(The Return of the Phantom) Blot, Out!

 ...Or "Blot, Out! II - The Sequel"!  

In THIS POST we looked at "DISNEY MASTERS Vol. 15 MICKEY MOUSE: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF THE PHANTOM BLOT" from Fantagraphics Books.  Now, let's look at it again - but through the lens of the GRAND COMICS DATABASE, and with yours truly as your host and indexer - HERE!  

Try and top THAT for detail, I.N.D.U.C.K.S!  ...Aw, we're just kidding... We love I.N.D.U.C.K.S!  It's the most valuable source for information on the world-wide totality of Disney comic books!

But GCD is no slouch either... and it's got me and a bunch of other dedicated folks bringing you the best coverage of comic books in general.  Both should be prime components of any comic book fan's arsenal! 

I don't know if I'm "The World's Number One Phan" of the "Phan-Tom Blot", but if I'm not somewhere in the top ten, I've really been squandering my life since 1964!  

As part of my overall dedication to "Blot Boosting", I also wrote the "Feature Object" for The Phantom Blot at GCD .  You can see that HERE!  

And, if you dare, you can even check out my own GCD "Creator Object" HERE! 

...Yeah, that last one is a little much to ask, but indulge me, okay? 

However, the REAL focus of this post is The Phantom Blot, and the wonderful, new Fantagraphics book dedicated to him - and one of his most classic artists, Paul Murry.  

For anyone who's read the book by now - or would like to - now's the time, and here's the place, to leave your comments and have a good old time "talking Blot"!

  

See ya in the Comments Section!  

Adventures in Comic-Boxing: SHADOW??? ...Of a Doubt!

The TWILIGHT ZONE, BORIS KARLOFF TALES OF MYSTERY, and RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT titles published by Gold Key Comics were known for their beautifully painted covers...

  

  

...Mostly by a talented painter named George Wilson, who also painted covers for VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, STAR TREK and other Gold Key titles.  

   

Far be it from me to question the technique of such an amazing artist, but there was the matter of TWILIGHT ZONE # 43 (Gold Key Comics, Cover Date: May, 1972)...

...And what could be interpreted as a "shadow" on the unfortunate victim's clothing... or, perhaps not!  

I have no idea what my panicked reflexes might do if I were to fall, seemingly to my death, from a tall building and abruptly meet the street below... 

...Though it WOULD be sorta "Twilight Zone-ish ironic" if my crumpled body were to be further run over by one of those BUSSES seen in the painting, after all the public hearings I've spoken at to save and restore local bus service... 

 

That even LOOKS LIKE ME, in 1972 that is! 

...But, knowing me, my final thoughts would probably be... "To PEE, or not to PEE, that is the pants-staining question!"  

...And, having asked that question (that was probably on the lips of every comics reader and fan who ever saw this issue), I leave you to provide your own answer!  

...Gosh, if only he'd worn BLACK instead of red!  

Special Bonus Gag ('cause I just can't help myself): "Hey, Bellboy... Urine trouble now, ain'tcha!"

...Sorry!  We'll resume our normally tasteful posting next time!   

Adventures in Comic-Boxing: Quick, Robin, the Legendary Super Bat-Sledgehammer!

Wanna combat an adversary wielding a "Legendary Super-Pickax"?  (...as infamously described within this long post, for anyone who might not know what I'm referring to!)

...Or ANY ol' pickax, for that matter?  

Just follow the example of the Caped Crusader, as seen in BATMAN #269 (DC Comics, Cover Date: November, 1975)...

...And reach for a "Legendary Super Bat-Sledgehammer"! 

If you didn't pack one in your utility belt, and your sidekick's not around to get it from the car, you can always just BORROW one from an obliging assailant! 

Okay... Not exactly an authorized "Legendary Super Bat-Sledgehammer" - but, in Batman's hands, almost ANYTHING becomes "Legendary and Super"! 

Dig those cah-raaazy sound effects, Man!    KRONNGG  (...and, strangest of all) TUCK (?) 

I guess, by the mid-seventies the old Bat-standards POW!, BAM!, BIFF!, and CRAACK! had become passé.  I can kinda "hear" KRONNGG but what, exactly, does TUCK sound like, anyway?  

By knocking him out, is Batman TUCKing the bad guy into bed for a long night's sleep?  

And, if he were do this repeatedly, for a long period of time, would even Batman get... TUCKered-out? 

Ah, I've got it... A limerick!  

A sledgehammer blow went TUCK! It...

left its recipient to say, "Oh..". 

...I CAN'T DO IT!  I JUST CAN'T!  SORRY! 

Instead, I'll just kinda-sorta gracefully exit, leaving you with this thought...

At least the "Legendary Super Pickax" weaponized against Batman... 

 

...DIDN'T BREAK!  

 

...KRONNGG and  TUCK made for BETTER DIALOGUE, too! 

 

Even BATMAN "feels our pain" over this!  

Adventures in Comic-Boxing: Let's Not Get Ahead of Ourselves!

You've heard of people who "stand behind their words", but how often do you see someone "stand ahead" of them?  

Well, I've found one in the pages of RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT - TRUE GHOST STORIES # 81 (Gold Key Comics, Cover Date: September, 1978)  

Let's zoom in on this page for a closer look!  

Unless that's a GHOST speaking from behind our story's victim (...and it's NOT, because I read the story - sorry for the spoiler) he is, by every convention of comic book storytelling, standing IN FRONT - or AHEAD - of his words!  

But, I suppose if ya can't have weird stuff going on (in the stories and in the panels themselves) of a comic like THIS...

...Then where CAN ya?