Blog 2.0

By Andrew A. Smith

Dark Horse has begun the Brobdingnagian task of reprinting all Archie comics. That’s a welcome project for comics fans and historians, but one off to a rocky start.

Archie Archives Volume One ($49.99) has arrived, and it is a remastered, chronological hardback reproduction of all the Archie stories from the character’s introduction in Pep Comics #22 in late 1941 through Archie Comics #2 in the spring of 1943. It is a delight to learn so much about how “Mirth of a Nation” began, like how quickly some parts of the status quo fell into place, and how some had to be worked in later.

For example, Archie Andrews arrives almost fully fleshed – his clumsiness, skirt-chasing, predilection for getting in trouble, but essential good-heartedness are there from the beginning. So is Betty Cooper’s crush on him (she thinks he’s “grand” in the very first story) as is Jughead Jones’ unstinting loyalty.

But Veronica Lodge doesn’t arrive until the sixth story. Archie’s rival Reggie Mantle seems to evolve from a throwaway character named Scotty in the seventh story, and doesn’t get his familiar name and full introduction until three months (and five stories) later.  When Riverdale High’s principal is introduced, it’s Miss Grundy, but soon the familiar Waldo Weatherbee takes the big chair – only “the Bee’s” familiar look (portly, needle-nosed, pince-nez glasses, small toupee) comes into being through trial and error.

This is a lot of fun, but Dark Horse has made the puzzling choice to eschew a contents/credits page, a standard practice in virtually all other reprint projects, including those by Dark Horse. Since there’s no index or footnotes either, there’s no way of knowing where these stories came from, or who wrote and drew them, which is an important reason most people buy a book like this. Fortunately I was able to Google the pertinent information (which is available below). For the record, these stories first appeared in Pep #22-38, Jackpot Comics #4-8 and Archie Comics #1-2, and were mostly by writer/artist (and Archie co-creator) Bob Montana.

Dark Horse also omitted the Archie text piece from Archie #1 (but included the text piece from Archie #2), the Pep and Jackpot covers with Archie on them and other features from the original books (like contents pages and a biography of Montana). One can only hope that these disappointing omissions are corrected in future volumes, and later editions of Volume One.

Even with those flaws, I still recommend the book. Comprehensive Archie reprints are something I’ve wanted since I bought my first Archie in the 1960s, saw that big issue number, and realized I had missed something on the order of 20 years’ worth of stories. Intolerable! Now that Dark Horse is bringing back Archie’s Golden Age in an affordable format, I’ll take what I can get, warts and all.

Other Dark Horse reprints:

* DH’s Creepy Archives has turned a corner into the better stories of the 1970s, but the companion Eerie Archives has yet to do so. The latest of the latter, Eerie Archives Volume Seven ($49.99) reprints Eerie #32-36 from 1971, and while the content shows signs of the story experimentation found in the rest of the decade and an influx of new artists, it is still pretty mediocre. History shows us the quality will improve as these reprints march into the later 1970s and 1980s, but the “Archives” just ain’t there yet.

Speaking of dips in quality, Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 3 ($49.99) was something of a chore to wade through. The second volume in this series brought us the 11 issues published by King Features, which had outstanding artwork (the only reason to read these old comics, since the stories are usually just rehashes of what Alex Raymond had already done in the “Gordon” comic strip). But when Charlton Comics picked up Flash Gordon (and continued the King numbering) in 1969 they didn’t keep the artists, and the bulk of their run (Flash Gordon #12-18, reprinted here) is by Pat Boyette. I find Boyette’s static, over-rendered and somewhat ugly style interesting as a change of pace, but too much of it is like swallowing sand – which is the case here.

Fortunately, like with the Eerie reprints, this is due to improve in future volumes, which will reprint Flash Gordon when it was published under the Gold Key/Western banner (1970-82). If you’re not a purist, you can skip Volume 3.

Contact Andrew A. Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal at capncomics@aol.com.

Archie Archives Volume 1

Pep Comics #22, December, 1941

[“Introducing Archie”],* script by Vic Bloom, art Bob Montana … 6

Pep Comics #23, January 1942

[“Danger: Thin Ice”], script by Vic Bloom (?), art by Bob Montana … 12

Jackpot Comics #4, Winter 1941

Cover by Bob Montana NOT INCLUDED

[“The Play Goes to the Dogs”], script and art by Bob Montana … 18

Pep Comics #24, February 1942

[“The Basketball Blunder”], script by Vic Bloom (?), art by Bob Montana … 26

Pep Comics #25, March 1942

[“Archie’s Taxi Service”], script and art by Bob Montana … 32

Pep Comics #26, April 1942

[“Veronica Makes the Scene”], script and art by Bob Montana … 38

Jackpot Comics #5, Spring 1942

 [“Trip to Bear Mountain”], script and art by Bob Montana … 44

Pep Comics #27, May 1942

[“Archie for Class President!”], script and art by Bob Montana … 52

Pep Comics #28, June 1942

[“Band of the Bland”], script and art by Bob Montana … 60

Pep Comics #29, July 1942

“Archie on Vacation,” script and art by Bob Montana … 66

Pep Comics #30, August 1942

[“The Escort Agency”], script and art by Bob Montana … 73

Jackpot Comics #6, Summer 1942

[“The Jalopy Race”], script and art by Bob Montana … 79

Pep Comics #31, September 1942

[“Archie Goes to Congress”], script and art by Bob Montana … 86

Pep Comics #32, October 1942

[“The Voyage of the Betty C”], script and art by Bob Montana … 92

Pep Comics #33, November 1942

[“Jughead’s Cousin”], script and art by Bob Montana … 98

Jackpot Comics #7, Fall 1942

“Archie Andrews’ Christmas Story,” script and art by Bob Montana … 104

Pep Comics #34, December 1942

[“The Limerick Contest”], script and art by Bob Montana … 112

Pep Comics #35, January 1943

[“The School Reporter”], script and art by Bob Montana … 119

Archie Comics #1, Winter 1942

Cover by Bob Montana … 135

[“Contents Page”] art by Bob Montana NOT INCLUDED

“Who’s Who in Riverdale,” art by Bob Montana … 136

“Prom Pranks,” script by Bob Montana (?), art by Bob Montana … 137

“Train Trouble,” script by Bob Montana (?), art by Bob Montana … 135

“That $$#@!! Telegram,” text by Scott Feldman NOT INCLUDED

“Pancakes in a Blackout,” script by Bob Montana (?), art  by Bob Montana … 142

“Archie’s Puzzles” … 144

“The Case of the Missing Mistletoe,” script by Bob Montana (?), art by Bob Montana … 145

“Meet Bob Montana,” text by Cord Elliott NOT INCLUDED

[“Jughead’s Day”], script by Bob Montana (?), art by Bob Montana … 150

Jackpot Comics #8, Winter 1942

[“How to Be a Detective”], script and art by Montana … 156

Pep Comics #36, February 1943

Cover by Bob Montana NOT INCLUDED

“The 3-11 Club,” script and art by Bob Montana … 162

Pep Comics #37, March 1943

[“Introducing Oscar”], script and art by Bob Montana … 168

Pep Comics #38, April 1943

[“On the Farm”], script and art by Bob Montana … 173

Archie Comics #2, Spring 1943

Cover by Bob Montana … 179

[“Contents Page”], art by Bob Montana NOT INCLUDED

 “A Prevue of ‘Archie’s Troubles’,” art by Bob Montana … 180

“Archie the Athlete,” art by Bob Montana … 181

“Sir Archibald of the Round Table,” art by Bob Montana … 190

“Archie’s Secret Weapon,” text by Kobold Keep … 200

“A Hunting We Will Go,” art by Bob Montana … 202

“Veronica Goes to Town,” art by Bob Montana … 203

“Meet the Editor” text by Scott Feldman NOT INCLUDED

“Poor Fish,” art by Bob Montana … 207

* Brackets indicate titles assigned by Grand Comic Book Database to untitled stories.

By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

March 15, 2011 -- When Dark Horse began reprinting Flash Gordon comic books last year (as opposed to the more famous comic strips, by Alex Raymond and Mac Raboy) I wondered “Why bother?” The recently released second volume answers my question.

Flash Gordon Comic-Book Archives Volume 1 reprinted all the comic books published about that character from 1947 to 1953, all by Dell Comics and mostly mediocre. But Volume 2 collects the Gordon comic books published by King comics from 1966 to 1967, and is a huge leap forward in quality.

The stories improve greatly with the addition of legendary writer/editor Archie Goodwin. But Flash Gordon has always been more famous for its art than its stories, and King doesn’t disappoint. Volume 2 boasts an all-star lineup, including Dan Barry, Reed Crandall, Ric Estrada, Al Williamson, Wally Wood – even Raymond and Raboy, in the form of occasional reprints from the comic strip.

Since King comics weren’t distributed in my area growing up, this is the first time I’ve seen these hidden gems. I’m delighted to add Flash Gordon Comic-Book Archives Volume 2 ($49.99) to my collection, and to recommend it to other Mongo fans.

Two other books in the running for “most improved reprint series” are Creepy Archives Volume Nine (Dark Horse, $49.99) and Vampirella Archives Volume Two (Dynamite, $49.99). Both Creepy and Vampirella were originally from Warren Publishing, which hit a rough patch in the late 1960s and was forced to use lesser, cheaper, creators. But both of these collections come from the early 1970s, when Warren had recovered and improved.

But before I tell you how good they are, let me indicate how bad they’d gotten. Here’s Publisher Jim Warren himself describing early Vampirella in Comic Book Artist #4 (available online at http://twomorrows.com/comicbookartist/articles/04warren.html):  “The first issue was awful – and the second issue was just as bad. … Suddenly she came alive in the twelfth issue with Archie [Goodwin] writing an entirely new origin. … Now if only there was a way I could wipe out the first 11 issues and erase it from memory.”

That’s a little harsh; Goodwin was writing the Vampirella episodes as early as issue #8, where he began adding a supporting cast, motivations and other elements that turned the strip from an incoherent pun-fest into an actual story. But Warren is right that the strip really took off with issue #12, when Spanish artist Jose Gonzalez came on board.

And it wasn’t just Gonzalez. The early 1970s saw an avalanche of new, talented, hungry artists, and many of them arrived – or debuted – at Warren Publishing. Vampirella #8-14, collected in this volume, featured horror stories by Neal Adams, Frank Brunner, Billy Graham, Jeff Jones, Esteban Maroto, Mike Ploog and Ralph Reese. Add old hands like Wally Wood and Tom Sutton, and these 1970-71 issues of Vampirella are as good as the early Warren years, or maybe even the famous EC Comics that inspired them.

All of that also holds true for Creepy Archives Volume Nine, which collects four issues from 1971-72. But Creepy #42-45 also availed itself of the huge influx of talented Spanish and Filipino artists of the time, as well as some of the new, hot writers of the early ‘70s – Don Glut, Steve Skeates, Jan Strnd and more. It’s worth a look.

Elsewhere in reprint collections:

* The Dark Knight Archives Volume 7 (DC, $59.99) collects Batman #26-31 from 1945, and I’m sad to say it’s just plain boring. The Dynamic Duo fight various dull, plainclothes crooks in these stories, and if it wasn’t for the humorous shorts starring Alfred the butler, I would have forgotten them already.

* Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Battlefield (Marvel, $64.99) reprints all 11 issues of this war book from 1952-53. The usual faults of old war comics are present: vile racial caricatures, implausible combat, infallible Americans. But “Battlefield” was clearly aiming for the high bar set by the famous war books at EC Comics, and sometimes it succeeded. The presence of many artists who would make Marvel famous in the 1960s certainly helps.

* The Occult Files of Doctor Spektor Archives Volume Two (Dark Horse, $49.99) continues the 1970s adventures of a character the editor wanted to be a narrator, and the writer wanted to be an adventurer. This creative tug-of-war is sometimes confusing, but Glut’s stories and the art (by Jesse Santos and others) are both enthusiastic and entertaining.

Contact Andrew A. Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal at capncomics@aol.com.

By Andrew A. Smith

Scripps Howard News Service

April 5, 2011 -- NBM ComicsLit’s partnership with The Louvre museum has produced another outstanding graphic novel.

The Sky Over The Louvre ($19.99) almost couldn’t miss. It’s written by celebrated screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière (The Tin Drum, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie), and drawn by leading French artist Bernar Yslaire (Sambre), and both demonstrate the surefootedness of their experience in both quality and content. It says a lot that NBM was willing to go with an odd size (10½ by 11¼”), which is often the kiss of death in the marketplace.

That extra width gives room to appreciate Yslaire’s delicate pencils and elaborate ink rendering. It also allows for the unobtrusive appearance of 38 of The Louvre’s greatest pieces, from Jacques-Louis David’s “Marat Assassinated” to Michelangelo’s “Captive (‘The Dying Slave’).”

The extra size also yields more room for story than you’d expect in a 72-page graphic novel – and what a story it is! Carrière puts his stamp on the story of Robespierre and M. David during the French Revolution, during which the former wanted to replace religion with a secular Supreme Being, and demanded that the latter paint it. David, meanwhile, had an obsession of his own with a delicate young soldier he thought represented the purity and nobility of France (which resulted in the famous painting “Death of Joseph Bara”). 

All of this takes place with The Terror as its backdrop. As politician and artist bicker about the Supreme Being, thousands are marched to the guillotine (“The Widow”) while Robespierre attempts to recreate society from scratch, up to and including a new calendar. It’s a horrific, violent turning point in Western civilization, and neither artist nor writer attempt to soften its brutality or surreal “logic.”

 Quick Hits:

* Cartoon Network has not renewed Batman: The Brave and the Bold for a third season, an odd but clever Bat-cartoon in which the Dark Knight teams up with different DC characters (which was the format of the Brave and Bold comic book from 1966 to 1983). Nevertheless, Warner Home Video continues to collect the episodes on DVD. Season 1, Part 2 debuted March 15 with 13 episodes, with co-stars ranging from the obscure (Bat-Mite) to the famous (Aquaman). It’s worth it for the odd take on these characters. Green Arrow looks as he did before his 1969 revamp, for example, and the really entertaining Aquaman is like no other version ever seen (with a bombastic, self-congratulatory personality). Batman himself appears to have come straight out of the 1960s (with more than a nod to the Adam West TV version). Recommended.

* Gold Key published Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery for 27 years (1963-80) and 97 issues, so when Dark Horse began reprinting the series in hardback, I was surprised to discover that all of these stories were new to me. Why didn’t I buy any issues of Boris Karloff in those years? The first four volumes gave no clue, as they were solid if unspectacular examples of the post-Comics Code “suspense” book – workmanlike stories that were deliberately not too scary or gory, but with bad guys generally getting some sort of satisfying, usually supernatural, comeuppance at the end. But in the recent Boris Karloff Tales of Mystery Volume Five ($49.99), the stories aren’t solid, they’re simply silly – which jogged my memory. The books reprinted here (Karloff #17-24) arrived when I first sampled it (1967-68), and now I remember why I didn’t buy Karloff: I found it insulting to my intelligence. Since the Li’l Capn would have been about 10 when he came to that conclusion, you can judge for yourself if you want to indulge in them.

* Few Americans know the backstory to “Blondie,” a comic strip which started in 1930 with filthy rich Dagwood Bumstead and airhead flapper Blondie Boopadoop (yes, that’s her real maiden name). But when Dagwood married Blondie in 1933, his parents cut him off without a cent, and the former silver-spoon slacker had to learn how to hold a job – thus creating the modern domestic comic strip. IDW has done history a favor by reprinting the pre-marriage strips chronologically (Blondie: The Courtship and Wedding: The Complete Daily Comics Strips from 1930-1933, $49.99). The strips focus on the Bumstead family (whose patriarch resembles later Dagwood boss J.C. Dithers), are a little repetitive (and a little boring), but pure gold from the standpoint of historians and comic-strip aficionados.

Contact Andrew A. Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal at capncomics@aol.com.