Over at the ISB, Chris Sims’ presents what he claims to be the greatest Archie panels of all time. While I’m not entirely convinced, I will admit that those two panels would probably make the top ten.

A side topic was brought up in the comments section, where various people questioned the veracity of the opening caption, which reads “Hot dogs have always played a big role (no pun intended) in Riverdale.”

I can verify that hot dogs have been an important aspect of Riverdale life for at least sixty years.

Hot dogs made Archie.

Edit: Booksteve beat us to the punch last year and came in on the frank beam with some hot ziggidy goodness. Check it out!

Before I Was Ben went live, not a week went by where I didn’t regret missing out on some news story or another. Well, it seems that Gary and I opened shop not a moment too soon, as my Mirror Universe counterpart over at Progressive Ruin has revealed that we shall bear witness to The Greatest Comic Book News Of All Time.

And with the imminent collection of the adventures of Herbie aka The Fat Fury, the comic reprint industry can officially retire.

If you’re unfamiliar with the glory of Herbie Popnecker, do yourself a favour and check out Pappy’s Golden Age Comics Blog for a tasty sample.

I recently became friends with a co-worker who’s been living here in Osaka for quite a few years and was kind enough to bring me to this crazy toy store. Kaiju Galore!

Although I love the designs of these lovable ruiners of communities, I don’t really know most of them by name or anything. Maybe someone can shed some light on a few of them?

I almost want to buy these things for the boxes alone.

Yeah, you saw right…

This stuff is barely scratching the surface of the craziness I saw that day. As soon as I can figure out how to properly warn people of work-safe material, I’ll but up really crazy stuff!

I admire line art that doesn’t pretend to be anything other than marks on paper. Bold, willful ditches full of ink cutting across the page. Assured of its superiority to the point that it doesn’t double back to fix ‘mistakes’. Justifying its arrogance with its virtuosity.
Peter Arno’s intentionally rough-hewn line, worked over dozens of times, underscores the vulgar preoccupations of his upper-class targets better than any more seemingly appropriate style could achieve.

Having worked in the animation industry, I’m all too familiar with the kind of depravity that goes on behind-the-scenes of even the most innocuous of television shows and movies. Even so, I never get tired of those moments in Archie comics where the cracks in Riverdale’s facade begin to show. The majority of Archie comics are so sanitized that when something even remotely off-colour makes an appearance, it brings me great joy.

In Book Mark, Betty and Veronica stalk Archie, conspiring to keep him from returning a library book for some unknown reason. Archie mistakes this attention for infatuation, and brags to Reggie about his conquests. Meanwhile, Betty and Veronica meet at the steps of the library, where their true purpose in keeping Archie from the library is revealed.

Face it Tiger, you just hit the jackpot.

The cover enticed me into buying my first comic pamphlet in years; that perfect moment of bone pounding flesh, a visceral, kinetic display of violence that is rarely seen in comics anymore. The concept, a teen taking on the mantle of a superhero without the underlying morality, seems to demand a stiffer, more representational sheen, the kind of artwork that’s clogging the arteries of every comic shop in North America. Like the best comic art, Romita’s style works because it isn’t out to replicate physical reality, but showcase an emotional truth. Violence alters perceptions, reminding us of both the fragility and destructive power of the human body. Kick Ass is drawing from a well of backyard brawls, skate videos and bum fights, taking the powerhouse drawing of J.R. Jr. and applying it to the ground level to invoke how violence feels, not how it looks.

TRUTH: My name’s Gary, I work at an english school in Japan. This is a problem in that when someone in Japan says Gary, they often say Geelee. This means diarrhea. My name is Diarrhea.

TRUTH: I asked my girlfriend what I should write about on this blog. She replied “unchi”. It means poo. I asked why and she says that’s how kids reply to everything in Japan.

TRUTH: The dog made Gary on my futon last night.

“I have clearer memories of roleplaying than I do of my sexual experiences.” – Doug.

A bunch of us attended the big comic convention in Toronto a few years back. Billy went with the sole purpose of meeting Gary Gygax and having the co-creator of Dungeons & Dragons bless his 20-sided. We regrouped as the convention was coming to a close and discovered that Billy was going to leave unfufilled; Gygax had eluded him. We tore through the convention aisles seeking out Gygax, only to find that he had already been shuttled off to another area where he was DMing a game for winners of that weekend’s tournament. We found the room, crashed the game, and Billy had his die blessed with this rather apt invocation.

“May your will determine your outcome.”

Rest in peace, Gygax.

“Any use must portray the characters in a manner which is substantially consistent with the wholesome manner in which they are portrayed in the comic books published by ACP. For example, they shall; (a) not be depicted in explicit activities inappropriate for a youthful audience; (b) always be shown wearing seat belts when driving; (c) never be shown taking drugs; (d) never be shown smoking; (e) never be shown drinking alcoholic beverages; (f) never be shown nude; (g) never be shown engaging in violent or abusive behavior; (h) never be shown in knowingly engaging in illegal activities; and (i) never be shown engaging in any activity which is contradictory to the commitment of ACP to the use of the characters to promote good dental and personal hygiene.”