by John | Dec 3, 2019 | Uncategorized
I’ll admit Tony Isabella‘s gag in today’s comic made me laugh out loud. (I might have even giggled.)
Having spent much of my adult life working in the comic book biz, I’m not exactly a stranger to the tendency for comic artists to emphasize the way most super heroines fill out the top half of their costumes.
The most obvious example of this is Power Girl. According to comic book lore, Power Girl’s co-creator Wally Wood bet a studio mate that he could draw Power Girl with a bigger chest each issue and that editors at DC Comics would never notice or object. They didn’t.
Original art featuring Power Girl drawn by Wally Wood in All-Star Comics #65, 1977.
Art by Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia from the story “One Too Many Heartbreaks” in FIRST KISS #39, 1964.
Transcript:
SCENE: Woman talking to a male artist who is sitting and drawing at his drawing board.
WOMAN: Hey, mister, my eyes are up here!
ARTIST: Listen, babe, if I wanted to draw your eyes…I wouldn’t have become a comic-book artist!
1964 Art: Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira Guest Writer: Tony Isabella
DJP.lk410
Art by Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia from the story “One Too Many Heartbreaks” in FIRST KISS #39, 1964.
↓ TranscriptSCENE: Woman talking to a male artist who is sitting and drawing at his drawing board.
WOMAN: Hey, mister, my eyes are up here!
ARTIST: Listen, babe, if I wanted to draw your eyes...I wouldn’t have become a comic-book artist!
1964 Art: Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira Guest Writer: Tony Isabella
DJP.lk410
Art by Charles Nicholas & Vince Alascia from the story "One Too Many Heartbreaks" in FIRST KISS #39, 1964.
by John | Nov 14, 2019 | Uncategorized
1963 art by Luis Dominguez from the story “Reckless Romance” in First Kiss #30. (Scanned from the publisher’s black & white photostats of the color comic.)
Transcript:
PANEL #1 SCENE: Young woman talking to her parents as they start to leave the house.
CAPTION: While waiting to win the lottery, Bella Bylotta is having a hard time affording the basic necessities–rent, food, Netflix and comics! So Bella decides she either has to get a job or…
YOUNG WOMAN: …move back in with you and Mom!
DAD: Great! We’ll just sleep in the driveway so there’s room for all your comics!
MOM: After we die of hypothermia, bury us in the flower beds!
PANEL #2 SCENE: Medium closeup of the distressed daughter after her parents leave.
YOUNG WOMAN (thinks): Anger! Guilt! Sarcasm! That’s so sweet! It’s just like I never left!
1963 Art: Luis Dominguez Color: Allen Freeman
30.3.7.1-2
↓ TranscriptPANEL #1 SCENE: Young woman talking to her parents as they start to leave the house.
CAPTION: While waiting to win the lottery, Bella Bylotta is having a hard time affording the basic necessities--rent, food, Netflix and comics! So Bella decides she either has to get a job or...
YOUNG WOMAN: ...move back in with you and Mom!
DAD: Great! We’ll just sleep in the driveway so there’s room for all your comics!
MOM: After we die of hypothermia, bury us in the flower beds!
PANEL #2 SCENE: Medium closeup of the distressed daughter after her parents leave.
YOUNG WOMAN (thinks): Anger! Guilt! Sarcasm! That’s so sweet! It’s just like I never left!
1963 Art: Luis Dominguez Color: Allen Freeman
30.3.7.1-2
by John | Nov 10, 2019 | Uncategorized
Happy Veterans Day!
Art by Mac Raboy from Master Comics #30, 1942.
Transcript:
SCENE: A superhero (Captain Marvel Jr.) holds a large American flag as he leads American soldiers into battle.
CAPTION/TITLE: Not All Heroes Wear Capes!
Happy Veterans Day
1942 Art: Mac Raboy Captain Marvel Jr. © & ™ DC Comics
↓ TranscriptSCENE: A superhero (Captain Marvel Jr.) holds a large American flag as he leads American soldiers into battle.
CAPTION/TITLE: Not All Heroes Wear Capes!
Happy Veterans Day
1942 Art: Mac Raboy Captain Marvel Jr. © & ™ DC Comics
by John | Nov 3, 2019 | Uncategorized
Art by John Tartaglione from the story “The Sea Green Eyes!” in FIRST KISS #5, 1958.
Transcript:
SCENE: Young woman sitting looking at some sheets of paper.
WOMAN (thinks): Why does no one “like” my Garfield/Marmaduke fan fiction? I can’t be the only reader…who feels their unspoken passion!
1958 Art: John Tartaglione Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Guest Writer: Tony Isabella
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↓ TranscriptSCENE: Young woman sitting looking at some sheets of paper.
WOMAN (thinks): Why does no one “like” my Garfield/Marmaduke fan fiction? I can’t be the only reader...who feels their unspoken passion!
1958 Art: John Tartaglione Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Guest Writer: Tony Isabella
DJP.lk355
by John | Aug 29, 2019 | Uncategorized
Art attributed to George Tuska from the “Glory Forbes” story in Rangers Comics #22, April 1945.
Transcript:
CAPTION: At first, Shirley Smelmoor was just a hardworking deodorant model–testing the olfactory limits of the latest pit protection devised by Dismal Hygiene, Inc! But then a new, experimental deodorant is accidentally mixed with radioactive ore! (Don’t ask how! It doesn’t make sense to us either!) And Shirley becomes Ms. Sniff–the Maid of Malodorous Might!
PANEL #1: Ms. Sniff is undressing on a dock.
MS. SNIFF (thinking): Stopping that bank robbery left me smelling worse than a skunk in a cesspool!
PANEL #2: Ms. Sniff dives off the pier into the water as a bystander comments.
BYSTANDER: Hey! What reeks? Did something die?MS. SNIFF (thinking): A quick bath in Lake Fetid should do the trick!
PANEL #3: Ms. Sniff is hiding in the water below the pier as she hears voices from above.
BYSTANDER: No! It’s worse! It’s Ms. Sniff…The siren of stench!
BYSTANDER #2: Again? That putrid pariah oughta be run out of town!
MS. SNIFF (thinking): Th-that voice! It’s my date…Paul!
CAPTION: What happens next? Find out in our next sinus-scorching adventure: “I’ll love you forever…as long as you’re downwind!”
1945 Art by George Tuska Color by Lustig
MsSniffGeoTuskaColor.tif
↓ TranscriptCAPTION: At first, Shirley Smelmoor was just a hardworking deodorant model--testing the olfactory limits of the latest pit protection devised by Dismal Hygiene, Inc! But then a new, experimental deodorant is accidentally mixed with radioactive ore! (Don’t ask how! It doesn’t make sense to us either!) And Shirley becomes Ms. Sniff--the Maid of Malodorous Might!
PANEL #1: Ms. Sniff is undressing on a dock.
MS. SNIFF (thinking): Stopping that bank robbery left me smelling worse than a skunk in a cesspool!
PANEL #2: Ms. Sniff dives off the pier into the water as a bystander comments.
BYSTANDER: Hey! What reeks? Did something die?MS. SNIFF (thinking): A quick bath in Lake Fetid should do the trick!
PANEL #3: Ms. Sniff is hiding in the water below the pier as she hears voices from above.
BYSTANDER: No! It’s worse! It’s Ms. Sniff...The siren of stench!
BYSTANDER #2: Again? That putrid pariah oughta be run out of town!
MS. SNIFF (thinking): Th-that voice! It’s my date…Paul!
CAPTION: What happens next? Find out in our next sinus-scorching adventure: “I’ll love you forever…as long as you’re downwind!”
1945 Art by George Tuska Color by Lustig
