Morning Article Link: Powerpuffs, Kids, And Comics

Powerpuff Girls variant

image source: Comics Alliance

Comics Alliance contributor Matt D. Wilson was inspired the recent Powerpuff Girls cover fiasco to look at the problem of comics for kids…or the lack thereof from the big name companies. There seems to be a goal of keeping characters I grew up with all to themselves by the “everything for meeeeeeeeeeeee” crowd, either not realizing, not caring, or with the goal of having a property grown and die with them no matter how long it’s been around or the original target audience. That’s…well, one of the things hurting comics right now. He also mentions that we’re concerned about barely-sexual girls on an adult fan-targeted variant cover when things like Cyborg being torn to bits as Superman goes insane (but since this isn’t the Sentry one isn’t connected to the other) and tries to kill Batman out of induced jealousy over Diana.

Remember when kids could read about superheroes and dream about being like them, and that used to inspire them to act like their heroes? I hate living in a world where we no longer want that!

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“Yesterday’s” Comic overview: Contest Of Champions

Contest Of Champions Marvel's Finest edition

Finding time to work on the Marvel posting  the last two weeks has met the wall hard. Last week I couldn’t do anything because of all the running around and this week it was snow…stopping me from running around. And then having to move it. But this allows me to do a quick look at the next few Marvel Tuesday reviews.

Contest Of Champions is one of the early crossover events, originally planned for a tie-in to the 1979 Olympics. However, certain miscommunication issues led to a 3-part miniseries…in 1982…that later had to be finished in two Avengers annuals to bypass a plothole. I picked up this “Marvel’s Finest” trade back when Contest Of Champions II came out in 1999…and I’m missing the last few issues of that miniseries. I’ve never actually had a chance to read this one so unlike the others, where I just forgot the stories in the sea of tales flowing through my head, this will be completely new to me. I may review the collection as a whole for The Clutter Reports and Reviewers Unknown.

There may be some interesting goofs as they had to cover for changes in character designs in the 3 years between and varioius roster changes. Because I’m getting them from a trade I’ll have to hunt down the individual covers elsewhere but there’s the cover for this collection, which will cover Marvel Super Hero Contest Of Champions #1-3, West Coast Avengers Annual #2, and Avengers Annual #16. Again, although I’ve had this book since 1999, I’ve never read the comic so don’t ruin it for me, please. Now, you all know how much I hate “hero vs. hero” stories because I’d rather see heroes fighting villains, so we’ll see if this finds a way to make it work for me or if I’m just going to be annoyed by the whole thing. I actually do enjoy the DC Vs. Marvel/Marvel VS. DC story so maybe this will work. We’ll all find out starting next week.

A Tribute To Arthur Rankin Jr

Arthur Rankin Jr RIP

July 19, 1924 – January 30, 2014

I don’t need to make a defense of Rankin/Bass. Even today the folks that slam Filmation praises Rankin/Bass for their stop-motion puppet Christmas specials and for their action shows like Thundercats and Silverhawks. This is more of a report, then, than the tribute I’m doing for Filmation and recently for JewWario.

Over the weekend, Arthur Rankin Jr, co-founder of Rankin/Bass, passed away at 89 years old. The duo and their puppeteers and animators are known for their Christmas specials and action shows, but aren’t as well known for their Easter special, or for animated works based on The Jackson Five. Here’s a list of all the stuff they produced, from Wikipeidia.

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Today’s Comic> Adventures of Superman #8

Adventures Of Superman #8

“No kidding. Really? Hadn’t noticed.”

Adventures Of Superman #8

DC Comics (February, 2014)

“Tears For Krypton”
WRITER: Marc Guggenheim
PENCILER: joe Bennett
INKER: Belardino Brabo
COLORIST: Jason Wright
LETTERER: Wes Abbott
EDITOR: Alex Antone
“SUPERMAN” CREATORS: Jerry Siegel & Joe Shuster

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Morning Article Link: Hanna Barbera And The Superheroes

Samurai Jack #2

While this mash-up of DC and Marvel characters and Hanna-Barbera characters is cool and all, I have a few fanboy nitpicks. While The Powerpuff Girls started as part of a contest by HB, Samurai Jack was by Cartoon Network. Also, Dungeons And Dragons was produced by Sunbow, not Hanna-Barbera. And where are the superhero team-ups? Birdman and Hawkman? Mightor and Captain Marvel? Space Ghost and Batman…together again! What happened here, guys?

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“Yesterday’s” Comic> Nightwing #9

Nightwing #9

“Parachute. I forgot the dang parachute. Boy is my face red.”

Nightwing #9

DC Comics (June, 1997)

“Die Trying”
WRITER: Chuck Dixon
PENCILER: Scott McDaniel
INKER: Karl Story
COLORIST: Roberta Tewes
LETTERER: John Costanza
ASSOCIATE EDITOR: Darren Vincenzo
EDITOR: Scott Peterson

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Best Scene Of This Week’s Reviews

With everything going on around here I didn’t even have time to make a comic. Heck, I barely kept up with site content. I also didn’t post anything to Reviewers Unknown and I just explained why there was no post over at The Clutter Reports and I hope to finish that project soon, minor as it is. But I do have…

Best Scene Of This Week’s Reviews

Astro City #8

Wait, they're getting along? No wonder this is Vertigo and not DC.

Wait, they’re getting along? No wonder this is Vertigo and not DC.

I don’t know what this week is going to be like so there may be some missed days again or maybe there won’t. I make no promises until things settle down.

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