Old news is still old news, but it's still reasonably important to look back to the past to figure out the mistakes of today to make sure they don't happen tomorrow....or something to that effect.
Anyways, here's a list of old news that was posted over the years of 'Jozine'.
NEW JOSIE COMIC:
TV GUIDE PICKS 'JOSIE' AS A TOP "TOON"
In the Aug. 3-9 edition, TV Guide continued their top 50 list series with the best-animated shows. Slotted in the 24th position was 'Josie & The Pussycats'.
"Long before Brittany even thought about baring her belly button, the grooviest girl in music (on Saturday mornings, at least) was the lead singer and guitarist of 'Josie & The Pussycats'. The redhead from Riverdale first appeared in Archies Comics in the 60's before Hanna-Barbara brought her to television in 1970. The original CBS series ran for two years and broke new ground in animation-and the real world-by introducing one of the first successful female rock groups. Off stage, Josie and the girls were adventure seekers. Rachael Leigh Cook, who donned the sassy songbird's tail and ears in the 2001 live-action film, explains, "Josie was a great girl who, on her way to a gig, just happened to save the galaxy."
On a personal side note: the forgotten MTV show 'Daria', whose main character might be considered Josie's possible sarcastic cousin, was ranked #41!
ARCHIE SNEAKS ONE BY...again:
In a move that was similar during the time of the 'Josie' movie, Archie comics has sneaked in another 'Josie'-cover issue of 'Archie & Friends' (#60) at the last minute by changing the original cover to a 'Josie' one.
In 'Hollywood Purrscription', the girls are given a pile of possible scripts for their movie debut from Alex, now looking more like a rejected Sex Pistols roadie. The gang goes through them and rejects them all and ends up writing one up of their own. This move gets them the movie deal, but the producers hire a trio of actresses to play the parts for the 'Cats.
As per, Holly Golightly writes and pencils and John Costanza inks.
ANOTHER DAN TRIBUTE:
Also coming out the same time was BART SIMPSON #8 from Bongo Comics. This issue is a DeCarlo tribute issue featuring four stories that were laid-out by Dan before his death. One of Dan's rough layouts is featured towards the end. Incredible! Even with these pencils, Dan work was magic!
SAN DIEGO COMIC CON UPDATE:
Well, there have been rumors to what will conspire at the 2002 San Diego Comic Con. There was a rumor that DeCarlo's widow and inspiration, Josie, will be attending....as well as, for the first time in 4 years, Archies Comics!! This also followed the anticipation of the possible drama.
Alas, it won't happen. Archie has again decided not to attend. However, Josie WILL. It has just been announced that Josie DeCarlo will be apart of a special panel at this year's con: "Sunday, 11:30 am: A Tribute to Dan DeCarlo. He was the greatest of the Archie artists and so much more. His wife, Josie DeCarlo, joins Paul Dini, Kathleen Webb, Bill Morrison, George Gladir, Don Fogel and Chuck Austen, along with Mark Evanier, to remember the man who brought all the great Archie gals to life: Betty, Veronica, Sabrina and, of course, Josie. Room 8"
SOMETHING SMELLY FROM ARCHIES...again:
If you have read JOZINE #3, you know that Archie has been erasing DeCarlo's name from the reprints of his numerous works. Prime example is, of course, the best of 'Josie' book. Clearly, the editors and management are still busy with rewriting their history. As Frank Zappa once said 'The torture never stops'.
The whiteout continues with one of their reprint digest, 'ARCHIE'S PALS AND GAL'S DOUBLE DIGEST 66. The following is an excerpt from an e-mail from a fan alerting me to this:
"One of the stories inside is 'ARCHIE'S FRIEND CHUCK CLAYTON in CARTOON BLUES'. On page 3 of the story, which takes place at a comic con, on the lower right hand panel, is this:
Two people are shown, one a short fellow with black hair and as a crew cut. The word balloon says. "OH wow! There's PAUL D'ONOFRIO who draws JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS! And he's with fellow artists MIKE PELLERITO."
It's obviously a reprint, and the names of the artists are crudely re-lettered. The short fellow was also at one time supposed to be Dan."
I haven't seen the digest in question yet, but sensing Archie's level of desperation here, I'm NONE too surprised. I'll hunt down a copy and let you folks know the smelly poop in the future.
FELIX MEETS JOSIE:
Dark Horse announced in last month's Previews a bet of 'Felix The Cat' book with two different covers. One by Todd McFarland and the other Dan DeCarlo. Let's face it. Todd maybe good with the "dark stuff", but the troll can't hold a candle to Dan.
JOSIE ON TOUR:
As long threatened, Archies Comics is making good on one of their old 'Josie' plans they made before the movie. ABC News announced that Archies will collaborate with boy band impresario Lou Perlman (Backstreet Boys, 'Nsync, O Town) for live band versions of 'The Archies' and 'Josie & The Pussycats'. A nation wide tour is also planned. No further details have been announced yet. Thanks to Shaz for the tip-off.
WHO AM HOLLY ANYWAYS?
As you regular 'Josie'/'Jozine' meddling kids will know, the interestingly-named HOLLY GOLIGHTLY has been the regular writer/penciler for the new 'Josie' comics for the last year. Not much is widely known of this talent, outside of the accidental snooping I've been doing on her. Now, you can visit her web page filled with personal info, interesting pictures and an opportunity to purchase her artwork.
Go to: www.jimbalentstudios.com/holly.html for the poop.
DECARLO PRINTS FOR SALE:
In May, Fogelcomix will sell two original pin-up prints ('Hot Number' and 'Barlesque') by Dan DeCarlo through Diamond Distributors. These are the same prints that were sold and signed by Dan during his 2001 San Diego Comic Con appearance. This time, these prints will come with protective material and will be signed Josie DeCarlo, Dan's wife. Price for both 11x17 prints is $24.60.
DeCARLO LAWSUIT UPDATE AND MORE TRIBUTES:
The new edition of The Comics Journal (Jan. 2002-#240) had announced DeCarlo death and current status on his lawsuit against Archie over Sabrina and Cheryl Blossom, as well as offered tributes from Sabrina co-creator George Gladir.
Gladir was asked about Dan's unique art style; "The line he laid was very strong. He took out the extraneous, so the eye could easily focus. He had a deceptive simplicity to his style, but if anybody else would try for that line, they couldn't. Dan could do that like nobody else." Jaime Hernandez from 'Love & Rockets' was asked about DeCarlo's influence over his work, "A terrific cartoonist and draftsmen and one of the greatest girlie artists the world will ever know". Last Kiss Comics' John Lustig and Archie writer and inker, Kathleen Web, offered their own tributes.
It was also reported that Dan's lawsuit would continue. "This is not over yet," Whitney Seymour, Jr., attorney for the estate, said to CJ just days after Dan's death, "This is only chapter two." Seymour admitted that Dan "won't be able to testify in front of a jury, but we have his story documented and his papers."
It was revealed that Gladir had reached a "amicable" settlement over his half of Sabrina and continues to work for Archie. Asked if he fears a reprisal from his boss about praising DeCarlo to the press, he said, "No, and I don't give a damned if they did. They still respect him and, I think, optimistically, they hoped that when the lawsuit would blew over, he'd come back to work for them."
LAST UPDATE: As reported earlier, John Lustig's Last Kiss Comics' #3 would of featured some new art by Dan DeCarlo. Unfortunately, due to "very" last minute complications, Dan had to pull out. According to Lustig, it was a legal matter. After writing a script called 'Married To...Who?!", Dan had concerns over the scripts seemingly similarities between the plot (a parody of tri-angular relationships) and the characters and Archie Andrews.
Playing it safe, Dan sent the script and a copy of the original ad for #3 to his lawyer. Needless to say, he not only forbid Dan to draw the story, but also not associate with the comic book outright! For further messy details, got to www.lastkisscomics.com.
John was fortunate to get the fine artistry of veteran Erin Colon to fill-in and what a GREAT job he did. This rest of the issue is filled with the usual wonderful sarcastic abuse of the romantic comic motif. The issue also offers a couple of touching tributes from John and his publisher, Shanda Fantasy Art's Mike and Carole Curtis. Look for this issue this week. My thanks to John for the advanced warning.
'DAN DeCARLO' BOOK REISSUED!
According to Diamond Distributors' Feb. 2002 edition of 'Preview', the 1992 soft trade paperback book, 'Dan DeCarlo' will be re-issued in May. This 128-page printing is reported to be a limited printing of the original book and art with a new introduction by its author and publisher, Mary Smith. Diamond is currently soliciting orders for this title for May and the price will be $35.95.
No doubt this was the xeroxed book that really got the ball rolling for the general recognition of Dan's work, as this was published just over a year before the first Jozine! Ms. Smith has written and published a couple of other "unofficial" Archie books as well as an 'Archie' fanzine. She is also very HARD to get a hold of as yours truly has been tying to contact her for the last 8 years. If anybody knows to get a pulse from her, PLEASE let me know!
DAN DECARLO UPDATES AND TRIBUTES:
The January 11, 2002 issue of Comic Buyers Guide (#1469) featured news on DeCarlo's death, tributes from pros and fans and a memorial ad placed by Bongo Comics (the comic book home of The Simpsons and Radioactive Man). According to the cover story, Dan was working on several projects prior to his passing; a couple of them were 'Lower East Side' and 'Last Kiss' #3. No word yet on how this turn of events will effect these projects. Funeral services were held Dec. 22.
On the lawsuit front, this same issue reported that DeCarlo's appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court over 'Josie' was tossed out. This decision was made on Dec. 11, just days before Dan died. Thus, the fight over DeCarlo's most famous original character is effectively over. However, the fight over 'Sabrina' and 'Cheryl Blossom' continues before the Southern District courts. Both sides were gearing up for a Dec. 20th deadline. No word yet now if DeCarlo's estate will still peruse this case.
As per usual, Archie Comics had NO comment on any of this. The only evidence of attention they offered was a b&w tribute page on their web site with Archie, Betty & Veronica weeping over a small banner saying 'Dan DeCarlo 1919-2001.
There were a few tributes in the CBG's letters section. John Lustig ('Last Kiss'), Bill Morrison (head of Bongo Comics), Batton Lash and Mike & Carole Curtis were among the tributaries. Bill Morrison compared Dan to Carl Barks; as Barks was well know to fans for his classic Donald Duck comics work and was referred as 'the good duck artist', Morrision called Dan 'The good Archie artist'. "I don't want to dismiss the other fine talents who have drawn the Riverdale gang over the years," he remarks, "But Dan's art just stands out for me. It was funny, sexy, dramatic and wholesome all at the same time."
Craig Yoe, an artists as well as a fan and friend, gave more technical merits. "With great mastery, Dan broke down the stories, moving the "camera" and giving the figures great body language that make the telling of a tale as beautiful as the girls themselves. None of Dan's cartooning was ever "showy"; it was always simple, but very strong."
Mike Curtis, head of Shanda Fantasy Arts and a strong DeCarlo supporter from the beginning of the lawsuit, focused on the Dan's personal side. He made many offerings of Dan as a veteran (of WW2, were he met Josie), a devoted husband, a caring father and, later, grandfather, a hard worker and a generous and modest person who didn't take himself nor the praises that were thrown his way too seriously. Mike stubbornly claimed, "Dan was a living legend. Period."
While these and other scribes offered similar proclaims, some of them slightly touched on the Archie lawsuit situation and it's bitter aftermath. John Lustig addressed it directly at the end of his. "Archie can still do the right thing, " he offered, "It could give Dan's widow, Josie (who was, after all, the inspiration for the comic book character), at least a tiny slice of the financial juggernaut generated by Dan's comics creations." In the next sentence, he gets to a main point that, I'm sure, a LOT of fans are thinking about right now: "That seems unlikely, but it would certainly help alleviate the anger that I (and, I suspect) many other creators and fans are feeling over this case." Here, here, John!!
Dan's passing was even mentioned in this week's Time Magazine(!)
DAN DeCARLO 1919-2001:
Dan DeCarlo, who created the original 'Josie' (first as a rejected comic strip and later a book for Archies) and 'Josie & The Pussycats' as well as 'Sabrina The Teenage Witch' and Archie Comics long-held art house style, has died from a heart attack on Wednesday morning, December 19th. He was 82. Just two days prior, he had lost his last ditch appeal to the United States Supreme Court over the 'Josie' case.
When reached for comment, Paul Dini, whom DeCarlo did some of his last work for Dini's 'Jingle Belle Jubilee' comic, told Comic Book Resource: "It's tragic that he was at an age when many cartoonists are revered as treasures by more beneficial publishers, Dan felt spurned and slighted by the owners of properties that prospered greatly from his contributions. Still, he was esteemed by fans and professionals the world over, he often told me he was very grateful for the support he received from them over the past few years."
You're welcome, Dan....and say 'hello' to Bob Montana for us.
(for further details from the CBR article, go to: http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=731)
JOSIE CD:
'STOP, LOOK & LISTEN: THE CAPITOL RECORDINGS' by JOSIE & THE PUSSYCATS has arrived and is ready for your mailbox and CD player. After many delays and heartburns (well, on MY end that is), you couldn't imagine how fast my copy went straight from the mailbox to my CD player!
First the music: It's quite a weird experience to here these old songs in clear, clean digital sound after hearing this on bootleg tapes and CD's for so many years. Incredible! The LP, of course, goes without saying...great! Bonus tracks: outside of the singles (which I know most of you have already heard through the bootlegs), there are alternative mix of 'Lie, Lie, Lie' (a different singer) and two different versions of 'You've Come A Long Way, Bay' (version 1 with a cool organ riff up mixed up front, different drum track and background vocal arrangements and version 2 without the strings and horns). Three unreleased songs fill out the bonus tracks and CD: 'Together' is nice breezy mid-tempo song; 'Dreammaker' a percussion-driven ditty; 'The Time To Live' interesting use of those flutes! Oh, yea, the hidden bonus track is the actual TV theme in stereo!
The package and the liner notes: The cover is as the same as the original package Kellogg's send those singles...only there's Rhino Handmade instead of Capitol. However, you'll be floored after you open the booklet: various colorful stills of the TV series and rare production photos and artwork. I got a black eye from reading the amazing liner notes, written by a couple of the original LP producers: DANNY JANSSEN and SUE SHERIDAN (then SUE STEWARD). These notes offer a mountain of great insight, fun and information too large to list them here! One insight worth noting is the story behind PATRICE HOLLOWAY's inclusion into the trio. According to Danny, Hanna-Barbara was planning to have the Pussycats all white, and only told Danny about this after he already auditioned the 'Cats. Danny told H-B that he would rather leave the project then dropping Patrice because of her skin. After a brief standoff, H-B backed off and redid the storyboards to accommodate Patrice, thus making way for Valerie (!). WOW!
The bottom line: What else can I say?! MONDO RECOMMENDATION!!! GET IT! BUY IT! LIVE IT! But pretty damned soon as this beauty IS for a limited time and once all 5,000 copies are all sold, they are GONE! Hell, my copy is #3091 and I got it just yesterday (10/16)!!. Grab it while you can at http://www.rhinohandmade.com.
PUSSYCAT ON THE WEB:
If you know your 'Josie' history, Cheryl Ladd's name should be quite familiar. She was, of course, the singing voice for 'Melody' and, afterward, went on to another trio, 'Charlie's Angles'. She now has her own official web site at www.cherylladd.com. The site is crammed with her photos, interests (which includes golfing) and current showbiz activities (like touring with 'Annie Get Your Gun'). Say, what you will, she's still a babe!!
DAN DECARLO: CRITIC:
In an interview with silverbulletcomics.com, DeCarlo mentioned he saw the 'Josie' film ("there were five people there besides us", he described) and gave his opinion:
"Terrible. No personality. If you blindfolded yourself you couldn't know who was saying what, who was doing what. None of them had a distinct personality." DeCarlo went even further, "...I think they made a mistake by not using the cat costume, you know. They say most kids that are going to the movie today weren't even born when 'Josie' originally came out with the cat costume. They couldn't see using the cat costume. All they used was the ears. I mean, why the hell do you have to be so contemporary in that case when you have something that's very distinct and very funny. I mean, you got a lot of humor out of the cat costume."
WHO AM JOHN GOLDWATER ANYWAYS?!:
For those who don't know, or haven't read JOZINE yet, John Goldwater stands largely in 'Josie' history....outside of DeCarlo, of course. He is the "co-creator" of Archie Andrews and the founding head of Archies Comics. Not much is known of him, outside of the offices of Archie Comics (and, apparently, they are pretty tight lip about him thus they act like the CIA/Scientologists when his name is mentioned). Anyway, CBG columnist and comic historian R. C. Harvey was written a web-only biography on this elusive figure and it's QUITE a read. You can read it on Harvey's site: http://www.rcharvey.com/hindsight/goldwater.html.
NOTE: DeCarlo will not receive ANY credit nor residuals from these 'Josie'-related projects (movie included).