Beep Beep the Road Runner #22 (Gold Key, February 1971, 15 cents)
"The Conked Condor" In this six-page uncredited story, Wile E. Coyote is trying to "bop" himself a road runner by launching boulders at them. Instead, he hits a condor, which lands in a cactus before meeting Road Runner and his three children. The condor "can't get started from flat ground," so he can't fly away from Wile E., who catches him. The road runners, however, free him.
"Lost and Frown'd" On a very windy day, Road Runner and his children find a wallet belonging to R.J. Jaye of 123 June St. They go to town to return it to him, byt Wile E. Coyote ambushes them. Jaye discovers Wile E. picking his wallet up off the stoop. "Did you say a wallet-stealing coyote?" "The worst kind!"
"Slippery Target" This four-page Cool Cat story features a hunter who slips in the morning dew, spiked shoes from the "Hope for Hunting" chest, a foot chase, and a gun that needs loading. In the end, Cool Cat escapes slipping and sliding around in the hunter's old shoes.
Showing posts with label 1971. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1971. Show all posts
Monday, August 27, 2018
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Dark Streets and Mysterious Science
Daredevil #70 (Marvel, November 1970, 15 cents)
"The Tribune" Presenter: Stan Lee, Story: Gary Friedrich, Illustrators: Gene Colan and Syd Shores, Letterer: Sam Rosen.
On Hollywood Boulevard, movie star Buck Ralston gives a political speech that takes patriotism to an extreme before suggesting that now actress Karen is a communist—and that he and his friends need to "get rid" of "pinko crumbs." Back in New York, Daredevil goes to a protest at the Hilton, where the vice president becomes the target of a bombing.
Ralston reveals himself as the Tribune, a "new kind of judge... to decide who's a good American... and who's a rotten red." He sentences a draft dodger to "the living death" just before Daredevil—back in New York—almost stops another bombing, which leads to a young passerby being falsely accused. The Tribune's comments to his gang suggest that the coast-hopping will end next issue when the two plot lines are expected to intersect.
All in all, a solid issue. In the letter column, Martin Pasko writes in to say that Marvel's dialogue is more natural than DC's, and that he supports multi-issue story arcs. Neat to see his letter of comment!
Daredevil #78 (Marvel, July 1971, 15 cents)
"The Horns of the Bull!" Editor: Stan Lee, Writer: Gerry Conway, Artist: Gene Colan, Inker: Tom Palmer, Letterer: Sam Rosen.
Matt Murdock continues to pine over actress Karen Page, now in her first movie, A Tender Affair. He answers a cry for help and saves a young couple from being abducted for "an experiment of some sort," "for guinea pigs." At least he does the first time!
This is quite an issue. Dark streets, mysterious science, the introduction of a new villain, relationship challenges with Foggy and Karen, and innocents in danger. Where will it go?
"The Tribune" Presenter: Stan Lee, Story: Gary Friedrich, Illustrators: Gene Colan and Syd Shores, Letterer: Sam Rosen.
On Hollywood Boulevard, movie star Buck Ralston gives a political speech that takes patriotism to an extreme before suggesting that now actress Karen is a communist—and that he and his friends need to "get rid" of "pinko crumbs." Back in New York, Daredevil goes to a protest at the Hilton, where the vice president becomes the target of a bombing.
Ralston reveals himself as the Tribune, a "new kind of judge... to decide who's a good American... and who's a rotten red." He sentences a draft dodger to "the living death" just before Daredevil—back in New York—almost stops another bombing, which leads to a young passerby being falsely accused. The Tribune's comments to his gang suggest that the coast-hopping will end next issue when the two plot lines are expected to intersect.
All in all, a solid issue. In the letter column, Martin Pasko writes in to say that Marvel's dialogue is more natural than DC's, and that he supports multi-issue story arcs. Neat to see his letter of comment!
Daredevil #78 (Marvel, July 1971, 15 cents)
"The Horns of the Bull!" Editor: Stan Lee, Writer: Gerry Conway, Artist: Gene Colan, Inker: Tom Palmer, Letterer: Sam Rosen.
Matt Murdock continues to pine over actress Karen Page, now in her first movie, A Tender Affair. He answers a cry for help and saves a young couple from being abducted for "an experiment of some sort," "for guinea pigs." At least he does the first time!
This is quite an issue. Dark streets, mysterious science, the introduction of a new villain, relationship challenges with Foggy and Karen, and innocents in danger. Where will it go?
Thursday, November 02, 2017
A Beauty to Behold
The Dirty Duck Book #1 (Cocoanut Comix, 1971, 50 cents)
Bobby London did the whole thing, and this black-and-white beauty is a doozy. London, whose Dirty Duck comic strips later appeared in National Lampoon and Playboy magazines, has a very fine ink line, and his early comics—though underground and countercultural in nature—are highly influenced by George Herriman's Krazy Kat, and perhaps E.C. Segar's Popeye. (Interestingly, London actually did the Popeye comic strip in the '80s.) The original art must be a beauty to behold.
Incorporating impressionistic backgrounds and settings a la Herriman, Dirty Duck makes his way through London's world—going to see the Grateful Dead, accidentally injuring a police officer, recognizing famine, hiding from the law (a glorious page perhaps inspired by the Keystone Cops), wrecking a car, seeking privacy, wooing a dowager, and playing croquet.
The comic is somewhat text heavy—though not text dense—and you can read it at multiple levels. I'll have to return to reread the comic to further explore the text as text, As wonderfully and artistically drawn as the comic is—downright elegant for the undergrounds—there's more going on than can be seen on the surface.
Given that this was drawn in the early '70s, I'm wondering what comic strip reprints were available at the time. London was clearly well versed in the the visual language of the early art form, as well as on contemporary undergrounds.
Availability: An IDW/Top Shelf Dirty Duck collection is scheduled for July 2018. London's Popeye work has been collected in Popeye: The Classic Newspaper Comics by Bobby London Volume 1 (1986-1989) and Popeye: The Classic Newspaper Comics by Bobby London Volume 2 (1989-1992).
Bobby London did the whole thing, and this black-and-white beauty is a doozy. London, whose Dirty Duck comic strips later appeared in National Lampoon and Playboy magazines, has a very fine ink line, and his early comics—though underground and countercultural in nature—are highly influenced by George Herriman's Krazy Kat, and perhaps E.C. Segar's Popeye. (Interestingly, London actually did the Popeye comic strip in the '80s.) The original art must be a beauty to behold.
Incorporating impressionistic backgrounds and settings a la Herriman, Dirty Duck makes his way through London's world—going to see the Grateful Dead, accidentally injuring a police officer, recognizing famine, hiding from the law (a glorious page perhaps inspired by the Keystone Cops), wrecking a car, seeking privacy, wooing a dowager, and playing croquet.
The comic is somewhat text heavy—though not text dense—and you can read it at multiple levels. I'll have to return to reread the comic to further explore the text as text, As wonderfully and artistically drawn as the comic is—downright elegant for the undergrounds—there's more going on than can be seen on the surface.
Given that this was drawn in the early '70s, I'm wondering what comic strip reprints were available at the time. London was clearly well versed in the the visual language of the early art form, as well as on contemporary undergrounds.
Availability: An IDW/Top Shelf Dirty Duck collection is scheduled for July 2018. London's Popeye work has been collected in Popeye: The Classic Newspaper Comics by Bobby London Volume 1 (1986-1989) and Popeye: The Classic Newspaper Comics by Bobby London Volume 2 (1989-1992).
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