Cleopatra! Hedy Lamarr! Veronica Lodge!

 Even the most casual comic book nerdlinger knows about Spider-Man's foe, the Lizard.  I mean, he was the villain in The Amazing Spider-Man movie last year.  But, as you might expect, a name like the Lizard had been used before.  Check out these bits from Golden Age Green Lantern #16:

I have to admit, the name really confuses me.  The "flaming salamanders" were apparently mythical creatures, so I guess I understand the gimmick, but why would a Lizard be a "master of fire?"  Shouldn't he have just called himself "the Flaming Salamander?"  Because I could totally get behind that...

And we have the big reveal that at least explains the costume:

He was wearing asbestos?  I suspect his legal problems are going to be the least of his worries.

Robert Gillis hasn't popped up in a while, but it's always awesome when he does.  These come from a story that I believe originally appeared in Detective Comics #168, later reprinted in the Secret Origins of Super-Villains Treasury from 1975. 

First, it's time for some Fun with Out of Context Dialogue! (tm!):

Let's follow it up with some Excessively Impossibly Expository Monlogue! (tm!)

I dunno.... that's one slow-moving wall if you're able to process all that.

Thanks, Robert!

Pep Comics gave us the first introduction of Veronica Lodge to the Archie Universe:

I never rooted for Archie to forgo Betty in the pursuit of Veronica.  Betty was a solid, All-American girl, while Veronica... well, Veronica was a smug little princess with entitlement issues.  I would assume that, should Archie ever reach maturity, he would regret all the energy he wasted chasing Veronica when he already had the attention of uber-cool Betty.

Then again, your average guy generally has at least one girl he regrettably overlooked while he spent too much time pursuing that one that wasn't right for him.  That's just part of growing up, I suppose.

On the plus side, she seems to have motivated the Riverdale boys to dress better.  I mean, he isn't exactly rocking that sweater-vest, but it's an improvement over the "vagrant Dennis the Menace" look he had been sporting up until then.

See you Monday!

Seriously, Though.... Don't Give a Dog Lipstick

Oy!  That was a terrible storm, and I am without power at Casa CMNS  and there's no air-conditioning where I work, so this is not my favorite day.

But you know what makes every day just a teeny bit better?  Blogging.

Courtesy of Robert Gillis, here's an Excessively Impossibly Expository Monlogue!

I remember this cover from a house ad.  Good stuff.  And here's some Fun with Out of Context Dialogue! (tm!) courtesy of Lois Lane #1:

Oh, I don't know... there are some truck stops where it's hard to keep the "sword drinkers" away!

Good stuff, Robert!

Here are some bits n' pieces from Startling Comics #24:

It's funny if you pretend the first guy's name is "Larry."

You know what makes this funny?  Look at that panel while listening to this:

Here's something I didn't know about the Golden Age:

Women apparently weren't into lipstick.

Enough of that.  Let's finish with more Fun with Out of Context Dialogue! (tm!)

Would YOU Be Afraid to Go Out Among the Stars with Me?

From Contributor Robert Gillis, we have some Excessively Impossibly Expository Monologue (tm!), courtesy of Superman Family #167.

Well, don't help her, Jimmy!  Yeesh.  I mean, if you have time to say / think all that, maybe you could just... oh, I don't know... pull her out of harm's way?

Here's something worth noting from Captain Video #6:

The moral here is, if Captain Video tells you to duck, then the rest of it is on you.  The fact that you're clearly distracted and have your back turned is your problem.  He gave you a fair chance and all that, but he's going to hit the dirt whether you do or don't.  It's on you once the bullets start flying.

Hmmmm.... it looks like it's fun for some Fun with Out of Context Artwork (tm!), courtesy of Adventures in Space #40:

I don't know what fate has in store for Little Buddy Scott, but I'm almost concerned enough to call Social Services.

See you tomorrow!

There's No Time to Step Aside... But Plenty of Time to Articulate What's Happening!

So we introduced the Excessively Impossibly Expository Dialogue (tm!) the other day, and contributor sPat is all over it with these dandies...

Maybe there's time to shield myself with this small dull child!

Dang! Why did I have to use up the small child on that falling pedestal? 

Jimmy has the worst luck with stuff falling on him.  Maybe Metropolis has some really lax building codes.

And here's a piano that falls slowly enough for two people to comment on it:

If I lived in Metropolis, I'd be afraid to leave the house.

Thanks again, sPat!

See you tomorrow!

You'd Have to Have a Lot of Extra Lives to Not Care if You are Casually Killed by a Falling Safe and Other Observations

Hot on the heals of our newest meme comes yet another new meme, with assistance for the concept from contributor Robert Gillis, who provided us with today's panels.

Ladies and gents, I give you...

the Excessively Impossibly Expository Monologue(tm!)  

I know!  It's like an early Valentine's gift, isn't it?

Here's a great example from Jimmy Olsen #71:

Jimmy either thinks really quickly, or that safe is falling verrrrrrrry slowly.

From that same issue....

As every comic book nerdlinger knows, what happens in Jimmy Olsen comics stays in Jimmy Olsen comics...

From Superman Family #176.  Superham Jr. is one of the most abusive dog owners ever.  In this scene, he takes Krypto's favorite thing for a week... and it was for something Krypto didn't even do!

What's the matter, Superham Jr.?  Out of poison?

Besides which, Krypto is a dog.  He will have totally forgotten why he's being punished ten minutes later, and will (rightly) assume his master is just an abusive jerk.

See you tomorrow!