1973 Albert Bigley BATMAN Drawing! "To The Batpoles!" Batman Shakes His Money-Maker! Bronze Age Madness!

Another big one from my checkered past! This scribbling (complete with my huge signature) features mighty Batman shimmying down the Batpole, as if he's moonlighting as a cast member of "Showgirls!" Drawn by me (when I still lived in Jersey) at age 8, and based on the then-ubiquitous BATMAN TV show afternoon reruns (hence the clear and obvious label for the Batpole), this is certainly one oddball image! Click to enlarge!

1973 FOOM Marvel Medallion Ad! Spider-Man! Hulk! John Romita!

Here is a little-seen ad from early issues of Marvel Comics' famed house organ, FOOM! Dig those cool tones on the three famous Marvel medallions of Spidey, Hulk, and Conan! Every one of them sporting incredible art by the incomparable John Romita, Sr.! I've heard that other medallions were planned, such as a crazy coin featuring the Fantastic Four (click here for a grateful glance at the rare JRSR designs!)...Click image below to enlarge, and enjoy these swingin' medallions from the beautiful Bronze Age of comics, frantic one!

Rare Monkees Far East Pics! 1968 Tour and Concert! Davy Jones!

Some rare and fabulous pics of the Monkees' 1968 Far East tour, direct from a Japanese fan magazine! Great candids of Peter, Davy, Micky, and Michael in action in the land of the rising sun! Click to enlarge! Wanna hear the Monkees performing live during their socko '68 show in Osaka, Japan? Click here!

The Marvel No-Prize Returns! Daredevil Shoots His Mouth Off! Marvel Comics!

Back again, due to the demands of thousands (truthfully, only one demand from a guy in Trenton, NJ, named Ricky H. Thousands)! Savagely ripped from the pages of the 1982 MARVEL NO-PRIZE BOOK, here is Daredevil (and artist Gene Colan) in a less-than-stellar moment, as well as original X-Man, the Beast, who seems to have been raiding his peer's wardrobe! Hoo boy! Who SAYS the Marvel Age of Comics was pitch-perfect? Click to enlarge!

Albert Bigley 1976 FANTASTIC FOUR "Playing Card!?" Marvel Comics! Human Torch!

Another blast from my past! Here is the pencil art to some sorta FANTASTIC FOUR "Super-Heroes" game I (age 11) had made up one Saturday afternoon. Thankfully, no other cards exist from this project, one that probably sprang from the handy availability of these odd shirt cardboard pieces. "Invisibe Girl?!" Sheesh! Click to enlarge!

1956 Superman Belt Buckle "Corn Flakes" Ad! DC Comics!

Wow! An example of the early days of character merchandising! From the dawning Silver Age, this ad (running in all DC comic books for that month) let fans get in on a great Superman promotion that would go over well today! Has anyone ever seen a real-life example of this swell-looking belt buckle? Click image to enlarge!

MORE 1974 Albert Bigley SPIDER-MAN Comics! Green Goblin Remembers! Marvel Comics?

Found! Two more senses-shattering pages from my own 1974 Spidey epic! Drawn by me (age 9), this is the start of a tense tale of suspense, as Spider-Man faces his most fearsome foe of all! Gasp in awe, as I attempt to ape the writing style of "Merry" Gerry Conway (then-current SM writer), and the terrific art of Ross Andru (artist on the book at that time)! They had little to worry about. Be sure to click here to take in the rest of this sensational saga! Click to enlarge images!

DC Comics 1994 Christmas Card! MAD Mort Drucker! Superman?!

It's THAT time of year again! Time to look at unique and wacky Christmas cards of the past! Starting with the official 1994 DC Comics card that went out to creative types who worked for them that year! This time it's MAD's own Alfred E. Neuman, decked out as DC's Superman, in a fantastic image penned by the immortal caricaturist, Mort Drucker! BONUS! A 1981 Paul Gulacy-drawn card from the staff at HEROES AREN'T HARD TO FIND comics shop! Sent to fans and customers of the then-spanking new (and still going strong!) store, this is truly a rare gem that even depicts owner Shelton Drum among a stellar superhero star line-up! Click each to enlarge, and happy holidays to all!

1995 Frank Gorshin Article! The Riddler! Batman 1966 TV Show!

Riding high due to his role in the Bruce Willis 1995 vehicle TWELVE MONKEYS, the long-running mag ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY ran this fun little article on the late, but always great, Frank Gorshin, best known for his late-60s turn as the Riddler, on the 1966-68 BATMAN TV show! Click to enlarge and enjoy!

The Monkees in NC in 1969! Mike Nesmith! HEAD Reviews! Davy Jones!

A VERY rare 1969 clipping (from the period after Peter left the group) as seen in the venerable CHARLOTTE (North Carolina) OBSERVER newspaper kicks off this big blog blast! Then we flash ahead and see various 1995-6 articles about Monkees doings, and a recent 2010 FILTER magazine review of Rhino records' new HEAD deluxe CD box set! More you could ask for?! Click each to enlarge and enjoy!

Tim Burton's 1995 SUPERMAN LIVES Movie "Disco Suit?! Pics! DC Comics!

That's right. You HAVE to look. Direct from the many terrific guys and gals at the GEEK TYRANT website, here is a look at one of the proposed SUPERMAN movie suits we'd have been enjoying, if Tim Burton was ever allowed to proceed with his vision of the character and movie franchise! Take a good look. Absorb it. SUPERMAN RETURNS doesn't seem so bad now, does it? Click here to see actual video of the super-suit! Click images to enlarge. Just beware.

The Return of the Hulk (Paintings)! 1979 Albert Bigley Original Art! Marvel Comics?!

FOUND! The "missing" Hulk painting by me (age 14), from 1979! Created the summer before starting high school, here is ol' Jade Jaws doing his community bit by helping endangered kids across a busy school intersection! But wait-some rude hot rodder thinks he can barrel thru at unsafe speeds, in a car that looks more like a melted and warped shoe-box than a Chevy! Our hero readies himself to deliver a firm message on traffic and pedestrian safety! I based this on the then-ubiquitous magazine paintings by Bob Larkin (click here for more), and wanted to force myself to have to paint more "real' subjects such as kids, cars, trees, etc., as an exercise. This may have been my first stab at acrylic painting, too, so go easy on me, real frantic one! Click to enlarge, if you're that sort of type!

Hit Batman Right Where It Hurts! 1966 Superman and Batman "Bop Bag" Ad! DC Comics!

A great ad from the height of 1966's "Batmania" fad! Kids could clobber either Batman or his World's Finest pal Superman, in a never-ending attempt to ease that ever-present childhood rage and despair! If those two comics icons don't do it for ya, you can pummel Bozo, Yogi, Woody, or a host of other kiddie faves! I had both of these superhero bags (even rushing the Superman bag out of the house once during an oven fire), but made my own Joker "punching bag" from a giant cardboard hockey table lid! Yep, I beat the stuffing out of that lid in short order! Who wanted to beat up the good guys, right? Click to enlarge!

Sunday Super Seventies SPIDER-MAN Strip! For the Love of Loomis! Marvel Comics!

Spidey lowers the boom on the mysterious brain-washer known as Loomis! Click to enlarge this fabulous and rare 1979 newspaper strip by Stan "The Man" Lee and "Jazzy" John Romita!

THOR 199! Original 1972 John Buscema Cover Art! Marvel Comics!

Another great cover from the Bronze Age of Marvel! Big John Buscema (with inks by Frank Giacoia? Joe Giella?)knocks it out of the park yet again with his cover art to THOR #199! Action, drama, suspense, and excitement jump right out at you in one powerful image! Click to enlarge!

1977 Davy Jones Portrait by Albert Bigley! The Monkees!?

Hoo Boy! Who says I never tried my hand at caricature or portraits back then? Here is my (age 12) attempt to depict the diminutive darling, Davy Jones, from 1977! Swiped directly from the '76 cheapie cash-in MONKEES RCA 2-LP set cover (one of only a handful of LPs I owned then), here is the "Manchester Cowboy" as he's never been seen before! And hopefully, never will again! Click images to enlarge, Daydream Believer!

1978 INCREDIBLE HULK Ads From TV GUIDE! Lynda Carter! Marvel Comics!

Ah, the days when TV GUIDE ruled. Display ads (many with fully rendered illustrations and "close-up" profiles) were the main attention-getting device targeted at prospective viewers! Here is the 1978 Friday night line-up, as seen in CBS's own ads. The powerful comic book line up  of WONDER WOMAN and INCREDIBLE HULK couldn't be beat, but who recalls the earlier FLYIN' HIGH, yet another late 70s "jiggle TV" contribution? Click to enlarge!

Saludos! Kenner's GABBIGAIL! Let's Offend Our Neighbors Over the Border! 1973 Comic Book Ad!

Ah, yet another laugh-inducing 1973 Kenner comic book ad! This time it's for the less-than-popular language translating and full-time patsy doll, GABBIGAIL! Let's read as she goes down south and offends our Mexican and Spanish friends by reinforcing stereotypes and roles, all in a very (say it with me, now) un-PC manner! Oh, those wacky 1970s! Come the 80s, this kinda advertising was gone, thanks to teams of big company legal eagles, frightened ad and TV execs, and committee thinking! Click images to enlarge!

Kenner's CHIP AWAY (at Dad's Patience)! 1973 Comic Book Ad! The FLINTSTONES!

Here we go again with yet another fabulous and fun ad from 1973! This time, it's for Kenner's once-popular CHIP AWAY toy set! This comic book blurb spotlights the FLINTSTONES set, but the writers still just HAD to chip away (heh), in an un-PC manner, at Fred's chubby physique and face, not to mention the terrible off-model depictions of Fred and company in this ad! An odd toy that was made to make the child feel artistic and creative, this thing simply left Mom and Dad with tons of hard-plastic chips on the floor to sweep up when all was done! Click images to enlarge!

What's this below? Why it's me, during Christmas 1972, with my own sports-themed CHIP AWAY set! Note my patient (and very tired) Dad supervising the very painstaking and laborious "sculpting" process, all the time wishing I was more exited about my new football uniform and helmet sitting neglected in the corner!

Hey (Hey Hey), Kids! Let's Make Fun of the Obese with FAT ALBERT! 1973 Kenner Toy Ad!

That's right. It's 1973, and, in those prehistoric days before not only the VCR, but the internet, the DVR, and the iPhone, kids gathered around on a rainy day to blankly stare at projected still slides of their Saturday morning cartoon faves. Oh, the fun glaring at lighted images from the popular FAT ALBERT cartoon, while yelling very un-PC comments about his unfortunate girth! The hours spent in merry mirth, making jokes about how Albert could barely walk! Kids these days will never know the joy of--Oh, you get it. This ad is just wrong. Then, and now. I was in 3rd grade in 1973, and, with my first name and weight problem then--well, you do the math. Click to enlarge!

Super Sunday SPIDER-MAN Seventies Strip! The Lure of Loomis!? Marvel Comics!

Back again with another incredible 1979 SPIDER-MAN newspaper strip installment! Spidey investigates the power of self-help guru, Loomis! Will he also be sucked into the maven's hypnotic thrall? Stay tuned! Another Stan Lee/John Romita Sr. Marvel masterpiece! Click to enlarge!

More Rare BATMAN 1966 TV Candid Pics! Adam West! Yvonne Craig! Batgirl! DC Comics!

MORE fabulous behind-the-scenes pics (Batgirl on a 1967 airing of the MERV GRIFFIN SHOW?), candids (Batman at a children's daycare center?), articles (one fan's home-made Batmobile?) and more from the 1966 BATMAN TV series! Click each to enlarge!

1976 SPIDER-MAN UK Cover Art by Larry Lieber! The Jackal Strikes! Marvel Comics!

Direct from Ferran Delgado's great blog, here is the original art for the oddly-sized UK SUPER SPIDER-MAN #189! Reprinting year-old Marvel US tales, and repackaged with new cover art, here is the English representation of the famous Jackal vs Spidey issues (that lead into the controversial "clone" stories)! The new cover, as seen here, was provided by Stan Lee's brother, artist Larry Lieber! Great! See more of Larry's art for the Marvel UK department, by clicking here! Click image below to enlarge!

Original 1978 SPIDER-MAN Paperback Painting! Bob Larkin Art! Marvel Comics!

A real blast from the Bronze Age past! here is Bob Larkin's great painted cover art (below right) for the 1978 SPIDER-MAN prose novel, "Mayhem in Manhattan!" Larkin painted so many of Marvel's novel series covers, magazine pieces, and reprint collection covers, and this must be one of his best! AND-to the left is master artist John Romita Sr., with his color marker prelim guide for the finished painting! Click images to enlarge!

Unpublished 1967 WORLD'S FINEST Cover! Curt Swan Original Comic Art! DC Comics!

Another great find! Here (below left) is Curt Swan's original cover art for WORLD'S FINEST COMICS #160, from 1967! On the right of the image is the final published cover, a gem in itself! Why the switch? Was it decided that Batman and Superman were in TOO much of a frighteningly dire predicament? Too much emphasis on the somewhat obscure foe? I'd love to hear YOUR opinion! Click to enlarge! Also, click here to see a celebrity endorsement for this particular issue!