As you can probably tell, I'm jumping back and forth between Detective Comics and Amazing Spider-Man just to keep things fresh. Here's a look at Detective Comics #350:
I'm just starting to get my feet wet in the comics creation game, but I can't understand why you'd take a landmark issue and put in some lame villain we've never seen before. Not that Detective didn't do this already, so I'm not totally surprised, but seriously?
And I'm not just picking on the Silver Age. I was equally disappointed when the villains who "ended" the careers of Bats and Superman were Bane and Doomsday, who hadn't been seen before those much-hyped events. It just seems like Batman in particular has such an awesome rogues gallery that they could have at least brought back a long-forgotten character like the Scarecrow or the Riddler. But the "Monarch of Menace"? We waited 350 issues (well, 323 issues since Bats didn't start until Detective #27, but you get the idea) for this guy?
And since when is a cloud of gas coming from underneath a bolt of fabric a tool of the super-villain trade? If that's the case, I've been a super-villain for years because, as Beloved will attest, I have been known to release clouds of gas from underneath blankets for years, especially when I ingest one of the fine items from the "Fiber One" line of products.
Of course, this story was not without its moments:
Sigh.... sigh...
And I'm really not sure why he has a life-sized portrait of the guy, or where he even got a hold of one to begin with, but I'm sure some fanboy out there will try to convince me that isn't silly. Good luck with that.
It also had a Casey the Cop joke I truly didn't get:
Okay, I know it has something to do with the jury, but it's some reference I'm not getting.
And, by the way, I'm not going to the Swing Scene with anyone, especially a dude named "Scooter."
All this notwithstanding, Detective Comics #350 was worth finding because this truly was a landmark moment:
As comic geeks know, Ralph would wear that outfit for about the next 30 years, so that's something.
But that being said, the other costume seemed a lot more practical. It was very loose and baggy, so it made sense that the costume stretched with him. You can see here the entire build-up of Sue bequeathing the new outfit to Ralph, so there's no explanation as to how/why the new outfit would stretch. It actually looks like a good way to keep him from stretching knuckles and kneecaps and the like, which might have been her plan. If I could stretch my knuckles and kneecaps, Beloved would go to great lengths to discourage it.
Lots to think about, my friends.... lots to think about.
Sigh... sigh....
See you tomorrow!
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8 comments:
Google "convicts march shoulder" and you'll see that this is an old-fashioned traditional way that convicts marched. (I must have seen this in a cartoon at some point.) Why the hell they would march that way, or what the hell the jury is trying to get across - "We're a jury of your peers, and we're all convicts" or "Get used to marching this way, buddy" or what, I don't know.
"If that's the case, I've been a super-villain for years because, as Beloved will attest, I have been known to release clouds of gas from underneath blankets for years,"
Up in the middle of the night changing a diaper. Thank you for giving me a good laugh before I collapse back into bed.
What happened to the artwork in that Elongated Man back-up? Is that a different artist, or did the artist just get lazy?
My favorite version of Ralph's outfit is the one that's split purple and white. I forget when he wore it, but I know it's the design they used in the Justice League animated series.
"And I'm really not sure why he has a life-sized portrait of the guy, or where he even got a hold of one to begin with, but I'm sure some fanboy out there will try to convince me that isn't silly."
It IS silly. 'Nuff said.
As for the title of this entry...
If the lighting rod has an insulated handle and/or the holder isn't grounded, he'll survive.
"What happened to the artwork in that Elongated Man back-up? Is that a different artist, or did the artist just get lazy?"
Nope to either. It's still Infantino and he's still inking himself. He's just experimenting with a cleaner line style.
DC.wika.com lists Sid Greene as the inker, but the panels above are NOT his slick Joe Sinnott-ish style.
Uhm, did Ralph just stay right there and change right in front of everyone? Is that why they are clapping??
D.B., I think you've cracked the code! I think it's the latter, where they're saying, "This is your future, buddy."
That had me stumped. That's really not a good joke if it takes this kind of effort to decipher it.
Stupid me, I thought it was that the jury was clean-shaven and they found the guy guilty on scruffiness alone.
Also, I had no idea EM got that red & black costume in Detective. I always assumed it was a 70s thing, for when he joined the JLA.
Right here's the idea for the cop thing..
the jury can't tell the guy "Hey we are going to put you away."
So they walk in convict lockstep and that communicates Three things...
1) we are all of one mind.
2) get used to this you'll be seeing it a lot in the future.
3) we are mocking you, cause we are doing this just for fun and after we put you away we get to go home to our wives and a big steak dinner.
Lazarus Lupin
http://strangespanner.blogspot.com/
art and review
"It's still Infantino and he's still inking himself. He's just experimenting with a cleaner line style."
I guess it can be safely said then that I don't care for it. His figure work looked much better in the previous panels Adam posted. Even Sue doesn't look quite right, especially in the bottom left panel where she looks Japanese.
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