Artist Bill Walko has done some really nifty images. Check out his Deviantart page. He's got quite a few really nice Teen Titans illustrations and I was DELIGHTED to see his take on The Power Squad, the aborted all-female super team that I discussed here.
Looks like I'm not the only one who found this idea delicious! Here are a couple more images from his page that I particularly enjoyed!

Modernized Wonder Twins!
The Spider Friends!
The Herald and Bumble Bee! (This was later integrated into a larger Teen Titans group scene, which you can see on his site.)
Best of all... Jem & The Holograms!
This one is entitled "Who Is He Kissing:"
I like how Rio actually looks Latino here! All of his stuff is super adorbz! I think I'm actually going to order prints of a couple of these!

Wonder Wednesday 10-27-10 Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends

I might be Halloweened out. I think it was the on-two punch of last night's Rocky Horror Glee Show and the Halloween-themed Raising Hope right after it. But when I went to bed, I'd slip into unconsciousness, start dreaming for SECONDS and then something would jolt me back awake, either something would fall loudly or I'd just hear a loud noise, stumble or whatever, but this went on for like three hours, during which time I got about 2 minutes of actual sleep. All I wanted was a good night's sleep... why is that so hard to give me, subconscious?! If you were a real person, I and my aluminum bat would have a few words for you today! But on with the show... today literally!
This was the first episode of Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends which I've blogged about before. It features the team battling Green Goblin, who in this universe is an actual Jekyll/Hyde creature who morphs from human Norman Osbourne into the Goblin, whereas in the comics, it was just some guy in a rubber mask or the movie where he was in that silly suit of armor.

This is one of the LAST shows I want on DVD, but as yet, inexplicably, it isn't available and there are no rights issues I'm aware of. Anyway, this episode is cool because in it, the gang, Peter Parker and his two roommates, Bobby Drake (Iceman) and Angelica Jones (Fire-Star) attend a "Comic Book Costume Party" at their college. HOT DAMN! I want to go to a Comic Book Costume Party SO BAD!!! Maybe that's my next-year's birthday party theme. But it seems I can never get anyone to go along with a theme party. Boo. Lame.



So anyway, the gang get all gussied up... Peter dresses in a store-bought Spider-Man costume (WINK!) complete with a plastic mask with a rubber band. Bobby goes as his idol, Captain America (who factors into two later episodes). Angelica dresses as Spider-Woman (As a "private joke" with Peter, WINK!) and Bobby's date Mona Osbourne (made-up niece of the Green Goblin) goes as fairly obscure heroine Medusa. But the geeky fun really kicks in when they arrive at the party and mingle with revelers dressed as Hellcat, Ka-Zar, The Hulk, Black Widow, Ms. Marvel, The Wasp, Yellowjacket, Scarlet Witch, Vision, Phoenix, Black Panther, Luke Cage (Power Man), Valkyrie, The Thing, The Falcon, Dr. Strange, Clea (miscolored), Iron Man, Daredevil, huff huff... Oh! And two Green Goblins... flying on wires!!! As if!

I like how Spider-Man then comments, "Something is turning my Spider Sense on." Why does that line never work when I say it? People just seem to scatter.

And what is that ONE dance they all seem to be doing! It's like "Tug the rope with both hands to the right! Now to the left! Now repeat!" I also love that when Angelica says, "Something's fishy!" and Bobby responds with his Steve Martin impression, "Well, excuuuuuse me!"



So then, apparently, Bobby is a dipshit and stands idly by as the GG kidnaps Mona! A point made even clearer when Spider-Man comments, "And he thought of that alllll by himself!" Creepy! At some point Norman strips off Mona's Medusa costume and redresses her in street clothes (including a negligee like top)! Ick! Also, love that the GG's hideout is some dilapidated hole-in-the-wall... with a super high-tech security/computer system.

The "Future Finder?" WTF is that?! I know these episodes were hacked to shit when they went into syndication, so I'm sure that factored in at some point. Now it's a non sequitur that makes no sense. They also cut out a scene of a girl dressed like Shana the She-Devil hitting on Peter at the party, to which Angelica responds by using her heat powers to create humidity to ruin the girl's hair and makeup! Don't step to Fire-Star, BITCH! Once again in a scene that no longer makes sense, Angelica spots the girl while dancing with Bobby and realizes something's amiss. However, without the earlier scene, it doesn't make sense.

And then four concrete walls and a ceiling appear out of NO WHERE! In some building that is surely condemned! I love Peter's distressed, "Heeeey!" when the wall he sticks to gets hot!

When Ice Man pops up, I realized, "hey, where the hell were they? Why did Spider-Man go after Gobs alone?" Then I love that right before they go into action they sound their battle cry, "Spider-Friends... go for it!" and pose!

And Fire-Stars utter fabulousity is in full effect as she removes the formula from the reservoir! Although, I don't think letting it run into the sewers is the best idea! Now New York is going to be overrun by Green Goblin rats! Ever think of that, Spider Friends?!"

Good times!

The End!

Women's History Month Part 3: A Fire-Star Is Born!

But first, The Mysterious Case of The Human Torch:In the late '70s, a Fantastic Four cartoon series aired for one season on NBC, but in a departure from the comics, founding member Johnny Storm, a.k.a. The Human Torch, was replaced by an annoying R2-D2-esque robot named H.E.R.B.I.E. Among fans, there are two explanations as to why this was. #1. There were plans underway to produce a separate Human Torch movie, thus the rights weren't available for the show or #2. They were afraid that kids would try to emulate the Human Torch and light themselves on fire. Both stories are pretty rampant and I don't know which is true. Maybe a combination of both? But anyway... in 1980, NBC created a new Saturday morning cartoon based on Marvel Comics...Initially, the plan was to team Spider-Man with two buddies, Ice Man from the X-Men and The Human Torch. However, once more, The Torch was dropped and replaced. Possibly for the same reasons, or possibly because #3. NBC wanted a female character on the show, which makes more sense. And thus we have...

The Fabulous FIRE-STAR!
I effing LOVE Fire-Star!!! I mean, I LOVE FIRE-STAR!!!

(NOT to be confused with Starfire from yesterday's blog.)

Fire-Star was not an existing Marvel character. She was invented for the show. Apparently, they were dead set on the ice/fire powers dichotomy and needed a fire powered character to play off of Ice Man.She went through numerous identities in the planning stages. At one point, she was Firefly and as you can see from this illustration, at one point she was Heatwave. At least her secret identity remained the same, Angelica Jones. Or as the cruel kids who tormented her as a kid called her, "Miss Angelica Jinx!" No explanation has ever been given as to why Angelica looked exactly like Spider-Man's comic book girlfriend Mary-Jane Watson (above). Also, I can't forget to mention Angelica's pet, Ms. Lion, a vaguely anthropomorphic pooch who once saved the day when the Spider-Friends (wonder where they stole that name from) teamed up with a bunch of other heroes to battle The Chameleon. Other than that, apparently, Ms. Lion, like every other "mascot" from an 80s cartoon, seemed to be there so fans had one character on an otherwise awesome show to EFFING HATE!

Fire-Star's transformation ranks right behind Lynda Carter's Wonder Woman twirl... she starts out with that straight, lifeless hairdo, then glows red hot and suddenly, she's wearing the disco-iest outfit this side of Dazzler and her hair is all full and glam... like Farrah Fawcett's but ginger and more heroic!
Check it out at approx. 1:00.


As one character in the recent Marvel Divas series commented, "Oh my God! Fire-Star! Best! Costume! Ever! (Except for Dazzler's.)" Perhaps lending credence to the "not wanting kids to light themselves on fire," Fire-Star's powers rarely looked like fire. They were more like heat rays... in the comics, they explained that she could control microwaves.On the show, like Ice Man, she was a former member of The X-Men, who guest starred on two episodes (secretly as a backdoor pilot for a possible X-Men cartoon series, which failed to materialize). Nice ascot, Professor X!

Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends seemed like a hit (to me) at the time. Yet, they only produced one full season, and a few new episodes each subsequent year to sprinkle in with reruns from Season One. Likewise, there were very few tie-ins. There wasn't even a comic book series, just one issue, adapting the show's first episode.
There were two additional comics produced as promotional give-aways:"Danger In Denver?" Ha. I doubt anything dangerous or exciting has ever happened in that place! In fact, this comic is probably the most exciting thing to ever happen there... that and the rampant homophobia. Denver can suck it. Speaking of homos...I guess the Dallas Ballet wanted to tap into that lucrative comic nerd market. "Let's see, they enjoy comics, role playing and Star Trek reruns. They ought to LOVE The Nutcracker!" It's pure logic, really.
Hardee's had some of the best fast food premiums when I was growing up and this was absolutely one of my FAVORITES! Their kids' meals came in these boxes, designed like movie theaters, which included a comic strip you fed through the back and 3D glasses built into the front, so you could read a 3D comic telling the origin of one of six Marvel heroes, Fire-Star, Spider-Man, Iceman, Captain America, The Hulk and one of my other favorites Spider-Woman, whose origin is so complicated that I'm surprised her comic strip wasn't the size of a roll of toilet paper! Damn, I wish I had these still. Also, considering the nature of the premium, cardboard and paper... that once housed FOOD, I doubt many of them are floating around. It's a miracle that I could even find a picture of one!

Marvel, at the time, seemed to have no interest in developing Fire-Star as a feature character. It wasn't until the 90s that she got a steady gig, as one of the New Warriors.In the recent Marvel Divas series, she learned that her microwave powers had given her cancer.

This cover, while great, is rather cheesecake-y when the actual art inside was more quirky and indie influenced:Now that professionals that grew up loving Fire-Star on Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends are writing comics and developing toys and such, we're seeing more Fire-Star merch than ever existed in the '80s:Sadly, it appears things have been somewhat unfabulous for Fire-Star. She now works at a doctor's office. "May I see your insurance card?"But at least on Friday nights, she can cut loose with the gals from the office at Don Pablo's. "Extra jalapenos, please! Oh and it's Bethany's birthday! Can you bring out a fried ice cream with a candle in it? But don't tell her, I told you!":
And then there was that time she kissed Seth Green:
And every so often, she gets together with Spidey (who, let's face it, has let himself go... perhaps he should be on Celebrity Fit Club) and Iceman and reminisce about the good ol' days. Look, she even brought Ms. Lion!
Of course, they cause a scene where ever they go. "Spider-Friends... Go For It!"

Halloween Memories Adendum

This isn't really a full new blog, so I'm not going to label it Part 3, but it does tie into my previous posts. I found a web site/blog dedicated to Dr. Strange. No really. Dr. Strange's Sanctum Sanctorum. Some neat stuff there. Including some better pics of the Dr. Strange costume. Voila!
Apparently, when it originally came out, it was in the generic TV Comic box show in my first Halloween post:
It was switched the Marvel style box, which you can see here, ironically housing the DC Super Hero Aquaman costume:
This box depicts Spider-Man, The Hulk and Thor, plus like the corresponding DC box, one non-related character (in DC's case Mary Poppins), in this case Dracula. (Or some vampire, anyway.)

These earlier Dr. Strange masks featured a weird green "eye shadow" over his eyes. Mine definitely didn't have that, and was a reissue from 1980, which came in this box:
Very odd to find a piece of Marvel merchandise that DOESN'T feature Spider-Man anywhere on it! This Dr. Strange had some dark shading around the eyes, but not the green "eye shadow" effect.
Dr. Strange was part of a series with Captain America, Red Skull and The Thing. I've never seen the real Red Skull or Thing masks, but GEEZ I hope they look better than they do in this catalog ad:
The Thing looks more like the Toxic Avenger! And while I see that the Red Skull is a visually interesting character... psst, he's a Nazi! Well, I mean, I suppose Nazis are scary. Maybe Nazis are the new Zombies. Uh, no. No, they're not.

Not really related, but back in the early '80s, I was huge fan of the cartoon Spider-Man & His Amazing Friends. (Iceman and Firestar were the Friends.) In the very first episode, the gang goes to a Halloween costume party, where EVERYONE there is dressed like a Marvel Super Hero, so you had all these crazy "cameos" by... pretty much anyone that had ever appeared in a Marvel Comic. Firestar went as Spider-Woman, Iceman went as Captain America (his idol-worship of Cap was addressed in a later episode) and ironically, Peter Parker went as... Spider-Man, wearing a cheap store-bought version of his costume, complete with rubber band mask! (Made by Ben Cooper no doubt!) Here's a clip. The costumes appear about 5 minutes in.:


Hell-Cat, Thor, Storm, Phoenix, Hulk, Vision and Scarlet Witch, The Wasp... It was just cool to see all those crazy characters in animation form, even if they weren't really the actual super heroes.

I found these pics from a different episode. I'm not sure which one, although I do remember this scene, of the heroes at Stan's Costume Shop (named after creator Stan Lee).
Now look at THAT Thing costume! Pretty impressive. It's like a mascot costume! Also in the window, Captain America and the Black Panther.
Inside, Iceman (I think) and Firestar check out the extensive selection... Elektra, Dr. Doom (once again, pretty freakin' impressive!), Firebird (whom, I am positive no one ever rented), a slightly miscolored Daredevil, DAZZLER and Dr. Strange. Sigh! Even though they aren't "real" it's still neat to see them on an animated series.