Friday, December 5, 2014

ISIS "Isis...as in Crisis"

Along with Wonder Woman, she was the premier video superheroine of the '70s...
...and here's her comics introduction in the book about the other live-action Saturday morning character from the same studio...Captain Marvel!
Though her origin was referenced in the opening credits (and you saw the discovery of the scroll and medalion), we never saw her first transformation from Andrea into Isis.
Written by Denny O'Neil and illustrated by Dick Giordano, this cover-featured introduction from DC's Shazam #25 (1975) has never been reprinted, even in the massive Showcase Presents Shazam! trade paperback which reprints the rest of the 1970s series!
For those who complain about Marvel currently altering their comics characters to match their tv/movie counterparts, DC did it over 35 years ago.
Shazam!s Billy Batson was sent on a cross-country video tour in a tricked-out van by his employers at WHIZ-TV, accompanied by his Uncle Dudley (with a mustache and safari jacket) as his (ahem) "mentor".
Besides setting up a similar plotline to the tv series, it gave the writers an opportunity to do a series of Bicentennial-themed stories about all-American kids in various locales.
(Comics are educational!)
However, the more fantastic aspects like Talky Tawny, the talking humanoid tiger and the villainous Sivanas were retained.
The Wonder Woman comic switched over to Earth-Two to cover the World War II adventures of the character, playing off the retro/nostalgia aspect of the tv show, while retaining classic Earth-Two elements like the Justice Society!
When the tv Shazam! was cancelled and tv Wonder Woman shifted to present-day adventures, all these changes were dropped.
BTW, here's the never-reprinted cover (and the original art) by Kurt Schaffenberger, who's rendered most of DC's heroines from Supergirl to Wonder Woman to Lois Lane!
Also in the issue was a promo touting Isis' entry into the DC "TV Comics" line-up...
We'll be running the never-reprinted tales of Isis in the future!
Watch for them!

Friday, November 28, 2014

Thanksgiving Turkey NIGHTCAT Conclusion

Art by Joe Jusko
...NightCat was about to perform, but with real ninjas (working for evil record producer/drug lord Amanda Gideon) in place of her backup dancers!
Only in comics would the previous sentence make sense...
Sadly, 'twas not to be.
She didn't prowl after this one-shot since both the comic and her album tanked.
But, perhaps you were one of the lucky few who ordered the limited-edition t-shirt...
Plotted by Barry Dutter & Jim Salicrup
Scripted by Stan Lee
(yes, that Stan Lee, who also appears in the story!)
Penciled by Denys Cowan
Inked by Jimmy Palmiotti
With Dazzler achiving some sales success, Marvel decided in 1991 to try again, this time following-through with the idea of using a real songstress performing in costume that they wanted to do with Dazzler.
In partnership with MCA Records, Marvel hired model/singer Jaqueline Tavarez to embody the character.
An album was released and Stan Lee appeared with her on several music-themed tv shows including Into the Night with Rick Dees and Party Machine with Nia Peeples.
Oddly, despite this being the Golden Age of MTV, no music video of NightCat was ever released!
But, thanks to YouTube, you can listen to her only single...
Hope you enjoyed our Thanksgiving Turkey!
Next Week
the never-reprinted origin of
Mighty ISIS!
(no, not the idiot terrorists, but the kool Saturday morning tv character)

Friday, November 21, 2014

Thanksgiving Turkey NIGHTCAT Part 3

...despite gaining cat-like super-powers from an evil scientist's machinations, NightCat is unable to prevent the death of her policeman father.
Plotted by Barry Dutter & Jim Salicrup
Scripted by Stan Lee
(yes, that Stan Lee, who also appears in the story!)
Penciled by Denys Cowan
Inked by Jimmy Palmiotti
With Dazzler achiving some sales success, Marvel decided in 1991 to try again, this time following-through with the idea of using a real songstress performing in costume that they wanted to do with Dazzler.
In partnership with MCA Records, Marvel hired model/singer Jaqueline Tavarez to embody the character.
An album was released and Stan Lee appeared with her on several music-themed tv shows including Into the Night with Rick Dees and Party Machine with Nia Peeples.
Oddly, despite this being the Golden Age of MTV, no music video of NightCat was ever released!.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Thanksgiving Turkey NIGHTCAT Part 2

Singer/actress Jacqueline Tavarez as NightCat whose secret identity is...Jacqueline Tavarez.
...Jacqueline Tavarez was rocketing up the sales charts performing as the costumed NightCat to keep her disapproving policeman father from finding out about her musical career.
But keeping secrets is about to have disastrous consequences...
To Be Continued...
Next Week!
Plotted by Barry Dutter & Jim Salicrup
Scripted by Stan Lee
(yes, that Stan Lee!)
Penciled by Denys Cowan
Inked by Jimmy Palmiotti
With Dazzler achiving some sales success, Marvel decided in 1991 to try again, this time following-through with the idea of using a real songstress performing in costume that they wanted to do with Dazzler.
In partnership with RCA Records, Marvel hired model/singer Jaqueline Tavarez to embody the character.
An album was released and Stan Lee appeared with her on several music-themed tv shows including Into the Night with Rick Dees and Party Machine with Nia Peeples.
Oddly, despite this being the Golden Age of MTV, no music video of NightCat was ever released!.