Body by MAD.

See if you can spot the difference between the published version of the cover to Crime Patrol #16 (L) and the original art by Johnny Craig (R).

Thursday afternoon library pickup.

🎶 A, B, C, DC, EC 🎶

Four pages of Flash Gordon by Wallace Wood.

From sketch to final version: Four stages of Reed Crandall's cover to Flash Gordon #6 (King Features, July 1967)

OK Angela, we get it — you're "deep" and "moody" and "obsessed with death." Sheesh!

"Helloooo? Comely wench here — ain't nobody interested in sampling my wares or nothin'?"

A gorgeously illustrated opening page for a different type of grotesque EC story. Art by Reed Crandall.

You can tell these astronauts are Canadian because they insist on wearing their tuques under their helmets. (Also because Milt is so polite even after Don pulls a gun on him.)

[sung to the tune of "Maniac"]

Happy April 1st! Make sure to check the calendar before reacting rashly to any shocking news!

Look, I understand that the public needs to be informed about dangerous criminals at large and an important part of that is calling out a fugitive's defining features. But do you have to be so judgmental about it?

Tanya the Space Siren, Intergalactic Fashion Icon, and Cosmic Love Tyrant.

Whoever wrote this sequence was having a blast with the dialogue. "Oh, hello, Tanya. What's new?" "Give her my love, Bruce." "Fool! I know that! I am an interstellar physicist."

"THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER!"

Bimbofication.

"We saw you from across the sandbar and really dig your vibe."

I was reading the book Reed Crandall: Illustrator of the Comics and the author Roger Hill mentioned that the cover to Web of Evil #14 was stitched together from swipes of Crandall's earlier work but he didn't provide any images. I looked it up and wow is it ever a blatant cut-and-paste job.

Four differently colored versions of the Origin of the Spirit (version 3), from L to R: - Harvey #1 (online scan) - Color Album #1 - Will Eisner Companion - 80th Anniversary Celebration

Someone's unimpressed with the floor show.

Service* with a smile! * (the service is getting slugged right in the kisser but still it's nice to see a smiling face right before you get your lights knocked out)

It's her first day so I guess Lorena didn't know that secretaries at the Ken Shannon detective agency are supposed to sit on the boss' lap not the desk.

The creators of the Ken Shannon comic were very cagey about it but there were subtle clues that Ken and his secretary Dee Dee Dawson were involved romantically.

The Spirit cosplays as some as his favorite characters.

Ken Shannon: your source for scenes of women getting knocked to the ground and sitting wide-eyed and spread-legged.

I knew there was a Spirit TV movie but I didn't realize that Sam Jones from Flash Gordon played Denny Colt / Spirit. I guess the mask did fool me!

"Goddammit, Bruce, do you know what time it is? Yeah yeah yeah, I know — 'creature of the night' but some of us have to work in the morning!"

ACAB (All Cops Are Behemoths)

"I mean, it's hard *not* to be aware that you're ogling my breasts with your obvious 'Awooga!' body language! And your secretary isn't much better — she's leaning in so far she's practically in my cleavage!!"

In Will Eisner: A Spirited Life author Bob Andelman talked with producers Michael Uslan and Deborah Del Prete who worked to bring 2008's The Spirit to the big screen.

A very Eisneresque Spirit parody by Mike Ploog: "The Raider" from the article "In the Absence of a Hero for the Seventies..." in the March 1972 issue of Esquire magazine. booksteveslibrary.blogspot.com/2005/09/raid...

I guess Marvel was interested in a Spirit/Spider-Man crossover but Jim Shooter botched the pitch by describing it as a stereotypical superhero slugfest which Eisner had no interest in. (From the book Will Eisner: A Spirited Life by Bob Andelman.)

Spirit Sunday! Comparing differently colored versions of the same story again, this time with DC's Archives (L) and Kitchen Sink's Color Album (R).

"I tried to warn you it was a sharp curve!"

I'm always saying

Feel like this guy should have been called "The Bowler" — just look at that perfect form.

"And that's how I ended up with no testicles!"

Saw the Modern Art and Politics in Germany 1910–1945 exhibit at the Minneapolis Institute of Art last night. Highly recommended.

So Plastic Man did meet another Quality character, it just wasn't one anyone wanted or expected.

My daughter is home for spring break and wanted to go shopping for some graphic novels so dad knew just where to take her... And of course a visit to DreamHaven means dad's going to get some stuff for himself too.

Thursday morning library pickup.

Planning the family summer road trip.

Here's a crossover I'd like to see: The Spirit & Spider-Man! I'd set it in some retro era so we could have the classic supporting casts: - Commissioner Dolan & Captain Stacy - Ellen Dolan & Gwen Stacy

Jack Cole's Wuthering Heights.

Superheroes as wish fulfillment, 2026 edition: I wish the Flash were real and he could run around confiscating phones from distracted drivers in our world. (Great debut by the new creative team of @ryannorth.ca & @gavinguidry.bsky.social)

Lunchtime LCS pickup!

Finally read Flavor Girls: Return to the Mothership #1–3 by @loiclocatelli.bsky.social and @plutomaris.bsky.social. It was fun to see more of the girls' families (two different takes on mothers and daughters) as well as an unexpected development in their abilities.

Still thinking about this moment.