Pop links: Simon and Kirby! Beach Boys! Crime comics! Sergio Aragones! Frazetta! Tom Baker! Tintin!

Check out a vintage Simon and Kirby-produced crime story.



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Read a batch of Crime Does Not Pay stories with work by Dick Briefer,Fred Guardineer, Charles Biro and others.



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The Ventura County Star profiles Mad genius Sergio Aragones.

“Like pain,” Aragonés said in thick accent, “laughter is inside of a person. It’s as natural as hunger.

“I’m thinking and laughing all day long,” he continued. “Every time I think of a joke, I’m also telling myself a new joke. It’s a great way to live.”

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According to singer Mike Love, the surviving Beach Boys (I'm assuming that means Brian Wilson, Love, Al Jardine and Bruce Johnson) will do a 50th anniversary performance in 2011. PBS is also considering an "American Masters" show about the band.

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Speaking of Beach Boys, Times Online reviews his recent performance at the London Roundhouse.

Wilson was in a jokey mood, noting that it was unusual for him to be playing a venue in which the audience were not provided with seats. “If I don’t get a standing ovation for this one . . .” he said sternly, before playing Wouldn’t It Be Nice. He dedicated Girl Don’t Tell Me, an old Beach Boys B-side with a distinct Beatles influence, to John Lennon.

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More crime comics! Here's one illustrated by the great Frank Frazetta.



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Shirley Jones will appear as her real-life stepson David Cassidy's mom--just as she did on "The Partridge Family"--on an episodes of ABC Family's upcoming "Ruby and the Rockets" series Sept. 15.

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Tom Baker talks about his return to the role of Doctor Who for an upcoming BBC radio drama.

Playing the role is easier than putting on an old pair of boots. I said that I never stopped being Doctor Who — not when I walked off the set every day in the ’70s and not since I left the show. I said ‘never’ and I mean it. How could I stop? The Doctor was just Tom Baker. No acting. So, when it came time to record [Hornet's Nest], I just dropped into the studio and picked up the script and away we went. Just like the old days.

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Looks like Steven Spielberg is really getting into the spirit of things directing his upcoming Tintin film.

New music I like: Pete Molinari and the Jordanaires

Yes, those Jordanaires!

Robert E. McGinnis paperback covers

Pop links: Astro Boy! Batmobile! Beatles!

From Hot Toys, here's a look at the 9-inch Astro Boy movie figure out in December.





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Coming from Mattel this winter, here's the 1/18-scale "elite" TV Batmobile Special Edition Matte Black Version.








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Those Beatles remasters are out next week! Whet your appetite with early news and reviews at Beatles Blog Daily!

Video find: More Pink Floyd on French TV 1968-69

Pop links: Tintin! The Beatles! Jack Kirby!

A Congolese man is suing to prevent distribution of "Tintin in the Congo" in that country on the grounds that the 1931 book by cartoonist Herge is racist.

Bienvenu Mbutu Mondondo, 41, is taking legal action claiming Hergé's controversial Tintin In The Congo is propaganda for colonialism and amounts to "racism and xenophobia".

"Tintin's little (black) helper is seen as stupid and without qualities. It makes people think that blacks have not evolved," he said.

Mr Mbutu Mondondo launched a case in Belgium two years ago for symbolic damages of one euro from Tintin's Belgian publishers Moulinsart, and demanded the book be withdrawn from the market.

...In 2007, British race watchdogs pulled the book from children's shelves and attacked the Tintin cartoons for making black Africans "look like monkeys and talk like imbeciles".

Two weeks ago the work was removed from the shelves of Brooklyn's municipal library following a complaint from a reader that it "had illustrations that were racially offensive and inappropriate for children".

...Moulinsart, Tintin's publishers, argued that the whole row was "silly" and that book must be seen in its historical context: "To read in the 21st century a Tintin album dating back to 1931 requires a minimum of intellectual honesty," it said. "If one applied the 'politically correct' filter to great artists or writers, we could no longer publish certain novels of Balzac, Jules Verne, or even some Shakespeare plays."

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Creepy...



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Read a rare funny animal story illustrated by Jack Kirby.

New comics Sept. 2, 2009: Buffy! Conan! Perez JLA! Sub-Mariner! Oz! Classic kids comics!

Releases of note this week. Click the title links to order discounted items from Amazon.


BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER #28 Season 8 continues.

SAVAGE SWORD OF CONAN Vol. 6 More from Marvel's late, lamented black-and-white barbarian mag.


DC LIBRARY JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA BY GEORGE PEREZ Vol. 1 I enjoyed this run at the time. Don't remember much about it apart from the great art. Collects JLA #184-186 and 192-194.


WEDNESDAY COMICS #9 DC's weekly anthology tabloid continues. Only three weeks left!


ESSENTIAL SUB-MARINER Vol. 1 Wasn't this supposed to be out eons ago? What's the deal? Silver-Age Subby! Collects DAREDEVIL #7, TALES TO ASTONISH #70-101, TALES OF SUSPENSE #80, IRON MAN & SUB MARINER #1 and SUB-MARINER #1.


OZ: THE WONDERFUL WIZARD OF OZ I've skimmed the individual issues of this and it looks delightful. Wonderful, distinctive art by Skottie Young with a script by Eric Shanower.


TOON TREASURY OF CLASSIC CHILDREN'S COMICS Looks promising. Edited by Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly and featuring kid comics stories by Carl Barks, John Stanley, Sheldon Mayer, Walt Kelly, Basil Wolverton and others. 352 pages.

Video find: Pink Floyd French TV appearances 1968-69

Pop links: Fantastic Four film reboot! Jack Kirby's Mickey Mouse! Deadman film! Batgirl stuff! Mort Meskin!

Despite Disney's purchase of Marvel Entertainment the other day, Fox still has rights to do the Fantastic Four franchise, which it intends to reboot with a new film, Variety reports.

Akiva Goldsman has been hired to oversee the reboot as producer. Michael Green, the co-exec producer of TV's "Heroes" who co-wrote "Green Lantern," will write the script for the new "Fantastic Four."

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Also on the Disney/Marvel front, check out Jack Kirby's Mickey Mouse, courtesy of the online Jack Kirby Museum. Click the link for another Kirby mouse.



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A Deadman film, to be produced by Guillermo del Toro, is also in the works.

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The Batcave Trophy Room presents some cool Batgirl memorabilia.



And if you dig this sort of thing, don't forget to visit our own DC Comics Fortress of Memorabilia.

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Dig this 1952 horror tale illustrated by the great Mort Meskin.

Dollhouse season 2 promo posters

I'm unlikely to watch season 2, but I know some of you out there are fans.

DVD new releases Sept. 1, 2009: Heroes! Supernatural! Doctor Who! Shaun the Sheep! More!

New DVDs of note this week. Click the title links to order discounted titles from Amazon.


Supernatural: The Complete Fourth Season


Heroes - Season Three


State of Play


Shaun the Sheep: Little Sheep of Horrors


Doctor Who: The Deadly Assassin


Doctor Who: Image of the Fendahl


Doctor Who: Delta and the Bannermen


TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Murder Mysteries (The Maltese Falcon / The Big Sleep / Dial M for Murder / The Postman Always Rings Twice 1946)


TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Horror (House of Wax 1953 / The Haunting 1963 / Freaks / Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde 1941)


Unwigged and Unplugged Live Concert DVD ~ Christopher Guest, Michael Mckean, and Harry Shearer

Beatles programming abounds on BBC 2

BBC Radio 2 is presenting loads of Beatles-related programming at the moment and via the Beeb's iPlayer on-demand service. Check out the full roster on Beatles Blog Daily!

Pop links: Disney buys Marvel! Superhero catalog images! Big Star! Elvis Costello! More!

Mickey, meet the Hulk: Walt Disney Co. is buying Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. From the press release:

"This transaction combines Marvel's strong global brand and world-renowned library of characters including Iron Man, Spider-Man, X-Men, Captain America, Fantastic Four and Thor with Disney's creative skills, unparalleled global portfolio of entertainment properties, and a business structure that maximizes the value of creative properties across multiple platforms and territories, " said Robert A. Iger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company. "Ike Perlmutter and his team have done an impressive job of nurturing these properties and have created significant value. We are pleased to bring this talent and these great assets to Disney." "We believe that adding Marvel to Disney's unique portfolio of brands provides significant opportunities for long-term growth and value creation," Iger said. "Disney is the perfect home for Marvel's fantastic library of characters given its proven ability to expand content creation and licensing businesses," said Ike Perlmutter, Marvel's Chief Executive Officer. "This is an unparalleled opportunity for Marvel to build upon its vibrant brand and character properties by accessing Disney's tremendous global organization and infrastructure around the world." Under the deal, Disney will acquire ownership of Marvel including its more than 5,000 Marvel characters. Mr. Perlmutter will oversee the Marvel properties, and will work directly with Disney's global lines of business to build and further integrate Marvel's properties.

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The death of Rolling Stones guitarist is being reinvestigated.

Police in Sussex were handed new information connected to the musician's untimely death 40 years ago.

Mr Jones, was found dead at the bottom of a swimming pool at a house in Cotchford farm, Hartfield, East Sussex.

An inquest recorded a verdict of death by misadventure but speculation continued that he was murdered.

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From Bat-Blog: Images from a 1970s Superhero Catalog of Games, Books, Toys, Puzzles:



Am I remembering correctly that Joe Kubert, or his cartooning school, was involved in these illustrations? I seem to remember Joe having done some superhero merchandise ads back in the 1970s.

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The New Orleans Times-Picayune checks in with Big Star drummer Jody Stephens.

In the ultimate acknowledgment of Big Star's enduring influence and impact, Rhino Records plans to release a four-disc, 98-song boxed set on Sept. 15. "Keep An Eye on the Sky" collects alternate takes from Big Star's first three albums, recordings from members' earlier bands, and a complete 1973 concert in Memphis.

This, Stephens joked, was the marketing plan all along: "Break up, wait 20 years, get a bunch of writers and other bands to talk about us...."

Still, he is tickled by Big Star's persistent popularity and presence. "This," he said, "is our heyday."

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The first season of Elvis Costello's Sundance Channel music talk show, "Spectacle," is set for DVD release Nov. 3 on 5 disks. Guests include Elton John, Rufus Wainwright, the Police, Bill Clinton, Tony Bennett, Kris Kristofferson, Smokey Robinson, Herbie Hancock and more.

Video find: The Byrds sing "The Times Are a'Changin" and "Do You Believe in Magic" on Hullabaloo!

Video find: The Byrds "Old Blue"

Video find: The Byrds "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"

From Hugh Hefner's "Playboy After Dark"

New music I like: The Blockheads

Pop links: Remembering King Kirby! Kurtzman! Suggs! More!

Happy Jack Kirby Day! The great comic book artist and co-creator of the Hulk, Fantastic Four, X-Men and more would be 92 today. The Comics Reporter offers up a huge gallery of iconic images in tribute.



By the way, if you love Kirby--and don't own it already--get this:



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More Kirby: Even the "King of Comics" had his role models, as the online Jack Kirby Museum points out. Dig this look at how art from a Hal Foster "Prince Valiant" strip likely inspired Kirby's Demon character. More here.



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Shifting our attention to another funnybook genius, Pappy presents this suspenseful 1943 tale illustrated by the great Harvey Kurtzman.



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Suggs, singer of the great British band Madness, has penned a book in tribute to his beloved London. One of my favorite cities too...

Armed with a spirit of adventure, a passion for London and a trusted A–Z, Suggs embarks on an unpredictable journey through the bustling main drags and little-known side streets to explore the eccentric story of his extraordinary home town. Having lived in London as man and boy, this is Suggs’s personal take on an ever-changing London, a city whose traditions and foibles are under threat from the march of time. From the suited and booted tailors of Savile Row to the sex traders of bohemian Soho, by way of quaint and quirky habitats, brilliant but beleaguered boozers, the exotic eateries that have made London a gastronomic heartland and a music scene that's both the envy of the world and dear to Suggs’s own heart, SUGGS AND THE CITY is a journey under the skin of a living, breathing city. It’s a guided tour of the quirks of its chaotic centre and the surprises of its sleepy suburbs. And it’s a love letter from one of its favourite sons.



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What the f...

Video find: The Byrds "Goin' Back"

From the Smothers Brothers Show

Amazon US now sold out of mono AND stereo remasters box sets

As of just a while ago, Amazon US is announcing it's out of the Beatles in Stereo remaster box sets until after the 9/9/09 release date. You can visit the listing here to sign up for e-mail notification when the set is available again.

You can also sign up to be notified if Amazon gets more copies of the limited edition Beatles in Mono box. It's unknown if they will or not. However, I wouldn't be surprised if Amazon starts listing the mono set as available "new or used" from other sellers after the release date. It'll be interesting to see how much these go for. If the box is truly in short supply, prices could be very high.

So far, it looks as if the individual remastered albums are still available for pre-order at Amazon. Abbey Road is the top-selling entry, followed by "The White Album," and Sgt. Pepper.

New music I like: Mayer Hawthorne

Pop links: Doctor Who! Lester Young! Elvis Costello! Disneyland Hotel! Jack Kirby! Lucky Luke!

A couple of Doctor Who-related tidbits:

* Britain's Pinewood film studio has announced an exhibit focusing on underwater filming, which includes images from underwater shoots for "Doctor Who" and other TV shows and movies.

* A British community is trying to save one of the last-remaining TARDIS-like police call boxes left in the country.

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NPR celebrates the 100th anniversary of genius jazz musician Lester Young. The tenor sax was a key member of the Count Basie Orchestra and one of Billie Holliday's favorite accompanists. Here's a clip of the two together:



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Also on NPR: Elvis Costello and Allen Touissant on "Piano Jazz."

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Ultra Swank checks into the groovy Disneyland Hotel.



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Man, Jack Kirby could do a lot with three panels.





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Man, I never realized there was a Lucky Luke film and TV series. Thanks, Booksteve, for setting me straight. I wish those of us in the U.S. could see it--not to mention all those Asterix movies--on DVD.

Video find: The Byrds "Chestnut Mare"

Continuing with some late era Byrds music:

Songwriting great Ellie Greenwich passes away at 68

One of the great Brill Building songwriters, Ellie Greenwich has died at age 88, Rolling Stone reports.

Working with Jeff Barry, Greenwich penned a whole raft of classic 60s tunes, including The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and “Baby, I Love You,” the Shangri-La’s “Leader of the Pack,” the Dixie Cups’ “Chapel of Love,” Tina & Ike Turner’s “River Deep, Mountain High” and the Crystals’ “Then He Kissed Me” and “Da Doo Ron Ron.”

New music I like: Laura Vane and the Vipertones

More info.

Pop links: Steranko! Free Shonen Knife!

Today only from Amazon, get a free download of "Barbecue Party," a fun new tune from cult Japanese girl band Shonen Knife.



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Read "The Block," a 1973 tale by the great Jim Steranko.

Official details on Bob Dylan's Christmas album

It's for real. Details from Dylan's official site:

Dear Friends,

We at Columbia Records are happy to announce the October 13 release of Bob Dylan's brand new album of holiday songs, Christmas In The Heart.

Christmas In The Heart will be the 47th album from Bob Dylan, and follows his worldwide chart-topping Together Through Life, released earlier this year. Songs performed by Dylan on this new album include, "Here Comes Santa Claus," "Winter Wonderland," "Little Drummer Boy" and "Must Be Santa."

All of Bob Dylan's U.S. royalties from sales of these recordings will be donated to Feeding America, guaranteeing that more than four million meals will be provided to more than 1.4 million people in need in this country during this year's holiday season. Bob Dylan is also donating all of his future U.S. royalties from this album to Feeding America in perpetuity.

Additionally, Bob Dylan is partnering with two international charities to provide meals during the holidays for millions in need in the United Kingdom and the developing world, and will be donating all of his future international royalties from Christmas In The Heart to those organizations in perpetuity. Details regarding the international partnerships will be announced next week.

Bob Dylan commented, "It's a tragedy that more than 35 million people in this country alone -- 12 million of those children -- often go to bed hungry and wake up each morning unsure of where their next meal is coming from. I join the good people of Feeding America in the hope that our efforts can bring some food security to people in need during this holiday season."

Your friends at Columbia Records