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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Saturday, March 12, 2005
So why am I posting a cover of a comic book I know virtually nothing about? Because it was posted on the GRAND COMICS DATABASE [www.comics.org] and because I saw it not five minutes after having a chat about my son Eddie's high school giving military recruiters way too much access to students. It's too early to say where this chat might lead, but I wouldn't be at all unhappy to see a certain administrator given the boot if he continues playing politics with the futures and perhaps the lives of the students.
On a cheerier note...
FREDDY appears to be a pleasantly-drawn teen humor comic book, though I can't make out the signature on this cover. I spotted a later issue of the title on eBay and could make out the signatures of Charlton editor/artist [Pat] Masulli and veteran artist [Jon] D'Agostino. They might have had something to do with the cover art for this issue as well.
This is FREDDY #33 [April, 1962]. This title started out as MY LITTLE MARGIE'S BOYFRIENDS for its first eleven issues and then FREDDY took over the numbering. This was a common dodge for comics publishers - something to do with saving the expense of getting a new second-class mailing permit for a new title - and Charlton did it more than most.
What struck me as most off about FREDDY is how little I could learn about the book, especially given that THE OFFICIAL OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE lists it as running for 36 issues from June, 1958 to February, 1965. FREDDY isn't even listed in THE STANDARD CATALOG OF COMIC BOOKS.
As always, anyone who knows more about this comic series than I do - and, obviously, that wouldn't be hard - is welcome to send me an enlightening e-mail.
Let's see what else I have for you today.
******
THE SUPERHERO BOOK
Edited by Gina Misiroglu with David A. Roach, THE SUPERHERO BOOK [Visible Ink; $29.95] claims to be "The Ultimate Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Icons and Hollywood Heroes." The problem with such a come-on is that your readers are going to expect a lot from you. If you don't deliver...
I write this review after reading A-C of THE SUPERHERO BOOK's 725 pages. What I like about the book is that it was written in a very accessible and friendly style and that it showed great sense in gathering together minor super-heroes of a similar nature, such as "cat heroes," into group articles instead of individual entries. I even liked them devoting more than one article to the best-known super-heroes. For example, we get "Batman," "Batman in the Media," "Batman's Villains," and "Batman's Weapons and Gadgets." The way the book is designed so that you can enjoy a few or many items at a time, either jumping around to those super-heroes in which you're most interested in or going from A-Z.
What I don't like about THE SUPERHERO BOOK is that, based on my reading to date, it gets some facts wrong and offers conclusions which can't be sustained by the facts. Both of my complaints could have been handled with a few more pairs of knowledgeable eyes going over the manuscript before publication. I'll give you examples of entries containing facts or material I found questionable.
In the entry on "Archie Heroes," it is stated that Alan Moore had wanted to use the Fly, Black Hood, and others in his WATCHMEN series for DC. Obviously, that's incorrect. It was the Charlton heroes Moore had wanted to use and THE SUPERHERO BOOK even mentions that fact in its entry on those characters.
In the "Captain Marvel/Shazam" entry, we're told that "a new 2004 series by acclaimed indie cartoonist Jeff Smith was the talk of comics fandom." I think I can speak for myself and many fellow comics fans when I say that, while we're very excited about Smith's series, it probably won't be the "talk" of fandom until DC Comics publishes it...which they haven't done yet.
The volume's entry on the "Comics Code" gives the impression Fredric Wertham was the driving force behind the Senate Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee to Investigate Juvenile Delinquency in the United States and that the comics industry was the primary target of the investigation. Such a comic-centric view of those hearings distorts the reality of the proceedings.
One more example. The entry on "The Creeper" concludes with the contention the Vertigo re-invention of the character inspired a new generation of fans. Such absurd exaggerations don't inspire my confidence in THE SUPERHERO BOOK.
THE SUPERHERO BOOK can be a fun and even useful tome, but the reader needs to realize that its accuracy and critical conclusions are sometimes questionable. That being the case, the best score I can give it is two out of five Tonys.
******
MEN OF TOMORROW
My gut reaction to MEN OF TOMORROW: GEEKS, GANGSTERS AND THE BIRTH OF THE COMIC BOOK by Gerard Jones [Basic Books; $26] is that it's the most important book on the origins of the American comic-book industry ever. It puts the prominent players of those days - creators, editors, and publishers - into the social context of the United States of America in which they were born and in which they raised themselves to adulthood. It explores the inner demons and motivations of those players in painful detail. Indeed, it is the comics industry equivalent of the great American tragedy.
Jones is historian, psychologist, and sociologist as he delves into the lives and minds of Jerry Siegel, Jack Liebowitz, Harry Donenfeld, Mort Weisinger, and many others...with guest appearances by gangsters like Frank Costello. He weaves a soap opera tale of crime, deceit, infidelities, poverty, wealth, and the crushing of human spirits. Meticulously researched, MEN OF TOMORROW brings its characters and the worlds they lived in to vivid reality. My hands actually shook with anger as I read some chapters.
Even in this golden age of comics scholarship, surrounded by other brilliant works, MEN OF TOMORROW still shines brighter than the rest. You must read this book.
MEN OF TOMORROW gets the full five Tonys.
******
GREEN LANTERN
GREEN LANTERN: SLEEPERS BOOK TWO [ibooks; $22.95], the middle book in the trilogy by Christopher J. Priest and his collaborators, is one of the most powerful super-hero novels I've read. Writing with Michael Ahn, Priest delivers a often-shocking retelling of how Alan Scott became Green Lantern, how he first used and then denied his great power, and how that power was used to horrifying effect in World War II.
As in the first SLEEPERS book, which starred Kyle Rayner, the chief threat facing Scott is a villain with a power ring not unlike his own. The ring is one of many placed on Earth by the Qwardians of an alternate anti-matter dimension, part of a centuries-spanning plan to make our dimension their new home.
The ring-bearer who fought Rayner in the first book was mind-controlled by the ring. Malvello, the villain of this book, needs no such guidance. His personal megalomania and utter disdain for life has been part of him since his birth in 16th century England. The only thing more shocking than Malvello's brutality is how far Scott is willing to go to stop him. Priest doesn't shy away from the price - in blood and souls - which wars extract from those who fight in them.
Ex-GL Hal Jordan makes a guest appearance, playing the part of deus ex machina. It's an understandable sequence given the overall trilogy, but less than satisfying. Rayner also appears in an unfortunate epilogue that serves little purpose beyond reminding us that he's still around.
My quibbles aside, GREEN LANTERN: SLEEPERS BOOK TWO delivers edge-of-your-seat action side-by-side with a penetrating look into Scott's wartime experiences. It earns four Tonys.
******
COMICS IN THE COMICS
Self-referential humor in comics strips. I love it and share it with you whenever I find it.
Here's Dan Piraro's BIZARRO for March 10:
Here's Darrin Bell's CANDORVILLE for March 10:
CANDORVILLE has become one of my favorite comic strips and I recommend it highly. You can read it here:
umweb3.unitedmedia.com/wash/candorville
Look for more "comics in the comics" in future installments of this column. Because, as noted above, I love this stuff.
******
TONY'S MAILBOX
Digging deep into my e-mail box, I came across this January 11 note from my pal ANTHONY TOLLIN:
I enjoyed your review of the MARVEL MYSTERY reprints. Haven't received my copy yet, but I will let you know what I think of the reproduction when I do. Of course, the reproduction on the second Sub-Mariner story is going to be substandard; it was originally done for black-and-white in MOTION PICTURES FUNNIES WEEKLY and, as far as I know, doesn't exist in B&W form as the first story does. You did miss an opportunity to mention that both Namor and Ka-Zar predate MARVEL COMICS #1. Ka-Zar is Marvel's oldest character, having debuted three years earlier in the first issue of Martin Goodman's 1936 pulp series. I'm sending you a scan of my copy of that issue.
And here it is:
If any readers missed my review of MARVEL MASTERWORKS: GOLDEN AGE MARVEL COMICS VOL. 1, they can read it here:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/back20050110.shtml
******
MORE MAILBOX
Earlier this year, on the sad occasion of WILL EISNER's death, I wrote a brief tribute and suggested the establishment of a Will Eisner Spirit Award which would honor the current efforts of comics industry veterans over the age of 65. You can read this column by going here:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/back20050105.shtml
Most of the responses were supportive of this notion, but one from a close friend of Eisner's gave me pause:
I know your heart is in the right place in proposing this new award. However, I'm having a hard time seeing a need for it. For one thing, there is already a Will Eisner Spirit of Comics Award, which is given to outstanding retailers each year. For another, Will did not think longevity in the comics field was a particularly important thing. And third, who would it go to? There aren't that many candidates. I can count Golden Age folks who are still doing work on one hand, and most of them have already won an Eisner Hall of Fame award.
Will was all about doing good work and making the most of the comics medium, whatever one's age. That's what the Eisner Awards try to reward and that's what Will liked about them. He was always looking ahead, not behind.
I had forgotten about the comics retailer award when I wrote my suggestion for the new award. Obviously, that precludes calling it the Will Eisner Spirit Award.
As far as the longevity thing, I think the above writer missed the point of the award. It wasn't suggested to honor creators who have managed to stick around; it was suggested to honor exemplary work by those veteran creators. It wasn't an endurance award; it was an excellence award.
Who would it go to? Given my suggestion of honoring working creators over the age of 65, that makes any working creator born in 1940 or earlier eligible. Just off the top of my head, that would include Dick Ayers, Dick Giordano, Stan Goldberg, Joe Kubert, Stan Lee, Denny O'Neil, Alex Nino, Sal Buscema, John Romita, Mike Ploog, Harlan Ellison, Sergio Aragones, Bob Bolling, John Severin, Richard Corben, Gene Colan, Mort Walker, and...you get the picture already, right? Heck, even spring chicken Neal Adams is only one year away from eligibility and, God willing, more comics writers and artists will become eligible every year. I have absolutely no doubts that there would be worthy contenders for the award.
However, if those closest to Will Eisner tell me that he would not have been supportive of his name being attached to this award, then I must concede the point. I still think the award is a good idea. We just have to find a new name for it and some organization willing to get behind it.
Consider the floor open to suggestions.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back soon with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 03/11/2005 | 03/12/2005 | 03/13/2005 >>
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
Please send material you would like me to review to:
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Medina, OH 44256
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