So long, Bernie Worrell

Sad news: The great P-Funk keyboardist has died at age 72. More from NPR.


Meanwhile in 1966 ...

See more at Pop '66!

 

Pop Culture Roundup: Micronauts; romance comics; Twin Peaks, more

A limited edition set of Micronauts re-creations will be released at the San Diego Comicon. I had Pharoid!

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Jacque Nodell, who publishes the Sequential Crush romance comics blog is kick-starting a new book:  How to Go Steady: Timeless Dating Advice, Wisdom, and Lessons from Vintage Romance Comics. You can help out, and reserve a copy, here.

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Via Ungolianschilde: Pencil art by Walt Simonson:

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"Twin Peaks" co-creator Mark Frost has a new book coming out in October: "The Secret History of Twin Peaks." Here are some hints as to the content:
Twenty-five years [after Dale Cooper’s investigation of the murder of Laura Palmer,] the FBI gets a hold of a box from an anonymous source. In the box, a huge dossier…
A female FBI agent is tasked to analyze all the documents inside, and everything related to the strange town of Twin Peaks. She also has to determine the identity of the person who compiled the dossier. Along the way, she discovers secrets about the lives of the town’s residents, but also reports from Dale Cooper’s investigation that had vanished, newspaper clippings, an autopsy report, and other classified information.
What happened since the disappearance (?) of the young woman? And why did an anonymous “archivist” compile such a thorough dossier on Twin Peaks and its origins?
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Via the Bristol Board: Buzz Sawyer character portraits by the great Roy Crane.


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Marvel Comics is working to highlight Prostate Cancer Awareness Month with a series of four special covers on titles out in September.


Meanwhile in 1966 ... "Duel at Diablo"

See more at Pop '66!


Video: Top 10 Detective Comics issues of all time


Listen now on BBC Radio: Vincent Price in "Night of the Wolf"

Stream it here.
"It came at me from nowhere ... eyes glarin' out of the dark like emeralds.
Teeth like rocks, tarnished with the blood of human flesh.
And hair streamin' out of its neck and hands and feet.
This isn't one of God's creatures, sir. It's the work of the devil himself!"

Set at the end of the 19th century, a werewolf is prowling around the Cambridge Fenlands. Judge Mathew Deacon is desperately worried about his son...
Starring Vincent Price as Judge Mathew Deacon, Coral Browne as Mrs Northcott, Hugh Manning as Professor Forrester, Sheila Grant as Sybil and Peter Whitman as Robert Deacon.
A Horror legend of Man and Beast specially written for radio by Victor Pemberton.
Producer: John Tydeman
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Saturday Night Theatre in 1975.

Pop Culture Roundup: Jack Kirby; Ann Morgan Guilbert; Judy Jetson, more

Hey, even Jack Kirby made mistakes. Check out "Kid" Robson's series on "Kirby Kock-ups," such as when the King gave Reed Richards two left hands, as depicted in the splash page below.


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BBC Radio 3 has presenting a series focused on birdsong, included recordings of musicians dueting with the natural sound of birds singing. Gorgeous stuff you can listen to here.

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Sad new: Anne Morgan Guilbert, who played the Petrie's neighbor, Millie, on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" died at age 87 on June 14.

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More sad news: Janet Waldo, the actress who provided the original voice of daughter Judy on "The Jetsons," passed away at age 96 on June 12.

Waldo also provided the voice of Penelope Pitstop and of Josie from "Josie and the Pussycats."

Music new releases June 16, 2016: Radiohead; case/lang/veirs; Sonic Youth

Click the links to order discounted CDs, vinyl or downloads from Amazon.






August 2016 comics solicitations: Doctor Strange; Defenders; Ditko; Moebius, more!

Click the links to pre-order discounted items from Amazon.

Captain America Epic Collection: The Coming of the Falcon
Volume 2 in the Captain America Epic Collections
WRITTEN BY STAN LEE PENCILED BY JACK KIRBY, JIM STERANKO & GENE COLAN WITH JOHN ROMITA SR. & JOHN BUSCEMA COVER BY GENE COLAN\
Baron Zemo, the man who sent Captain America and Bucky Barnes plunging to the bottom of the North Atlantic, returns to menace Cap -- in a saga guest-starring Nick Fury, the Black Panther and Sharon Carter! Then, the Red Skull forces our hero to do his bidding -- or risk America's nuclear annihilation! There's Kirby action at its best with Batroc the Leaper and the Trapster, and Lee drama at its deepest as Cap relives his first meeting with Bucky! It gets even more exciting when the world believes Steve Rogers is...dead? And when an encounter with the Red Skull and his Cosmic Cube causes Cap and the Skull to switch bodies, only Sam Wilson -- the high-flying Falcon -- can help Cap regain his true identity and defeat his Nazi nemesis!
Collecting TALES OF SUSPENSE (1959) #97-99 and CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #100-119. 480 PGS.


Marvel: Color Your Own Women of Power
PENCILED BY OLIVIER COIPEL, ARTHUR ADAMS, SKOTTIE YOUNG, JIM CHEUNG & MORE COVER BY JIM CHEUNG
They're some of Marvel's greatest heroes, and they're waiting for you to put some color into their lives! So grab your crayons, pens or colored pencils, and start work on this stunning collection of line art torn from the pages of your favorite comics! Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel, Squirrel Girl, Silk, Spider-Women (both Jessica Drew and Gwen Stacy) and plenty more are present and correct -- well, apart from all the missing hues on their costumes. They're A-Force to be reckoned with -- or they will be when you're done! Featuring black-and-white illustrations by comics' finest artists, this book is a masterwork in the making. Can you finish the job? Sure you can!
120 PGS.

Defenders Epic Collection: The Six-Fingered Hand Saga
Volume 6 in the Defenders Epic Collections
WRITTEN BY J.M. DEMATTEIS WITH MIKE W. BARR & MARK GRUENWALD PENCILED BY DON PERLIN WITH JERRY BINGHAM, STEVE DITKO & MIKE ZECK COVER BY MICHAEL GOLDEN
The greatest non-team in comics gets the Epic treatment! J.M. DeMatteis and Don Perlin take Doctor Strange, the Hulk, Nighthawk, Hellcat and the Son of Satan on wild adventures into the occult -- and against each other! These weird tales begin with a broken Eternity; evolve to include demons, Dracula and the Devil-Slayer; and culminate in a double-sized issue #100 extravaganza! If the Defenders can't prevail, it'll be hell on Earth -- literally! Known as "The Six-Fingered Hand Saga," this is one of the most compelling Defenders adventures of all time. Plus: Captain America teams up with the non-team in hopes of staving off the beginning of World War III. And witness the shocking death of a Defender!
Collecting DEFENDERS (1972) #92-109, MARVEL TEAM-UP (1972) #101 and CAPTAIN AMERICA (1968) #268. 480 PGS.


Doctor Strange and the Secret Defenders
PENCILED BY OLIVIER COIPEL, ARTHUR ADAMS, SKOTTIE YOUNG, JIM CHEUNG & MORE COVER BY JIM CHEUNG They're some of Marvel's greatest heroes, and they're waiting for you to put some color into their lives! So grab your crayons, pens or colored pencils, and start work on this stunning collection of line art torn from the pages of your favorite comics! Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel, Squirrel Girl, Silk, Spider-Women (both Jessica Drew and Gwen Stacy) and plenty more are present and correct -- well, apart from all the missing hues on their costumes. They're A-Force to be reckoned with -- or they will be when you're done! Featuring black-and-white illustrations by comics' finest artists, this book is a masterwork in the making. Can you finish the job? Sure you can! 120 PGS.


Doctor Strange: Strange Prelude
WRITTEN BY WILL CORONA PILGRIM, BRIAN K. VAUGHAN, JASON AARON, STAN LEE, STEVE ENGLEHART & MORE PENCILED BY JORGE FORNES, MARCOS MARTIN, CHRIS BACHALO, STEVE DITKO, FRANK BRUNNER & MORE
The Doctor will see you now! Ahead of the Master of the Mystic Arts' major motion picture, meet the cinematic Stephen Strange -- the man who will one day be Earth's Sorcerer Supreme -- in this prelude adventure! Plus: magical stories from Doctor Strange's comic-book history, from his sensational origin to his entry into the modern Marvel era! The mysterious Ancient One may have much to teach the wounded surgeon Strange -- unless the malevolent Mordo has his way! The Doctor faces the nefarious Nightmare and takes an incredible journey back to the very dawn of time. But when Strange is shot, can the Night Nurse save his life?
Collecting MARVEL'S DOCTOR STRANGE PRELUDE #1-2, MARVEL'S DOCTOR STRANGE PRELUDE INFINITE COMIC #1, DOCTOR STRANGE: THE OATH #1, DOCTOR STRANGE (2015) #1, MARVEL PREMIERE #14 and material from STRANGE TALES (1951) #110 and #115. 152 PGS.


Amazing Spider-Man Masterworks Vol. 18
WRITTEN BY MARV WOLFMAN WITH BILL MANTLO & JIM STARLIN PENCILED BY ROSS ANDRU & KEITH POLLARD WITH SAL BUSCEMA, JIM STARLIN & JOHN BYRNE COVER BY KEITH POLLARD
Spider-Man has become the world's favorite super hero -- and together with Ross Andru, Keith Pollard and guest artists including John Byrne and Jim Starlin, Marv Wolfman will prove why! Sure, there are fearsome villains to fight -- such as Electro, Jigsaw and the Spider-Slayer! And unlikely enemies to face -- such as Rocket Racer and the Big Wheel! And J. Jonah Jameson has an even sharper axe than usual to grind with Spidey after their latest encounter with the Man-Wolf! But the true drama, as always, comes from Peter Parker. As Aunt May hangs onto life by a thread, will Mary Jane accept Peter's marriage proposal? And when Betty Brant walks back into his love life, what's a Parker to do?
Collecting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #181-192 and material from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN ANNUAL #12, plus the MIGHTY MARVEL COMICS CALENDAR 1978. 272 PGS.

Aquaman: A Celebration of 75 Years
Written by JACK MILLER, STEVE SKEATES, GEOFF JOHNS and others Art by PAUL NORRIS, NICK CARDY, JIM APARO, RAMONA FRADON, IVAN REIS and others Cover by JIM LEE and SCOTT WILLIAMS
Celebrate more than seven decades of the ruler of the seas, king of Atlantis, and Justice League team member: Aquaman! Since his debut in 1941, Aquaman has defeated villains and saved the world on land and in the ocean, and this anthology collects his brightest and darkest moments in the definitive look at his history as a DC Comics Super Hero. Whether it's Orin or Arthur Curry, Aquaman is a beloved and timeless hero, and we're pleased to present this collection in honor of his 75th Anniversary.
400 pg


Coloring DC: Supergirl
Art by IAN CHURCHILL, JAMAL IGLE, MICHAEL TURNER, AMANDA CONNER and others Cover by IAN CHURCHILL
The Girl of Steel stars in her own adult coloring book, with spectacular art by Pop Mhan, Bengal, Jamal Igle and more!
96 pg


DC Universe by Neil Gaiman
Written by NEIL GAIMAN Art by ANDY KUBERT, SIMON BISLEY, MARK BUCKINGHAM, KEVIN NOWLAN, MATT WAGNER, MICHAEL ALLRED and others Cover by BRIAN BOLLAND
New York Times best-selling author Neil Gaiman's tales of DC's greatest superheroes are collected in a single volume. Gaiman, co-creator of THE SANDMAN and author of American Gods, teams with superstar artist Andy Kubert to tell the story that truly defines the years of Batman's life in the epic "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" Also included are stories starring Batman, Poison Ivy, The Riddler, Metamorpho and others from the pages of SECRET ORIGINS #36, SECRET ORIGINS SPECIAL #1, WEDNESDAY COMICS #1-12, BATMAN #686, DETECTIVE COMICS #853 and GREEN LANTERN/SUPERMAN: LEGEND OF THE GREEN FLAME #1.
224 pg


The Flash by Mark Waid
Written by MARK WAID Art by GREG LAROCQUE, JOSE MARZAN, JR., MICHAEL COLLINS, TRAVIS CHAREST, MIKE PAROBECK and others
In 1990, Mark Waid's legendary writing career began when he scripted his first issue of THE FLASH. Waid would continue to work on Wally West for nearly a decade, building a world that would keep the character running for years. In this first volume of a new series, Young Wally West is quickly in danger--not only from The Flash's enemies, but from powers that he doesn't know how to control!
Collects THE FLASH #62-68, THE FLASH ANNUAL #4-5 and THE FLASH SPECIAL #1.
368 pg


Teen Titans Silver Age Omnibus
Written by BOB HANEY, LEN WEIN, MARV WOLFMAN, MIKE FRIEDRICH and NEAL ADAMS Art by NICK CARDY, BRUNO PREMIANI, IRV NOVICK, GIL KANE, WALLACE WOOD, NEAL ADAMS and others * Cover by DARWYN COOKE
In these fast-paced tales from the start of the 1960s, the sidekicks to DC's greatest heroes--Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Speedy and Wonder Girl--form their own team to take on evil! Collected for the first time in a single hardcover, these stories pit our teen team against the Demon Dragster, the Mad Mod, Captain Rumble and many other far-out foes.
Collects THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #54, #60 and #83, SHOWCASE #59 and TEEN TITANS #1-19.
584 pg


Moebius Library: World of Edena
Working closely with Moebius Production in France, Dark Horse puts the work of a master storyteller back in print--with some material in English for the first time! Stel and Atan are interstellar repairmen trying to find a lost space station and its crew. What they discover about the universe and themselves on the mythical paradise planet Edena, though, changes their lives forever. Moebius's long-out-of-print World of Edena story arc gets a deluxe hardcover treatment, with its five main chapters--Upon a Star, Gardens of Edena, The Goddess, Stel, and Sra--collected here!


Corto Maltese: The Ethiopian
When Corto Maltese arrives in the Middle East and Africa in 1918 the shifting sands and loyalties reveal colonial powers still battling for domination over each other and the indigenous people. The desert of Yemen, controlled by the fading Ottoman Empire, is the setting for "In the Name of Allah, the Merciful and Compassionate," where Corto meets Cush, the Danikil warrior with whom he establishes a close yet conflicted relationship. In "The Coup de Grace" the stubborn racism of an English commander of a small fort in British Somaliland leads to conflict with Cush and the Dervish army of Sayyid Mohamed, whom the British call "The Mad Mullah." The action moves to Ethiopia amidst inter-tribal conflict in "...and of Other Romeos and Other Juliets," as Cush introduces Corto to the mysterious and powerful shaman Shamael, who hears the voices of the dead and of devils. German East Africa is the background of "The Leopard-Men of the Rufiji," where Corto is engulfed in a dreamlike atmosphere that reveals how African justice operates outside the constraints of "white" law.


Ditko Unleashed
Advance solicited for September release! Steve Ditko's astounding career is presented here from the early 1950s to the present. Examples of his work for Charlton, Warren, Marvel and DC are shown, both as printed pages and scans from Ditko's beautiful original art! This is a Museum catalogue that will accompany a massive exhibition of this hugely influential artists work (Ditko co-created Spider-Man and Dr. Strange) in Palma de Mallorca Spain in the Fall of 2016.


Mandrake the Magician: The Dailies Vol. 1 - Cobra
(W) Lee Falk (A) Phil Davis
From the depths of the moon to the heights of the terrifying Ghost Mountain, these are the second collected adventures of Mandrake the Magician, the world's first costumed crime fighter. Join him and his ever-trusty companion Lothar as they travel the world in search of excitement and adventure.