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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 Wednesday, August 3, 2005
I want to gaze on something beautiful and elegant today, which is why this column is opening with the Syd Shores/Al Gabriele cover of BLONDE PHANTOM COMICS #12 [Winter, 1946]. Maybe an evening gown *isn't* the most practical outfit for fighting crime or standing on the ledge of a building, but, the mood I'm in right now, I find it far more appealing than the "spandex lingerie crawling up a super- heroine's butt cheeks" look.
I need beauty and elegance in my life today because there is a gaping hole in my house where my kitchen wall used to be, because there is debris all over the kitchen, because my kids and I had to spend most of our morning cleaning out a pantry which hadn't been cleaned since Geraldo Rivera mistook it for Al Capone's vault, and because all the stuff that was in the pantry is now taking up lots of space in other rooms of our house. The technical term for this is home improvement.
No matter how great it's gonna look when the construction has been completed, it's really ugly right now. So I wanted something pretty and, courtesy of Greg Gatlin's terrific ATLAS TALES website [www.atlastales.com], the Blonde Phantom beckoned to me. Expect to see more of her this week.
Here's what was in this issue with credits taken from Gatlin's site and the GRAND COMICS DATABASE [www.comics.org]...
Blonde Phantom in "Skyride To Doom" (18 pages) with script by Stan Lee, pencil art by Syd Shores, and inks by Al Avison;
Mister Wu in "Murder at the Opera" (8 pages) with pencil art by Bob Powell and inks by Louis Ferstadt;
Miss America in "Scourge of the Spiderman" (8 pages) with art by Charles Nicholas; and,
Blonde Phantom in "Death After Dinner" (8 pages) by Stan Lee with art by Vernon Henkel.
According to the OFFICIAL OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE, a near-mint condition of this book would cost $2150, which is still less than the cost of the sliding door of the addition being built onto my kitchen. I couldn't find any current or completed auctions for the book on eBay.
Today's TOT is this short to allow me to work around all the banging and the hammering and the ungodly chaos of the construction going on in my home. I've been assured things will be ever so much better tomorrow. I believe this because I'm trying to be a half-full-glass kind of guy here.
Your homework assignment is to e-mail/phone/write every Marvel Comics editor you know to request they hire Tony Isabella to write a Blonde Phantom series. I think such a grass-roots movement would be hilarious, even though I haven't a clue what I would do if they did hire me. I guess I'd have to come up with something brilliant. Or top off that glass with some really strong booze.
Thanks for spending a brief part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 08/02/2005 | 08/03/2005 | 08/04/2005 >>
Discuss this column with me at my Message Board. Also, read Heroes and Villains: Real and Imagined.
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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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