Sugar And Spike Get In A Jam

As talking babies tend to do...

...Sugar Plumm and Spike Wilson find themselves in a jam, on these two classic covers (Sugar & Spike #4 of October-November, 1956 and Sugar & Spike #22 of April-May, 1959) with art by strip creator, Sheldon Meyer.

Flash In Crisis

Flash disappeared during the Crisis On Infinite Earths...but, where did he go?

These two issues explained what happened to Barry Allen...

Flash #350 (October, 1985)

First, the end of an era.  

The last issue of the Flash since the start of the Silver Age, by Cary Bates, Carmine Infantino and Frank McLaughlin (with cover inked by Klaus Janson).  Here, Barry Allen finally ends his trial for the murder of the Reverse Flash, fights the Rogues one more time, deals with Abra Kadabra...and gets a Silver Age happy ending, as Iris Allen, thought dead for 75 issues, was really rescued by her future parents (well, her parents, who lived in the future, Eric and Fran Russell).  

But, all this foreshadowed something ominous....

Crisis On Infinite Earths #8 (November, 1985)

After a few issues, where readers see Barry in the 30th Century, living his best life with Iris, the Crisis comes to his time, and Flash starts appearing to heroes, warning them of the Crisis.  

This issue, by Marv Wolfman, George Perez and Jerry Ordway, along with all the other dimensional confusion and hero gathering, has Flash, in the headquarters of the Anti-Monitor in the anti-matter universe, dealing with Psycho Pirate and the Weaponers of Qward, with Barry realizing that to help save the multiverse, he has to destroy the Anti-Monitor's Anit-Matter Cannon..

....and, as his speed increases, he travels through time (mostly back, a little forward) to deliver warnings to the heroes (and, had other circumstances not happened, a hint of how to bring him back....).

An incredible moment in comics (even with all the updates and changes that have happened since...), with the loss of the character that so visually started DC's Silver Age.

Why talk about this today?  Well, on the CW Flash TV series, this was the date the Flash disappeared according to the Central City Citizen...and read here for a little history of the Crisis On Infinite Earths. as well as here, for a little on the Flash of Two Worlds which kicked off Flash's place with the multiple Earths, as well as how Flash got to now here.

National Picnic Day

Celebrating National Picnic Day, and what better way than a quick peek into Jellystone Park, the home of Hanna Barbera's Yogi Bear and Boo-Boo, who usually spend their days looking for a picnic basket, much to the consternation of park Ranger Smith.

Along with all his animated success, Yogi Bear had a comic book that lasted for 42 issues at Gold Key (even if the first three issues were under their Four Color title), with the series ending in October, 1970.

Covers above are from Yogi Bear #32 and #35 (April, 1968 and January, 1969), and the second batch of covers from Yogi Bear #34 and #42 (October, 1968 and October, 1970), with surprisingly few covers with picnic baskets.

Reggie And Me On The Beach

A little fun on the beach...well, fun on the beach for Reggie Mantle, as he insults Archie Andrews in front of Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge on these two covers for Reggie And Me (#74 and #90, October, 1974 and September, 1976).

Happy Anniversary Mustang

Celebrating the Anniversary of the Ford Mustang that debuted at the New York's World's Fair on April 17, 1964 with this photo cover to Archie #443 (January, 1996, with art by Bill Golliher), as Archie, Jughead, Betty and Veronica get ready to leave school in style, all under the watchful eye of Miss Grundy and Principal Weatherbee.

 

Happy Birthday Actress Jennifer Garner

A happy birthday to actress Jennifer Garner (April 17, 1972) with this issue of Mad Magazine (#441, May, 2004) with a cover for their parody of her spy series, Alias.

Tax Day 2024

In space, no one can hear you scream....but they sure want you to pay your taxes.

These intrepid astronauts thought they had a windfall, but the IRS was there...on this cover to Archie's Mad House #31 (February, 1964) by Samm Schwartz.

Happy Birthday Actress Sarah Michelle Gellar

A happy birthday to Buffy The Vampire Slayer star Sarah Michelle Gellar (April 14, 1977) with this cover to Mad Magazine #367 (March, 1998) by Mort Drucker...

...as Buffy spikes a vampire version of Alfred E. Neuman.

Celebrating Artist Amanda Conner

Celebrating the birthday of artist Amanda Conner (April 12, 1967)...but which series to choose...Harley Quinn or Power Girl?

Well, no sense making a choice, as their was a 6 issue mini-series featuring both Harley Quinn and Power Girl, which included Vartox!

Harley Quinn and Power Girl #1 and #2 (August and September, 2015)

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Harley Quinn and Power Girl #3 and #4 (October and November, 2015)

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Harley Quinn and Power Girl #5 and #6 (January, 2016)

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Remembering Artist Mac Raboy

Remembering artist Emmanuel "Mac" Raboy on his birthday (April 9, 1914 - December 12, 1967)...but instead of giving you some of his (many) Captain Marvel Jr. covers, here, instead is his covers for Bulletman, of which he did four...

...with Jim Barr going into adventures with his girlfriend, Susan Kent as Bulletman and Bulletgirl!

Mac also contributed to a few covers for America's Greatest Comics and Master Comics, which allow Captain Marvel Jr. to be snuck in here, along with Fawcett's other great characters: Spy Smasher, Captain Marvel, Minute Man and Mr. Scarlett!

Bulletman #2 and #3 (Fall 1941 and January 14, 1942)

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Bulletman #4 and #5 (March 11 and May 13, 1942)

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America's Greatest Comics #1 and Master Comics #22 (1941 and January, 1942)

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Caveman Bob Hope

Just a couple of covers featuring funny man, Bob Hope...

...as a caveman.

Adventures Of Bob Hope #43 (February-March, 1957) with art by Owen Fitzgerald and Graham Price, has Bob making time with a prehistoric hottie....and Adventures Of Bob Hope #88 (August-September, 1964) with art by Bob Oksner, shows Bob on the run, likely because of the trouble he always finds himself in! 

Remembering Artist Joe Orlando

Remembering Italian-American artist Joe Orlando on his birthday (April 4, 1927 - December 23, 1998).

Usually known for his horror art and editing, as well as dabbling in humor comics, he occasionally did super heroes, such as the covers and insides for Metamorpho #5 and #6 (March-April and May-June 1966).

April Fools With Vertigo Ambush Bug

As it is April Fools' Day, one could actually spend a whole month (and then some) focusing on Ambush Bug as done by Keith Giffen, but instead, just a peek at his Ambush Bug Nothing Special #1 (September, 1992), from a time when comics were very serious, especially DC's Vertigo line.

So, of course, as DC's continuity cop, Ambush Bug came along and had a little fun with Swamp Thing, Doom Patrol, Sandman and Death in Keith's 9 panel style.  

Because, why not?

Ambush Bug meets Swamp Thing and the Doom Patrol 

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Ambush Bug meets Sandman and Death

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