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Pop Pic: H.R. Pufnstuf
I have a kid version of an acid flashback any time I see something like this.
Former Marvel editor/writer Roy Thomas reacts to new Stan Lee bio
I have a lot of respect for Roy Thomas and am a longtime fan of comic book writing and his magazine, Alter-Ego. I also recognize that he's very much a Stan Lee partisan in the arguments over whether Stan or Jack Kirby should get the most credit for creating the Marvel Universe. So, I'm not surprised to see him penning this piece in the Hollywood Reporter giving us his take on the new biography "True Believer: The Rise and Fall of Stan Lee" by Abraham Riesman.
Not having known either Stan or Jack, I don't have a dog in the fight. But I do believe that Kirby deserves the same household name status that Stan enjoyed. I believe his character designs and plotting (or co-plotting) of classic Marvel tales earns him full co-creator status. But I also think it's wrong to diminish Stan's contributions in giving Marvel's characters personality and pathos via his dialogue, and for promoting the Marvel Universe as a thing. The plain truth is, none of it would've happened without both of them. Not to mention Steve Ditko...
At any rate, Roy's piece is certainly worth a read if you are a fan at all of Marvel's comic book past. (And, if you aren't, why are you here?!)
Snippet:
If you slice and dice the more-than-occasional bits of unhealthy fat off Riesman's book — the places where he goes off on unsupported flights of fancy to declare on his own recognizance that "Kirby … may well have been the sole creator of the whole kit and caboodle" of Marvel concepts and characters — you wind up with a book that could be a welcome, even major addition to the handful of Stan Lee biographies written to date.
But, no matter how well the Random House publicity machine manages to hype this book, as long as it stands as currently published, with Stan all but written off as an inveterate liar whose most important creation was his public persona (when it was actually the concept and direction of the Marvel Universe, an idea that was anathema to Jack Kirby, as per in-book quotes), it will remain undeserving of the high praise heaped upon it by people who, for the most part, don't really know what the hell they're talking about.
New comics collected editions: Bronze-Age Swamp-Thing; Crisis on Multiple Earths Book 1
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Created by legendary writer LEN WEIN and artist BERNIE WRIGHTSON, this shambling, muck-encrusted figure swiftly became one of DC's most iconic characters during the Bronze Age of comics, and his shocking stories have become classics in the gothic horror genre. In this brilliant collection, Swamp Thing is joined by the Phantom Stranger as he goes up against an electronics genius--before having to face off against Anton Arcane!
Collects The Saga of the Swamp Thing #6-19 and Saga of the Swamp Thing Annual #1
Starting with the "Crisis on Earth" story, the Justice League of America meets the Justice Society of America! The teams have to team up if they want to defeat the Crime Champions and they'll even have to...switch Earths?! Will the teams solve the Crisis of Two Worlds?
The JLA will team up with the JSA in more adventures and even face off against enemies, like the Crime Syndicate, on their own!
Collects Justice League of America #21-22, Justice League of America #29-30, Justice League of America #37-38, Justice League of America #46-47, Justice League of America #55-56, Justice League of America #64-65, Justice League of America #73-74, Justice League of America #76, Justice League of America #82-83, and Limited Collectors' Edition #46
Pop Culture Roundup: Gil Kane, Austin Briggs, Paul Norris, Courageous Cat
A look at what the neighbors are up to...
Cap'n's Comics shares a selection of Wonder Woman covers by the great Gil Kane. I love this one in particular.
Down the Tubes shines a spotlight on master illustrator Austin Briggs, who ghosted for Alex Raymond on the Flash Gordon comic strip for a time, in addition to doing magazine illustration work.
Davy Crockett shares another Wally Wood story - this time a Western from 1951 featured a masked villainess.
Booksteve found some cool Courageous Cat matchbooks. Hey kids: Don't smoke!
So long, James Burke of the Five Fairsteps
James Burke, who sang the hit "O-o-h Child" along with his siblings in the Five Stairsteps, died at age 70 this week, Variety reports.
The Five Stairsteps are often thought of as a one-hit-wonder band because of the outsize popularity of “O-o-h Child,” which continues to rack up cover versions today, including one that was released just last month by KISS member Paul Stanley. But the group had 19 singles that charted on either the R&B or pop charts — usually both — between the years of 1966-80. “O-o-h Child” was their only song to crack the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 8. But 11 of the Stairsteps’ singles made it into the top 20 of the R&B chart.
Here's the group performing its best-known hit:
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