ultracomics
Please visit the active Ultrasparky blog to browse the for the content that has accumulated since this all began in 1996.
Style Sheets
mikestand: Wonder Woman style sheet, 1982...
The secret revealed!
gifake: Captain America (1966)...
Phoenix rising
samhumphries: Paul Smith did the best Dark Phoenix. Paul Smith did the best EVERYTHING....
Younglings
Despite all my other beefs with the company, I'm really proud of Marvel for keeping these two together. fanboygaymeruncut: Young Avengers via Comic Book Queers...
Childhood dreams
I've been trying to be diligent about duplicating here what goes into my Tumblr feeds now that I've pulled the old stuff into the archives, but this time it makes more sense to combine these three posts into one. As...
DC Stock Art Color Swatches
This is relevant to a variety of my interests. [via From Beyond the Unknown]...
Girls and their costumes
comicallyvintage: Girls and their costumes....
Noted.
picofthegay: The moment Superman figured Batman out....
Fantastic Feast
fanboygaymerjunk: Marvel Superheroes Cookbook (1977)...
From the scrapbook
[via Comic Book Cartography]...
Yes, just like this
twentypercentcooler: How Stan Lee and Steve Ditko Create Spider-Man (Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1)...
Engrossed
jessiewonka: Pink Mince (Taken with instagram)...
In mailboxes across the USA
At last! Americans are getting their copies of Pink Mince #7. jessiewonka: Taken with instagram...
How he became a millionaire playboy
‘They figured it would sell for at least $100,000. Well, the auction was yesterday, and it sold for $448,125, making it “the single most valuable piece of American comic art to ever sell.”’...
I'm going home
comicallyvintage: Oh, those New York weekends!...
From the scrapbook
retrogasm: Wonder Woman looks bored…...
The people are not free
pleasureunit: Red Women’s Workshop was a screen printing workshop run as a women’s collective between c1974 and the early 1990s. It was a radical campaigning and publicising organisation fully committed to the ideals of the second wave feminist movement....
Black Canary
docshaner: Alex Toth, Adventure Comics #418...
Us do opposite of all earthly things!
This actually works pretty well for most of the protagonists in John Waters films, too....
Power couple
philnoto: Black Canary/Green Arrow - Esquire July 1972...
Candy you can eat
I need to just embrace my inner Etta Candy and accept my prospects. teaviant: I love wonder woman so fucking much. “my constitution has lots of room for amendments”...
From the scrapbook
justgoodtattoos: Jason Vaughn Fucking dope!...
Spandex party
Wow, remember when Byrne didn’t destroy everything you loved? elektrao: Byrne X-Men...
Perennial Favorites
Batgirl vs. Spider-Woman by George Perez...
The Funny Pages
I’m really proud of this one, and totally think you should pickup a copy. “The Funny Pages” is a special giant-sized edition of Pink Mince, a loving tribute to the comics. Featuring the work of James Bainbridge, Drub, Sina Evil,...
Superrollins, pt. 2
And the flip side (via)...
Superrollins, pt. 1
Superboy as Henry Rollins, by Rob Clarke (via)...
Reed Richards is a dick
thecomickid: pure gold right here...
Down with singles
Batman unfair to Batgirl! grantbridgestreet: Irv Novick....
Art department
mudwerks: (via ILLUSTRATION ART: CONTRAST)...
Pre-order your Mince
Pre-order your copy of Pink Mince #7 — The Funny Pages — and get your hands on a copy as soon as it arrives back from the printer! (Or pick up a 6-issue subscription and always get the latest copy.)...
Earth 2
thehappysorceress: Huntress & Power Girl by Terry Beatty...
As of now — I quit
(via http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewsutton/4580802370)...
Dream date
seltzerlizard: 1966 Superman Card Game (by andertoons)...
The ascender to my descender
OK, when you put it like that it makes more sense to me. Thank you, Diesel Sweeties. [Note: This comedic use of simile is relevant to my interests, but only in the abstract. Oh, how I wish it had...
Let's go
The last piece of artwork for Pink Mince #7 — The Funny Pages — is in place. Printing soon. Yay!...
Snake wrangler
NYC needs Batman! schwarbage: No shit, Sherlock. “World’s Greatest Detective” right here folks....
Hunkman
knappy-head: Hawkman v. 4, #18 (October, 2003)...
We are family
grantbridgestreet: Curt Swan....
Pee Joe
jessiewonka: Peejoe #2, now in stores!...
Her most exciting adventures
contextisfortheweak: Back long before trade paperbacks became commonplace, this was one of the very few ways you could catch up on old stories in collected form. MMPB cover art by Joe Sinnott, adapted from the cover to Spider-Woman v.1 #1....
Coming soon — The Funny Pages
Coming in April — Pink Mince 7: The Funny Pages! Back from hiatus at last with a tabloid-size newspaper edition filled with comics and other treats. Including awesome stuff from Sina Evil, Jessie Johnson, Bill Roundy, James Bainbridge, Howard Hardiman,...
All is revealed
grantbridgestreet: Jack Kirby....
Warm rubber
S’truth comicallyvintage: The tribulations of the globe trotting fetishist....
Hey ladies
whoareyou-: Women of Marvel by Ramona Fradon and Mike Allred...
The Hero I Want
comicallyvintage: Girls — Choose your hero!...
From the scrapbook
retrogasm: Sparky says… via...
Loopy Lois
Really, though, this is pretty much where silver-age Lois was heading the whole time burnhazard: Comics Make No Sense: Vibrators and Spankings Thursday!...
Non-canon
retrogasm: Yes…Super Friends…...
From the scrapbook
No one to send it to....
Doubts Even Here
heyoscarwilde: art by Daniel Clowes | scanned from Ice Haven | Pantheon Books | 2005...
From the scrapbook
rrrick: Batman mask for Rrrick   :)...
Just Super
Old friends, courtesy of Sam Levine...
From the scrapbook
contextisfortheweak: MARVEL LEGACY: THE 1960s HANDBOOK Ain’t no school like the old school....
From the scrapbook
jockohomo: From my own collection, Ron Wilson and Frank Giacoia The Complete Fantastic Four #2 Cover Original Art (Marvel, 1977). This thrilling cover was penciled by Ron Wilson and inked by Frank Giacoia for a Marvel British publication. The art...
The Pink Mince mood board
yourfuzz: George Perez’ gay sketches: makes me appreciate George even more....
From the scrapbook
Honey, that’s Gay Bar Lesson #1. comicallyvintage: Man or Cream Puff?...
The Pink Mince mood board
comicallyvintage: Vote now!...
From the scrapbook
comicallyvintage: Tattoos: better than TV?...
Wallace Wells, Drunk Homosexual
fuckyeahwallacewells...
They know.
extranuance: Patsy and Hedy #7 (1952)...
From the scrapbook
comicallyvintage: Phony!...
I have had this dilemma
comicallyvintage: … But He’s Not My Type!...
Jack Kirby in the Valley
They call him the king because Jack Kirby rules over the entire medium of superhero comics. It's not that he was the boss, but because he was the best. You may even want to argue that if you're not...
Ye Olde Fanboy Forum
Aw, doesn't this take you back? It's a form asking readers to send in their thoughts to be gathered for a future edition of Stan Lee's Soapbox. Back then, it took some serious effort — writing, clipping a page...
Wonder Woman understands my pain
"Sometimes even Wonder Woman struggles to get a date..." [via Comically Vintage]...
Aqua love
peepshowcreepshow: caught in the act....
The Pink Mince mood board
sissydudeomen2: via Robert...
Doom!
rraaaarrl: CUE DRAMATIC AND PONDEROUS EXPOSITION ABOUT THE DAYS OF YORE ;~;...
Wonder Woman should know this already
comicallyvintage: The Superior Person Holds Emotions In Check!...
From the scrapbook
bipolaroide: space oddity...
The Pink Mince mood board
fullofwhoa: Context is for the weak....
From the scrapbook
comicallyvintage: You Fresh Things!...
Oh, Superman
jockohomo: Secret Identity: The Fetish Art of Superman’s Co-creator Joe Shuster - Sensational book that showcases rare and recently discovered naughty artwork by Joe Shuster co-creator of the DC Comics character Superman. Pervy illustrations were created in the early 1950s...
The concrete vastness of New York
Things in New York change all the time — as mentioned earlier — but they haven't come quite this far yet. Unfortunately. EVERYTHING looks cooler in Kirby-vision. [via Comic Book Cartography]...
Go to The Lengths
Go to The Lengths Howard Hardiman’s amazing comic “The Lengths” that I was urging you to check out? Now on sale....
From the scrapbook
covermashups: Ah… the 80’s… Mashed covers: Uncanny X-Men #186 Detective Comics #422...
The Pink Mince mood board
boycrazyboy: “Atash and the Man-Gods of The Homoverse” preview - by Sina Evil. Atash - Man-God of Fire and Passion! The full story will be available in Pink Mince no 7 - see http://www.pinkmince.com/ for more information…...
In their satin tights
Gentlemen, were you one of those sensitive boys who usually felt a little out of the ordinary, a little different? Did this ever manifest itself in an ongoing fascination with the likes of lady superheroes or adventurer types? Whether...
From the scrapbook
covermashups: Jean and Diana. Don't know why, but I feel it works. Mashed covers: Uncanny X-Men #137 Wonder Woman #47...
From the scrapbook
covermashups: U Go Wondy! Mashed covers: Uncanny X-Men #138 Wonder Woman #269...
From the scrapbook
covermashups: Who ships a Peter Parker/Terry Long romance? I ship! Mashed covers: Amazing Spider-Man annual #21 New Teen Titans #50...
From the scrapbook
mypessimisticheart: ohmygah: cosmicheart: This really didn't come out the way I wanted it to, but whatever. SO TIRED. STILL WONDERFUL. ONE OF MY ABSOLUTE FAVOURITES FROM VOLUME 6. The moment that actually made me go Aaaw...
From the scrapbook
sturtle: (via beargrease)...
The kisses are for the other girls!
Confession time: This is basically what runs through my head most of the time. I have moments of slightly more self-confidence, but they're fleeting, and generally decimated by the stark reality of my day-to-day life. [Another gem from Comically...
Super Powerpuffs
gaycomicscode: Is there anything gayer than being the aquatic damsel in distress Aquaman and being saved by the Power Puff Girls from the Legion of Doom?...
From the scrapbook
comicallyvintage: Things girls pretend to avoid weird sex. Number 27....
Context? Who needs context?
Classic comics are awash with the most astonishing innuendo, especially if you forget all about context, changes in language, and changes in sensibility. But really, if you think about all that stuff it only takes away the fun. And these...
From the scrapbook
mogadonia: Sluggo rests. Sluggo looks stoned out of his mind....
From the scrapbook
duskflare: sistervenom: It's a valid question....
Colliding obsessions
My squeal-inducing find of the day was the blog of Todd Klein, who has been working for ages as a letterer for comic books, and producing outstanding work. It's a bit inaccurate to say that his site is just...
From the scrapbook
comicallyvintage: You have been told...good night....
MUTIE!
scooterlaforge: via www.comic-images.com...
From the scrapbook
dyfl: July 6th, 2010: the day Wolverine died (in “Days Of Future Past,” natch)....
Oh, I couldn’t!
burnhazard: Grantbridge Street & other misadventures: Dick....
Sob story
comicallyvintage: A-And I’m M-M-Miserable!...
From the scrapbook
comicbooks: Heroes and Villains by Jack Teagle...
Badger
cutebutsad: These are the first few pages from Badger: Then and Now, which you can find over on the web shop, my comic book about a lonely badger who lives in my old flat in Brockley told in parallel with...
Oh, Mighty Isis!
trixietreats: Beware ,There’s A Crosseyed Cyclops In My Basement!!!: Isis I *loved* this show…The Shazam!/Isis Hour...
Ugh. Again?
comicallyvintage: Haven’t we all woken up after those parties…?...
I Am Curious Black
counterforce: (via zatanna)...
Divine Decadence
jockohomo: What’s a Norse God to do?...
From the scrapbook
comicbooks: The Thing by Bill Reinhold...
Ultra Monster Art
And then just when I had almost recovered from the startling awesomeness of those Arabic Superman comics, Sean draws my attention to these even more incredibly mind-expanding, soul-enriching examples of incredible illustrations done by Takayoshi Mizuki between 1965 and...
Superheroes without Borders
Every single one of these covers from old Arabic editions of Superman comics is exquisite, somewhat surreal, and perhaps a nice reminder that Superman only started fighting for the American way in the 50s during the thick of the Cold...
Makin' Comics
Before stumbling my way into design and typography while working on my high school newspaper — and discovering that I loved doing that stuf A LOT — my goal in life was to draw comics, which was how I passed...
Woe = me
It's not that bad, I swear, but a guy's gotta let off some steam now and then, right? Of course, those long, mopey periods of repeated blows to my self-confidence are punctuated by enough lucidity to realize that even...
Superrollins
This works fro me. On a variety of levels....
Shoot that poison arrow
Oh, Olly! I should have guessed. [Via Postmodern Barney.]...
Growing Up Heroes
A lot of single-theme blogs come and go, but I hope Growing Up Heroes manages to stick around for a while. It makes me ache with nostalgia of the most sincere variety. It's basically pictures of people dressing up as...
That Guy
I feel your pain, Indie Rock Pete. A variety of things this past year conspired to undermine a lot of my slowly developing personal confidence, so that by the time I turned 39 a few weeks ago I was...
VB4 is coming!
div#main{overflow:visible;} Holy cow! So excited. (Via)...
Superhomos
Swoon! As much as I adore the actual Teen Titans, these beautiful, fun illustrations of sultry young versions of iconic superheroes by David M. Buisán for Vanity Teen magazine just make me feel like a dirty old man. These...
Magnificent
Yet another iconic figure of the pop-cultural world has left us, and comics artists Cliff Chiang pays tribute in a subtle and sublime way: "Dear Batman: We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in Bat-detention...
The Single Life
I hear ya, Cap. (Via Post-Modern Barney.)...
The Ombudsmen
"On Friday night a blockhead died in New York." So begins the gripping tale of The Ombudsmen, the only line of defense between us and the editors of the papers we read. Or are they? [Thanks, Dave!]...
Time and Travel
If you can't spot the error in this scene from "Time Bomb", a 1978 episode of Wonder Woman, then I don't even know who you are anymore and clearly we have no future together after all....
Random wonderful things
I’ve been bedridden for days, so my already active trawling of the web has really gone off the charts. Here are a few gems that I feel compelled to share: The "I Can Read Movies" Series: these imaginary paperback novelizations...
A Holiday Venture
One of the few Christmas traditions I’ve come to treasure is the annual cover song recorded by the guys behind the Venture Brothers. It's just the bit of good-natured pop-culture fun that can actually make me smile this time of...
She was the best Catwoman
Oh no, not Eartha! She was always too glamorous for this world, right up until the end. Orson Welles once called her "the most exciting woman in the world," and I might agree. I could handle losing Pinter today, but...
Ginger snack
Well whadya know? It turns out that my favorite werewolf and dude who plays with action figures — pop-culture MVP Seth Green — actually can look even more delicious: This brief moment of tastiness made it somewhat easier to keep...
SO not fair
I seem to be getting spider-bites here and there, but yet not a single sign of any super powers! Not even something comically useless or ironic! How fair is that? Maybe I need to flood my little apartment with experimental...
Badger
If you think you would enjoy an extremely cute but sad tale of a lonely badger living in a flat in South London (and really, how could you not enjoy it?), then you should buy a copy of Howard...
Go Team Venture!
I only recently discovered that the third, brilliant season of The Venture Bros. is running a great promo gimmick: The Amazing T-Shirt of the Week Club. Each week, after an episode is first broadcast, you can get a t-shirt...
Metatextual Comics
I’ve pared my regular comics selection down to the bare minimum for the time being, so any time I buy a few books they're always something I love. There were a few especially brilliant bits in this week's assortment. The...
Up, Up, and Away
It's a tricky thing, this whole appreciation of superheroes and comic books and such. Part of what seems so nerdy and embarrassing about it is how often people — even others who love the capes and the four-color reality —...
Laugh-Out-Loud Cats #785
Apelad makes me smile extra big today. Laugh-Out-Loud Cats #785, Originally uploaded by Ape Lad....
Two Great Tastes...
...that taste great together — Jack Kirby and Jack Chick: Read the rest of this little gem over at Your Mom's Basement. Speaking of Galactus, I’m glad that his "blog" that I once mentioned is still online....
Royal Occidental Tuna Fisheries, Ltd.
I’m not much of a cat lover (though heaven knows I’ve tried to warm up to a few in the past), which is part of the reason the whole lolcats phenomenon leaves me a bit cold. However, Adam Koford's brilliant...
Greek Relics
A week later, and I’ve finally had a chance to unpack from my trip to Θεσσαλονίκη. (I’m procrastinating on the typeface, naturally.) I brought back some lovely souvenirs to remind me of my Greek adventure: Candy is essential for keeping...
Cuteness Trumps Kerning
Oh, my beloved Diesel Sweeties, you've done it again. At its worst — and it's rarely bad — this comic is still adorable and comfortably nerdy. At its best, it's like those crazy pixelated robots have escaped from the eccentric...
Like Mr. Sparkle, but Better!
Genius alert! Check out these completely glorious anime-style drawings of the characters from The Simpsons and Futurama: They remind me a little bit of this classic gem, just taken to a new level:...
Buffy and The Vampire Slayers
The first good news for the new year is that Joss Whedon is finally going to continue the story of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, bringing the "Season 8" story out as a comic book that picks up where the...
Typovillains
Brace yourselves, gang, I’m about to geek out way beyond any geekery you've seen here yet. Today I’m going to meld together comic geekery and typographic geekery, and it's not going to be pretty. I’ve been meaning to rant for...
Sperm Whale
As a practitioner and an admirer of figurative art — and also as an enthusiastic cock jockey — I’ve been very happy to see comic art become a tad bit more realistic over the years, acknowledging certain fundamental truths about...
Alas, Poor Yorick
Over the course of the last few months I finally got aorund to reading — and then swiftly becoming obsessed with — Y: The Last Man. I think it may be the best comic-book series I’ve ever read. Ever. I’ve...
Can He Swing From a Web?
The anonymous, hunky, limber Russian guys in this amazing video appear to be living out their own superhero training montage. I swear, it's like a Bel Ami version of Spider-Man. I’m both turned on and comforted knowing that they're out...
Spot On
Oooh, do I love me a nerdy internet quiz! Your results: You are Spider-Man Spider-Man 80% Superman 70% that’s mostly from my overly polite, goody-two-shoes manner The Flash 70% Because I’m an idealistic square Hulk 55% Because I aggressively suppress...
They Like It Rough
Batman's a dirty, dirty whore, and that’s just how Green Lantern likes him. Do you think Batman's always the bottom boy, or do you think they switch once in a while? (that’s the cover for the Green Lantern #9,...
It's Hard
Oh, Sticky, I think I feel faint. Hardcover collection? Fancy book design? Superior printing? You had this design weenie hot for you already, but now I can hardly see straight. Just who is this "Bruno Gmünder Verlag" who's publishing...
It's Totally Dismal and Excellent
Oh my stars and garters — an Archie comic just blew my mind (click to see the whole thing): It's awesome enough that Betty and then the rest of the gang go goth, but what I love the most is...
Ass-Guardian
OK, so if you've been reading Young Avengers at all, then you know that they've done a nice job (so far) of including two sweet gay boys among the ranks, with a minimum of fanfare. (But probably, somewhere, a...
Forbidden Love
The return of Top Ten stories is one of the most delightful things to happen during the last few months. I was hypnotized with glee the first time I dove into the adventures of Neopolis and its colorful denizens, and...
Back from the Dead!
Yes, like Donna Troy, Jean Grey, Elektra, and countless others, your faithful and stalwart Trusty Sidekicks have risen from the grave to entertain you once more. (And none of you bitches even asked if we were OK all this...
Look Out for the Invisible Fuel!
Click the image below to see the most disturbing panels from a comic book that I could have possible stumbled across this weekend: Where's the accountability? Fighting for our rights in her satin indeed! (Don't worry, the Teen Titans came...
The Manhattan Gaudi-an
DC scores a nice, modest publicity stunt with this New York Times article about Cinderella City, the fantasy version of New York where Grant Morrison's version of the Manhattan Guardian has his adventures. I'll have to admit, it's a...
Back in the Saddle Again
Just a few general tidbits to clear out my "notes for future posts" file: My pal and former sidekick Dave (who's grown up and now has his own adventures, just like Dick Grayson) actually did go on vacation this...
When Worlds Collide
Just when I thought I’d seen everything, I stumble across an episode of the Superfriends where — I shit you not — a tornado drops the Hall of Justice in the land of Oz. Superman, Wonder Woman, and Aquaman then...
Propaganda Comics
I read comics voraciously all during the 70s, mostly thanks to the teenage son of a family we knew, who was willing to let me read through as much of his comics as I could whenever I was over the...
MoCCA 2005
I don't know how many of you are in the New York area (4? 5, maybe?), but if you are you should get yourself down to the MoCCA Arts Festival down at the Puck Building today and tomorrow. I wish...
Coming Up Empty
The most refreshing thing happened yesterday. I made my usual Wednesday trip to my comics shop of choice and got...nothing. In one respect, that’s a bit of a disappointment, sure. On the other hand, though, it's kind of a relief....
Cosmos King
Speaking of Jack Kirby, I just finished reading his 2001: A Space Odyssey series, which started out as a sort of sequel to the movie, but inexplicably turned into the origin of Machine Man by the end of its ten-issue...
How-To for Hollywood
Blogger Mr. Snitch has written a great piece about the things that often go wrong when great comics are adapted for the screen, focusing mostly on how the upcoming Fantastic Four movie is likely to suck (sadly, I expect it...
Gotham City NAMBLA Art Show
Yeah, it's a clichÉ to dredge up the homoeroticism of the Batman/Robin relationship, but I still get a kick out of seeing it done well, especially when there's something more than a cheap laugh driving the images. Artist Mark Chamberlain...
Super Bad Boy
I had the pleasure of finally meeting illustrator Rob Clarke, and picking up a signed print of this illustration he did for Unzipped magazine. It's a drawing of Henry Rollins, but as far as I’m concerned it's everything I...
Sperm of Steel
As a sci-fi writer, Larry Niven is the type who likes to extrapolate the problems and possibilities of a gimmick. Taken to an extreme, that leads to things like the Ringworld series. In smaller doses, you get really, really fun...
The 9th Winged Division
For the record, I am totally pro-Thanagar. Of course, I’m a classic- bleeding-heart liberal so I don't actually endorse the current Rann-Thanagar hostilities, but Hawkman and his hairy chest are way hotter than Adam Strange's wimpy father-in-law, so if I’m...
A Jones for Desolation
Yes, it does, don't you think? Man, I loved the first issue of Desolation Jones so much that I was gasping for air when I finished reading it. It's funny and dirty and fucked up, which is my passport...
Wolvies to My Left, Wolvies to My Right!
Isn't it about time to limit Wolverine's appearances to only, maybe, 40 or 50 books instead of the current million or so that currently feature him? I know the fanboys can't get enough of all that testosterone he radiates, but...
Man in Tights
Ok, gents, it looks like they've finally revealed the costume for the new Superman movie. Time to let out your inner (or perhaps your frequently observed) bitches and critique: (By the way, that photo links to a press release revealing...
The View From Asteroid M
Check out this amazing satellite view of Beale Air Force Base in Yuba City, CA: Notice the trusty SR-71 Blackbird sitting there? If you can squint real hard, you might even be able to see a beam of bright red...
Four-Eyed Wonder Worm
Despite my inexplicable fascination with Captain Marvel, Jr., I find Shazam Family comics almost impossible to read, at least the golden age ones, and all the kiddie versions that DC published for so long. Mr. Mind, though, was always...
Yes, You Are
It was entirely too perfect to walk into the comic store this morning to witness on of the regular crew of cliché-ridden clerks earnestly singing along to Radiohead's Creep....
Shark Attack
Yes, it's utterly awesome that Jacques Cousteau's grandson has built a shark-shaped submarine, but if comic books have taught us anything, then we should all get ready for this to fall into the hands of a super-villain looking for a...
Beetle's Blue
I get all moist when I see true love in full bloom, don't you? Countdown to Infinite Crisis may be many things — and I’m sure opinions about what thet may be will vary — but I think it's...
Robin Takes a Shot to the Face
Sometimes, the best captions just write themselves, don't you think?...
Danger Is Her Middle Name
Spoiler queens take note! I’m about to rant a bit about the latest issue of Astonishing X-Men. Proceed at your own risk, if you're the type to get all uppity about that stuff....
Damn, Girl!
The Bendis-ification of the Avengers is still just beginning to fall into place, but I’m digging it. I was never especially into the old Avengers (except for the Wasp and her ever-changing costumes, but they sadly managed to tone...
Let Me Wipe That Up
Hot damn! It looks like the second issue of Sticky has just rolled off the presses and started oozing its way onto the shelves of your local comic shop. Assuming, that is, that your local comic shop is the sort...
Hell's Kitchen Renovation
You can't expect comic books to accurately portray the workings of the real world, especially as the real world evolves further and further out of sync with the underlying premise of a comic. The New York of the Marvel Universe,...
Miss Thing
The best line of dialogue from the new issue of Ultimate Fantastic Four? This sad lament from Ben Grimm, who's realizing that they've come all the way to the N-Zone (the Ultimate version of the much cooler-named Negative Zone) only...
Vandal Savage, Leather Daddy
Watch out if you see this guy at IML, Folsom, or your local Eagle: when he tells you he wants to be your master, he's not playing around! If he just wanted someone to polish boots he probably wouldn't have...
Praise Spidey!
Whether you love or hate Spider-Man (I don't collect, but I approve of him in general), you surely appreciate his place in pop culture. And that’s why you should check out the rest of the this fantastic cartoon from the...
Whiz Kids
So were the TRS-80 Whiz Kids ever considered part of official DC continuity? I don't remember seeing them in Crisis....
Overheard
My favorite lines of dialogue from this week's comics: Ex Machina #8: "Sorry, I thought you two be familiar with City Hall Park from all of your late night 'cruising.' Kidding, of course. Everyone knows you people stick to the...
Superman Is a Dick
Looking for yet another way to waste hours of your time? Check out the hilarious collection of covers at Superman Is a Dick. It's a shame they don't write stories about all Superman's attempts to murder, humiliate, or double-cross his...
Gone and Forgotten
A helpful reader reminded us about Gone and Forgotten, an amazing site that I once stumbled upon, but failed to bookmark. It's got a lot of funny commentary on dubious old comics, including such unlikely treasures as Hansi: The Girl...
Let Us Speak of the Sidekicks
In Young Avengers #1, J. Jonah Jameson says that after Bucky was killed, no one wanted to be like him anymore, and sidekicks were only things that were seen in comic books. Thinking more about it, I realized he might...
I Need a Wet Nap
In general, I’m fussy about my comics and fussy about my porn, so rarely do the two mix very well. Porn is tricky because often it's either too generic or too specifically constructed to punch someone's buttons other than my...
Tiny Yellow Balls
Lifetime achiever Tom Coates dug up this pretty funny parody of the new Iron Man, done by someone who seems to hate everything that I love about the whole direction Warren Ellis is taking. I’ve never been a huge fan...
How Do We Love Thee?
When a loyal reader alerted us to this list of the The Top Ten Cutest Comic Creators, PJ's immediate reaction was, "David Mack is totally my boyfriend," which was fine by me, because that left me free to continue my...
Robot Chicken!
I don't know exactly what's in store for the Robot Chicken, an upcoming treat from Adult Swim, but based on these frame grabs from its tantalizing preview clip, I’m already twitching in anticipation. I’ve always had a soft spot for...
Worst. School. Ever.
I worry about those kids at the Xavier Institute. What kind of an education are they really getting? Yes, they learn to embrace their uniqueness and fight like ninjas, but what about math? Unless they're exempt from the New York...
Are Killer Aibos Inevitable?
I’ve been gushing already about the new Battlestar Galactica on my other site so I won't repeat my praises here. One of the commenters, though, was bemoaning the new show's lack of Muffit, the robot pal of young Boxy. I...
Drama Is My Mutant Power
While recently reading an assortment of X-Men issues [Uncanny X-Men #148, Phoenix Endsong #1, and a bunch of Astonishing X-Men (Best. X-Book. Ever. [Maybe.])], I thought to myself, "Cyclops sure is a dick." More to the point, he's probably the...
X Witch
I went to go see this Broadway musical called Wicked (after which I was able to touch a New Kid's butt), which was pretty good (not great), but had a striking parallel to the things that bring us all here....
Comic Store Crushes #1
One of the extra perks of the weekly comics run is usually the presence of a cute boy or two slaving away at the comic store, providing friendly service and a dose or two of eye candy. Sadly, the last...
Goddess of Truth
In case you hadn't noticed, lately I’ve been on a classic-heroines kick. While stuck in bed with a bad cold a couple of weekends ago, I was hunting down a few images for something I wanted to write about Spider-Woman,...
Diana Prince, Fag Hag
OK, picture it. It's 1979 and you're living in pre-Crisis Greenwich Village. You're a dancer who is, perhaps, a little light in the loafers. Oh, surely no one knows for sure, but there's something in the way you wear those...
What If #34
A few selections from What If? #34, a special issue from August 1982 that I consider a class of the genre......
Weekly Round-Up
Wednesday, of course, is new-comic day, and an opportunity for me to rattle off some pithy quickies instead of strain myself by trying to articulate anything insightful: Identity Crisis #7 (of 7): Meh. At least this one had a cover...
Wundagore Woman
My discovery of the Dazzler collection distracted me from the post I had originally been writing in praise of Spider-Woman, who ranks up there with my beloved Kitty Pryde as perhaps my favorite all-time comic-book character ever. It pleases me...
Crimefighting Club Queen
In one of those occasional cross-overs of nelly/nerdy impulses, I just bought the entire run of Dazzler, including another 4-issue Beast/Dazzler mini-series that I hadn't know about before. I read Dazzler for quite a while in my formative years, without...
Stark, Industrious
While we're on the subject of Iron Man (who I never really loved that much before, either, until Warren Ellis started to make him interesting and Adi Granov made Tony Stark look pretty hot), I stumbled across this post from...
Robot Love
I love, love, LOVE Diesel Sweeties and heartily endorse all its related merchandise and think you should read a new installment of it every weekday. (I think it was even PJ who first brought it to my attention.) It's always...
Hipboot Chicks
I don't have any problem with superheroes wearing outfits that are a little garish or impractical for the real world. In fact, I think I prefer them that way. They jive pretty well with the internal logic of the medium,...
Romance Comics
Words can barely express the wonders to be found in old romance comics. They're a terrifying, hilarious snapshot of damaging influences on a generation of young women. (Bear in mind that these were almost always written and drawn by...
Homo Superiors Rule
If this was done by some comics nerd, than I love it. If it was done as the first part of a viral marketing campaign for the next X-men movie, then I feel so dirty that I need to...
Junk Drawer
I’ve been menaing to write more about the many exciting or at least mildly amusing things going on lately, but it's been hard to gather the will to sit and concentrate on the blogging thing. Here are a bunch of...
That’s Nice for the Neighbors
I knew it had to be out there somewhere, but I was just hoping I’d never be subjected to it: the unfortunate intersection of amateur wrestling, spandex fetishes, and comic book fantasies. For instance, look carefully at the fight between...
Fuzzy Elf
And another news brief from the Department of Stupid Ways to Invalidate Stupid Plot Developements in Comic Books: Nightcrawler never went to the seminary and got ordained as a priest. He only THOUGHT he went to the seminary and got...
Unimaginable Hunger
I was getting ready to write all about how deeply engossed I became in Manor House this weekend, and what a fascinating experiment it was and how I think public television's reality shows are in some ways more sinister than...
Top Ten Treats
I’m a sucker for work that slyly works in the pop culture heritage that I’ve absorbed throughout my life. There's a lot of heavy-handed, ironic name-dropping of old TV shows and such out there, but that shit's just weak. What...
For All the Nerds
Into comics? Free tonight? There's a very cool panel discussion at the Center tonight at 7:00 Drawing Closer: Queer Representations and the Comics: Off Center and the Gay League present what promises to be an exciting, raucous forum on the...
Unexpected Nostalgia Overload
What with all the hubbub about Ghost World, Tom and I were talking about these postcards we got from Dan Clowes back when we were winsome young lads of 17. I knew that I still had the card tucked away...
Elektra — Assassin, Advertising Whore
Just in case you thought the comic book industry was a hotbed of feminism, think again. sure, it hets a lotof lip service, what with all those strong women flying around, kicking ass, and taking names, but every so often...
Victor von Brown
OK, check out this unbelievable detail from Top Ten by Alan Moore and Gene Ha. Please tell me you can appreciate how subtle and brilliant this image is:...
Hunting Mutie Scum
OK, so the X-Men have this recurring menace to fight called the sentinels, right? And the sentinels are supposed to be these badass giant robots programmed to hunt down mutants and capture or destroy them. sure, that sounds great, but...
The Monkey on My Back
I blame Beau, although to be fair it all started out innocently enough. We were having lunch and we strayed onto the topic of comic books and how I love them but I fear them. I stopped collecting long ago...
East Side Ecstasy
If you watch any documentary before you die, you really ought to watch East Side Story, an incredible look at communist musicals in East Germany and the soviet Union. Man, it'll get your heart pumping to watch those men sing...
This, That, Other Things
Oh god, it's happening again. I'll warn you all right now — you won't be hearing much from me for a while. This is not a vacation from dealing with the website, this is just a hunch that I’m going...
Mad Science
Super-fun and smart rants from Matt Rossi are making me a happy camper this afternoon. My particular favorite is the May 4 installment about Doctor Doom and the Mad science department at Empire state University. I also stumbled across some...
Little Bits
In her own inimitable style, Dori writes in her journal about running into Ethan Hawke on an elevator, and noticing that he's nothing special in real life. Well, DUH! He's not one of those guys I would expect much from...
The Mego Years
None of these guys are in my collection anymore. This is a historical photo from the Rhatigan family archives. It's all about Mego, baby. As I’ve been putting more stuff up for my big auction on eBay, I realized...