New Direction Art

Here are the first few examples of my New Direction art made from distorting and manipulating pre-existing photographs. Comments please?

Dr Who Game-1966

Rare Bucky Ruckus

© Wallace Wood Properties LLC

Just a reminder that HOORAY FOR WALLY WOOD has remained up since we ceased regular posts in May. With nearly 800 posts there, you'd think we covered it all and yet still previously unseen art such as seen above surfaces.

Unlikely Stories-Daredevil # 2 (An Article From 1993)

In 1992, I was at my LCS chatting with folks when one person pointed out that he was now writing for a locally published, nationally distributed comics mag called COMICS ARENA. I mentioned that I had published my first piece in AMAZING HEROES some time earlier and he suggested I turn in something for the new mag. As it happened, I had been working on a series of articles called UNLIKELY STORIES to be submitted to THE COMICS BUYERS GUIDE so the following week, I sent them one just to give them an idea of my writing abilities. Never heard a thing.

A few months later, back at the LCS, my friend was there and I mentioned to him that I had never heard back from the mag. He expressed surprise and said he had enjoyed my article in the previous issue. 

I insisted he tell me where these folks were located and I went there directly. I was told they really liked my piece. I pointed out that they should have paid me and/or at least told me they were printing it then. He insisted that the mag wasn't selling as well as they had hoped so they had had to stop paying contributors except in copies. He then gave me a dozen copies of the issue with my piece. I told him that would have to do but that I didn't appreciate their lack of ethics and wouldn't be writing for them any more.

Oddly enough, with DC honcho Dan Didio fighting some majorly bad press in the news this weekend, he was also a contributor to COMICS ARENA I see.

Ditko Monsters Konga

Since I worked on this book, I'm not going to give an actual review, just a plug. This is, I believe, the thickest Yoe Book yet. It's certainly the most impressively designed package as well. Inside you'll find all of Joe Gill and Steve Ditko's celebrated tales of the monkey who becomes a chimpanzee who becomes a gorilla. (Don't ask.) Featuring some of the legendary artist's best work in the opinion of most, myself included, you also get an informative intro on the history of the character in his movie, his book and his comic. An excellent companion to Yoe's recent Gorgo volume, this great book hit comic shops last week and is now shipping from Amazon.

Dracula, Father and Son

Over at my movie blog, we look at advertising for COUNT DRACULA which was supposed to have been Christopher Lee's last appearance as the Count. When it failed, he played the role twice more for Hammer, then swore it off forever…well… except for this little-seen 1976 French comedy!

Early Casper Ad

As a kid, even in my pre-collecting days, my favorite comic book was CASPER.