galactus costume

Christ on a bike, l thought l was a geek!  Just take a butchers at this chappie,  photographed at the EECC (Emerald City Comicon) in 2012, wearing a home made 'Galactus' costume.  I would never, EVER, wear a costume like that, but l do admit l have a grudging admiration for the fact that he just doesn't seem to care.  I wonder if he has got a girlfriend?
Photograph from mattpagedotcom.

toodle pip

venom halloween make up

Venom is one of the best comic creation of the last few years, and this makeup featuring the Venom face looks pretty good and would be ideal for Halloween.  You'll just have to hope it doesn't become part of you and unable to get off afterwards.

toodle pip

the birth of galactus

I am off work today, so had a lazy morning reading the top two comics before dragging myself out of my pit to doss about.  They  are 'The Origin of Galactus' and The Fantastic Four story 'The Trial Of Reed Richards', and both (you may have guessed) concern 'Galactus'.  They approach his origin from different angles, and in the FF comic his morality is also bought into question (top philosophical musings ahoy!).  I am just a sucker for some of the old Marvel comics stuff, and consider people such as Stan Lee and Jack Kirby Gods amongst us mere mortals (a bit like Odin or Galactus himself).  Looks like l might be reading the (Mighty) Thor story 'Galactus a Borning' (issue #162 fact fans) tomorrow morning.  When l get round to it, l'll  post up all the scans here.  Enjoy!

toodle pip

invisible dick

This strip was in Sparky comic, and is dying out to be reborn on ironic t-shirts.  Invisible Dick indeed.

toodle pip

charlie brown and peanuts books

After the Dandy post, l was thinking about how comics from my childhood, and how they change, not just the stories, but the drawings themselves.  A great example is the early Charlie Brown 'Peanuts' strips by Charles M Shultz.  They look much different from the later versions l liked as a child, but certainly improved as they went on (although l was never keen on Woodstock, the bird).  Linus (Van Pelt) was my favorite, but l could definitely identify with some of Charlie Brown's problems.  I've still got the books somewhere (wrapped up in the garage is my bet), and l used to spend a lot of my dinner money buying them.  Money well spent l'd say.  Here's the last ever strip.

toodle pip

the loss of the dandy

 The first issue in 1937

Some of the newspaper coverage

Kids looking like they are eating shit

A sad git who will miss it (I hasten to add this picture is not me).

So, it looks as though The Dandy, the UKs longest running childrens comic, is to cease publication in September.  This could be a ruse to increase readership, but its circulation has dropped from about 2 million a week in its heyday, to about 8,ooo now.  They have tried various rebranding exercises (Dandy 'Xtreme' anybody?), but the market has changed a lot in the last 10 or 20 years.  The Beano should survive for a bit longer, as that has circulation of about 30,000, but you can easily envisage that going down the pan in the future as well.  It's a shame, as these were essential reading to millions of UK kids, with some great storytelling and characters. To me, what ruins them, is when they try to make them too modern, glossy, TV orientated and  tacky, such as the fart and poo article above, which makes it look as though the young kid is going to eat the poo (I'd buy it if they made him).  If you are going to put TV stars or celebrities on the cover, it takes away it's identity, and there are lots of other magazines out there that look similar and cater for that.  Once kids get out of the habit of buying it every week, they often don't go back to doing so. Also, kids want funny, interesting or adventurous stories, and at a cheap price.  Sadly those days have gone, and their entertainment can now be found elsewhere (Hello Mr Computer!).  Lots of views are here, plus Lew Stringer's site is worth checking out.

toodle pip

john romita sr artwork

While perusing the Liveauctioneers site (as you do), l came across these little beauties.  Original artwork for The Amazing Spider-man no 43 by John Romita (Sr). Iconic stuff indeed, if (like me) you're a fan.
If l only had more money.......


toodle pip

mexico 1970 panini book

Amongst the many items of crap that l have, there are old football related pictures, 3D cards, books (and flick books), newspapers and programmes.  I don't however, have any Panini sticker albums, although l did used to collect them when l was a nipper. I saw this one for sale today.  It's from the 1970 World cup in Mexico (the first one l can remember), and is a complete original.  Nice .  Yours for a mere £1,999,99 (or near offer).  Not even l am mad enough to pay that kind of money, even if l was a multi millionaire.  I'd like the original, but reproduction copies (obviously in mint condition) can be yours for the less than costly sum of  £10.  I'm also still pissed off that the programme isn't worth much (less than £10), as l have one of those (somewhere).  Ah well, back to the comics (sad git that l am).

The programme

                                                       

 The reproduction, plus stickers

toodle pip

spider-man #328 artwork by todd mcfarlane (1990)

I still haven't finished collecting all of the original Spider-man comics yet, and to get high grade versions of some of the old ones is a pretty expensive business.  I don't bother collecting the artwork (I'm too poor), but if l did, this would have been a nice piece for the collection.  It's by Todd McFarlane and is number 328 from 1990.  Todd revolutionised the format, did some great artwork (including hiding spiders in the art), and introduced Venom into the equation.  The only trouble is, this piece was sold (probably to Jonathan Ross) on Thursday for $657,250.  That's why l don't collect the artwork (but l do have the comic, below).

toodle pip

the amazing spider-man (2012) - marc webb

So, myself and the FPO finally got around to seeing The Amazing Spider-Man in 3D at Teeside Park (as it had stopped showing in Richmond).  I was never that keen on the last lot of films, as l didn't like Toby Maguire or Kirsten Dunst in their roles as Spidey and Mary Jane Watson, so l was looking forward to checking out Andrew Garfield as the new re-incarnation of the franchise.  The word in advance of the film, was that they were going to stick to the story in the comic books, which l have wanted them to do from the start, being a big nerdy fan of the originals (up to 400).  I don't expect every little thing to be included in the film, but l did expect the story to be the same.  Unfortunately for me, it drove me mad watching some of the scenes, as l was tempted to shout out crazy stuff like "Peter Parker doesn't tell Gwen Stacy that he is Spider-man", and Gwen's dad (Captain George Stacy, the chief of police) dies when Spidey is fighting Dr Octopus, not The Lizard.  There is no mention of the next door neighbours 'The Watsons' (and girlfriend to be Mary Jane Watson), which could have been mentioned in a throwaway kind of 'you should meet Mary Jane from next door' way, as that is how it is done in the comics, until Peter finally sees her properly, and she tells him he has hit the jackpot (issue #42 for fellow nerds out there).  I've no problem with it being updated, and the use of mobile phones, skateboards etc, but the storyline in the comics is what made it such a success in the first place, so why keep pratting about and changing it, or presenting things in the wrong order?   As for the film overall, the 3D effects were good in places (and fantastic at the end), Garfield was better as Peter, Rhys Ifans was good as The Lizard, and  Emma Stone was fine as Gwen, but it still left me with an empty and annoyed feeling, especially when Spidey kept taking his mask off, and even Aunt May seemed to suspect he was Spider-man, which also bugged me.   Maybe l should give these kind of films a miss, and lie down in a darkened room instead.  No wonder my heart keeps stopping.

toodle pip

trouble maker - janet and alex evanovich (with joelle jones)

Trouble Maker is not the kind of comic l would normally read, but l thought l would give it a go, as l liked the bright colours and voodoo storyline (it doesn't take a lot to perk my interest). Unfortunately, l didn't find it that interesting, as it was too cute and seemed like a strip that could have been found in a girls comic years ago, and (to me) resembled a sub standard version of 'Tin Tin' (as most 'cute' comics do). The Miami scenes looked good, but that was about it, apart from the fact Sam Hooker got on my nerves. I don't think l will be perusing Janet and Alex Evanovich's next project, and l have no idea how it became 'The New York Times #1 Bestseller'. People have no taste (or l don't).

toodle pip

turf - jonathan ross and tommy lee edwards

Turf was originally a 5 issue run of comics (2010 - 2011), but it's the collected works in a graphic novel l have just had the pleasure of reading. Written by Jonathan Ross (yes, him off the telly from that there London), it's packed with plenty of dialogue, and the artwork by Tommy Lee Edwards is pretty cool as well. It's a tale of gangsters, prohibition,1920's New York, and with vampires and aliens thrown in for good measure. Not the best comic l have ever read, but a fine and promising start by Rossie (as l like to call him).
Now if he'd only bequeath me his comic collection.........

toodle pip

the official batman batbook and the tv series

While l have been off work today l have had a bash at sorting out the spare room, and getting rid of some of the old bits of crap. This took bleeding ages and it is still in need of more sorting out, but the stuff l uncovered while in there made it all worthwhile in the end (well, some of it anyway). Old remote controls and phones have turned up, plus plenty of old books, cds etc. This rediscovery was a corker. The official Batbook (Batman guide) by Joel Eisner. These are some of the pages from when Batman was proper old school, non of this new fangled 'Dark Night' nonsense. Batman (the TV series) is often accused of being pretty camp or even gay (can't disagree with that), but it looks like Robin's thoughts are pretty hetrosexual in one of the pages above. Dirty little crimefighter.
OK, l've crumbled. I like the Dark Night stuff as well, but to me, Batman and Robin will always be Adam West and Burt Ward. Sod the bad costumes, acting and sound effects - bring them on! - Embrace it!  Lose yourself in it!  If you don't take any of it seriously, and go with the campness (easy for me to do), it's great.


toodle pip

recent graphic novels

A prequel novel to the film, but not as good as the film (especially the Swedish one)

 Batman and the Joker - always great

Referencing 'The Wandering Jew' and a rare novel, set in London and Calcutta, this was pretty strange but pretty damn good. I'll be checking out more of Sarnath Banerjee's stuff in the future

More great Batman stuff, this time with vampires!

 They are dead - yet alive....and persecuted!!

 More Batman and Joker stuff - don't get dragged into The Joker's world...

 People close to Peter Parker die as he re-assess everything again. Not as good as the early comics.

In it's own mad world, Captain Haddock is the star for me.

All recent acquisitions from the good old library at Colburn, except for the Tin Tin book, which is mine.
What a way to spend your life. It's great.