John Lennon at 74

Of course, we didn't GET John until 74. In fact, he's almost been gone now as long as we had him. Sigh. There's no way to envision what Lennon would have been like on his 74th birthday today. The man was a chameleon. Over and above his talent, he was a very complex man with a lot of bad qualities. But he was always striving to learn and to grow. Sometimes, he was too easily influenced by others but he used it all as a learning experience. Was John Lennon perfect? Of course he wasn't. He was probably far less perfect than many of his contemporaries in music in fact. But the thing to remember about him is that he was evolving so very rapidly and so very publicly. The Lennon of 1961 bears little resemblance to the Lennon of 1964 and is worlds away from the Lennon of 1967, just six years beyond! Sometimes it's hard to remember that they were all really the same very flawed, very human but very fascinating man!

My Top 15 Lee/Kirby Fantastic Four Favorites

With the announcement of the impending cancellation of FANTASTIC FOUR-- which I don't have an issue with in and of itself as good stories have been few and far between and too many reboots have scarred the brand--I've been waxing nostalgic over what I would still consider y all-time favorite comic book series. I briefly had a complete collection of FF, stopping at # 414 as I didn't realize the original run would end just a couple issues later. The above is probably my all-time favorite with perhaps the best story of Doctor Doom, another character whose many appearances diluted his importance.

This was one I spotted in ads long before I found the book itself for a nickel in a junk shop. An atypical but wonderfully atmospheric story and Wally Wood redrawing Daredevil throughout! What's not to love?

One of the first of the older stories I read in MARVEL COLLECTOR'S ITEM CLASSICS, this one introduced me to the Sub-Mariner, here running a movie studio where the bankrupt FF attempt to make some money! Again, hardly a typical adventure.

The big one. Marvel really went cosmic with this one featuring The Silver Surfer and Galactus.

Another one i discovered in reprints--a great sci-fi story also well-adapted for the '67 cartoon series.

The first issue of FF I ever saw and my introduction to so many characters from Kirby's fertile imagination.

Took this PRISONER-inspired ish on vacation with me to North Carolina. A good story and some of Jack's best latter day FF art.

The wedding issue! In spite of less than stellar inks, this free-for-all was and is much fun to the hardcore fan.

As I was collecting back issues as I found them, I was reading them in all the wrong order. This one quickly became a favorite.

Another one with ads that intrigued me but one I wouldn't actually get until years after I first saw its cover.

I remember the day I bought this at the drugstore and stopping to read it in a parking lot before I even git home! Couldn't wait!

A truly epic, perhaps definitive Sub-Mariner/FF tale, later reprinted with additional tweaking by John Byrne!

My introduction to the concept of the Golden Age and also the word "original."

I remember being blown away by this cover while I was on my knees at Stegner's Drugstore looking through the just shelved new comics!

And finally I read this one, where Sue announces her pregnancy, while sitting in the car waiting for my Dad to finish a horseshoe match!

And here's the thing. All of these books still exist for me to re-read and others to still discover. They may seem simplistic compared to today's sophisticated plots and art but brother, comics don't GET any better than the original FF!

 

Very Early Video Tape Ad

Marvel Comics Cigarette Lighter Ad-1951

Hmmm...In 1951, comics fans were generally presumed to be kids and here's an ad with a special offer to "Readers of Marvel Comics" for a fancy, monogrammed cigarette lighter and case! Maybe those %^$#@!! publishers really WERE out to warp our young psyches!

I Just See You-Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements

One of the neatest things about Facebook is the opportunity to meet some of the coolest people that you might never have otherwise met. One of those virtual friends is Tracy Newman whom I met through my friendship with the late Kip King. Tracy has an impressive resume behind her (Seriously. Look her up) but she's also an incredible singer/songwriter. For some reason she wanted to share this song with me tonight and it really hit home. Made me tear up. I shared it with my wife. It's a widescreen video so to make sure you see the whole picture, catch it on YouTube here--

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nuarOOtaV8

Thank you so much, Tracy. Got it stuck in my head now.

Hop Harrigan Meets the JSA

Here we have Superman's first appearance with the Justice Society of America (and Batman's, at least in name)! From ALL-STAR COMICS # 8!

Cap by Don Heck and Booksteve

I spotted a lovely pencil sketch by Don Heck of Captain America online yesterday. Heck's Cap, as seen in AVENGERS, was an early favorite of mine, even before I saw Kirby's! I never pursued art but I like to draw and I decided to ink the sketch just to see what it would look like. Unfortunately, the only equipment on hand was a blue Sharpie. It's sloppy as all get out but I think--to MY eyes anyway--that one can still detect Dashing Donnie's signature style. Stephen ('MAZING MAN) DeStefano said, "Not bad for Sharpie inks."