A final Comic-Con '07 epilogue: Examining the haul! - - plus a flickr cover gallery link

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I arrived back home from San Diego last Monday, all the Con swag I shipped to myself arrived here this past Thursday evening.

I've been having fun opening stuff up, organizing, sorting, updating want lists, and - - oh yeah, leafing through a neato stack of old funny books.

I think the last time I went on any sort of a significant comics safari was back in 2004, the last time I was at Comic-Con. So I was ready for the hunt, and the hunt was good.

It would have been swell to find some issues of 'Sugar & Spike' that I'm missing, and I'm still shocked I couldn't find ANY issues of 'Rex, The Wonder Dog' ANYWHERE, needed or not needed. But yes, still a good hunt...

My official want list is almost exclusively old DC comics stuff, which I've been collecting most of my life.

I did time as a Marvel zombie in my teens, and that somehow led me to undergrounds and independents and small press and everything else.

I found some surprisingly good deals with the San Diego comics vendors - -

- - Some choice gems, some great bargain bin finds.

Going beyond filling holes in the want list, I also found myself delving in to more oddball 1960's stuff from publishers like Dell, Gold Key, Harvey, the recently-referenced Mighty Comics, and others.

What fun!

Here's just a few highlights,
and as promised,
*** I've put together a cover gallery of some of my scores from this trip to share with you, over at flickr. (click link) ***

Hope you enjoy!

At the Con, during a brief hello visit with 'Yikes!' artist Steven Weissman, we talked just for a moment about those old Mighty Comics, how their ham-fisted mimicry of the Marvel Comics style of the sixties fell short of the mark, but revealed so much more about American culture of that era.

Steven described to me one of his very favorite panels from one of those stories, that he thought might be The Shield or The Mighty Crusaders.
As luck would have it, I found a nice handful of some of those and other Mighty titles later that same day, and there was the sequence in question!
It's the final panel in this scanned excerpt (below, from Mighty Comics #41, 1966).

As we join this story in progress, in his civilian identity as Bill Higgins, The Shield is leaving an employment agency, upset and frustrated over his inability to hold a job. Seems once again, super-heroics have interfered with bringing in a steady paycheck...



























































































































Gear! Scoobie - Doo! They just don't quite write 'em like that anymore. Maybe they should.

As to the rest of the story - - During filming in Hollywood, The Shield and Black Hood fall under the influence of a 'hate ray' hidden in the movie camera by a scheming gangster's crony. While fighting to the death, they accidentally smash the camera, break free of the ray's control and foil the plot against them.

At the finale, The Black Hood insists that their film wages should be donated to charity, as it would be wrong to commercialize their careers. The Shield reluctantly agrees, thinking to himself - - "Gosh! I feel Noble! I'll try to remember this unselfish glow next time I'm hungry!"

Among my fun 'n' trashy Gold Key finds was 'Hanna-Barbera Hi-Adventure Heroes' #2 (with a stupendously boring cover). It features some of the various hero teams from TV's 'Banana Splits Adventure Hour', including ‘The Arabian Knights'.

Even if they were anglicized messed-up caricatures, there was a time when we had middle-eastern heroes in this country...

I always liked the minor sorcerer Fariik's magic words, and especially the tone that voice actor John Stephenson would use saying them.

(Stephenson was also the voice of Fred Flintstone's boss, Mr. Slate, and of Dr. Benton Quest in some of the early episodes of 'Jonny Quest'.)

I'll still on occasion proudly utter 'Rozan Kobar!' to myself upon achieving some magical feat, like say, parallel parking...

...of course it helps to be a complete nerd.

In this one comic book story, it's also Fariik who manages to pull the tail of Zazuum, the little sidekick donkey, thus triggering his required berserker episode as he brays repeatedly and "explodes into a whirlwind of fighting fury!"

Another favorite obligatory piece of business comes from the shape-changer Bez, and it still makes me question the similarity of his schtick to the alien teen sidekicks on The Super Friends show...

Specifically: Where did The Wonder Twins really get their powers?
Was Bez truly an ‘Arabian’ Knight? - - Or was he also from the planet Exxor?
Was he hiding pointed ears up under that turban??
Did Zan and Jayna know their father??
Unknown to the twins, was Bez perhaps cursed to be trapped in the form of their space monkey, Gleek?



Important questions, all.





One more comics story I must share, because you need to see it too - -

- - It's 'The Earth Went Haywire', from Harvey Comics' 'Alarming Adventures' #3, February 1963. (below)

Not the cover story, but another that reads like a low-rent Twilight Zone.

"The Moon will be full tonight, and almost upon us tomorrow!"

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*** Once again, please head over to flickr for a cover gallery of some old comics I found at Comic-Con '07. (click link) ***

Comic-Con '07: A Few Aftermath Reflections

The Con is over, I'm back home now, with my sore feet and fond memories.

A couple of boxes of swag I shipped to myself from San Diego will be arriving later this week, and it'll be like Xmas opening them up.

Maybe then I'll post a few more cover scans of some of the booty I hauled in.

There'll be comics to sort and strike from my magic want list. A few toys to display, once I've figured out where. A few prints to frame and hang.

I'll also be hanging 3 small spooky photo-portraits I picked up at the Haunted Memories Changing Portraits booth.

They're cool!

I love that they've taken actual vintage photos they've found of someone's actual ancestors, and via the tried-and-true magic of lenticular diffraction grating technology have turned them into these morphing oddities.

They do custom jobs too, which has me fantasizing about a new life for the slightly ghastly, old and gi-normous framed photos I have out in the garage of my great-grandparents...

So let's see, what did I learn from Comic-Con '07 - - ? Here's a few small items:

- Linda Blair is tiny. LeVar Burton is going gray. Xzibit from the 'Pimp My Ride' TV show collects early issues of Amazing Spiderman.

- I have a newly-found appreciation for the old mid-sixties Rocket Robin Hood TV cartoon show. A rare case of a crappy show I loved as a kid actually being BETTER than I remembered.

- Women have the confidence to dress up sexy and have fun doing so, regardless of their general appearance and how it conforms to our era's unfair standards. Most 'ungainly' men do not seem to have that same confidence.

- I discovered that I love wearing a kilt. SO dang comfortable! - - And I've been practicing the fine art of sitting and standing back up again while wearing it. It's going well, but I think I'll need to invest in some long pairs of black boxer briefs.

- The more useless trivia I know, the more there is to yet to learn. The more fun crap I own, the more there is yet to find.

- It's possible to inadvertently hear Jimmy Buffet's 'Margaritaville' four times in the same day.

- I don't have as much patience for taking dozens of photos of people in costume as I used to. Fortunately, others do - -

Here's some links to a few fun 2007 San Diego Comic-Con online photo galleries:

Rotten Tomatoes

Yoshi Enoki Jr at pbase.com

NBC San Diego; 'The Women of Comic-Con'

Reasons To Be Cheerful: week of 07/27/07 - - Comic-Con Edition

I'm still having a blast here in San Diego. Let me take a moment to relate a few of the cool things I've seen this week, Comic-Con related and otherwise...

1. This guy. ➤ ➤

There's been a ton of folks in great costumes at the Con, but this guy has been far and away my favorite so far.

I haven't yet had the right opportunity to accost him for clarification, but basically he's Galactus in a business suit.
It's the briefcase and black executive kilt that really complete the costume.

I'd like to think that maybe he's actually Galactus' brother, Skip.
The one who went to business school instead of following the family trade of consuming planets.

2. Speaking of convention attire, if I may be allowed, I must say the cleavage on display in the aptly-named exhibition hall has been fascinating. Not merely for its presence, but the amazing variety. Women of all sizes and shapes, some of them here in a professional capacity, some costumed, many in street clothes.

There's ample bodiced or bustiered cleavage that looks like it's being presented on a dessert platter, there are tiny women jostling through the crowds and constantly tugging at their strapless gear to keep it up. There's all variety of fantasies being played out and often it seems to involve exposed flesh. There are the average-looking dudes who - - pardon me - - are all but carrying a leash as they proudly lead their semi-naked girlfriends around the convention floor.

I remember when you rarely saw women at comics or sci-fi conventions. It's gratifying to see more people of all types enjoying this stuff now. It's finally hip to be a nerd, and I'll venture that nowhere do they feel as welcome as at Comic-Con.

I've always loved that for many it seems to be some sort of oasis or free zone, where anyone can indulge by dressing up or just being their 'true' selves. It's wonderful that people who may not be thought of as attractive by customary standards arrive here and are comfortable enough among their own to strut around and expose their playful or sensual side.

3. Networking and name-dropping.

It's been especially fun for me to meet up with some of the folks I've corresponded with via this blog.

Comics creator Steven Weissman was great to gab with yesterday, as was 'the Monster Engine guy', illustrator Dave DeVries.
(click his name to link to his new illustration website)

I swung by artist Rick Geary's table in 'Artist's Alley' and said hello and picked up some great postcards and the new Gumby comics he's done with Flaming Carrot's Bob Burden.

Walking along and cruising the aisles, it was a treat to see Lou Ferrigno signing autographs and flexing his muscles for little kids who needed explanations from parents as to who he is.

I was very pleased to spot B-movie legend, actor Sid Haig in the crowd, I walked up and shook his hand and thanked him for all his great work.

Heading back to my hotel room the other day I saw Stan Lee and his ever-lovin' entourage heading for the lounge.

- - and at breakfast yesterday morning I was seated next to the Hernandez Brothers, creators of Love & Rockets. I waited until I was leaving to briefly say hello and tell them their work just keeps getting better.

I tend to be very shy about bothering 'famous' people. I hate to pester, but sometimes you just gotta let them know, y'know?

MEANWHILE, out in the 'real' world:

4. Maybe one of your friends has already sent you a YouTube link to that cute dancing skeleton video clip. Here it is again. (Thanks Dave)

5. Mary Weiss' new CD, 'Dangerous Game' on Norton, performing with a new group, The Reigning Sound.

It's been decades since the lead singer of my fave 1960's girl group, The Shangri-Las, has had a new album, and this one is just about everything you could hope for. It's awesome!

A faithful extension of that distinctive sound, but matured and ripened into something new as well.

Mary's voice is still just great, her backing band fits her just right, and as ever, she's cool and tough.

Check out performance video and more at her website.

See also: Mary Weiss on MySpace,
and an interview at the Norton Records website.

Comic-Con '07 spotlight: Meet The Brothers Parpan of Goblin Fish Press

Here's two of the many talented artists I saw while ambling around at Comic-Con yesterday.

⬅ To the left is Josh Parpan, and on the right is his brother Justin.

They rock!

Each one produces their own style of stunning and fun artwork, mostly in a whimsical monster or children's book illustration vein.



VERY cool.

Scrolling down this page, you'll see just a few examples of Josh's work on the left, and Justin's on the right.

They've founded Goblin Fish Press to publish their books, prints, postcards, and more, as well as Terrible T-Shirts, displaying the finest in fashion.








































































If you should happen to be here at Comic-Con in San Diego this week, swing by the Goblin Fish Press booth.

Here or not, I urge you to visit each of the brother's blogs. Get some background on these images, and take a peek at many other examples of some of the Parpan's super-nifty artwork!

(click on links)

Visit Josh Parpan's 'ILLustration Design' blog.

Visit Justin Parpan's 'Primitive Art & Design' blog.

Visit the Goblin Fish Press homepage.

Comic-Con '07: Greetings from Dork Vegas!

Flew in to San Diego yesterday, and it's a real treat to be someplace else for a few days.

Especially nice to be back someplace where there's water. And moisture in the air. And color. Very special.

I've been excited about coming back to Comic-Con. Changing planes in San Francisco yesterday for the second hop, it was great to start spotting others who were clearly heading here as well.

Pioneering underground comix creator and comics historian Trina Robbins sat behind me on the plane. It always does my heart good to see her at events like these.

(Hey, check out Trina's website.)

She was flying down with her partner, Steve Leialoha. I've always liked his artwork, though I confess I haven't seen any recent examples of his work in a while.

(ADDENDUM: Later that same day, there was Mr. Leialoha signing autographs in Artist's Alley. The artwork he's included in his two sketchbooks show a style that --to my eye-- has grown leaps and bounds from what I've seen in the past. Lyrical, eloquent lines, lovely stuff. Wow. I loved his work then, I love it more now.)

Braved the confusion of registration and badge pick-up in the afternoon, and had a blast wandering among the hordes at 'Preview night' in the evening. It's wild to think that's as 'empty' as the convention center will get during the Con.

I strolled around without any particular destinations in mind last night, but I imagine today and tomorrow I'll roll up my sleeves and get serious and systematic. A lot of ground to cover.

I saw some familiar faces and said hello to a few folks during my prolonged mosey about the exhibit hall - - Jordan Crane, Derek Thompson, William Stout and a couple others...

...and then I got down to some hunting. I worked my magic wantlist a bit, filled some nice holes, and found some fun stuff at the right price that was too cool to pass up. (see below)

Okey-doke, off to breakfast and back to the safari!

To be continued...

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⬅
- - Hey, so is it just me, or does this Bugs Bunny cover seem a little unsavory somehow?

I think Bugs looks drunk. Sitting alone, had a few, making phonecalls and keeping both hands free for carrot-fondling...

...I don't recall seeing him in blue gloves before, either. D'you suppose they're rubber?
Eeew...