Originally published April 30, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1328

An earlier column discussed the endeavors by comic companies to try and attract new readers to old properties either by rebooting and/or retelling previously told stories with a new gloss added, or else exploring new formats that might be more “kid friendly.”

It’s interesting to note (well, interesting to me, in any event) that the phenomenon is not restricted to comics. In the movie theaters recently, I’ve come across two films that fit that particular bill perfectly. It’s a somewhat different set up, since in the comic book instances, corporations are trying to keep their existing properties afloat. In the film instance, we’re seeing rehashes of previous ideas that are intended to make a few bucks because, well… the movie makers might not have had better notions available to them.

Continue Reading “Movie reviews: 10 Things I Hate About You, The King and I” →

Originally published April 23, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1327

Well, somewhat to my surprise—and, at the same time, my lack of surprise—the opinions of one Phyllida Archer-Dowd have prompted an assorted of responses. Ms. Archer-Dowd originally weighed in on Mulan and, a few weeks ago, supported the ostensible “outing” of the Teletubbies’ Tinky Winky. Since then, there has been any number of letters in response (“any number” being my shorthand for being too dámņëd lazy to count.) After sorting through them, I’ve decided that the following—written by a Mr. Paul Armstrong Dudikoff—was likely to receive the most interest from the readers. I’m almost tempted to lock the two of them, Ms. Archer-Dowd and Mr. Dudikoff, in a room together and let them slug it out.

The missive is as follows:

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Originally published April 16, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1326

“Look, mom! There’s a comic book of the Turtles, too!”

That, as it was related to me by the comic retailer who saw it, was how it went down in his store some years ago, when Turtle-mania was at its height. There was a young boy, maybe eight or nine, and he was apprising his mother of the big discovery. In addition to the Turtles movie, animated series, action figures, plush toys, sheets, bedspreads, pillow cases, towels, board games, mugs, and what-have-you… apparently, they’d also managed to put out a comic book that tied in with them as well.

Continue Reading “Turtle Power” →

Originally published April 9, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1325

Lee Falk never told me to my face how much he disliked my work on The Phantom, and for that I will always be grateful.

My association with the character, and my relatively brief tenure of working with Mr. Falk, began towards the end of my “day job” at Marvel Comics. I’d reached a point where it seemed as if becoming a full-time writer actually seemed an option. But I was aware of the adage about putting all of one’s eggs into one basket. In other words, I wasn’t sanguine about the concept of counting on Marvel as my sole source of comic book income. I figured, what if, y’know, a decade down the road, they get bored with me? Could happen.

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Originally published April 2, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1324

A couple of things…

I don’t usually do reviews, leaving such efforts to the extremely able talents of such folks as Tony Isabella, the man with two first names, one of which belongs to a famous queen. But there’s a relatively new title out (two issues on the stands as of this writing, possibly more by the time you read this) that I cannot recommend highly enough.

I hate to say that it’s the kind of title that we need, because that makes it sound like required reading or something that is similar anathema to most fans. Nevertheless, I think the title unquestionably falls into that category. And what I am speaking of is Age of Bronze: The Story of the Trojan War.

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Originally published March 19, 1999, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1322

Okay… I admit it. I was a bit hung up on Lois Lane when I was a kid.

When one judges the Lois Lane from the comics of the time, one would be hard pressed to figure out why in God’s name anyone would find her vaguely interesting as a “person,” much less a fictional character. She was apparently rather shallow, concerned only with trying to prove her theory that Clark Kent was, in reality, Superman, due to her oft-stated observation that no one “had ever seen them together.” Curiously, Lois’ suspicions never fell upon any of the other millions of people in Metropolis and/or the rest of the United States who’d never been seen with the Man of Steel either. Certainly that process of elimination could have been a full time job for her all on its own.

The fact is that, overall, Lois seemed shallower than the average bassinet.

Continue Reading “A Look at Lois Lane” →