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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 Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Don't worry, Lassie. Timmy was never in the well.
That amazing revelation appears in the first paragraph of Jon "Timmy" Provost's introduction to Timmy's In the Well: The Jon Provost Story by Provost and Laurie Jacobson [Cumberland House; $26.95]. During Provost's years of playing Timmy on Lassie, cliffs, abandoned mines, storm drains, and more served to place the youngster in peril, but no well ever did him wrong. Yet the power of this catchphrase is such that it has become forever enshrined in the collective consciousness of, not only those of us who grew up with "Timmy," but also those who have never seen an episode of the TV series. That also speaks to the power of the series and to the talent of the kid who came into our homes and hearts as a character on a screen but who somehow stayed as a friend and as a delightful memory of our childhoods.
Cutting right to the chase, this is a terrific autobiography. It starts some years before Provost's birth, giving readers a good sense of where he comes from and what his family was like, and then leads us into his career as a child actor, loving looks at the men and women with whom he worked, the effects of his career on himself and his family, his life after Lassie, how his child-actor peers fared in the same situations, and much more.
I know Jon and his wife Laurie - who, it cannot be said often often, is funny, smart, gorgeous, and just pure wonderful - from a number of conventions and the occasional e-mails. In the interest of full disclosure, I love them madly and did from the moment I met them. They are good people in every sense of the term.
That said, Timmy's In the Well contains revelations far more shocking than learning Timmy was never actually trapped in a well. There are moments in the book that will nigh unto break your heart. Some are of the happy kind, some are of a much darker sort. Yet, for all the ups and downs of Provost's life and the lives of those who were part of it, he's never less than the truly nice guy I know from the conventions.
Jacobson has written several spiffy books on Hollywood legend and lore. I think love of Tinseltown must be encoded in her DNA, so well does she bring the people, places, and times to life on the printed page. For this book, she's shaped her husband's life into a compelling story, filled with quotes from the supporting players of his story, with timeliness, and with sensational photos and other memorabilia. It's a book that fits the reader's schedule - you can read it in chunks big and small as you have time - and which never fails to entertain and inform. It brings the fun and it brings the serious. I loved it!
Timmy's In the Well: The Jon Provost Story receives a full five out of five Tonys.
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ADDENDUM
Both Laurie Jacobson and Jon Provost have their own websites. You can visit Laurie's here:
www.lauriejacobson.com
And you can visit Jon's here:
www.jonprovost.com
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LIGHTNING ROUND REVIEWS
Veronica #187 [Archie Comics; $2.25] is a sensational issue of this title with three amusing stories, all of them drawn by Dan Parent and inked by Jim Amash. The 11-page "The Story of My Life" is written by Parent and breaks the fourth wall from start to finish by having Veronica, upset by how she's portrayed, refuse to appear in her own comic book. That's followed by George Gladir's "Over The Top," in which the Riverdale kids get competitive about finding the most unusual way to invite girls and boys to the prom, and Barbara and Samantha Slate's "The Make-Over," in which Ronnie attempts to update her butler's look, the better to attract ladies. This is one of the best Archie comics of the year and that earns it the full five Tonys.
Welcome To Tranquility Book One by Gail Simone with art by Neil Googe [Wildstorm; $19.95] collects the first six issues of this series about the small town where super-heroes and villains go to retire and raise their families. The center of the town and the stories is Sheriff Thomasina "Tommy" Lindo, who enforces the peace between old foes and keeps the less stable citizens under control. But not all old scores can be put to rest and, in this and the rest of the original 12-issue run, one of those old scores places Tommy and her town in dire jeopardy. Though the fit with the rest of the Wildstorm universe isn't a good one, this is still one of the best new super-hero comics to come from DC or any of its imprints. It's got cool and often likeable characters plus action, human interest, humor, and suspense. A second trade paperback should be available even as we speak. This first one - and the series overall - earns five out of five Tonys.
Hulkling, the son of Captain Mar-Vell and a Skrull princess, gets the spotlight in Young Avengers Presents #2 [Marvel; $2.99] by Brian Reed and artist Harvey Tolibao. It's a bittersweet tale of the only meeting between the young hero and his legendary father. The characters and their reactions to one another do ring very true, but there's not really anything more to the story than not. Still, it's a solid effort all around and earns a respectable three out of five Tonys.
Wiccan and Speed may be the sons of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, something that is strongly suggested in Young Avengers Presents #3 [Marvel; $2.99]. Written by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa with art by Alina Urusov, this story finds the twins in search of the Scarlet Witch and encountering Master Pandemonium, who kind of figures into their origin in a manner far too complicated for this short review to address. The story is good, the art is a bit weak, but it's a decent issue. It earns three Tonys.
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BLOGGY BITS
The new Mid-Ohio-Con website made its debut this week and, judging from the number of e-mails and phone calls I received by noon on Monday, there's a lot of interest in the show among my friends and readers. Of course, given I'm the one they're calling and e-mailing, all of them are asking about my role in the event, a question for which I don't have an answer at this time. I have had a conversation with James Henry, the managing director of the convention, during which he expressed an interest in having me stay on board as the event's program director. But that's all I can say at this point. If/when I have anything to announce, I'll announce it here. Until then, I really can't answer any of your other Mid-Ohio-Con questions. For more on the convention, head over to that spanking new website at:
www.midohiocon.com
However, I will make one suggestion re: the website. It makes very little sense to have the press releases as PDFs. Why make a visitor go extra steps to learn what was important enough to put in a press release in the first place?
Just a tip from your friendly neighborhood tipster.
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COMICS IN THE COMICS
Veteran TOT readers know I love my "Comics in the Comics," the comic strips and panels that are either self-referential...or offer guest appearance of other comics characters...or somehow comment on the noble art of cartooning.
Batman is a popular guest in comic strips and panels. With his new movie coming soon to theaters near just about everyone in the country, CITC will be showcasing his recent appearances all this week...starting with these four panels from the The Flying McCoys, brothers Glenn and Gary McCoy.
From January 11, 2007:
From January 27, 2007:
From August 29, 2007:
From March 30, 2008:
Thanks to TOT reader Neil Ottenstein for sending me the most recent of the above panels. If you want to read the McCoy's panel on a daily basis, head over to:
www.gocomics.com/theflyingmccoys
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TONY POLLS
Every Tuesday, I post new Tony Polls questions for your balloting entertainment. This week, I'm asking you questions about eBay: how often you buy or sell comics on it, how you would rate your overall eBay experience, and what comics or related items you would be most likely to buy or sell on eBay.
To cast your votes, head over to:
www.worldfamouscomics.com/tony/poll
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 05/19/2008 | 05/20/2008 | 05/22/2008 >>
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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