tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12436613038459685362024-03-05T07:20:28.997-08:00Gone & ForgottenCalamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.comBlogger922125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-82339702537419259062022-08-29T09:30:00.075-07:002022-08-29T09:30:00.216-07:00Truly Gone&Forgotten : Hoppy The Captain Marvel Bunny<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-b1427a04-7fff-cdba-2762-e7a20144d5e3"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyETY2-UdL_mjsh7H2qShdqszQ1XhdR71tDmCP0963X_-yVmYSJDpvcbDbCKogKA4TiV7euepLVDFkS7hBm0mW3mcsIZsmMzICfZXkT05y4PEmOGGM62-pnWYMSLICleXCT1JQx_xS1tLs6dUK5mtXRvFrskX4wap1Es163HLwIuOWnndgdWDfclXA/s2465/1947%2007%20-%20Hoppy%2013%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2465" data-original-width="1700" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyETY2-UdL_mjsh7H2qShdqszQ1XhdR71tDmCP0963X_-yVmYSJDpvcbDbCKogKA4TiV7euepLVDFkS7hBm0mW3mcsIZsmMzICfZXkT05y4PEmOGGM62-pnWYMSLICleXCT1JQx_xS1tLs6dUK5mtXRvFrskX4wap1Es163HLwIuOWnndgdWDfclXA/w441-h640/1947%2007%20-%20Hoppy%2013%20(1).jpg" width="441" /></a></div><br /><b><br /></b></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>Hoppy the Captain Marvel Bunny</b></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Created by Chad Grothkopf</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Appears in Fawcett’s Funny Animals #1-68 (except 49, 54), Hoppy the Marvel Bunny #1-15</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the 1940s, Captain Marvel – now usually referred to as Shazam – was one of the best-selling superheroes on the market. In no small way, the secret to his success wasn’t just the breeziness of his adventures or the charm of the characters, but how easily Cap could expand his franchise.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierZXGTEYTMvDUW1WocyCoVpQYysKPVSTJ3gLQK0xB5_S27RmA_lxLy0yFUxzvRDF5SeuEqsH96idxJJSUcba55_eROiYuUXTCMyKf79VcCC_QQwi8i46i1SfZidhX92xCEXZAj4TiGnKv279ZOyjKvGUdLYG4aMl57zQ53HPZflxZcXqcLdbC7phG/s643/hoppy-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="592" data-original-width="643" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEierZXGTEYTMvDUW1WocyCoVpQYysKPVSTJ3gLQK0xB5_S27RmA_lxLy0yFUxzvRDF5SeuEqsH96idxJJSUcba55_eROiYuUXTCMyKf79VcCC_QQwi8i46i1SfZidhX92xCEXZAj4TiGnKv279ZOyjKvGUdLYG4aMl57zQ53HPZflxZcXqcLdbC7phG/s320/hoppy-1.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sure, that's what the "S" stands for.</td></tr></tbody></table>The Golden Age’s other big player, Superman, was the product of a long-demolished alien world. It would later take a decent amount of contrivance and explanation to justify adding his cousin or pet dog into the picture. Conversely, for The Marvel Family, expanding the roster was as easy as sharing a Netflix password. Speak the right word and practically anyone in Cap’s universe could sport the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, and the rest of abilities from Shazam’s acronymic catalog of superpowered sponsors.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">That meant that the Marvel Family helmed practically an entire line of books. Cap, his pal Captain Marvel Junior and his sister Mary Marvel could be found in the pages of Wow, Whiz, Master, Xmas, America’s Greatest, Captain Marvel Adventures, Captain Marvel Jr, Mary Marvel, and Marvel Family comics. Sometimes they appeared on the covers of other Fawcett heroes’ books just to be a team player!</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And helming two more titles, including an eponymous anthology book was – Hoppy, the Captain Marvel Bunny!</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih02rcyU1VuYgLWwmiQAMfmYYdZDM0kVxTpjnX9UVRgAo-oKCJVNaCvbIQaAu_Fq7lu3JRGO3xTOw7DBa2POTrMB7tG2KBbA2UsMSw-0jkrRAtjh929Fl8jPQzrezmX5tPytr_5NWXGS-DVClW8JCohpSMVeZ_cBoHR7Cqog3GpXQD3cJ-2qMnlmjH/s1398/hoppy_typical.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="645" data-original-width="1398" height="296" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih02rcyU1VuYgLWwmiQAMfmYYdZDM0kVxTpjnX9UVRgAo-oKCJVNaCvbIQaAu_Fq7lu3JRGO3xTOw7DBa2POTrMB7tG2KBbA2UsMSw-0jkrRAtjh929Fl8jPQzrezmX5tPytr_5NWXGS-DVClW8JCohpSMVeZ_cBoHR7Cqog3GpXQD3cJ-2qMnlmjH/w640-h296/hoppy_typical.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Typical Captain Marvel Bunny Fashion...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Contained in his own separate universe and debuting in Fawcett’s Funny Animals #1 (December 1942), Hoppy was a creation of veteran animator Chad Grothkopf. Given tremendous editorial freedom with the kid-oriented title, Grothkopf not only whipped up the entire cast </span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and</span><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> wrote their adventures – from cowboy Billy the Kid to detective Sherlock the Monk to Benny the Beaver and Willie the Worm and so on – but also fully illustrated, colored and lettered almost all of the individual strips! </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hoppy was Funny Animal’s sole superhero, as well as the recurring cover feature on more than sixty issues. He’d later headline his own title for an additional fifteen issues. As funny animal characters go, in comics, this is evidence of some bonafide celebrity.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QgVGEQpgi_RJiBJeUtB68K-RMQi1v_KCxjDnR30tyYWYTjkpqtKVIsB5oAncXnqAs0H-mtsC6tcqQtcYj7oFlNf0hWMo4pKLIFcaWq5-3CbrepjOa0VHAVe9pRGgo6P0I9XOEoMPeDpYfSYH7ciXSlSclp9XDl5IEHGk1HTwCc0JnHr3bsFfMCTW/s660/Hoppy-rangatoona.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="588" data-original-width="660" height="285" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-QgVGEQpgi_RJiBJeUtB68K-RMQi1v_KCxjDnR30tyYWYTjkpqtKVIsB5oAncXnqAs0H-mtsC6tcqQtcYj7oFlNf0hWMo4pKLIFcaWq5-3CbrepjOa0VHAVe9pRGgo6P0I9XOEoMPeDpYfSYH7ciXSlSclp9XDl5IEHGk1HTwCc0JnHr3bsFfMCTW/s320/Hoppy-rangatoona.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have no idea what a rang-atoona is.</td></tr></tbody></table>The hero of Funny Animal Land, “Captain Marvel Bunny” is secretly Hoppy, a timid pink weakling who is often a target of ridicule and derision. After losing his girlfriend Millie – the prettiest pink bunny in the land – to mocking Snip the Rang-A-Tang, Hoppy fumes about his helplessness. “Wish I was strong like Captain Marvel,” he muses, indicating that Cap’s adventures are top sellers even in a world of cartoon beasties. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hoppy, at this moment, chooses to roll the dice on magic being real. Recalling, with surprising difficulty, Cap’s magic word – SHAZAM! – Hoppy is transformed into the dynamic and heroic Captain Marvel Bunny! In short order, he reclaims his dignity by knocking Snip on his ass, and frees Funny Animal Land from a trio of fascist funny animals who’d enslaved the populace to work in their canned food factory. Hoppy throws those nasty Nazis into a sausage grinder, in case you were wondering if Hoppy goes hard. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmi4DvASn0VQ9vNvAdwcDqI16eQq-xh8NOAX6nmPIS6EhiG9RsYyHaSgaA-mk5w0nloK5HVCr7wAIrsoYN5VYK8-84hPezd3opYLzE_Rotgg9ckpCe9dILtlKnIUokG23CXw8jCz56sbS7Xg5Uil29s2h2YZuSa-1YBQN8lBRhTioKjm9F_Etamf6/s586/happyad.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="526" data-original-width="586" height="287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLmi4DvASn0VQ9vNvAdwcDqI16eQq-xh8NOAX6nmPIS6EhiG9RsYyHaSgaA-mk5w0nloK5HVCr7wAIrsoYN5VYK8-84hPezd3opYLzE_Rotgg9ckpCe9dILtlKnIUokG23CXw8jCz56sbS7Xg5Uil29s2h2YZuSa-1YBQN8lBRhTioKjm9F_Etamf6/s320/happyad.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The only time he's invited to family events.</td></tr></tbody></table>Decked out in a duplicate of the original Captain Marvel’s big red union suit, Hoppy also possesses his own animal-centric version of Cap’s powers:</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><ul style="margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 0; padding-inline-start: 48px;"><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The wisdom of Salamander</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The strength of Hogucles</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The stamina of Antlers</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The power of Zebreus</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The courage of Abalone and</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The speed of Monkury!</span></p></li><li aria-level="1" dir="ltr" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; list-style-type: disc; margin-left: 36pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"><p dir="ltr" role="presentation" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Awwww Suffragette!</span></p></li></ul><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thirty issues in, it’s established that an aged Wizard Bunny has been invisibly responsible for Hoppy’s transformations all along. What must have been frustrating for the Wizard was Hoppy’s tendency to forget his magic word with alarming frequency. On separate occasions, everything from the mystical emanations of a crystal ball to Millie’s snoring has reminded Hoppy of his key phrase. He was, most commonly, reduced to simply reading it out of a nearby, discarded comic book.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGbURqruhul6V5LZN-HEzjEg-KBxsRb2ZZfUr_QttlonTRoyKcBgHj_p0m8Mtn6luf39N7eD-a0eRt5sT28S9Y1lfyiYwzDzeAGWaXMFSIpbOpc8Lg79PeLnMJ91NiQPqHtsvjsrVz3KlLOYkj06QM2JT_RWTRqVjiataWEPvGdjbpcy_k_fG-B0F/s825/hoppycatwitches.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="379" data-original-width="825" height="294" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGbURqruhul6V5LZN-HEzjEg-KBxsRb2ZZfUr_QttlonTRoyKcBgHj_p0m8Mtn6luf39N7eD-a0eRt5sT28S9Y1lfyiYwzDzeAGWaXMFSIpbOpc8Lg79PeLnMJ91NiQPqHtsvjsrVz3KlLOYkj06QM2JT_RWTRqVjiataWEPvGdjbpcy_k_fG-B0F/w640-h294/hoppycatwitches.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoppy turning the broom on a recurring foe, a Catwitch</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Captain Marvel Bunny and his funny animal world were kept separate from the rest of the Marvel Family, except for group appearances in occasional advertisements. Still, in Fawcett’s Funny Animals #32 (October 1945), Hoppy was bedeviled by an infernal Captain Black Bunny, his equal in strength who strongly resembled the villainous Black Adam. Hoppy also meets a future version of himself in Fawcett’s Funny Animals #23 (October 1944) in a story which resembles a Captain Marvel adventure in Whiz Comics #41-42 (April 1943). Leero the Wolf (Fawcett’s Funny Animals #4) mentions that his inspiration to do evil comes from reading about the comic book villainy of Doctor Sivana. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyMlbqixIUFmG1y5KGEq5JWaBtydsPRbRFOBPUiwjG-an0utqyRNXCylRv-H64NFkESBpB03YvokeuHyWZxVVX8vvej4mzzVf7MpHD6nZzU5WPpVl0Gdv6tB4q7cTSyHaYJsNjh2vaGODTHADs8LYvhf5TwwQC-fi5iKo6gBBGgOuUkodVBSOQtwG/s736/hoppybroom.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="510" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPyMlbqixIUFmG1y5KGEq5JWaBtydsPRbRFOBPUiwjG-an0utqyRNXCylRv-H64NFkESBpB03YvokeuHyWZxVVX8vvej4mzzVf7MpHD6nZzU5WPpVl0Gdv6tB4q7cTSyHaYJsNjh2vaGODTHADs8LYvhf5TwwQC-fi5iKo6gBBGgOuUkodVBSOQtwG/s320/hoppybroom.png" width="222" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Sit on me" indeed</td></tr></tbody></table><br />However, Captain Marvel Bunny has a rogues’ gallery uniquely his own: He most frequently clashes with the high seas pirate Kid Perch. There are other nominative super-villains, like Mr.Rumor, Mr.Sorcerer, Dr.Frog, an absolutely under-utilized sentient bundle of straw and stick calling itself The Black Broom of Evil (Funny Animals #20), and a slippery escapologist named Rufus Slyfox. Captain Marvel Bunny repeatedly becomes entangled with the Catwitches, which appear to represent an entire community of magic-using evil cats in Funny Animals Land.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All told, Captain Marvel Bunny boasts a roster of baddies that numbers in the dozens. For many of his stories, however, Hoppy acts as a mediator among anthropomorphized forces of nature. He settles the dispute between the North Star and the Evening Star in Fawcett’s Funny Animals #26, among the four winds in issue #29, and also among the Brownies, the Storm King, and the Mountain King in other issues. He’s like a referee for wind disputes.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hoppy’s adventures were explicitly written for kids, but Grothkopf’s flamboyant brushstrokes made for an exciting series of visuals. </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7unT2qh9d0pyT_TIXD-RsU41RFHwjMqzyok7fmjJFJpiv6d3uPGVhIS4EapK49if-PyCu-J3aTs8Wi23naFUVesSL6enNPfFgN7V4gsqcTHDcK4p5w9FKm7z491CEMpnkelUvFQNw-shS8pVxqXmXDDzJVEiEtdbhXg_oni2k4LvA0IFLnwFh6JL/s1500/happyhoppy.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1267" data-original-width="1500" height="540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx7unT2qh9d0pyT_TIXD-RsU41RFHwjMqzyok7fmjJFJpiv6d3uPGVhIS4EapK49if-PyCu-J3aTs8Wi23naFUVesSL6enNPfFgN7V4gsqcTHDcK4p5w9FKm7z491CEMpnkelUvFQNw-shS8pVxqXmXDDzJVEiEtdbhXg_oni2k4LvA0IFLnwFh6JL/w640-h540/happyhoppy.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption">Comparisons of Hoppy the Marvel Bunny with Charlton’s “Happy the Magic Bunny” reprints</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fatigued by lawsuits, Fawcett stopped production on its comic book line in 1953, tanking the Marvel Family in one fell swoop. Hoppy’s adventures were subsequently sold as part of a bundle to Charlton Comics, where they were reprinted under the title of Happy the Magic Bunny. His previously published stories were lightly edited - his emblem removed, his costume sometimes recolored blue – and lived on in reprints in Atomic Mouse #16-20 (1954). Hoppy’s magic word was relettered to be “Alikazam!” </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Happy was retired by the mid-50s, and the original Hoppy didn’t enjoy another outing until a brief crossover with Superman and the rest of the Marvel Family in the early 1980s (DC Comics Presents #34, June 1981). He appears again among a cluster of famous talking rabbits in the off-beat DC miniseries Captain Carrot And His Amazing Zoo Crew In The Oz-Wonderland War Trilogy (CCAHAZCITOWWT #1-3, 1986). Sheldon Mayer’s Bo Bunny joins Hoppy and Millie as DC’s representation among the other public-domain hoppers.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lm4YB5Dj75CnCXN7rnFZV1YFajgKZOhWwyQN2d_1zD7RSkEAXlJ_H2nUVrrEdN1_A5AJxwwoNoLL7MXyuGQIc8zy2ISnhpiM7Qkq3bij1YqL801czbsmK-BtGnM6FEfoT1Td7J11dbJneOIyzwNQb7M4vMsqA1H18HZXUeL0IUtxwzyAP2nu1QqR/s911/Hoppy%20in%20Animal%20Man%2025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="703" data-original-width="911" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1lm4YB5Dj75CnCXN7rnFZV1YFajgKZOhWwyQN2d_1zD7RSkEAXlJ_H2nUVrrEdN1_A5AJxwwoNoLL7MXyuGQIc8zy2ISnhpiM7Qkq3bij1YqL801czbsmK-BtGnM6FEfoT1Td7J11dbJneOIyzwNQb7M4vMsqA1H18HZXUeL0IUtxwzyAP2nu1QqR/w640-h494/Hoppy%20in%20Animal%20Man%2025.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hoppy depicted in Limbo in Animal Man #25</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hoppy’s last appearance in this familiar form likely happens in the post-Crisis Power of Shazam #29 (August 1997). The loose concept of a Shazam-powered rabbit named Hoppy remains part of DC’s Tiny Titans universe of characters, but most other subsequent Hoppys have explored the concept more broadly. In superhero universes that have little room for more than one funny animal superhero at a time, Hoppy continues to reside at the edges of the Shazam universe, possibly just trying to remember his oft-forgotten magic word.</span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74NIbCo5L-YcjHsZvwM-U7Hy3IBu7KzP5G67IfkmFTX6W-FQT5mR8BqWALlO8-BMnc4I5mxXu227aZmtxf9sGIksuDxCeV6B1gJ05yIHpJbi6V82w36I8SExejImTsl3YGLsKec--AKoMpjTx7C6sdUK8qrmcGRFk3x5h4prsC7Xu6nLp9nYmcI42/s1507/1946%2001%20-%20Hoppy%202%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1507" data-original-width="1086" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi74NIbCo5L-YcjHsZvwM-U7Hy3IBu7KzP5G67IfkmFTX6W-FQT5mR8BqWALlO8-BMnc4I5mxXu227aZmtxf9sGIksuDxCeV6B1gJ05yIHpJbi6V82w36I8SExejImTsl3YGLsKec--AKoMpjTx7C6sdUK8qrmcGRFk3x5h4prsC7Xu6nLp9nYmcI42/w462-h640/1946%2001%20-%20Hoppy%202%20(1).jpg" width="462" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-45642472547423041862022-04-13T09:00:00.003-07:002022-04-13T12:53:57.220-07:00New on Gone&Forgotten: SPIDEY DOES DALLAS<p><span data-offset-key="2au86-0-0" face="TwitterChirp, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #0f1419; font-size: 20px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span data-text="true">New on Gone-and-Forgotten.com this morning -- It's football, oil, ballet and loads of Sanger-Harris for Spider-Man and some of his most Amazing Friends, yippie kai yay! </span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.calamityjonsave.us/gone-and-forgotten/2022/4/10/spidey-does-dallas" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="826" data-original-width="1211" height="437" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEWTBOdPij94KBz_FxrJMC8TtHkhqvu2_v2H8Af2j7Duy9uZiQw6NZnLHFPAcYRb02_LCbwQ9Jjh71Tn6nvQD29ndwBLnNIhX1rV7chjlrHjQvS7r0MlGeiywNI004UnziU-fRwOUAlHis2EcP0xeO7mBdyOCRB4XTgSnWVFTKmkhZB2V8uI8Fd1jE/w640-h437/Dallas_Cowboys.png" width="640" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Click through to read more, cowpoke!</p>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-63720585718308298482022-02-02T11:00:00.011-08:002022-02-28T15:19:47.603-08:00New on Gone-and-Forgotten.com -- Honey Blake, aka THE BLONDE BOMBER!<p> New on Gone-And-Forgotten.com: 1940s newsreel reporter Honey Blake, aka THE BLONDE BOMBER!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="https://gone-and-forgotten.com/2022/2/21/truly-goneampforgotten-the-blonde-bomber"><img border="0" data-original-height="1239" data-original-width="1216" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjF45KEVCRBsPCthfLSM9QkyNb9AcLlTgH5IvHRRAF8uWfnerT0EAN614_PwzryeQ9O4P9FGsmV_YLDup5Y4xNm9TVpsCwC30rCiWPxlrgS7DZARYuNt9-TW0IGiOQnmwwUpoPfnnAetQAqtIDrigEm7UXu-fxua9E1m493syWQB-9uusxJ-HGSh16C=w628-h640" width="628" /></a></span></div><a href="https://gone-and-forgotten.com/2022/2/21/truly-goneampforgotten-the-blonde-bomber"><br /></a><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://gone-and-forgotten.com/2022/2/21/truly-goneampforgotten-the-blonde-bomber">click through to read more!</a></p>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-48686553801922592752021-12-13T06:00:00.019-08:002021-12-13T06:00:00.168-08:00Truly Gone&Forgotten : The Buzzard<span></span><br /><div class="special-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin-bottom: 1em;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Promoted Block" data-type="promoted-block" id="promoted-block-60f73c0d16b9526a1d2e4c73"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626819869301_14258" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 0px 17px 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-hidden design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1176px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 490.328125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="GAF_Buzzard_01.png" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1176x848" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60f74e1f5f40874407741e64" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820131235-VDVTZQT4A62EZM3DM49E/GAF_Buzzard_01.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820131235-VDVTZQT4A62EZM3DM49E/GAF_Buzzard_01.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820131235-VDVTZQT4A62EZM3DM49E/GAF_Buzzard_01.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 490.65625px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.17018193006515503px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div></figure></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><header style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><h1 class="entry-title" style="color: #121212; font-size: 26px; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.01em; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 0px 0px 10px;"><br /></h1><div class="entry-info" style="color: #919191;"><br /><span class="category"></span></div></header><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_114" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1626815576361" id="item-60f73c0d16b9526a1d2e4c73"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_113" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_112" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626819869301_16037" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 0px 17px 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">The Buzzard<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Martin Filchock<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Wham Comics #2 (December 1940)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Who is … <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">The Buzzard</em>? </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Well, according to his introduction in the pages of Wham Comics No.2 (Dec 1940), he is “The nemisis [sic] of the underworld,” and the enemy of the “snakes, rats and vermine [sic] who prey upon … good people!” Who is the Buzzard? Someone who’s too busy fighting crime to proofread a comic script is who!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">But who <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">is</em> behind the bespectacled crimefighter whose modest frame belies tremendous strength and athleticism? It’s actually a complicated question!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626820261215_3686" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 413px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 319.859375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="And he’s perceptive, too." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="413x409" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60f74ef0620a4b188181e06b" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820336906-JB65D2Y0HX6SXKXCHH5Z/GAF_Buzzard_03.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820336906-JB65D2Y0HX6SXKXCHH5Z/GAF_Buzzard_03.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820336906-JB65D2Y0HX6SXKXCHH5Z/GAF_Buzzard_03.png?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 319.859375px; left: -0.06479217857122421px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323.125px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">And he’s perceptive, too.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626820261215_6482" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The Buzzard’s true face is never shown, and his diminutive build is owed to an hallucinatory gas -- one of several gadgets composing the Buzzard’s bizarre arsenal of justice. In reality, anyone could be this man who appears as nothing more than a four-eyed, beak-nosed scarecrow, trotting around in an almost comically loose-fitting tuxedo. An essential three-panel prologue explains that the role of the Buzzard <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">has</em> been adopted by others in the past, and that only three people in the world are aware of the hero’s actual name and identity!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">It’s strongly implied that one of these three is “Flash,” a broad-shouldered and tow-headed college athlete who certainly seems to have the physicality for the job. Additionally, as far as the Golden Age of Comics goes, he has one of the best possible motivations to suit up against crime -- <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">he played varsity football.</em> Go get ‘em, tiger! It’s worth asking about his on-field performance, however, since Flash seems to be -- intentionally or not -- a <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">stupid klutz</em>. This is only one of the reasons that his father, the Chief of Police, discourages Flash from hanging around the police station. In addition, he’s just plain afraid that being a cop would be too dangerous for his dimwitted boy!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">But it’s just as likely that the Buzzard could be -- the Mayor! After all, it’s the Mayor who explains how the Buzzard’s powers and weapons work, who hands down the equipment to the new Buzzard, and who not only claims to have invented them, but seems to be in charge of the whole arrangement. He even exhibits the feature of the hallucinatory gas, transformed himself from roly-poly to willow-thin. Even though the prologue is titled “How the Buzzard Came to Be,” the Mayor makes it clear that the vigilante is already established in the city and his tools have been previously employed…</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626820261215_10958" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_131"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_130"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_129" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1174px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_128" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 255.421875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="The Chief, the newspaper reporter, some cops, the Mayor’s Niece and Flash — every one of ‘em, The Buzzard." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1174x441" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60f74fc5bcad6e1a0fe0b88b" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820550865-V4DOPYQRHSA0FVHKE983/GAF_Buzzard_04.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820550865-V4DOPYQRHSA0FVHKE983/GAF_Buzzard_04.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820550865-V4DOPYQRHSA0FVHKE983/GAF_Buzzard_04.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 255.84375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.21756547689437866px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Chief, the newspaper reporter, some cops, the Mayor’s Niece and Flash — every one of ‘em, The Buzzard.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626820261215_11261" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">And then there’s The Mayor’s Niece, a quick-witted and resourceful young woman who has been cleverly named “The Mayor’s Niece.” Not only is she one of the three alleged people who know The Buzzard’s identity, she’s also quick to throw the cops off the trail when they get too close to the hero!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-4 span-4 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626820261215_12768" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 237.984375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_148"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_147"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_146" style="margin: auto; max-width: 365px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_145" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 234.15625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="He left the stove on." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="365x419" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60f750339abde0236ac1fa2a" data-image-resolution="500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820660269-ZU30UYZEC9XZCNTZ2LYB/GAF_Buzzard_06.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820660269-ZU30UYZEC9XZCNTZ2LYB/GAF_Buzzard_06.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820660269-ZU30UYZEC9XZCNTZ2LYB/GAF_Buzzard_06.jpg?format=500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 234.328125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.09047132730484009px; vertical-align: middle; width: 203.984375px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">He left the stove on.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626820261215_17256" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If that weren’t enough, there are also<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> competing</em> clues. Hanging around the station, for instance, is an unnamed newspaper reporter whose build and hair match the unseen figure from the prologue! Likewise, Flash went jacketless through the majority of the story, but the figure who was shown in the prologue is sporting a blue jacket -- like any number of police officers might be wearing around the station! </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Regardless of who happens to be portraying the gaunt-cheeked do-gooder, they’re quickly given an opportunity to show off with their fancy new weapons. In this instance, at the very least, that includes a pocket-sized ray-gun which melts concrete, a pair of vicious claw-tipped gloves, and the uncanny ability to cast a shadow in the silhouette of a laughing buzzard! These are employed to rout a crook named Killer Pocci and his mob of henchmen from their refuge in a towering building, where they’ve retreated with $100,000 in stolen ash! The Buzzard ably fights his way up stairwells and elevator shafts in a sort-of reverse Die Hard, ploughing through a dozen tough guys before obligingly kicking the chief baddie through the window on his way out. Whoever’s behind the disguise sure can fight!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">With all the potential suspects gathered at the site of the shoot-out, it’s impossible to say which one wielded the identity of The Buzzard. After one appearance, it’s a mystery that may never be solved...</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1626820261215_7396" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_165"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_164"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_163" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1157px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749026045_162" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 248.59375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Damn that caption got excited." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1157x423" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60f74f74f2c98c48c76e2ca3" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820470361-5PZLAWWEXYRFTWKUAP55/GAF_Buzzard_05.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820470361-5PZLAWWEXYRFTWKUAP55/GAF_Buzzard_05.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1626820470361-5PZLAWWEXYRFTWKUAP55/GAF_Buzzard_05.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 248.59375px; left: -0.5354609489440918px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 681.0625px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">Damn that caption got excited.</p><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span face="-webkit-standard" style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; white-space: normal;"></span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-family: -webkit-standard; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; white-space: normal;" /></p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-77413600148171918682021-12-06T06:00:00.001-08:002021-12-06T06:00:00.137-08:00Truly Gone&Forgotten : Blackout!<p> </p><div class="special-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin-bottom: 1em;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Promoted Block" data-type="promoted-block" id="promoted-block-60ea2b3b37da2614571959f3"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959144642_33399" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 0px 17px 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 966px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 621.5625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="This may be the wrong time in history to focus on a superhero who’s blacked-up from head to toe but, what the hell, let’s roll the dice." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="966x883" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60ea2cca8fb24157da7b7b5a" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625959629495-7M8GNY9UJ8AFEOQ8PHR4/GAF_Blackout_01.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625959629495-7M8GNY9UJ8AFEOQ8PHR4/GAF_Blackout_01.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625959629495-7M8GNY9UJ8AFEOQ8PHR4/GAF_Blackout_01.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 621.5625px; left: -0.23329557478427887px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.453125px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">This may be the wrong time in history to focus on a superhero who’s blacked-up from head to toe but, what the hell, let’s roll the dice.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><header style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><div class="entry-info" style="color: #919191;"><span class="category"></span></div></header><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_114" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1625959848303" id="item-60ea2b3b37da2614571959f3"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_113" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_112" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959144642_33715" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 0px 17px 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Blackout<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Don Rico<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Captain Battle Comics #1 (1941 - reprinted in #5)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Look! Up in the sky! Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a mid-air collision? </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Nope, it’s just a massive cloud of choking black smoke! And, in the center of that cloud -- a naked man, in a domino mask, blacked up from head to toe, and flying as though he had been shot from a cannon! Fascism, beware -- here comes the avenging hero BLACKOUT, Democracy’s dingiest defender! </p><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 1em 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">“AND THROUGH THE WILL OF A MILLION SOULS, BLACKOUT IS BORN!”</p></blockquote><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Working feverishly by lamplight, passionate young surgeon Dr.Basil Brusiloff struggles to save lives while Nazi airplanes riddle Belgrade with bombs. “Why?” he cries, as he collects vital medical supplies from his besieged laboratory, “What have we done to be attacked so brutally?” he demands of no one, bellowing into the empty air “...mangled women … men screaming in dying agony! WHY?”</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">No sooner has he posed the ghastly question than a Nazi bomber answers it, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">definitively in the negative</em>, by delivering a “cargo of death” directly on the roof of the hospital. Explosions rip through the building, reducing the structure to rubble!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_13562" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 983px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 314.75px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Tragedy following tragedy" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="983x455" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60ea2fbf6e2672579445d498" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960385553-0N3FKT54RWPRGJ60NAS5/GAF_Blackout_04.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960385553-0N3FKT54RWPRGJ60NAS5/GAF_Blackout_04.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960385553-0N3FKT54RWPRGJ60NAS5/GAF_Blackout_04.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 314.75px; left: -0.26923078298568726px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.53125px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tragedy following tragedy</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_13865" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In his lab, however, Brusiloff discovers new life and new power. By some radical combination of chance, the racks of chemicals and medicines surrounding the young doctor are activated by the explosion, forming strange new concoctions and granting amazing abilities. Swallowed by a choking cloud of angry black smoke, Brusiloff emerges, bursting with strength, his body enveloped in an eerie new substance. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The resulting aesthetic implied to some readers that Blackout was covered in <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">thick, shaggy fur, </em>like a <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">werewolf. </em>This is, of course, absurd. Blackout was, much more reasonably, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">a naked man whose pores exuded oily threads of greasy black smoke. </em>Cool.</p></div></div><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_133" style="width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-4 span-4" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_132" style="float: left; width: 237.984375px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_29462" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_131"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_130"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_129" style="margin: auto; max-width: 302px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_128" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 593.03125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="It’s the best education a slob could hope for." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="302x878" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60ea30ace6bd1231e612b2d8" data-image-resolution="500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960620892-4IJI3JQQKJ2FBMBY5T4Y/GAF_Blackout_06.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960620892-4IJI3JQQKJ2FBMBY5T4Y/GAF_Blackout_06.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960620892-4IJI3JQQKJ2FBMBY5T4Y/GAF_Blackout_06.jpg?format=500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 593.109375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.04304862394928932px; vertical-align: middle; width: 203.984375px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s the best education a slob could hope for. </p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div></div><div class="col sqs-col-8 span-8" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 476px;"><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_29765" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">It can’t be denied that Blackout has a knockout look. The roiling clouds of inky blackness are highly dramatic, the tri-color blue-black-green palette is pretty unique in comics, and what can you say about a man who tops that ensemble with a <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">grass green domino mask</em>. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Naturally, if you’re Blackout, you’ll want to wear a disguise.<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> You wouldn’t want anyone from work to recognize you,</em> after all, during those times when you’re a fascist-smashing smoke man. It would be terribly awkward. This is the same reason that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wear masks, in case they meet Shredder at the supermarket, or church.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Besides power and a dramatic new look, Brusiloff gains a<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> mission</em>. While the basis of his origin was chemical and catastrophic, something supernatural seems to speak to the strange new figure which looks back from the former young surgeon’s mirror. “What has caused this to me, I do not care! All that I know is, I feel the <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">mighty command </strong>of a <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">million souls who have perished from oppression</strong> in the struggle to <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">keep democracy alive</strong>, appealing to me to <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">carry on their ideals</strong>!”</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In service of those ideals, Basil gains powers -- largely the product of the black tendrils of smoke which coil around him! He proves capable of flying by blasting out jets of smoke, can form choking and blinding cloud covers, knock planes and missiles out of the air, and even generate the force sufficient to blow brick walls to pieces. </p></div></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_35532" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Better yet, in twelve hours he masters these powers, and demonstrates as much by smashing the very planes which destroyed his hospital! <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">PAYBACK.</em></p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_11138" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_150"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_149"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_148" style="margin: auto; max-width: 976px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_147" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 624.25px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Blackout slaughtering Nazis and still having time to instigate a rebellion. This is the product of the kind of time-organization skills you develop in medical school." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="976x896" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60ea2f53e6bd1231e612a0e6" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960278062-5444D6TFP9P0JWKU2VLA/GAF_Blackout_05.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960278062-5444D6TFP9P0JWKU2VLA/GAF_Blackout_05.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960278062-5444D6TFP9P0JWKU2VLA/GAF_Blackout_05.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 624.5px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.13120009005069733px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blackout slaughtering Nazis and <em>still</em> having time to instigate a rebellion. This is the product of the kind of time-organization skills you develop in medical school.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_11441" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In the remainder of his sole adventure, Blackout pursues the planes to the headquarters of the Nazis who ordered the attack. Here he uncovers a ‘forced labor factory’ (and, let’s be honest folks --- aren’t they all?) and the architect of all this misery, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Heinrich Himmel </em>(no relation). Having fomented a rebellion among the enslaved workers, Blackout demolishes the factory and many of the enemy’s weapons, leaving only tanks. For these, he provides a massive tunnel of smoke through which the escaped prisoners drive until reaching a friendly nation. This underlines the importance of infrastructure. </p><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 1em 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">“WE DEMAND PEACE, BREAD AND FREEDOM!”</p></blockquote><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">One interesting element of Blackout is that he’s a member of comics’ Axis-smashing fraternity of Golden Age heroes -- <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">with a noticeable difference</em>. Most anti-fascist superheroes of the era were first and foremost <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">patriots</em>. There were dozens upon dozens of flag-draped superheroes in the comics pages, and they primarily boasted bold red, white and blue palettes, adorned with eagles, stars, bars and any other unambiguous indication of their allegiance. As a handy example -- Captain Battle, in whose eponymous title Blackout debuts, combines many of these decorations and throws in an eyepatch, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">for clout</em>.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">By contrast, Blackout cuts a completely different figure -- a stark body of writhing black smoke. Nevermind patriotic trappings -- Blackout is barely visible <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">as a figure, </em>with ropey bands of impenetrable cloud giving his entire body the illusion of being wrapped in thick black fur. The only splash of color in the whole setup is Blackout’s green domino mask, which undoubtedly served the actual purpose of distinguishing the hero from any random silhouette elsewhere in the story.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_5375" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_167"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_166"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_165" style="margin: auto; max-width: 949px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_164" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 321px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="I’m with these guys." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="949x448" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60ea2ee292abcc18c4017a96" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960165484-M51Q93R3K6EXD9UQJ2E0/GAF_Blackout_03.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960165484-M51Q93R3K6EXD9UQJ2E0/GAF_Blackout_03.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960165484-M51Q93R3K6EXD9UQJ2E0/GAF_Blackout_03.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 321px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.005795574281364679px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m with these guys.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_9033" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Nonetheless, Blackout’s mission is overtly -- and deliberately -- antifascist, and against “the makers of war.” He is described in the text only as a “friend of the oppressed,” but the atypically literate strip drops strong hints that Blackout does have philosophical allegiances: Specifically, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">that he’s a Communist-leaning antifascist</em>. If he isn’t the <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">only </em>such superhero in America’s Golden Age of Comics, then he’s at least unique enough to mention. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Additionally, it’s worth wondering how many other comic book heroes of the age would begin their adventure with an anti-war quote from British satirist and liberal socialist Douglas Jerrold. “War is but murder in uniform (1909)” are the words which greet the young readers of Blackout’s adventure in two-fisted Captain Battle Comics, a book otherwise dedicated to colorful depictions of battlefield victory and death. What a conflicting preamble! Nonetheless...</p><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 1em 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">“AS I HAVE BLACKED OUT THESE ENEMIES OF LIBERTY … SO SHALL I DO TO ALL WHO’D CAUSE OPPRESSION TO REIGN…”</p></blockquote><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Blackout was the creation of Don Rico, who may be primarily known as co-creator of The Black Widow, and also of engagingly atypical features such as <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">The Sorceress of Zoom</em> and <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Flip Falcon of the Fourth Dimension</em>. He also preceded, as co-creator, Charles Biro’s run on Lev A.Gleason’s <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Daredevil. </em>He was <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">additionally</em> a prolific paperback writer, so when the Beatles sing that song, now you know who they’re talking about. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Blackout leaves the rescued prisoners inside the borders of a foreign, friendly nation. As they cheer freedom and celebrate their liberator, Blackout promises this wonderful new world. “The authorities here will treat you with respect,” he assures them, “And you will never again be slaves of brutal tyranny!” If that future actually came to pass, it might explain why Blackout petered out at one appearance. Who needs liberator in a world of Peace, Bread and Freedom?</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1625959849224_54487" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_184"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_183"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_182" style="margin: auto; max-width: 972px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749024203_181" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 322.5px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="His sole vice: Gambling." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="972x461" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="60ea321de6a58043b69cdd9f" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960989888-L1GO1Y8IFQ1J1BFBE2U9/GAF_Blackout_07.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960989888-L1GO1Y8IFQ1J1BFBE2U9/GAF_Blackout_07.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1625960989888-L1GO1Y8IFQ1J1BFBE2U9/GAF_Blackout_07.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 322.5px; left: -0.5162689685821533px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 681.03125px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;">His sole vice: Gambling.</p><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-4016487600330266802021-11-29T06:00:00.003-08:002021-11-29T06:00:00.166-08:00Truly Gone&Forgotten : Dusty Doyle, Circus Cyclone!<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1603128067462" id="item-5f8dc8864a8503562711dbfb"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_17752" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1225px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 260.890625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Cue terrifying circus music …" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1225x470" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f8dc91c8abb913998353a55" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127581524-WI4ITXK7ETDZ7K72HYZI/GAF_DustyDoyle06.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127581524-WI4ITXK7ETDZ7K72HYZI/GAF_DustyDoyle06.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127581524-WI4ITXK7ETDZ7K72HYZI/GAF_DustyDoyle06.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 260.890625px; left: -0.13297872245311737px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.265625px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Cue terrifying circus music …</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_16351" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Dusty Doyle, Circus Cyclone<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Emile C. Schumacher and Unknown Artist<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Miracle Comics #1-2 (1940)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In discussing Duty Doyle, Circus Cyclone, it’s important to remember that this is not a story about a <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">person</em>. This is a story about a person’s <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">unrelentingly suspicious series of convenient opportunities. </em></p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_22127" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 775px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 167.53125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="“Just like dad.”" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="775x402" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f8dc991181a4c0303d76ae6" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127699104-VO9AQPZ8GYE04CYVO2UR/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127699104-VO9AQPZ8GYE04CYVO2UR/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127699104-VO9AQPZ8GYE04CYVO2UR/image-asset.jpeg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 167.53125px; left: -0.44029849767684937px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323.875px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">“Just like dad.”</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_43268" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Dusty Doyle shows up at a nameless circus in the middle of nowhere, dressed in a full suit and looking for a job as an acrobat. He’s given a free ticket for watering the elephants, as the circus already <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">has</em> a trapeze act -- <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">but not for long</em>! No sooner does Dusty voice his disappointment at missing out on his dream gig than a terrible scream rings out -- the male half of the trapeze act has plummeted to his death! Well, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">lucky Dusty!</em></p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">While the owner promptly offers Dusty the job previously held by a man who fell to his gory death right in front of Dusty’s affectless eyes, not everything immediately goes Dusty’s way. The surviving half of the trapeze act quits -- “No more chances for me!” she declares -- leaving Dusty without a partner. “Sorry son,” consoles the owner, unaware that Dusty’s mildest whims become gory plot points.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-4 span-4 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_27070" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 237.984375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 594px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 194.359375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="The grandfather of every Scooby Doo villain." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="594x566" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f8dc9b7f1fddd46f6176de6" data-image-resolution="500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127735861-JS2V4PLP39HTQR9DQUD1/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127735861-JS2V4PLP39HTQR9DQUD1/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127735861-JS2V4PLP39HTQR9DQUD1/image-asset.jpeg?format=500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 194.734375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.19227470457553864px; vertical-align: middle; width: 203.984375px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">The grandfather of every Scooby Doo villain.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_32908" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Pondering the question of where to find a partner, Dusty deliberates upon a stone bridge. To his surprise, from the river below, he hears the cries of the suicidal Elaine. He rescues her only to discover that she is jobless, despondent, and soaking wet. Over a warm fire, Elaine is convinced to become Dusty’s partner at the circus -- his suicidal, untrained partner who has nothing to live for. This ought to be good.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Elaine actually turns out to be an exceptional acrobat -- in fact, it’s sort-of implied that anybody could just walk in off the street and pick up a circus job. It’s so easy, in fact, that Dusty also has time to become a crimefighting detective -- he discovers that the owner of a rival circus has been using a mirror to reflect light into the eyes of the acrobats and is responsible for the death of Dusty’s predecessor. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">There’s an argument to be made that Dusty and his unsettling proclivity of having his every wish promptly fulfilled is responsible for the previous trapeze artist’s death, of course. That death and so miuch more...</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-4 span-4 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_34397" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 237.984375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 482px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749022911_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 241.21875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Finally! I’ve been waiting for someone to do a trick they learned on the South American pampas!" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="482x570" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f8dc9f74690767abc197519" data-image-resolution="500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127799893-32CGNW5YN04I1FA1FSDA/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127799893-32CGNW5YN04I1FA1FSDA/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1603127799893-32CGNW5YN04I1FA1FSDA/image-asset.jpeg?format=500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 241.453125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.12251774966716766px; vertical-align: middle; width: 203.984375px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Finally! I’ve been waiting for someone to do a trick they learned on the South American pampas!</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_40300" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In his second adventure, Dusty confronts abusive animal trainer Hank Wilkins about his cruel treatment of the elephants. In the fashion of the terrible contrivance of Dusty’s circus career, this short confrontation leads to terrible consequences. Dusty strikes Hank, who takes his frustration out by beating an elephant, which then stumbles into and breaks the gorilla’s cage, which frees that hairy monster who then abducts Elaine and removes her to the trapeze ledge.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Up to this point, every misfortune has given Dusty an opportunity to show off and play hero. What benefit is it to Dusty to have his partner kidnapped by a monkey? Well, it allowed him to demonstrate his skill at the gaucho bolos (cha cha cha), which he learned on the Argentinean pampas (cha cha cha)! This is the first time that we learn of any backstory for Dusty, and I’m not surprised that it involves chucking stuff at animals.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Rigging a weapon out of his jacket and some iron bolts, Dusty climbs to the opposite ledge, swings towards the ape and launches his Argentinean pampas gaucho bolos (cha cha cha!) with unerring accuracy. With the gorilla tied to the tentpole, Elaine is easily rescued, and the roustabouts are given the almost impossible task of retrieving a furious gorilla from the top of a tall pole where it’s tied at the neck with its arms free. On the other hand, Dusty posits “The roustabouts can capture the gorilla without trouble.” Who knows, it does seem like <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">everything Dusty says comes true</em>, so maybe it <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">will</em> be a simple task. Or maybe one of the roustabouts will die and Dusty can take his job, anything is possible in the consequence-intensive world of Dusty Doyle, Circus Cyclone! </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_45047" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1603127406759_48455" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-47574809417885776622021-11-22T13:19:00.008-08:002021-11-22T13:19:00.180-08:00Truly Gone&Forgotten : Mars Mason of the Interplanetary Mail Service<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_93" style="margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1600637553168" id="item-5f67ca54bd90701b2262338e" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px;"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_92" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_91" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_77830" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_90"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-hidden design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_89"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_88" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1034px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_87" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 476.78125px; position: relative;"><img alt="GAF_MarsMason05.jpg" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1034x725" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f67cb13ea19332049ee9ffc" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600637718656-BWP5DPIT3FMYWWIGJFKY/GAF_MarsMason05.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600637718656-BWP5DPIT3FMYWWIGJFKY/GAF_MarsMason05.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600637718656-BWP5DPIT3FMYWWIGJFKY/GAF_MarsMason05.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 476.78125px; left: -0.1503448188304901px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.296875px;" /></div></button></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_35650" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Mars Mason (of the Interplanetary Mail Service)<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Munson Paddock<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Speed Comics #7-11 (1940)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Neither rain, nor snow, nor gloom of night can stop the mail-carrier from their appointed rounds, according to the unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service. But the perils of parcel delivery among the perniciously populated planets of Earth’s solar system add a whole new Sears catalog of threats and impediments to the mix! When it absolutely has to be there overnight -- and by “there,” you mean “the embattled world of Neptune” -- call on the Interplanetary Mail Service and its top agent, Mars Mason!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_92828" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_120"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_119"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_118" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1056px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">An aside during an attack by alien monsters educates the readers as to the postal etiquette of the future. </p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_117" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 323px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_116" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 222.0625px; position: relative;"><img alt="An aside during an attack by alien monsters educates the readers as to the postal etiquette of the future." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1056x726" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f67ccd18975d6731c59e35c" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638169635-T8T5HW6ANTXUZ6XK3OQ4/GAF_MarsMason01.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638169635-T8T5HW6ANTXUZ6XK3OQ4/GAF_MarsMason01.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638169635-T8T5HW6ANTXUZ6XK3OQ4/GAF_MarsMason01.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 222.125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.03125879913568497px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">An aside during an attack by alien monsters educates the readers as to the postal etiquette of the future. </p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_120461" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The stoic Mason is the Interplanetary Mail Service’s premier officer, trusted with not only delivering mail from planet to planet in Earth’s solar system, but also defending precious cargo from alien aggression. On one occasion, while delivering a formula for a deadly explosive to the planet Mars (no relation), Mason is set upon by Jovian Needlemen and their deposed ruler Killraye, seeking the power to recover the throne. Later, while investigating an undelivered message in Earth’s stratosphere, Mason is trapped on the forest world of Greentrees and set upon by vicious Toughtails -- intent on burying him alive! He’s a key player in the terraforming of Uranus, routs a Soursnout rebellion on Venus, and on two different occasions rescues a long-tressed human beauty from alien menace. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">All things being equal, it’s a lot more dangerous than the average route!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The breathless, dream-like storytelling of Mars Mason and its bold, lithographic line recalls the work of much-lauded outsider cartoonist Fletcher Hanks (“Stardust the Super-Wizard,” “Fantomah”), including the latter artist’s gory evocation of unbowdlerized fairy tales. But the strip’s strength is the bold, aggressive and almost overwhelming brushstroke with which the multitude of alien addresses and its residents are depicted. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-3 span-3 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_135637" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 178.5px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_144"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-hidden design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_143"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_142" style="margin: auto; max-width: 498px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_141" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 143.625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="GAF_MarsMason02.jpg" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="498x495" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f67d03d16749133501e9261" data-image-resolution="300w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600639039496-E8E8UENGVJ27UGZM4S36/GAF_MarsMason02.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600639039496-E8E8UENGVJ27UGZM4S36/GAF_MarsMason02.jpg" data-type="image" height="208" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600639039496-E8E8UENGVJ27UGZM4S36/GAF_MarsMason02.jpg?format=300w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 143.75px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.06308829039335251px; vertical-align: middle; width: 144.5px;" width="209" /></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_140111" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Mad, beaked fiends wrap tangled streaks of ink-heavy limbs upon their victims. Ships descend from the skies like black darts. Deadly rays explode in black-bordered lightning bolts which terminate in clouds of broad paranthetical curves as thick as the reader’s thumbnail. To depict dramatic explosions and spirals of uncontained energy, ink-dipped panels are fractured by jagged hairline bolts of color. The result resembles the fractures of a broken pot repaired with gold. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-4 span-4 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_113819" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 237.984375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_161"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_160"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_159" style="margin: auto; max-width: 686px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_158" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 215.875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="A rescued prisoner ties her hair around the broken fin of Mars’ damaged ship, evoking fairy tale logic in a science fiction tale." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="686x726" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f67ce8dea19332049ef10b4" data-image-resolution="500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638608147-DHBCURUZWBQU4R07UU7V/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638608147-DHBCURUZWBQU4R07UU7V/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638608147-DHBCURUZWBQU4R07UU7V/image-asset.jpeg?format=500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 215.875px; left: -0.04958297684788704px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 204.078125px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">A rescued prisoner ties her hair around the broken fin of Mars’ damaged ship, evoking fairy tale logic in a science fiction tale.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_114118" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Geometric, graphical elements compose the backgrounds of dizzying space, and the arcs of spaceships as they travel through. Sound effects are rendered in typographic elegance -- a “BANG” erupts in a hand-drawn approximation of Cooper Black on a background of urgent red, in one early panel. The palette is relentless. Contrasting colors are slotted next to one another in such a way that some panels vibrate and, on a personal note, I have never seen a comic use as much as what I choose to call “bald-ass Magenta” as this one.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Mars Mason was created by Munson Paddock, a veteran illustrator who -- like Atomic Man’s <a href="http://www.calamityjonsave.us/gone-and-forgotten/2020/2/05/charles-voights-atomic-man" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Charles Voight</a> -- came to comics in his forties, following an extensive career in magazines and newspapers. His previous original creations in this medium (“Mr.Bluff,” “Little Miss Thoughtful,” “Naughty Ned,” and others) were universally short-lived, but he nonetheless brought an uncommonly advanced sensibility and skillset to the earliest days of the Golden Age. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Originally creating pulp-style adventure material for National Allied, he made reluctant pokes at science fiction-style material in order to keep up with the drastically different post-superhero market -- under a variety of names. While the work in Mars Mason is demonstrably Paddock’s, the individual entries are attributed to only a small fraction of Paddock’s multitude of pen names -- Lyle Ford, Glen Ross, and Martin Nye. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">(Paddock’s penchant for pen names has also managed to muddy the waters about his credits, to some degree. Having used his paternal grandmother’s maiden name, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Cecelia Munson</em>, as a credit earned him the accolade of later being erroneously listed among the luminaries in Trina Robbins’ essential A Century of Women Cartoonists)</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-aspect-ratio="87.33333333333333" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_122191" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_178"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_177"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_176" style="margin: auto; max-width: 999px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749021263_175" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 593.859375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Mars Mason in all of his explosive glory." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="999x971" data-image-focal-point="0.534320809248555,0.30952380952380953" data-image-id="5f67cfc189583b6b6d6ab829" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638918963-EVX7TAQS063LQ0V4TAFI/GAF_MarsMason06.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638918963-EVX7TAQS063LQ0V4TAFI/GAF_MarsMason06.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1600638918963-EVX7TAQS063LQ0V4TAFI/GAF_MarsMason06.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 660.78125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -20.71491050720215px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Mars Mason in all of his explosive glory.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_122490" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Mason was armed with a “Dyna-Ray” and a “space gun.” Either was capable of producing whatever effect he intended, from flying to blasting to sending and receiving messages. He also wasn’t alone in his battle against the evil alien residents of his solar system. In his final adventure, he rescues the raven-haired “Air Queen” from the temple of the savage letter-stealing Soursnouts, although their further adventures were never delivered.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_75130" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1600637356764_76137" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p><p></p></div></div></div></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-25096298107237549742021-11-15T13:18:00.001-08:002021-11-15T13:18:00.148-08:00Truly Gone&Forgotten : Moppo the Marionette<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1597008802948" id="item-5f306814df524e64bc27c238"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597007858863_27133" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-hidden design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1076px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 612.375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="GAF_Moppo_1.jpg" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1076x969" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f306a1d9fded4095dee11c3" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008416604-YEZ7CP2WL7B0B014IZAP/GAF_Moppo_1.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008416604-YEZ7CP2WL7B0B014IZAP/GAF_Moppo_1.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008416604-YEZ7CP2WL7B0B014IZAP/GAF_Moppo_1.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 612.75px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.18970726430416107px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597007858863_25636" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Moppo the Marionette<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Frank Borth<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Champ Comics #25 (1943)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Except for a cantankerous attitude, there’s nothing particularly unusual about clown-like marionette Moppo at first sight. He’s not magical, he’s not a scientifically-advanced robot, he wasn’t brought to life by a child’s wish -- As advertised, Moppo is little more than a standard marionette. But when a COP is murdered by a NAZI in front of the toy shoppe window which Moppo inhabits, then<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> Moppo comes to life!</em></p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The irascible effigy enjoys only one adventure, but he packs it full of punch. In short order, Moppo liberates himself from his strings, escapes his store, hops on a nearby tomcat pursues the killer on cat-back, cleans house on the entire crew of a Nazi U-Boat (!), and saves important American military plans from sinister Axis possession. Not bad for a Muppet!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597007858863_34798" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1056px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 320.671875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Moppo’s machinations are grim and inevitable." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1056x498" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f306a56e7555e0b3816857c" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008472969-41P8Q44Y2ME1U6P8VM7X/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008472969-41P8Q44Y2ME1U6P8VM7X/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008472969-41P8Q44Y2ME1U6P8VM7X/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 320.671875px; left: -0.33734938502311707px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.671875px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Moppo’s machinations are grim and inevitable.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597007858863_35097" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Naturally, he performs all of these feats in his own inimitable style. Just in order to accommodate his diminutive stature and lack of firepower, Moppo doesn’t directly attack the U-Boat in question. Instead, he sabotages it here and there -- blacking out the periscope in one instance, and firing the gun on deck to attract an American patrol boat in another.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Then there’s just what we’ll call <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">“The Moppo Way of Doing Things.”</em></p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-aspect-ratio="69.82456140350877" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597007858863_39003" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 654px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 225.53125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Please stop manhandling the cop’s corpse, Moppo." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="654x463" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f306a737a71f50a84a75993" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008501057-UF11XNAOTSJMU6C232AA/GAF_Moppo_2.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008501057-UF11XNAOTSJMU6C232AA/GAF_Moppo_2.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008501057-UF11XNAOTSJMU6C232AA/GAF_Moppo_2.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 228.1875px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -1.3313307762145996px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Please stop manhandling the cop’s corpse, Moppo.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597007858863_39302" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The most grim example of which involves Moppo peeling open the eyelid of the recently-murdered cop, peering at the unresponsive orb and declaring “Hey, this fella’s DEAD!’ as he effectively desecrates the corpse. Moppo is also given to unique exclamations -- <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Lawzy Days, Hotchapeedy</em> and <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Zoodu</em> -- which may as well constitute a unique language.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Moppo creator Frank Borth was best known for creating socialite Dianne Grayton — a.k.a <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">The Spider Widow</strong>, a crimefighting debutante who was romantically involved with another costumed crimefighter, The Raven. When Borth later took over the Phantom Lady feature in Police Comics, the trio would make guest appearances in each others’ titles. This eventually grew into comics’ first (and possibly only) cross-title superheroic romantic triangle of the Golden Age. Personally, I just think of them as comics’ first Throuple.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Wrapping up <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">his</em> adventure, Moppo returns to his toy shoppe window and collapses -- luckily reattached to his strings -- under the sign which advertises his sale price (a whopping $25.00 -- that’s $450.00 in contemporary dollars!). </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">“Hey kids!” shouts an unknown young passerby, a blonde boy pointing at Moppo through the glass, “Lookit Moppo,” he adds, “He looks tired. He looks like he’s <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">been </em>somewhere.” However short-lived his crimefighting career, it’s clear that the neighborhood children are really in tune with the moods of Moppo.</p><p data-rte-preserve-empty="true" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"></p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597007858863_48107" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 669px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749019755_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 497px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Kid, you’re playing with fire." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="669x497" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5f306ab63102f37ed8ef0065" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008568914-IY9IKZ6VWHRBNFZJXEFI/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008568914-IY9IKZ6VWHRBNFZJXEFI/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1597008568914-IY9IKZ6VWHRBNFZJXEFI/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 497px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 669px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Kid, you’re playing with fire.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597009492127_8878" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1597009492127_9227" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-41947118272271643252021-11-08T06:00:00.010-08:002021-11-08T06:00:00.153-08:00Truly Gone & Forgotten : Koroo the Black Lion<p><br /></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1587060089521" id="item-5e989d574694511c1d8add20"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_15532" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1193px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 453.140625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Cyclone_Comics_03-10.jpg" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1193x795" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5ec57e544e333c1b26fc1b46" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001240124-SCQ0NGRD9ZAI0LRP9FEP/Cyclone_Comics_03-10.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001240124-SCQ0NGRD9ZAI0LRP9FEP/Cyclone_Comics_03-10.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001240124-SCQ0NGRD9ZAI0LRP9FEP/Cyclone_Comics_03-10.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 453.28125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.07169030606746674px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_269989" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-9dec6848f98093cd0577" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Koroo the Black Lion<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Creator unknown<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Cyclone Comics #1-5 (1940)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">He stalks the unknowable jungles, king of the savage land beyond civilization. Superstitious man fears him as a terrible predator, but among the beasts of the dense and endless forest, he is “monarch of all he surveys!” He is KOROO, THE BLACK LION, and he’s in danger -- of becoming a backup character in his own strip.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-7 span-7 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-aspect-ratio="70.52631578947368" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_20650" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 416.484375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 573px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 269.75px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="The Wreck of the Medusa, with Lion." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="573x406" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5ec57e833819f75e3fd6aee7" data-image-resolution="1000w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001285106-P2W3BM3VJTTMAJ1Z13FH/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001285106-P2W3BM3VJTTMAJ1Z13FH/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001285106-P2W3BM3VJTTMAJ1Z13FH/image-asset.jpeg?format=1000w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 270.40625px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.3330247104167938px; vertical-align: middle; width: 382.484375px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">The Wreck of the Medusa, with Lion (1819)</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_20949" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Appearing in five subsequent issues of Cyclone Comics in 1940, Koroo was an oddity among an increasingly superhero-laden shelf. Featuring a protagonist who couldn’t -- and needn’t -- speak put Koroo in company with a very small coterie of similar animal acts (Fiction House’s “Simba” was a longer-lived variation on the theme, although he didn’t boast Koroo’s cool paintjob). While other animal acts in comics were largely of the explicitly anthropomorphic variety, Koroo hewed a little closer to the adventures suitable for Tarzan. A terse and brutal introduction featured little more than the black lion hunting prey and killing a rival predator.. King of the Wabizi jungles, Koroo was the hero in a world where nature was the law and men were the villain -- white men, in particular, and invariably hunters or trappers.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_33755" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 597px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 220.734375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="What a cliffhanger!" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="597x408" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5ec57ed3f345100a553a11da" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001365159-BD7OQ88FIH252CB02J3K/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001365159-BD7OQ88FIH252CB02J3K/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001365159-BD7OQ88FIH252CB02J3K/image-asset.jpeg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 220.734375px; left: -0.1875px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323.375px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">What a cliffhanger!</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_34054" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">When Koroo eventually encounters a trio of hunters encamped in his domain, it actually goes poorly -- until the arrival of Tira, a character I think we can best describe as <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">a genuinely weird chick.</em> Described as “The strange white goddess of the Wabizi,” Tira aids Koroo and subsequently exhibits some nearly-supernatural influence over him. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Tira also boasts influence over an entire menagerie of jungle beasts, all of whom have signed up with her army. Her ape general Gobo, Moku the baboon and Heeta the panther, the snake Sith, a monkey named Kiko, an ostrich named Roger, Bauble the octopus, Snitchy the chameleon, the Polar Bear twins, Slimey the Vomiting Capybara and a sort-of centaur where the horse part is a zebra and the man part is a penguin called Pebra. I started making those up about halfway through the list. For fun, see if you can figure out where the transition began! Hint: It was Roger.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_39016" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1146px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 471.125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Living up to her promise to appoint a diverse Cabinet." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1146x794" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5ec57f02be4c4531fd4da600" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001415978-SJCB1OLE3BJ8KUFKXFLH/GAF_Koroo_09.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001415978-SJCB1OLE3BJ8KUFKXFLH/GAF_Koroo_09.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001415978-SJCB1OLE3BJ8KUFKXFLH/GAF_Koroo_09.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 471.25px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.06720805913209915px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Living up to her promise to appoint a diverse Cabinet.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_39315" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Quickly, Tira’s problems become the focus of the strip and Koroo is relegated to lieutenant status in his own feature. Nonetheless he signs on to Tira’s war against The White Man, which I totally ‘get,’ I really do. Tira’s backstory becomes increasingly important to the strip as well. Stepdaughter of a vicious monkey trapper named Black Burton, Tira flees his vile boat full of caged monkeys, taking many monkeys with her. From there, she worked her ass off, really putting in the hours. Then, after a few positive performance reviews, and a little time in a management training mentorship program, she finally graduated from Friend of Monkeys to Queen of the Whole Jungle!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-5 span-5 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_43651" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 297.5px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_162"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_161"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_160" style="margin: auto; max-width: 566px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749837252_159" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 185.75px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Koroo had to take a leak and missed some plot points." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="566x399" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5ec57f43aa515e6c550afc98" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001476695-9Z9GYZND1A1315JUD61I/GAF_Koroo_01.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001476695-9Z9GYZND1A1315JUD61I/GAF_Koroo_01.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1590001476695-9Z9GYZND1A1315JUD61I/GAF_Koroo_01.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 185.84375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.05293229594826698px; vertical-align: middle; width: 263.5px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Koroo had to take a leak and missed some plot points.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1590000815200_49167" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The ultimate battle wraps up as Black Burton reappears, killing the ape general Gobo, while two of the white hunters have thrown his lot in with Tira and her animal army. Koroo earns back his masthead, leaping from a precarious branch and descending on the river vessel which carries Black Burton and his men. I assume Koroo gave them a good talking-to.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_243612" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_243763" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-86401435205844738392021-11-01T05:30:00.001-07:002021-11-01T05:30:00.166-07:00Truly Gone & Forgotten : The Tulpa of Tsang<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1587060137176" id="item-5e989d8a6fd23840aaf14950"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_208705" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1117px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 233.15625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="“Save it, hotshot. I got a Tulpa chest.”" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1117x383" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98b0733f32b47543c77dc0" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587064953883-O4OL87H7QF2DU3OXGZIH/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587064953883-O4OL87H7QF2DU3OXGZIH/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587064953883-O4OL87H7QF2DU3OXGZIH/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 233.3125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.08017907291650772px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">“Save it, hotshot. I got a Tulpa chest.”</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-3f07b30d86d718b9111b" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">The Tulpa of Tsang<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Norman Nodel and Lionel March<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Colossus Comics #1 (1940)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">A “Tulpa” is a being manifested through thought, or will -- I’ll be a poor instructor on the subject, go ask your Uncle Wikipedia. Whatever the case, it’s an esoteric concept for most, but might be more familiar to contemporary comic readers through the metaphor of Grant Morrison’s “Fiction Suit” -- a manifestation of himself outside of himself, independently capable of experiencing and interacting with the world. Deep stuff. Thoughtful. Hot shit with the Theosophists of the early 20th Century, and you oughta read what Alvin Schwartz had to say about sharing a taxi with one. Also, you could use them to fight Nazis for gold.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">At least, that’s what you learn from The Tulpa of Tsang! Arguably, special operative Bart London is the hero of the story, as the Allied Intelligence Officer is the one having the life-and-death shootouts with the baddies. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_212618" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1138px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 233.03125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="He’s the also the guy who plummets to his death if the lama has a snack." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1138x390" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98b0b1a6cfc950fb93c44b" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065010819-1GKQ1GAJHOEVGKYF0PJQ/GAF_Tulpa3.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065010819-1GKQ1GAJHOEVGKYF0PJQ/GAF_Tulpa3.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065010819-1GKQ1GAJHOEVGKYF0PJQ/GAF_Tulpa3.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 233.0625px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.02021360583603382px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">He’s the also the guy who plummets to his death if the lama has a snack.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_212910" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Those baddies are a Nazi officer named Wolfgang and Shia, described as a “robber-baron.” Together, the two make for a lousy Neil Simon comedy but for an excellent conspiracy to rob the Tibetan temple at Gartok of its valuable gold! The story is joined in situ, with London in close pursuit of the villains. In short order, he finds himself in need of rescue as the gold-hungry nogoodniks dash off for their prize. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-5 span-5 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_226650" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 297.5px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 489px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 215px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Yep." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="489x399" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98b150d1583c1f4d793b0c" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065170899-R5V8O89V2FN15HPFZGN2/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065170899-R5V8O89V2FN15HPFZGN2/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065170899-R5V8O89V2FN15HPFZGN2/image-asset.jpeg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 215.40625px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.20552146434783936px; vertical-align: middle; width: 263.5px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Yep.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_226942" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Rescue comes in the form of the Tibetan monk Tsang. Although Tsang is no friend of Shia’s, he’s also no good in fight -- so he offers London the loan of a fresh Tulpa! Concentrating in meditation, Tsang manifests a dark-eyed, bald-headed giant of a man from under a nearby statue. Bulletproof and nameless, the Tulpa plays a role somewhere between London’s sidekick and magic genie. Being a mystical creature in origin, the Tulpa is able to perform feats of tremendous strength, can run at breathtaking speed, and defy gravity. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">This last talent almost becomes a fatal liability when the Tulpa’s one tragic flaw manifests. While carrying Bart up a treacherous cliff, the Tulpa vanishes -- Tsang’s concentration had been broken, and would take an hour to re-manifest the much-needed Tulpa!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Luckily, Bart survives, and Tulpa re-appears just in time to free the agent from a pit of vipers. Furthermore, he goes on to grab handfuls of the vipers and throw them at his enemies. You have to like Tulpa’s style, you have to give him that much.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_216880" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1110px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 222.984375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="He’s back … with snakes!" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1110x364" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98b0df1ec83d4155f7ae98" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065059056-KYCU6M6MHXOBGDO2S0XC/GAF_Tulpa4.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065059056-KYCU6M6MHXOBGDO2S0XC/GAF_Tulpa4.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065059056-KYCU6M6MHXOBGDO2S0XC/GAF_Tulpa4.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 222.984375px; left: -0.013736264780163765px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.015625px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">He’s back … with snakes!</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_221358" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In fact, the Tulpa is pretty sassy. When a disrespectful guard blocks Tulpa’s entry to a lamissary by sneering “The lama’s at prayer with the reborn mice. He’ll see no one,” Tulpa retorts by chucking the guard down a well. Good for you.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Further peril is exacerbated as Tsang collapses from hunger while the final battle is being fought many miles away, causing Tulpa to vanish. Luckily, he returns in time to make up for it, first by sothering a hand grenade with a feather pillow and then also for putting Shia’s whole head in a pot of molten gold. There’s that style I was talking about!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_222273" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_162"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_161"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_160" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1123px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629749014702_159" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 466.84375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="A sample action scene from The Tulpa of Tsang." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1123x771" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98b118d7db23090290b35f" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065120806-MZBXA2KEC30GCKPPKFQP/GAF_Tulpa7.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065120806-MZBXA2KEC30GCKPPKFQP/GAF_Tulpa7.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587065120806-MZBXA2KEC30GCKPPKFQP/GAF_Tulpa7.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 466.84375px; left: -0.10440985858440399px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.203125px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">A sample action scene from The Tulpa of Tsang.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_222565" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Creator Norman Nodell went on to bring this sort of sophistication to the pages of Classics Illustrated. The Tulpa of Tsang didn’t go on at all, ending with Colossus Comics’ sole issue. Gone now, faded away, like a Tulpa with a distracted monk ...</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_206022" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_206084" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-73839540388972535652021-10-25T06:00:00.010-07:002021-10-25T06:00:00.195-07:00Truly Gone & Forgotten : Margo the Magician<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1587060036010" id="item-5e989d3cb9216916c26f30e5"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_4285" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 703px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 240.84375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="She’s got her priorities straight." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="703x249" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98aa6c23acf542bc429381" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063406961-K10C767TQRLG636V8K42/GAF_Margo2.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063406961-K10C767TQRLG636V8K42/GAF_Margo2.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063406961-K10C767TQRLG636V8K42/GAF_Margo2.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 240.84375px; left: -0.206827312707901px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.40625px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">She’s got her priorities straight.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-180b67f29db2a9757799" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Margo the Magician<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Bill Bydem<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Uncle Sam Quarterly #2 (1941)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Stepping forth from the veils of mystery and illusion comes MARGO -- a “lovely assistant” to a has-been stage magician who receives a surprise upgrade to “defender of liberty and scourge of empires!”</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-4 span-4 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_5566" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 237.984375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 166px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 246px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Nah, c’mon, I want to see the great magician make a bottle disappear." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="166x246" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98ab2598612407c57fd2e6" data-image-resolution="500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063589943-ISMS8ALVUKDDC3VPHAX6/GAF_Margo6.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063589943-ISMS8ALVUKDDC3VPHAX6/GAF_Margo6.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063589943-ISMS8ALVUKDDC3VPHAX6/GAF_Margo6.jpg?format=500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 246px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 166px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Nah, c’mon, I want to see the great magician make a bottle disappear.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_5848" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Wandering occupied China during the height of World War 2 is THE GREAT PRESTO and his youthful assistants, the adolescent Jimmy and no-nonsense Margo -- who are also his kids! Once a great magician performing to the practically-proverbial “crowned heads of Europe,” Presto now accepts pittances to perform for nearly-empty theaters. In his quiet hours, his kids keep an eye on the dissembling mystic. “Dad’s hitting the old bottle again!” Margo has a chance to exclaim early in the story, and probably not for the first time... </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">There’s no Mrs.Presto in the equation, but that doesn’t mean anything special -- most magicians reproduce asexually. You just do the “sawing a lady in half” trick very very wrong and, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">voila</em>, you get two kids.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Presto’s subsequent performance in a war-damaged opera house is interrupted halfway through by a desperate pair of Chinese soldiers. Fleeing Imperial Japanese military police, the duo are hidden inside the magician’s cabinet -- an illusion custom-made to make a body disappear! As Japanese soldiers continue to fill and search the theater, the act of life-saving stagecraft seems to pay off! The Chinese audience, naturally, is reluctant to assist an invading army, and neither Presto nor his kids are eager to confess to hiding the runaway soldiers.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-7 span-7 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_12803" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 416.484375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 460px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 208.703125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="In fact, they seem downright opposed to the idea!" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="460x251" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98ac15af1c401b33e0f17a" data-image-resolution="1000w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063830620-YXUYAWV7C6LS8YPS251B/GAF_Margo5.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063830620-YXUYAWV7C6LS8YPS251B/GAF_Margo5.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063830620-YXUYAWV7C6LS8YPS251B/GAF_Margo5.jpg?format=1000w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 208.703125px; left: -0.5145959258079529px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 383.5px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">In fact, they seem downright opposed to the idea!</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_15718" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">But then -- no joke, straight-up finale-of-M*A*S*H style -- some kid in the crowd goes “What has happened to the soldiers that the great magician hid in the box, mama?” and the Japanese soldiers overhear. SHUT THAT CHICKEN UP. CAN’T YOU SHUT THAT STUPID CHICKEN UP??!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">An impromptu firing squad is set up to execute the soldiers as well as Jimmy and Margo, as punishment. It is at this exact moment that Presto suddenly remembers that he has Satan’s phone number. “O, Rulers of Darkness … Never have I called down the vast powers vested in me! I implore you to make this trick work…” he declares, adding silently “Please make this trick work. It will probably be the most decent thing I ever do for my kids.”</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Wielding this strange and tremendous power, Presto directs the rifles away from his children and towards himself, dying in a volley of bullets. It’s only because this was a very emotional scene of dramatic sacrifice that you don’t wonder why he didn’t force the rifles to shoot upward, or at the floor, or to not shoot at all. He had a lot of options besides (A) Death. Still, in his final moments, he breathlessly explains the mechanics of his power to his daughter, likely dooming her to death by needless sacrifice at some future date.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_16481" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 700px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 236.046875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Margo has the power of flashbacks." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="700x243" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98ac3bf634725afc3c1e20" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063875268-860O0CO7M24HG8UOHA1H/GAF_Margo3.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063875268-860O0CO7M24HG8UOHA1H/GAF_Margo3.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063875268-860O0CO7M24HG8UOHA1H/GAF_Margo3.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 236.09375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.028577104210853577px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Margo has the power of flashbacks.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_16763" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Awed by her father’s final act of selfless love and the gravity of the tremendous powers with which she has been entrusted, Margo makes a solemn pledge to use her powers nobly, wisely and always for right: “Boy-o-boy am I really going to go to town on this magic business now.” Uh-oh.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Escaping together, the rebel soldiers introduce themselves as “Hi” and “Lo.” Hi was educated at Oxford and Lo bummed around America for a few years, so the pair speak idiomatic English appropriate to their individual ESL programs. Outside of that and the canary-yellow skin color you tend to see on Asian characters in the era, neither Hi nor Lo were presented as particularly stereotyped. There was certainly an element of caricature, but at least it wasn’t an egregious caricature. Anyway, also joining the cast is newshawk and lothario Chick Benson, whom Jimmy met in prison. Long story. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_18227" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_162"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_161"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_160" style="margin: auto; max-width: 699px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748484964_159" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 243.203125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="I feel this way every time I go to the supermarket these days." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="699x250" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98ac72c0f569236225a20e" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063922668-EFQ4SQJTIN4N03C12GZJ/GAF_Margo4.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063922668-EFQ4SQJTIN4N03C12GZJ/GAF_Margo4.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587063922668-EFQ4SQJTIN4N03C12GZJ/GAF_Margo4.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 243.40625px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.10237448662519455px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">I feel this way every time I go to the supermarket these days.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_18509" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Margo’s amazing illusion ability allows her to strike powerful blows for freedom, largely by way of <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">freaking out soldiers so bad</em>. Her first effort involving her power causes two Japanese soldiers to see a gently-lobbed pebble as an ENORMOUS FUCKOFF BOULDER COMING RIGHT AT US HOLY SHIT OH MY GOD WHAT THE FUCK AHHHHH. Margo also causes other opponents to believe that their legs are becoming tree trunks, or that their guns are melting. Curiously, Margo never has to communicate the intended effect of her hypnosis -- it simply happens. Either she has a tremendous strength of will or it’s a wild coincidence.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Sabotaging a supply train, Margo and friends liberate its cargo for the benefit of starving farmers and peasants. Unfortunately, with the cliffhanger set to resolve in a non-existent second appearance, the strip’s readers are left to wonder if hypnosis is any good against a sudden barrage of Japanese bombs. Oh well, it was a short but vibrant career! </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_20073" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587063388637_20418" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-8068472354743358102021-10-18T06:00:00.003-07:002021-10-18T06:00:00.205-07:00Truly Gone & Forgotten : Tornado Tom<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1587060001829" id="item-5e989cfb679dfd16a52da54a"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_137366" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1266px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 939.953125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="GAF_Tom1.jpg" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1266x1750" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98a6d22e39611e77c3ea60" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062491301-QD56F7J9AEJWHN6IP3RI/GAF_Tom1.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062491301-QD56F7J9AEJWHN6IP3RI/GAF_Tom1.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062491301-QD56F7J9AEJWHN6IP3RI/GAF_Tom1.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 939.953125px; left: -0.011428572237491608px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.015625px;" /></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-7af7017c6ff0949bf6c2" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Tornado Tom<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Creator unknown<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Cyclone Comics #1-5 (1940)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Emerging unhurt from a spinning cyclone and boasting strange new powers is farmhand Tom Kenny -- Tornado Tom to his friends -- and he’s a fink!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Tornado Tom survives this singular experience in the pages of Cyclone Comics -- a book which gives away a pretty major spoiler right in the title, if you think about it. The fulsome farmhand is described as having been “picked up by a cyclone, whirled about for hours in the air and eventually dropped uninjured in another state,” after which he apparently “has absorbed something of the character of the great wind itself.” </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_146198" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 500px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 262.265625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Tornado Tom moonlights for Lyft." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="500x406" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98a74e03b0ed275efa765b" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062607031-KDUXN82UBO9HNHPHMY9A/GAF_Tom3.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062607031-KDUXN82UBO9HNHPHMY9A/GAF_Tom3.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062607031-KDUXN82UBO9HNHPHMY9A/GAF_Tom3.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 262.53125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.13813991844654083px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Tornado Tom moonlights for Lyft.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_164234" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">What the text means by this is that Tom inherits not only an array of <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">powers</em> -- “Physical match for a dozen ordinary men and great speed,” according to one caption -- but also the unpredictable violence of the wind. On more than one occasion, Tom responds to even a minor insult by starting a major league brawl. His hair-trigger temper makes him perfect for a roving hero, however, which is good fortune for the newly-amnesiac hero. Since his high-wind walkabout, Tom has forgotten his previous life entirely. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">It seems that spinning around in a tornado about six billion times might just<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> goof your brain</em> a little. Recalling nothing but his name, Tom often mentions that he may have a mother out there somewhere. We all do, Tom, we all do.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Tom’s adventures keep him in rural communities and modestly-bustling midwestern cities. He’s portrayed as a journeyman laborer in addition to a farmhand. His sobriquet has a bit of a “hobo culture” feel to it. And it’s true, a brawl-happy farmhand named Tornado Tom seems to stumble right out of a Jim Tully book. But lest you start to think of Tom as a Steinbeck-ian hero, let’s rattle off the fella’s opponents across five adventures: He begins by breaking up a crooked milk monopoly run by a racketeer in a small city. Hooray for Tom. Next up, he smashes a labor march. Tom, oh no. He busts that union so darn well that the FBI comes calling, and pretty soon Tom is routing a cell of foreign bolsheviks. To be fair, they were trying to drain him of his blood, which is revealed to have amazing restorative powers. So they were foreign bolshevik <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">vampires</em>. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_155180" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1160px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 477.171875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Tom doing what he does best — losing his temper and hurting a bunch of people in the process." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1160x814" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98a7c7f634725afc3ae640" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062731694-KC3DKUB5JUD17MM76ZKD/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062731694-KC3DKUB5JUD17MM76ZKD/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062731694-KC3DKUB5JUD17MM76ZKD/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 477.34375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.08623795211315155px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Tom doing what he does best — losing his temper and hurting a bunch of people in the process.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_155473" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">What precisely in a hurricane gives a man restorative blood, I couldn’t tell you -- perhaps it was like being in a big centrifuge. You’d have to ask a scientist. But that question is left unanswered, alongside the provenance of Tom’s amazing abilities. At some point, spurred on by some unknowable instinct, Tom feebly calls upon Boreas, “God of Wind,” to save him during a badly mismatched fight. That apparently works, which implies that there’s more to Tom than a cyclone and a hard-on for capital-a authority. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Unfortunately we’re denied these answers and others as Tom sputters out after five adventures. A subsequently-promised epic adventure -- “Tornado Tom Saves America!” -- never materialized. For all we know, Tom had a mother -- and she’s still waiting for him at home.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_151124" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 572px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748481163_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 394px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="The hell he does." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="572x394" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98a78abbee9b5940b2d2df" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062675522-B7U80GMWFJGBAX84ZIS5/GAF_Tom2.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062675522-B7U80GMWFJGBAX84ZIS5/GAF_Tom2.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587062675522-B7U80GMWFJGBAX84ZIS5/GAF_Tom2.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 394px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 572px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">The hell he does.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587061865257_5561" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587061865257_6380" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-45657826904184612102021-10-11T06:00:00.011-07:002021-10-11T06:00:00.183-07:00Truly Gone & Forgotten : Mekano<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1587058715607" id="item-5e989310cf193140d7ed8b6e"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_33242" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 937px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 317.859375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Mekano, doing what good robots do — refusing to step on a small child at the last moment." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="937x438" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98944f86043a7c39edf4c7" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587057744654-IPLCMOLWLZ4OQAJ4Y6GC/GAF_Mekano1.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587057744654-IPLCMOLWLZ4OQAJ4Y6GC/GAF_Mekano1.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587057744654-IPLCMOLWLZ4OQAJ4Y6GC/GAF_Mekano1.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 317.859375px; left: -0.1438356190919876px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.28125px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Mekano, doing what good robots do — refusing to step on a small child at the last moment.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_31467" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Mekano<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Bob Oksner<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Wonder Comics #1 (1944)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">What stands eight feet tall, has metal arms as thick as pylons, leers through dead indigo eyes, grins a metal rictus of sharp iron fangs, and is also -- according to its biggest fan -- “practically human?” It’s no human that I’ve ever met, but it IS Mekano the Wonder Robot!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_78541" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 928px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 309.953125px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="This is a metaphor for puberty." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="928x423" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e989b4e85d2820da704491f" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059537225-KNCHNMR84D64N5JJIEKQ/GAF_Mekano6.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059537225-KNCHNMR84D64N5JJIEKQ/GAF_Mekano6.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059537225-KNCHNMR84D64N5JJIEKQ/GAF_Mekano6.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 309.953125px; left: -0.047281328588724136px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.09375px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">This is a metaphor for puberty.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_78833" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Like other robot superheroes of the era, Mekano obviously draws his inspiration from Elektro, the seven foot-tall star of the 1939 and 1940 World’s Fairs. Chromium characters like Jerry Siegel’s Robotman or Quality Comics’ unsettling Bozo the Iron Man were reminiscent of Elektro in a multitude of fashions, not the least of which being that both Elektro and Robotman boasted pet robot dogs.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Constructed for Westinghouse Electric’s World’s Fair pavillion, Elektro was capable of a few simple mechanical marvels -- he spoke from a record containing a vocabulary of 700 words, could distinguish between colored lights, lift his arms above his head, smoke a cigarette and blow up a balloon. I know it sounds like I made up the last two actions to be funny but, nope, he had lungs. <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Human lungs</em>*. However, he couldn’t bust through a building, rout a Nazi armada, or make terrifying eyes at a helpless lady newshawk -- for that, you need Mekano!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">*THAT part I made up.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_58219" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 914px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 320.65625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Good heavens, that is terrifying." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="914x431" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e98994d86e58c21ab36cc75" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059023081-HI9B6K81AWINI77PWIVN/GAF_Mekano4.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059023081-HI9B6K81AWINI77PWIVN/GAF_Mekano4.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059023081-HI9B6K81AWINI77PWIVN/GAF_Mekano4.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 320.65625px; left: -0.3642691373825073px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.71875px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Good heavens, that is terrifying.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_70294" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Created by inventor and electrical engineer Bill Foster, the remarkable robot Mekano -- a terrifying titan colored an unappetizing indigo and exuding malice from every seam, if we’re being fair -- is capable of some similarly humble stunts as its inspiration. Counting on his fingers and sputtering a soul-gripping “HELLO -- GLAD -- TO -- SEE -- YOU --” from his lipless maw, Mekano stays on display for public review (like Elektro, at the World’s Fair -- the famous Perisphere and Trylon are even visible in the background). Unfortunately, Mekano has only one fan, and no more. Conversely, his one fan is Tommy Clark. And Tommy is SO! INTO! MEKANO! UNNNGH!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_62905" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 314px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 433.984375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Run while you can, Sandra." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="314x434" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e989986df6188436d73916c" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059082223-IGPY6POVOBFQHRI1KLGO/GAF_Mekano5.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059082223-IGPY6POVOBFQHRI1KLGO/GAF_Mekano5.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059082223-IGPY6POVOBFQHRI1KLGO/GAF_Mekano5.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 433.984375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 314px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Run while you can, Sandra.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_67673" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Tommy goes so far in his fandom that he actually gets into a fight with a full-grown adult member of the unappreciative audience, which earns him Bill Foster’s friendship. The pair feed each others’ sense of enthusiasm, and soon Bill is fired up about straight-up makin’ Terminators! Dedicating themselves to improving Mekano’s capabilities - from novelty to independently moving and maybe even *thinking* juggernaut of relentless steel and circuitry -- they also pick up a third human member for their cast, Sandra Kent (of the Tribune!) who smells a scoop!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Things go well for Team Mekano until Billy gets a little frisky with the “Go And Rampage And Destroy Things” button, which I can’t believe they even installed in the first place. This sends Mekano on a rager throughout the streets of the city, destroying property and terrifying passers-by. Bill, himself passing by at the best possible time, sees his pet project curbstomping a nine year-old girl, and hurriedly shuts down the amuck mass of metal with a garage door opener he keeps in his pocket. On the plus side, Sandra got her scoop!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The now-deactivated menace is taken into police custody, and is promptly thereafter lost to Nazi agents. Is this what we pay taxes for? To ensure that Mekano can be used as a Nazi weapon against the forces of the free world, Bill is also abducted for his unique scientific understanding of his robot. Tommy and Sandra sneak on board the ship being used to haul the stolen cargo (and on which Bill is getting tortured a little bit. You know, informally tortured). </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_71301" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_162"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_161"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_160" style="margin: auto; max-width: 302px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_159" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 432px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Mekano, have you been drinking?" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="302x432" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e989a2618bc7d3435431dc3" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059238991-R3HDTB5PBJ8S0XEQNY31/GAF_Mekano7.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059238991-R3HDTB5PBJ8S0XEQNY31/GAF_Mekano7.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587059238991-R3HDTB5PBJ8S0XEQNY31/GAF_Mekano7.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 432px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 302px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Mekano, have you been drinking?</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_77261" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">This, naturally, turns out to be the Nazi’s downfall. Once back in the European theater Bill rigs a special voice control on Mekano which not only makes him more responsive -- it seems to germinate the seed of that independent intelligence Tommy had always been so hype about. Uh oh. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">I’ve seen Terminator, you’ve seen Terminator, we all probably have also seen Terminator 2, I never saw T3 and I think there’s a T4 and I heard there was a Genisys, or Genysis? Anyway, what I’m saying is we’ve all seen a sufficient amount of assorted Terminator-related media to know that a thinking giant robot that only knows how to destroy is <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">problematic</em>.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Nonetheless, Mekano wipes the beach with Nazi soldiers during a fortuitously simultaneous Allied landing. Despite having wandered well out of Bill Foster’s voice control, Mekano manages to sort his targets accurately without any additional input. The robot sure cleans house on the Nazis, literally crushing them under his menacing metal boot. Mekano strikes a blow for Democracy! Here’s hoping he never turns on us!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Mekano was the creation of Bob Oksner, a legendary DC Comics artist whose work typically graced the company’s licensed humor properties -- assorted titles featuring Dobie Gillis, Sgt.Bilko, Pat Boone, Welcome Back Kotter, Bob Hope and Jerry Lewis. While Mekano is pure action-adventure, it moves with the urgently frivolous pace of Oksner’s comical voice. The captions in particular seem to have no time to waste. Their tone is so urgent that it seems admonishing -- “why are you looking up here? The story is down there! Meanwhile! That’s what Meanwhile means!!” Assembled together, they become a manic tone poem. Please enjoy:</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_37239" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_179"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-hidden design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_178"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_177" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1152px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748479599_176" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 245.546875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="GAF_Mekano3.png" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1152x416" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e9897d286043a7c39eee173" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587058644676-BJERIG97EFWEJWJWIFKI/GAF_Mekano3.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587058644676-BJERIG97EFWEJWJWIFKI/GAF_Mekano3.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1587058644676-BJERIG97EFWEJWJWIFKI/GAF_Mekano3.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 245.546875px; left: -0.6153846383094788px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 681.21875px;" /></div></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_37531" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">There’s no second adventure for Mekano. Despite being part of a “future [which] science hopes for--” the big indigo nightmare never manages to get past its present. If I had to guess what kept Mekano from showing his terrifying head a second time, it would be that Tommy hit the “Run Around And Murder Everybody” button again and there wasn’t anything to show in Mekano’s second appearance except <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">crime scene photos.</em></p></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_32192" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1587057215700_32546" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-57314431927838328352021-10-04T06:00:00.010-07:002021-10-04T06:00:00.226-07:00Truly Gone & Forgotten : Lee Granger, Jungle King<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1581383121324" id="item-5e41fd6ed767af4f34b11314"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581393611991_8733" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_88"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_87" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1322px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 478.359375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="The Jungle King’s gated community." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1322x930" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e42287fc872b769dc94bc17" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394052635-1OSY1IKGEBZFZE3SAJ1X/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394052635-1OSY1IKGEBZFZE3SAJ1X/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394052635-1OSY1IKGEBZFZE3SAJ1X/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 478.71875px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.1831936091184616px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">The Jungle King’s gated community.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-1c720ecd9f33ea525184" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">LEE GRANGER, JUNGLE KING<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Manly Wade Wellman and Jack Binder<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Slam-Bang Comics #1-7, Master Comics #7-10 (Fawcett, 1940-1941)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Scientist-Adventurer Lee Granger parachutes into a “pygmy village” in Africa after vicious slavers bomb his airplane. It’s a tale as old as time and also, probably, the best thing to ever happen to the giant, strapping scientist. While the residents were unfriendly at first, Lee saves the life of the King after the regent stumbles into one of his own soldier’s poisoned spear-tips. In gratitude, they allow him to gentrify their village … with super-science!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">short </em>order (haha), the rudimentary collection of jungle shelters has been overrun with tract homes and paved streets, none of which the natives need but they at least pretend to like it. A city hall is erected, Granger builds a laboratory, and educates the community that is now under his protection as to the secrets of civilization. “He teaches them about domesticated animals,” explains a busy caption in the midst of a montage, “Trains them to smelt and forge iron, and introduces them to the marvels of science.” He probably teaches them to code.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581393611991_10542" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_111"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_110"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_109" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1029px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_108" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 192.40625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Jungle King’s white African villagers." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1029x613" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e422938c14e5326b8ea9a28" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394234658-IBIVWOA6LBKZM70XZXUE/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394234658-IBIVWOA6LBKZM70XZXUE/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394234658-IBIVWOA6LBKZM70XZXUE/image-asset.jpeg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 192.8125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.20986974239349365px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Jungle King’s white African villagers.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581394487772_5380" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In fact, he introduces them to the marvels of science <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">so hard</em> that they turn into white people after a few issues, with no explanation. (Well, that is to say — you <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">know </em>the <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">real </em>explanation, but there was no <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">in-story </em>explanation). From the Jungle King’s third or fourth appearance, the indigenous African people over whom he presides I think <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">might be </em>from <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Norway</em>. It’s genuinely hard to say whether this is more palatable than the original setup, although it puts an end to difficult visuals where a stern and impassive Granger directs his <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">black</em> villagers in their back-breaking labors…</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">One of the Jungle King’s other miracles of science involves performing a peculiar surgery on a wild lion in order to give it the gift of speech. This majestic beast, bridging the gap between animal and man with the power of expression, capable of giving voice to its deepest, most unknowable, most atavistic thoughts -- is named “Eric.” </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581394487772_8511" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_128"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_127"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_126" style="margin: auto; max-width: 496px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_125" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 298.25px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Well, that just about covers the basics. Thanks Eric!" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="496x458" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e422a72b76b490661f52878" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394547774-30538S3NHQOQ8C2YD29H/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394547774-30538S3NHQOQ8C2YD29H/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581394547774-30538S3NHQOQ8C2YD29H/image-asset.jpeg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 298.5px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.1271226853132248px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Well, that just about covers the basics. Thanks Eric!</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581394487772_8793" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Eric is frequently the high point of any Lee Granger adventure. While the strip as a whole is taking its white machismo very seriously, Eric provides hilariously prosaic interjections. Many scenes will be suddenly interrupted by a snarling lion ejecting itself from the camouflage of tall grass only to say something handy to the plot like “There’s trouble up north.” Thanks Eric. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Unlike your average Tarzan-style superhero, Granger relies on his scientific inventions as much as his physical powers and mastery of jungle skills. He invents giant arrows to take down magical djinns, and flies through the air on a biplane-backpack. He’s also not the only white jungle hero occupying this particular stretch of the jungle. Lee faces off against a human woman in a Busy Berkeley outfit who commands an army of giant ants under the earth, and allies himself with Nedda the Elephant Queen, who sounds hilarious. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If the generally prosaic Jungle King is to be remembered beyond the intriguing but undelivered-upon premise of “JUNGLE SCIENCE!” and a talking lion with an insurance agent’s first name, it would have to be this panel. Has any story in the history of Noble Savage storytelling ever managed to tell on itself so concisely as in this exchange?</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581392959095_34263" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 662px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748478452_142" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 459px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Hoo boy." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="662x459" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e42271fa5242f007ac38146" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393696879-KQAG9GVG4J7WGZ83E7OO/GAF_LeeGranger_01.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393696879-KQAG9GVG4J7WGZ83E7OO/GAF_LeeGranger_01.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393696879-KQAG9GVG4J7WGZ83E7OO/GAF_LeeGranger_01.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 459px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 662px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Hoo boy.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581382725668_29223" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581382725668_30078" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-21448098048905523842021-09-27T06:00:00.009-07:002021-09-27T06:00:00.214-07:00Truly Gone & Forgotten : Diamond Jack<p></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_93" style="margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1581383006492" id="item-5e41fc5621e4105cefc3c1b4" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px;"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_92" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_91" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581392976161_7402" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_90"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-hidden design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_89"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_88" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1200px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_87" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 972.953125px; position: relative;"><img alt="GAF_DiamondJack_01.jpg" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1200x1717" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e422514ff5d0d4b946bef77" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393174850-ISQ6HLBGHAT1QBBJONUL/GAF_DiamondJack_01.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393174850-ISQ6HLBGHAT1QBBJONUL/GAF_DiamondJack_01.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393174850-ISQ6HLBGHAT1QBBJONUL/GAF_DiamondJack_01.jpg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 972.953125px; left: -0.011648223735392094px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.015625px;" /></div></button></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-298b4c5ff54738a23cef" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">DIAMOND JACK</strong><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Created by Gus Ricca<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Slam-Bang Comics #1-7, Wow Comics #1 (Fawcett, 1940)</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Fawcett Comics was a font of magic words and expensive goods. The line boasted, among others, ancient Egyptian sorcerer Ibis the Invincible and his all-powerful golden Ibistick (which would be a good nickname for a dick, consider it for yourself or your loved ones). It boasted a veritable card catalog of magic words between the Shazam clan and their foes. And there are others in the same vein, but less well-known -- but still mighty magical -- were characters like Boy Wizard Atom Blake and necromancer of the nightlife, Diamond Jack!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581392976161_8655" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_119"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_118"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_117" style="margin: auto; max-width: 657px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_116" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 232.046875px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Speaking of magic words, these are the first words spoken by Diamond Jack in his feature, to a gang of armed crooks. I think we can all agree that this is very badass." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="657x472" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e422546b76b490661f4168b" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393224329-Z5MQB5V1IK6OZ5RX07GG/GAF_DiamondJack_2.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393224329-Z5MQB5V1IK6OZ5RX07GG/GAF_DiamondJack_2.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393224329-Z5MQB5V1IK6OZ5RX07GG/GAF_DiamondJack_2.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 232.09375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.02435804158449173px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Speaking of magic words, these are the first words spoken by Diamond Jack in his feature, to a gang of armed crooks. I think we can all agree that this is <em>very badass.</em></p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581392976161_8937" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Gifted a powerful enchanted diamond by an unnamed magician some years prior, Diamond Jack takes it upon himself to use the ornament solely “to aid the worthy.” And that is more or less <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">it</em> for the origin! Everything after this introductory paragraph in DJ’s inaugural adventure is glamorous nightclubs and Jack using his magic gem to enact bizarre punishments on weird crooks. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">And weird they can be! The criminal and the supernatural underworlds of Jack’s stamping grounds appear to rub shoulders at every level of society. The stage magicians at the nightclubs which Jack so often frequents know him as a legitimate and powerful wielder of “real magic,” for instance. At the behest of a trio of cheap thugs, a skid row witch battles Jack with dragons of smoke. The socialite Queen of Vampires, Maria, even manages to turn Jack, briefly, into a dreaded nosferatu! Little wings grew out of the back of his topcoat. It was adorable.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">More bizarre foes included The Green Devil (“Master of the Dead Men of Death Island”), the ancient idol Khor, and The Sky Demon (backed up by an air force of winged gorillas). </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581392976161_12418" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_136"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_135"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_134" style="margin: auto; max-width: 616px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_133" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 467.984375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="“In many ways, that gunman knew me better than I know myself …”" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="616x468" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e422691c2260c75ea2ab4f1" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393554331-0916A59C439GRQ9OW6XH/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393554331-0916A59C439GRQ9OW6XH/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393554331-0916A59C439GRQ9OW6XH/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 467.984375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 616px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">“In many ways, that gunman knew me better than I know myself …”</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581392976161_12700" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Like fellow Fawcett Comics magician-hero Ibis the Invincible, the powers conferred upon Jack by his magic accoutrement are seemingly limitless. At the very least, the gem has made Jack “physically strong and mentally beyond all mortals,” but that represents only the tip of the iceberg. A partial list of powers manifested through the diamond include, but are not limited to:</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em 40px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Turn Bullets into Flowers<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Turn Gunsmoke into Snakes<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Change Guns to Candy<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Punch Crooks in Face<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Heal Wounds, Grant Long Life<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Impersonate Smoke Demons<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Neutralize Spellbooks<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Extract Vision from the Dead<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Turn Zombies to Ash<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Turn People Into Ferns<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Materialize Tigers From Nowhere<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Summon Lightning<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Cure Paralysis<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Awwwwww </em><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;"><em style="word-wrap: break-word;">SUFFRAGETTE!</em></strong></p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If the diamond’s raw magical energy fails to prove sufficient to crush crooks and evil magicians on its own, Jack is also outfitted with a few magic words -- “KZAT” places a magical sword in his hands, “KZAR” creates a parachute out of nothing, and “ADKEHL” creates a destructive blast and is also the sound you make when you try to hold in a sneeze. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581392976161_11011" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_153"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_152"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_151" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1336px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629748476307_150" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 231.0625px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="This is what everyone who asks to see the manager in a restaurant thinks they look like…" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1336x454" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e42260bff5d0d4b946c26aa" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393421716-0QKU3EHHDNCG17EN20AF/image-asset.jpeg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393421716-0QKU3EHHDNCG17EN20AF/image-asset.jpeg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1581393421716-0QKU3EHHDNCG17EN20AF/image-asset.jpeg?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 231.125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.0389326848089695px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">This is what everyone who asks to see the manager in a restaurant thinks they look like…</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581382725668_14448" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1581382725668_15283" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p><p></p></div></div></div></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-25958438938792802712021-09-20T06:00:00.001-07:002021-09-20T06:00:00.207-07:00Quarter Bin Heroes: Pyramid Comics / Ruck Bud and His Screeching Commandos<p><br /></p><header style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><div class="entry-info" style="color: #919191;"><span class="category"></span></div></header><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_93" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1580143282566" id="item-5e2f123c871a582cf4af52cb"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_92" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_91" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580143709723_5339" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_90"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_89"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_88" style="margin: auto; max-width: 600px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">Damlog, being badass.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_87" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 323px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 496.875px; position: relative;"><img alt="Damlog, being badass." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="600x923" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f19678cf843052c0fba72" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580145000565-PCMJ0JFJ66FZXU8G9N1I/1126439.jpg" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580145000565-PCMJ0JFJ66FZXU8G9N1I/1126439.jpg" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580145000565-PCMJ0JFJ66FZXU8G9N1I/1126439.jpg?format=750w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 496.875px; left: -0.038461536169052124px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323.0625px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Damlog, being badass.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580143709723_17245" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Pyramid Productions</strong></p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Publisher based in South Bend, Indiana.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />1986-1987<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />15 issues</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Titles included the anthologies <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Barbaric Tales, Dark Visions, and Omnicron:Astonishing Adventures of Other Worlds</strong>, the latter of which boasts a cover job by Kevin Nowlan. Future Marvel Comics editor <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Mark Pannicia </strong>provides scripts and script assists on many titles, as well as turning out a promising Dave Stevens-inspired cover for Omnicron’s second issue. Not to be outdone, series illustrator Don Bryan roughly channels Mark Schulz for his book <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">The Adventures of Theown </strong>(3 issues). Both artists go so far as to craft signatures which resemble Stevens’ and Schulz’, respectively, which you have to admire.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Gary T.Washington </strong>(<span style="text-decoration: underline; word-wrap: break-word;">A Boy and His ‘Bot,</span> NOW Comics, 1986) creates sci-fi adventure series <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Cyberhawks </strong>(2 issues). A planned five-issue series, <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Damlog</strong>, was a brutal science-fiction title which debuted in Barbaric Tales and, unfortunately, taps out after a single issue and a bomb-as-hell cover that ought to be on black velvet.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Additional titles included <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Dimension Z</strong> (2 issues), <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Ruck Bud and His Screeching Commando</strong>s (1 issue) and <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">The World of X-Ray</strong>, the cover of which promised readers an unappealing ringside seat to X-Ray’s world of “Drug Addiction - Gang War - Child Abuse” (1 issue).</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Spotlight on…</strong></p><h1 style="color: #121212; font-size: 26px; font-weight: 500; letter-spacing: 0.01em; line-height: 1.2em; margin: 1em 0px 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">RUCK BUD AND HIS SCREECHING COMMANDOS</strong></h1></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_7296" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_120"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_119"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_118" style="margin: auto; max-width: 100%;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">Coming soon from Hasbro!</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_117" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_116" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 1052.046875px; position: relative;"><img alt="Coming soon from Hasbro!" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="488x755" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f90513e2fbb3e81ad4d75" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175444074-GTRJQQG7UKC58AXX9FQO/GAF_Ruck+Bud+01.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175444074-GTRJQQG7UKC58AXX9FQO/GAF_Ruck+Bud+01.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175444074-GTRJQQG7UKC58AXX9FQO/GAF_Ruck+Bud+01.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 1052.09375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.02459125965833664px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Coming soon from Hasbro!</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_7579" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The world of 2525 is a very dangerous place. If you find yourself embroiled in some sort of danger -- say an international nuclear kidnapping plot -- then you’re going to want only <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">one man</em> (and his associate band of screeching commandos) on your side. And that one man (and his band of screeching commandos) just happens to be … Ruck “Bud” Webster and <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">His </em>Screeching Commandos!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You might be inclined to sneer at the theatrical hypermasculinity of Ruck Bud and His Screeching Commandos, but rest assured that nothing is taken too seriously in the pages. Craig Hamilton’s cover sets the tone by recalling Michael Golden’s luscious work on Marvel’s G.I.Joe, only by way of Tom of Finland. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Inside, the Screeching Commandos themselves seem like action figures begging to be made. The roster of this freelance mercenary troubleshooter organization starts with RUCK “BUD” himself. Bud boasts the classic party hair-do, robot enhancements covering the right side of his face, and an aversion to shirts in all forms. At one point, he is described as “half-cyborg” which, I believe, would mean he is ¼ robot. I am not a mathematician. Please direct all further inquiries to CERN. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">His cadre of ‘roidal rascals is composed, in part, of mohawked man-mountain BAD BRAD, whose massive size makes up for a limited intellect. There’s also MIKEY JOE, a former con artist named DINO, and PUPPY -- the skinniest of the group and therefore, rightfully, the one on whom they vent all their frustrations. Rounding out the troupe is -- brace yourself, this name is a killing word -- WEASLY BLAST, the most YMCA-lookin’ member of the team. Despite having a name like a really sad grasp at a Harry Potter-themed energy drink, Weasly rocks his baseball cap, Viking braids, and his extremely ride-able mustache so hard that I am sure that he is his own category on PornHub. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-7 span-7 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_9600" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 416.484375px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_145"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_144"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_143" style="margin: auto; max-width: 100%;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">Here, our heroes engage in some phallic antics of public vandalism.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_142" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 382.484375px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_141" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 252.515625px; position: relative;"><img alt="Here, our heroes engage in some phallic antics of public vandalism." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="362x239" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f90782a1303187cabb04c" data-image-resolution="1000w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175481067-UYBJM0ESPHQT9Y7KY3YD/GAF_Ruck+Bud+04.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175481067-UYBJM0ESPHQT9Y7KY3YD/GAF_Ruck+Bud+04.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175481067-UYBJM0ESPHQT9Y7KY3YD/GAF_Ruck+Bud+04.png?format=1000w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 252.515625px; left: -0.603274405002594px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 383.6875px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Here, our heroes engage in some phallic antics of public vandalism.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_25837" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; word-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">“I’ll teach you to use that kung fu bullshit on me!”</strong></p></blockquote><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Relaxing between assignments on their personal super-jet, the Screeching Commandos’ hearty games of grab-ass are interrupted by a frantic phone call from the Morrocan head of state, President (?) Guardia (??). It seems that a peaceful moonlight dinner with his daughter Clarissa was cut short … by the infamous Tunisia Defense Army! The hated TDA! They’re not even doing defense right now! They’re just kidnapping Clarissa! Those rotters! Ohhh, how we should all be shaking our fists in the air at this moment.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">A compensation of fifty million dollars helps encourage Ruck’s misfit crew into action. They have a super-jet to maintain, after all, and Ruck’s other options are few. Having recently escaped from “Superior Tri-Max Prison,” which sounds like the best value for your dollar when you’re shopping for prisons, Ruck and his crew are eager for action but have obvious issues with legal channels. </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_32031" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_170"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_169"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_168" style="margin: auto; max-width: 243px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">I wouldn’t worry about it, kids. Your troubles are soon about to cease.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_167" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 243px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_166" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 406.984375px; position: relative;"><img alt="I wouldn’t worry about it, kids. Your troubles are soon about to cease." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="243x407" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f9132e77bb337ec181a3a" data-image-resolution="500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175667699-TO3G01U080B2OX44S44T/GAF_Ruck+Bud+05.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175667699-TO3G01U080B2OX44S44T/GAF_Ruck+Bud+05.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175667699-TO3G01U080B2OX44S44T/GAF_Ruck+Bud+05.png?format=500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 406.984375px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 243px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">I wouldn’t worry about it, kids. Your troubles are soon about to cease.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_32313" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Piloting very shirtless and hairy-chested, Ruck lands the crew in Algiers. The Commandos exit the ship en masse but neglect to close the hatch, inviting a couple of street kids to sneak aboard and rip them off. This is a good bit. Later, they’ll discover that the kids cleaned up on beer, comics and stashes of porn. Luckily, the Commandos took all the high-ordinance with them. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The foes faced by the Commandos are varied. First up, Tunisian police officers are given a gentle goodnight by way of Weasly Blast’s sleeping-gas mini-bombs, disguised as <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">studs on his leather wrist-bands</em> -- ALSO a category of its own PornHub -- but the masked ninjas of the TDA get the real business.<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> Lead </em>business. And when it turns out that the TDA is led by Maris Wynd -- the man who cost Ruck Bud his humanity during an earlier battle -- it becomes personal.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">It also becomes urgent, as Moroccan President Guardia has used the incursion of Tunisian forces into his nation as an excuse to nuke Algiers! Diplomacy hasn’t improved much in the year 2525, I gather! Also, that’ll put pay to those rotten kids who stole all that crap from the super-jet. Those beer, comics and stashes of porn are in heaven now!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Ruck Bud cathartically defeats Wind, and the Commandos fulfill their potential by destroying a multitude of things and people on the way to rescue Clarissa. The president’s supposed daughter reveals everything -- Clarissa literally<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> explains it all</em> -- informing Ruck and his pals that she is a secret agent and a lookalike for the president’s daughter! Well heck! As they beat feet for the super-jet in hopes of outrunning an incoming nuke, freshly-rescued Agent Marx explains that her employer had been going senile in recent years, which is as good an explanation for this whole story as you really need.</p><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 1em 0px 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">“Check it out, Wynd … there’s a half-cyborg down there.”</strong></p></blockquote></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_38220" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_195"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_194"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_193" style="margin: auto; max-width: 473px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">♬ He’s kicking some ass — and breaking some glass! ♬ <br>♬♬ RUCK BUD! ♬ ♬</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_192" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 473px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_191" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 457px; position: relative;"><img alt="♬ He’s kicking some ass — and breaking some glass! ♬ ♬♬ RUCK BUD! ♬ ♬" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="473x457" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f9179a261215a15ff67be" data-image-resolution="1000w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175739300-UHDN7Y7GG24MW3PJZFIT/GAF_Ruck+Bud+02.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175739300-UHDN7Y7GG24MW3PJZFIT/GAF_Ruck+Bud+02.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580175739300-UHDN7Y7GG24MW3PJZFIT/GAF_Ruck+Bud+02.png?format=1000w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 457px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 473px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.02em;">♬ He’s kicking some ass — and breaking some glass! ♬</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.02em;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.02em;">♬♬ RUCK BUD! ♬ ♬</span></div><p></p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_38502" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In Ruck’s world, there are men, and guns, and things like kidnapping and nukes which need men with guns to take care of. Sometimes they have a flying ship. They don’t have women, for the most part. Only two women are mentioned by name in this book, and we only meet one. Of course, she’s a dead ringer for the other, so it’s probably more efficient this way.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">But it’s not without humor, and it’s definitely not mean to be taken seriously. The Commados’ battle-cry is, literally, “FISTICUFFS!” Ruck delivers the classic line, early in the story, “I’ll teach you to use that kung-fu bullshit on me,” which you can hear in Kurt Russel’s voice, can’t you? </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In the closing pages of the issue, the Commandos don rented tuxedos (for no reason I can discern) in order to beat their payment out of the president of Morocco. I suppose it would be a formal event. In any case, it’s indicative of the dopey and very unserious antics of the cast. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Whatever else, it’ll be fun in a few years when 2525 finally rolls around. Social media will be alight with everyone remarking with some rueful acknowledgement -- gosh, the year of Ruck Bud! Remember when it was so far in the future that it seemed fantastic?</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The hint of a promise left unfilled manifests itself in the setting of this future era. The World of X-Ray (which, above, promised drugs and all sorts of other gruesome shit) was also set in 2525, tantalizing the world with a crossover. We’ve been robbed of watching the Screeching Commandos take on child abuse...</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580175420548_44572" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_220"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_219"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_218" style="margin: auto; max-width: 100%;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">♬♬RUCK BUDDD!! ♬♬</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_217" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747871202_216" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 998.078125px; position: relative;"><img alt="♬♬RUCK BUDDD!! ♬♬" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="481x706" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f92d32a1303187cac32e6" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176085748-DFLMWI20CIN8IG0PM2JT/GAF_Ruck+Bud+06.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176085748-DFLMWI20CIN8IG0PM2JT/GAF_Ruck+Bud+06.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176085748-DFLMWI20CIN8IG0PM2JT/GAF_Ruck+Bud+06.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 998.15625px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.04366246238350868px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">♬♬RUCK BUDDD!! ♬♬</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580143096303_91598" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><br /></div><div class="sqs-block-content"><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-54247235943218065232021-09-13T06:00:00.012-07:002021-09-13T06:00:00.212-07:00Strange Superman: The Radio Origin...<p><strong style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #121212; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 26px; letter-spacing: 0.01em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Get with the program…</em></strong></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_93" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1580143377560" id="item-5e2f12e864fffb0e242fe059"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_92" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_91" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_5313" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_90"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_89"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_88" style="margin: auto; max-width: 383px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">Inaugurating the essence of the “green star in the distant heavens” that is Krypton, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster introduced the newspaper-reading public to Superman’s homeworld with this explanatory panel on January 6, 1939…</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_87" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 323px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 323.828125px; position: relative;"><img alt="Inaugurating the essence of the “green star in the distant heavens” that is Krypton, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster introduced the newspaper-reading public to Superman’s homeworld with this explanatory panel on January 6, 1939…" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="383x384" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f93f514b4c56a5a0150ec" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176374249-F41S1B0CYPKHWXRNWVAD/GAF_Supes_Radio+01.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176374249-F41S1B0CYPKHWXRNWVAD/GAF_Supes_Radio+01.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176374249-F41S1B0CYPKHWXRNWVAD/GAF_Supes_Radio+01.png?format=750w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 323.828125px; left: -0.078125px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323.15625px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Inaugurating the essence of the “green star in the distant heavens” that is Krypton, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster introduced the newspaper-reading public to Superman’s homeworld with this explanatory panel on January 6, 1939…</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_5596" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Superman’s origin is probably one of the best-known of all superhero origins, even in the current age of superheroic over-saturation in the media. This undoubtedly owes a great debt to the same phenomenon which the heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe are presently enjoying -- namely, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">it’s in all the movies and tv shows. </em></p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The Man of Tomorrow’s media has been almost shockingly consistent, as far as his origin story goes. Despite the bells and whistles that demarcate a change in eras and creative vision, his origin is pretty much the same in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel as it was in Action Comics No.1. It’s such a well-known origin that Grant Morrison was famously able to get it down to eight words -- “For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.”</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In Superman’s first decade alone, the origin is re-told with little variation between the comic books, the comic strips, the prose novel, the serials and the animated shorts. In fact the only Super-media to go rogue was The Adventures of Superman, the character’s wildly popular radio program. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The Adventures of Superman is known for introducing some of the canon’s longest-lasting stalwarts: Perry White, Jimmy Olsen, the Daily Planet, the Superman-Batman team and Kryptonite all debuted over the radio waves. They even got <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">most</em> of the origin accurate on the first try, and are responsible for the first dramatic telling of Krypton’s destruction -- but where they went afield,<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> oh boy.</em> </p><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 1em 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">“Boys and girls, your attention please…”</strong></p></blockquote><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">...opens the first episode of The Adventures of Superman on February 12, 1940. The introduction hadn’t yet settled on the familiar “Faster than a speeding bullet…” introduction in all of its nuance. Nonetheless, it’s pretty good on the important details: That Superman is a “champion of the oppressed” and is additionally “<em style="word-wrap: break-word;">no larger than an ordinary man</em>!” Good to know.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_31921" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_119"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_118"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_117" style="margin: auto; max-width: 436px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_116" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 387.4375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Jor-L as depicted in 1948 by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye, words by Bill Finger." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="436x523" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f97d90ee34557e11e9b08" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177371367-05CUXCIUOB81Q5YIMYXZ/image-asset.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177371367-05CUXCIUOB81Q5YIMYXZ/image-asset.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177371367-05CUXCIUOB81Q5YIMYXZ/image-asset.png?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 387.875px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.22617283463478088px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Jor-L as depicted in 1948 by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye, words by Bill Finger.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_32203" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The story begins in the chaos of the great halls of the Science Council, the ruling body of Planet Krypton. Standing before them, the planet’s greatest scientist and worst public speaker -- Jor-El, voiced by Ned Wever (<em style="word-wrap: break-word;">High School Confidential, The Shaggy Dog</em>) -- is getting shouted down for being a climate realist. “Krypton is doomed!” he announces, only to get mocked, and cast out of the chambers.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">He returns to his home laboratory with his tail between his legs, going so far as to lie to his wife Lara -- voiced by Agnes Moorehead (<em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Citizen Kane, Bewitched</em>) -- that he never bothered to state his concerns the council. “It, uh … didn’t come up,” he says convincingly of his planet’s impending destruction.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Instead, the conversation turns to Jor-El pointing out the distinctions between the superhumans of Krypton and the feeble idiots of Earth, to which he plans to relocate his small family after the apocalypse. Lara’s displeasure at being rehomed on the planetary equivalent of Otisburg is voiced but unaddressed. Jor-El is a bad <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">listener</em>, too!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Further debate is called on account of Planetary Apocalypse. The sudden shaking and splitting of Krypton is portrayed with claustrophobic terror and abject chaos. Choking smoke fills the air, molten rock erupts from long-undisturbed plains, and mountains crumble in what is, simply put, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">the foley artists turning their pockets out</em>. They didn’t leave a metal sheet un-wobbled or a handful of dried beans un-flung. Combined with Agnes Moorehead proving her <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">bona fides</em> with her explicit descriptions of the burning death of an entire world -- ““The sky - it’s fiery red. The mountains! Look, the mountains are falling in!” -- and then crying her son’s name as the world splits into “millions of glittering stars” … well, folks, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">it’s pretty good.</em> A big round of applause for how The Adventures of Superman portrayed the destruction of Krypton.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Now -- as for everything <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">after </em>that ...<em style="word-wrap: break-word;"> </em></p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_13065" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_137"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_136"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_135" style="margin: auto; max-width: 681px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">Krypton dies in this sequence from the daily newspaper strip.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_134" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_133" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 342.484375px; position: relative;"><img alt="Krypton dies in this sequence from the daily newspaper strip." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="681x343" data-image-focal-point="0.5,1.0" data-image-id="5e2f96ba14b4c56a5a01f23a" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177085511-T5AA8P6GMQVWQVEG2TFL/image-asset.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177085511-T5AA8P6GMQVWQVEG2TFL/image-asset.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177085511-T5AA8P6GMQVWQVEG2TFL/image-asset.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 342.96875px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.49703189730644226px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Krypton dies in this sequence from the daily newspaper strip.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_27464" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_26805" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; word-wrap: break-word;"><p style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">“The Baby From Krypton …”</strong></p></blockquote><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In the series’ second episode, Krypton is a distant memory and the infant Superman is well on his way to Earth! It will, in fact, only take him <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">twenty-five years to make the trip, </em>according to the radio play. Of some mathematical concern is that the first episode of the series also established Krypton as <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">sharing Earth’s orbit</em>, although positioned on the opposite side of the sun. Understanding that I admit, out of the gate, that I am no mathematician or rocket scientist or … <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">space geographer …</em> or such, but surely the ship could have made the journey in a scant six months if it just <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">didn’t move at all. </em>We’ll catch up!</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_9109" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_162"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_161"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_160" style="margin: auto; max-width: 1000px;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">Bud Collyer, Superman’s voice on radio and animation, feigns a look of interest in his counterpart’s four-color adventures.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_159" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 323px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_158" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 254.84375px; position: relative;"><img alt="Bud Collyer, Superman’s voice on radio and animation, feigns a look of interest in his counterpart’s four-color adventures." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1000x789" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f94e2f7a36b72edc2cde2" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176612199-MV7KF142T77K1XM1K1R0/GAF_Supes_Radio+02.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176612199-MV7KF142T77K1XM1K1R0/GAF_Supes_Radio+02.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580176612199-MV7KF142T77K1XM1K1R0/GAF_Supes_Radio+02.png?format=750w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 254.84375px; left: -0.09695818275213242px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323.1875px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Bud Collyer, Superman’s voice on radio and animation, feigns a look of interest in his counterpart’s four-color adventures.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_28498" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Surely if Jor-El had just launched it above the atmosphere and, say, tied a string to it -- surely, young Kal-El would have arrived on Earth <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">tout de suite</em>. Hell, fire him the other way around! It’s quicker! I assume he’d precede the debris of the shattered Krypton by just long enough to watch <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">our </em>planet get completely destroyed by an asteroid bearing his parents’ corpses...</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Nonetheless, when Superman (Bud Collyer) emerges from his capsule, he is FULL-GROWN, FULLY-DRESSED and ROWDY AS HELL. The future champion of justice is new to Earth and already wound up to beat the back teeth out of crime and tyranny! All he needs is a little help in finding his way …</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Hovering over Indiana, Superman spies an out-of-control trolley bearing two hapless passengers on a mad dash to death at the bottom of a hill. Almost too eagerly, he zips to Earth, crashing through the roof of the <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Tooner-KILL Trolley</em> and safely liberating both passengers. This he does by uttering a phrase, by the way, that is spoken so often on The Adventures of Superman that it really should be rubbing shoulders with “This is a job for Superman” and “Up Up and Away,” and it is this: ONE UNDER EACH ARM! Honestly, it works its way into the scripts every three months.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Landing “safe and sound in a field,” the rescued professor and his excitable son Jimmy (no relation, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">I don’t think) </em>are only moderately amazed at the antics of their union-suited savior. Superman introduces himself -- <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">“In this world of yours, men would call me a Superman!”</strong> -- and makes plain his mission on Earth -- to wale the tar out of bad guys! Only he doesn’t know how to proceed.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_35252" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_186"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none sqs-narrow-width" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_185"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_184" style="margin: auto; max-width: 934px;"><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_183" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 256.25px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="Superman spies a trolley in danger, from a 1941 trading card set." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="934x741" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f98e2e16bf1024ef33522" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177638262-K16P6WD99P660KBVB83B/GAF_Supes_Radio+05.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177638262-K16P6WD99P660KBVB83B/GAF_Supes_Radio+05.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177638262-K16P6WD99P660KBVB83B/GAF_Supes_Radio+05.png?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 256.5px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.12806926667690277px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Superman spies a trolley in danger, from a 1941 trading card set.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_35534" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">With surprising brevity, the Professor and Jimmy suss out Superman’s needs. “You want to,” pauses the Professor thoughtfully, “meet men, is that it?” Effectively, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">yes! </em>For this, they quickly decide that he will need a more familiar name and a job. Guess how long this takes. Five seconds later, Jimmy blurts out “Clark …. Kent!” as a name, possibly thinking of his favorite candy bar and cigarette, and looking forward to having one of both as soon as he’s out of this increasingly involved and already slightly homoerotic disaster of a trolley ride. The Professor blurts out something about being a newspaperman, and that ends up being good enough for Supes!</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">At this point, our hero flies off and the Professor and Jimmy vanish into limbo, never to be seen again. Sort of. I know, I know what you’re thinking, and sure, yes, he could be Jimmy Olsen. Sure. But. It was never even remotely tied together in the show, so it’s only a headcanon. Enjoy it. I am. But I’m gonna move on.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">It took a few more years for the radio show to re-tell the origin, and by that time they had gotten on the same page with everybody else.</p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">With comics’ wonderful habit of building alternate universes around distinct media incarnations of their characters, however, this wonderfully stupid origin doesn’t have to die. There’s almost surely a world out there where Superman went from infancy to adulthood in a silver space-cigar, pooping and breathing in the same metallic cylinder for two-and-a-half decades, eating god knows what, until he pops out like cork over Indiana and smashes up some public conveyance, before dashing off to commit himself to a life and career based entirely on the suggestions of two probably-concussed near-crash victims. </p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Somewhere in the multiverse, when trouble arises, victims of injustice and circumstance alike are heartened to hear the cry of their world’s champion of right, ringing through the sky: “ONE UNDER EACH ARRRRRRRMMMMM!!!”</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580176182841_38714" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_204"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper layout-caption-below design-layout-inline combination-animation-none individual-animation-none individual-text-animation-none" data-test="image-block-inline-outer-wrapper" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_203"><figure class="sqs-block-image-figure intrinsic" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_202" style="margin: auto; max-width: 100%;"><button class="sqs-block-image-button lightbox" data-description="<p class="">Making trolleys safe from coast to coast …</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_201" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: absolute; width: 1px;">View fullsize</span><div class="image-block-wrapper has-aspect-ratio" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747869365_200" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 488.0625px; position: relative;"><img alt="Making trolleys safe from coast to coast …" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="620x445" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2f99f64fcdc245cc48182e" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177911913-SL89UZRR35DIWFP5WSFD/image-asset.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177911913-SL89UZRR35DIWFP5WSFD/image-asset.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580177911913-SL89UZRR35DIWFP5WSFD/image-asset.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 488.125px; left: 0px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: -0.03226219490170479px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Making trolleys safe from coast to coast …</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580143096303_79495" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580143096303_80168" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you’re interested, you may listen to the first two episodes of The Adventures of Superman radio program — and many more — at the <a href="https://archive.org/details/superman_otr" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Internet Archive.</strong></a></p><p style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><a name='more'></a><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://gone-and-forgotten.com/" style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-34412030391111980442021-09-06T06:00:00.001-07:002021-09-06T06:00:00.200-07:00Face Front, Titanic True Believers!!<p><br /></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747867937_92" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1580955881074" id="item-5e3b70e4bb57c9110d6ec91e"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747867937_91" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto !important;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747867937_90" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580953817121_157016" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10 !important;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747867937_89"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper
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Probably the most competitive tactic was that of Marvel’s massive audience of amateur continuity editors. These readers had not only detected mistakes within the pages of their favorite Marvel mag — <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">they’d also contrive a satisfactory explanation</em>. These few and fact-oriented readers were even given an important rank within the Merry Marvel Marching Society roster of acronyms — <strong style="word-wrap: break-word;"><em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Titanic True Believer!</em></strong></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">Are you a Titanic True Believer? </strong>In fact, have you <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">ever</em> won a No-Prize from Marvel Comics? If so, I’d love to hear from you! If you might be interested in being interviewed for a project involving winners of Marvel Comics’ No-Prize award, <a href="http://www.calamityjonsave.us/gone-and-forgotten/2020/2/5/face-front-titanic-true-believers" target="_blank">please fill out and submit the form found here</a>.</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-70619318602666517942021-08-30T06:00:00.007-07:002021-08-30T06:00:00.219-07:00Truly Gone&Forgotten - Charles Voight's Atomic Man<p><em style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Veteran cartoonist Charles Voight only ever tried his hand at one strait-laced superhero. The result was simultaneously thoughtful and absurd.</em></p><div class="body entry-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_93" style="caret-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); color: #666666; font-family: proxima-nova; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: 0.2800000011920929px; margin: 1em 0px;"><div class="sqs-layout sqs-grid-12 columns-12" data-layout-label="Post Body" data-type="item" data-updated-on="1579984907857" id="item-5e2ca70147e55f1b4865eafb"><div class="row sqs-row" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_92" style="margin-left: -17px; margin-right: -17px; width: auto !important;"><div class="col sqs-col-12 span-12" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_91" style="float: left; padding-right: 0px; width: 714px;"><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091358498_5613" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_90"><div class="
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" data-description="<p class="">Well, they say that you only have one chance to make a first impression, you may as well put all your cards on the table.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_87" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; width: 1px !important;">View fullsize</span><div class="
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" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_86" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 324.765625px; position: relative;"><img alt="Well, they say that you only have one chance to make a first impression, you may as well put all your cards on the table." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1340x640" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2e48039494d051a3e43499" data-image-resolution="1500w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580091403992-R2VATZ6VR917AW1ZFSF8/GAF_Atomic+Man+01.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580091403992-R2VATZ6VR917AW1ZFSF8/GAF_Atomic+Man+01.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580091403992-R2VATZ6VR917AW1ZFSF8/GAF_Atomic+Man+01.png?format=1500w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 324.765625px; left: -0.234375px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 680.46875px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p class="" style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Well, they say that you only have one chance to make a first impression, you may as well put all your cards on the table.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091358498_5896" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">ATOMIC MAN<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /></strong>Created by Charles Voight<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />Appears in Headline Comics (Prize) Nos.16-21 (1945-1946)</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">When Charles Voight launched his career in comic books in 1945, he was already a successful strip artist, comfortably in his middle age. Meanwhile, superheroes -- who still dominated the medium -- were effectively still in their collective adolescence. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">With the genre having only debuted in 1938, still-young superhero comics were assembling an identity through bulk quantity. So many superheroes were created and discarded in those scant seven years that much of the genre’s foundation was pretty well established in its early days.</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">In your average superhero at this point, for instance, there were certain must-haves: a momentous origin, infused with melodramatic significance. Impossible abilities, a noble mission. Then, you can scatter in a secret identity, a goofy sidekick, a girlfriend to sass you and to get threatened by masked weirdos -- and maybe a cool fast car that goes underwater and murders crooks! Also, for some reason, the rules state that many of them should dress in some lamentable suit made of carpet remnants and codpieces. Stay tuned.</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-6 span-6 float float-left sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091445470_17222" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: left; height: auto; margin-right: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 357px; z-index: 10 !important;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_119"><div class="image-block-outer-wrapper
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" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_116" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 460.734375px; position: relative; text-align: center;"><img alt="An example of more-typical Voight fare in the pages of Prize Comics…" class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1006x1435" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2e49adfd1b820583953c3b" data-image-resolution="750w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580091828815-BMTBE68DSIN1L59XR2YD/GAF_Atomic+Man+02.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580091828815-BMTBE68DSIN1L59XR2YD/GAF_Atomic+Man+02.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580091828815-BMTBE68DSIN1L59XR2YD/GAF_Atomic+Man+02.png?format=750w" style="border: 0px; display: block; height: 460.734375px; left: -0.09094077348709106px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 323.171875px;" /></div><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p class="" style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">An example of more-typical Voight fare in the pages of Prize Comics…</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091906374_5038" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Well into his fifties, Voight had recently closed the curtain on his long-running newspaper strip, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Betty</em>, a Gilded Age remnant which had survived the Depression but translated poorly to wartime austerity. For an unfortunately-brief period -- Voight passed away at age 59 in 1947 -- he produced material for Bernard Baily on behalf of the incredibly-fake-sounding publisher R.B.Leffingwell & Co. I challenge you to picture one Mister R.B.Leffingwell and not fundamentally include a ridiculous mustache. Try it. Can’t be done. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">The bulk of Voight’s comic catalog was focused on the adventures of archaeologist/boxer <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">“Boom Boom” Brannigan</em> and slang-slinging damsels-and-dragons comedy, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Sir Prize </em>(This was a bit of a play on the name of the publisher imprint - Prize - which was very likely chosen to avoid the mouth-filling <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">R.B.Leffingwell & Co. Comics! … PRESENTS!</em>)<em style="word-wrap: break-word;">.</em> As far as superheroes went, Voight observed the maturing medium of comics and their precocious paladins of power -- and found them silly.</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Voight’s efforts to indulge the need for a superhero-or-two in Prize’s assorted titles were beautifully illustrated and breezily written, but they didn’t approach the subject matter with tongue fully absent from cheek. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Masculine monikers may have lent an air of superheroic gravitas to Voight creations like He-Man and Impossible Man, yet still-superheroic but less lantern-jawed inventions like Jeep & Peep or Captain Milksop sort-of give the game away.</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">His one straightforward attempt, by contrast, is the bluntly-appellated Atomic Man, debuting in Prize’s Headline Comics vol.1 No.18.</p><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px !important; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 1em 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><p class="" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">“Indestructible?! That’s a laugh! Another miraculous escape from death -- So I can die six months from now!”</strong></p></blockquote><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Laboratory assistant Adam Mann just can’t win. Shot fulla holes during his time with the Army Rangers and laid up with a subsequent case of malaria, Adam checks in with his personal physician only to discover that his luck hasn’t changed much. Diagnosed with lymphatic leukemia, he’s given the gloomy forecast of a measly six months to live, assuming that he undertakes extensive treatment. Without that treatment -- <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">six weeks.</em></p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-col-8 span-8 float float-right sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091906374_8666" style="box-sizing: border-box; clear: both; float: right; height: auto; margin-left: 17px; padding: 17px; position: relative; width: 476px; z-index: 10 !important;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_137"><div class="
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" data-description="<p class="">Now we have to re-set the “Days Without Somebody Drinking Uranium” sign to zero, again, Adam.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_134" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 442px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; width: 1px !important;">View fullsize</span><div class="
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" data-animation-role="image" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_133" style="line-height: 0; overflow: hidden; padding-bottom: 409.59375px; position: relative;"><img alt="Now we have to re-set the “Days Without Somebody Drinking Uranium” sign to zero, again, Adam." class="thumb-image loaded" data-image-dimensions="1310x1214" data-image-focal-point="0.5,0.5" data-image-id="5e2e4b8cfd1b820583958e06" data-image-resolution="1000w" data-image="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580092307765-DVUI1IXAN9M1TC71ZARI/image-asset.png" data-load="false" data-src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580092307765-DVUI1IXAN9M1TC71ZARI/image-asset.png" data-type="image" src="https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/567334e39cadb60e5543b0c3/1580092307765-DVUI1IXAN9M1TC71ZARI/image-asset.png?format=1000w" style="border: 0px; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 409.59375px; left: -0.21087314188480377px; max-width: none; position: absolute; top: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 442.40625px;" /></div></button><figcaption class="image-caption-wrapper" style="padding-top: 18px;"><div class="image-caption"><p class="" style="font-size: 12px; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.68em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-align: center;">Now we have to re-set the “Days Without Somebody Drinking Uranium” sign to zero, again, Adam.</p></div></figcaption></figure></div></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091906374_14372" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Stunned and distracted, Adam returns to his job at the Atomic Energy Research Lab. This is, by the way, precisely the opposite of the thing I would do if I were given six weeks to live. <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Returning to my job</em>, sheesh, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">this guy</em>. Frankly, this is the opposite of what <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">any </em>reasonable human being should do after being handed a virtual death sentence. Even moreso, six weeks isn’t all that long -- a person could sure cause a lot of trouble in that period of time <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">and then escape the subsequent long-term consequences with ease. </em>I understand that the preceding sentence says a lot more about me than it does about Atomic Man.</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Luckily, Adam is slightly more responsible (or less opportunistic) than myself. Returning to the office, he’s promptly yelled at by his irascible boss* and, dizzy with shock, retreats into his personal laboratory. Here is a list of what is in Adam Mann’s personal laboratory: (A) An enormously powerful electric dynamo, (B) a shoebox with a loose lid and it’s full of Uranium-235 and, lastly, (C) a refreshing glass of cool water. Just what a recently doomed research scientist needs to clear his head!</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><em style="word-wrap: break-word;">*Precisely why he shouldn’ta returned t’the job!</em></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">So, yes, the U-235 falls into the glass of water, and he drinks it, and he stumbles backwards into the electric generator. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Adam learns two important facts about his new atomically-acquired <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">situation actuelle</em>: Number one, he is practically indestructible. Number two, the electro-radiation power he’ll soon exhibit resides entirely in the last, inaccessible piece of shrapnel left in his body -- in his right hand. And if he touches anything with that hand or points at something with that hand, then </p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091906374_10889" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_162"><div class="
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He covers his dangerous mitt in a lead glove, like a radioactive Michael Jackson, and muses on what to do with this awesome opportunity. “I could use my power to crush every evil influence in the world!!” he says, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">alarmingly. </em></p><blockquote style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 21px !important; font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 1em 0px; word-wrap: break-word;"><p class="" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; letter-spacing: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 1em; text-transform: inherit; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><strong style="word-wrap: break-word;">“Allow me to introduce myself -- I’m Atomic Man! I’m going to vaporize you -- unless you surrender!”</strong></p></blockquote><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">With a slow start in his debut appearance, Adam has to make up for lost time. To begin with, in Headline Comics No.17, He acquires his first colorful crook -- “King” Maline, an ambition-obsessed crime-lord looking to conquer America for his personal property, and whose scheme involves abduction of a prominent atomic physicist. Atomic Man also unveils his superheroic nom-du-guerre, exhibits many of his newfound abilities (which have expanded to include flight and built-in radar, which I believe makes him <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">an airplane)</em> and, more importantly, <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">his costume.</em></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">I may be overstating my position here, but I don’t believe there’s a costume in the history of comic books that looks more like a guy wearing the contents of a still-life painting. Imagine if you were taking a life-drawing class, and someone stole the model’s clothes when no one was looking. Rather than send that poor bastard into the streets starkers, you grab whatever props you can find on the still-life table. A dusty carpet. A copper mug. A couple of oranges, although I don’t know where he’ll put ‘em. “Here,” you say, dumping wax fruit out of a metal bowl, “This’ll keep the rain off.” </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">From the perspective of sheer rendering, it’s wonderful. Voight’s exceptionally capable with a loose, gestural line. The folds of the fabric and the musculature of Atomic Man’s largely bare bod are wonderful works of illustration. But <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">honestly</em>. He looks like the FTD flower guy. He looks like he should be installed over an ice-skating rink. He looks <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">cold</em>. Especially his knees. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Speaking of visuals, the manner of Atomic Man’s execution of his opponents --which I mean literally -- is unique. With his hand outstretched, Atomic Man makes short work of King Maline and his crew, dispatching them over the stretch of a page-and-a-half. They vanish in clouds, at the tips of lancing bolts of energy, dying with a sputtering “PHUTT!”</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block image-block sqs-block-image sqs-text-ready" data-block-type="5" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091445470_60749" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_187"><div class="
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" data-description="<p class="">You sure? Better give ‘em another round just to be safe.</p>" data-lightbox-theme="dark" id="yui_3_17_2_1_1629747864106_184" style="background-image: none; border: none; color: #222222; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 680px;"><span class="v6-visually-hidden" style="border: 0px !important; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px); height: 1px !important; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px !important; position: absolute !important; width: 1px !important;">View fullsize</span><div class="
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In order to get right to the <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">bang-pow-zoom</em>, most superheroes of the time were introduced, origin-ed, costumed, and fighting their first bad guy within three pages of their debut appearance.. By contrast, Atomic Man <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">isn’t even called Atomic Man by the end of his origin story.</em></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Voight was a superb cartoonist and, more importantly, a great draftsman. His approach to this new genre wasn’t shy of action and activity, but he took each step in the character’s development with ponderous thoughtfulness. Atomic Man, in many ways, feels like a superhero under glass, being observed by its creator even as it’s being created.</p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px 0px 1em; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">An interesting confluence of this is that new superheroes debuting in the contemporary market will probably experience an arc not unlike Atomic Man’s -- getting their gear and dramatis personae parceled out over the first few appearances. Voight trod that ground some two decades before Stan Lee sicced Spider-Man on the world. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Of course, there was a lot of additional superheroic evolution in the twenty years between between Atomic Man and Spider-Man, with orders of additional complexity introduced to superheroes long after Voight’s phutt-ing hero bowed. That’s why the song doesn’t go “Atomic Man / Atomic Man / Does Whatever At Atom Can / Awww Suffragette!”</p></div></div><div class="sqs-block horizontalrule-block sqs-block-horizontalrule" data-block-type="47" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091906374_28166" style="clear: both; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content"><hr style="background-color: #bbbbbb; border: none; color: #bbbbbb; height: 1px; margin: 1em 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div class="sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html" data-block-type="2" id="block-yui_3_17_2_1_1580091906374_28226" style="clear: none; height: auto; padding: 17px; position: relative;"><div class="sqs-block-content" style="outline: none;"><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">Thanks to the Digital Comics Museum and archivists <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Citaltris, Dave Hayward, Freddy Fly, Henry Peters, Lofty Pilot, Moonled, Ontology, Other Eric, Ranger House</em>, and <em style="word-wrap: break-word;">Yoc </em>for scanning, uploading and making available these comics. Please visit and support <a href="https://digitalcomicmuseum.com/" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Digital Comics Museum</a>.<br style="word-wrap: break-word;" /><br style="word-wrap: break-word;" />If you enjoyed this article and would like to contribute to more content like this on Gone&Forgotten, please consider supporting my <a href="https://www.patreon.com/calamityjonsaveus" style="color: black; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;">Patreon</a>. </p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;"><br /></p><p class="" style="font-size: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.02em; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word;">You can find this post and others at <a href="http://Gone-And-Forgotten.com">Gone-And-Forgotten.com</a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div>Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-31319086969738740972019-05-07T09:00:00.000-07:002019-05-07T09:00:11.051-07:00THE LEAGUE OF REGRETTABLE SIDEKICKS EXPANDED : GOODY RICKELS ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Txhv4l24Iu999Ywy0tGlA6vnLPCLBd_G1cKSEerCJYfzaRj6eUqEHeBaO6OKn8vCJ9JeTBpOMfdC6TpbRENqBEwKs0pAJ7mDSlVTqjdRVosCEWH22NRC-TnX59an2bgyiKgLIBFbWlI/s1600/goody4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="843" data-original-width="972" height="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Txhv4l24Iu999Ywy0tGlA6vnLPCLBd_G1cKSEerCJYfzaRj6eUqEHeBaO6OKn8vCJ9JeTBpOMfdC6TpbRENqBEwKs0pAJ7mDSlVTqjdRVosCEWH22NRC-TnX59an2bgyiKgLIBFbWlI/s640/goody4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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What with my most recent book -- <a href="http://www.calamityjonsave.us/new-page-2">The League of Regrettable Sidekicks</a> -- having been nominated for an Eisner award in the category of Best Comics-Related Book (pardon me for going out of my way to mention it), I've been poring back over my notes for the book, and re-reading assorted entries here and there. This is the expected behavior, I'm just doing what any new nominee would do -- drink in my own brilliance. Oh, me -- what a wit!<br />
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Goody Rickels stands out in my imagination, whether regarding League or not. No one is understating the impact of Goody Rickels on comic book history when they describe the decision to invent said character as "wildly incomprehensible and certifiably insane." He's one of those characters for whom the explanation of his origins -- in this case, merely that Jack Kirby was a fan of the comedian Don Rickles -- does nothing to clarify any subsequent decision made involving him. If you start at "Kirby was a fan," there's no straight line that leads to Goody Rickels. </div>
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For the record, and just in case you are somehow unaware, I'll do my darndest: Debuting in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen, Goody was the exact duplicate of Don Rickles -- supposedly nicer than his "hockeypuck!"-hurlin' inspiration. Despite the similarly-spelled surname, they weren't meant to be related, but Goody possessed even Rickles' speech patterns and relentless insult patter. Then, also, he worked for WGBS, fell for a prank that involved dressing up as a superhero, then swallowed grain-sized incendiary devices while fighting the legions of Apokalips alongside Jimmy and The Guardian. As you will. </div>
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Of course, he's really just another entry in the list of celebrity appearances in comics, despite having been gloriously vajazzled by way of the trademark Kirby imagination. Goody follows Anne Blythe, Antonino Rocca, Orson Welles, Allen Funt, Pat Boone and probably literally a hundred other celebs of assorted media in the pages of Superman-related books alone. </div>
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Never mind other titles where superheroes romp with comedians -- Spider-Man and the Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Players or the Avengers on Letterman were one-time oddities, but they're in pretty good company these days. I know that Colbert and Leno have made their appearances in assorted comics with mainstream heroes. Probably Bruce Vilanch has too. Hell, probably they got superheroes doing Match Game now, how would I know? Anyway, my point is that Don Rickles' unrelated but similarly-named duplicate dressing as a superhero and fighting Darkseid is weird but we've lived long enough for that issue of Power Pack where Whoopi Goldberg was a Galactus to happen.</div>
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Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-45082226158553760032019-04-29T11:03:00.004-07:002019-04-29T11:03:45.405-07:00HOKEY SMOKES!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTrNyRNEy-iMYMZ9S8kfBIvwm5UaR1NdVeFggJuRbylLPtXB3G2wOxZzvEXKNSKhbpQy0bpBvehSqCi-1_uJt8DEG0EhZ12Iflcst_Lw3-JO8h2nxwKyLOLD1n1TxSpewfY4_ceeqkho/s1600/hokeysmokes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="563" data-original-width="750" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTrNyRNEy-iMYMZ9S8kfBIvwm5UaR1NdVeFggJuRbylLPtXB3G2wOxZzvEXKNSKhbpQy0bpBvehSqCi-1_uJt8DEG0EhZ12Iflcst_Lw3-JO8h2nxwKyLOLD1n1TxSpewfY4_ceeqkho/s640/hokeysmokes.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Voting is open for professionals <a href="http://www.eisnervote.com/">beginning today</a>. Don't let me sway you but, uh ... <i>nudge ...</i></div>
<br />Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-70710921141722953962019-02-27T09:00:00.000-08:002019-02-27T09:00:08.003-08:00IF YOU SEE SWAMP THING, SAY SWAMP THING: YO HO HOWith superhero television programs blowing up in the last few years, recaps of superhero television shows have become all the internet rage. Other sites, however, are hobbled by the need to cover shows which have been "recently broadcast" or which are "any good at all." But who covers the uncoverable? That's why Gone&Forgotten chooses to cover the 1991-1993 USA Network live-action Swamp Thing television series in a feature I used to like to call a dumb pun kind of title, but I've run out of those, so I just call it ...<br />
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Yo ho ho! Arr matey! Bottles of rum! Steven Spielberg's 1991 motion picture Hook! Yep folks, they've finally gotten some pirates into the heavily-trafficked community of Houma, Lousiana -- a moment I'd been dreading! Having previously established that Mayan priests, Egyptian mummies, swamp maidens and other supernatural heebie-jeebies had regularly seeded the Universal Studios backlot with plotlines for future episodes, I assumed that pirates would be inevitable. And why not? There's actual pirate history in Louisiana! Why, it would almost be a crime if it turned out to be some sort of switcheroo!<br />
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But were they inevitable? No, because although the episode opens upon a pair of piratey-types (James Zelley, Danny Hanneman) burying treasure by a bilge-pond -- their actions noted by the handsome, lantern jawed pirate Red Reiger (played by I have no idea. He's uncredited) -- it's actually a switcheroo! They got me!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg50BpZBTxecZOxbAJwav7LghYcGca8dS6EgTigEwr1dcCDjifI6SZNFyxzx1tmxOUPAsqduw0DpSu4qk1XpJMnPHtXkvsqTF8t44D80LPq7uX8uyL7uyU5cqD83A28ye5voBLOX1AVc/s1600/YoHoHo_0000_Screenshot+%2528366%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="487" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg50BpZBTxecZOxbAJwav7LghYcGca8dS6EgTigEwr1dcCDjifI6SZNFyxzx1tmxOUPAsqduw0DpSu4qk1XpJMnPHtXkvsqTF8t44D80LPq7uX8uyL7uyU5cqD83A28ye5voBLOX1AVc/s640/YoHoHo_0000_Screenshot+%2528366%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Ar har har, we sure bamboozled that lubber!"</td></tr>
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It turns out that the pirates are actually a pair of slapstick stage-hillbillies (still James Zelley and Danny Hanneman) and that the handsome pirate secreted behind a nearby fern was actually tiny weirdo Josh Reiger (The Sandlot's Shane Obedzinski, I guess, I've never seen it).<br />
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Peeping Josh has recently lost his dad and his imagination's going a little out-of-control. Part of this rampant make-uppery manifests itself in his fascination with pirates. The other part manifests itself in the fact that he just tracked two drunk, desperately stupid swamp idiots into the middle of a shit-holler in order to keep careful track of where they buried their "treasure." That'll go over well!<br />
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The "hillbillies" (don't blame me, it's what they were called in the episode) notice Josh watching them, and chase him off. They would have done worse except Swamp Thing just straight clotheslined them. He looked like Refrigerator Perry if he were also a landmass. Which Perry sort of was, I guess.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesYRpLVVkkl7GLY_h9ERwiqS3TdO7peJy4bKeMAkAPhIsJOb6SfYhgRFul4drLphsxA31PqOKKMzazVwHNgO8MIjffojyCbSfxzOBMCyhQZKqfn6ZjnENj6NUi0CcNYZ5VFLLVqtPK58/s1600/YoHoHo_0002_Screenshot+%2528368%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesYRpLVVkkl7GLY_h9ERwiqS3TdO7peJy4bKeMAkAPhIsJOb6SfYhgRFul4drLphsxA31PqOKKMzazVwHNgO8MIjffojyCbSfxzOBMCyhQZKqfn6ZjnENj6NUi0CcNYZ5VFLLVqtPK58/s640/YoHoHo_0002_Screenshot+%2528368%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After the impact, one of the hillbillies pulls himself off the ground and asks in astonishment "How'd he do that!?" no joke</td></tr>
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Back at Josh's home, we're introduced to his long-suffering mother -- a creature propelled entirely by frustration (Kathy Neff). With her husband recently deceased, she's handling the simultaneous grief and her hyperactive frogspawn with barely-restrained slaps. She berates Josh for his over-active imagination (which, to be fair, did almost get him murdered by drifters in the swamp. He has an imagination so over-active that it requires a living god of nature to keep him from getting snuffed and buried in a beer cooler. Honestly, his mom's criticisms seem reasonable). Josh nonetheless runs away.<br />
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Arcane is, meanwhile, getting angry in the woods. The hillbillies are apparently under Graham's supervision, and Graham neglected to predict that they'd get drunk on cheap beer and bury the "treasures" in the wrong spots. Turns out that the treasures are actually weird boxes which Arcane invented and which will flood the swamp with biome-altering amino acids.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRg6F1PQ7cHgl3u0EQDlUjCQ_C1lzkvTxMTiYvMvCMX3buBd2i_GFCfg4NXAHTaas_sHGYsU0gFey2j2TAHMYzMOwa7uC7nv0r0gOrdBdrHABTpnQnXzZhcTAnkpWvDhoI5tpA1TGHTTU/s1600/YoHoHo_0004_Screenshot+%2528370%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRg6F1PQ7cHgl3u0EQDlUjCQ_C1lzkvTxMTiYvMvCMX3buBd2i_GFCfg4NXAHTaas_sHGYsU0gFey2j2TAHMYzMOwa7uC7nv0r0gOrdBdrHABTpnQnXzZhcTAnkpWvDhoI5tpA1TGHTTU/s640/YoHoHo_0004_Screenshot+%2528370%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graham's best employee review to date!</td></tr>
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<br />Later in this episode, Swamp Thing will briefly muse on the delicate balance of natural influences on the ecology of a region, <b>which is a little more than I expected from this show. </b>Swamp Thing is nominally eco-positive, but they <i>usually</i> just slap a hamhock-heavy "NATURE GOOD" metaphor in the voiceover at the end and call it a 30.<br />
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A large part of the episode ends up being devoted to pursuit of the hillbillies through the swamp. Arcane is manning a base station and Graham and two rent-a-cops have taken to the field. Swamp Thing manages to corral these two escapees from a Blue Collar Comedy sketch and, with the magic words "Look out, the fence is electrified," scares them right into an electrified fence, killing them. Well done. No pun intended.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzWICd8tar0jKFTe-XesQftnynPGSfKNHJCl6RYQLedbPJR703Cd47gYNi9o5GjgSp8DHHY39JF603gkBsEiD-9K9R8wNmecX7SUcvMYpCNp0lQTa68BuX55kh31SmjFGicOt9Mgep-8/s1600/YoHoHo_0006_Screenshot+%2528372%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzWICd8tar0jKFTe-XesQftnynPGSfKNHJCl6RYQLedbPJR703Cd47gYNi9o5GjgSp8DHHY39JF603gkBsEiD-9K9R8wNmecX7SUcvMYpCNp0lQTa68BuX55kh31SmjFGicOt9Mgep-8/s640/YoHoHo_0006_Screenshot+%2528372%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Faces of Death '19</td></tr>
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<br />With the hillbillies thankfully dead, Arcane has no way of finding his buried cases. Luckily, Josh had spent his pursuit of his imagined "pirates" drawing a map of all of their locations! I should have mentioned this earlier, it's important.<br />
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While Graham surprises his boss with one of these cases, retrieved at the Reiger yard sale, Josh remains ran-away. He's captured Swamp Thing, in a scene which would be more charming if we didn't know that the big rutabaga goes around collecting damaged children to act as his personal attaches.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZirlot1YD4PfXGu047a_iOmz0_DowKDCafqNCCQwZ6F5-0itGpQ35DDKBFKL3yrb7LV0vp5D8vU7UyulQG2s-5BbAkh3mGBl-nK-g1trwOkKWOwFgrGa0f3E2gsQRmFNKrdDA2d6zhE/s1600/YoHoHo_0009_Screenshot+%2528375%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZirlot1YD4PfXGu047a_iOmz0_DowKDCafqNCCQwZ6F5-0itGpQ35DDKBFKL3yrb7LV0vp5D8vU7UyulQG2s-5BbAkh3mGBl-nK-g1trwOkKWOwFgrGa0f3E2gsQRmFNKrdDA2d6zhE/s640/YoHoHo_0009_Screenshot+%2528375%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I'll call you ... New Will."</td></tr>
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In response to the ranning-awayness, Josh's mom has called the only man who can help -- Will! A poor choice, but Houma's a small town with limited options. Also, either Kathy Neff decided to play Mrs.Reiger as a savage cougar barely in control of her seething attraction for Will or, um ... I don't know, I don't need to be a part of that. She kneads his upper arm like bread dough at one point. Life is long. I've seen too much misery.<br />
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But the scene is given one of its finest moments when Mrs.Reiger sneers at the swamp for claiming her husband and possibly her son, and Will replies "It's not the swamp's fault." His tone is like, "The swamp has a good heart, it just comes on a little strong sometimes. Give the swamp a chance. I have a lot of high hopes for that swamp."<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpQZLfhoxCGQ9jM7z_qCToXhmSG0coKkLghVYpbT0wEGQ6YcCNRlt7Tvh7d9wbUDYz-lsnmesSaWwqolbGh8xxuaBfmSB_dK56guN1K3LwyvpgYp7k_41hlEQvEEbP4ftmB5Iw8B_-wo/s1600/YoHoHo_0008_Screenshot+%2528374%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpQZLfhoxCGQ9jM7z_qCToXhmSG0coKkLghVYpbT0wEGQ6YcCNRlt7Tvh7d9wbUDYz-lsnmesSaWwqolbGh8xxuaBfmSB_dK56guN1K3LwyvpgYp7k_41hlEQvEEbP4ftmB5Iw8B_-wo/s640/YoHoHo_0008_Screenshot+%2528374%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shot's got a lot of fans.</td></tr>
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Arcane invades the Reiger house to discover how they'd come into possession of one of his cases. He turns the dial to 11 right out of the gate, torturing the mom in a glass-front toaster oven and making the kid (now retrieved) watch. Did he even ask first? I would have asked first.<br />
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Armed with Josh's treasure map, Arcane pursues his lost cases. Will sneers "The jerk's trying to destroy the swamp ... again?" and that's how I know we're in the run-up to the conclusion! They've stopped particularly caring!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDL-a-hvn89u3w9FT7hiQh369jLDrdC89BCE9HaTVI9O7lQO95aVx5kW2q4gTEjSRh7UfD3wnq0IPocsOF8OQGo-t2Kfbqwr8q-LMv12QYu68mWb2s5QYeHgrkA28olhkq2OiiZ25u70/s1600/YoHoHo_0011_Screenshot+%2528377%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzDL-a-hvn89u3w9FT7hiQh369jLDrdC89BCE9HaTVI9O7lQO95aVx5kW2q4gTEjSRh7UfD3wnq0IPocsOF8OQGo-t2Kfbqwr8q-LMv12QYu68mWb2s5QYeHgrkA28olhkq2OiiZ25u70/s640/YoHoHo_0011_Screenshot+%2528377%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I should have mentioned that Josh and Red both wear the same cheap Disneyworld pirate hat.</td></tr>
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Unable to personally attend to Arcane as he is using swamp magic to disable Arcane's crazy new plan, Swamp Thing does SWAMP SHAZAMS on Josh! The little boy is turned into his hero, Red something or other, and does battle with Arcane! With swords! And Arcane actually does the thing where he holds the sword under his arm to make it look like he'd been stabbed, like a fourth-grade production of Peter Pan. Badass. It always gets best in the last three minutes, largely because it's about to end.<br />
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Josh stabbing Arcane gives Swamp Thing plenty of time to disassemble all of Arcane's machines. Arcane's wounds heal, Josh turns back into a little boy, he's reunited with his mother and then they end this way, with Josh saying from nowhere "It's like dad always said, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do." At no point prior to this moment in this episode had that been mentioned, or had his father saying anything been part of anything. What the hell. Anyway, now it's over.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_RdHWHJ8qliW-1Y7cT-vuqYypw4w7dyYDQi4EWgN-HgEqfFL611kjlABzPG6y_n5IAAlD3vn7v8HjhdJxgRzFMhh5Zk45U0srKVclmGjPAxUB7ZoSUCC5TMbDO3BoJDg1AE7CAAmXxk/s1600/YoHoHo_0012_Screenshot+%2528378%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1023" data-original-width="1344" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr_RdHWHJ8qliW-1Y7cT-vuqYypw4w7dyYDQi4EWgN-HgEqfFL611kjlABzPG6y_n5IAAlD3vn7v8HjhdJxgRzFMhh5Zk45U0srKVclmGjPAxUB7ZoSUCC5TMbDO3BoJDg1AE7CAAmXxk/s640/YoHoHo_0012_Screenshot+%2528378%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"You father never said anything of the sort!"</td></tr>
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<br />Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-44209227852471607292019-01-09T09:00:00.000-08:002019-01-09T09:00:06.936-08:00IF YOU SEE SWAMP THING, SAY SWAMP THING: EYE FOR AN EYEWith superhero television programs blowing up in the last few years, recaps of superhero television shows have become all the internet rage. Other sites, however, are hobbled by the need to cover shows which have been "recently broadcast" or which are "any good at all." But who covers the uncoverable? That's why Gone&Forgotten chooses to cover the 1991-1993 USA Network live-action Swamp Thing television series in a feature I used to like to call a dumb pun kind of title, but I've run out of those, so I just call it ...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZQJqwGGZIZYgqJ61funzq6-EX3PuNj4a7eymgrbGcwaAODZ4YdS4urOW7BH4FZ1wZj4ru1ZJ9zjHFID9bvK2fUOFruWp8PgIIXjxF4p5EAh7pj815DJ_PIo6t768EKxPYYRnObz6Brg/s1600/seeswampthing.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZQJqwGGZIZYgqJ61funzq6-EX3PuNj4a7eymgrbGcwaAODZ4YdS4urOW7BH4FZ1wZj4ru1ZJ9zjHFID9bvK2fUOFruWp8PgIIXjxF4p5EAh7pj815DJ_PIo6t768EKxPYYRnObz6Brg/s1600/seeswampthing.jpg" /></a><br /><br />
Kitties!<br />
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This episode opens with Swamp Thing pleading desperately with the swamp -- and I'm still not quite sure whether the semi-sentience of the swamp is a general mystical thing, a Parliament of Trees reference, or just how Swamp Thing works in this universe, <i>it's a mystery. </i>Whatever the scenario, the situation is clearly that Swamp Thing only holds so much sway over the source of his powers, and that the swamp has access to cats.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMsJy3nz4FqIYeKljrePuBy-6z3fmLVnScPy2Lu_Y1dQyy43KQzGEQZeMMdwZbq1jy8WSlxOjwR1t33lFPjhq3XxCFotSxYrLS-GzU2nkqmmj6YCTq-rYwAY8NuqIFDQD_eU5Iv7faxU/s1600/EyeForAnEye_0000_Screenshot+%2528323%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMsJy3nz4FqIYeKljrePuBy-6z3fmLVnScPy2Lu_Y1dQyy43KQzGEQZeMMdwZbq1jy8WSlxOjwR1t33lFPjhq3XxCFotSxYrLS-GzU2nkqmmj6YCTq-rYwAY8NuqIFDQD_eU5Iv7faxU/s640/EyeForAnEye_0000_Screenshot+%2528323%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Give us this day our daily swamp bread...</td></tr>
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<br />The swamp has released THE PREDATOR (i.e. a very even-tempered cougar) into Houma to finally do what Swamp Thing won't -- kill Arcane! Which I think he did once. But now THE PREDATOR.<br />
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I'm sort of at loose ends with this episode on account of it's slim -- even for a Swamp Thing episode. The plot which motivates the Predator involves a radioactive waste dump in the middle of the swamp which sickens nature AND the residents of Houma. One by one, the Predator stalks everyone involved in any fashion with the radioactive waste, saving Arcane for last -- either for extra dramatic tension or because he lives in a compound with deadly electric force fields. The swamp has limits!<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/AVvXsEgoiAPjiZ7d8GXx-1ZVC9GiCmLWL-tlWp3lR_PAiZlVcHyUYCKAd2zCPN4it-CJml7VnXSoN3W0eVdGi96vHUiVi8ovB8tmmRp933EjKqgw3VNQ26hPVUTA-uGox7NIa0izqBevbQndjhM/s1600/EyeForAnEye_0001_Screenshot+%2528324%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiAPjiZ7d8GXx-1ZVC9GiCmLWL-tlWp3lR_PAiZlVcHyUYCKAd2zCPN4it-CJml7VnXSoN3W0eVdGi96vHUiVi8ovB8tmmRp933EjKqgw3VNQ26hPVUTA-uGox7NIa0izqBevbQndjhM/s640/EyeForAnEye_0001_Screenshot+%2528324%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scully to Will's Mulder.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Will recognizes that the many many victims filling up Houma's apparently only hospital emergency ward are suffering from radiation poisoning. This is an opinion left unshared by Tim (Christopher Carter), Will's pal and an orderly at the hospital. Tim is the highlight of the episode, easily, with breezy banter and an utter unconcern for the health and safety of the suffering and ill. Even though he recognizes the symptoms of radiation poisioning, agrees with Will that the symptoms match, AND observes that the radiation detecting badges found in one of the victim's office implies radiation, HE WON'T BELIEVE IT. It's beyond funny. Also, this is why I don't trust doctors.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Graham has figured out the Predator's pattern, despite Arcane's disdain. "You're afraid of this pernicious puss" he sneers, delivering a line which makes the episode worthwhile.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltUdB5tbCpdfl5FTQ1DYi5YIN_wKNV7nAT45flJLCkIKa1b6U0qyEA0E4jRSaxRXK4UowWZ5NwBAERteOxS8EG8EE711f6frzqPZexbiP8_HuOqqDcBaDYPtqfl7gU0OiuT6TMrxC1eU/s1600/EyeForAnEye_0002_Screenshot+%2528325%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjltUdB5tbCpdfl5FTQ1DYi5YIN_wKNV7nAT45flJLCkIKa1b6U0qyEA0E4jRSaxRXK4UowWZ5NwBAERteOxS8EG8EE711f6frzqPZexbiP8_HuOqqDcBaDYPtqfl7gU0OiuT6TMrxC1eU/s640/EyeForAnEye_0002_Screenshot+%2528325%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, and the sheriff is back, despite there being no running order in the series which explains his return to Arcane's payroll...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Here's what happens in the bottom third: Someone gives Will an uzi and a jeep. Arcane descends into some kind of steampunk boudoir panic room. The electric forcefield which is meant to keep Arcane safe is shut down when a panicked guard runs into it rather than facing the incredibly sweet, patient cougar. And Swamp Thing explains why the Predator killing Arcane is a bad idea. Are you ready? It's good. It's perfect. It will make you a fan. Ready?<br />
<br />
The panther, according to Swamp Thing, will -- in the process of killing Arcane -- "ingest Arcane's evil." Furthermore, as the cougar goes out into the world and procreates, "each panther," Swamp Thing warns us, "will be more evil than the one before."<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/AVvXsEgdzJAqynu8V0AgGXz7qdnznl0KQnZDR9Q1w6eIzwPSeL12BdyxdCvZXuAncMZpTYBB3d6kqA0SJ2gtuZdbHsIm6SK8txrEnMy4QRVUcHAoFPLWf3qy7PYBbiYxGNg_dyNhsGxGUiBrnSM/s1600/EyeForAnEye_0006_Screenshot+%2528329%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzJAqynu8V0AgGXz7qdnznl0KQnZDR9Q1w6eIzwPSeL12BdyxdCvZXuAncMZpTYBB3d6kqA0SJ2gtuZdbHsIm6SK8txrEnMy4QRVUcHAoFPLWf3qy7PYBbiYxGNg_dyNhsGxGUiBrnSM/s640/EyeForAnEye_0006_Screenshot+%2528329%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, look honey, it's that nice kitty from the TV...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
It doesn't come to that, the world being overrun by increasingly evil cougars. What happens instead is that Arcane is forced to give an apology to the swamp. And "Sorry swamp" won't cut it!<br />
<br />
"There have been a few unfortunate mistakes," he confesses, "But they were honest mistakes."<br />
<br />
"There've been a few dead bodies here and there," he adds, "and the rest have been nobbled for life, but they deserved it!" It gets cornier from here, despite being a real testament to Chapman being a fantastic melodramatician. It tests his skills, though, with the confession literally ending with him screaming "FORGIVE ME, FOR I HAVE SINNED" at an unidentified fern.<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/AVvXsEhhZdx_wZkUbwkbzO0b18pYRzub2MFRogXWgeeQYKhuKOSlNQlBke0TmFkHeg3w-W1ITF5YZ_M9JUGMFym-Zgx5OGBLYRobYxnEGYl9f5Xosnz54lyPOd6NK5G5QzV7HVo30lU7bgVRUP0/s1600/EyeForAnEye_0008_Screenshot+%2528331%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZdx_wZkUbwkbzO0b18pYRzub2MFRogXWgeeQYKhuKOSlNQlBke0TmFkHeg3w-W1ITF5YZ_M9JUGMFym-Zgx5OGBLYRobYxnEGYl9f5Xosnz54lyPOd6NK5G5QzV7HVo30lU7bgVRUP0/s640/EyeForAnEye_0008_Screenshot+%2528331%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That steampunk boudoir panic room makes it all worthwhile tho ...</td></tr>
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But at least it's all straightened out, and we still have the original amount of evil kitties!Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-36810730985768943842019-01-02T09:00:00.000-08:002019-01-02T09:00:08.869-08:00IF YOU SEE SWAMP THING, SAY SWAMP THING: BROTHERLY LOVEWith superhero television programs blowing up in the last few years, recaps of superhero television shows have become all the internet rage. Other sites, however, are hobbled by the need to cover shows which have been "recently broadcast" or which are "any good at all." But who covers the uncoverable? That's why Gone&Forgotten chooses to cover the 1991-1993 USA Network live-action Swamp Thing television series in a feature I used to like to call a dumb pun kind of title, but I've run out of those, so I just call it ...<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZQJqwGGZIZYgqJ61funzq6-EX3PuNj4a7eymgrbGcwaAODZ4YdS4urOW7BH4FZ1wZj4ru1ZJ9zjHFID9bvK2fUOFruWp8PgIIXjxF4p5EAh7pj815DJ_PIo6t768EKxPYYRnObz6Brg/s1600/seeswampthing.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZQJqwGGZIZYgqJ61funzq6-EX3PuNj4a7eymgrbGcwaAODZ4YdS4urOW7BH4FZ1wZj4ru1ZJ9zjHFID9bvK2fUOFruWp8PgIIXjxF4p5EAh7pj815DJ_PIo6t768EKxPYYRnObz6Brg/s1600/seeswampthing.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The unfortunate reality is that any time that you have an episode of a television show or an issue of a comic book which is titled "Brotherly Love," you are about to endure a story about two brothers who <i>do not get along </i>and which is going to<i> take a real goddamn long time to get to the payoff. </i>Writers overestimate the inherent drama of sibling rivalry, is my general assessment of the situation.<br />
<br />
And that's more or less -- or, in fact, <i>precisely -- </i>what we get in this episode of Swamp Thing. In addition, Tressa is now involved with a new beau! If past episodes are any indication, this means we'll see Tressa slapped, struck, terrified and/or choked in her own home within the next eight minutes. <i>Yay</i>? She's got a type.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoYH_YXLfF0TyCNIy5tAUi1bNRy2vZJT2kTKoich8UuguKyeMqP_134s3HoXPoHRj0cKn5omytsh3aOvMh8kiBtmgBARxBKGMR9I7R8GqJjRwdgyvLByBTb6AqH1Eb_JT9BNIZd5rS_I/s1600/BrotherlyLove_0000_Screenshot+%2528315%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisoYH_YXLfF0TyCNIy5tAUi1bNRy2vZJT2kTKoich8UuguKyeMqP_134s3HoXPoHRj0cKn5omytsh3aOvMh8kiBtmgBARxBKGMR9I7R8GqJjRwdgyvLByBTb6AqH1Eb_JT9BNIZd5rS_I/s640/BrotherlyLove_0000_Screenshot+%2528315%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Welcome y'all t'Gator Pete's!"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The episode opens with a longshot of the Kipp household, reminding me once again that I often mistake the Kipp household for a deep-swamp gumbo shack. Pulling up to the dilapidated hovel is Tressa and her date for the evening, Brad (David Rupprecht), a pleasant enough guy who spends every ounce of energy in his body pleading with Tressa to fuck him. He phrases it in terms like "why won't you give me a tumble" or "why are you giving me the cold shoulder" etc etc, even though they are literally going out on multiple dates, and she seems to like him fine, for no reason I can ascertain.<br />
<br />
Will pops up on the front porch and basically orders Tressa to fuck the guy. I don't know why he's so invested, but he's practically furious that she hasn't put out yet. I don't know if Will's trying to wipe out a secret debt or something, but however unpleasant Brad is on the matter, Will is 500 times worse. Personal relationships have badly deteriorated in the Kipp household. This bodes poorly for the Swamp Tour business.<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/AVvXsEiZD00qeawIBxxdtvI29rKvdwKCm0X2v529Vba5vfC2tA1JynO8qfAOtT5I9Mt03xvwU0D5UdeeFhleOOE1fILOIuA2tmzZZppH6D8g5k1M2v5_KuAQfpPYBhHZjWr_zwdS4hhmYAptkOg/s1600/BrotherlyLove_0002_Screenshot+%2528317%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZD00qeawIBxxdtvI29rKvdwKCm0X2v529Vba5vfC2tA1JynO8qfAOtT5I9Mt03xvwU0D5UdeeFhleOOE1fILOIuA2tmzZZppH6D8g5k1M2v5_KuAQfpPYBhHZjWr_zwdS4hhmYAptkOg/s640/BrotherlyLove_0002_Screenshot+%2528317%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In this brief respite, no more than one and one-third of a second, this guy is changing the topic back to him getting fucked.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Tressa, meanwhile, has very good reasons for not trusting the guy. For one thing, he gave his home address as "the middle of Lake Michigan." Yeah, that seems suspicious. Also, his driver's license is under a different name -- and his address? ON DRY LAND! The sneak!<br />
<br />
Anyway, this was an interesting decision to make: Beginning the episode in a darkened shithole amidst desperate sex-pleading and open hostility.<br />
<br />
Another unsettling fact about Brad is that he's related to some hyper-violent dipshit in a Hawaiian shirt (Kurt Hewett) who kills the only likable character in this whole episode, gas station attendant Steve (Terry Jones). Sorry Steve you had to die, Steve. I love that you clearly softly rested your head rather than letting it hit something hard, tho, I respect your self-care regimen.<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/AVvXsEhE94vUiO7Gv0CDe5wDWLM6ZTcG_OC7nTQ0YmY5mLcmTv7jdKHgfd6jam_zlCjqa6FaWCR_RxrE5PJbmLVxy-3vMiq4wJsRYWU7BvzTBWfpQLLt7EvFVcVvCpgjr_iVG0pb7MVkgLIhcjQ/s1600/BrotherlyLove_0001_Screenshot+%2528316%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE94vUiO7Gv0CDe5wDWLM6ZTcG_OC7nTQ0YmY5mLcmTv7jdKHgfd6jam_zlCjqa6FaWCR_RxrE5PJbmLVxy-3vMiq4wJsRYWU7BvzTBWfpQLLt7EvFVcVvCpgjr_iVG0pb7MVkgLIhcjQ/s640/BrotherlyLove_0001_Screenshot+%2528316%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">May a flight of angels sing you to your supper, or however that goes.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Back at Kippsylvania, Will is making a spaghetti dinner for the unhappy trio, and pretending to play guitar on the porch. I forgot how Will sometimes pretends to play guitar but doesn't, and I am awakened to the fact that he's kind of doing an Elvis impression for his character. Is this something Will's been doing all along? Has he been doing young Swamp Elvis? And, if not, can we get that character onto the DC streaming service?<br />
<br />
So, I'd like to take a moment to check in with the status of Swamp Thing's world. At this point, Tressa and Will have both seen more awful shit than a six-tour 'Nam vet. They have had their home invaded by ghosts and evil spirits, they have traveled through time and other dimensions, <i>the youngest member of the Kipp family was abducted and forced into slavery at a mutant mine in Brazil. </i>And yet Tressa has uncovered so much shady deets about Brad, still lets him into her home, and Will is still shouting "FUCK. THAT. MAN'S. PENIS." every three minutes. Do they love death? Have they accepted that their own heroes' journeys may never begin, for corrupt lintel above the vital threshold? Will they refuse no call, forever mistaking death for adventure? What Houma needs is a trauma therapist or fifty.<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/AVvXsEh61HkAHqDlBArg766DqY_R6ywDzn6TXb5hV64jbIBPhKHcO9dvJ_18yaOxMPU6oFcVOJjf1xZLEV3_zYzaBIs7llEt7eR54kkEBVlfuThC-pgpH8aSKqaHotuAz3ddSAnfvKWKkd25J8I/s1600/BrotherlyLove_0003_Screenshot+%2528318%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh61HkAHqDlBArg766DqY_R6ywDzn6TXb5hV64jbIBPhKHcO9dvJ_18yaOxMPU6oFcVOJjf1xZLEV3_zYzaBIs7llEt7eR54kkEBVlfuThC-pgpH8aSKqaHotuAz3ddSAnfvKWKkd25J8I/s640/BrotherlyLove_0003_Screenshot+%2528318%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Let me play you a little tune I like to call 'Tressa, Give It Up To This Weird Asshole Already Whydon'tcha"</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Speaking of which, Hawaiian shirt dude finally shows up, and Tressa just lets him in before he even knocks. Tressa's finest moment, that. She actually declares that it might be Will at the door, even though Will is literally standing RIGHT BEHIND HER at the time. This is what I mean. They welcome annihilation. Swamp Thing has done a great disservice to these two people, introducing them to a supernatural world where the only reasonable emotional states are apathy and welcoming death with open arms.<br />
<br />
The shirt dude is, naturally, Brad's brother Kurt, who is nuts and blames Brad for the death of a mutual love interest, but for which he is actually responsible. Okay. That's it. Now let's have some Swamp Thing.<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/AVvXsEgH2XSAGkkEATDXskf2Uyd50xMMD8JfbJSC_59Pm0hK22S2BW5JKCt75981ktMJm4pDfs_MNtllxWCM-71rmxQu_FKAzIzb26lPl8kOhcFLwuTNUTuxZR0SdbAxbctLKJEjn4Sh2VsljD8/s1600/BrotherlyLove_0004_Screenshot+%2528319%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2XSAGkkEATDXskf2Uyd50xMMD8JfbJSC_59Pm0hK22S2BW5JKCt75981ktMJm4pDfs_MNtllxWCM-71rmxQu_FKAzIzb26lPl8kOhcFLwuTNUTuxZR0SdbAxbctLKJEjn4Sh2VsljD8/s640/BrotherlyLove_0004_Screenshot+%2528319%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What the fuck caliber was this guy packing, signal flares?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Swamp Thing's powers, as far as the canon of the television show is concerned, are limited to what the swamp is willing to let him do. The swamp seems to have taken a real liking to Kurt, because it has limited Swamp Thing to actions which -- and I quote here -- "complicate [Kurt's] life." This entails a pouring rain and a downed powerline. Since Kurt is driving Tressa and Brad to a motel to kill them (despite the Kipp household being located right next to a corpse-devouring swamp, just saying), this is indeed ... complicating.<br />
<br />
Brad has seizures in one arm, which Kurt takes advantage of in the following over-complicated way: He ties Brad to a chair and tapes a gun to Brad's shaky hand, finger on the trigger. He ties Tressa up and puts her in the path of bullet. Then he refuses to give Bradley medication, which is not cool, so that when Brad seizures -- pow, Tressa ... probably gets injured? There seems to be a lot that might go wrong here.<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/AVvXsEiGEymaJoC_S9StEQykDm9qCeCA20CLPbn-VCPmi7sbycHgAOck2DpMruUc9yC1Bj7sQ_sgdf1b8VNXuz-0-f6HfzBZ88mXKwQx3hgK6tHwfBB59TkCaatvmSfVJ3UmxEb_NP5H6kH55Qw/s1600/BrotherlyLove_0005_Screenshot+%2528320%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGEymaJoC_S9StEQykDm9qCeCA20CLPbn-VCPmi7sbycHgAOck2DpMruUc9yC1Bj7sQ_sgdf1b8VNXuz-0-f6HfzBZ88mXKwQx3hgK6tHwfBB59TkCaatvmSfVJ3UmxEb_NP5H6kH55Qw/s640/BrotherlyLove_0005_Screenshot+%2528320%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A real Rube Goldberg device they got there ...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Which is Swamp Thing's cue. He bursts into the motel room and, using the powers granted to him by the swamp -- <i>slows down time</i>. He can do this. It doesn't actually seem like it makes anyone any all that faster, even though it's fast enough for Will to shove Tressa to the floor with alarming force -- Swamp Thing's most tried-and-true technique for saving a potential shooting victim -- and beat Kurt up.<br />
<br />
But, just to clarify: Swamp Thing was only granted the following powers by the swamp -- raining and time-stopping. This is lighting a furnace to burn a hair.<br />
<br />
But there is a happy ending: Tressa never fucks that guy.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4mzIVCXgGp3HgAmmRBv3QWSQ3JC9jdLcU-_FmXVPYYXyVKshnVrSQypieLU-yhkzRTE6TwjsgDGQY5LH51V76b994lceR7ZRxRzn9U-Rwy5_ywx79GmV7PZ1VFCLvHOf7w9Nimynsqs/s1600/BrotherlyLove_0006_Screenshot+%2528321%2529.png.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1215" height="502" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs4mzIVCXgGp3HgAmmRBv3QWSQ3JC9jdLcU-_FmXVPYYXyVKshnVrSQypieLU-yhkzRTE6TwjsgDGQY5LH51V76b994lceR7ZRxRzn9U-Rwy5_ywx79GmV7PZ1VFCLvHOf7w9Nimynsqs/s640/BrotherlyLove_0006_Screenshot+%2528321%2529.png.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'd be a monster if I didn't show you Tressa's "Terrified Face" for this episode.</td></tr>
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<br />Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1243661303845968536.post-43615249961608475862018-12-19T09:00:00.000-08:002018-12-19T09:00:00.436-08:00IF YOU SEE SWAMP THING, SAY SWAMP THING: IN THE BEGINNINGWith superhero television programs blowing up in the last few years, recaps of superhero television shows have become all the internet rage. Other sites, however, are hobbled by the need to cover shows which have been "recently broadcast" or which are "any good at all." But who covers the uncoverable? That's why Gone&Forgotten chooses to cover the 1991-1993 USA Network live-action Swamp Thing television series in a feature I used to like to call a dumb pun kind of title, but I've run out of those, so I just call it ...<br />
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In a fashion totally suited to the Swamp Thing live-action television show, this unusual episode simultaneously deserves accolades for getting the tone right, and then also deserves condemnation for ... being the Swamp Thing live-action television show.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Stay down, big man. This is a job for ... Will Thing!"</td></tr>
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<br />It seems as though there may be a few approaches to this show which work -- and going very very broad is one of them. This is, after all, a show about a mad scientist and his battles against a magical salad bar, plus the salad bar has many shirtless, profoundly confused and unendearingly confident teenage pals you have to occasionally kidnap and send to slave camps in Brazil. So, in this episode, Anton Arcane carving a kilometer-high cavern almost a mile below the surface of the Earth so as to manufacture a tiny biosphere for his rapidly-mutating army of malevolent murder-ferns which will, in turn, cover the planet and transform our antagonist into a living god <i>is just about right.</i><br />
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The episode opens with Will impatiently sassing the swamp. It appears that Will attends regular "communicating with the swamp" classes, taught by Swamp Thing, and that he also has zero to little respect for it. "Hey swamp!' he hollers, "How's the missus -- I mean, <i>the mosses!" </i>he puns, adding "Aw, you're no <i>fern -- </i>I mean <i>fun!" </i>It only makes sense that he is almost subsequently murdered by a begonia.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Please enjoy this animated gif of the only thing I ever make animated gifs of: Will getting thrown around by plants.</td></tr>
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Arcane has released one of his mutated murder-plants into the wild, and it nearly makes very short work of Will. Swamp Thing intercedes at the last second, receiving a face-full of dayglo-pink spraypaint in the face for it. He ends up looking like a variant exclusive sofubi.<br />
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Will and Swamp Thing decide to investigate the origin of the killer weed, which is also how I spent a lot of my time college. The neuro-toxin which Swamp Thing inhaled AND the underground biosphere (about which the duo is not yet aware) drain Swampy's powers, meaning that Will is going to have to investigate the origins of the deadly plant on his lonesome. That sounds like the opening line of his obituary, but it works out surprisingly well!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh485ULwKuW6UMQfsnmhLfkdNtgpmQagrt-XhkGD2TzPkglRVq3zXkqx5MawnVsn9_2CfU6UpN7wsib48r7Rp7tb3BNvc_zAewZ6fE_U1xLyUj_ZBr4WO5qzoZrCFucaQCXw8MPUrgzNmo/s1600/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1251" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh485ULwKuW6UMQfsnmhLfkdNtgpmQagrt-XhkGD2TzPkglRVq3zXkqx5MawnVsn9_2CfU6UpN7wsib48r7Rp7tb3BNvc_zAewZ6fE_U1xLyUj_ZBr4WO5qzoZrCFucaQCXw8MPUrgzNmo/s640/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+26.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Hunter S.Thompson look suits him.</td></tr>
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Meanwhile, over at Arcane's labs -- Graham returns from vacation! And he brought Dr.Arcane a cool-ass tee-shirt! I didn't know that he was on vacation, but trying to foist a tourist-trap tee-shirt off on his boss is among Graham's finest moments and also possibly the high point of the episode. It's also preferable to what Graham <i>almost </i>did upon returning to the labs, which is to <i>jam his whole hand into a terrarium full of dangerous murder-plants!</i> "You almost achieved immortality" sneers Arcane, in a typically delightful Chapman delivery.<br />
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Down in the underground chamber, Arcane introduces Graham to his nursery of murder-plants. Mutating at "a thousand times normal" -- which, I don't know what the standard amount of mutation is but a thousand times sounds good, so, that's cool -- the plants are also spliced with Arcane's DNA, making them his 'children.' They also grant him Swamp Thing powers, mostly, allowing him to control the weather using only his will (and also he shouts his commands so the crew knows when to turn off the sprinklers). This is also when Graham accidentally drops a box full of important electronics, or a box full of wires, whichever, we never get a very good look at it, but it plays a role later on.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Of COURSE I 'cappd the tee-shirt scene. I take care of you.</td></tr>
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Will's efforts to infiltrate Arcane's lab are so awkward and inept that I assume they let him in only out of pity. He manages to play it cool while navigating the secure areas checkpoints of the high-security facility, as long as your definition of cool owes a lot to Steve Martin and Dan Akroyd's "Wild and Crazy Guys." He keeps SHOUTING his lines, like a really cool guy who isn't suspicious.<br />
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Some of the plants have managed to cobble together a huge, ridiculous robot body out of the dropped box of electronics, becoming "A plant that kills like a machine," according to Arcane. So ... it's a guitar.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFvCTVuYnrSVHRIBOZBdVc9tndVhtOg_x-VMhhlZwRSEtMyTij-wq4N7M-76A1NKQmq_eM_EWThNTN7xYnWYjYw0Z1BlhhrGlg47q9hNBkju34P3uHdUJBm-ZxQTnORvTg94I4zraspE/s1600/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+31.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1251" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLFvCTVuYnrSVHRIBOZBdVc9tndVhtOg_x-VMhhlZwRSEtMyTij-wq4N7M-76A1NKQmq_eM_EWThNTN7xYnWYjYw0Z1BlhhrGlg47q9hNBkju34P3uHdUJBm-ZxQTnORvTg94I4zraspE/s640/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+31.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Beep Boop Give Me Chlorophyll Beep Boop I Guess"</td></tr>
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<br />"It feeds on metal, electronics and flesh" ponders Arcane, adding "-- Human flesh!" which is the prelude to Will getting tied to a tree as bait for the beast. This would be an easy fix for Swamp Thing, were he at full power and not wandering around the bog, puffy and confused, like if Steven Seagal were 100% chia.<br />
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Eventually, Swamp Thing and Woody Guthrie's guitar face off in the swamp. The machine has been savagely <i>knocking people over,</i> which appears to be its sole superpower inasmuch as I think it's just a refrigerator box with electrical tape all over it. There's nothing plant-like about the machine at this point, except that its eyes glow green. Like a traffic signal which, last time I checked, did not indicate "Stop / Caution / Plant Murder Machine Creature." And the fight scenes sound like a man passing a difficult stool while dremeling.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbpd6QRMQyyTJVXWrylDz5-hjU2yYJcFpayyemELFvjoUy0K_xqCrHLBiuc0zWJPASA8oEb6eJ_HiDIpOT1FrM4o-DexaXlvBle3kWpktg8_09_-BBGG4v3r0GNp2h4-HMHpPfB-PulI/s1600/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1251" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbpd6QRMQyyTJVXWrylDz5-hjU2yYJcFpayyemELFvjoUy0K_xqCrHLBiuc0zWJPASA8oEb6eJ_HiDIpOT1FrM4o-DexaXlvBle3kWpktg8_09_-BBGG4v3r0GNp2h4-HMHpPfB-PulI/s640/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+32.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And Will? Will is ready for anything ...</td></tr>
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Swamp Thing delivers the episode's killer line -- "You're not a plant. You're an aberration! <i>You must die</i>!" as he lunges into battle. Meanwhile, in a rare exhibition of cooperation, Arcane is destroying his own biosphere, so as to heal the swamp and return Swamp Thing's powers. With his murder plants growing out of control, Arcane has no choice but to rely on the aid of his old foe. Unfortunately, he finds that the plants have rebelled against him and are drawing power from an alternate source. Could it be -- love? No, it could not. It's a generator. He hits it with an axe.<br />
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The swamp indicates its return to robustness with stock footage of lightning and loads of air bubbles emerging from a deep pool. I assume the swamp is ... <i>farting</i>? Letting out some painful gas? Apparently that's all it required, because we end on Swamp Thing lecturing Will about how plant machines are bad, and ones that murder are worse, and even Will's expression seems to say "I never thought that they weren't." And ... scene!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7X5T0v3e_OEa_hDKK73bbIZkUlvZ-vbboS8USxWIMw-qzi3PfPDA9dyHM4nTN6Hp85uhqAxZWzn9qC9Muq821J9vLJ3fjmHYd_m9oz2VittKj7owU3YKjKGbirUFAbBtl7nu1ArUY4uU/s1600/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="951" data-original-width="1251" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7X5T0v3e_OEa_hDKK73bbIZkUlvZ-vbboS8USxWIMw-qzi3PfPDA9dyHM4nTN6Hp85uhqAxZWzn9qC9Muq821J9vLJ3fjmHYd_m9oz2VittKj7owU3YKjKGbirUFAbBtl7nu1ArUY4uU/s640/s03e08+In+The+Beginning+29.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's sweet, he looks so excited.</td></tr>
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<br />Calamity Jonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01800364546694770009noreply@blogger.com0