Monday, June 16, 2014
TONY'S TIPS #60
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO ME
On this date in 1984, thirty years ago, Barb and I were married. Looking back at our long and happy marriage and our two wonderful children, I think it worked out well. :)
Sunday, June 15, 2014
WEIRD SCIENCE: A MINI-BLOG BONUS
Weird Science is one of my all-time favorite movies. I love the way that everything the two leads fantasize about in their opening scene actually happens before the end of the movie, albeit it ways they could not have imagined.
I enjoyed the Weird Science television series as well...and thought it would make a swell comic book. Though I pitched the idea to a couple of editors at various companies, I could never get anyone to go for it. Here's a follow-up letter I sent to a Dark Horse editor in January of 1995:
Remember that WEIRD SCIENCE comic I pitched at you some time back? I thought it had the makings of a winner: two teen heroes, one gorgeous computer genie and the ability of comic books to do things no television show's budget could afford to do.
Anyway, I thought you'd be interested in the following item. It's from Glenn Kenny's "Sci-Fi/Fantasy: column in the January 21 issue of TV Guide.
"Boy, the things that happen when nobody's looking. Did you know that WEIRD SCIENCE--the USA network series (Saturdays, 10 P.M./ET) based on the 1988 movie--is the highest-rated cable show (with the exception of sports) in its time slot and has just been renewed for a third season?"
I'm still very interested in doing WEIRD SCIENCE for comics. Is there any interest at Dark Horse? let me know.
Hope the new year is going well for you.
One of the downsides of going through old files is realizing how many good ideas of mine never got a chance to reach an audience. Even today, hardly a day goes by without my coming up with an idea for some new comic book. Alas, those publishers who do pay a living wage have long ago written me off and my insane need to pay my bills prevents me from bringing these ideas to the market myself. Maybe someday.
Keep watching the bloggy thing for more mini-bloggy moments.
I enjoyed the Weird Science television series as well...and thought it would make a swell comic book. Though I pitched the idea to a couple of editors at various companies, I could never get anyone to go for it. Here's a follow-up letter I sent to a Dark Horse editor in January of 1995:
Remember that WEIRD SCIENCE comic I pitched at you some time back? I thought it had the makings of a winner: two teen heroes, one gorgeous computer genie and the ability of comic books to do things no television show's budget could afford to do.
Anyway, I thought you'd be interested in the following item. It's from Glenn Kenny's "Sci-Fi/Fantasy: column in the January 21 issue of TV Guide.
"Boy, the things that happen when nobody's looking. Did you know that WEIRD SCIENCE--the USA network series (Saturdays, 10 P.M./ET) based on the 1988 movie--is the highest-rated cable show (with the exception of sports) in its time slot and has just been renewed for a third season?"
I'm still very interested in doing WEIRD SCIENCE for comics. Is there any interest at Dark Horse? let me know.
Hope the new year is going well for you.
One of the downsides of going through old files is realizing how many good ideas of mine never got a chance to reach an audience. Even today, hardly a day goes by without my coming up with an idea for some new comic book. Alas, those publishers who do pay a living wage have long ago written me off and my insane need to pay my bills prevents me from bringing these ideas to the market myself. Maybe someday.
Keep watching the bloggy thing for more mini-bloggy moments.
MARVEL VOUCHERS: A MINI-BLOG BONUS
There are four sheets to each voucher, which had to be filled out with a ballpoint pen. Since you were making four copies, you had to press down hard as you filled them out. The fourth copy was for the "supplier" or freelancer.
I have no idea if these are worth anything or not. I suppose I could go on eBay and see if anyone has or is selling them. I plan to hold on them for a while, so that's not an issue at present. When and if I do sell them, they will turn up in one of my online Vast Accumulation of Stuff sales.
Look for more mini-blog bonus posts as my time permits.
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!
Happy Father's Day to all the dads reading this bloggy thing of mine! I know your kids will be treating you like a king today, marveling at your wisdom and bringing you whatever you desire as you lounge in your favorite chair. Just like my kids will do for me. No, I'm not on drugs. I'm naturally delusional. Have a great day! Tony
Saturday, June 14, 2014
THIS MADE ME LAUGH
The short version...I originally pitched the Champions as a “buddy book” starring the Angel and the Iceman, who has recently left the X-Men. It was Route 66 with mutants, just two good-looking heroes from different backgrounds traveling the country, meeting gorgeous young woman and helping people wherever they went. I thought that teaming the wealthy Warren Worthington with the middle-class Bobby Drake would be great fun.
After editorial edicts that every super-hero team had to have five members (like the Fantastic Four), that every super-hero team had to have someone with super-strength (Hercules), that every super-hero team had to have a woman (Black Widow) and that every super-hero team had to have at least one member who also had his own series (Ghost Rider), Marvel and me ended up with the Champions as they actually appeared in the comic books. I tried to make sense of this strange team and, though a great many readers have told me over the years how much they loved the series, I don’t believe I succeeded.
So...when I came across the above panel in Hawkeye #16 [February, 2014] by writer Matt Fraction, artist Annie Wu, color artist Matt Hollingsworth and letterer Chris Eliopoulos, I did that LOL thing that all the youngsters text about. It made my day.
In other stuff...
This is a shorter-than-usual bloggy thing on account of tomorrow is Father’s Day and Monday is the 30th anniversary of my marriage to Sainted Wife Barb. I figured you’d understand if I took it a wee bit easy so that I could enjoy those celebrations.
I’ll be back on Tuesday with another installment of my award-lacking JULY 1963 series. See you then.
© 2014 Tony Isabella
Friday, June 13, 2014
VAST ACCUMULATION OF STUFF SALE 6/13/14
THIS SALE IS NOW CLOSED
We’re getting closer to my Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales at my home in legendary Medina, Ohio, but that doesn’t mean an end to my ONLINE Vast Accumulation of Stuff sales.
Here’s how the sale works...
First come, first serve. In other words, the quicker you e-mail me, the better your chances of getting the item or items. Only e-mail orders will be accepted and you should not send payment until you get a confirmation e-mail from me. All listed items are in good or better condition unless otherwise noted.
Let me stress that “e-mail only” rule. Most of the few mistakes I have made in assembling/shipping orders have happened with orders I accepted via phone or Facebook message. So...I’m not gonna break my own rule anymore.
You should always include your mailing address with your orders. That speeds up the packaging and the shipping.
Items will be shipped via United States Postal Service. There is a $5 shipping and handling charge for all orders of any size unless I specify otherwise in the item description. If your final order is over $100, shipping is free.
Payments are by check, money order or PayPal. My PayPal address is the same as my email address. Purchases will generally be shipped within a week of checks clearing, money orders received or PayPal payments received.
Because this is a one-man operation done between family, household and work responsibilities, these items are only available to buyers within the United States and to APO buyers.
When you receive your order, please check it and let me know of any omissions as soon as possible. I’ll be double-checking the orders on my end, but, if there’s a problem, I want to make it right in a timely fashion.
Items will only be offered online twice before they go to my garage sales. If an asterix (*) appears at the front of an item, it’s your last chance to buy the item online. Items that fail to sell after two online sales go into my garage sales.
As always, your orders are greatly appreciated.
This sale runs from today through Wednesday, June 18, 2014.
Here are this week’s items...
1000 COMIC BOOKS YOU MUST READ by Tony Isabella. A fun ride through the history of the American comic book that showcases the variety of the field. Hardcover. Signed on request. Free shipping. $25
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: THE WEDDING [Marvel; 1991]. Reprints material from Amazing Spider-Man #291-293, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21, Not Brand Echh #6, the newspaper comic strip and the Shea Stadium wedding. Full-color softcover. First Printing. $7
*ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #259. $1
ARCHIE’S FUNHOUSE DOUBLE DIGEST #3. $1
BIG BUDGET CIRCUS: THE MOST TAXING SHOW ON EARTH [Tundra; 1992]. Boxed set of 36 cards. Written by Peggy Gordon, illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz. 36 outrageous misuses of taxpayer money in full color. $9.
BIZARRE DETECTIVE TRADING CARDS [Kitchen Sink; 1992]. Boxed set of 36 lurid and picturesque detective magazine covers from the 1930s. $7
BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE #1-3 [November 2012; January, 2013; March, 2013]. First three bimonthly issues of Rich Johnson’s based-on-his-website publication. All three for $8.
BUSH LEAGUE TRADING CARDS [Eclipse; 1989]. Boxed set of thirty-six baseball-style trading cards for the players in the scandal-ridden first Bush administration. Members include George Bush, J. Danforth Quayle, Oliver North, Henry Kissinger and others. On the back of each card is a brief history of the person. $8
CAPTAIN UNIVERSE: POWER UNIMAGINABLE by Bill Mantlo, Steve Ditko, Gerry Conway, Tony Isabella, Rick Leonardi and others [Marvel; 2005]. Reprints nine stories from 1980-1995. Full-color softcover. Signed by request. $10
CEREBUS BOOK FIVE: JAKA’S STORY by Dave Sim and Gerhard [Aardvark-Vanaheim, 1992]. Has issues #114-136. Black-and-white softcover. Third printing. 488 pages. $12
COMICS JOURNAL LIBRARY VOLUME SEVEN: HARVEY KURTZMAN [Fantagraphics Books; 2006]. This volume focuses on one of comics' most esteemed and influential creators: artist/writer/editor Harvey Kurtzman, whose Comics Journal interviews are collected in this oversized, lavishly illustrated full-color edition. $10
CONFIDENTIAL [Kitchen Sink; 1993]. Boxed set of 36 color cards that trace the history of America’s first scandal magazine. $6
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR cards [Eclipse; 1993]. A commemorative set of 36 color cards in a boxed set. $20
COUP D'ETAT: THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY TRADING CARDS by writer Paul Brancato and artist Bill Sienkiewicz [Eclipse; 1990]. 4" x 3" cardboard box containing 36 illustrated trading cards. Thirty-six trading cards which serve as an introduction to the assassination of President Kennedy, based on various sources. $11
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #19 (current series). $1
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #20 (current series). $1
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #21 (current series). $1
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #22 (current series). $1
DOPE FIENDS: VINTAGE PAPERBACKS OF THE ‘50S AND ‘60S. Compiled and annotated by Doug Aanes [Kitchen Sink; 1995]. The 36-card boxed set features full color art and succinct background information. First printing. $11
DRUG WARS [Eclipse; 1991]. “The Straight Dope on America’s Dirtiest Deals.” There are 36 original trading cards in the boxed set. The cards depict the US Drugs wars of the 80s and 90s and the Bush and Reagan administrations. $9
ELEKTRA LIVES AGAIN by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley [Marvel; 1990]. Full-color oversized graphic novel. Hardcover. First printing. $20
FOUL BALL TRADING CARDS - BASEBALL'S GREATEST SCANDALS, SCOUNDRELS & SCREW-UPS [Eclipse; 1991]. 36-card boxed set. $3
FRIENDLY DICTATORS TRADING CARDS [Eclipse; 1989]. Boxed set showing 36 of America's Most Embarrassing Allies. Art by Bill Sienkiewicz. $10
GLAMOUR GIRLS OF BILL WARD [Fantagraphics; 2003]. Edited by Alex Chun. Renowned pin-up artist Bill Ward gets the full coffee table treatment in a lavish, oversized, full-color collection of his most polished 1950s illustrations. Hardcover. Free shipping. $50
IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER (1959). Starring Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Dan Dailey, Dolores Gray and Michael Kidd. Unopened DVD of one of my favorite movies. Three World War II buddies make a solemn vow to meet in ten years. Their lives haven’t gone as they hoped/planned, but their friendship puts them all on the right track. Funny and human. Terrific musical numbers. $5
*JUGHEAD DOUBLE DOUBLE DIGEST #200. $2
LITTLE WORLD OF DON CAMILLO by Giovanni Guareschi [Pocket Books; 1965]. Tenth printing. $5
MIDNIGHT SECRETARY VOLUME ONE by Tomu Ohmi [Viz Media; 2013]. The first in a shojo manga series about a young executive secretary who learns her handsome boss is a vampire. $6
NEW ADVENTURES OF JESUS: THE SECOND COMING by Frank Stack with two introductions by Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton [Fantagraphics; 2006). Softcover. 160 pages. $10
PRE-CODE CLASSICS: THE THING [PS Artbooks; 2013]. Reprinting the entire 17-issue run of the 1950s horror comics title from Charlton. Many stories drawn by Steve Ditko. Two full-color hardcover volumes in a sturdy slipcase. FREE SHIPPING. $60
QUOTABLE SANDMAN: MEMORABLE LINES FROM THE ACCLAIMED SERIES by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by remarkable artists [Vertigo; 2000]. Hardcover. 6.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches. 96 pages. $5
SECRET PEOPLE by John Beynon Harris [Lancer; 1967]. Frank Frazetta cover. $4
*ZOMBIE FACTORY by various [2007]. From those Myron Fass black-and-white horror magazines of the 1970s, this volume reprints “27 tales of bizarre comix madness from beyond the tomb.” Black-and white softcover. 196 pages. $25
Thanks for your patronage.
Tony Isabella
We’re getting closer to my Vast Accumulation of Stuff garage sales at my home in legendary Medina, Ohio, but that doesn’t mean an end to my ONLINE Vast Accumulation of Stuff sales.
Here’s how the sale works...
First come, first serve. In other words, the quicker you e-mail me, the better your chances of getting the item or items. Only e-mail orders will be accepted and you should not send payment until you get a confirmation e-mail from me. All listed items are in good or better condition unless otherwise noted.
Let me stress that “e-mail only” rule. Most of the few mistakes I have made in assembling/shipping orders have happened with orders I accepted via phone or Facebook message. So...I’m not gonna break my own rule anymore.
You should always include your mailing address with your orders. That speeds up the packaging and the shipping.
Items will be shipped via United States Postal Service. There is a $5 shipping and handling charge for all orders of any size unless I specify otherwise in the item description. If your final order is over $100, shipping is free.
Payments are by check, money order or PayPal. My PayPal address is the same as my email address. Purchases will generally be shipped within a week of checks clearing, money orders received or PayPal payments received.
Because this is a one-man operation done between family, household and work responsibilities, these items are only available to buyers within the United States and to APO buyers.
When you receive your order, please check it and let me know of any omissions as soon as possible. I’ll be double-checking the orders on my end, but, if there’s a problem, I want to make it right in a timely fashion.
Items will only be offered online twice before they go to my garage sales. If an asterix (*) appears at the front of an item, it’s your last chance to buy the item online. Items that fail to sell after two online sales go into my garage sales.
As always, your orders are greatly appreciated.
This sale runs from today through Wednesday, June 18, 2014.
Here are this week’s items...
1000 COMIC BOOKS YOU MUST READ by Tony Isabella. A fun ride through the history of the American comic book that showcases the variety of the field. Hardcover. Signed on request. Free shipping. $25
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN: THE WEDDING [Marvel; 1991]. Reprints material from Amazing Spider-Man #291-293, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #21, Not Brand Echh #6, the newspaper comic strip and the Shea Stadium wedding. Full-color softcover. First Printing. $7
*ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #259. $1
ARCHIE’S FUNHOUSE DOUBLE DIGEST #3. $1
BIG BUDGET CIRCUS: THE MOST TAXING SHOW ON EARTH [Tundra; 1992]. Boxed set of 36 cards. Written by Peggy Gordon, illustrated by Bill Sienkiewicz. 36 outrageous misuses of taxpayer money in full color. $9.
BIZARRE DETECTIVE TRADING CARDS [Kitchen Sink; 1992]. Boxed set of 36 lurid and picturesque detective magazine covers from the 1930s. $7
BLEEDING COOL MAGAZINE #1-3 [November 2012; January, 2013; March, 2013]. First three bimonthly issues of Rich Johnson’s based-on-his-website publication. All three for $8.
BUSH LEAGUE TRADING CARDS [Eclipse; 1989]. Boxed set of thirty-six baseball-style trading cards for the players in the scandal-ridden first Bush administration. Members include George Bush, J. Danforth Quayle, Oliver North, Henry Kissinger and others. On the back of each card is a brief history of the person. $8
CAPTAIN UNIVERSE: POWER UNIMAGINABLE by Bill Mantlo, Steve Ditko, Gerry Conway, Tony Isabella, Rick Leonardi and others [Marvel; 2005]. Reprints nine stories from 1980-1995. Full-color softcover. Signed by request. $10
CEREBUS BOOK FIVE: JAKA’S STORY by Dave Sim and Gerhard [Aardvark-Vanaheim, 1992]. Has issues #114-136. Black-and-white softcover. Third printing. 488 pages. $12
COMICS JOURNAL LIBRARY VOLUME SEVEN: HARVEY KURTZMAN [Fantagraphics Books; 2006]. This volume focuses on one of comics' most esteemed and influential creators: artist/writer/editor Harvey Kurtzman, whose Comics Journal interviews are collected in this oversized, lavishly illustrated full-color edition. $10
CONFIDENTIAL [Kitchen Sink; 1993]. Boxed set of 36 color cards that trace the history of America’s first scandal magazine. $6
CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR cards [Eclipse; 1993]. A commemorative set of 36 color cards in a boxed set. $20
COUP D'ETAT: THE ASSASSINATION OF JOHN F. KENNEDY TRADING CARDS by writer Paul Brancato and artist Bill Sienkiewicz [Eclipse; 1990]. 4" x 3" cardboard box containing 36 illustrated trading cards. Thirty-six trading cards which serve as an introduction to the assassination of President Kennedy, based on various sources. $11
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #19 (current series). $1
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #20 (current series). $1
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #21 (current series). $1
DARK HORSE PRESENTS #22 (current series). $1
DOPE FIENDS: VINTAGE PAPERBACKS OF THE ‘50S AND ‘60S. Compiled and annotated by Doug Aanes [Kitchen Sink; 1995]. The 36-card boxed set features full color art and succinct background information. First printing. $11
DRUG WARS [Eclipse; 1991]. “The Straight Dope on America’s Dirtiest Deals.” There are 36 original trading cards in the boxed set. The cards depict the US Drugs wars of the 80s and 90s and the Bush and Reagan administrations. $9
ELEKTRA LIVES AGAIN by Frank Miller and Lynn Varley [Marvel; 1990]. Full-color oversized graphic novel. Hardcover. First printing. $20
FOUL BALL TRADING CARDS - BASEBALL'S GREATEST SCANDALS, SCOUNDRELS & SCREW-UPS [Eclipse; 1991]. 36-card boxed set. $3
FRIENDLY DICTATORS TRADING CARDS [Eclipse; 1989]. Boxed set showing 36 of America's Most Embarrassing Allies. Art by Bill Sienkiewicz. $10
GLAMOUR GIRLS OF BILL WARD [Fantagraphics; 2003]. Edited by Alex Chun. Renowned pin-up artist Bill Ward gets the full coffee table treatment in a lavish, oversized, full-color collection of his most polished 1950s illustrations. Hardcover. Free shipping. $50
IT’S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER (1959). Starring Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Dan Dailey, Dolores Gray and Michael Kidd. Unopened DVD of one of my favorite movies. Three World War II buddies make a solemn vow to meet in ten years. Their lives haven’t gone as they hoped/planned, but their friendship puts them all on the right track. Funny and human. Terrific musical numbers. $5
*JUGHEAD DOUBLE DOUBLE DIGEST #200. $2
LITTLE WORLD OF DON CAMILLO by Giovanni Guareschi [Pocket Books; 1965]. Tenth printing. $5
MIDNIGHT SECRETARY VOLUME ONE by Tomu Ohmi [Viz Media; 2013]. The first in a shojo manga series about a young executive secretary who learns her handsome boss is a vampire. $6
NEW ADVENTURES OF JESUS: THE SECOND COMING by Frank Stack with two introductions by Robert Crumb and Gilbert Shelton [Fantagraphics; 2006). Softcover. 160 pages. $10
PRE-CODE CLASSICS: THE THING [PS Artbooks; 2013]. Reprinting the entire 17-issue run of the 1950s horror comics title from Charlton. Many stories drawn by Steve Ditko. Two full-color hardcover volumes in a sturdy slipcase. FREE SHIPPING. $60
QUOTABLE SANDMAN: MEMORABLE LINES FROM THE ACCLAIMED SERIES by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by remarkable artists [Vertigo; 2000]. Hardcover. 6.5 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches. 96 pages. $5
SECRET PEOPLE by John Beynon Harris [Lancer; 1967]. Frank Frazetta cover. $4
*ZOMBIE FACTORY by various [2007]. From those Myron Fass black-and-white horror magazines of the 1970s, this volume reprints “27 tales of bizarre comix madness from beyond the tomb.” Black-and white softcover. 196 pages. $25
Thanks for your patronage.
Tony Isabella
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