Tuesday, April 30, 2013

10 Years Ago Today In 2000 AD--A Night At The Opera!!

10 years ago today in 2000 AD...

Megacity-One is hosting a very special event:

And there's even a special guest:


And the star:

Well, the show goes on...

But during the intermission:


At the finale, Dredd's fellow judges have called him...a terrorist group has been captured, and they have planted a bomb in the opera house!!

Where in the opera house?!?




Phew!!



That's a long way to go for a lame punchline...

From 2000 AD #1338 April 30, 2003

25 Years Ago In 2000 AD--R.I.P.off!

25 years ago today...

2000 AD totally ripped off Grant Morrison's Batman R.I.P.

SPOILER ALERT: Dredd didn't really die. He did need a new lung, however.

From 2000 AD #572, April 30 1988. Cover by Jim Baikie.

Monday, April 29, 2013

Manic Monday--Danger And Excitement Lurks Beneath Every Bush!!

Sometimes I need to remind the young folks out there that a television series called Daktari existed.

Why? Because...

"Danger and excitement lurks beneath every bush in the wild, wild jungle!

Now that's a story I want to read, ungrammatical cover!! Come on, now, share that danger and excitement with us!!

Oh. Yes. So much danger. And the excitement? Oh. I might get the vapors.

Another triumphantly boring Dell licenced TV series cover!!

Daktari #2 was from 1967.

Manic Monday--It's Not Just For Breakfast Anymore!!

Yes, it sucks that we don't have Tiny Titans anymore.

Yes, it quadruple sucks that we don't have Superman Family Adventures anymore.

But the universe is good, because you can still get a dose of Baltazar & Franco all-ages uniqueness.

How? Because Aw, Yeah Comics! #1 is out. Observe, as Evil Cat has made a giant pancake, in order to stomp Skokie:







Really.

Aw Yeah Comics! is published by Mark Waid's Thrillbent, and is available on Comixology. Get it.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm hungry for some reason...

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Look, It Makes More Sense Than Wildstorm...

Not that I would ever be so presumptuous as to tell DC what to do, but if they don't make this their next nu52 title...

...then they're damn fools!!

Surfing!! Cycling!! Sharks!! Road accidents!! Australia!!! California!!! Bikinis!!! Leathers!!

Look, it's no less likely than The Green Team, right?

Surf N' Wheels #5 is from 1979

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Tales From The Quarter Bin--Schneiderless!!

Well, well, lookie what I found for two bits:

Hey, there's some talent there. Carlos Ezquerra co-created Dredd, for heaven's sake. And I've always been a fan of Helfer's.

Sadly, it's still not a great story, as the tale is "based on the screenplay." Shudder.

Which means, of course, we get way too much of Dredd out of uniform (and out of helmet), because dammit, Sly Stallone has a face people pay to see. And of course, the screenplay makes the fundamental error many superhero movies do, trying to jam every single thing that's ever happened to the character into one two-hour movie (I'm looking at you, Daredevil movie).

Still there are differences--perhaps because they were working from an earlier version of the script, or perhaps they were given a tad bit of freedom. Whatever the reason, Ezquerra does nothing really resembling likeness of the actors. And you have to admit that, no matter what your opinion of the movie, that this version of Fergee...

...is 5000000000% preferable to what we actually got:

Shudder.

Seriously, Hollywood--Sandler, Spade, Schneider...W.T.F?!?

Anyhoo, there was one other substantial difference:






That's it...no tacked-on, focus-group-mandated (or studio-demanded because they wanted to use the character in the inevitable (ha!) sequel) ending with Fergee surveying and being taken away in an ambulance. Nope, just as in the 2000 AD stories, Fergee died heroically in this adaptation, and didn't survive to quip away unfunnily.

And at least Dredd and Rico look like clones in this version...

So, not great, but no Schneiderisms, better art, and better end make this well worth the quarter...

Friday, April 26, 2013

Friday Night Fights--Believe Your Eyes Style!!

It's the championship round of Friday Night Fights, and our Master Of Mayhem Spacebooger has enacted a special rule:

 "a fight scene featuring a fight where the loser 'never saw it coming': The final blow should take place either off panel or by surprise to win the championship."

Yeah, I got that.

Doc Samson has got it into his head once again try try to cure the Hulk--aww, that trick never works!!

Well, Samson find the Hulk in the desert, but Jade Jaws beats the stuffing out of him.

Fortunately, while Samson is recovering...



HUH!?!









Uh-oh....


Spacebooger wishes his hair were as thick and luxurious as Doc Samson's...

The bone-rattling, gravity-defying, hand-crunching final blow is from Incredible Hulk #314 (1985), brought to us by John Byrne, John Byrne and Bob Wiacek.

Now is the time for you to go and vote for my fight. Why? Because I crave the prize for winning this week. So go and vote, dagnabbit!!