It took me awhile to figure it out, but Dick Dillin is my favorite comic book artist. I don't mind admitting that fact, either.
Dick Dillin was already a comics veteran when he drew the assignment of Justice League of America in 1968. Not only did Dillin take on the job, but he was the main artist on that title for 12 years, and handled impossible crowds of heroes, villains, and assorted others with an unusual aplomb. He thrilled my kiddie mind in that book, and others he pencilled like World's Finest Comics and DC Comics Presents. I had no idea who he was for the majority of those years, but his peculiar brand of staging made a deep impression on me. It's perhaps not always the best or most fluid presentation, and that never mattered. It was always gripping to me as a comic buying kid and compelled me to ask for the 25¢-50¢ for a new comic .
Dick Dillin passed away in 1980, just as it was starting to dawn on me who he was. As the years have slipped away, I find I miss his presence more and more, and I seek out any old comic or trade paperback I can find with Dillin artwork. DC's Showcase Presents series has made it possible for me to catch up on his work on books like Blackhawk and Hawkman from before my time. Plus, he drew the original JLA from #64 to #183. While I have read a lot of those stories, I'm still nowhere close to owning all of them.
Here's to you, Dick Dillin. I wish you could have gotten more recognition in your lifetime, but I'll do my part to see you aren't forgotten.
Want to read more?
Dick Dillin @ Lambiek.net
Blog entry on Dick Dillin by Dave Karlen
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Noboru Sugimura
One of the difficult parts of being a fan of Japanese sci-fi is that news sometimes travels slow, if at all. How could I have known that Akihiko Hirata had already passed away when I was figuring out who he was? Even today, because of the language barrier, things often go unnoticed.
Case in point is Noboru Sugimura. Never heard of him? Not surprised, really. However, if you've ever seen the early seasons of POWER RANGERS, you've seen fragments of his work. He was a scripter for many, many Toei SPFX programs, including various "Metal Hero" and "Super Sentai" programs. He was the main writer for shows like ZYURANGER and DAIRANGER. He also scripted the film KAMEN RIDER ZO and a number of episodes of KAMEN RIDER BLACK. Among his works on the latter are the introduction of Shadowmoon and the climax of the series.
Noboru Sugimura passed away in 2005. Although I consider myself a fan of his work, I had no idea until this past December. It's sad that the men and women who bring those movies and shows to life get so little recognition, so I thought I'd do my part by mentioning it here.
Case in point is Noboru Sugimura. Never heard of him? Not surprised, really. However, if you've ever seen the early seasons of POWER RANGERS, you've seen fragments of his work. He was a scripter for many, many Toei SPFX programs, including various "Metal Hero" and "Super Sentai" programs. He was the main writer for shows like ZYURANGER and DAIRANGER. He also scripted the film KAMEN RIDER ZO and a number of episodes of KAMEN RIDER BLACK. Among his works on the latter are the introduction of Shadowmoon and the climax of the series.
Noboru Sugimura passed away in 2005. Although I consider myself a fan of his work, I had no idea until this past December. It's sad that the men and women who bring those movies and shows to life get so little recognition, so I thought I'd do my part by mentioning it here.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Mardi Gras : The Naked Truth
In honor of Mardi Gras, I am proud to revive this essay, which was the second (and final) installment of a short-lived attempt at writing an online column without the benefit of a blogging platform.
Originally posted on February 19, 2002 ; revised March 4, 2003
Well, it was a week ago that one of the best examples of mass hysteria in the world reached critical mass for another year. I'm talking about Mardi Gras, which affects natives and visitors alike when they are in this boot-shaped state (Louisiana, duh!) at the proper time. If you've never been in Louisiana during Mardi Gras, you just have no idea. Pull up a seat and let me tell you a few things.
Most of you probably think that Mardi Gras is just one day - "Fat Tuesday" if you're really in the know (I'm sure there is a reason for that name, but I'm the wrong one to ask). You are so wrong. Mardi Gras season kicks off in December. That's right, December. The weeks leading up to the big day are loaded with parties, balls, and parades. You're probably wondering why they go to all this trouble prior to Mardi Gras itself. You're not the only one. Practice? Sure strikes me as overkill. Then again, this is Louisiana and even the thinnest excuse (like removing a splinter from your finger or buying a new pair of shoes) is reason enough to have a party.
Now, what do you think of when you think of Mardi Gras? Chances are, your image consists of gaudily costumed revelers on floats in parades traveling down the streets of New Orleans, tossing trinkets to spectators and coaxing attractive females to display portions of their anatomy. And you are essentially correct. Yes, Mardi Gras is about those things, even flashing for worthless junk. However, that scenario is only one aspect of the celebration.
Mardi Gras is a Catholic holiday, a celebration prior to Lent (a fasting period where you give up something until Easter). Need I mention that not all of the Mardi Gras participants are Catholic? Most of them won't be giving up jack when it's over either. That's right, any excuse to party, even if it involves something not from your religion.
Mardi Gras is not a New Orleans exclusive. It's all over this state. Some of the rural observances strike me as...odd. For example, there are the guys who ride around on horses, extorting ingredients for their Mardi Gras feast from local residents. Then you have the "chicken run", where hapless chickens are set free and then chased all around by various folks intent on eating chicken. It's just as bizarre as it sounds, especially since the chicken chasers often dress up in costumes that look like something from a B-horror movie.
While I'm not big on the Mardi Gras shenanigans, they don't really bug me that much. It's mainly just an excuse to act stupid, drunk, and debauched. Since that sort of thing isn't really my style, I wind up being an amused observer instead. The best part is Ash Wednesday - the day after. Imagine an entire state with a hangover.
I've noticed there have been rumblings in the last few years about spreading Mardi Gras around the country. Well, that's fine and dandy, but my advice is to tread carefully. It's not all goofy outfits and exposed breasts. You may never be able to look at a chicken the same way again.
Originally posted on February 19, 2002 ; revised March 4, 2003
Well, it was a week ago that one of the best examples of mass hysteria in the world reached critical mass for another year. I'm talking about Mardi Gras, which affects natives and visitors alike when they are in this boot-shaped state (Louisiana, duh!) at the proper time. If you've never been in Louisiana during Mardi Gras, you just have no idea. Pull up a seat and let me tell you a few things.
Most of you probably think that Mardi Gras is just one day - "Fat Tuesday" if you're really in the know (I'm sure there is a reason for that name, but I'm the wrong one to ask). You are so wrong. Mardi Gras season kicks off in December. That's right, December. The weeks leading up to the big day are loaded with parties, balls, and parades. You're probably wondering why they go to all this trouble prior to Mardi Gras itself. You're not the only one. Practice? Sure strikes me as overkill. Then again, this is Louisiana and even the thinnest excuse (like removing a splinter from your finger or buying a new pair of shoes) is reason enough to have a party.
Now, what do you think of when you think of Mardi Gras? Chances are, your image consists of gaudily costumed revelers on floats in parades traveling down the streets of New Orleans, tossing trinkets to spectators and coaxing attractive females to display portions of their anatomy. And you are essentially correct. Yes, Mardi Gras is about those things, even flashing for worthless junk. However, that scenario is only one aspect of the celebration.
Mardi Gras is a Catholic holiday, a celebration prior to Lent (a fasting period where you give up something until Easter). Need I mention that not all of the Mardi Gras participants are Catholic? Most of them won't be giving up jack when it's over either. That's right, any excuse to party, even if it involves something not from your religion.
Mardi Gras is not a New Orleans exclusive. It's all over this state. Some of the rural observances strike me as...odd. For example, there are the guys who ride around on horses, extorting ingredients for their Mardi Gras feast from local residents. Then you have the "chicken run", where hapless chickens are set free and then chased all around by various folks intent on eating chicken. It's just as bizarre as it sounds, especially since the chicken chasers often dress up in costumes that look like something from a B-horror movie.
While I'm not big on the Mardi Gras shenanigans, they don't really bug me that much. It's mainly just an excuse to act stupid, drunk, and debauched. Since that sort of thing isn't really my style, I wind up being an amused observer instead. The best part is Ash Wednesday - the day after. Imagine an entire state with a hangover.
I've noticed there have been rumblings in the last few years about spreading Mardi Gras around the country. Well, that's fine and dandy, but my advice is to tread carefully. It's not all goofy outfits and exposed breasts. You may never be able to look at a chicken the same way again.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Today We Make History
This is the greatest comic book panel ever.
From The Brave and The Bold #154 (Sep. 1979). Writer : Bob Haney (YES!). Artist : Jim Aparo (YES!). Batman & panel © DC Comics, Inc.
BATMAN SAVED BY CHEESE!
From The Brave and The Bold #154 (Sep. 1979). Writer : Bob Haney (YES!). Artist : Jim Aparo (YES!). Batman & panel © DC Comics, Inc.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Missed Opportunity Of Fandom
It doesn't seem like it to me, but I made my published writing debut almost 15 years ago. It was 1994, the year I more or less joined the Japanese sci-fi fandom. Time has sort of rendered the chronology of certain events meaningless to me, but I do know that Antarctic Press' Sentai #1 was the launching pad for everything else. Interestingly, it was also the (probable) beginning of a separate but related fandom - namely, Power Rangers fandom.
In retrospect, I almost helped found Power Rangers fandom.
I wasn't the first person to say that the Power Rangers shows deserved to be considered as something worth discussing, and not just dismissed outright. I didn't even write the first published feature on Power Rangers that was more than just hype or a trashing. But I wrote a lot of letters defending the series, and some actually saw print. I corresponded with David Crowe, who I think was the first writer to apply a semi-serious eye to the show. And yes, my earliest published articles (in Kaiju Review) were on Power Rangers and its rip-offs.
There's more. Oh God, I can't verify it, but I think I may be the first person to write Power Rangers fanfiction to be read by a wide audience (in the pages of G-Fan). My first serious flirtation with publishing a fanzine was in 1993-94, when I hit upon the idea of doing a Power Rangers 'zine. It was to be called Ranger Report (yes, really) and I had even worked up the covers for what would have been the first two issues. Though I had always intended to "branch out" beyond PR, my knowledge was too limited so the project ended up being abandoned. The logo I created survives (and the name was recycled for a column in Xenorama), but the covers disappeared and the material I had written is tucked away in a box somewhere.
So, what happened? Well, a common thing in fandoms of all types - I lost interest. Power Rangers was and is a kid's show first and foremost, and the limitations and strains of that finally made me decide that I would be better off pursuing other things. That was probably about 1996 or so, and I haven't looked back.
While I don't have any regrets, it's odd to realize that I was part of a fandom that didn't really exist at the time. I don't know when everything "came together" for PR fandom, but it certainly came after my time. As a result, I don't think the things I did had any influence, and likely aren't even remembered as footnotes. It's like being the Pete Best of a fandom, only moreso.
So, do you have any stories of "almosts" in your fannish life?
In retrospect, I almost helped found Power Rangers fandom.
I wasn't the first person to say that the Power Rangers shows deserved to be considered as something worth discussing, and not just dismissed outright. I didn't even write the first published feature on Power Rangers that was more than just hype or a trashing. But I wrote a lot of letters defending the series, and some actually saw print. I corresponded with David Crowe, who I think was the first writer to apply a semi-serious eye to the show. And yes, my earliest published articles (in Kaiju Review) were on Power Rangers and its rip-offs.
There's more. Oh God, I can't verify it, but I think I may be the first person to write Power Rangers fanfiction to be read by a wide audience (in the pages of G-Fan). My first serious flirtation with publishing a fanzine was in 1993-94, when I hit upon the idea of doing a Power Rangers 'zine. It was to be called Ranger Report (yes, really) and I had even worked up the covers for what would have been the first two issues. Though I had always intended to "branch out" beyond PR, my knowledge was too limited so the project ended up being abandoned. The logo I created survives (and the name was recycled for a column in Xenorama), but the covers disappeared and the material I had written is tucked away in a box somewhere.
So, what happened? Well, a common thing in fandoms of all types - I lost interest. Power Rangers was and is a kid's show first and foremost, and the limitations and strains of that finally made me decide that I would be better off pursuing other things. That was probably about 1996 or so, and I haven't looked back.
While I don't have any regrets, it's odd to realize that I was part of a fandom that didn't really exist at the time. I don't know when everything "came together" for PR fandom, but it certainly came after my time. As a result, I don't think the things I did had any influence, and likely aren't even remembered as footnotes. It's like being the Pete Best of a fandom, only moreso.
So, do you have any stories of "almosts" in your fannish life?
Monday, February 16, 2009
Toei Tokusatsu Hero Box - Disc 1
(Refer back to this entry if you need your memory refreshed.)
The problem with watching shows like SPYCATCHER J3 is that they certainly SEEM interesting, but it's impossible to know what's going on with all of the plot twists and intrigue because of the language barrier. So while I found the "movie" (edited from a two-parter from the series) interesting, I couldn't really follow it that well. It wasn't hopeless, but I was lost more than a little.
Color me surprised to see Tetsuro Tanba in the role of "J1", our hero's superior in TULIP (The Undercover Line of International Police). He doesn't get to do much, but I'm sure he was much in demand by that time anyway. Yusuke Kawazu, who has never impressed me in anything else, actually cuts an interesting figure as J3, and I really enjoyed his performance.
CAPTAN ULTRA is also edited together from two episodes of its series, though they aren't consecutive ones in this case. This space adventure show is no relation to Tsuburaya's hero shows, except for the fact that it occupied the same time slot on TBS during the interim between ULTRAMAN and ULTRASEVEN. Our spacefaring hero has no "Color Timer", but he does have a nifty rocket. He also fights some incredibly non-threatening looking aliens.
The last sentence brings me to the fact that Toei shows are rarely, if ever, what you'd term "big budget". This is most glaring in some of their 1960s shows, which seem to wallow in wonderful cheapness. CAPTAIN ULTRA is perhaps the most obvious culprit, since it takes place entirely in (set-bound) space. His alien enemies are simply the sort of thing that need to be seen to be believed.
KAPPA NO SANPEI is a more mystically-oriented show, dealing with the uniquely Japanese side of such things. It's fun and surprisingly easy to follow. I especially got a kick out of the "Shinigami" ("Grim Reaper") who looked like a refugee from the Gargoyle Gang.
JUDO ICCHOKUSEN ("A Straight Line of Judo") is a series created by the same manga creator who brought us "Hoshi no Kyojin" (STAR OF THE GIANTS) and "Ashita no Jo" (TOMORROW'S JO). Surprise! It's another sports-themed concept! I found this very watchable, though its connection to "tokusatsu" is tenuous at best. This particular episode centers around our aspiring judo-ka dealing with a hot tempered wrestler.
Aaaaand this concludes our tour of Disc 1 of this set. Join us in our next installment (whenever that is) when we dive headlong into the henshin hero boom!
The problem with watching shows like SPYCATCHER J3 is that they certainly SEEM interesting, but it's impossible to know what's going on with all of the plot twists and intrigue because of the language barrier. So while I found the "movie" (edited from a two-parter from the series) interesting, I couldn't really follow it that well. It wasn't hopeless, but I was lost more than a little.
Color me surprised to see Tetsuro Tanba in the role of "J1", our hero's superior in TULIP (The Undercover Line of International Police). He doesn't get to do much, but I'm sure he was much in demand by that time anyway. Yusuke Kawazu, who has never impressed me in anything else, actually cuts an interesting figure as J3, and I really enjoyed his performance.
CAPTAN ULTRA is also edited together from two episodes of its series, though they aren't consecutive ones in this case. This space adventure show is no relation to Tsuburaya's hero shows, except for the fact that it occupied the same time slot on TBS during the interim between ULTRAMAN and ULTRASEVEN. Our spacefaring hero has no "Color Timer", but he does have a nifty rocket. He also fights some incredibly non-threatening looking aliens.
The last sentence brings me to the fact that Toei shows are rarely, if ever, what you'd term "big budget". This is most glaring in some of their 1960s shows, which seem to wallow in wonderful cheapness. CAPTAIN ULTRA is perhaps the most obvious culprit, since it takes place entirely in (set-bound) space. His alien enemies are simply the sort of thing that need to be seen to be believed.
KAPPA NO SANPEI is a more mystically-oriented show, dealing with the uniquely Japanese side of such things. It's fun and surprisingly easy to follow. I especially got a kick out of the "Shinigami" ("Grim Reaper") who looked like a refugee from the Gargoyle Gang.
JUDO ICCHOKUSEN ("A Straight Line of Judo") is a series created by the same manga creator who brought us "Hoshi no Kyojin" (STAR OF THE GIANTS) and "Ashita no Jo" (TOMORROW'S JO). Surprise! It's another sports-themed concept! I found this very watchable, though its connection to "tokusatsu" is tenuous at best. This particular episode centers around our aspiring judo-ka dealing with a hot tempered wrestler.
Aaaaand this concludes our tour of Disc 1 of this set. Join us in our next installment (whenever that is) when we dive headlong into the henshin hero boom!
Friday, February 13, 2009
BATMAN'S DEF JAM!
So throw your hands in the air!
And wave 'em like you just don't care!
Now somebody! Anybody! Everybody! Scream!
The roof! The roof! The roof in on fire!
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