What Super Dated Comic References Make You Cringe?

[Free-Man]

Aside from the obvious flaws of tying characters to very specific points in history (Vibe, Freedom Beast, ECT), I find it flat out hysterical to read some old comics and look at some of the super outdated comic book references you see.

Like I picked up an old issue of Mr. Miracle, and they make a reference to Paula Abdul's pop career (which I assume was still in swing at that point). And then there's the old Spider-Man issue where Aunt May talks about the Fly Girls.

[Gabe De Los Muertos]

Whenver someone says "I'm so gay". As in the happy way. Lol

[drownedbyimmolation]

Lots of X-Men comics making references to pop stars of the time.

I was reading a comic blog, that reminded me of the onomatopoeic use of the word "wank" in a Batman comic.

Oh, and some Thor stuff. Like when he looped the Washington monument's tip with the noose of his Hammer... just seems... out there.

[drownedbyimmolation]

Whenver someone says "I'm so gay". As in the happy way. Lol



Hey! Now you changed your avatar! :biggrin:

[Personamanx]

Clothing from different times bothers me sometimes.....

[AdamYJ]

I remember reading a Spider-Man comic from the early '80s or thereabouts in which he refers to the Black Cat as being "his lady". It just felt so "1970s cheesy".

[Spike-X]

Whenver someone says "I'm so gay". As in the happy way. Lol
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/Spike-X/GayCity.jpg

[Teal_Lantern]

Boners,

10 characters

[Karen El]

The complete absence of any racial diversity in the distant future, or on other planets.

The half-assed "science" in many comics, especially where it's evident that the writer has picked up a few facts, but then fails to put them together in any coherent way.

[Spike-X]

The complete absence of any racial diversity in the distant future, or on other planets.

Now that's just not true at all.

http://www.luchins.com/dickery/tyroc2.jpg

They even had their own island!

[Karen El]

Now that's just not true at all.

They even had their own island!

Not until the seventies, they didn't, and even then I believe it was only for people of African descent. There's a whole world of other colours that don't turn up for decades.

[Cam63]

Now that's just not true at all.

http://www.luchins.com/dickery/tyroc2.jpg

They even had their own island!

That is no way anatomically correct, people.

[Free-Man]

Now that's just not true at all.

http://www.luchins.com/dickery/tyroc2.jpg

They even had their own island!

And of course, who can forget Vathlo Island on Krypton!!

[Spike-X]

And of course, who can forget Vathlo Island on Krypton!!
That's probably the one I was thinking of, actually.

[Melissa N]

I always roll my eyes when Wasp is called "whistlebait."

Also, I can't help but wonder how dated Deadpool comics are going to seem in ten years. When I'm re-reading through some of the 90s comics he was in, I have to think a minute sometimes to get the reference.

[DarkKnghtJared]

Some of the best stuff is Cold War references--I was recently rereading Son of the Demon, and I had to giggle a bit at them having full on shots of Reagan talking to Gorbachev. :biggrin:

[Flamebird]

The Avengers on Late Night W/ David Letterman:

http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq236/schayche1/AvengersLetterman.jpg

Spiderman with the Not Ready For Prime-Time Players:
http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq236/schayche1/waid1.jpg

[TripleX]

When the New Mutants went to Asgard there was a cameo of a giant that was made to look like Martin Short's character from Saturday Night Live. I can't remember his name, but he was nerdy and had a big spike in his hair and would end a lot of his sentences with, "I must say". Any kid reading that comic now would have no idea who that was.

Then there's Kitty Pryde on the cover of Uncanny wearing leg warmers. Or Dazzler who's early issues were hopelessly outdated even before her series ended. She dated a Frank Sinatra knockoff, got a job working as a dancer in a fake Thriller video and even wore a Michael Jackson jacket.

JRJR's 80's X-Men costume designs where everybody dresses like a breakdancer comes to mind, as well as Bishop's jherri curl that was out of style 5 years before he debuted.

I can't forget Boom Boom's first Madonna inspired "costume" either.

[LtMarvel]

So what do you think about the silliness of outdated jokes that is Bugs Bunny? "Of course you know, this means war!"

[PatrickG]

Spiderman with the Not Ready For Prime-Time Players:
http://i451.photobucket.com/albums/qq236/schayche1/waid1.jpg

That's the one where Garrett Morris tricks Silver Samurai into thinking that he's Thor.

You know, I seem to recall a lot of gags over the years about a Black Thor.

Funny thing is, they never did one.

[Tobias March]

'Holy Christmas!'

Grrr..

[Tobias March]

So what do you think about the silliness of outdated jokes that is Bugs Bunny? "Of course you know, this means war!"

But that has transcended its origins and is now synonymous with Bugs. (Or Daffy).

[Free-Man]

The Letterman one doesn't sound all that dated, especially since he still has his own tv show.

[the4thpip]

Lots of X-Men comics making references to pop stars of the time.


Yeah, like Kitty thinking to herself how Longshot is so hot for looking like Simon LeBon of Duran Duran.

[Free-Man]

Yeah, like Kitty thinking to herself how Longshot is so hot for looking like Simon LeBon of Duran Duran.

It's funny if you look at Wolverine: First Class, which is basically a modernized retelling of Kitty's first few years with the team. They try SO HARD not to make any definitive pop culture references, that it's kind of funny.

[Gothos]

But that has transcended its origins and is now synonymous with Bugs. (Or Daffy).

The toughest things in Warners cartoons are the gags relating to 30s and 40s pop culture. An older teen today might just barely be aware of Bob Hope, but try to explain to modern kids the bygone significance of Ed Wynn and Edna Mae Oliver. (For that matter, I doubt I could explain it to any of you!)

There's even stuff that's hard to peg by those who know the era, albeit secondhand (I ain't that old:mad:) Like a Daffy Duck cartoon where he dresses up in a zoot suit and sings with a silly Russian accent. It took me years to find out that was a send-up of an old Danny Kaye routine that I've never seen in the original form.

Appropo of nothing, though these days Kaye's almost as obscure to contemporary kids as Ed Wynn, my niece and nephew loved a screening of THE COURT JESTER, which is surely his best film.

[suedenim]

But that has transcended its origins and is now synonymous with Bugs. (Or Daffy).

This has happened quite a bit with Looney Tunes. For instance, Foghorn Leghorn is darn near a direct lift of the "Senator Claghorn" character (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senator_Claghorn).

[JKCarrier]

One that was really cringe-worthy: In Action Comics #309, Superman gets President Kennedy to pose as Clark Kent, so that Clark and Superman can appear on a tv show together ("If I can't trust the President with my secret identity, who can I trust?"). While the comic was at the printers, JFK was assassinated, and apparently it was too late to stop publication, so it appeared on the stands a couple weeks later. Awkward!

[Charles RB]

http://www.luchins.com/dickery/tyroc2.jpg


He looks like he just saw his costume in a mirror.

[Grazzt]

Does fashion count as a reference? If so...

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m231/fistofiron/scans/butts/fashion-asm249-06.jpg

[InterwebHero]

The constant Brad Pitt references get to me in Ultimates.

Also, The Planet Krypton restaurant in Kingdon Come feels dated and a concept that ran out before that comic was published.

[Black Atom]

A lot of references seem dated the moment they appear. Comic writers haven't been known for having their fingers on the pulse of pop culture.

Edit: Or artists, for that matter. I remember reading a 90s Spider-Man where he goes after some "gangsters" and they were drawn like the back-up dancers from Michael Jackson's "Beat It" video.

[Charles RB]

http://www.2000ad.org/covers/2000ad/hires/301.jpg

[Free-Man]

Looking at some of the dialogue black superheroes were given in the 70's, it makes some of Robinson's dialogue look like something Pulitzer Prize worthy.

"Jive Turkey" this, "Sweet Christmas" that. It's terrible.

[Charles RB]

Judge Dredd had "J.D. baby!" and "YOU'RE BLOCKING THE TUBES, DUDES!".

[Reverend Smooth]

http://www.luchins.com/dickery/tyroc2.jpg
...Is he tucking? That is an awfully small crotch in that awfully tight costume. I'd be dismayed, too.

[JKCarrier]

"Jive Turkey" this, "Sweet Christmas" that. It's terrible.

My favorite '70s comic euphemism is "Holy spit!" Did they think that was fooling anyone? The Comics Code was always so goofy and arbitrary. They had a rule that you couldn't have zombies in the stories, so Marvel just started calling them "zuvembies", and that made it perfectly ok.

[Alex L]

I always roll my eyes when Wasp is called "whistlebait."

Also, I can't help but wonder how dated Deadpool comics are going to seem in ten years. When I'm re-reading through some of the 90s comics he was in, I have to think a minute sometimes to get the reference.

There's a moment in Deadpool: Weapon of Agent X where whatzisface is reading a list of his signing bonus demands, and one of them is a Playstation 3 (do they even make PS3's?)

[Free-Man]

There's a moment in Deadpool: Weapon of Agent X where whatzisface is reading a list of his signing bonus demands, and one of them is a Playstation 3 (do they even make PS3's?)

I think one of the first issues of his solo book from the 90's makes a reference to the Gameboy.

[Nick Soapdish]

A lot of references seem dated the moment they appear. Comic writers haven't been known for having their fingers on the pulse of pop culture.


There was one like that in an Erik Larsen Spider-Man story - something about the Fine Young Cannibals being new and edgy, thus way too cool for Peter. I don't think that they were edgy even when they were new.

[Perry Holley]

http://images4.wikia.nocookie.net/marveldatabase/images/thumb/b/b0/Dazzler_Vol_1_1.jpg/300px-Dazzler_Vol_1_1.jpg

[JTPencils]

Basically when any "legit" newspaper or magazine feels compelled to intro any article that's even remotely comic related with...

"Bang! Pow! Zap!"

[Free-Man]

There's a line in Robinson's first issue of JSA where Stargirl basically blackmails Ted Knight into buying her the "New Backstreet Boys" CD.

[Cam63]

http://www.2000ad.org/covers/2000ad/hires/301.jpg

The '80s and '90s did suck somewhat.

[Cam63]

Basically when any "legit" newspaper or magazine feels compelled to intro any article that's even remotely comic related with...

"Bang! Pow! Zap!"

No wonder people cheer when a journo of that " quality " gets verbally fragged.

[Paploo the Ewok]

JRJR's 80's X-Men costume designs where everybody dresses like a breakdancer comes to mind, as well as Bishop's jherri curl that was out of style 5 years before he debuted.


YOU'LL NEVER STOP ME FROM DRAWING ORANGE TUNIC ROGUE FANART!
NEVER!

That aside, the New Mutants love for Magnum PI is dated, but still amusing :)

Joe Casey's horrible Britanny Spears ripoff who had wierd fetish sex with Chamber hasn't aged well though.

[Free-Man]

YOU'LL NEVER STOP ME FROM DRAWING ORANGE TUNIC ROGUE FANART!
NEVER!

That aside, the New Mutants love for Magnum PI is dated, but still amusing :)

Joe Casey's horrible Britanny Spears ripoff who had wierd fetish sex with Chamber hasn't aged well though.

Was the Magnum P.I. thing something established in their own series? I had thought that was a relatively recent development.

[suedenim]

1964. Beatlemania was sweeping America as those mop-topped lads from Liverpool made their first American tour.

What craze was teenager Dick Grayson obsessed with at the time?
http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20080429114134/marvel_dc/images/2/25/Batman-164.jpg
Yes, Folk Music! (http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Batman_Vol_1_164)

[Karen El]

Of course Batman and Robin did eventually get into Beatlemania...
http://www.elphineas.com/wp-content/imagenes/batman_beatles.jpg

...after the band split up.

[scout1279]

you'll never stop me from drawing orange tunic rogue fanart!
Never!

That aside, the new mutants love for magnum pi is dated, but still amusing :)

joe casey's horrible britanny spears ripoff who had wierd fetish sex with chamber hasn't aged well though.

magnum, p.i. Is timeless!

[dupersuper]

I remember Cat Grant saying Clark Kents stubble 1 day he didn't get a chance to heat-vision his face, was in fashion, what with it being the "Don Johnson" look.

[T Hedge Coke]

There was one like that in an Erik Larsen Spider-Man story - something about the Fine Young Cannibals being new and edgy, thus way too cool for Peter. I don't think that they were edgy even when they were new.

That was a joke, though. It was Parker claiming they were edgy, to prove to his wife he knew edgy music. Also, Eric Clapton was "edgy" according to Peter Parker.

[LewisH]

Spiderman that referenced the Beverly Hillbillys when it was originally printed and then when it was reprinted they updated it to something like Dallas or Dynasty. Of course they assumed people were going to read these things and throw them away never to be seen again. Instead they are now preserved forever digitally getting more out of date every minute.

[Paploo the Ewok]

Was the Magnum P.I. thing something established in their own series? I had thought that was a relatively recent development.

In most of Claremont's run, the group getting together to watch Magnum, sometimes with members of the X-men, was a fairly common thing. Sunspot in particular was obsessed with the show.
Keep in mind that it was the early 80's, so the X-men likely only had a television in the living room, and not in their dorm rooms. Recent references to it are just a nod to the old series where it was fairly common [which was written by only 2 people- Claremont, and Louise Simonson, who was the series and X-men's editor before that]

Back issue bins are an endless nostalgia trip. I'm now looking back at 90's comics in an all-new way....

[AllisterH]

The one that becomes more and MORE dated is the "Newspaper reporter".

Even by the 80s, I would say newspaper reporters had no longer been "top dog" in the media.

How much longer do you think both DC and Marvel will have their reporters be mainly from the old print newspapers?

[worstblogever]

All Japanese people in World War II comics.

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/captain-america/38-2.jpg

[Lunar Archivist]

Dated in the sense that even DC wouldn't have the stones to try something like this today:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/lunar_archivist/demotivationalposter-iranianjoker00.jpg