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If you're wondering what to do over the summer, read this comic strip I created using Artisan Cam:

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This blog is not known for its hip-hop commentary.

(Once, however, I did write about hip-hop. An entry in What’s the Difference? is the difference between hip-hop and rap.)
 


Even though I’m not exactly a GOAT, I was fascinated to learn of a certain connection between hip-hop culture and comic books in the 4/8/13 New York magazine, its third annual “yesteryear” issue. (In that same issue, I learned of a connection between Bill Finger and Colin Powell.)

This recollection by graffiti artist Fab 5 Freddy caught my attention:

I was into the whole comic-book concept. … And the whole comic-book concept of adapting this alternative persona was a big inspiration on the development of hip-hop culture. Case in point: Since I’m the fastest D.J., I’m going to call myself Grandmaster Flash. You’d create this alternative urban superhero persona who could do all the cool things that you fantasize about doing—graffiti or rap or break-dancing. It inspired a lot of New York City kids. It made me a graffiti artist.

Did you catch that? According to FFF, Grandmaster Flash is named after the superhero the Flash! It’s not even in his Wikipedia entry!

The idea that comic books could inspire someone to become a graffiti artist hadn’t occurred to me before. But it sure makes sense. Both comics and graffiti have an urban sensibility, bright colors, and a history of being forbidden. And both had to work hard to be taken seriously as an art form. (Of course, I’m not condoning illegal graffiti.)

I can’t name a single Grandmaster Flash album or single, but I love the guy anyway.

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In 2005, I wrote what is, so far, my only magazine cover story.

The Weekly Reader publication Know Your World Extra ran it.

Hard-hitting, it was not. But it did have a good angle. 

The article addressed the trend (still in effect) of comic book companies (particularly the one with which I’m most familiar, DC Comics) taking the name of an established white superhero and creating a new, nonwhite version.

Firestorm became black.

Blue Beetle became Hispanic.

The Atom became Asian.

The Crimson Avenger became (no, not crimson) black…and female. Now female in the New 52: the Atom (Hispanic, too), Shadow-Thief, Wotan...

Numerous other examples exist.

The Justice League of All of America.

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I was sent the first issue of this miniseries from Art Heroes a few months ago, where it seemed like a fun, all-ages series about a superhero duo. But then the story suddenly went off in a radically unexpected direction, and proved itself to be a thorough and startling deconstruction of superhero comics as a whole. There’s a really sharp edge of satire to this book, woven so tightly into the narrative that it never feels forced or blatant. It quietly gets a point across about the state of mainstream superheroes, before offering a pair of contemporary, likeable, NICE superheroes to rejuvenate the genre. And it does it within an all-ages setting, creating a comic for anybody. It’s a reconstruction job for the superhero genre, and a welcome reminder of just why the characters proved so popular to begin with.

Now, I’ll settle this quickly before I move on – since getting sent the first issue a few months ago, I’ve now met writer Daniel Clifford and artist Lee Robinson. So I do know the creative team now, as a result of following them up from that first email. I’m going to give an objective review, but I like to be upfront about reviewing comics from people I’m friendly with. TRANSPARENCY, guys!

The final issue of the miniseries came out yesterday, completing a storyline which genuinely caught me off-guard. Halcyon & Tenderfoot are a father-and-son superhero team who are just setting out together for the first time. Halcyon is set up like a Superman-style hero (or like Mr Incredible from The Incredibles, actually), who quit the superhero business after realising that most of the heroes he inspired have now turned into villains themselves. There’s no moral code anymore, and the heroes have resorted to murder and violence just as much as the villains have. Already, you’re probably seeing a little bit of the subtext rise through in the story. Halcyon is eventually persuaded to return to heroism, and decides to start a new era of heroic heroes – starting by bringing his son, Tenderfoot, into the business.

And the series essentially just moves along from that point, exploring the mindset of these two heroes whilst also creating a bigger world as well. The other heroes feel shamed – but don’t change their minds about this whole ‘darker and edgier’ business, whilst the villains decide to poke at the heroes, to see if they can’t be made to deviate from their moral code. It’s a story working out if heroes can still be heroes, in a world where heroism has become diluted and harder to pick out, and Clifford does a great job in establishing and working on that idea. The narrative is held in place tight, allowing the characters space to have fun without slowing the momentum of the story.

Some of the characters are tighter than others, however. While the central pairing both have narrative arcs which play out carefully and smartly, the villain of the story is a little more difficult to place. The character seems to have wild mood swings from one moment to the next, apologising for his crimes whilst gleefully committing them – he doesn’t really get established as being so variable in mood, and so his sections in the comic come off rather strangely. He appears to be following one narrative path, before veering off into another, before changing his mind again. His final moments put him on the better of the two narratives, but it’s hard to keep track of him at times.

Similarly, a young hero called Jenny Wren shows up, and brings a rather daring storyline into play for the series. Although things with her are wrapped up a little too neatly, it’s interesting to see just how much friction and tension the creative team can put into an all-ages comic, without resorting to conspiracies or violence or adult material. In a sense, this reads a lot like a Pixar film on paper, in that the storyline can become dark without alienating a young audience. There’s no shying away from more adult storylines, but they’re presented in a way which seems realistic and difficult, rather than simplified for the readers. The tone of the book is brilliantly conceived.

It’s a black and white series, which perhaps doesn’t show off Lee Robinson’s bright, bouncy character designs and layouts as strongly as possible. His characters look different and stand apart from one another, even as the cast grows. Colours would possibly help to better establish a few of the twists towards the end, but the design and tone still stand out on the page, and give this a cartoony style. The storytelling gets better as the series goes along, with issue #1 having a few difficult sequences, but issue #4 nailing both conversational and action scenes. Robinson’s art manages to be very expressive, allowing Clifford to try a few different stylistic twists as the story goes along. I would say that some of the lettering at the start is a bit hard to read, but this also seems to be resolved by the time the book reaches the end.

All in all, Halcyon & Tenderfoot was a massive surprise for me. I thought it was going to be a fun, throwaway superhero comic with not much to it, but it suddenly shifts remarkably into a rather powerful, moving piece of work. The art is fantastically conceived and designed really nicely, whilst the characters and dialogue feel fresh and realistic. It’s a story which tries to set the superhero genre back on track – and accomplishes it. I hope more people try it, because it’s a genuine breath of fresh air. You can get it in print, or buy it at a discounted digital price over at the Art Heroes website. And I really, really recommend that you do!

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My second time at the Colorado Conference of the International Reading Association has surpassed the first. What some participants have called the best state IRA conference in the country gets such praise due to a strong selection of sessions, fun staff, fun authors, and a fun location. Special props to conference chair Mary Jo Ziegman for pulling this off with efficiency, sincerity, and a sense of humor.

I was born for this year’s theme, Heroes for Literacy. You could walk barely five feet in the hotel lobby without coming across a superhero-themed sign or other decoration.


I was heartened by the reaction to my two sessions; enthusiasm, appreciation, no nodding off.

Though I feel like I know author Chris Barton well, this was only my second time hanging out with him in person (first time was in 2009). Luckily, next time I will see him will be far sooner than four years—or even four months. We’re on panel together at the International Reading Association Convention in April. 


At my first CCIRA, I came away with Alan Katz as a friend, and he was here this time as well. Adding to the mix was Gordon Korman, whom I’d not met before. One night, a lively group of librarians from Colorado asked the three of us for our signatures…on ketchup bottles. I suppose that is a bond for life.

 
Bill Finger was born in Denver. This week, he came home:

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sirmitchell:

Super - Series 1 

Next week I’m trying something different. I’ll be selling a “grab bag” of three signed 4”x6” prints, which will include two common, and one uncommon/rare. 

They will be on sale for 24 hours at some point early next week. Each “grab bag” will be available for $35. There will also be a golden ticket in a random order which can be redeemed for the entire Super - Series 2 set. 

I really enjoyed making these, and whether or not I sell 3 or 300, I’ll be making more!

So great. Nice work, as usual, Mike Mitchell.

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Introduction to series “Super ‘70s and ‘80s.”

Part 1 of 2.

Now, in conclusion: one more story with two lessons.

When I finally produced an animation demo that my agent liked, I waited. And waited. Nothing. I sent out demos, promotional postcards, and muffin baskets to animation casting directors. No bites.

I got a call from my grey-haired mother back in Austin, Texas. I shared my frustrations. She said, “Why, honey, you should write to those fellows at Hanna-Barbera and remind them about that letter you wrote them when you were eight.”

See, my grandmother got me started writing letters to famous people as soon as I could write on my own. I wrote to astronauts, senators, actor Ed “Kookie” Burns of 77 Sunset Strip…and I got letters back from most of them. In 1960, when The Flintstones premiered in primetime on ABC, I became enamored of it and learned to draw a decent Fred Flintstone. So I wrote to Mr. Bill Hanna and Mr. Joe Barbera, the show’s creators.

The letter went something like this: “Hello, I am a third grader in Oklahoma, and as you can see, I can draw Fred Flintstone. Can you use me?”

Amazingly, I got a kind reply, probably written by some secretary over their signatures. It explained that, no, they could not use an eight-year-old in Oklahoma to help animate the show, but that I showed talent and initiative, and if, when I grew up, I became a professional illustrator and happened to live in Southern California, by all means contact them. And there was a line about believing in yourself and going for your dreams. Very nice.

So Mom continues: “Why don’t you just call them up and remind them about that letter.” Mom. Mom. Sigh. No, you don’t understand. This is big-time Hollywood out here. We are represented by talent agents; we don’t go calling up producers about letters they received from children decades ago. That’s just ridiculous. Forget it.

However, after a few more months of no response, I thought, “Oh, what the hell.” So I wrote: “Dear Mr. Hanna and Mr. Barbera: You could not possibly remember this, but as a child I wrote to you with my scrawled drawing of Fred Flintstone, offering to go to work for you from my home in Oklahoma. Kindly, you wrote back and suggested that if I became a commercial artist when I grew up, I should look you up. Well, as it happens, I am a professional voice-over talent living in Los Angeles and I thought I would see if that offer still stands. I have not been able to make any inroads with your casting people and my mother thought I should ask you if you would be willing to let me audition for any roles you have coming up. Sorry to have bothered you… Sincerely, etc. I mailed the letter and promptly forgot about it.

About three weeks later, I got a call from one of the partners of the talent agency that represented me. This was the top guy, not an in-the trenches agent. “Beau…,” he began, tentatively, “…I have a booking here for you fo

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Introduction to series “Super ‘70s and ‘80s.”

Introduction to subseries “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!” (including list of interviewees).

What’s your professional background?

I started out as a musician, a working musician. When I left college I was on the road about a year and a half with a band. Got married, played nightclubs in California, transitioned to studio work. Then I started getting hired. That was in the late 1960s. I came to California from New York in 1966.

What were you doing in 1969 before the Scooby call came?

I was hired by Lee Hazlewood, a record producer in those days. I was doing background dates (meaning I was a background singer) and producing records for him. When I left his company, I went to A. Schroeder, a music publishing company. Randy Newman, Barry White were some of our writers. One of the music catalogs we administered was Hanna-Barbera. In that capacity we also provided theme music for their shows. We put our writers to work on their shows. One of the shows that we did was Scooby-Doo.

How did you get involved with Scooby?

I had a three-and-a-half octave range so I could do girls’ parts. I was handy to have around the studio. When the theme was written for Scooby-Doo, my boss said I want you to do the vocals.

Before singing the theme, what were you told or shown about the show?

Nothing actually. That was the interesting thing about it. We knew the premise essentially but that’s it.

So you hadn’t even seen what the characters looked like?

No, never saw anything. We cut the tracks on Wednesday and the show was on the air on Saturday.

Was that a typical turnaround in those days?

That was pretty quick. (laughs) We knew it was going to be okay but you don’t want to cut it that close if you can avoid it.

How did the reco

4 Comments on Super ‘70s and ‘80s: “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!”—Larry Marks, theme song singer, season 1, last added: 10/6/2011

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Dex1138 said, on 10/5/2011 6:43:00 AM

Thank you both for this interview! It's rare when someone not an "in the spotlight" as the main voice actors gets to talk about their contribution to a pop culture icon. It was a fun read.

Marc Tyler Nobleman said, on 10/5/2011 7:16:00 AM

Thanks Dex1138. This is one of my favorites out of the whole 100-interview series. He was not only candid but had good recall and anecdotes.

hobbyfan said, on 10/6/2011 6:17:00 AM

Marc:

I actually had the Scooby Snacks CD at one time, which had Mr. Marks' rendition of the theme song. The guy wasn't given credit then, and neither was his successor, Austin Roberts, whom we'll get to later. It's nice to know the man is finally getting his just due after 42 years.

Marc Tyler Nobleman said, on 10/6/2011 6:23:00 AM

Thanks hobbyfan! I agree!

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The character I dressed up as the most for Halloween was Superman (three times); Robin comes in second, at two; I do have a third image of me as Robin, but from summer. (I was Robin this often in part because I delusionally thought I resembled him; hence Batman didn't even place.)

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Fashion Kitty and the B.O.Y.S. (Ball of Yellow String) marks a change in the successful Fashion Kitty series. Still aimed squarely at the reluctant reader, with simple vocabulary and a fast-moving story, the newest book is a foray into the illustrated chapter book format.

Fashion Kitty's latest adventure unfolds in twenty-six short (2 -3 page) chapters, with abundant illustrations and panel cartoons in several colors.  Now firmly entrenched in her role as a masked superhero, Kiki Kittie is learning a few of the unpleasantries that come with being a superhero. Hardest of all is keeping her identity secret, and mean Leon Lambaster III is about to start trouble in Chapter 6 with

The Six Words That Started it All
"I am gonna catch Fashion Kitty."

Throw in some marshmallows, some t-shirts, a secret club (Catch Fashion Kitty Club, or CFKC), and a slippery invention called "evaporating knot string," and you've got everything you need for a fashion-based superhero adventure!

The book's small size matches the earlier GN editions, however, with text and panels competing for the same space, both suffer in the size department. Harper's humorous illustrations deserve a larger venue, and a larger font size might be easier on the struggling reader.

If Fashion Kitty and the B.O.Y.S. signals the end of Fashion Kitty in graphic novel format, it could be a zero sum game - readers eager for more Fashion Kitty may be pleased with the new illustrated novel format, but fans of the graphic novel series may be disappointed. If this is indeed the future for Fashion Kitty, all readers may benefit from a larger size.

Glossy pages with Creative Ideas for Crafty Kitties (including marshmallow sculpture building) follow the story.

Look for Fashion Kitty's little sister, Lana Kitty, starring in her own picture book, The Best Birthday Ever.

Check out Charise Mericle Harper's website.  There's a Fashion Kitty page.

For the record, I received this free review copy of Fashion Kitty along with a valuable and enticing gift - one that I could smell even before I opened the package - a bag of marshmallows and a box of stick pretzels (for building my own marshmallow statue, I presume)!  A very clever promotion that would double as a fun book discussion activity!

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On 11/9/11, I took part in my third Community Night event for the Washington D.C. organization Turning the Page. The format is this:

1. I show up on time, thanks to the Metro. (This is compared to last year, when I showed up with mere minutes to spare, thanks to the traffic.)
2. I eat.
3. I speak for 20-30 minutes to an audience of families.
4. The kids break go to different rooms for mentor-run activities.
5. I answer questions from the parents for 30 minutes.
6. I sign books that the organization generously purchased for every attending family.
7. I try to find my way back home.

At Tyler Elementary, whose students, parents, and hallways all impressed me, I had an opening act, and they blew me away. Accompanied by a slide show, three young ladies read a short poem entitled "If I Could Be a Superhero," which I later learned is by Steve Lazarowitz. Superman is the only DC hero name-checked in it, but I liked it anyway. Here are murky shots of the last lines:


The books generously donated to attendees:

And courtesy of Lee Ziesche and Turning the Page, a few presentation shots:



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