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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 Friday, April 29, 2005
When I saw the above cover of PATSY WALKER #32 [January, 1951] at Greg Gatlin's ATLAS TALES website [www.atlastales.com], I knew I had to share it with you. I was struck by the sheer bizarreness of the scene - Patsy and Buzz Baxter look like mutant giants here - and the stunning beauty of Buzz's dancing partner. Sadly, neither Gatlin nor the GRAND COMICS DATABASE [www.comics.org] have, at the present time, identified the cover artist.
At the GCD, I did a little more exploring in the PATSY WALKER cover gallery and thought it might be kind of neat to also show you the first and last covers of the title. PATSY WALKER #1 [no date given, but it came out in early 1945] shows a different Patsy than we would see on later covers. Once again, neither Gatlin nor the GCD list a cover artist for this premiere issue.
PATSY WALKER #124 [December, 1965] was the last issue of the title and, though the GCD puts a question mark after his name, it's likely the cover artist was interior artist Al Hartley. There are no writer credits listed for the issue either, but Hartley wrote a number of issues prior to this final one.
Would you like to see more of these "alpha/omega" pairings of comic-book covers? Let me know and I'll do my best to accommodate that interest.
Let's see what else I have for you today.
******
COMICS IN THE COMICS
I take special delight in comics strips that reference other strips, comic books, or cartoons. When I come across them, I share the love with you.
For example, here is Mike Peters' MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM strip for April 20:
I always wondered about those arms of his.
Over in Robb Armstrong's JUMP START, expectant parents Joe and Marcy have been going through names for their twins. These strips are from April 22 and 23:
I realize Godzilla and King Kong aren't best known for their appearances in comics or cartoons, but I'm more than willing to be inconsistent when it comes to characters I love.
Speaking of Godzilla, my pal Chris Mills just reviewed several Godzilla movies in his DVD LATE SHOW column:
www.moviepoopshoot.com/lateshow/index.html
I don't agree with all of Mills' opinions on the films - those human characters, a military father and his reporter daughter, are my favorite element of GODZILLA, MOTHRA AND KING GHIDORAH: GIANT MONSTERS ALL-OUT ATTACK - but his column is fine reading for those of us who love the big critters.
Look for more COMICS IN THE COMICS soon.
******
EERIE QUEST
Comics historian Richard Arndt recently reminded me that I had a letter - in which I exposed the "secret identity" of artist Tony Williamsune - printed in EERIE #17 [September, 1968]. Naturally, I want a copy of this issue for my files, as well as a copy of the earlier issue on which my letter comments.
Unfortunately, and for no reason I can discern, EERIE #17 has proven to be an elusive issue to track down. The only copies which have shown up on eBay since I began looking were either in horrible condition (and overpriced) or part of large lots going for equally large prices. Thus, in this, my hour of need - okay, want - I turn to the loyal legions of TOT readers.
When next you visit your friendly neighborhood comics store, assuming you frequent an establishment which carries back issues, see if they have a decent condition copy of EERIE #17. If they do, e-mail me with the book's price. Assuming said price is within my means-of-the-moment, I'll happily forward funds for that issue and the attendant shipping costs.
If you're going to a convention where you think you might be able to find EERIE #17, e-mail me and I'll give you my cell phone number. If you find a copy of the issue, give me a call and we can proceed from there.
If you yourself have a copy of EERIE #17 with which you'd be willing to part, please contact me. I'll either buy the book from you or offer you a generous trade from my stock of duplicate books and other goodies.
Thanks for your help, my friends.
******
HOLLYWOOD ECLECTERN
One of the quiet joys of comics fandom is Ed Buchman's great HOLLYWOOD ECLECTERN fanzine. The cover shown above is from issue #40 [Winter/Spring, 2004/2005] and, as with Ed's previous issues, he distributes it free of change to any one sharing his interest in LITTLE LULU and other works of John Stanley.
Buchman knocks me out with how much wondrous stuff he squeezes into a mere 16 pages. The Larry Blake cover is just the excellent start to this issue. Inside, Ed covers the latest comics and other Little Lulu news, presents the Stanley pencil roughs to the entire seven-page Nancy tale which introduced the recurring character Oona Goosepimple, and closes with a brief excerpt from one of the Lulu comics recently reprinted by Dark Horse.
What a great fanzine!
THE HOLLYWOOD ECLECTERN #40 earns Buchman the full five out of five Tonys.
If you'd like to score your own copies of this and his future issues, write to him at:
The Hollywood Eclectern
P.O. Box 4215
Fullerton, California 92834
******
TONY'S MAILBOX
I'm reaching back to an e-mail I received in August of 2004. The writer signed the note "BUBBA":
I've been into comic books for awhile now and discovered your column about a month ago on my wanderings in cyberspace. I have a few questions I was figuring you could answer.
1. What is an "independent comic book?" It made sense to me that it'd be a self-published comic, but now I hear of companies like IDW and Cast Iron which are claiming to publish indie comic books. What's up with that?
2. What is a "graphic novel?" To my understanding, since I've encountered several different definitions, it's a big fat comic book, previously published or otherwise. But what about a comic strip collection? Isn't that a graphic novel? And is a graphic novel the same as a TPB?
It would be great if you could help me out here.
Good questions, Bubba. Let me take a swing at them.
I think independent is one of the most misused terms in comicdom. Many comic books it's been used to describe would more accurately be classified as alternative. And it definitely blurs the lines to consider an outfit like IDW, which, among other titles, publishes licensed properties like ANGEL and C.S.I., to be an independent publisher.
Turning to the dictionary, I find some definitions of the word "independent" that could apply here:
"Self-governing. Free from the influence, guidance, or control of another or others; self-reliant...
"Not determined or influenced by someone or something else; not contingent...
"Not dependent on or affiliated with a larger or controlling entity." One of the examples given of this definition is that of an independent film.
If IDW were publishing a creator-owned comic book over whose contents it had no editorial control, that individual comic could be considered an indie comic. Even independent films usually rely on some larger entity for distribution.
For me, it comes down to the creator/publisher contract. If the creator is calling the shots and the publisher doesn't control any ancillary rights to the work, I wouldn't have a problem calling that book an indie comic. But that wouldn't necessarily make the publisher an indie publisher.
However, if a publisher's contracts were all as I described above, I think the company could justifiably describe itself as an indie publisher. At least by the standards of the blessed chaotic comics industry.
Moving on to the graphic novel...
My online dictionary defines it as "a novel whose narrative is related through a combination of text and art, often in comic-strip form." That's not bad.
The definition of "novel" includes a mention of length, so it isn't completely inaccurate to describe graphic novels as "big, fat comics." But I think there are more and more important elements to graphic novels than mere length.
Author Nicholas Sparks lists the four basic elements of novels as plot, character development, writing style, and length. Plot is story or, to put it another way, what happens. An extended fight scene would have to reveal and develop character for me to consider it to be an actual plot.
I believe character development is the key element separating a true graphic novel from a collection of related stories or comic strips. If the characters aren't any different at the end of the story than at the beginning, even if it's only to the extent that their inability to change causes a change in their circumstances, I don't think the work can be called a novel. This eliminates most collections of super-hero stories, though I do contend that, taken on its own, Frank Miller's DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN is most certainly worthy of the designation.
Writing style? Despite the dearth of actual writing styles in comic books, I agree this should also be part of our definition of the graphic novel. If the work doesn't have a clear and consistent narrative voice, if the characters don't speak in their own voices, then it's just words on the pictures.
Thanks for posing such intriguing questions, Bubba. I hope my answers didn't confuse the issues further.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 04/28/2005 | 04/29/2005 | 04/30/2005 >>
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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:
Tony's Online Tips
840 Damon Drive
Medina, OH 44256
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