Review: Archie-The Best of Dan DeCarlo Vol 1

In case you haven't noticed--and arguably in spite of all logic--the 21st Century is a great time to be an Archie Comics fan. Along with Marvel and DC, Archie is the only US comic book company to have weathered the twists and turns of the market for seven straight decades and even now the company's future looks bright!

With newsmaking stories such as Archie's wedding, new titles aimed at older readers, cell phone apps, bookfairs for younger kids and the controversial introduction of Riverdale's first gay character, the company is certainly looking ahead but they're also looking back at their legacy. Recently IDW released an unprecedented volume collecting Bob Montana's original ARCHIE newspaper strips and still forthcoming is Craig Yoe's definitive history of Archie Comics which promises to be worth the wait (and I have inside information on THAT score!). In the meantime, IDW is quietly releasing a number of volumes celebrating juts a few of the classic Archie artists. First up, naturally, is Dan DeCarlo. Thanks to IDW, I have a review copy of ARCHIE: THE BEST OF DAN DECARLO, volume one on the man that most fans still consider to be THE Archie artist.

Dan DeCarlo had worked at Timely and Atlas in the fifties as the postwar Archie comics settled comfortably into their family-friendly niche while other companies exploited horror, westerns and romances. In fact, Dan worked on some of Timely's romances or at least their fringe titles like SHERRY THE SHOWGIRL and MILLIE THE MODEL. He also did a number of humor strips with Stan Lee both for comics as well as for newspapers. He was drawing in his distinctive style almost from the beginning. Meanwhile, the Archie artists--Harry Lucey, Bill Vigoda and the rest of that mostly anonymous crew--were building on Bob Montana's original style for Archie characters and coming up with a style very similar to that which DeCarlo was already doing!

IDW's volume begins in the late fifties when Dan has just arrived at Archie after Marvel looked to be finally going under (Who knew?). Since most of his early work was on BETTY & VERONICA stories, that's what you find here: At least one representative story of Archie's girlfriends from every year between 1958 and 1969 (oddly missing 1967--an off year?). There's no introduction so I have no real concept of what criteria were used for choosing a story for inclusion. I will say, however, that every single story here is a gem! With the majority written by Archie's most prolific writer, Frank Doyle (along with one by George Gladir), there is consistent characterization and a most enjoyably amusing sense of gag timing. Betty and Veronica are, of course, both best friends and rivals, opposites and yet in some ways doppelgangers. They both want Archie who appears here mostly as a supporting character. Jughead and particularly Reggie have some good moments, also.

Contrary to popular belief, these iconic characters and their stories aren't just for kids. They aren't just suitable for stroking one's nostalgia either. If you've never in your life picked up an Archie comic book but you have a sense of humor, you will like this book. The stories are genuinely funny and the art is legitimately amazing!

In fact, speaking of DeCarlo's art, it is a revelation here. I am quite familiar with his earlier work and have long sonic believed his Archie work to simply be more of the same but it is not. As seen in this volume's stunning reproduction, DeCarlo's distinct use of thick and thin lines to characterize faces is a joy to behold. The girls come across as much sexier than they do in the modern comics and yet with seemingly little effort on the artist's part, as though it was all just naturally flowing from his pencil. Credit must also be given to DeCarlo's longtime inker Rudy Lapick whose inks grace literally every single one of the stories herein.

The book's design is nifty and fun also, looking in size and thickness like nothing more or less than a big old hardcover comic book--complete with the Comics Code seal on the upper right hand corner. In comparing with a few of the original comics I have, the color re-creations are faithful to the original but the better reproduction brings out more in this version so they look much better. In fact, my only real problem with the book's design is the double contents page, printed on a lovely blue background with pop art color dots and nearly impossible to read tiny white text. Once you're on to the stories, however, there are absolutely no problems.

This is volume one in the Dan DeCarlo Archie series. Since Dan was THE image of Archie for more than four decades, there will be more if this sells. So what are you waiting for? Buy it already! Like I said, it's a great time to be an Archie fan. There's a Stan Goldberg volume on its way…and then Craig Yoe's big Archie volume…and then a whole collection of ARCHIE'S MADHOUSE. Who knows what after that? Great stuff!

Movies That Fell Through the Cracks # 63

Just how different was the ratings system of the early seventies from the ratings system we have today? Well, consider the fact that MARK OF THE DEVIL, as seen in this original opening day ad, was rated PG even as it was being referred to as "Positively the most horrifying film ever made." In fact, soon enough, its distributor would bill it as "the first film rated 'V' for violence."

If I'm remembering correctly, MARK OF THE DEVIL, with its gimmick of free barf bags (which turned up all over my school for the next week or so) opened in this country in 1972 but it had actually been made in 1970, a West German production.

To horror fans, it's hardly a lost film but it has kind of fallen by the wayside in recent decades. The most interesting thing about it, as anyone who saw it will know, is that in spite of a few memorably violent torture scenes (apparently STILL censored on some video and DVD releases according to IMDB), MARK OF THE DEVIL really is NOT just a torture-porn exploitation film. In fact it has as much or more in common with Vincent Price's now critically praised WITCHFINDER GENERAL (aka THE CONQUERER WORM) than it does SAW.

MARK OF THE DEVIL is, like Price's film, a story of the Witch Hunts of old. In this case, Herbert Lom is the protagonist, a corrupt official whose imperfections come to light to his assistant, played by Udo Kier. Other familiar cast names to genre buffs are Reggie Nalder and Gaby Fuchs.

Lom, of course, is best remembered as the put-upon Chief Inspector Dreyfus in Peter Sellers' PINK PANTHER films but he lists a wide variety of horror film credits including the Amicus anthology, ASYLUM, the Phantom in the 1962 Hammer version of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and Van Helsing in Jess Franco's COUNT DRACULA.

Udo Kier, is, of course, the continental cult film star of both ANDY WARHOL'S FRANKENSTEIN and ANDY WARHOL'S DRACULA as well as equally adult attractions such as SPERMULA, THE STORY OF O, Dario Argento's SUSPIRIA and, more recently, cartoon voices on THE BATMAN and JUSTICE LEAGUE.

Reggie Nalder was the scarred character actor best known as the killer in Hitchcock's second version of THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH, the vampire in Stephen King's SALEM'S LOT mini-series and, once again, Van Helsing, in the otherwise all-porn star cast of 1979's DRACULA SUCKS. He also appeared in scores of episodic television series in the US from PETER GUNN to the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA over two decades.

Others in the cast included softcore sexploitation actress Gaby Fuchs, the unfortunately named Hebert Fux who went on to become a member of the Austrian Parliament and Adrian Hoven, one of the film's co-writers, in a small role. The other co-writer--as well as director--was Michael Armstrong who wrote a number of the nudge-nude, wink-wink British nudie comedies of the seventies.

So if you get a chance to see MARK OF THE DEVIL, don't turn it down OR accept it solely because of its marketing all these years. It's well acted and not horribly written with a surprising number of familiar faces to horror film fans. But…yeah…that tongue DOES come out so I WOULD keep a barf bag handy…just in case.

Howdy Doody Ad-1954

HOWDY DOODY was unquestionably the most popular children's show during what was truly a Golden Age of children's TV. It went off the air when I was about one but I've always enjoyed it. I even bought the DVD box set they came out with a few years back! Here's a little-seen ad from 1954.

Harvey Music Ad

I have never really understood the need some folks seem to have that requires comics heroes to have songs made about, around or by them! DC and Marvel had it in the sixties with more Marvel from various unofficial sources in the seventies. Archie, of course, hit the Top Ten with some of "their" music. Here. though, we have Richie Rich and Casper in one of the busiest ads I've ever seen! Anyone ever heard this record?

Halloween Costumes of 1956

Broken Springs Premieres

Some time ago, I wrote about an upcoming low budget independent zombie movie called BROKEN SPRINGS. I even ran the trailer. Technically, it's still upcoming. It has however, played a few film festivals (under a slightly expanded title) and tonight, it will finally premiere in the area where it was originally shot.

Quoting from the film's Facebook page: Broken Springs: Shine of the Undead Zombie Bastards will make it's East Tennessee Premiere Oct. 30th 2010 7PM at the Kingsport Renaissance Center as part of the Southern Appalachia International Film Festival or SOAPIFF. It will be shown almost two years to the day of when we held our auditions at the Renaissance Center.

From Wikipedia: Broken Springs is an independent film written, directed and edited by Virginia native Neeley Lawson. It stars Teague Quillen, Jake Lawson and Shannon Wallen. The movie centers on three high schoolers whose world is turned upside down by tainted moonshine which turns everyone who drinks it into a flesh eating zombie. It does not take long for the whole town to be overrun by hungry cannibal zombies.

The only person involved in BROKEN SPRINGS that any of you are likely to have heard of is Shannon Wallen, arguably the world's biggest fan of modern horror movies and himself a rather infamous TV horror movie host from the area where BROKEN SPRINGS was shot. Wallen plays "Billy Jack," (no relation) the moonshiner whose tainted moonshine instigates the plot. From what I understand, he also worked behind the scenes on the film, perhaps as Assistant Director. Previously, comic book fan Wallen also appeared on the cover of an unrelated zombie comic as a victim! Here's a link to my original report which shows that comic as well as features the trailer.

http://booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com/2009/10/broken-springs-trailer.html

I won't be at the premiere tonight (although I know some who probably will), and I'm not even sure why I care about this cheap little film that I will probably never even get to see. Maybe it's the "Hey, let's put on a show" attitude. Maybe it's because I know people who know people who were involved in its making. Maybe I just appreciate the fact that someone who wants to make a movie on any scale can stick with it through thick and thin and somehow get it to the point where--good or bad--it unreels in a theater...like BROKEN SPRINGS does tonight in Tennessee.

Review-The Vault of Walt by Jim Korkis

First thing this morning I noticed that Mark Evanier had posted a review of Jim Korkis’ new book, THE VAULT OF WALT. Seeing as how I had just finally finished my review copy of that same book, I purposely did not read Mark’s piece but I have no doubt that it was a recommendation.

Jim Korkis has been one of my favorite writers on animation for literally decades now. He is known throughout the world for his expertise on all things Disney and Disney fans everywhere should rejoice that he is sharing these episodic and anecdotal historical stories with us!

First of all, THE VAULT OF WALT is, in spite of what its title may imply, NOT about the scandals often linked these days to Disney. No matter how hard you look here, you will not find the Satan-worshipping, Nazi-sympathizing, anti-Semitic child molesting, deep frozen Disney who lurks in the dark recesses of Disney fandom on the Net. Nor will you find the sainted artistic genius that never made a misstep and was beloved by all who knew him. No, Korkis introduces us in snippets to the puzzle pieces that end up showing the reader a very real version of “Uncle Walt.”

The Disney in this book is a talented and creative animator and producer with a very good business sense. He loved children and legitimately wanted to entertain them but had a very good understanding of how to make a profit doing so.

In the book, you’ll find out the truth about Walt’s FBI connection, his membership in the DeMolay organization and his very memorable 30^th wedding anniversary. Even though I have never had the pleasure of visiting any of the Disney theme parks, the many segments offering background and behind-the-scenes stories about Disneyland and Epcot are informative and interesting. For me, though, the best parts were the looks at Disney’s personal involvement with a number of films from THE THREE LITTLE PIGS up through BLACKBEARD’S GHOST and even, unexpectedly, 1970’s THE ARISTOCATS. My favorite piece is about the notorious Atlanta premiere of SONG OF THE SOUTH in which the African-American actors, while consistently praised, were not even allowed in the theater…or much of downtown Atlanta in fact! You’ll find characters such as Ward Kimball, Salvador Dali, Chuck Jones, Zorro, a cigarette smoking chimp and the equally interesting Disney family themselves including Walt’s wife and daughters.

Much of Korkis’ book had originally been written as columns so one can easily skip around and always find something new and fascinating. The style is breezy but always informative with the author making even the most minute events feel important to the reader. For fans of today’s Disney mega-conglomerate, there’s little here to interest you. If, however, you’re one of the millions who grew up with Uncle Walt, then THE VAULT OF WALT offers some intriguing, insightful and incisive portraits of the real man, the world in which he lived…and the world he himself created.

What are you waiting for? You can order your copy of THE VAULT OF WALT by Jim Korkis below. Me? I’m going to go read what Mark said about it now.