Unpopular Golden Age Opinions Thread! 9 9

[Larryw7]

I LOVE the Batman TV show, and I probably would have never been a collector without it.

[Sqeggs]

15 hours ago, Larryw7 said:

I LOVE the Batman TV show, and I probably would have never been a collector without it.

I kinda liked it for awhile, but like most people I got tired of it pretty fast.  That's saying a lot because, looking back on it, I would watch practically anything on TV that my parents would let me.  I was bothered by the gap between the Batman comics, which I liked a lot, and the show. 

I liked the Green Hornet better because it was at least semi-serious.  Haven't watched an episode of either in many years, so maybe I'd have a different take on them now.

[Larryw7]

I've found that most people in my age group, who were born right around when the show was first aired, love it and it became an important part of their childhood. Kids who were 10 years or so older hated the fact that the show was a comedy and resented it. Meanwhile the camp humor went right over the younger kids heads, and they just saw the color, the adventure and(especially) the cool fight scenes.

Also of note is that the first season adapted current comic book stories almost word for word. The arch Silver Age dialogue on the comics page doesn't sound as serious spoken as it does when read. It sounds pretty silly at times. Of course, as a little kid, I thought the Batman show was as serious as The FBI with Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and Hawaii Five O.

And to stay on topic, I think Tec 69 is a very overrated Joker cover and isn't worth the big money it's going for. There are plenty of other Joker covers that are much better, and also harder to find, especially in grade.

Edited October 4, 2017 by Larryw7

[The-Collector]

Tec 69 is goofier than it is cool. The current prices even goofier...

[ageofsilver]

For my first post here, please allow me to bump this thread, as it has given me great pleasure. I won't start with my own unpopular thoughts, but rather with some opposition clarification as to why Phantom Lady # 17 has one of the great covers of the Golden Age. By the way, I do not own a copy, and would rather spend the required in-grade price elsewhere, including a Seven Seas 4. Forgive me if any of the following has been stated before. First, this cover embodies one of the central issues for a commercial artist: get the person perusing the rack (sorry) to pickup and purchase the comic! My goodness; just look at the colors. Yellow and red at the top, with that amazing face and hair peeking out and looking directly into the teen-age boys eyes. Upon lifting the copy out of the spinner rack, and before the cigar store owner says, "Are you gonna buy that?" the person is stunned with the amazing state of dress (and generous figure) of the Lady. It's not just the absurd top, with its lack of support or the encased cleavage, defying all laws of gravity, but also those shorts (?) with the provocative side slits. Then add that she is tied, but appears almost to have slipped her bonds and has pulled a mysterious device from her "utility belt", while, unbeknownst to her, bad guys are stealthily creeping up (because her sultry gaze is riveted on you). Since I have never read a Phantom Lady, I can't tell you how I liked the story or interior art, though I suspect they wouldn't come up to the standards of the EC adaptation of Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains." Nonetheless, for cover art designed to hook an adolescent male into parting with 10 cents, I find this quite effective. As an aside, isn't this some of the most amazing brush work for hair of all time? Of course, the Madusaesque liveliness of her black tresses is impossible, but who cares? The appropriate blue color highlights are superb! Dang it, now I want a copy...

[waaaghboss]

On 7/24/2016 at 6:59 PM, Knightsofold said:

 

Haha!! I was going to list this!!

 

Such a stupid looking robot, and I don't see why it's a classic or how it's an evolution of Alex's art.

 

His late Cap covers made cap look really stupid as well.

Arent people getting it because it looks like Bender from Futurama?

[adamstrange]

4 hours ago, waaaghboss said:

Arent people getting it because it looks like Bender from Futurama?

It was very popular before Futurama was a show.

[Robot Man]

On 7/3/2019 at 3:43 PM, ageofsilver said:

For my first post here, please allow me to bump this thread, as it has given me great pleasure. I won't start with my own unpopular thoughts, but rather with some opposition clarification as to why Phantom Lady # 17 has one of the great covers of the Golden Age. By the way, I do not own a copy, and would rather spend the required in-grade price elsewhere, including a Seven Seas 4. Forgive me if any of the following has been stated before. First, this cover embodies one of the central issues for a commercial artist: get the person perusing the rack (sorry) to pickup and purchase the comic! My goodness; just look at the colors. Yellow and red at the top, with that amazing face and hair peeking out and looking directly into the teen-age boys eyes. Upon lifting the copy out of the spinner rack, and before the cigar store owner says, "Are you gonna buy that?" the person is stunned with the amazing state of dress (and generous figure) of the Lady. It's not just the absurd top, with its lack of support or the encased cleavage, defying all laws of gravity, but also those shorts (?) with the provocative side slits. Then add that she is tied, but appears almost to have slipped her bonds and has pulled a mysterious device from her "utility belt", while, unbeknownst to her, bad guys are stealthily creeping up (because her sultry gaze is riveted on you). Since I have never read a Phantom Lady, I can't tell you how I liked the story or interior art, though I suspect they wouldn't come up to the standards of the EC adaptation of Bradbury's "There Will Come Soft Rains." Nonetheless, for cover art designed to hook an adolescent male into parting with 10 cents, I find this quite effective. As an aside, isn't this some of the most amazing brush work for hair of all time? Of course, the Madusaesque liveliness of her black tresses is impossible, but who cares? The appropriate blue color highlights are superb! Dang it, now I want a copy...

I got a copy. I’ve owned it over 40 years. First time I saw it, I knew I had to have it.  It is everything you described. To me, it’s the “look” she is giving you. The invitation to plunk down your Mercury dime and take her home. You can’t wait to see what is inside. What or who is the “Soda Mint Killer”? When you do, it’s worth it but probably no better than any other PL issue. It is THE GGA book to have in my opinion. There are other contenders to the throne but none have “that look”...

Oh, and welcome to the GA boards. You will find it a fun ride!

Edited July 10, 2019 by Robot Man

[Yorick]

I do not understand the current fascination with LB Cole.  All of his work appears to be swiped.  He is a very good inker though...

Unpopular, I know.

[Point Five]

1 hour ago, Yorick said:

I do not understand the current fascination with LB Cole.  All of his work appears to be swiped.  He is a very good inker though...

Unpopular, I know.

Just curious: by 'swiped' you mean he used photo references? If not I guess I'm not sure what you're referring to.

 

[Bird]

1 hour ago, Yorick said:

I do not understand the current fascination with LB Cole.  All of his work appears to be swiped.  He is a very good inker though...

Unpopular, I know.

I enjoy looking at swipe files, if you have some examples they would be awesome to see.

For me it is the coloring that sets L.B. Cole covers apart. I was told that he colored many himself, can someone verify that for me?

[adamstrange]

53 minutes ago, Bird said:

I was told that he colored many himself, can someone verify that for me?

He was art director for Continental and co-owner of Star comics.  He talks about color design in his last major interview published in Comic Book Marketplace.

[N e r V]

2 hours ago, Bird said:

I enjoy looking at swipe files, if you have some examples they would be awesome to see.

For me it is the coloring that sets L.B. Cole covers apart. I was told that he colored many himself, can someone verify that for me?

 

1 hour ago, adamstrange said:

He was art director for Continental and co-owner of Star comics.  He talks about color design in his last major interview published in Comic Book Marketplace.

Yep. He liked the term “poster colors” if I remember correctly. Really primary colors with a dark or black background.

[skypinkblu]

His use of bright colors and black backgrounds always reminded me of dayglo posters. He had a wonderful eye for color.

[Marshall Crist]

4 hours ago, Yorick said:

I do not understand the current fascination with LB Cole.  All of his work appears to be swiped.  He is a very good inker though...

Unpopular, I know.

Oh, has interest been increasing?  I must confess to being a fan ever since Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide #11 came out circa 1981.  Yeah, it's those colors...

[N e r V]

These 3 I own copies of and unless I’m upgrading aren’t leaving my collection anytime soon. I love them...

 

 

All three are varied examples of his poster style...

Edited July 11, 2019 by N e r V

[Ryan.]

Cole produced some of the great covers of the Golden Age. He also produced some real garbage. That's how it goes sometimes. 

[N e r V]

2 hours ago, Ryan. said:

Cole produced some of the great covers of the Golden Age. He also produced some real garbage. That's how it goes sometimes. 

I guess we have a lot of garbage collectors out there....

 

 

because nothing by by him seems to be cheap anymore....

[Robot Man]

I have never felt that Cole was an incredible artist. I have seen some originals and they left me a little flat. What he excelled at though, was composition and color. He must have really understood marketing and how to sell product on a crowded shelf. His coloring was maybe the best in the business. And I do love his work for that reason.

[Ryan.]

5 minutes ago, N e r V said:

because nothing by by him seems to be cheap anymore....

Some of the crime stuff and the lesser war covers.