Graphic Grandeur (Man of Lithium Edition)

 

DC house style art by Al Plastino

Fears that AI will eventually replace humanity run rampant these days, but such concerns are nothing new. Back in 1957, long before Sam Altman was born, one of the chief worries apparently was that this technology could replace a superhero! 

Of course, that fear has turned out to be unfounded.

Not a robot, just a younger actor.

 

 

 

 

Graphic Grandeur (Avenging Titanic Wonder Edition)

  

1954-2022

*Sigh*. First Neal Adams, now George Pérez. The latter recently deceased comic book artist mentions the former recently deceased comic book artist, and a few other people, in this 2014 clip from one of the many comic book conventions he's attended:  

 

Listen to them cavalierly toss that word "nerd" around. I guess it's a way of "owning" the one-time slur, the same way some blacks use the N-word or the increasing popularity of "queer" among the LGBTQ community. I get it, but when it comes to the graphic arts, I'd prefer to think of such so-called nerds (or geeks) as the comics cognoscenti. 

Whether the South Bronx-born-and-raised Pérez was a nerd or a geek, he was first and foremost an artist, and a very good one at that. He got his start at Marvel with a character he co-created will Bill Mantlo called the White Tiger, a superhero who was Hispanic, like Pérez himself. But his star really began to shine in the late 1970s, when he was assigned to draw the more culturally homogenous mutants, androids, mystics and scientific test subjects-gone-awry who comprised the Avengers. Rival DC Comics took note of Pérez's talents and asked him to take over the Teen Titans, a group of adolescent superheroes led by Robin the Boy Wonder and turned that afterthought of a series into a successful seller. Meanwhile, the DC universe was getting a bit too complex, what with Earths-One, Two, Three, Four, etc. A downsizing was called for, and Pérez and former Marvel writer Marv Wolfman (I've always loved that name) destroyed one alternate reality after another in the massive crossover series Crises on Infinite Earths. This all led to a "relaunching" of various DC heroes (the first of several over the years), and Pérez was assigned Wonder Woman, reminding everybody that this was no mere superheroine but a goddess. Treat her with some respect or you might find yourself knotted up in a golden lasso. Like the Titans, that book became more of a success than it ever had been previously. Pérez did a lot of other things in his career but those were the highlights. Mostly a penciller whose work was inked by others, his style varied early on because of that but became more recognizable with time, a realistic elegance applied to the decidedly unrealistic and never particularly elegant world of superheroes. Here's a sampling of his best-known books (along with some com-con cosplay as an added attraction): 

 

 

 

Take the lasso off, Diana, and save it for Justice Alito.

Quips and Quotations (Single Bound Edition)

He was mostly leaping tall buildings in the beginning. There were cases where he would leap off a tall building or swoop down, and at that point he would look like he was flying, I suppose. It was just natural to draw him like that.

--Original Superman artist Joe Shuster, on just how that guy got off the ground in the first place.

Quips and Quotations (Copyright Renewal Edition)

Superman and Batman have been in continuous publication for over half a century, and it's never been true of any fictional construct before. These characters have a lot more weight than the hero of a popular sitcom that lasts maybe four years. They have become postindustrial folklore, and part of this job is to be the custodian of folk figures. Everybody on Earth knows Batman and Robin. 

          --Comic book scribe Denny O'Neil, circa 1989. You can do the math yourself, but those costumed cuties have now been around a heckuva lot longer than a half a century!

1939-2020

Vital Viewing (Gotham City Domestic Help Edition)

Thespian Alan Napier was born on this day in 1903 (he died in 1988.) He is best know for playing Bruce Wayne's butler Alfred in the tongue-in-cheek, 1960s superhero TV series Batman. The very first actor cast for the show, the  6′ 5″ Napier describes in the following clip how it all came about:

Now here's a clip from Batman itself (note just how much the 6'2'' Adam West, who played the series eponymous costumed crimefighter, and the 6'3" Cesar Romero, who played the villainous Joker, are both literally cut down to size in Napier's presence):

Wow! Did you see Alfred handle the Joker? He could be a superhero himself!

 Albeit a superhero in desperate need of a tailor.

It may be his most famous role, but Napier's career was hardly confined to playing Alfred. A graduate of London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he worked alongside John Gielgud and Robert Morley. In 1937, he appeared in a revival of Heartbreak House, supervised by that play's author, George Bernard Shaw. He moved to Hollywood in 1941, becoming a member of the British expatriate community there, and over the years had roles in such films as The Invisible Man Returns, Random Harvest, Lassie Come Home, The Uninvited, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo, Hangover Square, Johnny Belinda, Macbeth, Julius Caesar, The Court Jester, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Marnie. These were all just supporting parts, but in an early (1949) television production of Arthur Conan Doyle's The Adventure of a Speckled Band, Napier got a chance to play...

...the world's greatest consulting detective. See for yourself:

 Will Benedict Cumberbatch ever play Alfred? Stay tuned. Same bat-time, same bat-channel.

Quips and Quotations (Marvel Age of Comics Edition)

Stan Lee 1922-2018

Just some of the characters, or group of characters, co-created by Lee:

The Fantastic Four
The Hulk
Spider-Man
Thor
Iron Man
Doctor Strange
The Avengers
Daredevil
Nick Fury
The X-Men
The Silver Surfer
The Watcher

Note I said "co-created". Lee was a writer, but not an artist, in a very visual medium: comic books. The pictures were left in the hands of the likes of Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, while Lee focused on the words. That he's now seen by many (though not without some controversy) as one of the most important people to have ever worked in comics, is testament to just how good he was with words. 

The following quotes has been culled from interviews, books Lee wrote, and the very pages of the comics he made famous. Here then, in his own words, is Smilin' Stan:

Marvel is a cornucopia of fantasy, a wild idea, a swashbuckling attitude, an escape from the humdrum and prosaic. It’s a serendipitous feast for the mind, the eye, and the imagination, a literate celebration of unbridled creativity, coupled with a touch of rebellion and an insolent desire to spit in the eye of the dragon.

[Being a ‘geek’] has become a badge of honor. It’s geeks who really make or break a TV show or movie or video game. They’re the ones who are passionate about these things and who collect [the paraphernalia] and talk about them. A geek is really somebody interested in communication and entertainment and [finding] the best way to avail himself or herself to it..

For years, kids have been asking me what’s the greatest superpower. I always say luck. If you’re lucky, everything works. I’ve been lucky.

I thought it would be great to do superheroes that have the same kind of life problems that any reader—that anybody—could have. ... Just because you have superpowers, that doesn't mean your love life would be perfect. I don't think superpowers automatically means there won't be any personality problems, family problems or even money problems. I just tried to write characters who are human beings who also have superpowers.

Okay! If you've read this far, we figured your hooked! There's no turning back now! So hold onto you hats...Here goes one of the most exciting super-adventures you've ever read.

The editors sincerely feel that this may well be one of the most gripping tales of the year!

[Publisher Martin Goodman] said "Hey, maybe there's still a market for superheroes. Why don't you bring out a team just like the Justice League. We could call it the Righteous League or something. I worked for him and had to do what he wanted, so I was willing to turn out a team of superheroes. But I figured I'll be damned if I'm just going to copy DC.

To keep it from getting too goody-goody, there is always friction between Mr. Fantastic and the Thing, with Human Torch siding with Mr. F.

Although a costume isn't required of superheroes, the fans love costumes. The characters are more popular if they wear costumes (don't ask me why.) In the first issue of The Fantastic Four, I didn't have them wear costumes. I received a ton of mail from fans saying that they loved the book, but they wouldn't buy another issue unless we gave the characters costumes.

Like costumed heroes? Confidentially, we in the comic mag business refer to them as "long underwear characters." And, as you know, they're a dime a dozen! But, we think you may find our Spider-Man just a bit...different!

And a lean, silent figure slowly fades into the gathering darkness, aware at last that in this world, with great power also comes--great responsibility!

Why don't things ever seem to turn out right for me? Why do I always seem to hurt people, no matter how hard I try not to? Is this the price I must always pay for being...Spider-Man??!

I don't get it! How do other superhuman guys, like the Fantastic Four and the Ant Man, get away with it?? Nobody bothers them! And they always seem to make enough dough!

I wonder how many other guys with super-powers get scolded by their aunts if they don't toe the mark?

Sure! Sure! Every time I turn around I get "doomed" by someone else!

If anyone asks what happened to you guys, make sure to spell my name right! There's a hyphen in it, remember!

Hmm, now what do I do with you? You're too bad-tempered to keep as a pet, and much too old to adopt! I guess I'll just leave you hear 'till the police find you--if you [Kraven the Hunter] promise not to try and hunt the first little bunny rabbit or squirrel that comes by!

Get outta here! You costumed freaks should all be outlawed! Ever since Spider-Man entered my life, even my ulcers have ulcers!

We sort of give the idea that our characters are reasonably normal people who won't turn the other way if a pretty girl comes by. We don't attempt to play up the sex in anyway, but if a story should who is attracted to somebody of the opposite sex or whatever, we try to put it in so it makes sense.

This demonstrates how some people in big positions are idiots. [Lee's boss, publisher Martin Goodman, nixed the idea of calling a group of superheroes The Mutants on the basis that kids wouldn't know what the word meant, so they they became the X-Men instead.]   

I wanted them to be diverse. The whole underlying principle of the X-Men was to try to be an anti-bigotry story to show there’s good in every person.

Have you noticed the sorry mess of  Marvel IMITATIONS making the scene lately? Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery and all that jazz, but we wanna make darn sure no dyed-in-the-wool Marvel Madman gets stuck with one of those Brand Echh [Lee's name for rival DC Comics] versions of the real thing.

Everybody's favorite guessing game these days is trying to figure out the real identity of the Sub-Mariner's powerful penciller, "Adam Austen" [Gene Colan, who was still on DC's payroll.]

I put in everybody's name. I even put the letterer's name down. I wanted it to be a bit like a movie. I wanted the readers to get to know who we were and become fans. I wanted to personalize things and not just "These are the books. You buy them or you don't buy them. You don't know who did them and you don't care." I wanted to give it a friendly feeling, as though we're all part of one group of fans and we enjoy what we're doing and we know each other.

Written in the masterful manner of Stan Lee!
Illustrated in the magnificent mode of Jack Kirby!
Inked in the majestic mood of Joe Sinnott!
Lettered in the nick of time by Sy Rosen! 

Written in the white heat of inspiration by: Stan Lee
Drawn in a wild frenzy of enthusiasm by: Steve Ditko
Lettered in a comfortable room by: Art Simek 


Written by: Stan Lee (the poor man's Shakespeare)
Illustrated by Steve Ditko (the poor man's da Vinci)
Lettered by Art Simek (the poor man's rich man)

Written by: Spidey's godfather, Stan Lee
Illustrated by: Spidey's big daddy, Steve Ditko
Lettered by: S. Rosen (Spidey's second cousin on his uncle's side!) 

Although a costume isn’t required of superheroes, the fans love costumes. The characters are more popular if they wear costumes. (Don’t ask me why.) In the first issue of the Fantastic Four, I didn’t have them wear costumes. I received a ton of mail from fans saying that they loved the book, but they wouldn’t buy another issue unless we gave the characters costumes.

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/13/stan-lee-quotes-on-superheroes-and-heroism-as-the-marvel-creator-passes-away-at-95-8134093/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

Another definition of a hero is someone who is concerned about other people’s well-being, and will go out of his or her way to help them — even if there is no chance of a reward. That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero.’

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/13/stan-lee-quotes-on-superheroes-and-heroism-as-the-marvel-creator-passes-away-at-95-8134093/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

 I’m a frustrated actor. My goal is to beat Alfred Hitchcock in the number of cameos. I’m going to try to break his record.

We told you this story would be a bit different, didn't we?? So far as we know, it's the first time in history that an adventure hero had no actual fight with any foe!

Be sure to keep your eyes on the startling Scorpion! We predict he's definitely a candidate for the Super-Villains Hall of Fame!  

Marvel is a cornucopia of fantasy, a wild idea, a swashbuckling attitude, an escape from the humdrum and prosaic. It’s a serendipitous feast for the mind, the eye, and the imagination, a literate celebration of unbridled creativity, coupled with a touch of rebellion and an insolent desire to spit in the eye of the dragon.’

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/13/stan-lee-quotes-on-superheroes-and-heroism-as-the-marvel-creator-passes-away-at-95-8134093/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

Marvel is a cornucopia of fantasy, a wild idea, a swashbuckling attitude, an escape from the humdrum and prosaic. It’s a serendipitous feast for the mind, the eye, and the imagination, a literate celebration of unbridled creativity, coupled with a touch of rebellion and an insolent desire to spit in the eye of the dragon.’

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/13/stan-lee-quotes-on-superheroes-and-heroism-as-the-marvel-creator-passes-away-at-95-8134093/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUFor years, kids have been asking me what’s the greatest superpower. I always say luck. If you’re lucky, everything works. I’ve been lucky[Being a ‘geek’] has become a badge of honor. It’s geeks who really make or break a TV show or movie or video game. They’re the ones who are passionate about these things and who collect [the paraphernalia] and talk about them. A geek is really somebody interested in communication and entertainment and [finding] the best way to avail himself or herself to it..I wanted them to be diverse. The whole underlying principle of the X-Men was to try to be an anti-bigotry story to show there’s good in every person.

Everybody has Doctor Doom misunderstood. Everybody thinks he's a criminal, but all he wants is to rule the world. Now, if you really think about it objectively, you could walk up to a policeman, and you could say, 'Excuse me, officer, I want to tell you something: I want to rule the world.' He can't arrest you; it's not a crime to want to rule the world. So [...] it's unfair that he's considered a villain, because he just wants to rule the world. Then maybe he could do a better job of it. So I'm very interested in Doctor Doom, and I'd like to clear his name.

 'Nuff said!

Although a costume isn’t required of superheroes, the fans love costumes. The characters are more popular if they wear costumes. (Don’t ask me why.) In the first issue of the Fantastic Four, I didn’t have them wear costumes. I received a ton of mail from fans saying that they loved the book, but they wouldn’t buy another issue unless we gave the characters costumes.’

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/13/stan-lee-quotes-on-superheroes-and-heroism-as-the-marvel-creator-passes-away-at-95-8134093/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/

Although a costume isn’t required of superheroes, the fans love costumes. The characters are more popular if they wear costumes. (Don’t ask me why.) In the first issue of the Fantastic Four, I didn’t have them wear costumes. I received a ton of mail from fans saying that they loved the book, but they wouldn’t buy another issue unless we gave the characters costumes.’

Read more: https://metro.co.uk/2018/11/13/stan-lee-quotes-on-superheroes-and-heroism-as-the-marvel-creator-passes-away-at-95-8134093/?ito=cbshare
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MetroUK | Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MetroUK/