Category: Comics

Batman – “It Was a Dark and Stormy Night” by Snoopy (Charles Schulz), Len Wein & Walt Simonson!

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When I was a kid Peanuts (especially Snoopy) was all the rage.  I know for a fact I’ve read the strips above many times over the years.

I am also a long time comic book and Walt Simonson fan. I read the story below when it was first released (and many more times over the years).

But…

…It wasn’t until last night that (thanks to a Tweet from Blake Scott Ball) that I learned that Len Wein/Walt Simonson actually turned Snoopy’s story into a Batman tale!  I knew the “Dark and stormy night” was Snoopy’s famous first sentence, but I’d forgotten the rest.  Seeing the Peanuts strips alongside the Batman tale brought a smile to my face and made me love ’em both even more.

Click on the art above and below to see them biggie-sized.  Thanks to Blake Scott Ball for his Tweet!

Dusty Star by Andrew Robinson Week – Day Two!

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It’s Dusty Star by Andrew Robinson Week – Day Two!  Dusty Star…

It’s a different time and a strange place. It’s burlesque shows and all-night poker games, robots and flying ships, tattooed horses and new wave cowboys and cowgirls with bad attitudes. This is the world of Dusty Star, a tough-as-nails gunslinger with a steely-eyed gaze and a draw as fast as greased lighting! An appealing blend of western, science fiction, adventure and humor.

Click on the pic below to get a gander at it’s full-sized beauty.

Dusty Star by Andrew Robinson Week – Day One!

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One of the comics that I’d love to see more of is Dusty Star by Andrew Robinson.  It’s been a while since there have been any new stories featuring this tough as nails gunslinger and I wish that would change.  If we can’t get new Dusty Star stories, how about a nice trade compilation of the past ones with previously unpublished art, sketches and guest pin-ups?  Yeah, baby!

If you’re unfamiliar with Dusty Star, here’s how it was advertised…

It’s a different time and a strange place. It’s burlesque shows and all-night poker games, robots and flying ships, tattooed horses and new wave cowboys and cowgirls with bad attitudes. This is the world of Dusty Star, a tough-as-nails gunslinger with a steely-eyed gaze and a draw as fast as greased lighting! An appealing blend of western, science fiction, adventure and humor.

I’m designating this Dusty Star by Andrew Robinson Week and each day will share a piece or two of beautiful Andrew Robinson Dusty Star art.  Click on the pic below to get a gander at it’s full-sized beauty.

Kali by Daniel Freedman and Robert Sammelin is Coming!

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Kali by Daniel Freedman (writer) and Robert Sammelin (artist) sounds like something I’d like…

From Daniel Freedman (Raiders) and Mondo and DICE artist Robert Sammelin comes an original graphic novel that’s a nonstop, high-octane existential action spectacle, perfect for Mad Max: Fury Road fans!

Stabbed in the back, poisoned, and left for dead by her own biker gang, Kali sets off on a one-way road of vengeance across a war-torn desert battlefield. With impending death coursing through her veins and a fascist army hot on her tail, Kali will stop at nothing to get her revenge, even if it’s the last thing she ever does. A nonstop high-octane existential action spectacle from writer Daniel Freedman and artist Robert Sammelin!

I’ll keep my eye out for preview art but if you’ve seen enough, pre-orders for Kali are available now.

Lady Mayhem by Jenna Lyn Wright and Karl Slominski!

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Lady Mayhem by Jenna Lyn Wright and Karl Slominski looks and sounds like my kind of fun.  Here’s the synopsis…

After her father passes away under suspicious circumstances, a mysterious woman returns to the crime-ridden city she fled decades before, only to discover that he was the bookkeeper for a nefarious enterprise that’s risen to power while she was away. The government, the police, the city is theirs. But now she knows their strengths, their weaknesses, and their secrets, and bloody vengeance will be hers.

LADY MAYHEM is a bombastic, over-the-top, thrill ride for the reader that demands more gonzo-ridiculous action in their comics. This is a no-holds-barred love letter to VHS revenge thrillers of the 80’s, big gun bravado of 90’s comics, and that hyperactive buzz you used to get while playing SNES and housing super-caffeinated sodas all night long as a kid. This is the comic book you’d have to hide from your parents (y’know, the dangerous days, before cinematic universes & vinyl figurines).

Lady Mayhem is on Kickstarter now through February 2nd.  If you’re interested jump on board for a copy of your own. I did.

Neal Adams’ Vintage Conan Art!

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Neal Adams.  When you think of Adams, you probably think of Batman, or Green Lantern & Green Arrow or any number of other characters because Adams drew them so well.  When I think of Neal Adams, I think of his Conan.

A Neal Adams’ Conan had a distinctive look that separated him from other Conan artists.  An Adams’ Conan was muscular but in a more athletic way than some other artists drew him.  I also think that a Neal Adams’ Conan looked more intelligent than when drawn by some other artists.

I say these things not to slight John Buscema, Barry Smith or any other “Conan artist” (because I love their versions as well).  It just surprises me a bit that more folks don’t think of Neal Adams sooner when talking about Conan.

RIP: Andrew Vachss

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Andrew Vachss died yesterday at the age of 79.  No cause of death was given.

Andrew Vachss led an interesting life.  He was at different times a social-services case worker, an attorney who only represented children and adolescents, and an author.  Mr. Vachss wrote 33 novels, 3 short story collections, many graphic novels/comic books, as well as essays on child protection (which was an underlying theme in much of his work).   Andrew Vachss loved dogs and under-dogs.  His passion was to bring abusers to justice and this theme ran throughout his work without ever coming off as preachy.

Andrew Vachss jumped to my favorite authors list with his 1988 novel Blue Belle, his third Burke novel.  Vachss had a unique voice and Burke (and his crew) were unlike any other crime fiction characters I’d read.  I quickly sought out the first two Burke books and anxiously awaited the publication of each new tale.  Along the way I followed Andrew Vachss to comics/graphic novels and other tales which always entertained.

Rest in Peace, Mr. Vachss.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Andrew Vachss’ family, friends and fans.

Deathcathlon by Kyle Baker is Available Now!

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Deathcathlon is already available for purchase and I just found out about it.  How did that happen?  I’m a Kyle Baker fan and am surprised I’m late to the party.  Here’s the synopsis…

So what if nobody likes her and everyone wants her to fail? Detective Shakuntala Mahoney, the Last Honest Cop in the Most Corrupt Precinct is poised for a career-defining bust that will demolish the sports-rigging mafia in the city of Los Serafines. So what if her own team is sabotaging her and helping the bad guys? She’d rather be right than liked. Rules are rules and cheaters are cheaters. Only her obsession matters: Destroying the mafia.

She never counted on the brooding sinewy stranger with a haunted past who shatters the detective’s brilliant plans in an instant. An intriguing broad-muscled rogue who slaughters all of Mahoney’s suspects using sports equipment then vanishes into the night like a chiseled rugged ghost with a secret torment locked away in a hardened heart.

Someone’s wiping out the mafia, and it isn’t Mahoney. She’s finally found the only other person in this crooked town who shares her obsession, and he’s a damned serial killer. A damned hot serial killer doing the job she dreams the broken system would allow her to do. It definitely shouldn’t matter that he’s a world-famous athlete worth a fortune. The Last Honest cop will not tolerate vigilantism, especially if it screws up her promotion.

Rules are rules. Cheating is cheating. But the heart wants what the heart wants.

If Deathcathlon sounds like something you’d like, why deny yourself a little pleasure?

Reckless: The Ghost in You by Brubaker & Phillips is Coming!

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It’s been announced that the next Reckless graphic novel by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips has been announced.  It is titled Reckless: The Ghost in You.  That’s the cover above.  Here’s the synopsis…

The fourth book in the best-selling Reckless series is here!

Bestselling crime noir masters Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips bring us yet another original graphic novel starring troublemaker-for-hire Ethan Reckless.

Except this time it’s the winter of 1989 and Ethan is out of town, so Anna must tackle this job on her own. When a movie scream queen asks her to prove the mansion she’s renovating isn’t haunted, Anna will stumble into the decades-long mystery of one of Hollywood’s most-infamous murder houses… a place with many dark secrets, some of which might just kill her.

Another hit from the award-winning creators of RECKLESS, PULP, MY HEROES HAVE ALWAYS BEEN JUNKIES, CRIMINAL, and KILL OR BE KILLED — and a must-have for all Brubaker and Phillips fans!

Reckless: The Ghost in You will be released on April 26, 2022.  Preorders are available now.

Jim Ivey Christmas Celebration!

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That’s me (in blue) and Jim Ivey (in red).  The photo was taken last Friday at our (now resumed) Jim Ivey Celebrations.  Prior to COVID, about every six months I would invite friends to celebrate Jim Ivey (on either his birthday or Christmas).

Jim Ivey is one of our oldest and dearest friends.  Jim was the owner of The Cartoon Museum in Orlando, Florida. At the same time, Jim also worked as a syndicated cartoonist [The Thoughts of Man], a political cartoonist [The Orlando Sentinel], a publisher [CartooNews], teacher [UCF cartooning class] and comic book convention organizer [OrlandoCon].  Jim made a lot of life-long friends through these activities and many of Jim’s friends became friends.

Getting back to today’s celebration… the line-up included Jim, his caretaker Joy, Rob Smith, Steve Martinez, me, Charlie Moffitt, Santa & Mrs. Claus (Joy Underwood and her husband Dennis).

In the second photo you can see (going left to right) Robert Smith, me, Charlie Moffitt, Mike Kott, Mike Sikes, Cliff Weikal and his wife, Steve Martinez, Joy Underwood and her husband Dennis (Santa & Mrs. Claus) and our Guest of Honor: Jim Ivey.  Bill Black and John Beatty wanted to attend but family obligations kept them away. 

Jim received many Christmas cards, lottery tickets (he loves ’em), homemade cookies (he loves ’em).  Jim gave as good as he got, making sure each person in attendance got a Christmas Card and lottery ticket!  There were so many great stories shared.  It was a wonderful time. 

Our next Jim Ivey Celebration will be for his 97th birthday in April!