Pop Culture Roundup: Spider-Man; "Blue Velvet"; Batman; "Land of the Giants"; DC and Marvel tabloids

ITEM! The strange history of Spider-Man in Mexico.

ITEM! An upcoming Criterion Collection edition of David Lynch's will include more than an hour of re-discovered footage.

ITEM! A behind-the-scenes look at a new Golden Age Batman figure and how it was designed.

ITEM! A classic "Land of the Giants" model kit is being reissued.

ITEM! A gallery of DC Treasury Edition covers.

ITEM! And Marvel Treasury Editions covers, too!

New Music Friday: Curtis Mayfield; Ella Fitzgerald; Sleaford Mods; The Claypool Lennon Delirium; Ray Charles; Flamin' Groovies; Julian Lage

Our picks this week. Click the links to order items from Amazon.

Curtis Mayfield - Keep On Keeping On: Curtis Mayfield Studio Albums 1970-1974

This collection includes newly remastered versions of his first four studio albums: Curtis (1970), Roots (1971), Back to the World (1973) and Sweet Exorcist (1974).

Ella Fitzgerald - Ella at the Shrine (vinyl)

Sleaford Mods - Eton Alive

The Claypool Lennon Delirium - South of Reality

Ray Charles - Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Flamin' Groovies - Gonna Rock Tonite: Complete Recordings 1969-1971

Julian Lage - Love Hurts

Records We Missed: E.E. Cummings Reads His Poetry

Dig the all-caps cover copy!

So long, Peter Tork

Singer, songwriter and member of television's "The Monkees," Peter Tork died at age 77 today, The New York Times reports. We're big Monkees fans here at PCS and Peter will be much missed.

Here's a look at Tork's screen test for the TV series:

And here's a video of The Monkees' "Auntie Grizelda," with Tork on lead vocals:

And, from our sister site, The Glass Onion Beatles Journal, here's a pic of Tork with George Harrison from Harrison's "Wonderwall Music" sessions:

Comic Book Art: John Romita Sr. Amazing Spider-Man Annual #7 cover, original artwork

 

Coming Up: Spider-Man by John Byrne Omnibus

Out in May. Stay tuned for pre-order info.

Details from Marvel:

Written by BILL MANTLO, CHRIS CLAREMONT, RALPH MACCHIO, MARV WOLFMAN, ROGER STERN, JOHN BYRNE & HOWARD MACKIE
Penciled by JOHN BYRNE

Cover by JOHN BYRNE
 
Every Spider-Man story illustrated by the legendary John Byrne, collected in one huge hardcover! Spidey is put through his paces as he teams with the Hulk, the Wasp, Ms. Marvel, Iron Fist, Captain Britain, Man-Thing, Thor, Luke Cage and more — and battles Man-Wolf, Doctor Octopus and the Ringer! Revisit chapter one of Spidey’s history as the web-slinger faces his most fearsome foes for the first time! And a legend is reborn as Peter Parker returns to the Spider-Man costume, kicking off an amazing run featuring daring drama, fresh faces and classic foes! 

Collecting MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #53-55, #59-70 and #75; AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #189-190, #206 and ANNUAL #13; PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN (1976) #58; SPIDER-MAN: CHAPTER ONE #0-12; AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1999) #1 (A & C STORIES), #2-11, #12 (A STORY) and #13-18; and MARVEL AUTHENTIX: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #1.
1264 PGS.

Coming Up: Timely's Greatest - The Golden Age Sub-Mariner

Out in May. Stay tuned for pre-order info.

Details from Marvel:

BY BILL EVERETT - THE PRE-WAR YEARS OMNIBUS HC
Written by BILL EVERETT with CARL BURGOS & JOHN COMPTON
Penciled by BILL EVERETT with CARL BURGOS
 
Marvel proudly presents TIMELY’S GREATEST, a series of once-in-a-lifetime volumes presenting the greatest stories of the Golden Age, when Marvel was known as Timely Comics! Our debut volume celebrates the incomparable adventures of comics’ first antihero, Prince Namor, the Sub-Mariner! Bill Everett’s Sub-Mariner cut a bold path, defending his undersea kingdom, invading New York City, fighting the Axis powers and battling both against and alongside the Human Torch! Like his signature character, Everett was an iconoclast ahead of his time. His lush, detailed artwork and engrossing ongoing storylines were unlike anything else of the era! For the first time ever, experience every adventure of Prince Namor from his 1939 debut through Bill Everett’s February 1942 induction into the armed services. 

Collecting material from MARVEL COMICS #1, MARVEL MYSTERY COMICS #2-31, HUMAN TORCH COMICS #2-6, SUB-MARINER COMICS #1-4, ALL-WINNERS COMICS (1941) #1-4, DARING MYSTERY COMICS #7-8 and COMEDY COMICS (1942) #9.
864 PGS.