Previously, in Comics 101: It’s been all Starman, all the time around these parts in recent weeks, as we’ve turned our attention to James Robinson and Tony Harris’ landmark 1990s legacy hero, Jack Knight. At about two years into the series, the book was really hitting its stride. Let’s get back to it, shall we?STARMAN’s […]
For Those Who Came In Late: In recent weeks, we’ve been exploring the wonder that was James Robinson and Tony Harris’ STARMAN series, arguably the best comic book of the 1990s. Last time, we took a closer look at the art of Tony Harris, saw the first of the recurring favorite features “Talking With David” […]
Previously in Comics 101: Last time, we were introduced to Jack Knight, youngest son of original Golden Age Starman Ted Knight, who has reluctantly taken up the name and role of Starman (if not the costume), following the murder of his older brother David by their father’s longtime enemy the Mist. With the help of […]
Longtime readers of my work may recall that I’ve often over the years referred to James Robinson and Tony Harris’ STARMAN series as my favorite comic book, bar none. There are plenty of reasons why, which I’ll be getting to over the next couple of weeks. But I’ve got to cop to the fact that […]
Last time, we began our look at DC’s STARMAN, focusing on the original, the Golden Age Starman Ted Knight, as created by artist Jack Burnley in the pages of ADVENTURE COMICS. While Ted got a considerable promotional push from the publisher, including membership in the company’s trademark super-team, the Justice Society of America. However, Starman […]
The year was 1941. National Comics was in a boom period like no other, practically owning the comic-book industry thanks to their unprecedented one-two punch of Superman and Batman. After some three and a half years of success, the company decided to put a big promotional push behind a new character, and even anoint it […]
Previously: In the first two parts of our examination of THE AVENGERS, we explored the origin and roster of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and took a stroll through their decades-long history. This week, we’ll explore the glory that new (and not-so-new) blood brought to the book in the late ‘90s. So settle in, have Jarvis pour […]
For those who came in late: Last week, we took a look at the beginnings of the Avengers, Marvel Comics’ preeminent superhero team, and indulged in what some might call an exhaustive look at the Avengers’ roster in the four decades since its inception. As we continue, we change our focus from who the Avengers […]
DC Comics may have invented the concept of the “superhero team” with the Justice Society, and later the Justice League, but they were never much on refining it. In the DC Universe, superheroes formed super-teams because, well, that’s just what superheroes did. (Sure, there were rare exceptions like the Doom Patrol, but they were short-lived.) […]
Editor’s Note: The recent loss of Neal Adams prompted me to pull this off the shelf and enjoy it again, and to entice you to do the same with this column from a few years back… With the news on Friday of the death of unrivaled boxing champion, social activist and philanthropist Muhammad Ali, I […]
By Scott Tipton By 1964, The Marvel Age of Comics was just getting into gear, and Marvel editor Stan Lee was looking for a way to punch up his newest superhero team book, THE AVENGERS. Having already revived Timely’s other Golden Age success, the Sub-Mariner, in the pages of FANTASTIC FOUR, it was time for […]
The news on Friday about the passing of illustrator and comics legend George Perez quite honestly knocked the wind out of me, even though we were all sadly expecting it, following his announcement last year of his battle with pancreatic cancer. I don’t have the words for how much his work meant to me or […]
For Those Who Came In Late: Last week, in response to the passing of writer Dennis O’Neil, we unearthed a lost entry from the COMICS 101 Archives exploring the early adventures of DC Comics’ Green Arrow, a.k.a. Oliver Queen, a bland if likable enough chap who bore a striking conceptual resemblance to DC’s most famous […]
