Unca Cheeks the Toy Wonder's Silver Age Comics Web Site!
"Okay? O-kay? Lookit: this is me... answering the mail.
"Now: lay off, f'the
luvva Odin!"
[Part One]
Okay.
Admittedly: your genial and time-flummoxed Unca Cheeks maybe has
kinda sorta fallen just a wee bit behind, in his e-mail correspondence.
It's certainly not as if there haven't been any number of convincingly extenuating
circumstances for his having done so (he added, hastily). Recent
upheavals, "real life"-wise, have drained away much (too much, in fact)
in allocable time and energies, in recent months; and parental duties and exigencies
are (believe you me) never-ending ones.
Nonetheless: I've been sitting on a whole, heaping, gargantuan Indian burial mound of e-mail missives and missals for (oh, lordy) months and months, now; and -- even if it means only scratching the barest surface of same -- your conscientious and conscience-sttricken Unca Cheeks is bound and determined to make some kinda dent in said mountain.
Right here.
Right now.
As the immortal Wilford Brimley once observed, re: Quaker Oats
cereal: "... because it's the right thing to do."
Brian from artsci.wustl.edu (for instance) writes very graciously, re: the Metal Men and Dial "H" For Hero entries on this site; and closes his highly flattering letter with the following query:
" [...] by the way, if you have a chance what did you think of the recent POWER OF SHAZAM? i have mixed feelings about it--much i liked but i felt it lost the fun and absolute delight of the early marvels. i liked tawky tawney and some of the other elements in the earlier stories for the same reason you liked "dial h for hero" (though i admit he wasn't my favorite and liked the more "serious" marvel stories better."
Writer/artist Jerry Ordway's THE POWER OF SHAZAM series [see cover reproduction, above] was always a peculiar admixture of the eminently satisfying and the maddeningly infuriating, so far as Unca Cheeks was concerned, quite frankly.
On the one hand: I sincerely doubt there are any greater or more rabid Ordway buffs out there than mine own humble self, overall. I genuinely regard the man as a penciling near-genius; his (demonstrably) painstaking craftsmanship -- coupled with (equally apparent) a grrowing ease and confidence in his nascent auctorial abilities -- marks him as one of the vanishingly few "writer/artists" out there with any conceivable business indulging himself in the former whilst practicing the latter.
On the other hand, however: the gorgeous "photo-realism" (if you will) of the good Mister Ordway's chosen style actively served (in your Unca's estimation) to undercut the inherently "cartoon"-ish charm of the whole "Shazam" notion, as initially explicated (and forever immortalized, in the public's mind and memory) by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck; much in the same fashion as (oh, say) an Alex Ross-ish GROO THE WANDERER would instinctively strike one as being inherently "wrong," after all these years of seeing the character rendered by Sergio Aragones.
That wouldn't make Ross a "bad" penciler, per se (obviously); and thus
is Mister Ordway (similarly) exculpated, in this regard.
Too: the fanboyish conceit of crudely shoehorning the estimable Captain (along with such even loopier inventions as talking, nattily-
attired tiger Tawky Tawny and evil, bespectacled uberworm Mr. Mind) into the larger, ongoing DC Universe entire -- which, I strongly suspect, was anything but Ordway's preference, or doing -- only served to sabotage his efforts further, in my estimation.
(I mean: a malevolent, genius-level talking worm... in the same
"reality" as John Constantine and CHAIN GANG WAR? Does this strike
anyone else as being crazynuttykookoo on a stick... or is it just
me, here?)
Overall, then: I'd chalk it up as a noble (if, ultimately, doomed) experiment,
undertaken with Balzac's "clean hands and composure"; and await the day when
the yo-yo's at DC editorial realize that the SHAZAM! series and characters were
pretty much tailor made for the likes of (say) Bruce Timm, or Ty Templeton.
(None of that had the least little thing to do with Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's FIGHTING AMERICAN, obviously. It's just that I figure: as long as I'm diggin' through the ol' mail bag, here...
(... I'm a-gonna have me some fun with it, by golly!)
Dyed-in-the-wool Commie Allen from yahoo.com effuses even more enthusiastically (God bless him and keep him), as follows:
"I just wanted to tell you that I LOVE your site and agree with practically everything you have to say. It's great to know that there are others out there who realize that today is not the best time for comics. I am friends with a lot of creators and the one thing I always tell them (and they don't want to hear it) is if comics have never been better then why are so many books LOSING buyers? You can blame the usual culprits for the reasons why there are no new readers (the direct market, price etc.) but if the books are so good, once you started buying them you would NOT stop."
[Unca Cheeks would like to avail himself of the opportunity afforded him here
to chime in with a quick, firm nodding of emphatic assent with Allen's observation.
For every one of the vanishingly few writers of genuine intelligence and craft
out there, nowadays -- your Grant Morrison; your Mark Waid; your
Tom Peyer and Mark Evanier and Kurt Busiek and Chuck
Dixon -- there are any number of glorified, gum-snapping steno pool typists
endeavoring to pass themselves off as diamonds, and revealing themselves to
be little better than the auctorial equivalent of cubic zirconium.
[If anyone out there reading these words working in an honest-to-
gosh'n editorial capacity wants to help remedy this situation, ASAP -- Tom? Mike? Dennis? You're all still out there, I know -- I'll gladly pass along the current e-mail addresses for (say) Tony Isabella; Roy Thomas; Bob Rozakis; and Steve Englehart, on request. Just to name the first, fast four criminally under-utilized comics scripters to spring readily to mind, that is...
[... or don't you guys think that the above-referenced creators of such classic
characters and concepts as (again, say) Black
Lightning, the Vision and "The Avengers/Defenders
War" could do the same things that such hopeless parvenus as Scott
Lobdell and Ron Marz are doing for you, presently... only seventy
or eighty times better? I'm just sayin', is all, here.]
Allen concludes with: "Keep up the great work and let me know if I can help in any way.
"You should consider doing a magazine. If ALTER-EGO could make it a magazine like your site could make it too."
Whereas your blushing (and suitably ego-swollen) Unca Cheeks is flattered beyond all hope of expression that anyone might actually be willing to pay good, hard American currency for the opportunity to read his demented, Alzheimer's-ravaged ramblings --
SMALL CHILD #1 (upon entering through the doors of his local comics shop): "OOOOoooooo! Lookit! A new issue of X-MEN... and the latest SPAWN!"
SMALL CHILD #2 (eyes widening, like unto those of a pilgrim first espying the walls of Mecca): "... and -- mirable dictu! -- issue #7 of UNCA CHEEKS HATES AND DESPISES YOU ALL! With a special die-cut cover of The Space Canine Patrol Agents! AND the conclusion of his lengthy and exhaustive interview with ARCHIE Comics legend Dan DeCarlo! And an enclosed holographic Bob Phantom TRADING CARD -- !"
SMALL CHILD #1 (tossing an X-MEN comic over one shoulder, with nary a backwards glance): "Right. Screw Wolverine, then. That baby's mine, all mine."
SMALL CHILD #2 (whipping out a shiv; leveling the point of same directly
at his young comrade's heart): "Don't make me do this, Wally."
-- he very much doubts that today's benighted, all-history-is-bunk comics fan base would actually support such a venture, in all pained honesty.
Not that your nakedly ambitious Unca Cheeks wouldn't hop into bed (metaphorically
speaking, I mean) with the first wild-eyed and deep- pocketed venture
capitalist who made him anything like a concrete offer for financing,
mind.
([email protected]. Call me.)
Nathan of nwu.edu opens with a courteous "Dear Mr. Cheeks" (... and don't any of you out there think for one haploid heartbeat that I don't eat up stuff like that with the proverbial spoon); and inquires, thusly:
"I, an average college student and comics fan, have been poring through your site every chance I get for the past week or so, since I stumbled onto it via a link from Ape-Law. I really have to applaud your story(re-)telling skills here... rarely do any web sites treat their subject matter with the reverence, humor, and intelligent analysis as yours. I'd be hooked even if you didn't praise Carl Barks to the heavens (... years ago, in an Air Force Base library in Korea, of all places, I stumbled upon a couple jumbo-sized treasuries reprinting some of Barks' best Uncle Scrooge and Donald Duck stories and learned that not all fun comics have superheroes in them...)
"Anyway, I just read your entry on the Hawk and the Dove, wherein you bemoan the lost opportunities for storytelling in the characters'
original cancellation. Dunno if you ever caught their late '80s/early '90s series from Barbara and Karl Kesel, but IMHO, it's one of the finest examples of comics storytelling ever. Mr. and Mrs. Kesel expertly dropped tons of tiny hints to future storylines, created fully realized and immensely likeable characters, and had some of the most disturbing, eerily polite villains of any comic I've ever read. [...] OK, so the series was rudely cancelled and the characters creatively, well, raped, solely to suit ARMAGEDDON 2001 and ZERO HOUR. But it was fun while it lasted. If you haven't already read it, I think you'd really enjoy this series."
Nathan is (clearly) a man of impeccable taste and consummate breeding, in that he (much like your normally disapproving Unca Cheeks) recognizes Barbara and Karl Kessel's magnificent (and all too short-lived) HAWK AND DOVE series as one of the distressingly few four-color "bright spots" of the late '80s.
Unca Cheeks would also be nothing less than wholly and unforgivably remiss in not pointing out that the aforementioned Mister Kessel is (as of this writing) bringing the same matchless levels of wit, verve and flair to DC's little-noted SUPERBOY series; in which such Kirby- and Ditko-
esque characters and concepts as The Challengers of the Unknown, The Newsboy Legion, Kamandi and The Odd Man are made frequent use of; and (so long as he's ramrodding the title) deserves a far vaster and more appreciative audience than it's enjoyed to date, by golly, by jingo.
(I have no earthly clue as to what manner of comics work -- if any, in fact -- Barbara Kessel is up to, as of this writing. Which merely makes for yet another addition to the aforementioned listing of Proven Comics Scripters Who Deserve Better Than They're Getting, Currently.)
Just one question, Nathan:
"... Ape-Law"...?
Bob at interfold.com picks up where the last respondent left off:
"About a month ago, on a newsgroup dedicated to the online game Ultima Online, I posted a long rant about comics were were a dying art form, and how upset I was that my daughter might grow up in a world without the wonder I used to experience as a kid. Well, since the market for computer games often crosses over to the realm of the comic reading
fanboy, I received a number of flames. All was not for waste though,
because I also received a message from somebody who gave me the link to your page.
"What can I say? You've managed to capture with your site the essence of what has happened to the comic industry. Your site reminded me of ever reason why I used to love comics growing up. It reminded me of being a kid, and my mother giving me 50 cents so I could buy a couple of books (and some gum, if I recall correctly!). It reminded me of that friendly rack with "Hey kids! Comics!" written on it. Add to that those punk links (god, it's hard for me to believe that my wife and I used to sport mohawks) and your site became an instant favorite of mine.
"Needless to say, I instantly put a link to your site on mine. (I draw a
comic strip about online gaming. Poor art, but it has it's following).
You also inspired me to start work on a project I had shelved a couple
of years ago...a computer game about Super Heroes.
"I guess what I'm trying to say is that your site has had a major impact
on me, and I wanted to thank you for doing it.
"I'll stop with the gushing now.
"Keep up the good work."
Unca Cheeks has no more idea what "Ultima Online" might be than he does "Ape-Law" (although he is, at present, entertaining typically filthy and degenerate notions regarding them both); but is both pleased and humbled by the concept that anything he's hastily scribbled hereabouts might have influenced anyone in a positive and/or productive manner.
I am (t'would seem) a Major Force For Good, within the greater fannish body politic.
You may all kneel, now, if you like.
Dave at yahoo-inc.com makes a wholly reasonable request, when he ventures the following observation:
"I've missed you on the SAR boards. And I have to ask why you don't have a page for Jimmy Olsen, for heaven's sake. If any character sums up the goofiness of Silver Age DC, it's James Bartholomew Olsen. While the
pages you do have are more than welcome, please try to rectify this
hideous blunder. A series on strange and possibly poisonous substances
ingested by Jimmy would be a fine series in itself."
Dave (whose perceptions and perspicacity are boon and credit to any mailing list or discussion group) will be pleased no end to hear that a multi-page entry on the freckle-faced Perpetual Virgin of the DCU is on what I (laughingly) refer to as "the schedule" for this site; and that said article(s) will most assuredly include my two all-time favorite horrors from the OLSEN canon: the first ever appearance of "Giant Turtle Olsen," and the truly incomparable "World of Doomed Olsens."
Everybody else: go ahead and blame Dave.
It's all his fault.
Arthur at ibm.net weighs in with the following:
"I am impressed with your site. Freaking excellent, in fact.
"However, there is one question I'd like to ask you, Mr. Cheeks:
"What is your reaction to Hal Jordan's recent resurrection by DC Comics?
"(Bear in mind I only read the issue where they brought him back, and, unfortunately, missed the follow-ups)
"Come on... the fans want to know, right?"
Oh, do, do sit down for a moment, here, Arthur.
Unca Cheeks has just been waiting and bloody waiting for the opportunity
to talk about this'un, he has, he has.
Longtime readers will (doubtless) recall the very first entry made in our ongoing "When Fanboys Turn To Hate Speech... and Why" series of articles; the one detailing (specifically) the noxious and cretinous behavior of certain mouth-breathers and suchlike on the long-vanished AOL-sponsored Green Lantern message boards, directed towards the good men and women of H.E.A.T. (Hal's Emerald Advancement Team; the organization dedicated, in turn, towards the four-color redemption of Silver Age DC Comics hero deluxe Hal Jordan).
It is, therefore, with no little amount of pleasure (and pardonable -- albeit wholly vicarious -- pride) that your patient and implacable Unca Cheeks welcomed the long-overdue advent of DC Comics' recent five-part DAY OF JUDGMENT limited series (authored, incidentally, by H.E.A.T.er in good standing Geoff Johns; whose own ongoing STARS AND S.T.R.I.P.E.S. comic, incidentally, is also worthy of your amassed attentions); and its concomitant and wholehearted r-e-d-e-m-p-t-i-o-n of one Hal Jordan, Esq.
The technical phrase best suited to such situations, I believe, is: neener-neener-neener.
H.E.A.T.'s vilest and most vociferous online detractors -- who freely and repeatedly engaged in such morally indefensible tactics as advancing the notion that writers sympathetic to (or supportive of) the cause (Steve Englehart, for instance) were "misogynists" (!) or "pederasts" (!!) -- ceaselessly and loutishly trumpeted, it should be noted, the so-called "truths" that H.E.A.T. would never see the return of a redeemed Hal Jordan; nor would they [H.E.A.T.] ever have a hand in the bringing about of said resurrection.
To those trollish naysayers, then -- the one who swinishly libeled Silver Age GREEN LANTERN scribe John Broome a "sexual predator" on one of the comics-oriented mailing lists, sans evidence of even the most illusory stripe; the one who boorishly threatened to "bash the heads" of any H.E.A.T.ers "against the nearest brick wall," should he ever happen to chance across them at a comics convention; and all their misanthropic, maladjusted online "kin" --
... BOO-yah.
Oh, yeah, Arthur.
Unca Cheeks (as well as the rest of the good, regular joes of H.E.A.T.) is
hap-hap-happy with how all of this turned out... you betcha.
[SIDE NOTE: shortly after reading the aforementioned installment of "When
Fanboys Turn To Hate Speech... and Why" , one of H.E.A.T.'s former
detractors proved himself of incalculably sterner "stuff," overall, than the
remainder of his former fellows; sending Unca Cheeks an elegant and wholly genuine
letter of apology for his own part played in the shenanigans described.
To him, Unca Cheeks gives full, mad super props.]
Clyde at mvn.net -- a fellow enthusiast, re: one of the most obscure (yet fascinating) DC Comics characters evereverever -- makes his voice heard above the din, with the following:
"I wanted to take a moment, wipe my eyes, and send you a hearty 'Thank You!' for your site. It's sentimental, it's fun, and I never read it without my 10 year old daughter asking, 'Daaaaaaddy...what are you laughing at?!?'. Thus the eye-wiping. ;>
"I love your writing style, your terrific sense of humor, and the way you make your points about the books, characters and creators of the Silver Age. I lost your site when my previous computer went belly-up, and found it again only recently. As recently as this morning, in fact.
"I heartily agree with your look back at Captain Action, and I do a bit of action figure (...OK, OK...doll! *grin*) collecting and customizing. He's
my favorite. (Look at the email addy...ah, there ya go...see?) I had
hoped that maybe, somehow, with Playing Mantis re-issuing the good
Captain's dolls and at least some of his accessories sets, we'd see another
comic book with him. (Pause to look at the 5 DC issues of my collection
wistfully) No such luck, though I've heard there was an attempt at
bringing him back by an independent company in the early 80's with an
entire Action Force or Team or some such? One thing, though...even though they should have, Ideal never made a Tarzan set for C/A. ;>
"Thank you again for making my day...for making several days,
actually...more enjoyable and chuckle-chocked (s'a word, innit?) than they would have been otherwise. Take care, and till Dr. Double X starts making adult films, I'm your humble fan..."
The kind (and much-appreciated) Clyde will be no less thrilled, I'm certain,
to hear that a greatly expanded entry for Our Man Captain Action -- with
or without accompanying Tarzan loincloth, Mr. Smarty Boots
-- is also slated for the immediate future.
Wally Wood. Gil Kane. The pre-Marvel Comics Jim Shooter.
It's all good... right, Clyde?
Nicolas at u.toronto.ca offers a minor cavil (damn his eyes), when he observes:
"A relatively short missive this time, on one small topic. You listed on your If I Ran the Justice League roster that Aquaman's control of 3/4 of the planet meant that he was a lock.
"Well, over half the life forms of this planet belong to the dominion of one L. Lang, the Insect Queen. (Well, she used to be, okay? In my old LEGION and SUPERMAN FAMILY stuff. Look, this is supposed to be a Silver Age centred locale) That's more than Aquaman can claim. It's not that I've got anything against old Arthur (Orin?) but the logic just doesn't hold."
Nicolas: I love you like unto the mother I never, ever had (it involved a secret, Himalayan enclave of mad scientists; ex-FAMILY TIES star Tina Yothers; and a turkey baster. Look... don't ask, all right?)...
... but: you're stone wrong on this one. And now I have
to kill you.
Aquaman (as all good comics fans know) enjoys full mental dominion over the entirety of the sea's many and varied denizens; and not even fellow Justice League powerhouses the likes of (say) Superman and Green Lantern have ever even so much as fleetingly entertained the notion of challenging Orin's innate dominance over (as previously stated) "3/4 of the planet's surface."
Lana (Insect Queen) Lang, by way of canonical comparison, commands precisely --
... doo-dah.
Quickly referencing the tell-tale SUPERBOY #124 (October, 1965; "The Insect Queen of Smallville"; first appearance of Ms. Lang's spandexed identity), we discover that the "biogenetic ring" given Lana by a grateful alien being grants her nothing more (nor less) than the ability to assume the "powers" or abilities of any insectile or arachnoid creature...
... once. EACH.
This is (I'm certain we're all agreed) a far and distant cry from having "dominion" over the buggier portion of the planet's population. (If there are any actual, canonical instances of Lana being shown to weild any such ability which have slipped Unca Cheek's sieve-like memory... then he'll recant with all due dispatch, of course.
(Otherwise: yeah... the logic does, in fact, "hold." Ya
bum.)
Nicholas continues: [...] Oh, and for the record, only I know the secret of the ultimate perfect JLA roster. Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, Flash (Jay Garrick, and I've wanted it since that old post Giffen pre- Morrison JLoA v the Extremists), Darkstar John Stewart (better than Kyle), Martian Manhunter, Green Arrow, Black Canary, Hawkwoman (HAWKWORLD variant), Blue Beetle (no, seriously, as the inventor. I just hate Steel), Atom, Captain Atom (okay, I like JLE. We're none of us perfect) and Black Lightning (that one I got from you, but I'm a big OUTSIDERS fan)."
Allowing (naturally) for the differences in taste and opinion which help to make up the weird and wonderful variety inherent in simple human existence, Nicholas:
1.) Hating any comics character who was ever portrayed by noted cinematic Master Thespian Shaquille O'Neal is perfectly understandable, and probably mandatory; and --
2.) ... gor blimey, ducks: who wouldn't be "better
than Kyle"...?
"ola" (look, that's how it's signed, all right?) at svt.se comes a-whoopin' and a-hollerin' over the far horizon with the following:
"Just want to say that I ADORE your site, Toy Wonder. Your essays are hilarious. Which does not mean I usually agree with you - for example, I think Grant Morrison's JLA is sadly lame, and I think Zatanna is a great character - but opinions nonwithstanding, your way of expressing them are always a great reading.
"I'm a big fan of especially DC's Silver Age, and ESPECIALLY the goofy, obsucure, forgotten, one-time characters. I loved your essays about Mindgrabber Kid, Dial "H" for Hero, the HOUSE OF MYSTERY Martian Manhunter, Prez, and the FIRST ISSUE SPECIAL Outsiders. All long-time favourites of mine. (Not to mention the new Elongated Man feature - one of my favourite heroes of all time, believe it or not.)
"Okay, that's really all I wanted to say. Keep it up.
"Oh, and two things:
"1. A request - how about an Animal Man essay next time, hm? Covering his appearances in STRANGE ADVENTURES. Buddy Baker is my #1 fave ever.
"2. A question - that's been ridiculously nagging my head for some time: Did the Mindgrabber Kid have a civilian name? I seem to remember his name was Lucien something. Or have I dreamt it? Are you able to check it up for me? My own JLA issue is since long destroyed.
"If you can help me with these two matters, I'll be eternally grateful. If you can't...well, your site has brought me a lot of joy anyway."
In quick succession, good Ola:
1.) No one who genuinely thinks that dyslexic, Fishnetted Fanboy Fetish
Numero Uno "Zatanna is a great character" has any real business calling
anything else in comics "sadly lame," 'round these here parts.
2.) Buddy (Animal Man) Baker is one o' my longtime personal faves, as well; and you may consider him duly added to Unca Cheeks' ever-
burgeoning "To Do" list, as of this very nano-instant.
3.) The Mind-Grabber Kid was -- in plain point of fact -- Rob Liefeld.
No. Seriously. I remember reading it in an old issue of AMAZING
HEROES.
One of Unca Cheeks' Very Most Fav'ritest "Regulars" Ever -- the unswerving and unflappable Frank, from crain.com -- has been almost preternaturally patient in waiting politely for a response to the following (among others):
"Cheeks, you continue to amaze.
"Your pages on Doctor Doom and the Blackhawks (has kind of a Dion & the Belmonts sound to it, no?) have been splendid. The Dr. Doom pages in particular displayed how even lesser Marvel characters - the Champions? - are enhanced by their mere association with Doom. And, when you think about it, aren't the New Warriors merely the Champions of the 90s?
"Have you had a chance to check out the new JSA series? My comics budget has been curtailed recently and I was wondering if it was worth the dough. I'm still awfully fond of those Golden Agers (superheroes, that is) and want to make sure they're being treated right.
"Keep up the good work, my friend."
The invaluable Luis (as is his wont) affords me yet another much-
appreciated "springboard," topic-wise: this time out, DC Comics' recent JSA revival.
In a word, troopers and trooperettes: YOWZA -- !!
The auctorial team of James Robinson and David Goyer have been turning out a comic that has proven, to date, nothing short of (and Unca Cheeks does not lob the term about lightly) brilliant in its appreciation and understanding of DC's venerable (and oft-botched) Golden Age flagship characters; deftly balancing the requisite amount of Roy Thomas-ish goggle-eyed goshwow with the slightly "edgier" approach so beloved by today's comics readership.
... and: whatever the resultant four-color admixture may, to a certain
extent, lack in the former (Unca Cheeks tends to hold to the opinion
that the mega-talented Mr. Thomas' late, lamented All-Star
Squadron was just about as good as comics ever got, during the
Execrable '80s) is more than amply made up for by a breathless, breakneck sense
of storytelling pacing straight out of the Chuck Dixon playbook; and
an ear (or pair of ears, one supposes) for the nuances of dialogue that
takes a back seat to nodamnbody, brother.
You may -- one and all -- consider the foregoing an unqualified and unabashed
"rave."
..
Finally, Daniel from yahoo.com (apparently, I'm bigger than Jesus om Yahoo) comes bearing the following; to which I will provide suitably snotty responses, as we merrily merrily:
"Howdy. I discovered your magnificent site only yesterday. For the most part, all of the essays have been nothing short of inspired, hilarious, and downright f@!#ing brilliant. I agree with everything you said with the following exceptions:
"I really liked the Giffen/DeMatties League (accepting that the Giffen/Jones JLE was a much better book). Mind you, Morrison's take on the JLA is superior to anything that has been done before."
Unca Cheeks Says: I freely acknowledge that a great many
folk whom I both esteem and respect (such as yourself) hold a wholly unfathomable
fondness for the Giffen/DeMatteis-era, "rubber chicken"-style
JUSTICE LEAGUE, Daniel. So: s'no biggie.
However: as vast and boundless as is my admiration for Grant Morrison's
magnificent "turn" on the (happily) revitalized JLA... it is in no way, shape
or form "vastly superior" to that of Original League Savants Gardner Fox
and Mike Sekowsky. (... and I'm stone certain that Grant
would be the very first to echo that sentiment.)
"I am enjoying Priest's BLACK PANTHER. I like Priest's irreverent style and feel that it applies quite well to the character."
Unca Cheeks Says: Welllllllllll... you're more than entitled,
certainly.
However: this is pretty much of a muchness with saying "Kirby Got It All
Wrong, Then"; and that's a sentiment which I (in all honesty) simply
can't see my way clear to endorsing, in all honesty.
(... plus -- even were he so inclined as to wilfully turn a blind eye to that
whole distasteful "concubines" business -- Unca Cheeks would still
be left with the foul aftertaste of that gawdawful "Spying-On-the- Avengers"
goulash in his mouth. Which is precisely the point, by the by,
whereupon he dropped said title quicker'n a plutonium potato.)
Still, once again: diff'rent strokes, etcetera, etcetera.
"I don't really like THE DESERT PEACH or STRANGERS IN PARADISE. Is that so wrong?"
Unca Cheeks Says: Yes.
(Ohhhhhhhhh... all right then, dammit. Just so long as you're grooving to Alan Moore's sly and subversive THE LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN, at the very least.
(Hey: I have to enforce some sort of standards around here, f'chrissakes.
What: you want this place should end up a dump, or something...?)
"No Man's Land is a terrible idea, and not because it's screwin around with (insert dreaded c-word here). It's a crass marketing ploy and you can't read one comic without reading 9 or 10 others. It is continuity in it's purest, ugliest form."
Unca Cheeks Says: "Crass marketing ploy"...? Yessir.
"Continuity"-mongering...? You damn betcha.
Nonetheless, Brer Daniel: the actual stories themselves have
-- right where the tire meets the tarmac -- pretty much rocked da house.
Which -- correct
me if I'm wrong, here -- is worth any number of storytelling brownie
points... si?
"Black Lightning and Katana as Leaguers. Are you outta your mind?!?"
Unca Cheeks Says: Daniel: say "howdy-do" to Nicholas, above.
You two crazy kids play nice, now... y'hear?
"For what it's worth, your choices for the others were spot on, and your choice of Cliff Steele is inspired... by which pagan god it was inspired by remains a mystery, though... "
Unca Cheeks Says: Define "pagan." Unwashed Saracen
dog.
"Wheteher you care or not, I say that the silver age Begins with SHOWCASE #4 (Barry Allen is GOD) and ends with the minute Dennis O'Neil and Len Wein touched a typewriter in the service of comics.
"Aside from these minor quibbling points (Bound to happen when you get a silver ager and a bronze ager together), you have a phenomenal site, and I will spread the word to my other fellow fanboys."
Thank'ee kindly, Daniel. Your fifty bucks, American, is in the mail.
More odds'n'ends from the ol' mail bag, on Page Two of "Awright! Awright! I'm Answerin' the Freakin' Mail, Already -- !"
If nothing else: maybe this'll teach me to bloody keep up,
from here on out.
"Awright! Awright! I'm Answerin' the
Freaking Mail, Already -- !" (PAGE TWO)
"MORE COMIC BOOKS," YOU SAY...?
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