A few weeks ago, a pair of red-tailed hawks took up residence in the neighborhood.
One or both of them can be heard calling throughout the day.
Chipmunks and squirrels beware! Mr. and Mrs. Hawk are here!
Category: Cartooning
Fantastic 4D
The cliché theme “it’s all about family” in movies and TV continues with Fantastic 4: First Steps. The first Fantastic Four movie from Marvel Studios, rather than Fox.
I saw the movie in IMAX 3D. The effect adds something to the viewing experience, but if I go again it will be without the discomfort of wearing the 3D glasses over my distance glasses.
F4 is a rather unusual movie in its presentation and pacing. From the start it’s a different breed of superhero flick, but only until the Fantastic Family meet Galactus, when the action becomes more typical of Marvel movie installments.
I like the retro Sixties vibe, which is notable for its lack of New Yorkers smoking cigarettes. Of special significance, the credits include a nod to Jack Kirby. It isn’t a co-creator credit but it’s nice nonetheless, and it “stans” alone, without Mr. Lee.
License to License
Unlike Comics Kingdom, GoComics cartoons can be licensed for various purposes, including blog posts. It’s $35 for a non-commercial license, with another $10 for a service fee.
I already had a problem with licensing strips. The latest credit card expiration year they provide is 2028, and only one of my cards has that date. The others are later. Without that card it wouldn’t be possible for me to license a comic strip for display here.
But now it’s a moot point, because even using the 2028 card, my latest order didn’t work. I’ve been charged only the $10 service fee. They’re breaking the #1 rule of business — don’t make it difficult for people to give you money.
I’ll tell ya what. Here’s a link to the comic strip I wanted to have here.
https://www.gocomics.com/tomthedancingbug/2025/07/11
Assuming they can fix their problems I’ll get a license, download my copy, and either update this post or publish a new one.
Art Spiegelman will be attending the NCS conference in Boston in August, and so will I. If I continue to be frustrated in my attempts to license comic strips, I’m sure someone from Andrews/McMeel will be there.
A Mighty Marvel Mish-Mash
Yesterday, I thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the unique and very worthwhile Museum of Printing in Haverhill, MA.
https://www.museumofprinting.org/
I went there not knowing that a couple of years ago the museum hosted a comic book event. The computer voice in this brief video mispronounces Haverhill. The “have” should sound like “cave,” and the second “h” is mostly silent.
The museum’s library has a nice selection of comic book related items, including the gigantic volume “The Stan Lee Story” that was published by Tashen shortly after Stan’s death in 2018.
This is the original art for that cover, owned by some fortunate and presumably well-heeled person.
A member of the Comic Book Historians group on Facebook posted this excellent article about the production of the 1966 Marvel Super-Heroes cartoons. It was published in the short-lived “The World of Comic Art.”
Kirby Korner, NYC/USA
I think this is the first TikTok video I’ve ever embedded here.
@marvel This morning, the Lower East Side of Manhattan made way for the King. ? Welcome to Yancy Street AKA Jack Kirby Way!
Shooter’s Secret War
Out of nowhere on Monday, it was announced that comic book writer/editor/publisher Jim Shooter had died.
On May 7, Shooter’s summer convention schedule was posted on Facebook…
Jim will be appearing at the following shows!
Big Lick Comic Con – NOVA – May 31-June 1
Heroes Aren’t Hard To Find – June 20-22
GalaxyCon Raleigh – July 24-27
Celebrate the 10th Anniversary of FarleyCon Pop Culture & Comic Book Expo! – August 2-3
TerrifiCon ™ – Connecticut’s Terrific Comic Con at Mohegan Sun – August 8-10
Dragon Con – August 28-31
See you there!
… but after missing a couple of those dates, this appeared on June 18.
Shooter had said nothing that I’d seen about him battling cancer, and considering his optimistic convention schedule I have to assume his condition must have declined very rapidly. I waited to post something about his death until the NYTimes had an obit. It’s shared here paywall-free.
I met Shooter only once, at a Terrificon in Connecticut. Joe Sinnott was going to be on a panel when we heard one of the other panelists was a no-show. I forget who it was, but he was a writer. I’d chatted with Shooter earlier that day, and when I heard of the vacancy I asked him if he would be willing to fill in. I told Jim that Joe would be there, he immediately agreed, and he was great.