because I think some, if not all, were limited editions.

Here's an idea of what they look like...

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/Kan-Man/fullstand.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/Kan-Man/MARIElargeimage.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/Kan-Man/blackhawk1.jpg

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c118/Kan-Man/prod_enemyace_315x194.jpg

benday-dot

12-19-2006, 08:05 PM

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/1860/400/1860_4_109.jpg

The casual viewer, especially perhaps the non-American or that left leaning citizen of the world, is tempted to see this hero with the stars and stripes rather gaudily displayed on his chest as some sort of proto fascist. The thing is, if they were to dig a little deeper they would be surprised to learn he is pretty much the opposite. The idea may not have been completely original. We all know about Cap’s predecessor the Shield, but Kirby took a great idea and realized a masterpiece. He took that rather medieval looking shield and no less that that famous piece of furniture around which Arthur set his noble knights, refashioned it round, emblematic of that equality of opportunity for which the Captain ever ably stood. Cap is an icon, and he is not the first of a several holding that exalted rank to have cracked my list of twelve. I hope there is no shame in that.

A sensation almost at once, Cap survived the maelstrom of a world at war, in a mop up of Nazi peril, to resurface in the front line of silver age super heroics. Captain America was a character too good to put to pasture. Able to exceed the reach of revisionist plunder, and indeed the whole too often cynical cycle of gold digging as industry of the obscure, Captain America defied the usual ephemeralness of the comic book nation. The soldier always stood on his own two feet. Maybe he missed a few chapters of the great game, but lying there in that monument of ice he was really just waiting for a thaw. He never truly went away. Icons simply don’t do that. Cap leapt whole from a world at war to one on the cusp of great change again in that upheaval of truths that was the 60’s. Perhaps the secret of Cap’s timelessness lay in with his very ordinariness. Though enhanced by scientific serum Captain America ever remained Steve Roger’s, untarnished upholder of the mantra of life or liberty. Ever a man of the people and not of authority. That’s not just an American ethic; it’s damn universal. Even as leader of the super group Avengers he carried the form of the ordinary man in a regime of hypercharged power and otherworldliness. To many others and myself the best of a princely lot was without contest good old Captain America. Kirby and Lee must have seen the undying appeal of having the common man, relieved of pomp but firm of power of belief, lead the charge in a super heroic universe increasingly characterized by human subtraction. No matter the outrageous affronts of power and authority, be they base and earthly or dazzling and extra-planetary, Captain America comported himself without compromise and in spirit highest dignity.

Aaron King

12-19-2006, 09:24 PM

That was a great post about Captain America. It says everything I'd have to say about the character and it says it so much better than I ever could.

Sadly, it does not account for this:
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/9/92/150px-Liefeld_captain_america.jpg

Kan-Man

12-19-2006, 10:16 PM

Aaron King

12-19-2006, 10:25 PM

I don't know if it was actually published or if it was just promotional art. It's been making the rounds on the internet for years, though. Rob Liefield at his worst, poor guy.

dan bailey

12-19-2006, 10:53 PM

dan bailey

12-19-2006, 10:55 PM

Rob Liefield at his worst, poor guy.

As they say, he's probably crying all the way to the bank. Not that I'd risk ruining my vision my looking at it, but I gather his new Onslaught Reborn (or whatever it's called ... not that I'd know the original Onslaught from a hole in the ground) sold out. As they also say, no one ever went broke underestimating the taste of the comic-buying public.

Chris Nowlin

12-20-2006, 01:35 AM

Why does Cap have a boobs in that picture? I don't understand. Is it some type of artistic statement?

Graham Vingoe

12-20-2006, 01:45 AM

Why does Cap have a boobs in that picture? I don't understand. Is it some type of artistic statement?

yes it is. It states that the artist cannot draw men for toffee

Joe Rice

12-20-2006, 08:46 AM

7. Hellboy

http://www.zompist.com/illo/hellboy.gif

Hellboy is pure pulp. Actually, he's pure Mignola. Nobody else could quite create this mix of humor, action, intrigue, pathos, adventure . . .basically everything good about genre comics rolled up into one regular guy. A regular guy who just happens to be huge, red, horned, and having a great big right hand that is supposed to start the end of the world. The movie missed most of the charm, but you could see a glimmer of it. There's no one quite like Hellboy.

Aaron King

12-20-2006, 08:54 AM

Joe Rice, stop stealing my picks.
Edit: Please?
And now I have to find different images for my post...

Joe Rice

12-20-2006, 08:57 AM

Joe Rice, stop stealing my picks.
Edit: Please?
And now I have to find different images for my post...

Eat it, Ignatz!!!

benday-dot

12-20-2006, 06:11 PM

*sigh* Benday, I see this "left-leaning citizen of the world" is going to have to come up with another piece of art for (at this writing) #2 on his list.

Of course, at the same time I'll be able to save myself a lot of thinking & typing by just linking to your extremely eloquent post above.

Sorry Dan... that cover was just too good to pass up... Being pre the Cap who overdosed in his hormone replacement therapy to experience life as a woman, Liefield style. That pic was truly horendous. Anyways I owe you one for reminding too well how I forgot to put Bizarro on my list. And one of your first comics ever is soon to become one of my latest ever... I've only just ordered Superman 202. Many thanks.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

12-21-2006, 06:15 AM

Redemption has always been one of my favorite themes in literature and who embodies redemption more than Mark Shaw? Heck, he's gone from bad guy to good guy so many times now that I can barely keep track. My love for the character, however, stems from his appearances in JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA #140 and 143. Shaw was duped by the Manhunter cult on Earth into disgracing the Guardians and Hal Jordan/Green Lantern, but turned on them when he realized that he was fighting on the wrong side. Shaw returned in his "Privateer" identity, supposedly as a reformed hero, but was revealed to be working in league with the Key as the villainous Star-Tsar (along with Snapper Carr, if memory serves). Shaw was once again offered a shot at redemption in the SUICIDE SQUAD and then later began operating as a new Manhunter in a great solo series written by Jon Ostrander. After that, I lose track: he fought and killed his arch-foe Dumas, but he also posed as Dumas and was killed by Eclipso, but it wasn't him and he came back in the most recent MANHUNTER series to help train Kate Spencer. I think.

In any event, I give you Mark Shaw.

http://www.supermanartists.comics.org/bronzeage/Privateer-JLA143.JPG

Lone Ranger

12-21-2006, 07:25 AM

It's always nice to start the day with a little Dick Dillin.

Thanks Dr. Huffyhuff - very cool pick.

dan bailey

12-21-2006, 07:27 AM

It's always nice to start the day with a little Dick Dillin.

Please, sir -- this is a family website.

Nate C.

12-21-2006, 06:38 PM

CHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKSSSSSSSS!!!!!!

I laughed myself silly reading AMBUSH BUG for the first time in 1986(? too lazy to look up). He was a regular joe who was insane. And really weird things happened to him. I'm doing a piss poor job describing the funniest character I've ever read about in comic books- yeah, I said funniest.

Irwin Schwabb. Say it out loud.

Arrgyhhyle. Scream it.

Do the connect the dots page. Color in the the coloring pages. Bend em, fold em, crease em, read em in public places, for my money, Ambush Bug is all that is great about comic books.

To this day I can't stand Lobo becuase it took Giffen away from Ambush Bug.

The first time I got online, I started looking up fan sites. The first one I looked up wasn't Groo, Spider-Man, TMNT or DD, but good ol Irwin. He brings me more simple joy than just about any other comic book character I've ever read.

Damnitt, Giffen, are you listening?

YOU SHOULD READ- Ambush Bug, 1-4, Son of Ambush Bug, 1-6, Ambush Bug Christmas Special, all of his appearances in Superman comics (which I need to do!)

T GUy

12-22-2006, 06:00 PM

At No. 7...

Scott 'Mister Miracle' Free demonstrates that one can come from a terrible background and turn out to be a hero rather than a villain; one can overcome one's difficulties and lead a fulfilling life with people one loves rather than spend one's life seeking revenge. Scott made a different choice from that made by Victor Von Doom. He may also have made the choice Jacob Kurtzburg, from New York and France, made.

prince hal

12-23-2006, 07:45 AM

#7: Superboy, circa 1963-67

SUPERBOY was Archie comics for kids who liked superheroes, the comfort food of comics titles. Smallville was the best hometown in the whole world, only better, because in addition to being warm and friendlyand inhabited by kind and caring folks, Smallville also had whatever civic institution or natural feature was necessary for plot development: museums, zoos, missile testing grounds, mountains, forests. lakes, etcetera, etcetera. (And frequent visits from lost Kryptonians, invading aliens, and gangs of tank-driving, nattily attired bandits.)

Amidst all this, a paradoxically realistic young boy who just happened to have the power to move the world off its axis. Superboy was an excellent example for kids: subject to the same, sometimes far worse, anxieties as the kids who read his adventures and blessed with the ability to solve so many of his problems with ease. Still, he needed the guidance of loving parents and the inspiration of his birth parents to keep his emotions in check.

Through it all, he was brave, clever, sensitive, humble and loyal to his principles, a combination of qualities few current "heroes" exhibit.