Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Giff-tastic

Available tomorrow -- Kieth Giffen makes with the "Bwa-hah-ha!" as he MST3K's classic Wally Wood war comics. From the increasingly eclectic BOOM! Studios comes What Were They Thinking?

This, by the way, is the sole reason I pursued a career in Hollywood -- to become professionally well-known enough to call people I admire for legitimate business reasons. The fact that I can now call Giffen on the flimsy excuse of doing something for BOOM! together makes me chuckle with undisguised fanboy glee. His Legion of Superheroes run was one of the first comics I ever read -- primarily because it was more science-fiction-y.

I came to comics late, and entered through that particular door. My brother Jon actually got me started back in high school with GI JOE, Warlord and Jon Sable, Freelance. Don't think I actually read a capes-and-tights book until my late twenties -- heresy for some of my friends. Looking at you, BeaucoupKevin and Ross. Ross was so stunned that I had no idea who Dr. Light was, that I hadn't read Crisis on Infinite Earth, he went and lay down in a dark room with a cold Kamandi compress on his forehead for five minutes.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Tch!

You entered comics around the time I was leaving them.

I wonder if your mention of Kamandi is of the original Kirby one.

Ah, you missed the experience of waiting for Jack Kirby's stuff in the 70s. New Gods, Forever People, Mister Miracle, Jimmy Olsen(! yes!). And you missed the revelation of Neal Adams. And then of Jim Aparo.

Ah, you kids.

Steve Peterson said...

I'm a big fan of the Mike Grell stuff too and try to sneak the name "Travis" into various stories.

Since you do a bit of roleplaying -- the core game book for Synnibar, occasionally in competition for the worst RPG ever, inexplicably has a fairly nice selection of Mike Grell art in it.

Personally, I don't think Synnibar comes close to being the worst -- but it is one of the goofiest games.

Dweeze said...

I hate to sound like the comics geek I am, but no one (aside from in-house DC folk) has read Infinite Crisis yet - it's the mess coming out from DC this fall. You're thinking of Crisis On Infinite Earths.

I am not ashamed I know that. I am not ashamed I know that. I am not ashamed I know that...

Unknown said...

Corrected the post. I di, indeed try to read the collected CRISIS Ross gave me. As I stated before, it was like a spastic chimp hitting my pineal gland with a sockful of pennies.

Cunningham said...

Growing up in the South, I was exposed to not only the Marvel and DC brands but a healthy dose of the Gold Key, Charlton, Atlas and Warren stuff. I look at Superman on the newsstand and go "Eh!", but if someone were to reprint the original TUROK, SON OF STONE or MAGNUS ROBOT FIGHTER then the drooling fanboy would come out. Both comics cemented my relationship with dinosaurs and Ray Harryhausen movies (out on DVD and well worth the investment)and robots.

Garbage In, Garbage Out applies... choose your garbage.

Ross Richie said...

Right after the cold Kamandi compress, I gave myself two doses of Ultra The Multi-Alien, and instantly felt better.

DJ said...

Any chance you get to disrespect my beloved Kamandi....your a happy Elf.
Or who ever you are now in one of your fantasy board game thingies.

Unknown said...

I don't play elves. I have a little dignity.

One of these days, DJ, I'll sneak a twenty-sided dien into your hand you'll never look back.

DJ said...

a twenty-sided dien?
I am sorry, my red-headed waitress just brought me another pint. you where saying?

Kevin Church said...

To be forthright about these things, the first capes-and-tights book I read regularly was...Giffen's Justice League. It was several years and untold rereadings of stuff like Origins Of Marvel Comics before the Kirbybomb went off inside of my head.

Funny, that.

Anonymous said...

"I look at Superman on the newsstand and go "Eh!", but if someone were to reprint the original TUROK, SON OF STONE or MAGNUS ROBOT FIGHTER then the drooling fanboy would come out."

No TUROK reprints yet, but Dark Horse has been reprinting MAGNUS. The only downside is they're $50 hardcovers ($33 from Amazon.com).

Ross Richie said...

KIRBYBOMB! KIRBYBOMB! KIRBYBOMB!

Anonymous said...

Ah, well, if we're travelling down Reprint Lane...

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents

The Kirby DC books done *properly* (bastards did New Gods on cheap stock and in MONOCHROME!!)

Aye, Magnus -- but $50?! H8, save me!

Midnight Tales from Charlton

So of course once I get the idea to write this post, I forget all the other things I want...

Cunningham said...

$50 for MAGNUS?
Of course then there's SPACE FAMILY ROBINSON, the forementioned TUROK, DOCTOR SOLAR, DOCTOR SPEKTOR, THE MIGHTY SAMSON, DAGAR THE INVINCIBLE, THE LONE RANGER....and let's not forget an overview volume featuring all the wonderful PAINTED COVERS of the Gold Key books.

Alex Epstein said...

So John, how does a screenwriter get involved in the ever-so-lucrative comix writing biz?

Unknown said...

Have your friend Ross con you into it. Seriously.