Peanuts has been rerunning in newspapers since Charles M. Schultz officially ended the strip just before he passed away in 2000. Now GoComics, the online publisher of newspaper and original comic strips, launched a “new” comic yesterday. It’s the classic Peanuts from the very first strip and in full color under the title Peanuts Begins. And no Christopher Nolan in sight.
Special thanks to our friend John Weber, the Comic Strip Critic, for the heads up. Click the comic above to check it out.
“See, I could have told you what too much booze does to a guy. Why I finally quit.”
Secret Wars II #5
Marvel (November, 1985)
“Despair!” WRITER: Jim Shooter PENCILER: Al Milgrom INKERS: Steve Leialoha (including cover) & Joe Rubinstein COLORS: Many Hands LETTERERS: Joe Rose & Rick Parker EDITOR: Bob Budiansky
The first crossover event I ever heard of was Secret Wars II and as we’ve been discovering that one doesn’t live to the hype. The first one I ever read, however, is Armageddon 2001, consisting of two bracing issues and all of the annuals of 1991. To me this is how a company-wide crossover event should be done, in the annuals. If people want to follow the whole thing they buy the annuals. By setting a crossover event in the annuals, the regular titles are free to continue their storylines without interruption or being forced to add elements of the event that might derail intended stories. This allows a title to flourish on their own and lets the characters and the writer (or writers) find an audience. Alternately, they follow the event, see this character and want to know more about him or her or them and will pick up the regular comic. Plus annuals are more expensive so following the event means more money for the comic company without ruining things for the writers of the main title or some extra tie-in that will end up having nothing to do with the story and takes resources away from better potential projects.
For this review we’ll look at the opening chapter of the event. The next seven DC Monday “Yesterday’s” Comic articles will focus on the only tie-in annuals I have been able to pick up, and then a second Scanning My Collection installment will look at the final issue and the event overall. For now, though, we start with the first issue.
Add 10 years and it describes the New 52.
Armageddon 2001#1
DC Comics (1991)
“Darktime” WRITER: Archie Goodwin PENCILER: Dan Jurgens INKER: Dick Giordano COLORIST: Anthony Tollin LETTERER: Albert DeGuzman EDITOR: Dennis O’Neil
“Hey guys, I can see ALL your houses from here!”
Captain Planet And The Planeteers #6
Marvel (March, 1992)
“Rat Trap!” WRITER: Pat Kelleher PENCILER: Dave Taylor INKER: Robin Riggs COLORIST: Sarra Mossoff LETTERER: Caroline Steeven EDITORS: Stone/Tokar (That’s the only credit given and a short online search turned up nothing)
My Date with a Vampire (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Serial killers. Zombies. Action movies. Twilight. And gross-out humor. What do they have in common? They get accused of playing to the mythical “lowest common denominator”, a group that we’re told shuns character development for watching boobs before something explodes and some guy’s innards become his outards, plus stuff I tend to avoid here at the Spotlight. Well, Felix Clay of Cracked doesn’t shy away from those things, as he uses gross-outs to explain gross-outs, the modern vampire, action heroes, zombies, and the can’t die slashers, and why the darn things are so darn popular.
Don’t worry, it’s not another Flash & Superman race story.
Flash #53
DC Comics (August, 1991)
“Fast Friends” WRITER: William Messner-Loebs PENCILER: Greg LaRocque INKER: Jose Marzan Jr. COVER PENCILER: Dan Jurgens COVER INKER: Jose Martin, Jr. COLORIST: Glenn Whitmore LETTERER: Tim Harkins EDITOR: Brian Augustyn
Sometimes these guys are really my mouthpiece.
Leon speaks for me in this one. I don’t do New Year resolutions, either. I can’t keep up with yesterday’s plans.
So the Clutter Report this week was just me putting stuff back, and next week I want to pack up the Christmas decoration. Between my mom and job hunting (and bill collectors) I’m really distracted from getting BW stuff done so bear with me as I sort through this mess.
We’ll be completing the Captain Planet comics this week, which means some random other comics to finish out the week. I’m thinking of adding “return of Today’s Comic” to the milestones but I have more important bills right now and if I was making enough money they’d come back anyway. Meanwhile, I’m posting videos to the new blogs of Channel Awesome’s new website and we’ll see what that does. Too many things to do, not enough time or money to get them done. I’m still hoping to have the Christmas comic done (late) by the end of the month, though. It’s kind of personal at this point.
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
