Author: DOuG pRATt

Happy Birthday, Joe Sinnott!

Marvel Comics art legend Joltin’ Joe Sinnott is 85 today. Hover over the picture to see Joe “back in the day,” as he likes to say. The thing about Joe is, looking at the artwork he does now, there’s no “back in the day” about it, because it’s as perfect as ever.

I didn’t start collecting comic books until early 1966, after the Batman TV show premiered, so I’d missed a lot of great Sixties issues and I really appreciated comics with reprints (although later I was dismayed to learn the artists and writers received no reprint royalties). Marvel Tales #10, September ’67, reprinted the Thor story from Journey into Mystery #92, May ’63. That was the first time I saw art that Joe had both penciled and inked. From that I was able to get a better appreciation for what Joe did to give Jack Kirby’s forceful Fantastic Four art such an attractive and clean appearance.

For much better printing quality than this scan from Marvel Tales #10, I recommended The Mighty Thor Omnibus, Vol. 1, which I was happy to get for my birthday. I don’t know how much of the book was taken from original art, but this particular story sure appears as though it was.

Joe will be appearing at the Albany Comic Con in two weeks, Sunday, October 30, and you can be sure Denro and I will be there!

Meeker behind the wheel

It seems almost every time I see Ralph Meeker in something, he’s driving a car.

Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – with Cloris Leachman

Alfred Hitchcock Presents, season 1, episode 1, Revenge – with Vera Miles

Alfred Hitchcock Presents, season 2, episode 20, Malice Domestic – with Lili Kardell

Food of the Gods (1976) – with Pamela Franklin

If you have never seen Revenge, I insist. It was based on a short story by Samuel Blas, and had already been adapted into an EC comic book story before Hitchcock got hold of it. Hitch himself directed Revenge, with one of his favorite actresses, and mine, Vera Miles. Don’t miss Francis “Aunt Bee” Bavier’s reaction to Vera in a bathing suit.

K3 fans fly united

K3 fan Theo Hendriks in the Netherlands writes…

Hello Doug,

This is Theo, I’m on your blog with a picture of me and K3 and I would like to add to the comment that K3 including Josje, and very especially Kristel, have been very supporting to me in the transistion to a K3 without Kathleen. I still see K3 regularly, and I’m still a big fan.

I lost some weight (well 25 kg), so I look a bit different now, but could you add this picture to your story? It’s Kristel and me end of august 2011.

Greetings Theo.
Netherlands.

Thanks, Theo! I’ll add a link on the earlier blog post pointing to this one. You know how to make a fellow jealous! And on top of that you’re reminding me that for the first time in decades I need to lose weight myself. I’ll make myself even more jealous by grabbing this other photo of you with lovely Kristel. It looks like it was cold there for late August!

P.S. Adjusting to change isn’t easy, but I agree with Theo that Josje is great, although I’m still not sure how they can be K3 with two K’s and a J. 😉

Strong influence on the weak-minded?

A few days ago I was on my last disposable razor when the shaving cream ran out, so I went to Target, intending to buy the same combination of Gillette Foamy and Bic Comfort 3-blade razors that I’ve been using for over two years…

… but then I decided on Barbasol shaving cream and Gillette Custom Plus twin-blade disposals. I thought I had based my purchase solely on price, but today, while going through last week’s New Yorker, I spotted something in an article I’d already read. Hover over the picture to see what it was.

Coincidence, or the power of iconography?

Likin’ Lenka

It’s time for another singer who I didn’t know existed ten minutes ago, with a song I liked instantly. Lenka, from Australia. I just love this sort of song, and the sound it makes. Forget the cow bell, give me more bells! This may be the only song by Lenka I like. I don’t know yet, because it’s all I’ve heard so far.

Lenka came up on my Lily Allen channel on Pandora. I think Allen’s The Fear is a superb piece of work. It’s a perfect expression of sentiments, both sincere and ironic. It’s also an exceptional example of how essential the producer is — Greg Kurstin in this instance — to giving a recording a certain effect and feeling.

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