The Comics Code was split into four sections, covering the depictions of crime, horror, cultural depictions and language, and advertising within a comic. For the first actual review we will look at “General Standards” part A, how crime is to be depicted if the comic is supposed to receive the CCA seal of approval. Do some of their edicts make sense or are some just plain silly?
I’m going to assume this is a summer concert.
Josie And The Pussycats #1
Archie (1993)
WRITERS: Frank Doyle (first & last story); Dick Malmgren PENCILER: Dan DeCarlo INKER: Alison Flood (first story only); Rudy Lapick COLORIST/PRODUCTION: Barry Grossman LETTERER: Bill Yoshida EDITORS: Victor Gorelick & Paul CastigliaThe Grand Comics Database says that Dick Malmgren and Rudy Lapick worked on some of these stories, but aren’t credited in this collection. This comic has five stories, four of which are reprints collected from the Josie (previously known as She’s Josie) comic, and one new story. The comic was not originally about a rock band. Just Josie and some friends doing what characters in an Archie comic does.
After the band was introduced, Hanna-Barbera produced a TV series based on them, and later sent them into outer space. The cartoon adventures weren’t too far off from what they actually went through, although they only dealt with normal criminals. Oh, and Alexandra is an actual witch in this, with Sebastian the cat as her familiar. I wonder if she ever dealt with Sabrina? Also, Melody’s word balloon usually have a musical note, which I think indicates she sings all her sentences, which doesn’t work as well in a comic. (Oddly, Cheryl Ladd, who voiced Melody on the show, never did that. They had her keep the “dumb blonde” stereotype, though.) Finally, Alan gets called Alan M. I don’t know why Alan wasn’t enough. Well, let’s look at the stories in this issue. (A second issue was published the following year.)
Comics Alliance is reporting that Red 5’s Atomic Robo by Brian Clevinger and Scott Wegener is making the move to the internet. Having parted ways with Red 5, Brian and Scott’s new Tesladyne LLC will be posting their series to the internet for free (so keep the ads open so they can pay for this venture, okay?). Once caught up, new stories will show up there first before being published. “Digital first” has worked for other independents as well as DC so maybe this will be the future of smaller publishers?
Forget “last Autobot”, I wish this was the last comic.
The Transformers #79
Marvel (June, 1991)
“The Last Autobot” WRITER: Simon Furman PENCILER: Andrew Wildman INKER: Stephen Baskerville COLORIST: Nel Yomtov LETTERER: Rick Parker EDITOR: Rob Tokar
Bet they have to go to the same shoe store as the Rescue Heroes.
One of the defenses of the “villain is a hero” tale (the most recent example being Malificent, that tries to pain the villain of Sleeping Beauty as part of the vengeful oppressed) is that we’re all the hero of our own story. This is probably true for the Koopas as well. In this mash-up by our old favorite, James Farr, the Koopas learn ninjitsu and Mario plays the bad guy. And no Donkey Kong, Jr in sight.
I half-believe Jackie Chan could beat up a mushroom cloud.
Jackie Chan’s Spartan X: The Armour Of Heaven #3
While not intended to be the final issue, that’s what it ended up being. I’ll explain in the review.
Topps (August, 1997)
“Folklore” WRITER/PENCILER/COVER ART: Michael Golden CO-PLOTTER: Ric Meyers INKER: Armando Gil COLORS: Dan Brown & Digital Chameleon LETTERER/LOGO DESIGN: Kenny Lopez EDITOR: Renee Witterstaetter
Mario (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
CNet‘s Michelle Starr reports on an AI project by Germany’s University of Tubingen to make Mario at least partly self-aware in his own video game. Who knew Mario was the origin of Skynet?
The Clutter Reports (my other site) Atop The Fourth Wall Crisis On Earth Prime Lean Into Artcast Bully Says “Comics Oughta Be Fun” Siskoid’s Blog of Geekery
Cartoon Hero’s Lair SF Debris Four Million Years Later
