tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40306587997438566262024-02-18T22:46:02.412-06:00The Quality Companion CompanionAll about Quality Comics, Golden Age publisher of Plastic Man and Blackhawk!Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-44674361949397748302015-08-11T14:44:00.000-05:002015-08-11T14:45:55.824-05:00The Spirit Quality Index<div>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">You too can read The Spirit—for free! </span></h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaNNkaKUIRFav-WJUeG4foE40vAiTCweeM5rcRhvcXtHotSpy2aX7QnpZ_uiZ-Y0lNX44zT2ucdStDrbk8y2y9dVHS4kt-eBtEKerlcMfM6LcS4mtXrcIlVSTK8J9Hx2nHQvfKSvCU80/s1600/48380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdaNNkaKUIRFav-WJUeG4foE40vAiTCweeM5rcRhvcXtHotSpy2aX7QnpZ_uiZ-Y0lNX44zT2ucdStDrbk8y2y9dVHS4kt-eBtEKerlcMfM6LcS4mtXrcIlVSTK8J9Hx2nHQvfKSvCU80/s320/48380.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;">The Spirit shared the spotlight with Plastic<br />
Man several times in 1943: cover of<i> Police<br /> Comics</i> #23 (1943); art by Jack Cole.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: start;">
When I was writing the Spirit's profile for the <em>Quality Companion</em>, Cat Yronwode's <em><a href="http://www.luckymojo.com/spiritchecklist.html" target="_blank"><strong>Spirit Checklist</strong></a></em> was an invaluable help. (The original Checklist can be found at <a href="http://www.angelfire.com/art/wildwood/" target="_blank">Wildwood Cemetery</a>, a site which has fallen into disrepair. It was <a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=spirit%20checklist&source=web&cd=4&ved=0CDMQFjAD&url=http%3A//www.angelfire.com/art/wildwood1/downloads/checklist.pdf&ei=HAKvTs69M4KpiALhnaDpDw&usg=AFQjCNF9NSNTpn3B1zxxRh4_VHAS2aPeIw&sig2=tLuj1XCjnCzAle09D2qU1Q&cad=rja" target="_blank">updated by Wes Tumulka, PDF</a>.)</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
But scans of the original<em> Spirit Section </em>Sunday are still quite spotty at the public domain collection at the <a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=663" target="_blank">Digital Comics Museum.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
As an alternative, you can begin reading the strip by downloading the comic books in which the Sunday strip was <em>reprinted </em>— in Quality Comics' <a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=32" target="_blank"><em>Police Comics</em></a> and <em><a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=194" target="_blank">The Spirit</a>.</em> Within these titles, the character's Sunday adventures are well-represented through 1946, <strong>but they were not reprinted in perfect chronological order</strong>. This Index helps you rearrange the reprints in order.</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
Sadly, it was after 1946 when <em>The Spirit</em>'s most lauded tales were written, and when Eisner and his assistants (don't be fooled, there were many) more finely honed the look of things.</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
If you find yourself going ape for the character, <em>see</em><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4030658799743856626#further"> Further Reading</a>.</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<h3 style="text-align: start;">
STEPS:</h3>
<ol style="text-align: start;">
<li>To read digital comics, I use <a href="http://www.bitcartel.com/comicbooklover/" target="_blank"><strong>Comic Book Lover</strong></a> (Mac only). Also, <strong><a href="http://comical.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Comical</a> </strong>(Windows & Mac).</li>
<li>Register with the Digital Comic Museum and download specific issues of <a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=32" target="_blank"><em>Police Comics</em></a> and <em><a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=194" target="_blank">The Spirit</a>. (And if you're nice, give a contribution to the site!)</em></li>
<li>Read your digital comics in the order presented below...</li>
</ol>
<h2 style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: large;">How to Read the Checklist</span></h2>
<div style="text-align: start;">
The following list arranges all of the reprints of the original <em>Spirit Section </em>appearance that appeared in either <em>Police Comics </em>or <em>The Spirit</em> comic book. The reprints did not adhere to the original publishing order. <em>Police Comics </em>reprinted about 25% (one per month) of the original weekly installments into 1947. Notes about the creators are truncated from the original Checklist.</div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
The first number is the episode number, followed by the original publish date, and title. On the next line, bulleted lines give the issue in which it was reprinted.</div>
<h2 style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2 style="text-align: start;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Police Comics</span></h2>
<h3 class="rule" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Spirit Sections 1–100</span></h3>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scripts, pencils and inks largely by Will Eisner</i></h6>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnRxP873GFV8qsDt3xXq9VFNcRvSYG7lLzAI_Heh3H-rizvTllFzlhhFu39ieBKAeiow3M7QeESzk34W3Rcio6Q16QFlF9vunnmbIQhYsfZKSChZOhH8VchKetqk9xGEOZA9t0Snh6XU/s1600/Police-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUnRxP873GFV8qsDt3xXq9VFNcRvSYG7lLzAI_Heh3H-rizvTllFzlhhFu39ieBKAeiow3M7QeESzk34W3Rcio6Q16QFlF9vunnmbIQhYsfZKSChZOhH8VchKetqk9xGEOZA9t0Snh6XU/s320/Police-16.jpg" width="227" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Cover of<i> Police Comics</i> #16<br />(1943); art by Gill Fox.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>1. </strong>2 June 1940: The Origin of The Spirit</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police</em> #11</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>3. </strong>16 June 1940: The Black Queen</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #12</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>5. </strong>30 June 1940: Johnny Marston</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #13</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>7.</strong> 14 July 1940: Mr. Midnight</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #15</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>8. </strong>21 July 1940: Eldas Thayer</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #14</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>9.</strong> 28 July 1940: Palyachi, the Killer Clown</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #16</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>10. </strong>4 August 1940: The Death Dolls</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #26</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>12. </strong>18 August 1940: The Morger Boys</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #22</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>13. </strong>25 August 1940: The Orphans</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #17</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>16. </strong>15 September 1940: Ebony’s X-Ray Eyes</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #23</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>17. </strong>22 September 1940: Gang Warfare</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #18</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>18. </strong>29 September 1940: Oriental Agents</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #21</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>21. </strong>20 October 1940: Ogre Goran</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #20</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>25. </strong>17 November 1940: Dr Prince Von Kalm</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #25</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>26. </strong>24 November 1940: The Kidnapping of Ebony</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #24</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>28. </strong>8 December 1940: The Haunted House</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #19</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>33. </strong>12 January 1941: The Silk District Beat</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #29</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>34. </strong>19 January 1941: Pancho De Bool & Peppi Tamale</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #39</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>36. </strong>2 February 1941: Davy Jones’ Locker</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #38</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>37.</strong> 9 February 1941: The Substitute Spirits (refried in 422)</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #27</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>38.</strong> 16 February 1941: Radio Station WLXK</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #28</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>39.</strong> 23 February 1941: Invasion From Argos</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #40</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>40. </strong>2 March 1941: Dead Duck Dolan</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #36</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>43. </strong>23 March 1941: Boombershlag aka Dipsy Dooble</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #31</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>44. </strong>30 March 1941: Captured aka Captured by the Underworld</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #30</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>50. </strong>11 May 1941: A Dull Week</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #37</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>52. </strong>25 May 1941: Thomas Hawkins</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #32</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>60. </strong>20 July 1941: The Jewel of Death aka The Spirit in Damascus (partially refried in 509)</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #41</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>62. </strong>3 August 1941: Wanted Dead or Alive: The Spirit</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #34</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>71. </strong>5 October 1941: Sphinx & Satin</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #33</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>72. </strong>12 October 1941: The Genius</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #35</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="rule" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Spirit Sections 101–128</span></h3>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scripts, layouts (plus some pencils and occasional inks) by Will Eisner, finished Art by Lou Fine with various assistants, except for Sections 119, 120, 121 and 125: Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman, Pencils by Lou Fine, Inks by John Belfi.</i></h6>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>114.</strong> 2 August 1942: Professor Pinx</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #42</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>115. </strong>9 August 1942: Shoplifters & Sodas</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #43</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="rule" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Spirit Sections 129–168</span></h3>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk, Pencils by Lou Fine. Sections 133, 136, 137, 152 and 153: scripts and layouts by Will Eisner, pencils by Lou Fine. Section 168: Script and layout by Eisner.</i></h6>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>146. </strong>14 March 1943: Byron’s Memoirs</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #54</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>157. </strong>30 May 1943: The Spirit Ain’t Fair</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #48</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>160. </strong>20 June 1943: Parrot Puggins</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #50</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>161. </strong>27 June 1943: Keep Out</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #45</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>163. </strong>11 July 1943: Three Spirit QuWishes</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #44</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>168. </strong>15 August 1943: The Last Gang in Rotten Row</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #55</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="rule" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Spirit Sections 169–185</span></h3>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk, Art by Quality Staff Artists, including Robin King and Joe Kubert.</i></h6>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>170. </strong>29 August 1943: Broadway Lily</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #52</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>174. </strong>26 September 1943: Murder on the Job</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #53</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>177. </strong>17 October 1943: The Magic Drums of the Shonokins</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #46</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>178. </strong>24 October 1943: Who Killed Gloria Drake?</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #51</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>183. </strong>28 November 1943: The Killer Nurse</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #47</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="rule">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Spirit Sections 186–220</span></h3>
<h6>
Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk or Jack Cole (only on those he penciled). Most pencils by Lou Fine, some by Jack Cole.</h6>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>187. </strong>26 December 1943: Cloak and Coffin</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #49</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>219. </strong>6 August 1944: The Metal Monsters</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #60</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>220. </strong>13 August 1944: Smooch & the Baby</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #92</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="rule" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Spirit Sections 221–290</span></h3>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scripts by Manly Wade Wellman or Bill Woolfolk, pencils by Lou Fine.</i></h6>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>221. </strong>20 August 1944: Miss Meda</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #69</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>223. </strong>3 September 1944: Tubbs and Burberry</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #70</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>224. </strong>10 September 1944: Jackie Boy</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #57</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>226. </strong>24 September 1944: The Case of the Headless Burglar</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #58</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>227. </strong>1 October 1944: Big Jake Gooley</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #56</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>228. </strong>8 October 1944: The Uncanny Cat aka The Case of the Uncanny Cat</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #59</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>230. </strong>22 October 1944: Kingololio</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #63</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>232. </strong>5 November 1944: The Case of the Will O’ Wisp Murders</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #62</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>235. </strong>26 November 1944: Upside Down House</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #90</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>237. </strong>10 December 1944: The Organ Grinder</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #61</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>239. </strong>24 December 1944: The Heirs of Dubbs Dombey</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #64</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>241. </strong>7 January 1945: The Tenacre Place</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #88</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>245. </strong>4 February 1945: The Glossop Heirs</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #86</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>247. </strong>18 February 1945: Barney the Beard</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #73</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>248. </strong>25 February 1945: This House Must Go</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #65</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>249. </strong>4 March 1945: The New Columbus</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #67</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>253. </strong>1 April 1945: Beautiful Andrew</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #72</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>254. </strong>8 April 1945: Amnesia No. 2</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #76</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>255. </strong>15 April 1945: Bond Bratton</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #87</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>259. </strong>13 May 1945: The Curse of the Kukri</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #85</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>264. </strong>17 June 1945: The Country Cousin</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #68</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>266. </strong>1 July 1945: The Amato Gang</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #84</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>267. </strong>8 July 1945: Elbows and Cheesecake</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #82</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>268. </strong>15 July 1945: The Millionth Customer</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #66</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>270. </strong>29 July 1945: Mr Grifty Goes Straight</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #81</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>273. </strong>19 August 1945: The Vickram Forgery</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #77</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>274. </strong>26 August 1945: Mobar’s Comet</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #71</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>276. </strong>9 September 1945: The Durand Gang</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #79</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>280. </strong>7 October 1945: Jason Ghor Is Innocent</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #78</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>281. </strong>14 October 1945: Jonas Dubrick’s Plan</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #83</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>285. </strong>11 November 1945: Triton and Josie</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #75</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>287. </strong>25 November 1945: Soapy Keeps It Clean</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #80</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>290. </strong>16 December 1945: Derry Mortlock</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #74</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="rule" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Spirit Sections 291–349</span></h3>
<h6 style="text-align: center;">
<i>Scripts and layouts by Will Eisner (with a few by Eisner and Klaus Nordling or Eisner and Marilyn Mercer), pencils by John Spranger (with some by Eisner and Spranger or Eisner alone).</i></h6>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>303. </strong>17 March 1946: Nylon Rose</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #98</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>309. </strong>28 April 1946: Dig a Hole</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #100</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>323. </strong>4 August 1946: Who Killed Cox Robin?</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #97</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>325.</strong> 18 August 1946: Distinguished Men Prefer Borshtbelt’s Buttermilk</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #99</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>326. </strong>25 August 1946: Smuggler’s Cove</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #95</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>327. </strong>1 September 1946: Olga Bustle in ‘Outcast’</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #94</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>334. </strong>20 October 1946: Artemus Peap</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #101</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>336. </strong>3 November 1946: Beagle’s Second Chance</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #96</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<strong>353. </strong>2 March 1947: A Granule of Time</div>
<ul style="text-align: start;">
<li><em>Police Comics</em> #102</li>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: start;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: start;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<article style="text-align: start;"><h2 class="Heading-1">
<span style="font-size: large;"><em>The Spirit </em>series</span></h2>
<em>The Spirit </em>by Quality featured all reprints. Occasionally it printed non-Spirit stories, too. Some issues of Quality's <em>The Spirit </em>contained filler material including "Jonesy" and "Flatfoot Burns."<br /><div class="h3">
<strong><br /></strong></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMQLlebhsFPxYq5cfvw_u4yZh3Sdik7rYkN-q5wdVglJeRa3gRWHT_kMXOLn6Bsu6ZDHfbN4xifVu2rY9WkGH4vuKqC6q37UO16hc6tPlbR9BSlujA5Cw9PaqTBHVHTYMGuV0G_ARpvI/s1600/Spirit-01_1944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMQLlebhsFPxYq5cfvw_u4yZh3Sdik7rYkN-q5wdVglJeRa3gRWHT_kMXOLn6Bsu6ZDHfbN4xifVu2rY9WkGH4vuKqC6q37UO16hc6tPlbR9BSlujA5Cw9PaqTBHVHTYMGuV0G_ARpvI/s320/Spirit-01_1944.jpg" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Cover of </span><em style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;">The Spirit </em><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">#1 (1944);<br />art by Lou Fine.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #1</strong> (1944)</div>
<ul>
<li>149. 4 April 1943: Evil Eye Manders aka The Eyes Have It</li>
<li>150. 11 April 1943: The Dollars of 1804 aka Wanted</li>
<li>151. 18 April 1943: The Grandfather Clock aka A Clock Stops</li>
<li>153. 2 May 1943: Yellow Eyes Janus aka Manhunt</li>
<li>154. 9 May 1943: Dr Plague</li>
<li>155. 16 May 1943: Policewoman Ellen aka Dressed To Kill</li>
<li>156. 23 May 1943: Tony Zacco aka Tony Zacco, Public Enemy No. 1</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #2</strong> (1945)</div>
<ul>
<li>165. 25 July 1943: The Spirit Did... aka Framed</li>
<li>176. 10 October 1943: Ellen Dolan, Murderess aka Reserved: One Electric Chair</li>
<li>179. 31 October 1943: Death in the Lion Cage aka Circus Daze</li>
<li>180. 7 November 1943: Fronie Pettigrew aka Brummagen vs. Pettigrew</li>
<li>182. 21 November 1943: On Guard! aka On Guard, Crime</li>
<li>186. 19 December 1943: Druce’s Time Bomb aka Death After Death</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #3</strong> (1945)</div>
<ul>
<li>145. 7 March 1943: Class Reunion</li>
<li>148. 28 March 1943: Andy Horgan aka Death Takes Its Toll</li>
<li>158. 6 June 1943: Terrible Terry Gill aka Wanted, One Child</li>
<li>166. 1 August 1943: The Maestro aka Music Hath Charms</li>
<li>171. 5 September 1943: The Art of Making Love Ardently aka An Old Beau Returns</li>
<li>173. 19 September 1943: Killer Sykes aka Stormy Weather</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #4</strong> (Spring 1946)</div>
<ul>
<li>164. 18 July 1943: The House of Darkness</li>
<li>169. 22 August 1943: On the Ferris Wheel</li>
<li>184. 5 December 1943: The Auction</li>
<li>222. 27 August 1944: The Children’s Welfare Ball</li>
<li>290. 16 December 1945: Derry Mortlock</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #5 </strong>(Summer 1946)</div>
<ul>
<li>207. 14 May 1944: Fifi McCoy</li>
<li>210. 4 June 1944: Ebony’s Piano Lesson</li>
<li>213. 25 June 1944: Sad Eyes Sam’s Last Laught</li>
<li>225. 17 September 1944: Who Killed Cop Robin</li>
<li>240. 31 December 1944: The Mystery of the Death Angel</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #6 </strong>(Fall 1946)</div>
<ul>
<li>190. 16 January 1944: Ebony’s Inheritance</li>
<li>192. 30 January 1944: Circumstantial Evidence</li>
<li>201. 2 April 1944: Who Killed Bob Sydell?</li>
<li>229. 15 October 1944: The Music Box</li>
<li>233. 12 November 1944: The Return of Danny Bibo</li>
</ul>
<strong>The Spirit #7 </strong>(Winter 1946)<br /><ul>
<li>211. 11 June 1944: The Cellini Dagger</li>
<li>216. 16 July 1944: The Treasure of the S.S. Jackson</li>
<li>218. 30 July 1944: The Case of the Kindly Dragon!</li>
<li>234. 19 November 1944: Cooter Creek</li>
<li>238. 17 December 1944: The Dancing Gang</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #8</strong> (Spring 1947)</div>
<ul>
<li>196. 27 February 1944: Who Killed Sam Wright?</li>
<li>197. 5 March 1944: The Charity Ball</li>
<li>208. 21 May 1944: Black Marx</li>
<li>220. 13 August 1944: Smooch & the Baby</li>
<li>235. 26 November 1944: Upside Down House</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #9 </strong>(Summer 1947)</div>
<ul>
<li>198. 12 March 1944: Double Eagle</li>
<li>206. 7 May 1944: John Magby’s Last Will & Testament</li>
<li>212. 18 June 1944: The Odor of Geraniums</li>
<li>269. 22 July 1945: Caressa</li>
<li>283. 28 October 1945: Death, South American Style</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #10</strong> (Fall 1947)</div>
<ul>
<li>188. 2 January 1944: Killer Ketch</li>
<li>189. 9 January 1944: Mrs. Sorrel</li>
<li>199. 19 March 1944: Skelter & Crabb</li>
<li>256. 22 April 1945: Diamonds and Rats</li>
<li>275. 2 September 1945: Cookie</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #11 </strong>(Spring 1948)</div>
<ul>
<li>194. 13 February 1944: Man O’ War</li>
<li>195. 20 February 1944: In the Moorish Section of Central City</li>
<li>204. 23 April 1944: Rogoff</li>
<li>236. 3 December 1944: Thirteen O’Clock</li>
<li>258. 6 May 1945: Cousin Dora’s Little Egbert</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #12 </strong>(Summer 1948)</div>
<ul>
<li>265. 24 June 1945: The Whitlock Diamond Caper</li>
<li>272. 12 August 1945: Eye, Feets and Lock</li>
<li>279. 30 September 1945: The Case of the Missing Undertaker</li>
<li>282. 21 October 1945: Nitro</li>
<li>286. 18 November 1945: Skelvin’s School For Actors</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #13</strong> (Autumn 1948)</div>
<ul>
<li>261. 27 May 1945: Mr. Exter</li>
<li>262. 3 June 1945: Red Scandon</li>
<li>278. 23 September 1945: Mr Martin’s Pistols</li>
<li>284. 4 November 1945: Vaudeville Vinnie</li>
<li>289. 9 December 1945: The Strange Case of the Two $5.00 Bills</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #14 </strong>(Winter 1948)</div>
<ul>
<li>250. 11 March 1945: The Masked Magician</li>
<li>251. 18 March 1945: Prominent Executives Vanish</li>
<li>252. 25 March 1945: Belle La Trivet</li>
<li>271. 5 August 1945: The Kuttup Shop</li>
<li>288. 2 December 1945: The Alibi Factory</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #15 </strong>(Spring 1949)</div>
<ul>
<li>232. 5 November 1944: The Case of the Will O’ Wisp Murders</li>
<li>263. 10 June 1945: Rosilind Ripsley</li>
<li>277. 16 September 1945: Madame Larna’s Crystal Ball</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #16 </strong>(July 1949)</div>
<ul>
<li>224. 10 September 1944: Jackie Boy</li>
<li>226. 24 September 1944: The Case of the Headless Burglar</li>
<li>228. 8 October 1944: The Uncanny Cat aka The Case of the Uncanny Cat</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #17 </strong>(September 1949)</div>
<ul>
<li>219. 6 August 1944: The Metal Monsters</li>
<li>227. 1 October 1944: Big Jake Gooley</li>
<li>237. 10 December 1944: The Organ Grinder</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #18</strong> (November 1949)</div>
<ul>
<li>294. 13 January 1946: Dolan’s ‘Origin of The Spirit’ aka Who?</li>
<li>295. 20 January 1946: Hildie and Satin aka Satin Returns</li>
<li>316. 16 June 1946: The Bucket of Blood (refried in 599)</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #19 </strong>(January 1950)</div>
<ul>
<li>304. 24 March 1946: The Last Trolley aka The Man Who Killed The Spirit</li>
<li>308. 21 April 1946: Introducing Mr Carrion aka The Case of the Balky Buzzard</li>
<li>312. 19 May 1946: Carrion’s Rock</li>
</ul>
<strong>The Spirit #20</strong> (April 1950)<br /><ul>
<li>296. 27 January 1946: The Siberian Dagger</li>
<li>313. 26 May 1946: Magnifying Glasses</li>
<li>328. 8 September 1946: The Vortex</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #21</strong> (June 1950)</div>
<ul>
<li>315. 9 June 1946: Pool’s Toadstool Facial Cream aka Love Comes to The Spirit</li>
<li>317. 23 June 1946: The Rubber Band aka The Grumley Murder aka The Spirit vs. The Rubber Mind</li>
<li>332. 6 October 1946: Meet P’Gell aka P’Gell of Paris</li>
</ul>
<div class="h3">
<strong>The Spirit #22 </strong>(August 1950)</div>
<ul>
<li>319. 7 July 1946: Dulcet Tone</li>
<li>320. 14 July 1946: Cargo Octopus aka The Postage Stamp</li>
<li>321. 21 July 1946: The Legend aka A Legend</li>
</ul>
</article><article style="text-align: start;"><h2>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></h2>
<h2>
<span style="font-size: large;">Further Reading</span></h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM-j2FqF_3FF_gbwPLGq6qgKvK0vpbOgZZcrNbk29U645NN8aI9TIkryDDItxIZe380nR-gZA0dPbgRwWt_fJfIckybPVzNW16FrhrwbYRzLziWRX-tWnI8Id4z-zpvhrPmSt5E_wXv8/s1600/78748427048.8.GIF" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHM-j2FqF_3FF_gbwPLGq6qgKvK0vpbOgZZcrNbk29U645NN8aI9TIkryDDItxIZe380nR-gZA0dPbgRwWt_fJfIckybPVzNW16FrhrwbYRzLziWRX-tWnI8Id4z-zpvhrPmSt5E_wXv8/s320/78748427048.8.GIF" width="236" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Warren's </span><em style="font-size: medium; text-align: start;">The Spirit Magazine </em><span style="font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">#8<br />(1975); art by Will Eisner and Ken Kelley. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
To read beyond the original Quality Comics reprints, you could seek out <a href="http://www.comics.org/series/2191/" target="_blank">Warren's 16-issue magazine series </a>(1974–76) which was edited with the help of Will Eisner himself. It reprints a good many of the postwar stories including many key tales. Decent copies of those will run you $10 and up, but I was lucky and scored a huge run of them for a song on ebay. These had all been "stripped" (the cover titles clipped off).</article><article style="text-align: start;"><br />Warren's <em>Spirit</em> magazines were edited by Will Eisner, and even featured a couple of new stories and fun tidbits by him. These issues sometimes reprinted stories in thematic groups, like the "femme fatale" issue.</article><article style="text-align: start;"><br />If you become a fanatic, you can always graduate to buying DC Comics' hardcovers, <a href="http://www.comics.org/series/10120/" target="_blank"><em>The Spirit Archives</em></a>, which reprint the Spirit's the entire run.</article><article style="text-align: start;"><br />The <em>Spirit Section</em>'s swan song was also reprinted in a book,<span id="btAsinTitle"> <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Outer-Space-Spirit-1952/dp/0878160124" target="_blank">The Outer Space Spirit: 1952</a>.</em></span></article><article style="text-align: start;"><br /></article><article style="text-align: start;">And the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1401204236?ie=UTF8&tag=willeisner-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=1401204236" target="_blank"><em><strong>Eisner Companion</strong></em></a> covers the character in detail, with an "A to Z" mini-encyclopedia of the series.</article></div>
<ul>
</ul>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-42482890756280309732015-07-02T07:10:00.000-05:002015-07-02T07:10:23.311-05:00Will Eisner's The Spirit (Dyanmite Entertainment)This week Dynamite Entertainment debuted the next chapter in the saga of the Spirit — almost literally. The series by Matt Wagner and Dan Schkade begins at a time when the main character has been missing for two years.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryRywKSB3bINNf1zBCvsZDj78ZtXDCffFdNxU36sXe9qRtXJY0BDMzzVCc_M9d90gS0uj22TMLPpnAa9X-aeuVvpNyDJHUMOHhzfKFHXBd6x8fDqoO4eyAPTI0HdEdZLC5zRNuOOV5Uo/s1600/spirit-dynamite-01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiryRywKSB3bINNf1zBCvsZDj78ZtXDCffFdNxU36sXe9qRtXJY0BDMzzVCc_M9d90gS0uj22TMLPpnAa9X-aeuVvpNyDJHUMOHhzfKFHXBd6x8fDqoO4eyAPTI0HdEdZLC5zRNuOOV5Uo/s320/spirit-dynamite-01a.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Spirit, in flashback origin story. From <i>Will Eisner's <br />the Spirit</i> #1 (2015); art by Dan Schkade. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The splash page is the front page of the Central City Gazette. Its story, "Who Killed the Spirit?" beares a 1940s date (the last digit obscured), and sits two years after the hero's last appearance. (This clearly places this series chronologically in the middle of Eisner's original run, which lasted all the way to 1952.)<br />
<br />
While the Spirit remains missing throughout the setup, there are several flashbacks, one being a retelling of his origin by <b>Commissioner Dolan</b>. His daughter, <b>Ellen Dolan</b> has since become a councilwoman.<br />
<br />
The Spirit's trusty aides, <b>Ebony White</b> and <b>Sammy</b> have since teamed up to form their own private investigation service, Strunk and White. (Sammy did not originally appear until 1949.) When trouble calls, the two hop into Ebony's trademark cab and rush to help.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E3P8rXWw0W86u3RZZwPMjsTj5e99mJrhuTmMCcU5Z0-PvqYNtaXzFvkYijTiWyfPXHjpr0PcUE6_WjMDUFLhA_y-HKm6FEEh-Z0ttOGl3OOrGtry_6wzxuBeqYbe7MwTS4ZSUvpSwmQ/s1600/spirit-dynamite-01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1E3P8rXWw0W86u3RZZwPMjsTj5e99mJrhuTmMCcU5Z0-PvqYNtaXzFvkYijTiWyfPXHjpr0PcUE6_WjMDUFLhA_y-HKm6FEEh-Z0ttOGl3OOrGtry_6wzxuBeqYbe7MwTS4ZSUvpSwmQ/s320/spirit-dynamite-01b.jpg" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzWJvdzirxDDxtCKHIhhGWEZITwtQbL2Ya1XOMSJmYPKVBhDejPLpz1mYnADgeJ-jGkKHYTus1nh_6_OTXmG4d72si_Yuus5INQn_CRPyr5xrSp0ZmnbVCi9Kv9_Kx6CscTeheMo9rNo/s1600/spirit-dynamite-01c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipzWJvdzirxDDxtCKHIhhGWEZITwtQbL2Ya1XOMSJmYPKVBhDejPLpz1mYnADgeJ-jGkKHYTus1nh_6_OTXmG4d72si_Yuus5INQn_CRPyr5xrSp0ZmnbVCi9Kv9_Kx6CscTeheMo9rNo/s320/spirit-dynamite-01c.jpg" width="277" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Ellen with Archie and her father, Commissioner Dolan. Right: Sammy and Ebony.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
New characters include <b>Councilman Weatherby Palmer</b>, the mayor's pick for Dolan's replacement as police commissioner. Councilwoman Dolan keeps in tow a new pencil-necked suitor/assistant, <b>Archie</b>. Archie closely resembles her original beau, Homer. Ebony and Sammy rely on Ebony's cousin, a great hulk of a man named Francis, aka <b>Boulder</b>.<br />
<br />
Schkade's art is great, in line with the ... spirit ... of the original series, and is playful in a way that most super-hero comics no longer allow. Matt Wagner has loads of experience with this genre, having recently penned <i>The Shadow: Year One</i>, an excellent, gritty rendering of the classic pre-comics pulp character. As in <i>The Shadow</i>, Wagner searches for and retains the essentials and knows when to begin his departure.<br />
<br />
The only mild disappointment is that the Spirit himself is but a ghost in the tale. Maybe that's a poetic start. It's also refreshing to see his supporting cast in their "what if?" moments, and to be left hanging a bit until next time.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Want to brush up on your Spirit? </h4>
<i>Read</i> <a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2011/10/spirit-quality-index.html">"The Spirit Quality Index"</a>Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-43430230501419180722015-04-21T10:00:00.000-05:002015-07-05T13:07:52.239-05:00George Brenner: The Full Story!<i>An interview with John Brenner, conducted and transcribed by Mike Kooiman</i>
<i><br />
</i>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;">
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKOdGneut11JG-vv3sXFTY3PGs_q8U6IxikV84OpiCMlHh9rqKOM8cRRpBSloz7IHE7G6xpJw2_ySO1PSsywnRUdM2pq1KL0849AxYzvDtAAlN4bxAd4uBM8Z5Ce_wShMiRyj2WwRLJw/s1600/George+Brenner+in+white+(1934).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBKOdGneut11JG-vv3sXFTY3PGs_q8U6IxikV84OpiCMlHh9rqKOM8cRRpBSloz7IHE7G6xpJw2_ySO1PSsywnRUdM2pq1KL0849AxYzvDtAAlN4bxAd4uBM8Z5Ce_wShMiRyj2WwRLJw/s1600/George+Brenner+in+white+(1934).jpeg" width="238" /></a></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><br />
Ever-dapper: John Brenner remembers his <br />
father <span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">as always being a smartly-dressed man.</span><br />
This image is from 1934-35, <span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">before his<br /> marriage in 1936.</span></td>
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George Edward Brenner was one of the earliest comic book creators. His obscurity belies the notable fact that he created the first original <i>masked hero </i>for a <i>comic book</i>. This radar-blip was called <b>the Clock</b>, a hero who like the Shadow and the Green Hornet, wore a suit and hat and covered his face with a sheet-like mask. The Clock's first appearance was in two magazines the same month, <i>Funny Pages </i>#6 and <i>Funny Picture Stories </i>#1 (Nov. 1936), published by Comics Magazine Company. Comics Magazine was started by two defectors from National (DC), Bill Cook and John Mahon. (After a series of acquisitions, Comics Magazine Co.'s titles were eventually published by Centaur.) Jim Steranko's <i>History of the Comics Volume 2 </i>noted that Busy Arnold—founder of Quality Comics—had advised Cook and Mahon, and this is probably how George Brenner first met Arnold as well. Comics Magazine Co. began to fail just as Arnold was establishing Quality. A year later, Quality took on Brenner and "The Clock," beginning in <i>Feature Funnies </i>#3 (Dec. 1937).
<br />
<br />
Brenner also created <i style="line-height: 27px; text-indent: 10pt;">Quality Comics'</i> first masked hero, the Hawk (T. James Harrington II, a former football star and wealthy heir). The Hawk appeared in <i style="line-height: 27px; text-indent: 10pt;">Feature Funnies</i> #2, but when the Clock moved to Quality with issue #3, the Hawk disappeared after that lone adventure. Even the finale of the Hawk's story heralded the Clock's arrival next month. [For the record, comics' first (externally) super-powered super-hero was Dr. Occult (<i style="line-height: 27px; text-indent: 10pt;">New Fun Comics</i> #6, Oct. 1935), and the first real super-powered hero was of course, Superman (<i style="line-height: 27px; text-indent: 10pt;">Action Comics </i>#1, June 1938).]
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<td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-O1kmfN9za7aBhFZ-FV-HP9ARVDO5o3Et6LPQPeZDZ5RJtYb-WmTaUDUdaPCBz4B6oxl0ZzzEU9BWrm8hmBv-oYluZA1EuF4_nO1lwGVIZ_9YaCICE2tpkRawcbKCz5aszGAnBtnBJsw/s1600/quality+comics+business+card+(1947).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-O1kmfN9za7aBhFZ-FV-HP9ARVDO5o3Et6LPQPeZDZ5RJtYb-WmTaUDUdaPCBz4B6oxl0ZzzEU9BWrm8hmBv-oYluZA1EuF4_nO1lwGVIZ_9YaCICE2tpkRawcbKCz5aszGAnBtnBJsw/s1600/quality+comics+business+card+(1947).jpg" width="640" /></a></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;"><br />
George Brenner's business card from Quality Comics! Judging by the titles listed on it, this dates to around 1947 (when <i>Candy </i>began). It also lists titles that never saw it to market. "Giddy Goose"<i> </i>and "Rasputin"<i> </i>were funny animal features from <i>All Humor Comics </i>and <i>Blackhawk</i>, respectively, but they were never published as standalone series. </td>
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</table>
The Clock was Brenner's first signed comic strip, though he started by doing production work. He was an untrained storyteller, so it was his first foray. Brenner was a sports enthusiast who had briefly studied dentistry in college, but the Depression forced him (like so many comics pioneers) to take the job to help his family.
<br />
<br />
Most would agree that he was a stronger storyteller than an artist, but Brenner's work frequently showed flashes of brilliance. He presented novel characters and often delivered the unexpected. His creative contributions were largely over by 1943, when Brenner graduated to editor-in-chief at Quality, a position which he held through 1949. After this, he wrote freelance westerns for about a year, and in 1951 he was recruited by Helen Meyer to be an editor at Dell.<br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-jRwak4ZJsW84SCpBGVZv__bG_oahtEDU9zGifalqRgggvXNkR91vX5xIKNJl5W6-MB7lDWBSQhJo4HtfUqQb5n0aVo7HXC9KJItgLGj2fG6xLJitfmKo4_JtYa6ySee_Va4RgcmqIk/s1600/Gerard+Kane+drawing+(pre-1937).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH-jRwak4ZJsW84SCpBGVZv__bG_oahtEDU9zGifalqRgggvXNkR91vX5xIKNJl5W6-MB7lDWBSQhJo4HtfUqQb5n0aVo7HXC9KJItgLGj2fG6xLJitfmKo4_JtYa6ySee_Va4RgcmqIk/s1600/Gerard+Kane+drawing+(pre-1937).jpg" width="245" /></a></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;">John Brenner has the only known piece of<br />
original artwork by his father, a pencil<br />
drawing of George Brenner's best friend and<br />
brother-in-law, Gerard Kane. Kane died in an<br />
auto accident in 1937 and based on photos of<br />
Kane, John swears that the portrait is a dead ringer. </td>
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</tbody>
</table>
<br />
While researching the <i style="line-height: 27px; text-indent: 10pt;">The Quality Companion,</i> I failed to uncover any significant information about George Brenner. My profile was pieced together with anecdotes from <i style="line-height: 27px; text-indent: 10pt;">Alter Ego </i>interviews by Jim Amash. After publication, I continued to dig and found some Brenner family information on Ancestry.com, including Brenner's obituary:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
GEORGE EDWARD BRENNER, age 43, died on September 13, 1952, at his home in Greenwich, Fairfield County, Connecticut. He was born on September 28, 1908, in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, the son of Walter Brenner, Sr. and Catherine Sheridan. His parents were natives of New York City, NY, and Ireland, respectively. He was a magazine editor and was survived by his wife, Grace Kane Brenner. Burial on September 16, 1952, at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY. Informant - Mrs. Brenner. </blockquote>
<br />
I happily blogged about this on <i>The Quality Companion Companion</i> but abandoned hope of learning anything more. Brenner died early, at age 42 and by that time he was estranged from everyone at Quality Comics (he was fired in 1949). I read no mentions of any children and assumed that if any existed, they might have been very young at the time of his death. Then one day I received an unbelievable call from Brenner's only child, John. To my surprise, John Brenner was fifteen when his father passed away—which meant that he'd known his father very well. Our talks have helped complete the portrait of George Brenner, a Golden Age mystery man in his own right. Thanks to John, we can share the colorful life and tragic fate of a notable comics figure (plus a rare piece of Quality Comics history!). <i>—Mike</i>
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<i><br /></i>
<br />
<h2>
Interview with John Brenner </h2>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbzV5TOsa_j2d2KAXUI_R1JiTVF9krlnW5e72VzHTWTCgpEJw6d6haFExQKZVXb2M6nzm6Li3Klac99y200lWZ71m5KaS96ChhiXj-XKdps25tqVP3OeDFrerW-cXZrfQ15KKi82gQVc/s1600/George+Brenner+(pre-1937).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbzV5TOsa_j2d2KAXUI_R1JiTVF9krlnW5e72VzHTWTCgpEJw6d6haFExQKZVXb2M6nzm6Li3Klac99y200lWZ71m5KaS96ChhiXj-XKdps25tqVP3OeDFrerW-cXZrfQ15KKi82gQVc/s1600/George+Brenner+(pre-1937).jpg" width="367" /></a></td>
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<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px; text-align: center;">A photo of George Brenner taken during a card game<br />
with Gerard Kane. </td>
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</table>
<i>MIKE KOOIMAN: I was surprised to learn that you were fifteen when your father passed away. I'd read no mention of George Brenner having any children.</i>
<br />
<br />
JOHN BRENNER: I was born on August 15, 1937 in Brooklyn and shortly after, maybe five years afterwards, we moved up to Greenwich, Connecticut, and that's where we were up until the time my father died. And he died in my arms; he had a heart attack. He went in for a gallstone operation and it put a lot of stress on his heart. One morning, a couple weeks after surgery, he woke up and he was in distress. My mother went to get a neighbor because he was starting to flail and I sat down on the bed next to him and I held him, and that was it. He died in my arms.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>MK: When he got ill, was it prolonged?</i>
<br />
<br />
BRENNER: No, he had a sudden attack of gallstones. While he was in surgery he had an asthma attack and the clamps came off a couple of the vessels and created some additional problems for the surgeon. Afterwards I can remember visiting him in the Greenwich hospital. He looked like death. He was in an oxygen tent and then he pulled out of it, and they sent him home.
I remember it was a hot summer night in September and he was sleeping upstairs. We had a screened in porch in the front of the house. And it was so hot he said to my mother "I'm going to go downstairs and sleep on the porch where it's cooler." There's a bit of confusion about whether it was a heart attack or a blood clot that broke loose. He went down to the porch and about five in the morning went back up to bed and that's when all the problems started. He wasn't able to make it to the hospital.<br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>MK: Can you tell me what you remember of his younger days?</i><br />
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sXW8tnJEDsZNnoilCBziUO-tVnI0QtsyAayQTH0ce2VvBmaB1o6-8dBwRI8zas9crvRoaAG5mg6MOUK4D-OjxLbz69h3yfCi4ylg93qxhck9Jnhgj8u27O68VVqnwVs1rQ5m-NzzGCA/s1600/George+and+Grace+Brenner+(1936).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6sXW8tnJEDsZNnoilCBziUO-tVnI0QtsyAayQTH0ce2VvBmaB1o6-8dBwRI8zas9crvRoaAG5mg6MOUK4D-OjxLbz69h3yfCi4ylg93qxhck9Jnhgj8u27O68VVqnwVs1rQ5m-NzzGCA/s1600/George+and+Grace+Brenner+(1936).jpg" width="247" /></a></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><br />
George and his wife, Grace (Kane) Brenner,<br />
circa 1936, probably in Brooklyn. </td>
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BRENNER: I remember him going down for his physical because he was going to be inducted into the Army, conscripted. He failed the physical exam because he had asthma.
<br />
<br />
You alluded to him going to Villanova but that they have no record of it. He actually went to Georgetown for his freshman year. He was dedicating himself to dentistry but he realized he didn't like it so he switched to Villanova. That's where he did play football. My father was a pragmatist, but I don't think he was academically oriented.
<br />
<br />
The effects of the Depression set in and he had to go home to help his mother and contribute to the economics of the family. He had two younger brothers [Allan, who lived to age 85, and Walter ("Buddy"), who had a heart attack at 50]. He went to work for the New York Daily News as a cub reporter, for which he went back and forth between New York and Chicago for a certain time.
He told me several times that while he was at Villanova one of his friends was Matt Capone, Al Capone's brother. Matt Capone wanted my father to help him with bootlegging activities on summer break, but my father wouldn't do it. The joke of that is that he said, if he'd done it, they'd have been millionaires.
<br />
<br />
<i>MK: So he was unable to finish at Villanova?</i>
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<br />
BRENNER: Yes, he was unable to finish. He wasn't an alumnus. When he was with the Daily News, he worked with <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/bill-gallo-legendary-daily-news-cartoonist-columnist-dies-88-lengthy-illness-article-1.141219">Bill Gallo,</a> who did sports cartoons. We had some of Gallo's original works because my father had gotten them from him. They were lost in my many relocations and moves. I don't believe he got into any cartooning <i>for</i> the Daily News, I just think he did some reporting. His work in comics came after that, then he went to work for Busy Arnold.
<br />
<br />
<i>MK: Do you have any insight about how it was that he made the jump into being an artist without any training?</i>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3irLsnlSWqYv1su1tM-R6Y49osMe8_Fbq1kFBozLJFrj_HjiOktIJa4MZV82-1d4w1t6nBAAoC0YYDgIHD5KoE1DHw1GAQ3UOi8gr8zvJsk_Tf-qbQyAhg3beELp_SM9jQ-Xi2N3Hy7A/s1600/john+brenner+graduation+(1951).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3irLsnlSWqYv1su1tM-R6Y49osMe8_Fbq1kFBozLJFrj_HjiOktIJa4MZV82-1d4w1t6nBAAoC0YYDgIHD5KoE1DHw1GAQ3UOi8gr8zvJsk_Tf-qbQyAhg3beELp_SM9jQ-Xi2N3Hy7A/s1600/john+brenner+graduation+(1951).jpg" width="241" /></a></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><br />
John with his mother and father at his<br />
grammar school graduation, 1951. </td>
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BRENNER: I don't believe he had any training. Whatever he had was a natural talent.<br />
<i><br />
</i><i>MK: Do you think it was the connection of Gallo that brought him into the comic book world?</i>
<br />
<br />
BRENNER: I don't know how he made the connection to comics, but I don't think it was from Gallo either. When he first started in comic books, he was doing the pen and ink and the coloring for the proofs, before they went to publication… which would have been the bottom rung of the ladder.
As a sideline, you know my father was a real football fan, and I know he pushed Villanova football with Jimmy Powers, who wrote a daily column in the Daily News. When he got into the comic book business with Busy Arnold, Arnold was a graduate of Brown University and my father ended up as the football scout in Brooklyn for Brown. I used to go to all the games with him on Saturday. One Saturday he said he had to go and see the parents of this one player because he wanted to get him into Brown. The player was a senior and that boy turned out to be Joe Paterno. I think it's a matter of record that Busy Arnold paid for Paterno's entire living expenses and tuition at Brown University.<br />
<br />
So we went to all the high school games and he worked for Arnold. He started as a cartoonist and ended up as Editor-in-Chief. As you know he created the Clock. You know, I had tons of comics. When I was five or six, my father would bring comic books home every night. They were all different; they weren't all Quality. He brought the comic books home by the ton. I had them stacked up in the corner of my bedroom and if I said they were three feet high it would not be an exaggeration. We moved to Greenwich when I was five and then we moved back to Bay Ridge Brooklyn for a year, then back to Greenwich again. And that's where we stayed until he died.<br />
<i><br />
</i><i>MK: What factors influenced the moves? Do you remember him commuting to different offices, in Connecticut and in New York?</i>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCNCiTvAb9YB-LXWJ-Ypl-wEUPAQROrwcR4QOP5ICgmNmwMg7DHvFLnBm1c-3Gb9tHN3Tv4rnFe6mzUfa8K4peUFnNXPpzi_2hgy5PG3VaOdFdBmHhtqJT2EEh1R0gk58BQPcVjXwg9Q/s1600/Feature+funnies+%239.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCNCiTvAb9YB-LXWJ-Ypl-wEUPAQROrwcR4QOP5ICgmNmwMg7DHvFLnBm1c-3Gb9tHN3Tv4rnFe6mzUfa8K4peUFnNXPpzi_2hgy5PG3VaOdFdBmHhtqJT2EEh1R0gk58BQPcVjXwg9Q/s1600/Feature+funnies+%239.jpg" width="293" /></a></td>
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<td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px; text-align: center;"><br />
This story from<i> Feature Funnies </i>#9 (June 1938) recycled <span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">the artwork from the Clock's first appearance </span><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">in </span><i style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">Funny Picture Stories</i><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;"> #1 (Nov. 1936, Comics </span><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">Magazine Co.). Additional art and text were added.</span></td>
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</table>
BRENNER: They really liked Greenwich and really wanted to live there. I don't remember the Connecticut office very clearly, but I do remember him commuting into New York City. I can almost remember that office building that he worked in right off Lexington Avenue. I do have one of his business cards. "George E. Brenner, Quality," and it lists the comics. "Quality Comics Group, America's leading comic magazines. Average circulation over three million monthly. 25 West 45th Street"—that's where the office was. I do remember going into that office a couple of times.<br />
<br />
<i>MK: What do you remember seeing at the office?</i>
<br />
<br />
BRENNER: Of course, Busy Arnold was there. Occasionally, we would go to Busy and Claire Arnold's house for dinner. They had two kids, Dick… and I can't remember his daughter's name. They lived in Old Greenwich, right on the sound, a beautiful house. I can remember Paul Gustavson, and going to his house for dinner on a Saturday or Sunday. They lived in New Jersey at the time.
<br />
<br />
<i>MK: Any other impressions of the Quality office?</i>
<br />
<br />
BRENNER: I didn't think it was too big, I'd say on the small side, an awful lot of people in a small space. A lot of drawing boards, the smell of ink. Every once in a while, considering my age, they would take a pen and ink proof and they'd give it to me and say, "sit down and color." It was just for fun.
<br />
<br />
<i>MK: Did your dad talk specifically about the comic strips that he was working on?</i>
<br />
<br />
BRENNER: No, I can't remember any conversation about the comic strips. When he left Quality—and my recollection is that he was fired, but I'm not positive on that—he became a freelance writer. That was the time between Quality and Dell. He did short stories, mostly westerns. He sold a couple of them. I don't know if he did that under a pen name or not. I remember him going over to Helen Meyer's house for his interview with Dell Comics. She had a place in Old Greenwich, on the water also. They hired him as the Editor-in-Chief at Dell, and he would also have to go out to Racine, Wisconsin because that's where the printing plant was.
<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECEARJ0SMvAhkpvmaqakHh6wypWVk0rvXjBGX3yjgdH8R8tWrSarILwyNn2Vszaug5a87b9I0v9tBqFCzEaAzsMMpZVU6HQqFWsLRgck9nUnoyi8mBkekKHgErLVY4P9gSqkWzBLInLQ/s1600/Crack+Comics+%2322.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjECEARJ0SMvAhkpvmaqakHh6wypWVk0rvXjBGX3yjgdH8R8tWrSarILwyNn2Vszaug5a87b9I0v9tBqFCzEaAzsMMpZVU6HQqFWsLRgck9nUnoyi8mBkekKHgErLVY4P9gSqkWzBLInLQ/s1600/Crack+Comics+%2322.jpg" width="292" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;"><br />
One month after the Clock gained a girl sidekick named Butch, <span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">the hero switched from wearing his curtain-like mask </span><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;"> to a more Spirit-like domino. His interactions with Butch </span><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">were … fast and loose. The art here might have been </span><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">by Fran Matera. From </span><i style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">Crack Comics </i><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">#22, March 1942.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>MK: Some have stated that he was fired from Quality because of drinking. How do you respond to that?</i><br />
<br />
BRENNER: I don't think it was because of drinking. It's just that he was a very independent person, and very fixed in his ways. It could be, but if so, it's beyond my knowledge.
He wasn't at Dell too long before he got sick, and following the sickness with the gallstones, he died. He liked it there a lot. It's funny thinking about it now. When I was consulting about ten years ago, one of my clients was Bertelsmann, and one of their divisions was Doubleday, and I asked their people in Doubleday if they would do a search on my father to see if they could identify some of his works, but they couldn't find anything. [Note: George T. Delacorte sold Dell to Doubleday & Company in 1976.]<br />
<br />
Over the years, I've been collecting things from the Internet, and I have a book that's probably an inch thick with various articles written by different people in the comics industry. I decided one day to get a little more aggressive and I contacted Will Eisner by email. I have a copy of the email. I asked him what he remembered about my father. He said he couldn't remember too much. He sort of sloughed it off. But you know, maybe my bias was that Eisner took the masked character of the Clock and put it to good use with the Spirit.
<br />
<br />
I wrote him an email and said, "I've recently been looking for reference material about George Brenner, who worked for Busy Arnold at Quality and eventually went to Dell. The primary purpose of this is to develop a history about my father for my children. Any information you can direct me to would be greatly appreciated." On July 14, 2003, Eisner wrote back:
<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"JOHN: Nice to hear from you. I'm afraid I can't give you very much except for a foggy memory about our business relationship. I didn't have a social relationship with George because he was in Stamford and I was in New York. We talked often on the phone ...he was Busy's editor when I hooked up and our conversations centered around alterations of the comics. I found him easy to work with and I cannot remember any incidents that could be called "outstanding". George seemed professional enough to me and while we did not share the same philosophy about comics his judgement about practical matters appeared sound as I remember. You might try Gil Fox he was local there and I believe might have spent some time with him socially. GOOD LUCK, WILL EISNER"
</blockquote>
<i><br /></i>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD3jtDfrzskGgGsoWmnfvb_ej9tDbedvtKDjDe__0yDyLGMqyHDE1Pgg6VxGDdpWGY-_neqP5UFh1k1fXAsD7s1jKvh81GyPdByASEymKhoqiaXy0gOIlrIAuXKPHZElpiBgNVFspUXk/s1600/Smash+Comics+07-22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCD3jtDfrzskGgGsoWmnfvb_ej9tDbedvtKDjDe__0yDyLGMqyHDE1Pgg6VxGDdpWGY-_neqP5UFh1k1fXAsD7s1jKvh81GyPdByASEymKhoqiaXy0gOIlrIAuXKPHZElpiBgNVFspUXk/s1600/Smash+Comics+07-22.jpg" width="290" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;"><br />
In "Clip Chance," Brenner created a character that allowed <span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">him the vicarious pleasure of playing an all-American </span><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">sports star. From </span><i style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">Smash Comics </i><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">#7 (Feb. 1940). His pen </span><span style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;">name, "Sheridan," is a tribute to his mother's maiden name. </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>MK: What else have you found?</i>
<br />
<br />
BRENNER: I guess I'd call it public information because everything I found was on the Internet. So I just kept making copies of things I found that were different and put it into a binder. As I said, I wanted my kids to have a better appreciation of their grandfather.<br />
<i><br />
</i><i>MK: How would you describe your father's personality or disposition?</i>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
BRENNER: Certainly he was a "hail fellow well met." He was a very social guy. He really enjoyed a party, let's put it that way. Never at a loss for words. He truly enjoyed being the center of the party. When there were Christmas parties at Quality, as there were every year, he was always the emcee. I can't remember my father being pessimistic or down in the mouth. Maybe a couple occasions like when he left Quality, when there was bad blood between he and Busy Arnold. After he left Quality, I have no recollection of a relationship between them at all. Otherwise he was very upbeat. I thought he was intelligent and had a phenomenal work ethic. He was committed to his profession and worked it for sometimes long, arduous hours. Football really did occupy an awful lot of his time. He was also a boxing fan and we used to go to the Golden Gloves in Madison Square Garden every year and had ringside seats. Physically, he was a good five-ten, five-eleven.
<br />
<br />
I have one photo of my father in this book… he's playing cards. He was with his brothers-in-law at the time. It's one of the few pictures I have. When I sold my house after my wife died, I gave all of my photos to one of my daughters.
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQVFnK-TGSyHkd7l69b516vS5eWKH3m8GjjP9Yhx8guNvLSMKQ5HWddXBh-84ItaQyxERBoc4e-JN0elCbS9XTgvVdt5TCOiDMXCm58yroV4La2opqYsM3U_ZwlyVN8K6z9z2BSRduCU/s1600/Police+Comics+%2315+p53.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitQVFnK-TGSyHkd7l69b516vS5eWKH3m8GjjP9Yhx8guNvLSMKQ5HWddXBh-84ItaQyxERBoc4e-JN0elCbS9XTgvVdt5TCOiDMXCm58yroV4La2opqYsM3U_ZwlyVN8K6z9z2BSRduCU/s1600/Police+Comics+%2315+p53.jpg" width="231" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPIzkrUwniz_SHKI34Am_qVdpsdy1ywpNjaPxFWxqos4wfaq5OKF7BNwlUktIoOcGyTOT7tjAq_q-R0LFQa1LN0gbC9DmLzyL22NciF_5Pouhymx8jNRXzX-oi3uSSb1p5XCvKlVAkA8/s1600/Police+Comics+%2315+p59.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKPIzkrUwniz_SHKI34Am_qVdpsdy1ywpNjaPxFWxqos4wfaq5OKF7BNwlUktIoOcGyTOT7tjAq_q-R0LFQa1LN0gbC9DmLzyL22NciF_5Pouhymx8jNRXzX-oi3uSSb1p5XCvKlVAkA8/s1600/Police+Comics+%2315+p59.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14.3999996185303px;"><br />
A half-century before killing heroes became fashionable, #711 bit the dust in the pages of <i>Police Comics </i>#15 (Jan. 1943), What's more, Brenner replaced the hero in the next issue with the super-powered Destiny, who eventually brought 711's killer to justice (in <i>Police </i>#17). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>MK: How many of his comics have you read?</i><br />
<br />
BRENNER: I have one comic that I bought in Los Angeles probably thirty years ago, when I saw it in a comic book store and I think I paid $19 for it. The reason I bought it is because it has him listed in the credits as the editor of Quality Comics. I've got the business card and that comic book and that's really about what it boils down to. I used to have some original comic book covers, the artwork that was done, particularly from Dell. They were doing it in oil on board. He would bring them home—Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse—god only knows what happened to that stuff. It's all gone.<br />
<br />
<i>MK: Do you remember him bringing any art home from Quality?</i>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
BRENNER: He did one thing from Quality that I kept—and once again I don't know where the heck I lost this—he did a Christmas card and it must have been, maybe a foot, foot-and-a-half wide. Maybe six or eight inches tall. And he drew it. It had all the characters: Lady Luck, Plastic Man, Blackhawk, all of them strung across it. At the top it said "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year" and I believe it said "from Busy Arnold," and Busy Arnold gave that out.
<br />
<br />
<i>MK: Vernon Henkel said "This guy could draw like that?" (Read it in </i>Alter Ego <i>#48)… meaning it seemed like he was nervous or had a shake. Does that ring with you in any way?</i>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
BRENNER: No, not at all. My father had a drawing board at home and he would work at night. I can remember him sitting there and never saw anything like that.
<br />
<br />
<i>MK: What did your mother do after your father's death?</i>
<br />
<i><br /></i>
BRENNER: My mother sold the house in Greenwich and we moved back with her family in Brooklyn. My father met my mother through a mutual friend. I think she went to Erasmus high school in Brooklyn. I knew she went to St. John's University. She was an art teacher at St. Anthony's grammar school in Brooklyn. She taught art and when she got married and had me, she stopped teaching. She went back to work after my father died. She had to. I know she worked for Westclox for a while. My mother lived very comfortably. She moved in with her sister and they moved back to Long Island. She must be dead ten or twelve years now.
<br />
<br />
When I was going to high school I had part-time jobs: I worked for a dog groomer, and at Bonds, a men's clothing store in Manhattan. I got a job at Al Paul Lefton advertising and I thought maybe I'd go into the art world. I had a scholarship to Pratt, but when I was with Al Paul Lefton there was a guy by the name of Carson, a great guy, the art director, and he dropped dead at his desk in the middle of the day. That left such an impression that I thought, 'I never want to go into this business.'
<br />
<br />
I was in Greenwich high school when my father passed and was on the football team. One day when my father was in the hospital I said to the coach "I'm not going to practice today, I'm going to go up and see my father." I was carrying my cleats and went up to the hospital to his oxygen tent and he looked at me and said, "Why aren't you playing football?"
<br />
<br />
When we got back to Brooklyn, I finished High School at Saint Francis Prep and the family moved from Brooklyn to Babylon, Long Island. We lived out on the Island for many years. I went to Providence College and graduated in 1959. I got married in 1961 and was married 49 years until five years ago when my wife died. We had five children; the oldest is now 52 and lives in Boston. My youngest son has his own business and works in pharmaceutical doing clinical studies and audits. I have one daughter who's in medical sales, another daughter in Austin, Texas, and a daughter in North Jersey who works in insurance.
I started my career in pharmaceuticals and went from there to automotive, then out on my own for fifteen years as a consultant, which I loved. I moved around a little bit, New York, New Jersey, lived in Florida for about a year-and-a-half/two years. I didn't like it, so we came back to New Jersey. The whole time I was a professional student and eventually I got my PhD, which helped me a lot when I started my own business. That was the primary reason for getting the PhD.
<br />
<br />
So how much of the art found its way into my DNA? I did it a lot. In grammar school I was very active in drawing. Less so by college. I laid out some yearbooks and did artwork. Now it's on-and-off. I do watercolors, I'm very traditional in my approach. I moved into a new house and I built a room specifically to help conjure the motivation for me to sit down and get serious about drawing. I just cant do it, I have to be in the mood, so I'm waiting for that mood to come along.
<br />
<br />
<h2>
George Brenner Checklist</h2>
<h1>
</h1>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmedJ0dPI-QbIdOKKZAZtVc2naPMlwebT1s2CghT5BNlUJET0W1EsAoji81sOVu2eCYaD9Q0Lf8MUXkzcKkW1kgfN7sQSj4RThyFSXiH6kYNYutL8FwJ9oiwjScBNsyenB-Qo-vgPEZo/s1600/Smash+Comics+%2325+p60.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNmedJ0dPI-QbIdOKKZAZtVc2naPMlwebT1s2CghT5BNlUJET0W1EsAoji81sOVu2eCYaD9Q0Lf8MUXkzcKkW1kgfN7sQSj4RThyFSXiH6kYNYutL8FwJ9oiwjScBNsyenB-Qo-vgPEZo/s1600/Smash+Comics+%2325+p60.jpg" width="140" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIMYwr5GrYgJl-Ov-nlQzX9WgtTI1_1xI0eTTPLgXovV5KwhKS83crx0fS3scTmS5ZlHYMhuMXL6FvaWvzU8BxDJz7I0PIQbPQrnugvhh2iishhLwqkqyXKrpxd4x5f8dCbDNrC65CUE/s1600/Smash+Comics+%2325+p64.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQIMYwr5GrYgJl-Ov-nlQzX9WgtTI1_1xI0eTTPLgXovV5KwhKS83crx0fS3scTmS5ZlHYMhuMXL6FvaWvzU8BxDJz7I0PIQbPQrnugvhh2iishhLwqkqyXKrpxd4x5f8dCbDNrC65CUE/s1600/Smash+Comics+%2325+p64.jpg" width="140" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKao9z0X6U34RW7CqhCs7MxZ3HwEgcVKKMxbTJ5-oMKDbWalkbdUKDrTssv8j1__Ayhj0Zt23zCAnHnq2M8Ra6MZypl0V3lY686AG5PGY3MWsQYoL_LTcRVzk-QdW9cpxHE0raV_QXCo/s1600/Smash+Comics+%2325+p66.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLKao9z0X6U34RW7CqhCs7MxZ3HwEgcVKKMxbTJ5-oMKDbWalkbdUKDrTssv8j1__Ayhj0Zt23zCAnHnq2M8Ra6MZypl0V3lY686AG5PGY3MWsQYoL_LTcRVzk-QdW9cpxHE0raV_QXCo/s1600/Smash+Comics+%2325+p66.jpg" width="140" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8000001907349px;">In addition to creating comic books’ first original masked hero, George Brenner also created Quality’s first three masked heroes (the Hawk, the Clock, and Bozo the Iron Man; Doll Man came after these). In this episode, Bozo battled the bizarre Clown. From <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Smash Comics </i>#25, Aug. 1941.<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>George Edward Brenner (September 28, 1908–September 13, 1952) (writer, artist) </i>
It's generally assumed that Brenner wrote and drew all of his earliest work. Artist Fran Matera revealed in <i>Alter Ego</i> #59 that Brenner had once hired him to ghost "The Clock." The change was apparent in the strip, beginning about the time of the introduction the Clock's kid sidekick, Butch (<i>Crack Comics </i>#21, Feb. 1942). This probably also coincided with an increase in Brenner's editorial duties at Quality Comics. The art in the feature shifts perceptibly from Brenner's static, mimeographed style to one where characters' features have more volume and plasticity. Also, the humor and style of Will Eisner's "Spirit" crept in, including clever splash pages, and a domino mask for the Clock.<br />
<br />
Brenner's pen name, "Wayne Reid," was inspired by his paternal grandmother, Jane Reid (from his father's obituary). Also, his pen name "Scott Sheridan" was inspired by his own mother's maiden name.<br />
<br />
<h3>
<b>Comicography:</b></h3>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Comics Magazine Company: <br />
</span></h4>
<ul>
<li> <b>The Clock: </b><i>Funny Pages</i> vol. 1 #6–11 (Nov. 1936–June 1937); <i>Funny Picture Stories</i> #1–2 (Nov. 1936–Dec. 1936)</li>
</ul>
<h4>
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Quality Comics:
</span></h4>
<ul>
<li><b>The Clock: </b><i>Feature Funnies</i> #3–20 (Dec. 1937–May 1939); <i>Feature Comics</i> #21-31 (June 1939–April 1940); <i>Crack Comics</i> #1-35 (May 1940–Autumn 1944)</li>
<li><b>The Hawk: </b><i>Feature Funnies</i> #2 (Nov. 1937)</li>
<li><b>Clip Chance: </b><i>Feature Funnies</i> #7–16, <i>Smash Comics </i>#1–15 (April 1938–Oct. 1940)</li>
<li><b>Hugh Hazzard and Bozo the Iron Man: </b><i>Smash Comics</i> #1-41 (Aug. 1939–March 1943)</li>
<li><b>Abdul the Arab:</b> <i>Smash Comics</i> #4-10 (Nov. 1939–May 1940)</li>
<li><b>Lone Star Rider:</b> <i>Smash Comics</i> #2 (Sept. 1939)</li>
<li><b>711:</b> <i>Police Comics</i> #1–15 (Aug. 1941–Jan. 1943)</li>
<li><b>Ghost of Flanders: </b><i>Hit Comics</i> #18–25 (Dec. 1941–Dec. 1942)</li>
<li><b>Just 'n' Right: </b><i>Doll Man Quarterly</i> #1 (Winter 1941)</li>
<li><b>Destiny:</b> <i>Police Comics</i> #15–36 (Jan. 1943–Nov. 1944)</li>
</ul>
Unknown westerns publisher: Writer (1949–50)
<br />
Dell Comics: Editor (1951-52)Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-7158999536009947592013-06-09T15:23:00.004-05:002017-01-30T07:29:37.287-06:00Quality Sightings! Lady Luck, Red Torpedo, the Clock and More...<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">Lady Luck!</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK9dZMx0l787KfgOrKtKSfVL-g8gA-Xye1M09S_Df8OfDoNmnt9rDklRentWYZxgCvYTBX156k5LCYgw33hFi_KVWT5GVnuxqdEB6_HiWXJxsZhavYVekZw-cFYUbWM8kuufHFqcfPrA/s1600/lady-luck-phantom-stranger-06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVK9dZMx0l787KfgOrKtKSfVL-g8gA-Xye1M09S_Df8OfDoNmnt9rDklRentWYZxgCvYTBX156k5LCYgw33hFi_KVWT5GVnuxqdEB6_HiWXJxsZhavYVekZw-cFYUbWM8kuufHFqcfPrA/s1600/lady-luck-phantom-stranger-06.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lady Luck deals the devil's game in <i>Phantom Stranger</i> #6 (2013). Art by Zander Cannon, Gene Ha, and Dan Davis. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Lady Luck made an unexpected appearance in <i>The Phantom Stranger </i>#6 (May 2013). This is strange not only because she is relatively obscure, but also because as far as anyone knows, the character is still owned by the estate of Will Eisner. The story was even written by DC's Editor in Chief, Dan DiDio. I bought the digital edition which doesn't include an indicia (by which I am confused, and maddened). Anyone out there have a copy?<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>In this story, the Phantom Stranger ventures into Hell in search of
his mortal family. He meets a group of card-playing demons—Belial, Suge
and Ruskoff, all sons of Trigon. Their dealer is Lady Luck, a slient and
mysterious woman whose visage sometimes changes to suggest death.<br />
<br />
Lady Luck was one of three characters invented by the Will Eisner shop for his new weekly comic book section of <i>The Spirit</i>. Her alter ego was Brenda Banks, and she first appeared in newspapers on 2 June 1940. After her feature was removed from the weekly Spirit section, she took over the title of <i>Smash Comics</i> in 1949 with issue #86. These were not reprints, but new adventures by her (fourth) newspaper artist, Klaus Nordling.<br />
<br />
This is Lady Luck's only appearance in a DC comic.<i><b> </b></i><br />
<br />
<i><b>SEE:</b> </i><a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/LadyLuck.html" target="_blank">Cosmic Teams > Lady Luck</a><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">Red Torpedo!</span></h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONrDwvBKAAi6V-X_xezbH0Tmfnf_EoJypaG9debLFmvL3y-YZIjgTPwZxkBJMxLUCoDSbIqNlUYwj4X_BXXGt-ShF1QwieJ9fEqHCFBNGysq-BbfTJaRjL83Ri4lf-d-g-4dSki8-Zes/s1600/earth-2-13a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="580" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiONrDwvBKAAi6V-X_xezbH0Tmfnf_EoJypaG9debLFmvL3y-YZIjgTPwZxkBJMxLUCoDSbIqNlUYwj4X_BXXGt-ShF1QwieJ9fEqHCFBNGysq-BbfTJaRjL83Ri4lf-d-g-4dSki8-Zes/s640/earth-2-13a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jim Lockhart, inventor of the Red Torpedo. From <i>Earth 2</i> #13 (2013); art by Yildiray Cinar and Bob Hunter.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The new Red Torpedo is one of several "Red Files"—heroes developed by the World Army and introduced by James Robinson in <i>Earth 2</i> #13 (2013). On this Earth, the World Army put together a task force as insurance against future aggressors (it also included the Red Tornado, Red Arrow, and Red Bee). Jim Lockhart was one of them and its unclear whether he ever donned a costume. He appeared in civilian attire and is an inventor. In the current story, he brings his super-vehicle, the Red Torpedo to Rio de Janeiro so that Captain Steel can enter a smoldering firepit.<br />
<br />
Before this, the Red Torpedo had three incarnations at DC Comics. First, as a member of the All-Star Squadron, then as an aide to Aquaman, then reinvented as an android sibling of the Red Tornado. <br />
<br />
<i><b>SEE:</b></i> <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/RedTorpedo.html" target="_blank">Cosmic Teams > Red Torpedo</a><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">The Clock!</span></h3>
SPOILERS! There were clues about this. In <i>Masks,</i> the book by Dynamite that teams history's earliest super heroes, Brian O'Brien aka the Clock <a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2013/03/new-appearance-of-clock.html">made a cameo early in the series</a> (<i>Masks</i> #3). At the time, I thought it was an odd nod in a series already jam-packed. Why take the time to mention a character that wasn't going to be featured in the story?<br />
<br />
<br />
Sure enough, he had a larger role to play in this series. In 1938, New York state is taken over by the Justice Party, a front for a totalitarian organization bent on solving society's problems with an iron hand. The party quickly implemented sweeping new powers and created a Black Legion police force. Tony Quinn, who succeeded O'Brien's as District Attorney recalled that Brian had found the law too limiting, which is why he chose to operate outside of it as the Clock. In <i>Masks,</i> Quinn loses his sight and also becomes a masked adventurer, the <b>Black Bat</b>.<br />
<br />
When the heroes closed in on the mastermind behind the Justice Party, this master killed his underling, the mayor, with poison gas issued from a wall clock. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(#4)</span> The heroes eventually tracked down the master to the Empire State Building, where O'Brien had surrounded himself with clock symbols. He now wore all white <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(#5)</span> and boasted to them about how easy it was to assume control of government. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(#6)</span> He intended to take over the whole country. When the Shadow engaged O'Brien, his face was revealed to Quinn, who recognized him immediately. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(#7)</span><br />
<br />
O'Brien's appearance in this series borrows some things from the Clock's Quality Comics adventures. His rather KKK-like white hood is exactly like that of his white-hooded foe, <b>Big Shot, </b>from <i>Crack Comics</i> #1 (1940). In that story, the hooded figure turned out to be the city mayor.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=45700" target="_blank">Writer Chris Roberson talks about the Clock's inclusion at CBR.</a> Also <a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=39644" target="_blank">according to Roberson</a>, this entire story was inspired by a pulp-era Spider tale by Norvell Page. The <b>Black Legion</b> was inspired by the actual historical Black Legion, a splinter group of the Ku Klux Klan in the 1930s. (The Black Legion was also the name of a group fought by Uncle Sam.)<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDS0Z8A7SDBxjLyhxKPNk1-xmsI_69n5TeK5gDbu3FVkWKwVE5zBk9mtRyTvu8h-tJMiQNfHBblVTjvvREpxCfDU3_jfFDYWEcaqWUYKxwy2bxa7bxpLXyJflh1g4hj4mJhVoKU9AsMQ/s1600/clock-Crack-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicDS0Z8A7SDBxjLyhxKPNk1-xmsI_69n5TeK5gDbu3FVkWKwVE5zBk9mtRyTvu8h-tJMiQNfHBblVTjvvREpxCfDU3_jfFDYWEcaqWUYKxwy2bxa7bxpLXyJflh1g4hj4mJhVoKU9AsMQ/s320/clock-Crack-01.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Shot (aka Mayor Kozer). <br />
From <i>Crack Comics</i> #1 (1940); art by George Brenner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV1hEQwClEwvb7cyaZtn56ZzYl0XAeJ60MUjfNaJpdLW3wnTFlK1ItVJ1yHZ-hxsajubJUbN5uTAMzWdjwJmF9tatv2aub83WM8PDNbAaMOpZgGgplze-E2tY0poeQUudQDanYeufmK4/s1600/clock-masks-6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJV1hEQwClEwvb7cyaZtn56ZzYl0XAeJ60MUjfNaJpdLW3wnTFlK1ItVJ1yHZ-hxsajubJUbN5uTAMzWdjwJmF9tatv2aub83WM8PDNbAaMOpZgGgplze-E2tY0poeQUudQDanYeufmK4/s320/clock-masks-6.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">O'Brien's new guise, as leader of the Justice Party. From <i>Masks</i> #6 (2013); art by Dennis Calero.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<i><b>SEE:</b></i> <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/Clock.html" target="_blank">Cosmic Teams > The Clock </a><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: large;">Misc.!</span></h3>
This great poster was printed twice. Originally it was inserted into the collected <i>History of the DC Universe</i> (1987). According to the <i>DC Vault</i> (2008)—the other place it appears—readers could also send away for a chance to win a limited edition copy. This collage style poster features several Quality characters, each drawn by a different artist. I'm not good enough to pick all of them out and this scan isn't legible for some names:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Plastic Man by Bill Sienkiewicz</li>
<li>The Ray by Bret Blevins</li>
<li>Black Condor by Michael T. Gilbert</li>
<li>Lady Blackhawk by Brian Bolland</li>
<li>Blackhawk by Howard Chaykin</li>
<li>Chop-Chop is Kyle Baker (? most likely) </li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja56G2e0kGswb_YlY5x_fPSl9lw_1OeZQeFLPxOSAA-caHnsAuDNjZEMTr4hSDrbYhXGcNz0a-3fmGjZyfm-JNLtjM343oDOnjs960nLr9fmSqd0H6TuXQmfU8FCXLOOZBUbboOVqtwSU/s1600/dc-75th-5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja56G2e0kGswb_YlY5x_fPSl9lw_1OeZQeFLPxOSAA-caHnsAuDNjZEMTr4hSDrbYhXGcNz0a-3fmGjZyfm-JNLtjM343oDOnjs960nLr9fmSqd0H6TuXQmfU8FCXLOOZBUbboOVqtwSU/s640/dc-75th-5.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<i><b>SEE:</b></i> <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/collectibles.html" target="_blank">Cosmic Teams > Quality Collectibles</a>Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-39065588392597430872013-04-09T07:04:00.003-05:002013-05-22T20:55:03.598-05:00Human Bomb #4 Review!After finding themselves above Jupiter, the only survivors of their mission, Joan (ostensibly Miss America) and Michael the new Human Bomb find that the aliens are terraforming the moon. They also discover that the aliens had acquired a lost space shuttle from the 1980s.<br />
<br />
They're overwhelmed but Joan taxes her abilities to sending a mental distress signal into space. Just then she is struck by a blaster that rips virtually through her entire chest. As she dies, she transfers all of her memories and knowledge into Michael.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_frEmZ_DCH09sRn0c4E9ETvnWuGEww2mAvLkw6eo02lN2k3GXYniaAQAhtBMihCajHiUigvhy-yiIkIM1ghZ1gouGzpprHdTYu5bz_DNMZU5D8cNk10vhVJj-WPEbvGYAEQ6zOefvT4/s1600/human-bomb-4b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="516" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA_frEmZ_DCH09sRn0c4E9ETvnWuGEww2mAvLkw6eo02lN2k3GXYniaAQAhtBMihCajHiUigvhy-yiIkIM1ghZ1gouGzpprHdTYu5bz_DNMZU5D8cNk10vhVJj-WPEbvGYAEQ6zOefvT4/s640/human-bomb-4b.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <i>Human Bomb</i> #4 (2013). Art by Jerry Ordway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>In a rage over her sacrifice, Michael begins killing all the aliens and begins to use his powers in new ways. He propels himself through his feet (an homage to Hustace Throckmorton? See below).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67Yy1T9ql_myRX-z_yqD6JJI5p6aCq-RMiDmE1xJvHDVpGnzeF3pduVyxBHkjd_yriSK8oi4zK5Z4jUxF7dg_wMdlbGRJ5b90XgGyxCQBehm5HWqPUQ6H7md2WWB1EFq45czh7M5V0GY/s1600/humanBomb_POL_15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67Yy1T9ql_myRX-z_yqD6JJI5p6aCq-RMiDmE1xJvHDVpGnzeF3pduVyxBHkjd_yriSK8oi4zK5Z4jUxF7dg_wMdlbGRJ5b90XgGyxCQBehm5HWqPUQ6H7md2WWB1EFq45czh7M5V0GY/s640/humanBomb_POL_15.jpg" width="456" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <i>Police Comics</i> #15 (1942). Art by Paul Gustavson.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
He ultimately throws himself into their mine shaft and falls to the center of the moon—destroying it completely. He survives and is rescued by Green Lantern (Kyle Rayner). This raises the question: which Earth are these Freedom Fighters series on anyway. The books have been marketed as "outside the New 52."<br />
<br />
When he wakes, he is in the Heartland (first New 52 mention). Uncle Sam greets him telepathically and invites him to join his team. He meets Doll Man, Phantom Lady, and the Ray. I was very satisfied with this series, moreso than the previous two. Nothing in the previews leads us to believe there is a new series in the making. Perhaps these were testing the waters and the sales weren't great. Previous books by these writers were great but also failed to gain traction.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHND9Be_pMgoiT483NotLRCh8tX_5RgP5XajNBcaXh-I5Cu9C2IGxMsXxPPxx7q1QQ2KOqN6TaOJZG6Wi9IfB0mnQ0Mx1KKj5xyL_MRNlO0NautoYsg2LHAzpGAbsUP7EA_2VZ7BVu2qg/s1600/human-bomb-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHND9Be_pMgoiT483NotLRCh8tX_5RgP5XajNBcaXh-I5Cu9C2IGxMsXxPPxx7q1QQ2KOqN6TaOJZG6Wi9IfB0mnQ0Mx1KKj5xyL_MRNlO0NautoYsg2LHAzpGAbsUP7EA_2VZ7BVu2qg/s640/human-bomb-4.jpg" width="408" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Introducing the new Freedom Fighters; from <i>Human Bomb</i> #4 (2013). Art by Jerry Ordway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Past Reviews:</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/12/human-bomb-1-review.html">Human Bomb #1</a></li>
<li><a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2013/02/human-bomb-2-3-review.html">Human Bomb #2-3</a></li>
</ul>
Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-44610202655383340092013-03-07T15:19:00.001-06:002016-04-11T08:53:07.825-05:00Miss Fury!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgemjQWiW9b13_8VI4rutOSGkIRbqEhwOhCG7LPVXVcunwxcpw34OReI3K_EaNP4TK6jBc4igvK5_WVJWT2toX8N1_FTEJjOq25px9p2NReN2bU6lC10sBBxE9eJY-jxSq_2wGcoT7wk/s1600/shapeimage_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFgemjQWiW9b13_8VI4rutOSGkIRbqEhwOhCG7LPVXVcunwxcpw34OReI3K_EaNP4TK6jBc4igvK5_WVJWT2toX8N1_FTEJjOq25px9p2NReN2bU6lC10sBBxE9eJY-jxSq_2wGcoT7wk/s320/shapeimage_1.jpg" width="252" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Fury-Tarpe-Mills/dp/1600109055" target="_blank"><i>Miss Fury: Sensational Sundays 1944–1949</i></a>, <br />
IDW Publishing. 2011.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Miss Fury is not related to Quality Comics, but is from the same era. I just picked up IDW's book on the character — <i>Miss Fury: Sensational Sundays 1944–1949 — </i>and have become utterly absorbed! You will not find as complete a collection of this strip anywhere else. It is painstakingly assembled and worth every last penny.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">My interest began with reading the current <i>Masks</i> series by Dynamite, which teams mostly non-comics superheroes. (They are publishing a<i> Miss Fury</i> monthly on 3 April 2013.) I discovered this marvelous hardcover which reprints a good chunk of the heroine's adventures. Her Golden Age history has remained relatively unread by modern audiences for several reasons. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">First, she was a comic<i> strip</i> hero—and Sundays only, at that. Modern readers would have a very hard time indeed assembling any good body of these strips. The stories continued tightly from one week to the next, so a sporadic collection would leave many gaps in the story. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ66CqY_PPtZoAlcHvAlVQR_te9luspy-wDEeUPEaNDYVA2I1hgPjFLlRCTEBeB6HZBb_d52aU41IVEPO43c67tFVy90qAmYZv9N_HbTq54tw5bfMk6Wiy_QMxHMQ6nvbmujsqNJL9NbQ/s1600/24629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ66CqY_PPtZoAlcHvAlVQR_te9luspy-wDEeUPEaNDYVA2I1hgPjFLlRCTEBeB6HZBb_d52aU41IVEPO43c67tFVy90qAmYZv9N_HbTq54tw5bfMk6Wiy_QMxHMQ6nvbmujsqNJL9NbQ/s320/24629.jpg" width="209" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Miss Fury</i> #4 (of 8) <br />(Summer 1944)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody></tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: small;">Second, her comic book reprints are not in the public domain. Like many pulp heroes she came to comic books eventually in reprints by
Timely. Timely publications now belong to Marvel, so those reprint collections are
not in the public domain. Further, creator June Tarpé Mills was the copyright holder, and the indicia of the Timely comic books name her as such. <a href="http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2012/06/ink-slinger-profiles-tarpe-mills.html" target="_blank">Other researchers </a>have found public evidence of this, too. (I haven't seen anything that names Mills' heirs; she died in 1988.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">To date, few have documented the character's history with two notable exceptions:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.trinarobbins.com/Trina_Robbins/Miss_Fury.html" target="_blank"><b>Trina Robbins,</b></a> the expert on women comic book creators, covered Miss Fury and Tarpé Mills in her two large histories (see below).</span><span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"> Also, Her essay in the IDW book is about as comprehensive a summary of this character as can be assembled.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Don Markstein</b> wrote a good comprehensive article about the hero. He must have had some collection! The late historian's site, <a href="http://www.toonopedia.com/" target="_blank">Toonopedia</a>, has been winking in and out. Google had the cached version, which I am reprinting for now just below.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">And the authors at <a href="http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2012/06/ink-slinger-profiles-tarpe-mills.html" target="_blank"><i>The Strippers Guide</i></a> dug up public records about Mills.<i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">The strip's syndicate, Bell Syndicate, was acquired by<span dir="auto"> the North American Newspaper Alliance, which ended in 1980.</span></span><br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: orange;">MISS FURY BY IDW PUBLISHING </span></h3>
I read the first issue of this series and was so thoroughly disappointed that I can't touch another book with the character. The IDW Miss Fury is, essentially, Catwoman. There are no similarities to be drawn between the original character and IDW's.<br />
<br />
I also have a problem with IDW's lack of attention to historical detail. <i>The character was not a pulp character. </i>Anyone using that word in relation to her is already skewed as to how they think of writing her.<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: small;">Second, <i>IDW's storyline was extremely out of character.</i> I'd say it's not the same character at all, though she is named Marla Drake. Now, if as a publisher you really don't care about the heart of Miss Fury and merely want to cash in on a sexy Catwoman knock off, then there's nothing I can really say. The reason it upsets me is that the original "Miss Fury" is so beautifully done, layered, and with a strong feminine perspective. I was expecting better from the publisher that's done such a good job on <i>The Shadow.</i> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: small;">Read <a href="http://www.newsarama.com/comics/miss-fury-dynamite-rob-williams.html" target="_blank">Newsarama's interview with <i>Miss Fury</i> writer, Rob Williams</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<a name='more'></a><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span dir="auto"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The following text ©Donald D. Markstein</i></span> </span><br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<h1>
MISS FURY</h1>
<b>Medium:</b> Newspaper comics <br />
<b>Distributed by:</b> Bell Syndicate <br />
<b>First Appeared:</b> 1941 <br />
<b>Creator:</b> Tarpé Mills<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KKXfNLM3npCIXAMVPODv0F9PiiRjnbFgZR24IvPYDQW2neRTwUI0ZM6Fx9-yeyzNNDamSAI-Nnkk0s4hxwKcowRlaUGcU807ez48PxTWiy_324Xm_WXkbHzXWl1GBeLnVP6YcKVVhx4/s1600/Miss+Fury+2+%2528deleted+2d135e3cbf1046869930670376d50fea%2529.cbr+-+Page+23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1KKXfNLM3npCIXAMVPODv0F9PiiRjnbFgZR24IvPYDQW2neRTwUI0ZM6Fx9-yeyzNNDamSAI-Nnkk0s4hxwKcowRlaUGcU807ez48PxTWiy_324Xm_WXkbHzXWl1GBeLnVP6YcKVVhx4/s320/Miss+Fury+2+%2528deleted+2d135e3cbf1046869930670376d50fea%2529.cbr+-+Page+23.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
Miss Fury wasn't quite the first female superhero in comics — The Woman in Red and The Red Tornado both beat her into print (as did The Black Widow and Fantomah, if they count). And she wasn't the first to break into the higher profile world of newspaper comics, either (tho of the two earlier ones, Invisible Scarlet O'Neil wasn't packaged as a regular superhero, and Lady Luck was only barely a newspaper comics character).
<br />
<br />
But Miss Fury was the first created by a female cartoonist. Tarpé Mills, like Dale Messick (creator of <i>Brenda Starr</i>), altered her name to avoid sex discrimination. She dropped her first name, June, in favor of her gender-neutral middle name. She'd had some success in comic books as early as 1938, drawing stories for Prize Comics, Centaur Publications, <i>Famous Funnies</i> and others, before starting this, her most famous work. The Bell Syndicate (which handled <i>Mutt & Jeff,</i> the political cartoons of Rube Goldberg and other venerable toons) launched <i>Miss Fury</i> as a Sunday page on April 6, 1941. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Unlike the more famous of the 1940s superhero women (such as Wonder Woman, The Black Cat and especially Phantom Lady), Miss Fury wore a costume that showed very little skin. Instead of the equivalent of a bathing suit, she wore a panther skin that covered her from head to foot, with only the lower part of her face exposed. Readers looking for a little kinkiness in their action stories weren't disappointed, tho, as the feature abounded in whips, spike heels, female-on-female violence, and lingerie scenes — and besides, that panther skin fit very tightly. But the series also had enough solid characterization and storytelling to hold the interest of readers for more than a decade, far longer than most 1940s costumed crime fighters.
<br />
<br />
In everyday life, Miss Fury was Marla Drake, a wealthy socialite whose pre-Fury life was so empty, she regarded it as a major crisis when she heard another woman was planning to attend a costume ball in an outfit similar to hers. At the suggestion of her housemaid, Francine, she switched to the panther skin left to her by her uncle, which had previously been worn as a ceremonial robe by an African witch doctor. Oddly enough, it fit perfectly — very, very perfectly. But she never arrived at the party, because she got involved on the way in an adventure with an escaped murderer. Newspaper coverage of the event dubbed the mystery woman "Black Fury" (no relation). After a few weeks, she brought her superhero monicker in line with the title of the feature, and became Miss Fury.
<br />
<br />
The panther skin didn't confer any noticeable super powers on Marla, but it did conceal her identity. Apparently, tho, it contributed certain intangibles to her outlook, as Miss Fury habitually did things most bored society women would never dream of. Supporting characters included her two confidants (Francine and Cappy, doorman of the building where she occupied a penthouse) and Detective Carey, who was constantly trying to find out who Miss Fury really was, because he wasn't quite sure which side of the law she was on.
<br />
<br />
Miss Fury also had a brief career in comic books. The company now known as Marvel Comics reprinted her adventures in a series of eight comics, published between 1942 and '46. That was her only contemporary venture outside the Sunday papers, tho — no radio shows, movie serials, Big Little Books, etc.<br />
<br />
The <i>Miss Fury</i> Sunday series ran until 1952 — a very respectable run, considering the brevity of most superhero newspaper strips. After it ended, Mills mostly retired from comics (tho she did dabble from time to time, and her work was seen in a romance comic book as recently as the early 1970s). Miss Fury was next heard from in 1979, when Archival Press reprinted some of her early adventures in graphic novel format, with a new painted cover by Mills. (Archival had earlier done similar editions of Basil Wolverton's Spacehawk and the work of Berni Wrightson.) In 1991, a very minor comic book publisher did a four-issue <i>Miss Fury</i> series whose star was supposedly the granddaughter of the original. Still later, Archival's reprint was repackaged by another small publisher, in comic book form.<br />
<br />
As one of the earliest of the female superheroes, Miss Fury is not likely to be forgotten — even tho the majority of today's comics fans have never had an opportunity to read one of her stories.
<br />
<div align="RIGHT">
— DDM
</div>
</blockquote>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpxgDHnCZwZNlpg-RK4bihsdyAllMzVJGgjeb-lTUC7CWmHIlNw6QrqfVw-7CqOt2CWkjl4xjYXEDD6PcCL13LC77IUADS3jIXDJZRnSoPtFQC-g9Do7-noWfZm7KiKijuD47h7rIVc4/s1600/2724093-01_re_ccandc_super.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVpxgDHnCZwZNlpg-RK4bihsdyAllMzVJGgjeb-lTUC7CWmHIlNw6QrqfVw-7CqOt2CWkjl4xjYXEDD6PcCL13LC77IUADS3jIXDJZRnSoPtFQC-g9Do7-noWfZm7KiKijuD47h7rIVc4/s320/2724093-01_re_ccandc_super.jpg" width="213" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwAUoCFYblazhMVOS12HScGxfR1LDK0da6vTuL3Iw97KHPhMh12XAOqHVuN0uYJt1qurMWZQ10N1pFxoaCDg3l0ADK1U40f4R-YUsMbeJRumh3pPb0Ry8LAnt2HLBEizFfarhbZX_H1o/s1600/MissFury001CovCampbell.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTwAUoCFYblazhMVOS12HScGxfR1LDK0da6vTuL3Iw97KHPhMh12XAOqHVuN0uYJt1qurMWZQ10N1pFxoaCDg3l0ADK1U40f4R-YUsMbeJRumh3pPb0Ry8LAnt2HLBEizFfarhbZX_H1o/s320/MissFury001CovCampbell.jpg" width="213" /></a></td>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Miss Fury Appears in <i>Masks</i> and coming up in her own series at Dynamite.</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: small;">Miss Fury Reading Chronology</span></span></h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06; font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;">A second volume of reprints has been published that starts from the beginning! Prior to this, reading "Miss Fury" from the beginning, was a challenge. The books by IDW also list the publication dates of the Sunday strips. Note: </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">Each issue of Timely's <i>Miss Fury</i> reprinted a half-year's worth of strips.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Fury-Sensational-Sundays-1941-1944/dp/1613777094" target="_blank"><i>Miss Fury: Sensational Sundays 1941–1944</i></a>, IDW Publishing. 2013. <i>Reprints in color from the beginning, strips #<span style="font-size: small;">1-350 (Apr. 1941–Apr. 1944)</span>. </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Fury-Sensational-Sundays-1941-1944/dp/1613777094/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=037YBM1D3WHER65W9HNH" target="_blank"><i>Miss Fury: Sensational Sundays 1944–1949</i></a>, IDW Publishing. 2011. <i>Reprints in color from the beginning, strips #<span style="font-size: small;">351-end (April 1944–Aug. 1949)</span>. </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury,</i> Pure Imagination. 2007. <i>Starts from the beg<span style="font-size: small;">inning, r</span>eprinting Timely issues #1–3<span style="font-size: small;"> … OR</span></i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;">—</span>Miss Fury,</i> Archival Press, 1979. <i>Reprints Time<span style="font-size: small;">ly #1<span style="font-size: small;"> … <span style="font-size: small;">OR</span></span></span></i></span><i>—Miss Fury</i> #<span style="font-size: small;">1 (Winter 1942–43)</span>, <span style="font-size: small;">Timely. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury</i> #2<span style="font-size: small;"> (Summer 1943)</span>,<i> </i><span style="font-size: small;">Timely.</span><i><span style="font-size: small;"> C<span style="font-size: small;">ontinue fro<span style="font-size: small;">m above.</span></span></span></i></span></span></span>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury </i>#<span style="font-size: small;">3 (Winter 194<span style="font-size: small;">3–44</span>)</span>, <span style="font-size: small;">Timely.</span><i><span style="font-size: small;"> C<span style="font-size: small;">ontinue<span style="font-size: small;">d</span> fro<span style="font-size: small;">m above.</span></span></span></i></span></span></span>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury </i>#<span style="font-size: small;">4</span> (Summer 1944), <span style="font-size: small;">Timely. </span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Continued fro<span style="font-size: small;">m above.</span></span></span></i></span></span></span>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury </i>#<span style="font-size: small;">5 (Fall 1944)</span>, <span style="font-size: small;">Timely. <i>C</i></span><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">ontinue<span style="font-size: small;">d</span> fro<span style="font-size: small;">m above.</span></span></span></i></span></span></span>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury </i>#<span style="font-size: small;">6 (Winter 1944–45)</span>, <span style="font-size: small;">Timely.</span><i><span style="font-size: small;"> C<span style="font-size: small;">ontinued<span style="font-size: small;"> from above.</span></span></span></i></span></span></span>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Fury-Tarpe-Mills/dp/1600109055" target="_blank"><i>Miss Fury: Sensational Sundays 1944–1949</i></a>, IDW Publishing. 2011. <i>Reprints in color strips #<span style="font-size: small;">159-351 (April 1944–Aug. 1949)</span>. This is exactly where </i>Mis<span style="font-size: small;">s Fury</span><i><span style="font-size: small;"> #7 begins as well.</span></i> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">...the end of her story has not been reprinted...</span></li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: small;">Miss Fury in Comics</span></span></h3>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">"Miss Fury," <span style="font-size: small;">6 April </span>1941–7 Se<span style="font-size: small;">pt. 1947 [#1–<span style="font-size: small;">326] <span style="font-size: small;">• </span>Jan. 1949<span style="font-size: small;">–</span></span></span>23 Dec. 1952 [<span style="font-size: small;">#327–<span style="font-size: small;">4</span>??]</span>, Bell Syndicate. <i>Sunday newspaper comic strip. </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury,</i> 8 issues (Timely, Winter 1942/43–Winter 1945/46).<i> Reprints of the newspaper strip.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury,</i> 4 issues (Adventure Comics [Malibu], Aug. 1991–Jan. 1992). <i>New stories starring Marlene Hale (the last name of Marla's love interest, Gary Hale). Set in <span style="font-size: small;">Malibu's</span> "Protectors" universe, which was collapsed in favor of their more successful Ultraverse.</i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i> </i></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury, </i>2 issues (ACG Classix, 2000). <i>Reprints the Timely comics.</i> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i></i></span></li>
<li style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://www.comixology.com/Masks-Vol-1/digital-comic/73529?ref=Y29taWMvdmlldy9kZXNrdG9wL3RyYWRlSXRlbQ">Masks</a></i>, 8 issues (Dynamite, 2012-13). <i>A team-up involving all pulp era heroes.</i></span></i></span></li>
<li style="font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i><i style="font-family: inherit;"></i></i></span></li>
<li style="display: inline !important;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><i><i style="font-family: inherit;"><i style="font-family: inherit;">Mars Attacks Popeye, </i><span style="font-family: inherit;">one-shot (IDW Publishing, Jan. 2013).</span><i style="font-family: inherit;"> Interior features only Popeye, but the issue is published with a Miss Fury variant cover.</i></i></i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://www.comixology.com/Miss-Fury-Vol-1-Anger-Is-An-Energy/digital-comic/55776?ref=c2VyaWVzL3ZpZXcvZGVza3RvcC9ncmlkTGlzdC9Db2xsZWN0ZWRFZGl0aW9ucw">Miss Fury</a>, </i>11 issues (Dynamite, 2013-14). </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury Digital, </i>4 episodes (Dynamite, 2013)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://www.comixology.com/Noir-Vol-1/digital-comic/125935?ref=Y29taWMvdmlldy9kZXNrdG9wL3NsaWRlckxpc3Qvc2VyaWVz">Noir</a></i>, 5 issues (Dynamite, 2014). <i>Starring Miss Fury, the Shadow, and the Black Sparrow.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/search2.html?0=19&next0=&KMPZ=+SWORDS+OF+SORROW">Swords of Sorrow</a>,</i> 6-issue limited series (2015). <i>A team-up of female characters.</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="https://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?PRO=C72513023926601011">Swords of Sorrow: Miss Fury / Lady Rawhide Special</a>,</span> one-shot (2015)</span></li>
<li style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><i><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://www.comixology.com/Masks-2/comics-series/39784?ref=c2VhcmNoL2luZGV4L2Rlc2t0b3Avc2xpZGVyTGlzdC9zZXJpZXNTbGlkZXI">Masks 2</a></i>, 8 issues (Dynamite, 2015). <i>A team-up of all pulp era heroes.</i></span></i></i></span></li>
<span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury </i>v.2 (Dynamite, 2016)</span></ul>
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<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-IxLVeg7QcUKU49sD7uGlAE4p18XxutxK9_nQbWw2f6RDMs3HKDDQJVLg6EI_HivYJ_IA-iN4CIqTlPkT2ua_bxPvK2VqxmAQh3OaBZdwQ65wuof5EV8wlMimx5nzXoCl44IM5JPX4U/s1600/$T2eC16N,!yUE9s6NDMHfBRR8r21(jg~~60_57.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_-IxLVeg7QcUKU49sD7uGlAE4p18XxutxK9_nQbWw2f6RDMs3HKDDQJVLg6EI_HivYJ_IA-iN4CIqTlPkT2ua_bxPvK2VqxmAQh3OaBZdwQ65wuof5EV8wlMimx5nzXoCl44IM5JPX4U/s320/$T2eC16N,!yUE9s6NDMHfBRR8r21(jg~~60_57.JPG" width="267" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwwDL235v4RF5BP6RfCkl6O9cf6IWchy237fLf6ZY1t4OuFwvE4Qfsd_UfdC2pFiZ_GmQ8ogE7fG3NBEGqtU104MLTUhv0Cs28sh__FWl6ayaCQBKoo9ZL1tXt-URjSzmylNb3ZdVSDM/s1600/miss-fury-archival-press-1979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEwwDL235v4RF5BP6RfCkl6O9cf6IWchy237fLf6ZY1t4OuFwvE4Qfsd_UfdC2pFiZ_GmQ8ogE7fG3NBEGqtU104MLTUhv0Cs28sh__FWl6ayaCQBKoo9ZL1tXt-URjSzmylNb3ZdVSDM/s320/miss-fury-archival-press-1979.jpg" width="246" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Hard<span style="font-size: xx-small;">c</span>over (left) and softcover editions of Archival Press reprints (1979).</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: small;">
Miss Fury in Books and Collections</span></span></h3>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury,</i> Archival Press, 1979. <i>This book was printed in hard- and softcover editions with new art commissioned by Tarpé Mills. <span style="font-size: small;">Content is the same: black-and-white reprints </span>beginning with the first.</i> </span>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Hardcover edition came with a slipcover and was signed and numbered by Mills. Cover art is a new drawing by Mills. </i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Softcover cover art is a new painting by Mills. </i> <i> </i></span></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Miss Fury,</i> Pure Imagination. 2007. <i>Reprinting Timely issues #1–3</i></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Miss-Fury-Tarpe-Mills/dp/1600109055" target="_blank"><i>Miss Fury: Sensational Sundays 1944–1949</i></a>, IDW Publishing. 2011. <i>Brief history, and reprints of strips #<span style="font-size: small;">159-351 (April 1944–Aug. 1949)</span>.</i> </span></li>
</ul>
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><span style="font-size: small;">General Interest</span></span>
</h3>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fimprint.printmag.com%2Ffashion%2Ftrina-robbins%2F&ei=66pIUeiSI7HlyAHQ24GYBg&usg=AFQjCNFF8lWCQuXCTKi6Y1acScqxZhJa4A&sig2=o4vPrlJxGMtDDb1NmoWj5w&bvm=bv.43828540,d.aWc" target="_blank">Michael Dooley. "Trina Robbins on Comics Heroines, Feminism, and Lacy Underthings." </a> <i>Imprint. </i>20 July 2011.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2012/06/ink-slinger-profiles-tarpe-mills.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Alex Jay. </span>"Ink-Slinger Profiles: Tarpé Mills." </a>The Strippers Guide. 4 June 2012.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Trina Robbins, "Tarpé Mills’ Miss Fury." <i>The Comics Journal</i> #288 (Feb. 2008). 110-??. <i>Essay.</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Trina Robbins, <i>The Great Women Superheroes.</i> Kitchen Sink Press. 1997.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: small;">Trina Robbins, <i>Great Women Cartoonists.</i> Watson-Guptill. 2001.</span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-13196982899258943252013-03-01T16:05:00.000-06:002013-03-15T11:47:02.821-05:00New Appearance of the Clock!<a href="http://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?CAT=DF-Masks" target="_blank"><i>Masks</i></a> is a 2013 series by Dynamite that teams together mostly heroes who got their start in mediums other than comic books. They include <b>the Shadow, Zorro, the Green Hornet, the Green Lama, </b>and <b>the Spider</b>—all of whom began on radio or in pulp books. Most of these characters were eventually developed into Golden Age comic book features as well.<br />
<br />
Issue #3 features an unexpected cameo by <b>the Clock</b> (the first masked hero created for a comic book), is a flashback, not a true apperance. In the story, former District Attorney Tony Quinn recalls the Clock as a fellow D.A. who took an alternate route to fighting crime. Quinn goes on to become the <b>Black Bat</b> in this story (yet another pulp character). <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwkzOmPrpbiEdQ_9AZPQJbIY9b-MSjMLjkG8B0-GK4xDBIJVLqZH3Ikp3ddMAErCRd6ne-qaD2ZOP-ZC1BP02sOLKRB_8TIrjgygf43OzRjBVp_T-VPIOIThm1iIFPUN12x0KD2H3i4E/s1600/masks-3-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwkzOmPrpbiEdQ_9AZPQJbIY9b-MSjMLjkG8B0-GK4xDBIJVLqZH3Ikp3ddMAErCRd6ne-qaD2ZOP-ZC1BP02sOLKRB_8TIrjgygf43OzRjBVp_T-VPIOIThm1iIFPUN12x0KD2H3i4E/s640/masks-3-2013.jpg" width="414" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <i>Masks</i> #3 (2013); art by Dennis Calero.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>Masks</i> departs from its pulp-only formula in order to include one comic book hero: the <b>Black Terror</b>, a popular public domain hero who first appeared in <i>Exciting Comics</i> #9 (Jan. 1941). Also on parade is Miss Fury (aka Black Fury), who ran as a Sunday newspaper feature beginning April 6, 1941.<br />
<br />
If the Clock shows up in the flesh, you know I'll sound the alarm!<br />
<br />
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06;">More Golden Age Revivals </span></h3>
Incidentally, I have been reading Dynamite's<i> The Shadow</i> and enjoy it quite a lot. Matt Wagner just began his <i>Year One</i> mini-series, too. This company is doing a lot of things that should excite Golden Age aficionados.<br />
<br />
Another series is <a href="http://www.dynamite.com/htmlfiles/viewProduct.html?CAT=DF-Project_Superpowers" target="_blank"><i>Project Superpowers</i></a>, which I recently read. This was Dynamite's first megassembly of Golden Age characters. It brought together dozens of major public domain heroes in a classic superhero yarn. I enjoyed geeking out on this series but as with every Alex Ross project, I had many reservations about its execution. There are two volumes available in three trade paperbacks, plus several spinoff series including <i>Black Terror, Masquerade, and </i><i>Death-Defying </i>[Dare]<i>’Devil.</i> Many of these heroes had previously been reimagined by Alan Moore in his <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=terra+obscura" target="_blank">Terra Obscura</a> </i>series. Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-62152984254697226192013-02-10T09:09:00.001-06:002013-02-10T09:55:09.796-06:00Human Bomb #2-3 Review!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr>
<td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTfSRottTtBvgE-jQKgRvbn7cOApuhSwGtwB4p7UuQHWj1sRRlfhQ3CZHnxlzfhcB0ZdPeisGgnWVHGwSjn8Rnmgb5qlEFHgXgjWBo8rgbkR_Zx-JZ6j9MehciXmldWPSOM90Q5Zd2YQ/s1600/Human-Bomb_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTfSRottTtBvgE-jQKgRvbn7cOApuhSwGtwB4p7UuQHWj1sRRlfhQ3CZHnxlzfhcB0ZdPeisGgnWVHGwSjn8Rnmgb5qlEFHgXgjWBo8rgbkR_Zx-JZ6j9MehciXmldWPSOM90Q5Zd2YQ/s320/Human-Bomb_2.jpg" width="208" /></a> </td>
<td style="text-align: center;"></td>
<td style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu6IuI48enlVODnNLBd27V_9LAMpu6lDStMWCj62iRnUs29LkHzb1TrcCKvx5BRyyLHFT9xfyNVb3N4MpOa-7Fx25QecR_qhsI4E9szMofubpzFnmBNs74sPrupSFXeapWf5u117zB9g/s1600/HBOMB_Cv3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu6IuI48enlVODnNLBd27V_9LAMpu6lDStMWCj62iRnUs29LkHzb1TrcCKvx5BRyyLHFT9xfyNVb3N4MpOa-7Fx25QecR_qhsI4E9szMofubpzFnmBNs74sPrupSFXeapWf5u117zB9g/s320/HBOMB_Cv3.jpg" width="208" /></a></td></tr>
<tr>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Human Bomb </i>#2 (Mar. 2013)</td>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td>
<td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Human Bomb </i>#3 (Apr. 2013)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The adventure in this series began immediately and has escalated with every issue. Jerry Ordway shows no signs of slowing down in his artistic ability; this is some of his best work. And in addition to the new Miss America (introduced in <a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/12/human-bomb-1-review.html" target="_blank">issue #1</a>), issue #3 features a new Neon! This Neon somewhat resembles the reinvented one from the previous Freedom Fighters series, a purely glowing man with teleportation powers.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-9QRjg_Xo5FzINpBvijijDqqPbOXY1t-dzD3QuePkTyudlFEv3KeEGMBqqPcsxapwmSdwAgV8nbVPeE_6pPXfv1bNu1xcMiufhGzApzJ4kOSIPs3HV95MZ1SYsRJWlllKzSGygXJBKs/s1600/human-bomb-2b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX-9QRjg_Xo5FzINpBvijijDqqPbOXY1t-dzD3QuePkTyudlFEv3KeEGMBqqPcsxapwmSdwAgV8nbVPeE_6pPXfv1bNu1xcMiufhGzApzJ4kOSIPs3HV95MZ1SYsRJWlllKzSGygXJBKs/s640/human-bomb-2b.jpg" width="398" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Uncle Sam and Joan help Michael master his powers. From <i>Human Bomb</i> #2. Art by Jerry Ordway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The second issue opens with Michael Taylor taking refuge in a restaurant, the workplace of <b>Beth</b>, a waitress for whom he has affections. More Plastics (the aliens' robots) come after him but he makes quick work of them. Afterwards he is found by Uncle Sam whose powers command Michael to sleep. While under, he dreams of a cell where he witnessed strange experiments performed by men in black suits.<br />
<br />
Upon waking, he finds he's been fitted with a special suit to regulate his abilities, and Samuel informs him that he possesses a metagene, which is what allowed him to be altered and survive after creating multiple explosions. S.H.A.D.E. agent Joan is a telepath (among other things) and she discovers that Michael had been used by C.R.O.W.N.—created by the aliens—during his duty in Iraq. They performed genetic experiments then brainwashed soldiers. Now Michael can weaponize other objects and generate pure explosive force.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HnmGhASuAiIsZfgmjDGrbdPWG61PQOq_KNtmbNItar2LoM35-NJC7Kfol0Wt-9DuQdV0e8HMQRuhtet-Xbr4qbrshwtOEXStlk5Hw6O3h40N5V4lVa51LnI4GWx14fy45znRVTto1DU/s1600/human-bomb-2a.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1HnmGhASuAiIsZfgmjDGrbdPWG61PQOq_KNtmbNItar2LoM35-NJC7Kfol0Wt-9DuQdV0e8HMQRuhtet-Xbr4qbrshwtOEXStlk5Hw6O3h40N5V4lVa51LnI4GWx14fy45znRVTto1DU/s640/human-bomb-2a.jpg" width="412" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The aliens of C.R.O.W.N. create human bombs. From <i>Human Bomb</i> #2. Art by Jerry Ordway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
When Michael learns that they intend to go after C.R.O.W.N., he joins forces with the S.H.A.D.E even without their asking. They know that these aliens came to Earth in the 1950s in a ship that infected Iowa fairgoers like parasites. Now those people are roaming the world hoping to call for another "seed" ship. When Michael and Joan invade the alien installment, they discover hundreds more victims laying comatose. <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Human Bomb #2)</span><br />
<br />
When the S.H.A.D.E. forces are overwhelmed by alien troops, Joan is forced to take over Michael's mind in order to use his powers efficiently. She creates a chained explosion that travels between touching objects. As they begin to retreat, he implores her to try to save the lives of the comatose people. After a word with Uncle Sam, another S.H.A.D.E. agent, <b>Neon</b>, appears to teleports them and one alien to safety.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3MPHqjxWmfWujv0k1p9yD0uvixHysgcebXmSk4369RD02iZY3i9F-_cCtKFaU2r9o3dIxF4NX_993vzm3Q7H8NKXRGpMXd-g_ox7UwXrs5Yn2N8tB-8iTsWRRzre2alEz4IB5bSKf5Q/s1600/human-bomb-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir3MPHqjxWmfWujv0k1p9yD0uvixHysgcebXmSk4369RD02iZY3i9F-_cCtKFaU2r9o3dIxF4NX_993vzm3Q7H8NKXRGpMXd-g_ox7UwXrs5Yn2N8tB-8iTsWRRzre2alEz4IB5bSKf5Q/s640/human-bomb-3.jpg" width="402" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Neon lights up. From <i>Human Bomb</i> #3. Art by Jerry Ordway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Their next target is a town that's been completely infected. There they find a signal has been sent to summon more aliens, and an alien queen laying eggs. As the townspeople begin detonating themselves, Joan and Michael are teleported into space, to the aliens' ship in orbit of Jupiter<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">!</span> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"></span>(Human Bomb #3)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #b45f06;"><b><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">SEE ALS<span style="font-size: small;">O:</span></span></span></b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/12/human-bomb-1-review.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Human Bomb #1 Review</span></span></span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/HumanBomb.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Human Bomb</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/missamerica.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Miss America</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/uncleSam.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">Uncle Sam</span></a></li>
<li><a href="http://cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/Neon.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Neon </span></span></span></span></a></li>
<li><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://cosmicteams.com/cosmic/se.html#shade" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: small;">S.H.A.D.E </span></a></span></span></span></li>
</ul>
Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-30578588412997726072013-01-28T11:46:00.000-06:002013-01-28T11:46:09.241-06:00Quality Comics History Unearthed!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYcOuS_6pEBM6oj4_7VuxF2wH4Ok1Gyk2QZN2IlvJs55RVBhX0NrdmyrG-kUDTDBQm10HRaRXHE9zEd6lWJcP84n_n7bDokSQA2pcVVQQlzznr6FWbxnC9LmrbqYKTy5rP6bz8y3mT7A/s1600/comicsdetlogosmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYcOuS_6pEBM6oj4_7VuxF2wH4Ok1Gyk2QZN2IlvJs55RVBhX0NrdmyrG-kUDTDBQm10HRaRXHE9zEd6lWJcP84n_n7bDokSQA2pcVVQQlzznr6FWbxnC9LmrbqYKTy5rP6bz8y3mT7A/s640/comicsdetlogosmall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
This is one of those magical diamond dream posts, for me anyways. In a <a href="http://thecomicsdetective.blogspot.com/2013/01/sincerely-yours-busy.html" target="_blank">blog post by Ken Quattro at the Comics Detective,</a> the author went further into the Will Eisner archives at the Ohio State University's Cartoon Research Library. This is where Bob Andelman found gems used in his biography of Will Eisner, <i>A Spirited Life. </i><br />
<br />
I never even considered that there might be more letters in their archive, but Quattro found a treasure trove of correspondence that gives us a transparent look at the relationships between Busy Arnold, Will Eisner, and Jerry Iger.<br />
<br />
One thing these letters clear up is which comics Eisner was contracted to produce for Quality, namely <i>Military Comics,</i> and <i>Uncle Sam Quarterly.</i> (Eisner and Iger seem to have split the duties for producing <i>Hit </i>and <i>National</i>.) I had guessed that about Uncle Sam. If you read the earliest issues, it's a classic Eisner show of experimentation. These issues are greatly overlooked when people speak of Eisner as a format-buster. Long before <i>The Spirit</i> really hit its stride, this book was doing some surprising things.<br />
<br />
It also removes some doubt about the artists on some of the features, especially those coming from Iger. Iger's material almost always had pen names on the bylines, and some of these artists are difficult to identify. (But I am doing that currently, I'll be blogging my index and findings as soon as I feel justified.)Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-8779506693672842952013-01-24T15:03:00.001-06:002013-01-25T10:18:51.791-06:00Quality: The First Statement of Ownership<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilALkpTXLZ3O57HQ75eQN4qqyo_ZfRDVR5fU3NlDELBnWK0paoVfbks2kuzrt_DO5bzJ0AMLDN-wFOtlvrALmN6mbWC_cYtkA6NiDCO0pu6l40f-lFtyOGLdGx3M6eE_cZHM1fXCs0rFU/s1600/featureFunnies04_65of68pgs_ffly.cbz+-+Page+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilALkpTXLZ3O57HQ75eQN4qqyo_ZfRDVR5fU3NlDELBnWK0paoVfbks2kuzrt_DO5bzJ0AMLDN-wFOtlvrALmN6mbWC_cYtkA6NiDCO0pu6l40f-lFtyOGLdGx3M6eE_cZHM1fXCs0rFU/s320/featureFunnies04_65of68pgs_ffly.cbz+-+Page+1.jpg" width="224" /></a></div>
<span id="goog_1471161642"></span><span id="goog_1471161643"></span>Another minute thing that was not available when I was writing the Quality Companion, was their first Statement of Ownership filing, <a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?cid=171" target="_blank">now availble from the DCM</a> in <i>Feature Funnies</i> #4 (Jan. 1938).<br />
<br />
The statement, which was required by law to run in periodicals, cites <b>Edward Cronin</b> as Editor and <b>Ann L. Horgan</b> as Business Manager, a name that has heretofore not popped up. I'm not sure whether she worked for Busy Arnold or one of the other partners. <br />
<br />
The five entities listed as owners coincide with those listed in sources of record (including Jim Steranko's <i>History of the Comics</i>) were: <br />
<ul>
<li><b>Comic Favorites, Inc.</b> According to Steranko, this was the name of the parent corporation. It was represented by:</li>
<ul>
<li><b>Frank J. Murphy </b>(treasurer of the McNaught Syndicate; <a href="http://www.willrogers.com/papers/daily/DT-Vol-1.pdf" target="_blank">I discovered this proof here</a>, Smallwood, James M. and Steven K. Grager, eds. <i>Will Rogers' Daily Telegrams. </i>Oklahoma State University Press, Stillwater, Oklahoma. 1978.)</li>
<li><b>Frank J. Markey,</b> affiliated with McNaught and also ran his own small syndicate.<b><br /></b></li>
<li><b>Henry P. Martin, Jr.,</b> (representing the Des Moines Rigister & Tribune), and </li>
<li><b>Everett M. Arnold. </b></li>
</ul>
</ul>
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There's a reason why this information—which is largely just corroborative—is a big deal to me. It's a relief to me because there were some anomalous comments printed that made me question whether Busy Arnold was truly a full initial partner. <a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/08/quality-comics-indicia-early-indicators.html" target="_blank">I talked about the reasons behind this doubt earlier.</a><br />
<br />
This Statement lists what must have been the Arnolds's home address in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. That original house has reportedly been torn down (in an <i>Alter Ego</i> interview<b> </b>by Jim Amash). For kicks I tried to go there on Google Maps but the street has not been photographed! Looks like a perfectly charming neighborhood, though. <b><br /></b><br />
<ul><ul>
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Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-19124852656168862322013-01-19T19:56:00.001-06:002013-06-09T15:28:20.097-05:00The Rarest Quality Comics Collectible?Whoa, I'm reviewing all the non-super-hero stuff by Quality now and doing a fair amount of art spotting too. I just came across this solicitation in "Archie O'Toole" from <i>Smash Comics</i> #8 (Mar. 1940) which tells kids to send in for a free coloring map to Archie's kingdom, Pyromania!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgln-FxhQwhCt6fEpz9vgkEfFvgk9t89-gDsNVu-BqF3muTXzRU0y6RFFAneqzvvv1n6zqdxrk2gWXq7o4WsA7p-9PYBNI27hSP8ig7r_QpLulGebB8ioeEfslijSK4yqR0b2zYmRoJeEo/s1600/Smash_Comics_008.cbr+-+Page+34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="324" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgln-FxhQwhCt6fEpz9vgkEfFvgk9t89-gDsNVu-BqF3muTXzRU0y6RFFAneqzvvv1n6zqdxrk2gWXq7o4WsA7p-9PYBNI27hSP8ig7r_QpLulGebB8ioeEfslijSK4yqR0b2zYmRoJeEo/s640/Smash_Comics_008.cbr+-+Page+34.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Howdy, Friends..... I want to thank you all for following me and my adventures... and to show my appreciation, I'm going to give away free, a map of Pyromania which you can color yourself. Just write me c/o Smash Comics, Gurley Building,Stamford, Conn., — with five cents to cover the mailing and handling...</blockquote>
<a name='more'></a><br />
A quick online search yielded no results on this. But of course, now I'm obsessed with finding one...<br />
<br />
An earlier issue (<i>Smash</i> #6) included a map of sorts...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxL2Pkn8QmanJ2swjj0JY2bJSc6rUTd785rv8EkfWc8BnClPTze7A6xqGvd2x3i_SaGr0TNUkTP_3pwzI5erQuhPSY9ZhLFEheP5l3suvVloTGKiMUCLAyadVJs9R2dj6wacDut2oNfM/s1600/Smash_Comics_006.cbz+-+Page+34.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtxL2Pkn8QmanJ2swjj0JY2bJSc6rUTd785rv8EkfWc8BnClPTze7A6xqGvd2x3i_SaGr0TNUkTP_3pwzI5erQuhPSY9ZhLFEheP5l3suvVloTGKiMUCLAyadVJs9R2dj6wacDut2oNfM/s640/Smash_Comics_006.cbz+-+Page+34.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And by the way, the issue of creator(s) on this innocuous two-page strip is driving me really really mad. There's more to it than any indexer has noticed. It's regarded as an Eisner creation but I've found a whole lot of confusing things about this claim. I'm going to be blogging about it soon. Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-81130434656100431922013-01-06T10:09:00.001-06:002015-12-19T11:27:56.966-06:00George Edward Brenner (28 Sept. 1908–13 Sept. 1952)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJc_y1N_-V7oHDWdN3uDXjgyanqgsE30JKcJjv7bXYwxhkqbwr-PlCVNBXVAPD1-uN6BPySwNfRQdfuXgLgs4eMoZQlMUxfEGpJeMNxiHncS-Fv38yA0l9-ydjN22R8YcBGOfq-bSubY/s1600/Funny_Picture_Stories_v1_002_c2c_digital_camera.cbz+-+Page+8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZJc_y1N_-V7oHDWdN3uDXjgyanqgsE30JKcJjv7bXYwxhkqbwr-PlCVNBXVAPD1-uN6BPySwNfRQdfuXgLgs4eMoZQlMUxfEGpJeMNxiHncS-Fv38yA0l9-ydjN22R8YcBGOfq-bSubY/s320/Funny_Picture_Stories_v1_002_c2c_digital_camera.cbz+-+Page+8.jpg" width="317" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Comic books' first masked hero, the Clock, <br />
from <i>Funny Picture Stories </i>#2 <br />
(Dec. 1936, Comics Magazine Co.)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
At some point, I became obsessed with unearthing more details about George Brenner. How could it be that the creator of the first masked comic book hero (<a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/Clock.html" target="_blank">the Clock</a>), would go so undocumented? The obvious answer is that the man passed away at a very early age—in 1952 at the age of 42, to be precise. This was decades before anybody cared about his work which, if we're honest, was otherwise forgettable.<br />
<br />
In interviews with Brenner's contemporaries, Jim Amash elicited lots of anectodal insight about the man during his time at Quality Comics. All of this is documented in the <i>Quality Companion.</i> But after he left (or purportedly was fired from) Quality in 1949, his story goes pretty dark. Only one mention, in a place I couldn't retrace, led me to believe that he moved to Dell/Western after that, and that he suffered an early death. <a href="http://lambiek.net/">Lambiek.net</a> noted the year of his death as 1952. <br />
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I'd tried many times to search for possible family members, but his name was too common. I hit paydirt thanks to the ever-expanding amount of public and user-generated data at Ancestry.com. Here I located data on the entire Brenner clan. (Note: Even though I had an account with Ancestry, I only found Brenner's obituary there after many Google searches, and even then many pages into the results.) Daniel Brenner helped me and had added the following obituary, whose information matched precisely with the existing skeletal details:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
GEORGE EDWARD BRENNER, age 43, died on September 13, 1952, at his home in Greenwich, Fairfield County, Connecticut. He was born on September 28, 1908, in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, the son of Walter Brenner, Sr. and Catherine Sheridan. His parents were natives of New York City, NY, and Ireland, respectively. He was a magazine editor and was survived by his wife, Grace Kane Brenner. Burial on September 16, 1952, at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY. Informant - Mrs. Brenner.</blockquote>
Before this, Dick Arnold (son of Quality's publisher, Busy Arnold) had mentioned that the Brenners lived in Greenwich, and the obituary confirms this man's profession as "magazine editor." But for the first time, I learned the size of his (large extended Catholic) family. <br />
<br />
Further data on his line and his <i>father's</i> obituary (a man who also died early) revealed the source of two of Brenner's pen names. The pen name "Wayne Reid" (used on "Bozo") was inspired by his paternal grandmother, Jane Reid, born in Scotland. This obituary also corroborated Walter Brenner's livelihood, in roofing. George's pen name "Scott Sheridan" (used for "Clip Chance") was inspired by his own mother's maiden name. His wife's name doesn't crop up, but perhaps he married after he'd ceased writing comics himself.<br />
<br />
Down a different path, I sought to follow up on a comment made by Gill Fox, who said to Amash (<a href="http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=495" target="_blank"><i>Alter Ego</i> #12, Jan. 2002</a>) that Brenner had played football for Villanova University, near Philadelphia. <i>Great!</i> I thought, <i>a solid lead.</i> But naturally, when I tried to research this, all records at Villanova came up empty for his name. Inquiries to both the alumni and athletics departments returned <i>no </i>hits. This made me question whether he actually graduated; did he even attend? <br />
<br />
Brenner was born in 1908, which would have put his college graduation around 1929 (he was 21 at the time of the 1930 census and a member of his parents' household). This was precisely when the stock market crash happened, then the Depression. His father was a roofing contractor, so it's possible that building related business dried up; perhaps his family couldn't afford for him to <i>finish </i>college? <br />
<br />
Since he and Grace had no children, the best chance at learning more about George Brenner lies with his brothers' families. If I find anything, you'll be the first to know, but the available data stops short of revealing whether <i>they </i>had children either. Another anomaly is that his family appears solidly in the 1930 census, but can be found nowhere in that of 1940. I have found a reference to his brother's wife—cross your fingers! I'm hoping to find some Holy Grail level information, but the situation is tough...<br />
<br />
Geroge Brenner was lead editor at Quality from March 1943–July 1949.<br />
<br />
<h4>
Read my original biography on George Brenner in the <b><a href="http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=95_71&products_id=984" target="_blank"><i>Quality Companion</i></a>!</b></h4>
<h4>
<b> </b></h4>
<h4>
</h4>
<h3>
<span style="color: #b45f06;">Brenner's Ghost(s)</span></h3>
Another detail that I'd missed when writing the <i>Quality Companion</i> was an interview by Jim Amash with Fran Matera (<a href="http://twomorrows.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=371" target="_blank"><i>Alter Ego</i> #59, June 2006</a>), who talked about Brenner using ghost artists on "The Clock," which is obvious to anyone reading the strip in succession.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3knCYsROYzjGlmq5K7bQB85Wav4xWHNECTNuIYObeBxRwVsK2WzjA7wvP5CXyR-TJE67aw-47YaZEsaeI0sffcdG7edPwwTXMS2L1yqJDdLSxbgNG3jqQma4D9aBGj8wo1Vyn7KR3YA/s1600/Crack_Comics_021_ctc_(p53-56_reconstructed_from_B&W_xeroxes).rar+-+Page+28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="450" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3knCYsROYzjGlmq5K7bQB85Wav4xWHNECTNuIYObeBxRwVsK2WzjA7wvP5CXyR-TJE67aw-47YaZEsaeI0sffcdG7edPwwTXMS2L1yqJDdLSxbgNG3jqQma4D9aBGj8wo1Vyn7KR3YA/s640/Crack_Comics_021_ctc_(p53-56_reconstructed_from_B&W_xeroxes).rar+-+Page+28.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These panels are both from<i> Crack</i> #21 (Feb. 1942), but the man on the left looks like a classic Brenner rendering, while that on the right would never have appeared in his work. Also, the humor and roundness in Butch's face are new.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Matera said, "He gave me the feature. Whoever had drawn it may have left, and George gave the assignment to me." Looking at the art, there are subtle changes that appear about when the strip introduced the Clock's sidekick, Butch, <a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?dlid=16251" target="_blank"><i>Crack Comics </i>#21</a> (Feb. 1942) . There's a shift from Brenner's static, flat, mimeographed style beginning at this time. Characters' features have more volume and the influence of Eisner's "Spirit" style—special splash pages, a domino mask, and noir-like humor—seeps in. Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-76409499332987608802012-12-18T09:01:00.001-06:002012-12-18T09:06:40.465-06:00Human Bomb #1 Review!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG8Q90j8MA0iwFr_S-1LEG9Uso_wq_TlgLOsPc3ftaYIpbKS0qojnAXeuFbrncpGCD4xyDSWqspJ1uI3CGIxHbR3e6Gx0VQEt08g3z74ROr_Ih8Qr1m1XkXEOknCbsg0rGMRQKMGgE00/s1600/humanbomb_1_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG8Q90j8MA0iwFr_S-1LEG9Uso_wq_TlgLOsPc3ftaYIpbKS0qojnAXeuFbrncpGCD4xyDSWqspJ1uI3CGIxHbR3e6Gx0VQEt08g3z74ROr_Ih8Qr1m1XkXEOknCbsg0rGMRQKMGgE00/s320/humanbomb_1_02.jpg" width="207" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cover of <i>Human Bomb</i> #1. <br />
Art by Jerry Ordway.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I enjoyed this issue a whole lot more than the bulk of the <i>Phantom Lady </i>series. Even a tad more than <i>The Ray,</i> but we'll have to ride it out to see how it progresses. As it stands, this issue moves at a clip, getting introductions underway and moving right into the action. Perhaps things are getting more exciting now because some threads from the three series are coming together. Uncle Sam, who debuted at the end of <i>The Ray,</i> is already central to the current story.<br />
<br />
Jerry Ordway provides full (and beautiful) art for the cover and interiors. No doubt this influences my impression of the book. But hey: comics are a visual medium and the quality of the art<i> is going to</i> affect the reader's impression, no?<br />
<br />
The new Human Bomb's story begins three years ago in Afghanistan, where <b>Sgt. Michael Taylor</b>'s troop of five Marines was ambushed not by Taliban, but by men in black body suits and gas masks. The men were shocked unconscious, and he apparently did not remember the incident afterwards.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Today, Michael Taylor awakes from a dream where he receives the Medal of Honor. Just then, his body ignites and he destroys the White House. In reality, Taylor is a construction worker in New York City, on a project at the site of the World Trade Center. Among his coworkers, he's a hero, a publicly recognized figure known for his accomplishments against Al-Qaeda. In fact, he is due to soon meet the President to receive his honor.<br />
<br />
Just then, a series of bombs goes off around the city—killing the mayor—and the crew realize that their site might be next. Reports are of human bombs causing the devastation. As they clear the construction site, Mike runs into a Marine buddy, Smitty, who happens to be another of these bombs. Instinctively, Mike subdues Smitty. When he begins to detonate, he says "remember the C.R.O.W.N.," and a fierce kind of energy leaps from him and into Taylor.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmXe26Gfmiq8DUgnlB4pstf_aDNILDMuQyWCaNIVeASyfs4EsSpcriFxqONCAaGzAHfgt_h_g0MUCiGg6jmyOYMCvH3ErgPHHr0rPRnhgMBXAEAb7FTpkWCmhOHcDnu0wIvpi8IXIvO8/s1600/Human-Bomb_01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNmXe26Gfmiq8DUgnlB4pstf_aDNILDMuQyWCaNIVeASyfs4EsSpcriFxqONCAaGzAHfgt_h_g0MUCiGg6jmyOYMCvH3ErgPHHr0rPRnhgMBXAEAb7FTpkWCmhOHcDnu0wIvpi8IXIvO8/s640/Human-Bomb_01a.jpg" width="420" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michael Taylor access his powers for the first time.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Another man in black watches all of this, calling them "Human Bomb Twenty-Three" and "Seventeen" (Taylor), noting that Taylor is an abnormality. He accosts Mike uttering the word "diffuse!" which has no effect except to set off another smaller charge. This man is called <b>Human Bomb Fifty</b> and is told by his masters that failure is unacceptable, for which he commits suicide.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLzwxBDzAVgg54XFvzZgBMHGbQ3JAGJQ8tME31PYjpNjvvpim9l9REDB1i68c5Nz9YiXTLD6Q4dHYgjqAizGTV9KKfrEmNIReC9A5rTVEcWXJMuy4pNRftgDjaKrqRBBp5snkOL7X0S8/s1600/Human-Bomb_01b.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSLzwxBDzAVgg54XFvzZgBMHGbQ3JAGJQ8tME31PYjpNjvvpim9l9REDB1i68c5Nz9YiXTLD6Q4dHYgjqAizGTV9KKfrEmNIReC9A5rTVEcWXJMuy4pNRftgDjaKrqRBBp5snkOL7X0S8/s640/Human-Bomb_01b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Human Bombs #50 and #17 square off.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
At<b> S.H.A.D.E. </b>(Super Human Advanced Defense Executive, an organization that played heavily into Palmiotti and Gray's Freedom Fighters) in Washington DC, <b>Uncle Sam</b>'s people are monitoring everything. CROWN is an acronym for several terror organizations: Capricorn, Renegade, Orbital, Warriors, and Nezbali. Uncle Sam orders all efforts to focus on finding Michael Taylor. His boss, Mr. Doyle. <br />
<br />
Uncle Sam's aide is named <b>Joan.</b> Could this be a nod to the former Miss America, Joan Dale? The love interest in the original "Human Bomb" strip was named <b>Jean</b> (her last name varied).<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhyAQe5ZXbgDkhn9xXofxOErl4YgLNB3t49KxaP7FdiLVszIbfSCStVH6s_1AqjwvkVg1We4RrlxWGDE_ROeSlu1KBxeolOJUHk9lGuAywlCMdAO4etvql3zgUCSTFq6jFfsUqjknzuE/s1600/Human-Bomb_01c.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKhyAQe5ZXbgDkhn9xXofxOErl4YgLNB3t49KxaP7FdiLVszIbfSCStVH6s_1AqjwvkVg1We4RrlxWGDE_ROeSlu1KBxeolOJUHk9lGuAywlCMdAO4etvql3zgUCSTFq6jFfsUqjknzuE/s640/Human-Bomb_01c.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joan and Uncle Sam at S.H.A.D.E.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-10684624832360537042012-12-01T14:34:00.000-06:002012-12-03T08:34:56.786-06:00Phantom Lady #4 Review!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnne990P5psownBi1jVuSgPbQ8D6DRgWRm1R5Db2LXi-n22xw9gtH4JZ6eJUevsf5rYIPb5z1alJGuB8AUqyiDpUmtRgG8vSV6xwRuf23ahowrO6Zn4MEiS7VWQMfq-fjVbGWiWL7mUc/s1600/phantom-lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnne990P5psownBi1jVuSgPbQ8D6DRgWRm1R5Db2LXi-n22xw9gtH4JZ6eJUevsf5rYIPb5z1alJGuB8AUqyiDpUmtRgG8vSV6xwRuf23ahowrO6Zn4MEiS7VWQMfq-fjVbGWiWL7mUc/s200/phantom-lady.jpg" width="133" /></a></div>
<b>FINALLY.</b><br />
<br />
Finally, in the last issue, the dialogue and story kick in to prime Palmiotti/Gray gear. <br />
<br />
I feel sort of bad for harping on the art in this series, however it continued to disappoint. I can't think of much else to describe it except "serviceable." :(<br />
<br />
Here's the page that I loved reading most. The personality of each character starts to shine and come off the page a bit better ...<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikrzpQfO-iGLatQmH1Lw_QbuZVaZ1zSGWO8BuKV37Un3ySUIeNxLXhhxrSaqoMdBp8Pj5wwjgPXEcy7zOMJ5CpW5D2Lp86IaacmNg-HUa8Ctgz9OPGDLAL-4ls2OwmionZck_h4ecbv8/s1600/Scanned+Image+123360007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiikrzpQfO-iGLatQmH1Lw_QbuZVaZ1zSGWO8BuKV37Un3ySUIeNxLXhhxrSaqoMdBp8Pj5wwjgPXEcy7zOMJ5CpW5D2Lp86IaacmNg-HUa8Ctgz9OPGDLAL-4ls2OwmionZck_h4ecbv8/s640/Scanned+Image+123360007.jpg" width="416" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <i>Phantom Lady</i> #4 (2012). Art by Cat Staggs and Tom Derenick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
After the battle with Funerella, our new heroes wonder if they're cut out for super-hero life. On the other hand, Phantom Lady realizes that they've been going about their mission in the wrong way. Instead of playing it by the law, a vigilante approach seems more practical. But before they can strike out to target Bender on his home turf, their quarry tracks them down to<i> their</i> hideout. Bender wears a suit of super-armor equipped with high tech weapons. But none of that is a match for the abject horror of Phantom Lady's shadow realm. A quick trip into that black place steals Bender's sanity, and he's done for.<br />
<br />
Just then, Uncle Sam and the Ray enter the picture, representing Homeland Security. Samuel wants them for his new team, and also promises to help Dane regain his full stature. He promises they will "see the world," and "defend the freedom of our nation and promote democracy and peace."<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb68sk67FLUkccSg5Jt2ml6b_-NfuqkGToc8IvzKP5_WF3MjtXO8z5XZMefGPfDHFKj57fjawKOvRqlMoEAcSA0loSVw7z9t8ydX4btDbX4QWWkZFmAKQHzEZL_xRXhLq_cLqPRJ6JWmA/s1600/phantom-lady_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb68sk67FLUkccSg5Jt2ml6b_-NfuqkGToc8IvzKP5_WF3MjtXO8z5XZMefGPfDHFKj57fjawKOvRqlMoEAcSA0loSVw7z9t8ydX4btDbX4QWWkZFmAKQHzEZL_xRXhLq_cLqPRJ6JWmA/s640/phantom-lady_04.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
The series ends without a plug for the next mini-series, <i>Human Bomb</i>. Maybe in the digital age everyone who is interested in this already knows it's coming, but it seems silly to me to waste an opportunity to direct readers of <i>Phantom Lady </i>to the next "chapter."<br />
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Prior Reviews</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/09/phantom-lady-1-review.html">Phantom Lady #1 </a></li>
<li><a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/09/phantom-lady-2-review.html">Phantom Lady #2 </a></li>
<li><a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/11/phantom-lady-3-review.html">Phantom Lady #3</a></li>
</ul>
Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-14515347466625687872012-11-30T15:11:00.000-06:002012-12-10T15:20:06.543-06:00DC's Who's Who: Quality Pages<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0P6f0IK3lWbXWp0r7EvahlndJup-CyMM9q1IJ5P9hQnPSvyf6oQI7rRNjNv3_UwscoRKiaxMQQNVUog6EjFPLlLKx4PTwPJCeRIJ44_acJFHIo1HcKJrYcRH_qIeD5O0km8Xpez1I50/s1600/BlackCondor-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="292" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ0P6f0IK3lWbXWp0r7EvahlndJup-CyMM9q1IJ5P9hQnPSvyf6oQI7rRNjNv3_UwscoRKiaxMQQNVUog6EjFPLlLKx4PTwPJCeRIJ44_acJFHIo1HcKJrYcRH_qIeD5O0km8Xpez1I50/s320/BlackCondor-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the cover of<i> Who's Who</i> #2; <br />
art by George Pérez.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I never once looked to these profiles when writing my book for any kind of background information, probably because I always prefer to go to the source (original stories) for those things. But it occurred to me I might find something interesting, so I dug out all of my old <i>Who's Who</i>s and scanned the entries for Quality's characters.<br />
<br />
There's some gems here in the art. Most notably, Brian Bolland draws Lady Blackhawk, and Murphy Anderson draws the lion's share of the rest. A couple are pretty bad, but it's clear that the artists had to do a minimum of research in order to render the supporting cast and historical details. William Messner-Loebs (very crudely) drew the Human Bomb—who knew he was once an artist? Jerry Ordway, as always, turned in a gorgeous Black Condor. <br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Not surprisingly, only the core 1970s Freedom Fighters, Plastic Man, and the Blackhawks made it into the original 26-volume <i>Who's Who.</i> The rest appeared in the subsequent <i>Update </i>volumes. The most curious of all of them are Captain Triumph and Doll Girl, who had never appeared in a DC Comics story. The Jester, Midnight, and Quicksilver appeared presumably because of their brief appearances in <i>All-Star Squadron </i>as well.<br />
<br />
The histories were largely up-to-date with post-Crisis continuity.
This means they reflected the changes that Roy Thomas wrote into<i> All-Star Squadron</i> regarding the Earth-X characters/Freedom Fighters. Some things of note: <br />
<ul>
<li>By the time the <i>Who's Who</i> series reached the profiles for Phantom Lady, the Ray, and Uncle Sam, <i>Crisis</i> had ended and those profiles remarked that because the heroes "journeyed back to the dawn of time when history was changed, he still remembers his life on Earth-X." This was the premise for all heroes who's been to the dawn of time; they remembered life before the multiverse collapsed (<i>Crisis</i> #10-11). <b> </b></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Profiles for Quicksilver, Midnight and Human Bomb do mention those characters' sidekicks, so <i>somebody </i>had been digging into old Quality Comics! </li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
I clipped out the illustrations to make a gallery below...<br />
<br />
<b>Black Condor</b>'s powers are described as a "mutant ability to fly." This was an amendment from his Quality origin, told in <i>Secret Origins</i> #21.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELgWKBxuP4T8Xg4Ht883TuRALSR2mzQvv0HC9w-xswVf4EXG40cXR7OOa9lOCItC1UX3bIZspeF0aR-vMXEblhIjWbKpdhMT393-bTnM0_pKZRoRRi2Efv5u5FJK5ktpkoTixmaSPKzk/s1600/BlackCondor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiELgWKBxuP4T8Xg4Ht883TuRALSR2mzQvv0HC9w-xswVf4EXG40cXR7OOa9lOCItC1UX3bIZspeF0aR-vMXEblhIjWbKpdhMT393-bTnM0_pKZRoRRi2Efv5u5FJK5ktpkoTixmaSPKzk/s640/BlackCondor.jpg" width="590" /></a></div>
The<b> Blackhawk </b>entries
are very brief but seem to reflect the 1980s version of the team, by Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle. There are revised entries for them in
the <i>Update</i> volumes, which reflect the all new post-Crisis Blackhawks by Howard Chaykin. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLGDy3a5VeaylFv2THATBmt5VfdtF0R5HoaWXUIzIq9obmceRAq7vAEoOg-0WGUR9-Yf5haKbIVNsjlApp4WH3hTAQneI4LvYKn3za01T0mTz-vDPu5S-b5IGV1aTNZHq1Mqh9yE0z1w/s1600/Blackhawk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="410" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuLGDy3a5VeaylFv2THATBmt5VfdtF0R5HoaWXUIzIq9obmceRAq7vAEoOg-0WGUR9-Yf5haKbIVNsjlApp4WH3hTAQneI4LvYKn3za01T0mTz-vDPu5S-b5IGV1aTNZHq1Mqh9yE0z1w/s640/Blackhawk.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<b>Captain Triumph,</b>
who was never a member of the All-Star Squadron or Freedom Fighters
still warranted an entry. It mentions his sidekicks Biff and Kim. He was
"last heard of in 1949." <br />
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8_niugAOWQrANygy4TgOfzAdtPJpx90zFs2Q5O6pvvElxdvea0o_tWm9vKnsJYKxn5uj8g5B1oH-4-VAKJf2WQ3D-9b6IhyphenhyphenqKCPkrM8Fhx9Vp_PMwgxD0iqUzglbLkdk3kR-spqxvCg/s1600/CaptainTriumph.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC8_niugAOWQrANygy4TgOfzAdtPJpx90zFs2Q5O6pvvElxdvea0o_tWm9vKnsJYKxn5uj8g5B1oH-4-VAKJf2WQ3D-9b6IhyphenhyphenqKCPkrM8Fhx9Vp_PMwgxD0iqUzglbLkdk3kR-spqxvCg/s640/CaptainTriumph.jpg" width="270" /></a></div>
Curiously, <b>Doll Girl</b>'s page omits any Earth-X history, in which she died.<br />
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<b>Kid Eternity</b> was covered in the original <i>Who's Who </i>and after his Vertigo rebirth, he received a page in the loose leaf <i>Who's Who</i> #15 in 1992.<br />
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The art in<b> Midnight'</b>s
page devotes a fair amount of space to some woman. Not sure who this is
supposed to be, as his strip never featured a regular female character
or girlfriend.<b> </b><br />
<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyl9Sj9hL-bsPQAiDnBoayNPd3bbSxCctDnqB12QA8PxyBoCoLfOygUcI_5rTbTm1imIVmPP-ov0qZh56rsUaxeVeRl5X25TZ3u0Q_PGx8tV5EZp0AOzilcdTIzGDWKC05K3y91-ODP7k/s640/Midnight.jpg" width="604" /><br />
<b>Miss America'</b>s history reflects the retcons introduced in <i>Young All-Stars </i>and <i>Secret Origins</i> #26. <br />
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<b>Phantom Lady'</b>s entry mentions her familial connection to Starman, told in <i>All-Star Squadron</i> #41 (1985). <br />
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<b>Plastic Man's</b> history excludes the crazy 1960s but <i>does </i> include his Quality adventures <b>and</b> his 1970s DC adventures (#11-20, 1976-77), when he worked for the "NBI." <br />
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<b>Quicksilver'</b>s states that he "battled Crime for nine years, then vanished." <br />
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<b>Uncle Sam</b>'s profile that also suggested that he may be the force that kept the other Freedom Fighters youthful for longer. <br />
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<br />Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-25861047177258910122012-11-19T08:48:00.000-06:002012-12-01T14:37:30.568-06:00Phantom Lady #3 Review!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCE42uN2gXS7_Wx7yadckVi2pbxiv7BbSVt7866IH73J9WDn4n6YidY9mJRsP-7m3Bfm073DYa2KkW0hMHjkv-lkEluRk28g1rYZSAU7y7B2F_H4r9MHlXIHBTZjVXaT15fFwLSXddf8/s1600/PHLADY_Cv3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCE42uN2gXS7_Wx7yadckVi2pbxiv7BbSVt7866IH73J9WDn4n6YidY9mJRsP-7m3Bfm073DYa2KkW0hMHjkv-lkEluRk28g1rYZSAU7y7B2F_H4r9MHlXIHBTZjVXaT15fFwLSXddf8/s400/PHLADY_Cv3.jpg" width="258" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Phantom Lady</i> #3 (Dec. 2012). <br />
Cover by Stephane Roux.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti pick up the pace with a knock-down battle with the mercenary, <b>Funerella</b>. This villainess is a rather good choice for an arch foe. She first appeared in the pre-DCnU era, in <i>Freedom Fighters</i> #4 (Feb. 2011), written also by Palmiotti and Gray.<br />
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She's an amped up zombie with absolute control over her undead form, and over those she infects. Funerella's power extends to the ability to deteriorate inanimate matter, too.<br />
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It seems Phantom Lady's black light isn't as effective against her, either. In fact it's coldness seems to have an affinity for her. When Doll Man shoots her in the head, it does not kill her—she's already dead.<br />
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As the battle rages on the waterfront, Funerella dashes for a full yacht and turns people into her slaves. Phantom Lady uses her black light to slice her up, and Funerella falls into the ocean. Her detached arm, however, flails around the boat and when touched, kills a man—decomposing him instantly! The arm's owner soon reappears, dragging herself out of the ocean.<br />
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The biggest surprise in this issue was a cameo by the Ray! In San Diego, he is called to action by Uncle Sam, who orders him to head to Metropolis.<br />
<br />
Despite the uptick in action, my initial reservations on this series stand. If these Quality-related projects aren't amped up to the fullest (including the upcoming <i>Human Bomb </i>series), any potential viability for the Freedom Fighters will be dead in the water. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDq8lirxRV_nEO15e1DjDNW-pDZlb3SmxOupCJai_9YvavdVZXDBmXrFsxC9FNweQNzwWrZn-M1TjSmupqvilb3zoOPuSiM6_6pV4Qv4KuQKIRu9YSNwdfmcqtWFhvaFV1yuR1zD-Zi8/s1600/phantom-lady_2_funerella.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDq8lirxRV_nEO15e1DjDNW-pDZlb3SmxOupCJai_9YvavdVZXDBmXrFsxC9FNweQNzwWrZn-M1TjSmupqvilb3zoOPuSiM6_6pV4Qv4KuQKIRu9YSNwdfmcqtWFhvaFV1yuR1zD-Zi8/s640/phantom-lady_2_funerella.jpg" width="518" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <i>Phantom Lady</i> #3 (2012). Art by Cat Staggs and Tom Derenick.</td></tr>
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<br />Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-88195276278707736132012-11-13T15:49:00.002-06:002012-12-01T14:37:51.391-06:00Plastic Man on DC Nation<br />
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Nothing tops the Freedom Fighters' appearance (plus Plastic man!) on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Batman:_The_Brave_and_the_Bold_episodes" target="_blank"><i>Batman: The Brave and the Bold</i></a> (November 12, 2010<i>; </i><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WdfilYatJto" target="_blank">watch a bit here</a>)<i>.</i><br />
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But Plactic Man appears fairly regularly in DC's Cartoon Network shows. This includes <i><a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/video/Young-Justice/" target="_blank">Young Justice</a>,</i> where he is a member of the Justice League.<br />
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And there are the following shorts starring Plastic Man:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/video/DC-Nation-Shorts/Plastic-Man-in-Super-Hero-Sketch-Artist/6e433d6c-2bac-4f7e-9702-28771205bf3e" target="_blank">Super Hero Sketch Artist</a> </li>
<li><a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/video/DC-Nation-Shorts/Plastic-Man-in-Boobtube/b5435eef-47bf-4f9c-a618-86b7804adf6b" target="_blank">Boobtube</a></li>
<li><span id="vidtitle_183cbfc0-8369-4e5c-a751-97d67205a312"> <a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/video/DC-Nation-Shorts/Plastic-Man-in-The-Many-and-the-Fowl/183cbfc0-8369-4e5c-a751-97d67205a312" target="_blank">The Many and the Fowl</a></span> </li>
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<span class="date-display-single" content="2013-02-06T00:00:00-08:00"></span><br />
But did you know you can also play the Plastic Man games, <b><a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/games/pm-dangerinpassage" target="_blank">Danger in the Secret Passage</a></b> (easy) and <b><a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/games/plastic-attack" target="_blank">Plastic Attack</a></b><a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/games/plastic-attack" target="_blank"> (hard for a game idiot like me)</a><b><a href="http://dcnation.kidswb.com/games/plastic-attack" target="_blank">?! </a></b>They're inspired by his appearances on <i>Batman</i>. Plas first appeared in the series' second episode and eight times total. It ran from 2008-11.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<b> </b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqXJjBl9vkPZP6Q7RUpzAPxGW6uBNdCB2hLGfbbpiBYQdQKENyTIpdLKV2DsLXA9ggRPgcYr21mvvVjOSyaDK9nbjE83P13NBX9fvp6wRlTZRw9C3rL1HXvH5pHBoh-Bnwa-b6MKJoD4/s1600/Screen+shot+2012-11-13+at+3.26.51+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaqXJjBl9vkPZP6Q7RUpzAPxGW6uBNdCB2hLGfbbpiBYQdQKENyTIpdLKV2DsLXA9ggRPgcYr21mvvVjOSyaDK9nbjE83P13NBX9fvp6wRlTZRw9C3rL1HXvH5pHBoh-Bnwa-b6MKJoD4/s640/Screen+shot+2012-11-13+at+3.26.51+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
</div>
<br />
<span class="date-display-single" content="2013-02-06T00:00:00-08:00">Aaaand what Quality character does this remind you of?...</span><br />
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<h3>
GREEN LANTERN: THE ANIMATED SERIES #8</h3>
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</div>
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• Aya’s experiment has knocked the Interceptor offline!<br />
• Hal Jordan is stranded on a hostile planet – and his power ring is running low on energy!<br />
• Will the change last long enough to help the Hammer Tribe defeat the Lizardriders?</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="field field-name-field-writer field-type-node-reference field-label-inline clearfix">
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<i>Written by: Ivan Cohen. Art by: Luciano Vecchio</i></div>
</div>
<i>On Sale<span class="date-display-single" content="2012-11-14T00:00:00-08:00"> Nov 14 2012</span></i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS5HHS9ZePM5WPJCB_56naPy5AMLj5E_Ccf65c8FHQvRDMbKkHYxNdB27d_yDc_pxac8vEpgnACmEWsQyJ9Ymd-Pav3kM6y2dLhH3WbeaCZv7ZIlnhu8ib06tsIAJ94sw1RHQCeynXJA/s1600/GLAS+8_Cover_ds.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYS5HHS9ZePM5WPJCB_56naPy5AMLj5E_Ccf65c8FHQvRDMbKkHYxNdB27d_yDc_pxac8vEpgnACmEWsQyJ9Ymd-Pav3kM6y2dLhH3WbeaCZv7ZIlnhu8ib06tsIAJ94sw1RHQCeynXJA/s640/GLAS+8_Cover_ds.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
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Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-58419043582538784122012-11-13T15:23:00.003-06:002012-11-19T12:18:20.538-06:00DCnU Roundup: New Solicitations<h3>
</h3>
<h3>
Catching up to the DCnU Blackhawks! </h3>
Before we get to the new stuff, some housekeeping... The DCnU<i>
Blackhawks</i> series is a while gone, but I still had a couple of
adventures to log. These are included now in the <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/Blackhawks6.html" target="_blank">profile at Cosmic Teams!</a> It includes the last issue of their series (#8), and their origin from <i>DC Universe Presents </i>#0.<br />
<br />
<h3>
Phantom Lady #4</h3>
I guess DC forgot to add this issue to its solicitations. OMG.<br />
In this concluding issue,
Phantom Lady goes to head-to-head with the most unusual adversary of
all: Funerella! <br />
<i>Written by Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray, with art
by Cat Staggs and a cover by Stephane Rouz. </i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnne990P5psownBi1jVuSgPbQ8D6DRgWRm1R5Db2LXi-n22xw9gtH4JZ6eJUevsf5rYIPb5z1alJGuB8AUqyiDpUmtRgG8vSV6xwRuf23ahowrO6Zn4MEiS7VWQMfq-fjVbGWiWL7mUc/s1600/phantom-lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitnne990P5psownBi1jVuSgPbQ8D6DRgWRm1R5Db2LXi-n22xw9gtH4JZ6eJUevsf5rYIPb5z1alJGuB8AUqyiDpUmtRgG8vSV6xwRuf23ahowrO6Zn4MEiS7VWQMfq-fjVbGWiWL7mUc/s640/phantom-lady.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<h3>
Human Bomb #2</h3>
• John discovers the secrets of his metahuman gene.
• Who are the Men in Black?<br />
<i>Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI</i><br />
<i>Art and cover by JERRY ORDWAY</i><br />
<i>On sale January 9, 2013</i><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTfSRottTtBvgE-jQKgRvbn7cOApuhSwGtwB4p7UuQHWj1sRRlfhQ3CZHnxlzfhcB0ZdPeisGgnWVHGwSjn8Rnmgb5qlEFHgXgjWBo8rgbkR_Zx-JZ6j9MehciXmldWPSOM90Q5Zd2YQ/s1600/Human-Bomb_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizTfSRottTtBvgE-jQKgRvbn7cOApuhSwGtwB4p7UuQHWj1sRRlfhQ3CZHnxlzfhcB0ZdPeisGgnWVHGwSjn8Rnmgb5qlEFHgXgjWBo8rgbkR_Zx-JZ6j9MehciXmldWPSOM90Q5Zd2YQ/s640/Human-Bomb_2.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
Human Bomb #3 </h3>
<br />
The Human Bomb and Joan lead a military invasion into a hidden C.R.O.W.N. installation.
<br />
• They discover an alien invasion is in the works!<br />
• Plus: The Human Bomb discovers his new abilities!<br />
<i>Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI</i><br />
<i>Art and cover by JERRY ORDWAY</i><br />
<div class="field field-name-field-product-onsaledate field-type-datetime field-label-inline clearfix">
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<i>On Sale <span class="date-display-single" content="2013-02-06T00:00:00-08:00">February 6, 2013</span></i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu6IuI48enlVODnNLBd27V_9LAMpu6lDStMWCj62iRnUs29LkHzb1TrcCKvx5BRyyLHFT9xfyNVb3N4MpOa-7Fx25QecR_qhsI4E9szMofubpzFnmBNs74sPrupSFXeapWf5u117zB9g/s1600/HBOMB_Cv3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggu6IuI48enlVODnNLBd27V_9LAMpu6lDStMWCj62iRnUs29LkHzb1TrcCKvx5BRyyLHFT9xfyNVb3N4MpOa-7Fx25QecR_qhsI4E9szMofubpzFnmBNs74sPrupSFXeapWf5u117zB9g/s640/HBOMB_Cv3.jpg" width="416" /></a></div>
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Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-41696341756172241532012-09-30T14:03:00.000-05:002012-10-01T12:45:24.723-05:00Phantom Lady #2: Review!<span class="sm">If DC is planning to relaunch the Freedom Fighters,
they're going to have to amp things up. Here I can't help compare <i>Phantom Lady </i>to the <a href="http://www.newsarama.com/comics/grant-morrison-multiversity-ted-kord-2013.html" target="_blank">advance sketches for Grant Morrison's <i>Multiversity</i></a> (starring DC's Charlton characters). Even without words, I can sense that something bold is in store for readers—while casting lower-tier characters. What's to lose, after all? In reviving characters
outside of the DC mainstream, I've admired great works like
Darwyn Cooke's <i>Spirit,</i> Azzarello's <i>First Wave,</i> and some of
the recent Red Circle/Archie licensing written by Straczynski. </span><br />
<br />
<span class="sm">Why bother to write any B-list (or lower) property conservatively? Isn't it precisely these characters who benefit from breakthrough storytelling and characterization? They've less to prove, and
fewer expectations to which they must adhere. Palmiotti and Gray's very earliest reinterpretation of the Freedom Fighters did exactly this. Their Stormy Knight was a layered Phantom Lady; their Human Bomb was sleek and tragic; the Black Condor leapt off the page with power. Was it wrong of DC to return to the same well so soon, for the DCnU version?</span><br />
<span class="sm"><br /></span>
<i><span class="sm">... </span>Last month, Jennifer Knight had been abducted by her quarry, Cyrus Bender, and Dane Maxwell had become the victim of his own experiment—shrunk to the size of a doll! ...</i><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyYLosv3VCDMj7BqcR56NZYKrB0UQzM9RhwMU2nkvQI6JJRXV1G6pLB8bG7pP1gfyRHkm-R-ANWtTZ2QcSlRn4UNw5_PA6jr3j142QwDx07RbXXhP1c0yaaFY9wckxiOlu3ay8MulOKQ/s1600/phantom_lady_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyYLosv3VCDMj7BqcR56NZYKrB0UQzM9RhwMU2nkvQI6JJRXV1G6pLB8bG7pP1gfyRHkm-R-ANWtTZ2QcSlRn4UNw5_PA6jr3j142QwDx07RbXXhP1c0yaaFY9wckxiOlu3ay8MulOKQ/s320/phantom_lady_02.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Bender tortured Jennifer instead of killing her. When he and his men left,
Dane came to her rescue—in costume, sporting a mask and armor outfitted
with a jet pack and laser weapons. When they returned to his lab, he bestowed
her with weapons of her own. One that allows her to become intangible. The
others were gauntlets controlled by a neural interace woven into
the hood of her uniform. With them, she could fashion shadowy matter into
any form.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3wL9msWyVrWc_ENKtAPWBcNJ_NDhutlg-WpXlwI-FMByNyTH4996RzhEfuZi5xAPpZnw8sFaLftQGDz5-ryDHHM4VU_ovrew0NPN22eTmitzVCYUXC1N0CVnWquu391aZgPv_g3Sibc/s1600/doll-man_phantom-lady_2.jpg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3wL9msWyVrWc_ENKtAPWBcNJ_NDhutlg-WpXlwI-FMByNyTH4996RzhEfuZi5xAPpZnw8sFaLftQGDz5-ryDHHM4VU_ovrew0NPN22eTmitzVCYUXC1N0CVnWquu391aZgPv_g3Sibc/s400/doll-man_phantom-lady_2.jpg" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doll Man's debut, from <i>Phantom Lady #</i>2 (2012). <br />
Art by Cat Staggs and Tom Derenick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The two spent some time at Calvin City Lake where they trained and Jennifer coined
her own codename: <b>Phantom Lady</b>. In turn she suggested some for Dane,
settling on <b>Doll Man </b>because his clothes were made for dolls (he doesn't
like it). While sparring, Dane experienced the nature of her shadows: like
death, a different plane, claustrophobic.<br />
<br />
After they began their costumed campaign against the Benders, Cyrus hired
his own meta-muscle:
<b>Funerella</b>. <span class="orange">Notes: </span>Calvin
City was the home of the Golden Age Atom. Funerella was a villain in the 2010
<i>Freedom Fighters </i>series; she looks the same here. <span class="sm">(#2)</span><br />
<br />
<span class="sm">The art is a little bit better in this issue and showing more sex appeal in the lead character. Still, when I read it there is some sort of disconnect. The writing is solid, the art is competent, but added together, the experience is not exciting. </span><br />
<br />
<br />Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-50758121461026318752012-09-26T08:57:00.000-05:002012-09-30T13:56:58.830-05:00Phantom Lady #2-3<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyYLosv3VCDMj7BqcR56NZYKrB0UQzM9RhwMU2nkvQI6JJRXV1G6pLB8bG7pP1gfyRHkm-R-ANWtTZ2QcSlRn4UNw5_PA6jr3j142QwDx07RbXXhP1c0yaaFY9wckxiOlu3ay8MulOKQ/s1600/phantom_lady_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFyYLosv3VCDMj7BqcR56NZYKrB0UQzM9RhwMU2nkvQI6JJRXV1G6pLB8bG7pP1gfyRHkm-R-ANWtTZ2QcSlRn4UNw5_PA6jr3j142QwDx07RbXXhP1c0yaaFY9wckxiOlu3ay8MulOKQ/s400/phantom_lady_02.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
<b><span style="color: #e69138;">UPDATE:</span> <a href="http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2012/09/25/exclusive-preview-of-phantom-lady-2" target="_blank"><i>P</i></a><i><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=4030658799743856626" target="_blank">review is available at DC</a></i></b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dccomics.com/comics/phantom-lady-2012/phantom-lady-2" target="_blank">DC has solicited the second issue.</a> It looks like you can see the wristbands that the most recent Phantom Lady used. Those bangles had massive space-warping powers, used for teleportation and the like.<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
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<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">• PHANTOM LADY’s crusade to avenge her family’s death lands her in the hands of her worst enemies.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<span class="s1">• Her tiny teammate, DOLL MAN, is on the way to save her.</span></div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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Written by: Justin Gray,Jimmy Palmiotti; art by: Cat Staggs, Richard Perrotta; cover by: Stephane Roux</div>
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On Sale Date: </div>
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<span class="date-display-single" content="2012-09-26T00:00:00-07:00">Sep 26 2012</span></div>
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</blockquote>
<br />
BTW I LOVED the <i>National Comics: Eternity</i> issue! I'll be writing that up. Buy it! It was the perfect reinvention of the character and I really hope to see more of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCE42uN2gXS7_Wx7yadckVi2pbxiv7BbSVt7866IH73J9WDn4n6YidY9mJRsP-7m3Bfm073DYa2KkW0hMHjkv-lkEluRk28g1rYZSAU7y7B2F_H4r9MHlXIHBTZjVXaT15fFwLSXddf8/s1600/PHLADY_Cv3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKCE42uN2gXS7_Wx7yadckVi2pbxiv7BbSVt7866IH73J9WDn4n6YidY9mJRsP-7m3Bfm073DYa2KkW0hMHjkv-lkEluRk28g1rYZSAU7y7B2F_H4r9MHlXIHBTZjVXaT15fFwLSXddf8/s400/PHLADY_Cv3.jpg" width="258" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #e69138;">UPDATE: </span></b><i>Phantom Lady</i> #3 is on sale 31 <span class="date-display-single" content="2012-10-31T00:00:00-07:00">October 2012<i> </i>and DC says...<i><br /></i></span></div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
• Phantom Lady and Doll Man face the frenzied fury of Funerella!<br />
• Can the newly formed duo stand a chance against this villain’s strange powers?</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
</div>
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<b>Funerella </b>was a villain created by Palmiotti and Gray for 2010's <i>Freedom Fighters</i> series.<br />
<span class="date-display-single" content="2012-10-31T00:00:00-07:00"></span></div>
</div>
Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-88148301881791757242012-09-17T16:12:00.000-05:002012-09-17T16:15:24.737-05:00Human Bomb #1!Who knew that this would continue? Just announced: another Quality
character mini-series, following <i>The Ray </i>and <i>Phantom Lady—</i>the Human
Bomb!<br />
<br />
There's something new going on this time around, though. The book is part of other books called <a href="http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2012/09/17/beyond-dc-comics-the-new-52-group-solicits" target="_blank">"Beyond DC Comics—the new 52."</a> Other titles include those based around TV shows and "Elseworlds" concepts. This appears to put Quality characters back on their own Earth again. Grant Morrison's project to define DC's parallel Earths,<i> Multiversity</i>, is still slated for publication, and after that we my know more about DC's preference for multiple Earths and who lives where. <br />
<br />
And very exciting news for me: art by Jerry Ordway! No hint from the solicitation that this character borrows from any Quality history. The character is<b> Michael Taylor,</b> a name which has no relation to any of the <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/HumanBomb.html" target="_blank">other iterations of the Human Bomb</a>.<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG8Q90j8MA0iwFr_S-1LEG9Uso_wq_TlgLOsPc3ftaYIpbKS0qojnAXeuFbrncpGCD4xyDSWqspJ1uI3CGIxHbR3e6Gx0VQEt08g3z74ROr_Ih8Qr1m1XkXEOknCbsg0rGMRQKMGgE00/s1600/humanbomb_1_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCG8Q90j8MA0iwFr_S-1LEG9Uso_wq_TlgLOsPc3ftaYIpbKS0qojnAXeuFbrncpGCD4xyDSWqspJ1uI3CGIxHbR3e6Gx0VQEt08g3z74ROr_Ih8Qr1m1XkXEOknCbsg0rGMRQKMGgE00/s1600/humanbomb_1_02.jpg" /></a></div>
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</div>
<b>HUMAN BOMB </b>#1<br />
Written by JUSTIN GRAY and JIMMY PALMIOTTI
Art and cover by JERRY ORDWAY<br />
<br />
On sale DECEMBER 5 • 32 pg, FC, 1 of 4, $2.99 US • RATED T<br />
• Ex-Marine and war veteran Michael Taylor discovers a conspiracy to use human bombs to destroy the United States! But how can he possibly stop them when he could be their ultimate bomb?Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-22176665636507544792012-09-02T13:18:00.001-05:002012-09-03T18:11:09.839-05:00Phantom Lady #1: Review!As always, the writing team of Jimmy Palmiotti and Justin Gray deliver a fresh take on two iconic Quality Comics characters, <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/phantomlady.htm" target="_blank">Phantom Lady</a> and <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/DollManDollGirl.html" target="_blank">Doll Man. </a>Amanda Conner's <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJpg-h2dIH3C0ifsuLrYBWrOB7qyBJY5sxk1evjcK8IZMrvGr4jqIrQK8SX1y256LSOJCmlE0qPb79iSvA6TCMvft5DIwMfMOl1vf3sQBWnnWjzYUM2IbUCTVpO1T_xYJwU1Ce_TCdFA/s1600/PHLADY_Cv1.jpg" target="_blank">gorgeous cover drawing</a> really channels the spirit of this heroine, but the interior art by Cat Staggs though competent, does little to elevate Phantom Lady's legend as a sex symbol (a lost opportunity for DC; there's a lot of fandom surrounding this character). <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUriGh2CoOzl0kl52Tuy_Cg_jyfyKoMkYj3wBLIlQRzKCuSml-K6nnfSQDeMx4sSo7pQqs5J99t-1UfbkXPjjVrjXp906iPaBuw3GQ6GnZLnevWCfO7HGR3vd1yJxxC3mF2nIlOjVSfw/s1600/phantom-lady_01a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWUriGh2CoOzl0kl52Tuy_Cg_jyfyKoMkYj3wBLIlQRzKCuSml-K6nnfSQDeMx4sSo7pQqs5J99t-1UfbkXPjjVrjXp906iPaBuw3GQ6GnZLnevWCfO7HGR3vd1yJxxC3mF2nIlOjVSfw/s640/phantom-lady_01a.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert Bender murders Jennifer's parents. From <i>Phantom Lady </i>#1 (2012). Art by Cat Staggs and Tom Derenick.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The new heroes are <b>Jennifer Knight </b>(originally Sandra Knight) and <b>Dane Maxwell</b> (originally Darrel Dane). Their personal lives are intertwined, having known each other since childhood. And they share a romantic connection (so no Doll <i>Girls </i>on the horizon here!).<br />
<br />
Jennifer's story is similarly tied into that of her father's, <b>Harry Knight,</b> a renown writer for the Daily Planet. When Jen was six, Knight's stories about Robert Bender, head of the Bender crime family, earned him and his wife a ticket to early graves.<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<br />
Like so many super-heroes, Jennifer became motivated by grief and so she took up her father's former profession and became a journalist herself. She was so bold as to go after the family's new boss, Cyrus Bender, widely considered to have killed his own father. Her byline appeared mostly on stories about Metropolis nightlife, but she wrote about the Benders anonymously. They found her out, threatened her, and beat her friend. In the commotion, she stole Cyrus's cell phone and took it directly to her number one confidant—Dane Maxwell. <br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqrrBAKyy3NZao9l162_i83HatqrN0pumZEbpgzLegTFver1Gf0Ja4GSo_inYElpzt9vFqKAU2kwEL-0BYXxdl5pANmFsnG8MBSmZm6-6ngkIkbtGDRaNDu0phWRMqr3hIGK5Rcpj4V0/s1600/phantom-lady_01b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifqrrBAKyy3NZao9l162_i83HatqrN0pumZEbpgzLegTFver1Gf0Ja4GSo_inYElpzt9vFqKAU2kwEL-0BYXxdl5pANmFsnG8MBSmZm6-6ngkIkbtGDRaNDu0phWRMqr3hIGK5Rcpj4V0/s400/phantom-lady_01b.jpg" width="175" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jennifer and her oldest friend <br />
(and occasional lover), <br />
inventor Dane Maxwell.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Maxwell was a technological genius with a lab headquartered in his own junkyard. The two of them have an off-and-on sexual relationship (and some unrequited feelings from Dane). Jennifer had Dane hack the phone and he discovered video of Cyrus murdering his father. Knowing that this kind of information could get Jen killed, he mailed the phone back to Bender and copied the video. But foolishly, he'd used the phone and the Benders tracked them down to the junkyard<br />
<br />
Bender's men shot Jennifer in the leg and Dane retreated inside one of his experiments—a bulletproof cell made to test the process of miniaturization. The thugs turned on the machine and Dane apparently disappeared into smoke. They left with Jennifer and Dane emerged—shrunken to no more than six inches tall.<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;">Powers</span></b><br />
<br />
It's unclear from the story whether Dane was the inventor of Phantom Lady's "black light gloves," but they are formidable. The gloves give her the ability to manipulate and move within shadows (and mirrors much of what her immediate predecessor could do). She can create, mold, and bend shadows to her will using her gauntlets. They can become solid, malleable, and also allow her to "shadow slide" between locations via the darkness. The void in between is void of all emotion save sadness. This is very similar to the powers of DC's other heroine, Nightshade (originally a Charlton character). Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-76127488614169955282012-08-31T09:23:00.000-05:002013-01-28T14:30:06.731-06:00Quality Comics Indicia: Early indicatorsWhen I was writing the book, no copy of Quality's first issue, <i>Feature Funnies</i> #1 (Oct. 1937), was available to me. Well it still isn't available, but a gracious collector, Todd Warren, has hooked me up with another collector who was willing to take a solid picture of its indicia! (Incidentally, I just provided my <a href="http://digitalcomicmuseum.com/index.php?dlid=19291" target="_blank">coverless paper scan of issue #2 </a>to the DCM. Now to get my issue of<i> Uncle Sam Quarterly </i>uploaded!)<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFm8PKh65vF08wLAXLAwQjkqNZiCxw4CWdhVIcFB3BB05WW-I-dWaMQq577_8INlCO1y1MeKIAk2ZeLq1RgQIfv9Ns494_EvwGjzeExeQFwEptk_07ZO-80BFq72D30x-5RwJVOTLUh0/s1600/feature-1-indicia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdFm8PKh65vF08wLAXLAwQjkqNZiCxw4CWdhVIcFB3BB05WW-I-dWaMQq577_8INlCO1y1MeKIAk2ZeLq1RgQIfv9Ns494_EvwGjzeExeQFwEptk_07ZO-80BFq72D30x-5RwJVOTLUh0/s640/feature-1-indicia.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indicia from <i>Feature Funnies</i> #1 (Oct. 1937)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
There is something curious about the indicia in the first line, where it inexplicably reads "<b>VOL. 9</b>." This seems too deliberate to be a typo. Volume numbers were used regularly by periodicals of the time and reliably counted the years of publication. This would have meant that whatever "predecessor" would have begun in 1929.<br />
<br />
What's interesting is that this year is the same in which George Delacorte launched Dell's <i>The Funnies</i>. That book actually continued in publication through 1939 and there are no similarities in the content between it and <i>Feature Funnies </i>(in fact, some of the strips in Dell's book later moved into National's)<i>.</i> <i>Famous Funnies </i>by Eastern Color ran from 1934–1955.
<br />
<br />
The same volume designation appears in <i>Feature Funnies</i> #2. This opens up a whole lot of questions, especially because of something Will Eisner said, which nags me to this day. Eisner stated,<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
“We were packaging features for Feature Funnies before Busy Arnold owned the title. It was only natural that we continued to supply work for Arnold.” <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(Jim Amash, <i>Alter Ego</i> #48, May 2005)</span></blockquote>
As I'd said in the book, I found no other account which would contradict the fact that Busy Arnold was an original partner in Comic Favorites (and thus, Feature Funnies) from the outset. Here's the text:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
FEATURE FUNNIES, October, 1937, VOL. 9, NO. 1. Published monthly by Comic Favorites, Inc., 1213 W. 3rd St., Cleveland, Ohio. Editorial Office, 368 Lexington Avenue, New York, N. Y. Yearly subscription, $1.20, plus 30 cents for mailing, total $1.50. Single copies 10 cents. Entered as second class matter at the Post Office at Cleveland, Ohio, under the act of March 3, 1879. Advertising Representative, William J. Delaney, Inc., 420 Lexington Avenue, New York, N. Y. Western Representative, T. W. Farrell, 64 E. Lake Street, Chicago, Ill.</blockquote>
<br />
The next (available) indicia that reflects any change is from issue #7. Gone is the volume number, but it adds the name of Quality's first editor, Edward Cronin. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6gtbwLwYdqT0hQLQvyQ76yu0QURX34KXS4WoZAxp0QVeo3P-NNbXRiCBI0_aZBiacoM7aYYcV5L-1mfu64Tn-Ok3H32DY2_rdITzaSTH-3mNbh5NMbv9H3RH9VZ4LpF9ZtfL8ZZvi3E/s1600/Feature_Funnies_009__2_damaged_pgs_.cbr+-+Page+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="68" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS6gtbwLwYdqT0hQLQvyQ76yu0QURX34KXS4WoZAxp0QVeo3P-NNbXRiCBI0_aZBiacoM7aYYcV5L-1mfu64Tn-Ok3H32DY2_rdITzaSTH-3mNbh5NMbv9H3RH9VZ4LpF9ZtfL8ZZvi3E/s640/Feature_Funnies_009__2_damaged_pgs_.cbr+-+Page+2.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indicia from <i>Feature Funnies</i> #9 (June 1938)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Busy Arnold’s name does not appear in the indicia until<i> Feature Comics</i> #29 (Feb. 1940—the name of the magazine changed with issue #21), when he’s listed as “General Manager,” but that isn’t necessarily a reflection of ownership. It is probably no coincidence that this was right around the time that Arnold and the Register & Tribune bought out the McNaught Syndicate's share. New verbiage read:<br />
<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Business and Editorial offices, Gurley Building, 322 Main St., Stamford, Conn. E. M. Arnold, General Manager. </blockquote>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHMqIhhQPSr0CzrJ32peI45kxYfjvwURjN1-9_Aiculw9ogUHw4pmis12TAwC2GZQfTSV64-l3IHdDhWPpVdHLC9l1Q3FLcGt-L8oEpRSYavpAcndkX-vE-xHxRxqb7Xgsxo4XKOraxU/s1600/Feature_Comics_029.cbr+-+Page+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="48" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHMqIhhQPSr0CzrJ32peI45kxYfjvwURjN1-9_Aiculw9ogUHw4pmis12TAwC2GZQfTSV64-l3IHdDhWPpVdHLC9l1Q3FLcGt-L8oEpRSYavpAcndkX-vE-xHxRxqb7Xgsxo4XKOraxU/s640/Feature_Comics_029.cbr+-+Page+2.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Indicia from <i>Feature Comics </i>#29 (Feb. 1940)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
The <i>business</i> name "Comic Favorites" lived on, as indicated by financial documents found in the archives of the Register and Tribune Syndicate. (Read the Companion for this exclusive stuff!) The memos were drawn up in 1950 when the Cowles brothers decided to sell their shares, and indicate that there were several distinct entities in play. E. M. Arnold, Comic Favorites, and “Arnold Publications, Inc.” were all listed as having lent money to Comic Magazines. The accountant noted that there were simple "intercompany loans" between them. My guess is that Arnold retained "Favorites" as some sort of solo entity while "Magazines" was held jointly. Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-28537221429789672152012-08-28T12:38:00.000-05:002012-08-28T13:21:00.738-05:00Phantom Lady Preview is Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGYCOwOS3EDewA_1A6L6vE1hOLAguCZx7PrgYYsVmsjzh4pzeI_Wvtii9CtHQFnY9Qb9F9u-KqYKRcI-m2-_b-IH6Nq1608VgG1sB5siPXZUm-8501GKAHmz1QZcHR6rmHVaca88wYdc/s1600/PHLADY_Cv1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTGYCOwOS3EDewA_1A6L6vE1hOLAguCZx7PrgYYsVmsjzh4pzeI_Wvtii9CtHQFnY9Qb9F9u-KqYKRcI-m2-_b-IH6Nq1608VgG1sB5siPXZUm-8501GKAHmz1QZcHR6rmHVaca88wYdc/s320/PHLADY_Cv1_1.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
Out this week! DC Comics <a href="http://www.dccomics.com/blog/2012/08/28/exclusive-preview-of-phantom-lady-1" target="_blank">has released a preview of this mini-series:</a><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
When she was very young, Jennifer Knight watched her parents get
killed by Metropolis’ oldest and strongest crime family: The Benders.
Cut to years later and an adult Jennifer is following in her father’s
footsteps by taking on the crime world as a reporter … and as a super
hero! Phantom Lady to be exact. But will she experience the same fate as
her parents when she tries to infiltrate the next generation of
Benders? And don’t miss the astonishing origin of the diminutive hero
Doll Man!<br />
<br />
Featuring a cover by Amanda Conner with Paul Mounts, PHANTOM LADY #1
is written by Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti and is illustrated by Cat
Staggs and Tom Derenick. </blockquote>
The description reveals the change in her alter ego's name from Sandra or Stormy, to Jennifer. It remains to be seen whether she has any personal scientific connection to her powers and gear. The original Phantom Lady was the inventor of her fantastic powers, which came from her "black light wristbands." <br />
<br />
The preview's pages reveal that this Phantom Lady uses special goggles for night vision and "3-D relay vision, and can "shadow slide," or transport herself via shadows. This is a change that echoes the super-powers of Nightshade and Obsidian (neither of whom have a DCnU presence as of yet). <br />
<br />
SIDE NOTE: Notice the awesome logo for Doll Man, which riffs of the original Quality logo!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0Gu8zt3PhBss_424eem2Xtk2yKooVdUk6ZaPFtZccVc51bTwzwRED8DSMj4EYuHWakYszn9fpcmH601YOs4tCpGZ2LSoZBoggr-anrHGyGC0wKczwou1krRiUq5lDsYLs2YFJA6ACmY/s1600/DollMan01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf0Gu8zt3PhBss_424eem2Xtk2yKooVdUk6ZaPFtZccVc51bTwzwRED8DSMj4EYuHWakYszn9fpcmH601YOs4tCpGZ2LSoZBoggr-anrHGyGC0wKczwou1krRiUq5lDsYLs2YFJA6ACmY/s1600/DollMan01.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original Logo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYrtoqbHRJWpFjqa30FAlPQYcwYdrj_7W-YhrCbLW-6DyPyjiCao8c5HaLXFRtT2IedUCYkSZyE9PVGG9ch803hnUsLTkgeweDhJJ3B7XrmUpXGtIw_yMYrGSNQLzgEzLtfYjPh1Z5Y8/s1600/PHLADY_Cv1_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBYrtoqbHRJWpFjqa30FAlPQYcwYdrj_7W-YhrCbLW-6DyPyjiCao8c5HaLXFRtT2IedUCYkSZyE9PVGG9ch803hnUsLTkgeweDhJJ3B7XrmUpXGtIw_yMYrGSNQLzgEzLtfYjPh1Z5Y8/s1600/PHLADY_Cv1_1.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Logo from <i>Phantom Lady</i> #1</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://qualitycomics.blogspot.com/2012/07/phantom-lady-2.html" target="_blank">More here...</a>Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4030658799743856626.post-11782768457203928052012-07-29T10:38:00.001-05:002012-09-04T12:30:35.633-05:00National Comics: Eternity #1 (Sept. 2012)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN2YPUUPf5x9UYvPYp3vmAvAd4JVDuWeelw_btyxFfkHuLjpwOeYEggwqK-Qmm5NOS0x0N-SB3UkDkBt8JWKElLWhhCgZ-rXrknXvXT1kZodTa8b3Tir7MdfMVz9A9e9WzFmSfoXeZLg/s1600/2488936-1204985_ful_super.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfN2YPUUPf5x9UYvPYp3vmAvAd4JVDuWeelw_btyxFfkHuLjpwOeYEggwqK-Qmm5NOS0x0N-SB3UkDkBt8JWKElLWhhCgZ-rXrknXvXT1kZodTa8b3Tir7MdfMVz9A9e9WzFmSfoXeZLg/s320/2488936-1204985_ful_super.jpg" width="208" /></a></div>
Wow! Go and read this right away!<br />
<br />
I'm becoming a devotee of Jeff Lemire's writing. This one-shot reads like a teleplay. I wouldn't be the first to speculate that for Warner Bros., DC functions as a sort of R&D lab. If so, this comic book is a great pilot. By the time you're done, you <b>want </b>this to be a TV show.<br />
<br />
In a recent<a href="http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=39869" target="_blank"> interview at Comic Book Resources,</a>
Jeff Lemire gave up
some surprising tidbits concerning the nature of the DCnU, saying:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"As far as I
know, and I might be corrected on this, the "National Comics" titles are
out of continuity because I know that there is a Madame Xanadu one and
it has nothing to do with the New 52 Madame Xanadu. So no, I don't make
any reference to any other DC Universe character. It is a
self-contained, totally out-of-continuity take on the character. We just
kept the original name and stuff."</blockquote>
Also, he'd originally wanted to include Eternity in his <i>Justice League Dark</i> title.<br />
<br />
Keep reading... <br />
<a name='more'></a><br /><h3 style="color: #b45f06;">
Summary</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9U-zN9VcO3oxeekSs2tEeOqSsfwB2_BB-jmPIOLzJXWs_qTHeJx-adb2smjeiQTWElRJkugkaUJd1QLZV4ao7Ebj5YD4yDDFhg735tuGue9z91RTQER450RB65We7XyJ5ZhfYIuquF4/s1600/kid-eternity-dcnu-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq9U-zN9VcO3oxeekSs2tEeOqSsfwB2_BB-jmPIOLzJXWs_qTHeJx-adb2smjeiQTWElRJkugkaUJd1QLZV4ao7Ebj5YD4yDDFhg735tuGue9z91RTQER450RB65We7XyJ5ZhfYIuquF4/s640/kid-eternity-dcnu-1.jpg" width="603" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From <i>National Comics: Eternity</i> #1. Art by Cully Hamner and Derec Donovan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h3 style="color: #b45f06;">
</h3>
Unlike the reinvented Ray, Eternity has many things in common with his past incarnations. The DCnU Kid Eternity is never <i>called </i>by that super-hero name, but his "real" name is still "Christopher Freeman" (which was a DC invention, not Quality; see <a href="http://www.cosmicteams.com/quality/profiles/KidEternity.html" target="_blank">Cosmic Teams: Kid Eternity</a>). He also maintains a special relationship with the dead, and meets a mysterious man called Mr. Keeper... <br />
<br />
The story opens a year after Freeman has become "undead" at the young age of 26 (d.o.b. 10/11/84). He died after an argument with his father (a police detective), on the street. Both were the victims of a drive-by shooting, probably connected to his father's dealings. After the blackness, Christopher woke up and was pulled into the afterlife by the voice of his dead father. Chris failed to bring his father back with him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJO0xZJDYEiGOw4yIacNQ_3shQBkw-VfmaTeN54j9GNLSRUKoQDbdkBSeH8Jj3XV76EQt-egxPCy1CgcC5Kcz8bpT8EzTvR-mdzCAAqi7tDIghCjXM2GLeFI-_XCl9Urvnqqo1D9LAhA/s1600/kid-eternity-dcnu-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSJO0xZJDYEiGOw4yIacNQ_3shQBkw-VfmaTeN54j9GNLSRUKoQDbdkBSeH8Jj3XV76EQt-egxPCy1CgcC5Kcz8bpT8EzTvR-mdzCAAqi7tDIghCjXM2GLeFI-_XCl9Urvnqqo1D9LAhA/s320/kid-eternity-dcnu-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris meets Mr. Keeper.</td></tr>
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Freeman's real job intersects nicely with his supernatural abilities, he works in the morgue of the local police department, under Captain Phillips. From there, he is well positioned to solve the murders before him. When it came to examining one Darby Quinn, Chris laid down on a gurney next to the corpse and made physical contact with it. This drew him into the realm of the dead, where he found Quinn's spirit, and escorted it back to Earth. There he also encountered<b> Mr. Keeper,</b> who failed to deny Chris access to Quinn. Back on Earth, Quinn tried to give Freeman clues about his death, which led to his home. Clues led to one of his tenants, a girl named Sally. When he tracked her down, he learned that Quinn had tried to rape her and that she'd killed him in self defense. He convinced Sally to turn herself in and won favor with his boss, to boot, for solving the crime.<br />
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Afterwards, Freeman was again visited by Mr. Keeper who suggested that the two of them were alike, but that their "domains" were different, and Chris should be careful not to cross the line. Then he disappeared.Mike Kooimanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03615853732189611624noreply@blogger.com0