I'm Probably The Biggest Star Trek Fan Who Still Hasn't Seen All the Episodes

I really like STAR TREK— and of course since there have been several versions of it they now refer to the series I’m talking about as THE ORIGINAL SERIES. It aired on NBC from 1966-1969 when it was cancelled, but fandom kept it alive and soon it was reborn in a series of big budget films.

But I really only like the TV Series. Truth be told, I think I like the colorful costumes and cheesy sets. They’ve done a REMASTERED version which added better effects and they are a big miss. The bad effects were part of the charm of the show.

I also really liked the chemistry between Captain Kirk, his first officer Mr Spock and Dr McCoy. They had personalities and there was some fun in there. When STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION came out my best friend was hooked, I didn’t want to bother— I’m usually disdainful of remakes— but one night he had to stay up because he had a medical procedure that required no sleep for 24 hours so I went to his house and I tried watching it with him. I was alseep in under an episode— I found it boring and grey.

Growing up I had a friend who was so heavily into the show that he made really great props in his basement, he made the tricorder, phasers and even had all three colors of shirts from the show. We used to drive him crazy by calling the show Star TRACK but we knew what we were doing.

When STAR WARS came along (again, the original one now called stupidly A NEW HOPE) he completely swapped allegiance and began making replica costumes of C3PO and R2D2— he loved that movie beyond all measure. I admit I fell into it too— but I loved DARTH VADER, I loved the Storm Troopers, I couldn’t stand Luke Skywalker who was to me a whiney little baby (now he’s a big whiney baby). I laughed when someone called Mark Hammill (Luke) washed up. I think you have to have had a career to be washed up. I found Leia totally unlikeable and Han Solo so obnoxiously smug. I liked Ben Kenobi but he didn’t make it through the film and. I liked Chewbacca who I secretly hoped would smother Han to death one night on the Millenium Falcon. The sequels were B-Movies and by the time EMPIRE STRIKES BACK came out I was already feeling too old to watch puppets in swamps. By RETURN OF THE JEDI I was done with it.

But Star Trek— nope, still held up.

There were 79 episodes in total of the original and I’ve probably seen at least 35— maybe more. Veronica has a solo trup to see family coming up and my thought was to watch every episode while she’s gone. I doubt I can acheive this lofty goal but I’m going to give it the good old college try.

Wish me luck.

BATMAN COVERS #17-20

A couple of Patriotic Covers again and we see Black and Yellow appear to be very popular colors for the coloring team.

BATMAN #17- Batman and Robin on a giant Eagle telling you to buy war bonds.

BATMAN #18- Hitler, Mussoline and Hirihito getting blasted with a giant firecracker which looks like a pasted together cover to me.

BATMAN #19- Legendary Batman artist Dick Sprang’s first full cover assignment— it’s simple but I like it because it shows Batman and Robin in the bat lab.

BATMAN #20- First Batmobile Cover appearance— points off for letting Robin drive— what is he twelve?

WINNER - While the #20 is a great cover- bursting through the cover with the iconic giant Bat Head 40s Batmobile I’m giving it to #19 because it’s beautiful and it’s my blog.

BATMAN COVERS #13-16

Did I say there weren’t a lot of WWII Batman Covers? Well here are two more.

BATMAN #13- Batman and Robin Parachute somewhere on target in this striking black cover.

BATMAN #14- A personal favorite of mine— the first Penguin Cover in BATMAN— I don’t even like the Penguin all that much, but this happens to be the first Golden Age Comic I ever saw and bought thanks to Paul Howley at That’s Entertainment. I love the bending the corner of the page to reveal the Penguin.

BATMAN #15- Strong WWII Cover here simple design— I assume Batman is in the Pacific happily blasting away.

BATMAN #16- Another moody cover— points off from me because we’re already using that iconic cover we just saw on #9 right?

WINNER- BATMAN #14 because this is my blog.

BATMAN COVERS #9-12

As we enter year three of the title there’s a maturity that’s coming into the covers— the reality is Batman was a surprise hit and they hired artists to help out Bob Kane, so we get better quality ones here.

BATMAN #9 - Second BLACK cover in the run— it’s an iconic image that’s been used over and over in licensing and marketing but at the time this was simplicity at its finest.

BATMAN #10 - Another BLACK COVER - this one throwing in fun into the title— maybe Batman and Robin draw their own adventures? Not sure what the message was but it’s definitely fun.

BATMAN #11 - Fun seems to bt the theme, no? Batman spent his first two years being pretty serious, I think he’s smiling in the early covers of BATMAN too but here he’s really having a ball. Great cover design here.

BATMAN #12 - First WWII Cover of the run— Batman wouldn’t have too many war covers but there are a few.

WINNER?
I’m giving it to BATMAN #10— I love the mini figures on the drawing table— that #11 is a close second and the #9 is a closer third— this was the hardest batch to pick so far.

BATMAN COVERS #5-8

BATMAN #5-8 above— we’ve moved into 1941 with this batch.

Cover #5- is an interesting take— Batman with the scales of justice. It’s an homage/ripoff of a great SHADOW pulp cover— that’s okay Homages are okay to do. Points off because they forgot Batman’s chest emblem.

Cover #6 - Red pinstripe cover— this was for the longest time the earliest BATMAN comic I owned, but I’m going to keep sentimentality out of these and stick solely to design. It’s an interesting take, but artist Bob Kane struggles with anatomy are on full display here with Batman’s tiny left foot and hand.

Cover #7- The Bullseye Cover— this must have really stood out on the newstands. A personal favorite.

Cover #8- An infinity cover— a cover in which the characters are reading the book they’re holding and so on and so on— if you like infinity covers I can see their charm. Points off because Batman’s eyes aren’t white.

The Winner?

I’m going with #7 here— that bullseye cover really hits the spot (sorry).

Batman Covers #1-4

Drawing covers is one of the most fun aspects of being an illustrator— until you hit one that’s not. Recently I struggled with a cover that should have been a fairly simple assignment but I went wrong when I didn’t do enough prep sketches— and to be honest I am way behind deadlines so that didn’t help either.

For the next few days I’m going to explore Batman Covers starting with the first issue from 1940 and going up— who knows how far I’ll go— but going back to the beginning of the comics industry I’m hoping to get some real insight here. Stick with me if you want, head on over to CJ’s if you don’t.

All of these will be courtesy of MY COMIC SHOP— I highly recommend them.

Starting with the first four covers here, from Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter 1940;

Simplicity is the key— any of these could be substituted for the other— in the biz we call these ‘generic’— but that terms sounds negative when its not intended to be.

COVER 1- Vibrant yellow background— Batman and Robin in action. Ignoring the fact that it’s an iconic cover the figures are a bit on the small side but overall it works well enough to make me pick this up off the newstand.

COVER 2 - The first RED Cover— this issue was always one that I hunted down (I know own three copies of it) because there’s something really clever about this one— the moon is a nice touch and Batman doing all the work while Robin just sort of helps sums up the team.

COVER 3- The first BLACK Cover— not as common as you’d think— Batman and Robin running at us in a way that is like the opening of the Adam West TV Series.

COVER 4- Another RED cover but this time with a little more action, Batman is climbing up the ladder while Robin is falling to his death. What’s not to love?

The winner in this group??

It’s a tough pick but I’m giving it to the Number 3— that running towards us shot is really great.

There's no place like home, but I love to travel.

I had a conversation with two friends in the midwest and I was saying that its been about three months since I’ve traveled and I get antsy when it gets longer than that. How do I define travel? If I have to pack a bag that’s travel. Because our Australian Silk Terrier is officially 112 in dog years travel is not elways easy to do. He has seperation anxiety and its difficult to find people he’s comfortable being with, and who are willing to put up with the struggles of having a 112 year old 9lb dog with failing vision, weakened hearing and now we even have an occasional seizure to contend with. As the vet says— it’s a take it day by day situation when they get to be this age.

But back to travel— my two midwestern friends don’t share my anxiousness in being home bound— one more so than the other— he hasn’t traveled something like 20 years— that’s mind blowing to me. He has a very large property that he exists on and things are always needing repair so he keeps busy. The other travels a great deal by comparison but admits to being homesick almost immediately when doing so.

The more cynical among you will think I’m judging— I’m not. I am merely someone who is alreays interested in human behavior and those things that make us different.