Polite Dissent

It’s time for my Eighth Annual Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar. For each day from today through Christmas Day, I will post the cover of a comic book with a Christmas theme. This year’s advent calendar theme is “Christmas trees.” That means that every day’s cover will prominently feature a Christmas tree…

For this year’s first cover, here is Richie Rich #42 where Richie, as always, shows that if something is worth doing, it is worth doing to excess.

Richie Rich #42 (Harvey, February 1966)

Click on the cover for larger view

24 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #124.
Two year ago, the cover was Beavis and Butt-Head #24.
Three years ago, the cover was Tick Tock Tales #24.
Four years ago, the cover was Jingle Jangle Comics #24.
Five years ago, the cover was Liberty Meadows #24.
Six years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge #24.
Seven years ago, the cover was The Sensational Spider-Man #24
Check out Dave’s annual advent calendar over at Yet Another Comic Blog

The second of December, and a second Christmas tree themed cover. Today, Woody Woodpecker is trying to figure out what happened to the top of his Christmas tree…

Walter Lantz Woody Woodpecker #34 (Dell, December 1955)

Click on the cover for larger view

23 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Famous Funnies #53.
Two years ago, the cover was Nightmare #23.
Three years ago, the cover was Polly Pigtails #23.
Four years ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace Bonus Magazine Series #23.
Five years ago, the cover was Wendy Witch World #23.
Six years ago, the cover was The ‘Nam #23.
Seven years ago, the cover was Card Captor Sakura #23
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

For a supposedly advanced culture, the Krytponians sure have brutal methods of dealing with mental illness.

Also notice that they call it the “Psycho Observation Ward” — not “Psychiatric Observation Ward”, or even “Psych Observation Ward”. They’re not mincing words and have all but diagnosed you before therapy even starts.

scene from Superman #189

Just 22 days until Christmas, and today’s cover for Scott’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar presents nothing other than Christmas anarchy! Occupy the North Pole! (Will this joke even make sense next year?)

Famous Funnies #17 (Eastern Color, December 1935)

Click on the cover for larger view

22 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Hot Stuff, The Little Devil #95.
Two years ago, the cover was Sabrina #22.
Three years ago, the cover was Fat Albert #22.
Four years ago, the cover was Calling All Kids #22.
Five years ago, the cover was The Best of DC #22.
Six years ago, the cover was New Adventure Comics #22.
Seven years ago, the cover was Hitman #22
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

In the dystopic future Captain Atom encounters in Justice League Generation Lost #14, there are only a few super-heroes left alive. With the exception of Power Girl, all of them are legacy heroes — based on, or descendents of, current super-heroes. There is a Batman, a Red Hood, and descendents of Blue Beetle, Plastic Man, and Hawk and Dove.

Meet Black Canary:

She is identified as a “descendant of Hawk and Dove,” but her name — and her fishnets — suggest she may have a connection to Black Canary as well.

Sadly, after appearing (mostly in the background) for a total of six pages, she gets turned into an OMAC and dies.

Black Canary is not the first descendant of Hawk and Dove introduced. Back in the Hawk & Dove Annual #2, part of the unfortunate “Armageddon 2001″ event, the reader is introduced to Dr. Arsala, a neurosurgeon who also happens to be the daughter of Hank Hall and Dawn Granger. When she speaks the word “Unity” she is transformed into Unity, a super-heroic amalgam of Hawk and Dove.

My annual Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar continues — this year’s theme: Christmas Trees. In this nice cover from Marge’s Little Lulu #90, the title character is also the Christmas tree.

Marge’s Little Lulu #90 (Dell, December 1955)

Click on the cover for larger view

21 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace Bonus Magazine Series #147.
Two years ago, the cover was Sgt. Rock #21.
Three years ago, the cover was King Comics #21.
Four years ago, the cover was The Kilroys #21.
Five years ago, the cover was Donald Duck Adventures #21.
Six years ago, the cover was Justice League Europe #2a.
Seven years ago, the cover was The New Archies #21
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

This Maxwell Lord/psychic nosebleed is way past cliched and is well into the realm of completely ridiculous. I’d say that out of all the recurring comic book contemporary villains, Maxwell Lord is the most one-dimensional. Maxwell Lord equals evil mind controlling nosebleeder, end of story. He was more interesting when he barely appeared in Justice League International.

All scenes are from recent issues of Justice League: Generation Lost. The first two are from issue #9,
the next two from issue #13, the third pair from issue #14, and the final two from issue #20.

Poor Casper just can’t catch a break, even when dealing with Christmas trees.

Fcover, The Friendly Ghost, Casper #230 (harvey, March 1987)

Click on the cover for larger view

20 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Four Color #172.
Two years ago, the cover was Archie Giant Series Magazine #20.
Three years ago, the cover was Tip Top Comics #20.
Four years ago, the cover was Little Lotta #20.
Five years ago, the cover was Mutt and Jeff #20.
Six years ago, the cover was Archer and Armstrong #20.
Seven years ago, the cover was Hawk and Dove #20
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Our first super-hero comic on this year’s comic cover advent calendar features the original (or is that now the original original original) Teen Titans, long before Wolfman and Perez ever got their hands on them.

Teen Titans #13 (DC Comics, January/February 1968)

Click on the cover for larger view

19 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #3.
Two year ago, the cover was Shade, The Changing Man #19.
Three years ago, the cover was Pinky and the Brain #19.
Four years ago, the cover was The Strangers #19.
Five years ago, the cover was Captain Marvel #19.
Six years ago, the cover was Comic Cavalcade #19.
Seven years ago, the cover was Batman and the Outsiders #19
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Today’s Christmas tree themed cover is Tom & Jerry Comics #66, where Jerry and Tuffy are opening their own Christmas tree lot (well, artificial Christmas tree lot)

Tom & Jerry Comics #66 (Dell, January 1950)

Click on the cover for larger view

18 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Ambush Bug Stocking Stuffer #1.
Two year ago, the cover was Walt Disney Comics Digest #18.
Three years ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace Pocket Full of Fun #18.
Four years ago, the cover was Little Lulu #18.
Five years ago, the cover was Funny Stuff #18.
Six years ago, the cover was Casper the Friendly Ghost #18.
Seven years ago, the cover was Green Lantern #18
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

That’s a very uncomfortable looking tree. Look how they’ve essentially gagged Morty and Ferdie with candy canes so they won’t be screaming, “Get off my back, Goofy!”

Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #9 (Dell, December 1958)

Click on the cover for larger view

17 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was March of Comics #325.
Two years ago, the cover was Scooby Doo #17.
Three years ago, the cover was Richie Rich Dollar$ and ¢ents #17.
Four years ago, the cover was The World Around Us #17.
Five years ago, the cover was Andy Panda #17.
Six years ago, the cover was Famous Funnies #17.
Seven years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Mickey and Donald #17
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Naughty or nice? Little Dot is drawing on the wallpaper, which is certainly against the rules, but she’s drawing a Christmas tree, so Santa can’t be too mad, right? Not to mention, that’s a pretty good freehand tree…

Little Dot #41
(Harvey Comics, February 1959)

Click on the cover for larger view

16 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Walter Lantz New Funnies #155.
Two years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #16.
Three years ago, the cover was Sonic the Comic #16.
Four years ago, the cover was Daisy and Her Pups #16.
Five years ago, the cover was The Funnies #16.
Six years ago, the cover was More Fun Comics #16.
Seven years ago, the cover was Little Audrey #16
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

More Little Dot…

…and another good example of what I like to call the “x-ray gag” [q.v. Richie Rich, Atomic Bunny, and Hot Stuff]

Today’s Christmas tree themed cover for Scott’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar comes from Batman #33, where Robin demonstrates those vaunted acrobatic skills he is known for. Or not.

Batman #33
(DC, February-March 1946)

Click on the cover for larger view

15 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was X-Mas Comics #7.
Two years ago, the cover was Archie Giant Size Magazine #15.
Three years ago, the cover was Calling All Kids #15.
Four years ago, the cover was Funny Pages #15.
Five years ago, the cover was Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies #15.
Six years ago, the cover was The Ren & Stimpy Show #15.
Seven years ago, the cover was Classics Illustrated #15: The Gift of the Magi
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Just two weeks until Christmas…

On today’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar, Popeye and friends arrive, bringing an extra-large Christmas Tree along with them…

King Comics #9
(David McKay, December 1936)

Click on the cover for larger view

14 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Dell Giant #39.
Two years ago, the cover was Heathcliff #14.
Three years ago, the cover was Archie 3000 #14.
Four years ago, the cover was Shanda the Panda #14.
Five years ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace Pocket Full of Fun #14.
Six years ago, the cover was Sable #14.
Seven years ago, the cover was Bloodshot #14
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Today’s Christmas tree themed cover presents what must be the most frightening version of Archie Andrews I’ve ever seen. It’s as if Archie and Jack Elam had a child. What kid would want to read this?

Little Archie Digest Magazine #5
(Archie Comics, date ?)

Click on the cover for larger view

13 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Popular Comics #35.
Two years ago, the cover was Richie Rich and His Girlfriends #13.
Three years ago, the cover was Oni Double Feature #13.
Four year ago, the cover was Howdy Doody #13.
Five years ago, the cover was Comic Cavalcade #13.
Six years ago, the cover was Captain Atom #13.
Seven years ago, the cover was Teen Titans #13
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Just twelve days to go until Christmas! Even though you starred in a painfully unfunny movie, we still love you Yogi and are happy to have you in this year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar.

Yogi Bear #11
(Gold Key, January 1963)

Click on the cover for larger view

12 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Supermouse #29.
Two years ago, the cover was Tick Tock Tales #12.
Three years ago, the cover was Funny Folks #12.
Four year ago, the cover was Popular Comics #12.
Five years ago, the cover was Chip ‘n’ Dale #12.
Six years ago, the cover was The New Archies #12.
Seven years ago, the cover was Beavis and Butt-Head #12
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Today’s Christmas cover features Casper, Tuffy, Little Dot and a bunch of other Harvey-Toon stars that I’m sure everyone remembers. And a Christmas tree, in keeping with this year’s advent calendar theme.

Harvey Hits #29 (Harvey, February 1960)

Click on the cover for larger view

11 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Funny Stuff #30.
Two years ago, the cover was Slimer #11.
Three years ago, the cover was Yogi Bear #11.
Four years ago, the cover was The Maze Agency #11.
Five years ago, the cover was Pogo #11.
Six years ago, the cover was Adventures of the Mask #11.
Seven years ago, the cover was Critters #11
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Hawk and Dove #4 is another issue where the majority of the story is just people sitting around talking; there is little actual action. There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, except that it’s clearly not one of Liefeld’s strengths. It also means that two of the four issues have been primarily conversation instead of action (I know last issue I complained about it being an issue-long fight scene. I’m not being contradictory: I think good comics require a solid mix of both action and non-action scenes; not one or the other).

After collaring Condor last issue, Hawk and Dove are questioning him at the local police station. Despite various threats from Hawk, Condor is refusing to talk.

Meanwhile, Dove thinks back to her fight last issue with Swan. You remember that fight, right? It’s the one we didn’t get to see. Well now, an issue after the fact, we finally learned what happened. During the tussle, Dove zaps Swan with beams of light shot from her hands and then starts really pounding her, all the while telling Swan about how hard she’s had it in life. Swan manages to cut Dove with her sword, but then mysteriously vanishes when struck by the light released from the wound.

Now, suddenly, Condor agrees to talk. He reveals that he is two hundred years old and he drops some comments about the “War Circle” and how its numbers are finally getting low. He expects Hawk to be aware of the Circle and seems amused when he isn’t. He informs Hawk that he plans to cut out and eat his avatar and casually mentions that he wants to kill Dove simply because he’s not sure what she is. He ends by telling the team that Dove’s association with Deadman makes them easy to track.

Conveniently, Deadman shows up, and Condor shares an important fact: Swan didn’t die, but instead became immaterial, just like Deadman. Right on cue, Swan shows up, grabs, and subdues Deadman. At the same time, a helicopter arrives outside the police station and a squad of evil scientist/anarchist Quirk’s zombie-men show up and bust Condor out. In the ensuing melee, Hawk is knocked unconscious from a shot to the back and Dove is left alone fighting the zombies.

Liefeld’s art, by itself, is no worse than it was last issue. There’s the same bizarre posing, mismatching planes, and missing backgrounds I’ve come to expect. What is worse this time is the panel-to-panel continuity. Here’s two quick examples: first, the fit of Dove’s mask changes frequently, from sitting at her hairline, to crossing the middle of the forehead, to everything in between — and this changes from panel to panel on the same page. A second example: when first shown, Condor is wearing heavy manacles, then a page later, he has normal handcuffs on, then toward the end of the issue, he’s shown with his arms strapped to the chair.

On a scale of 1 to 5 deformed Captain Americas, with 1 being good and 5 being execrable, this art on this issue rates 4 deformed Captain Americas.

Light beams from the hands? Those are new powers for Dove. as for her injury, light has come from her wounds when she was cut previously (in the later issues of the last Hawk and Dove series), but never like this.
There seems to be a new backstory for Dawn. “Fighting other people to eat,” and “dealing with scum.” It will be interesting to see where this goes.
The covers aren’t working. The posing, even on the fight scene covers, is uninteresting and the colors seem flat.
Stop with the “Kaaia!” please.
Would Judge Hall really pull strings to allow Hawk and Dove to question Condor. That is very unlike the pre-nu52 Judge Hall, who was a strict follower of the rule of law and fairly anti-vigilante. And how much pull would a federal judge really have at the level of a local police department, or even the SCU?
Condor and Swan have a point: why is Dove being so aggressive and physical?

My main problem with this issue, and the Hawk and Dove reboot overall, is that they’re not very heroic. I don’t necessarily need my heroes to always win, but I want them to at least be competent — to act like heroes — and I’m not seeing that here. I know that being a super-hero is clasically all about reacting: the villains enact a plot and the heroes react. But that’s not what’s happening. Certainly Hawk and Dove have been taking the fight to Quirk, but it was always clear he wasn’t the major villain, Condor was. And against Condor they’ve accomplished nothing. They’re been led along like lambs to the slaughter and they seem none the wiser. Everything we’ve learned comes from infodumps from the villains; the heroes haven’t learned anything on their own — they’re just flailing at shadows. This is frustrating to read in any comic, but especially in a comic I had such high hopes for.

All Previous Hawk and Dove Reviews

Tags: comics hawk dove condor swan sterling gates rob liefeld

Just ten days left until Christmas, and today’s Christmas tree themed cover is from Little Lotta #63 — the name and cover really say it all; there is little subtle about Lotta.

Little Lotta #63
(Harvey, January 1966)

Click on the cover for larger view

10 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Uncle Scrooge #382.
Two years ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace Giant #10.
Three years ago, the cover was The Trouble With Girls #10.
Four years ago, the cover was Richie Rich and Casper #10.
Five years ago, the cover was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #10.
Six years ago, the cover was Tiny Tot Comics #10.
Seven years ago, the cover was Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. #10
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Somehow, probably thanks to this website, I’ve ended up on quite a number of PR e-mail lists. Most, if not all, is little better than spam. One firm in particular, once or twice a week, sends me e-mails showcasing the skills of various doctors or alternative medicine “practioners” that they represent.

First of all, if you’re a doctor who has a PR group, you’re doing it wrong. At the risk of stating a tautology: medicine is practiced by practicing medicine, not by press releases. If you’re not actually in the trenches, spending the majority of your time actually seeing patients – or doing legitimate research – I have no interest in what you have to say.

For example, yesterday, I received a press release about a homeopath who, among other areas of expertise, was an (self) avowed expert in hangover relief. The press release touted her “500 clinical hours in classical homeopathy.” Good for her, I guess. I had five hundred clinical hours as a first year resident, and I sure wasn’t an expert in anything. Currently, in the 2011 calendar year alone, I have 1880 clinical hours under my belt with a couple weeks left to go.

As for her hangover cure, it starts with the usual homeopathy nonsense, recommending drinking a 200c dilution of nux vomica (strychinine – but diluted so much that it’s unlikely that even a single molecule of the chemical remains in the final solution. So if it works, it’s not because of the nux vomica, but because drinking water helps hangovers). The second step?

The next morning, take cranberry juice instead of Orange juice. Orange juice is too acidic.
This is the statement that caught my eye. Orange juice is more acidic than cranberry juice? Nonsense! If only there were some easy way to prove it – wait, there is! The federal government has handily provided us with a list of the pH’s of various foods, including fruit juices (if you don’t remember your chemistry, the lower a substance’s pH, the more acidic it is. pH is also a logarithmic scale, so little changes make a big difference.).

Cranberry Juice: 2.3 – 2.5
Orange Juice: 3.6 – 4.3

So clearly cranberry juice is dramatically more acidic than orange juice. If the alleged expert can’t get this simple fact from high school chemistry correct, why should I believe what she has to say about anything else?

But then again, when have homeopaths paid any attention to legitimate science?

Back to super-hero action with today’s entry in the Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar.

Three super-hero covers, and three instances of Robin being in trouble. Coincidence? I think not. You always need to keep an eye on Robin.

The Batman and Robin Adventures #3 (DC Comics, December 1995)

Click on the cover for larger view

9 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Daisy and her Pups #16.
Two years ago, the cover was King Comics #9.
Three years ago, the cover was Battle Vixen #9.
Four years ago, the cover was Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #9.
Five years ago, the cover was Richie Rich Fortune$ #9.
Six years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #9.
Seven years ago, the cover was Christmas Calvalcade #9
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

It’s not a Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar without a visit from Bugs Bunny, so here he is in a Christmas tree themed cover from 1955, with a little help from Elmer J. Fudd (millionaire, I own a mansion and a yacht).

Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics #159 (Dell, January 1955)

Click on the cover for larger view

8 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Jingle Dingle Stocking Comic #1.
Two years ago, the cover was Star Ranger #8.
Three years ago, the cover was The Sensational She-Hulk #8.
Four year ago, the cover was Star Comics #8.
Five years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #8.
Six years ago, the cover was Mary Marvel #8.
Seven years ago, the cover was Richie Rich #8
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Just one week remains until Christmas!

Today’s cover probably features the most disgusting (or, if you prefer, “least pleasant”) of all the Christmas trees in this year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar. It also includes the only title in the calendar with an exclamation point.

Slimer! #11 (Now Comics, March 1990)

Click on the cover for larger view

7 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Famous Funnies #113.
Two years ago, the cover was Evil Ernie #7.
Three years ago, the cover was Marge’s Little Lulu #7.
Four year ago, the cover was Sparkling Stars #7.
Five years ago, the cover was Dell Junior Treasury #7.
Six years ago, the cover was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #7.
Seven years ago, the cover was X-Mas Comics #7
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Back to super-heroes for today’s cover for the Advent Calendar with Superman #166 featuring the “sons of Superman,” Jor-El II and Kal-El II.

(And they never do mention who the mother is, she’s always shown in shadow, like on the cover.)

Superman #166
(DC Comics, January 1964)

Click on the cover for larger view

6 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #6.
Two years ago, the cover was Judge Dredd #6.
Three years ago, the cover was The MAZE Agency #6.
Four years ago, the cover was Top 10 #6.
Five years ago, the cover was Hot Wheels #6.
Six years ago, the cover was Love Hina #6.
Seven years ago, the cover was Heathcliff #6
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

…or at least the twist endings of pre-Code horror comics.

• Though by 1952, when this story was published, smallpox was all but wiped out in the industrialized nations. Of course, the story does mention that the ship in question is a “dirty old tramp” and it looks like her sailors weren’t much on healthcare…or personal hygeine.

From Hand of Fate #22. You can find the whole story over at The Horrors of it All

You’d think that by now, stunts like Dennis jumping out of a (strangely hollow) Christmas tree wouldn’t faze his parents, but they sure seem surprised. “Dennis? Rambunctious and misbehaving? Never!”

Dennis the Menace Giant #10
(Halldan, Winter 1961)

Click on the cover for larger view

5 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Jingle Jangle Comics #24.
Two years ago, the cover was Famous Funnies #5.
Three years ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Christmas Parade #5.
Four years ago, the cover was Comic Cavalcade #5.
Five years ago, the cover was Holiday Comics #5.
Six years ago, the cover was Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies.
Seven years ago, the cover was Dennis the Menace #5
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

A mere four days remain until Christmas. Today’s tree-themed Christmas cover shows Richie Rich’s deep dark secret: he’s clearly a misogynistic serial killer who keeps heads a trophies. I always knew there was something wrong with that kid — the way he threw money around showed some deep seated insecurities.

Richie Rich and His Girlfriends #13
(Harvey, February 1982)

Click on the cover for larger view

4 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Fawcett’s Funny Animals #254.
Two years ago, the cover was Funny Picture Stories #4.
Three years ago, the cover was Generation X #4.
Four years ago, the cover was Batman Family #4.
Five years ago, the cover was Fantastic Four #4 (creepy variant cover).
Six years ago, the cover was Jingle Belle #4.
Seven years ago, the cover was Street Fighter #4 (variant cover)
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Tags: comics advent calendar christmas tree richie rich

Superman and his son understand the downside of invisibility* in this scene from Superman #166, a topic generally ignored in comics (as far as I recall, only Warren Ellis in Planetary has addressed the issue, though I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s been some Marvel-style pseudoscience handwaving sometime during the Fantastic Four’s run.)

*The problem being that in order to see, a person requires light hitting their retinas. If they are invisible and “light passes through” them, then it can’t strike the retina, rendering them blind)

Tom and Jerry are back for today’s Christmas-tree themed cover, and this time Tom has the upper hand.

Tom and Jerry Comics #90
(Dell , January 1952)

Click on the cover for larger view

3 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was The Kilroys #21.
Two year ago, the cover was Jingle Belle #3.
Three years ago, the cover was The Batman and Robin Adventures #3.
Four years ago, the cover was Geeksville #3.
Five years ago, the cover was Archie’s Christmas Stocking #3.
Six years ago, the cover was Batman: The Long Halloween #3.
Seven years ago, the cover was The Goon #3
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Casper’s back for another cover in this year’s Advent Calendar, and he’s doing a lot better with the Christmas tree this time around.

The Friendly Ghost, Casper #250
(Harvey Comics, March 1990)

Click on the cover for larger view

2 Days until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was The New Archies #12.
Two years ago, the cover was Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #2.
Three years ago, the cover was Fawcett’s Funny Animals #2.
Four year ago, the cover was Jingle Belle #2.
Five years ago, the cover was Chrissie Claus #2.
Six years ago, the cover was Tomb Raider #2 (alternate cover).
Seven years ago, the cover was Alf Holiday Special #2
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

As an early Christmas present, I’m going to provide everyone with the secret formula for an invisibility serum, thanks to Lex Luthor and Adventure Comics #286:

Did you get all that? The ingredients of Luthor’s invisibility serum are:
1) Mouthwash (brand not specified), 2) Orange Juice, and 3) two aspirin.

Chemicals AND acids! And here I thought acids were a type of chemical.

Now Luthor takes two radio parts he had hidden in his shoes, and heads out to the prison yard…

So: Mouthwash + orange juice + aspirin + “amplified” vibrations from the prison siren = invisibility. Genius!

It’s Christmas Eve! And it’s a return to super-heroes — and Marvel super-heroes at that — for the penultimate cover of this years Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar.

Marvel Treasury Edition #8
(Marvel Comics, December 1975)

Click on the cover for larger view

1 Day until Christmas!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar (so far).
One year ago, the cover was Little Audrey #16.
Two years ago, the cover was Pinky and the Brain Christmas Special #1.
Three years ago, the cover was Bugs Bunny’s Christmas Funnies #1.
Four years ago, the cover was Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer #1.
Five years ago, the cover was Jingle Belle #1.
Six years ago, the cover was Santa Claus Funnies #1.
Seven years ago, the cover was Christmas With the Super-Heroes #1
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

Christmas Day is finally here! I thought this cover featuring Donald Duck, his nephews, and the “Golden Christmas Tree” was the perfect way to end this year’s Christmas tree themed Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar. Merry Christmas!

Four Color #203
(Delly, December 1948)

Click on the cover for larger view

Christmas Day!

This year’s Comic Book Cover Advent Calendar.
One year ago, the cover was Walt Disney’s Comics and Stories #388.
Two years ago, the cover was The First Christmas (in Panoramic 3D).
Three years ago, the cover was A Christmas Journey Through Space.
Four years ago, the cover was Hellboy Christmas Special.
Five years ago, the cover was The Vampire’s Christmas.
Six years ago, the cover was Saved By The Bell Special Holiday Issue.
Seven years ago, the cover was The Legends of NASCAR Christmas Special
Don’t miss Yet Another Comic Blog’s annual advent calendar

As this season of rampant commercialism (and some holiday or other) draws to a close, I thought it would be time to post this public service ad about international trade. Of course, this ad suffers from the same over the top optimism that all of these international-themed PSAs seemed to have. You won’t find a mention of any of the terms we commonly think of nowadays when we hear about international trade; no mentions of trade deficits, tariffs or embargoes. Or sweatshop. Or child labor.

Click on the image for the full ad

That sure is an interesting Greek vessel. I wasn’t aware that they even had crow’s nests.

I need to get me one of those “modern” American automobiles.

This PSA can be found in DC Comics from march 1962. The script is by Jack Schiff with Lou Cameron identified as the artist by the GCD. This particular image is from Adventure Comics #294.

More PSAs

Tags: comics psa inernational trade automobile jack schiff lou cameron

As 2011 draws to a close, it’s time to take my annual look at the best — and worst — comic book medicine from the past year.

Previous “Best of the Year”: The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2010 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2009 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2008 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2007 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2006 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2005 The Best Comic Book Medicine of 2004

Previous “Worst of the Year”: The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2010 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2009 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2008 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2007 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2006 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2005 The Worst Comic Book Medicine of 2004