Tag Archives: Comics
You should be following … 1979 Semi-Finalist!
This is the first installment of a periodic “flash review” of a Web site I love and think you may love, too. Kelly Thompson, author of She Has No Head! at Comics Should Be Good and creator of the blog, … Continue reading
Hawkeye & Mockingbird Moment: Ex-Boyfriend Drama
The “Oh So Short” Avengers
Over the last several weeks, Marvel.com has been putting up the 2003 “Red Zone” issues of The Avengers by Geoff Johns and Oliver Copiel LONG before visions of Blackest Nights and Sieges were dancing through our heads. Poised just a year … Continue reading
A wow moment … from Colleen Coover!
Wow. So, this morning began by opening an e-mail and finding the art below by Colleen Coover to post on my daughters’ Web site, 5 Minute Marvels! How cool is that!?!? Not as cool as Colleen, who is as nice … Continue reading
An H&M Moment: Nice call, Nostradamus!
In honor of the announcement of the Hawkeye & Mockingbird ongoing over at the House of Ideas, we here at SmartassCo have made the decision to merge our “Mockingbird Moment” and “Hawkeye Holla’” segments in an effort to blatantly copy … Continue reading
Valkyrie! by Cate (4), Grace (6) and Dad
Hey, Smartasses! If you haven’t swung by the new blog my girls and I put up, http://www.marvelsmartass.wordpress.com, to see our kid/adult fan art! And, for heaven’s sake … find a kid, grab a pencil and contribute some comic art!
Why I Love Marvel Comics ~ Iron Man #127
Today, Marvel Digi-Comics put up Iron Man #127 where the ol’ Shellhead fights … well … everyone in an “iron melee.” It’s like a who’s who of Iron Man, which is to say … a confederacy of dunces. Now, I … Continue reading
I Love Iron Man … Da Da Da Da Da Duh Duh Duh
Okay, after “Matrix: Reloaded” treated me like Scott Summers treated Jean Grey’s memory, I promised myself never to fall in love with a sequel again based on a trailer. But, I’m ready to love again. Still buzzing from Downey, Jr.’s Christmas offering of Sherlock … Continue reading
That’s Marvel BadAss! ~ Week 14 … KIRBY VISION!
Scroll down and you’ll see that I have a deep and abiding love for all things Kirby … but, I’m a neophyte compared to Jason Garrattley, the editor of the KirbyVision fan art blog … a site often tinged with … Continue reading
Mockingbird Moment: Take this Stave and Shove It!
That’s Marvel BadAss! ~ Week Thirteen!
So, I’m a little late with That’s Marvel BadAss this week … my apologies, I am working on some future interviews… and they’re still percolating. But, that gives me the opportunity to offer up some quick shots on some bloggers … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Marvel Two-In-One #43
This may be my favorite Marvel panel … ever. Leave it to Marvel’s long-time editor, Ralph Macchio, to put our words in Ben Grimm’s mouth. [Begin sarcasm.] What’s so odd, Benny? It’s just your typical day when a sentient pile … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Incredible Hulk #290
Do I even needs to say it? It’s a two-panel spread with A.I.M. beekeepers worshipping a female M.O.D.O.K. Now, that I’ve seen ths … I may just have to stop reading comics. I’ve been to the end.
UPDATED! Mighty Marvel Mustache Brigade
So… in my job, I spend a lot of time in my car … and that leads to lots of time for the mind to wander. On a trip back from the Blue Ridge Mountains last Friday, I began to think … Continue reading
Thank you, Mr.Postman!
Today, there was a little packet of awesomeness that traveled all the way from France waiting for me in the mail — original art from Dan Christensen, who was featured for That’s Marvel BadAss! a few weeks back. When putting … Continue reading
Mockingbird Moment – Take THAT, English Major!
Who’s Still Sittin’ on the Bench? THE RANGERS!
Dear Marvel — One Halloween upon a time, a little boy growing up in Nashville was given a copy of Incredible Hulk #265 at the coolest … and apparently most controversial … house in the city. The issue was drawn … Continue reading
T-T-T-Tobin! Brendan Tobin Creates Kirby Krackle
Today, one of my favorite bloggers/artists, Brendan Tobin, posted this incredible color/ink work he did to a rough sketch Jack Kirby created for a Hawkman animated series pitch. Now, Mr. Tobin is a very talented artist in his own … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One ~ Mantis!
One Hero. Two Kids. One Dad. Five Minutes. That’s all! Tonight, we rocket into the stratosphere with the Celestial Madonna herself, Mantis. I’ve thought Mantis was cool since her days cruising the universe with the Silver Surfer and kicking galactic booty … Continue reading
Mockingbird Moment #3: Wardrobe Malfunction
Marvel Two-In-One – The Black Knight!
One Hero. One Kid. One Dad. Five Minutes. That’s all! In honor of my favorite underutilized Avenger, Gracie and Cate decided to take on The Black Knight. Unfortunately, on the way to the sketch session with Gracie, The Knight stopped by … Continue reading
Who’s Your Favorite Avenger Still Sitting on the Bench?
Which former Avenger do you want to see back in the ranks of “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes”? Who’s ready for prime time, but stuck on the graveyard shift? The Avengers have undertaken quite a journey over the past 7 years, and … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One ~ Behold! Doctor Doom!
One Villain. One Kid. One Dad. Five Minutes. That’s all! Attention mere mortals and citizens of Latveria! Tonight, the Lady Grace has decreed: This eve, shall we draw Victor Von Doom! And lo, shall those who witness quake with terror! … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Astonishing Tales #13
Okay, so I love Mockingbird. We’ve established that, right? Well, long before “Astonishing” was a brand name for a new line of Marvel Comics, it was part of the title “Astonishing Tales,” a comic that spent a lot of time … Continue reading
Happy Valentines Day!
It’s Valentine’s Day … not my favorite holiday. But, I did have a great dinner with the wife and found a perfect excuse to wax eloquent about my favorite couples in the Marvel Universe. If you’ve spent any time on … Continue reading
A Mockingbird Moment – The Bitch Goes “Blam!”
Double-Sized Marvel Two-In-One ~ M.O.D.O.K. & A.I.M.
Today, the lady Gracie decided to look into the face of super science villany and draw what she saw there… What can I say, the girl loves her some Mobile Organism Designed Only for Killing. Clearly, I am parent of … Continue reading
That’s Marvel BadAss! ~ Week Eleven
My fellow smartasses, this Thursday feature, where I set the sarcasm aside and highlight both established and aspiring creators has become my favorite post of the week. I hope you’re havin’ fun, too. Today, there’s lots o’ love to spread … Continue reading
Mockingbird Moment – Mr. I, meet Ms. Robinson!
And now, a word from this blog’s favorite superheroine …
Heroic Age Teaser Poster with MI-13!
Thus far, I continue to be hopeful about The Heroic Age, if only for the fact that is seems some of my favorite characters — Hawkeye, Beast, Gorilla Man, 3-D Man, Mockingbird and now, another in my Marvel top 5 … Continue reading
Marvel THREE-In-One ~ Captain America
So, tonight my four-year-old, Cate, wanted to get in on the action. Juiced up after an episode of “Super Hero Squad” where the Scarlet Witch hexes Cap to sleep, Cate declared it was time to draw the star-spangled one – CAPTAIN … Continue reading
Secret Avengers ~ Secretier Avengers
Last week, the Heroic Age teasers brought us “I Am An Avenger.” This week, “I A Secret Avenger.” And, they’ve really got us guessing. Sure to add fuel to the fire, my Smartassassins have broken back into the Marvel offices to … Continue reading
Me and She: Happy 30th Shulkie!
Dear Jennifer, It seems like just yesterday you and I met. It was 1983. I was on a road trip to Louisville, Kentucky. we pulled over at a gas station and I bought Avengers #236. It was the first comic … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One: She-Hulk!
One hero. One kid. One dad. Five minutes. That’s it. To celebrate the Savage She-Hulk’s 30th birthday, Gracie and I took on the jade giantess. This was the first time the five minutes flew by … so both sketches are … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics ~ Alan Davis
I would buy a comic about the meat packing industry if it were illustrated by Alan Davis. The consistency of the man’s work … the details … the softness. He had me 25 years ago when I was given an … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One ~ HULK!
One Hero. One Kid. One Dad. Five Minutes. That’s how it works. Today’s drawing of the Hulk was created by Gracie and me as we waited for the start of a live performance of “High School Musical.” Gracie stopped rocking … Continue reading
That’s Marvel BadAss! ~ Week Ten
A few years ago, I came across the blog of Dan Christensen — an artist with a style that is an odd (but, engaging) mixture of modern sensibilities and nostalgia. He has his own projects, including a cool noir fencing story, … Continue reading
UPDATED! “I AM AN AVENGER!” ~ Sneakier Peak
The insanity knows no bounds as the Smartass Squad gets its greedy little hands on the next flight of “I Am An Avenger” teaser posters from Marvel. Guys, they are pulling from all corners of the Marvel U. to fill … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One ~ Falcon!
Five Minutes. One Hero. One Child. One Childish Man. That’s it. Tonight Grace and I took on Captain America’s revolutionary, stalwart and sometimes angsty partner — Sam Wilson, the indomitable Falcon. (Yeah, we the “falcon eyes” we chose to give him and pouty … Continue reading
“I AM AN AVENGER”- Sneak Peak!
If you’re like this smartass, you’re totally jazzed about the return to a more heroic, “comicbooky” Avengers team. And, you’re checking Marvel.com every day to see the next in the line of the “I am an Avenger posters.” Well, I … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One ~ Thor!
One Hero … One Kid … One Dad … Five Minutes. That’s how it works. This eve, the fair lady Grace hath chosen to draw the fair-haired God of Thunder, Thor! Yea verily! Um … hey, Mr. Branaugh, Gracie is … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One – Mockingbird!
Today was a snow day here in Charlotte, N.C. — which is to say, there was ice on the road somewhere in a 200-mile radius. So, there was no school today. The girls and I elected to spend the morning … Continue reading
Meet the Wackos!
So, my love of the West Coast Avengers … the first team I thought of as MY team growing up … is well-documented on this site. After taking on Cap’s Kooky Quartet and the Fantastic Four in earlier nostalgia posts, my buddy Mockingnerd requested … Continue reading
Marvel Two-In-One ~ The Thing!
Okay, so it’s officially a tradition. My daughter Grace (6) and I now have a date for our daily “Night Draw” as she calls it. The rules? We pick a superhero and, together, we have 5 minutes to draw it. … Continue reading
The Ms. Marvel Two-In-One!
The newfound love my daughter, Grace, has for Ms. Marvel apparently knows no bounds. I have been asked to create a costume for her and to explain exactly who this “Binary” person is. And, now, I have even been inspired to pick … Continue reading
“Heroic Age” – The E! True Hollywood Story
I don’t know what side of the fence you come down on, but I was really jazzed to see the promotional image for Marvel’s coming “The Heroic Age.” Now, I’m in marketing for a living … and I am not … Continue reading
Marvel CounterPoint #1 ~ Iron Man (1963) vs. Iron Man (2010)
While Matt at ComicsCavern.com and I were working on the 12 Days of Uncanny X-Mas in December, I cluttered up Day 8 with a little idea called “Marvel CounterPoint,” where denizens of the Marvel U. debated one another. In this case, a … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics ~ X-Men #10
Aaah, Marvel … Aaaah, the 60s … In just their tenth issue, Stan and Jack sent the X-Men on the first of many mutant field trips to the Savage Land for a team-up with Ka-Zar. And, following that humble little excursion to the true “land … Continue reading
Behold! The Fantastic Four
To create a companion piece for the Cap’s Kooky Quartet art I posted earlier this week, Jim McCann suggested I try my hand at something for the denizens of Earth’s Greatest Comic Magazine — The Fantastic Four! This was a fun one. I’d love to hear whatcha’ think … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics ~ Cap’s Kooky Quartet
One of my favorite Avengers teams assembled for the first time in Avengers #16 – Captain America, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Lovingly nicknamed “Cap’s Kooky Quartet,” this four-some was a true game changer. As a lifelong Hawkeye maniac … … Continue reading
Junior Marvel BadAss! ~ Ms. Marvel Arrives!
Color me surprised, but the big Christmas present in my house has turned out to be the Marvel Super Hero Squad Wii game my wife got me. My little girls (4 and 6) like their ZhuZhu Pets and their art … Continue reading
That’s Marvel BadAss! ~ Week Seven!
Got a nice note about the blog from Brendan Tobin today. And, looking over his site, I found a link to Brendan’s second blog and labor of love … MARCH MODOK MADNESS … a site I do know well! And, if you haven’t … Continue reading
Robot Chastity League – Lost Entries from the OHOTMU
Doing a little research for a future episode of Marvel CounterPoint, I noticed that the design of many of the Marvel U.’s robotic characters of the 60s included skirts and other elements to obscure the “crotchal region.” It’s all well and good … Continue reading
Oh yeah, it’s Primates Night!
Okay, I’ll fess up. There is no point. No commentary. No insight. No message associated with this post. When I sat down to decide what to blog next … all I could think of was creating a composite for Beast, Gorilla … Continue reading
That’s Marvel BadAss(es)! ~ Week Six
Good evening, my little smartasses! I know you have been waiting on pins and needles for me to reveal the identity of this week’s Marvel BadAss! Well … it’s worth the wait, my friends. As there are two whose increadible … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics ~ Excalibur #14
Greatest. Panel. Ever. Okay, gang. There is no manipulation at work here. Just the insane dreamings of Chris Claremont and that brilliant, mad Brit, Alan Davis. Three of my favorite things in one beautiful little panel. Kitty Pryde. A.I.M. flunkies. … Continue reading
That’s Marvel BadAss! ~ Week Five!
So, like any good little Kirby-phile, I love scanning KirbyVision for art inspired by The King. And, today I found this Dr. Doom by Australian artist/colorist, Dylan McCrae. The dude’s got him some mad skyllz. Check out his blog (http://dylanmccrae.blogspot.com/) … Continue reading
What If? West Coast Avengers #1
I had a fun day of family, food and comics for Christmas today. But, my celebration started a few weeks ago, when I popped down to Heroes Aren’t Hard to Find for a holiday sale. And, to what did my … Continue reading
That’s Marvel Badass! – Week Three
Stop the presses! Santa … this is what I want for Chistmas. It combines two of my favorite things (and acronyms) in the world — M.O.D.O.K. and W.P.A. style. Seriously, I am in love here. I couldn’t find much on … Continue reading
The 12 Days of Uncanny X-Mas ~ Days Twelve!
Well, *NOW* I am finally ready for Christmas as I load the last day of the 12 Days of Uncanny X-Mas! It’s been a really fun time ringing in the season with mad mutant love. Big, big, big, big holiday ups … Continue reading
John Byrne Terrifies Me: Avengers West Coast #54
This is another new category of exploration here in Smartassville … the twisted mind of John Byrne. Now, don’t get me wrong. Like many of you, I worshipped all things Johnny B. back in the day. Loved X-Men. Loved Fantastic … Continue reading
K.O.D.O.M., Thy Name is Annoyance!
My little Marvel Smartasses, thrill to the villainy of a mid-level management miscreant we working joes can recognize from our 9 to 5’s … Meet K.O.D.O.M. … Kid-Brother Organism Designed Only to Micro-Manage. Unlike George Tarleton, who was an A.I.M. scientist who … Continue reading
Oh, CRAP! M.O.D.O.K. joined Facebook
Inspired by this hilarious story of a woman getting fired over forgetting her boss was a Facebook friend and the equally hilarious site, Oh Crap! My Parents Joined Facebook, here’s an all-new issue of “A.I.M. High. You are going to want … Continue reading
Marvel Bad Ass! Mockingnerd
This is the first of a new Thursday feature — Marvel Bad Ass! Each week, I’ll pluck my favorite find from my Internet exploration of the Marvel U. This week was easy, a fantastic pencil of Bobbi Morse in her … Continue reading
Thor … Thunder God & Broken Little Boy
Okay… so, I love Marvel Comics. We all get that, right? Here’s another reason why … innocence. Check out this panel from Journey Into Mystery #112. The story sets up a titanic showdown between the God of Thunder and the … Continue reading
The Short, Happy Life of Squad Force-X
Yesterday’s venture into the creations of my youth was wonderfully cathartic. So, I thought I’d double-dip. “Avengers Dissassembled”!?!?! Brave!?!?! Avant garde!?!?! Please. Bendis, it’s been done. In the mid-80s, despite brisk sales attained in 10% of the households on Cloudland … Continue reading
The Rise and Fall of Ull – God of Skiing
As I have spent the last four months poking gentle fun of others’ creations, perhaps it’s time to apply my patented blend of smartassery on one of my own creations … 🙂 It was 1985. I was 12. I read … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Tales of Suspense #48 (Birth of Iron Man 2)
In honor of the unveiling of the Iron Man 2 poster,I double dip into my love of Tales of Suspense #48. As you may have seen in my earlier post on this issue, I love many, many things about TOS … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Avengers West Coast #51
John Bryne is a sick man. A sick, sick man. Evidence: Avengers West Coast #51 I love Marvel Comics for their pure wild abandon. Evidence: Avengers West Coast #51 A few months ago, a writer friend of mine and I debated … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Fantastic Four #38
I love the 60s. Such a time of feigned innocence. Political correctness meant knowing the right way to shake hands at a Kiwanis meeting, and, the Fantastic Four’s playfulness with Sue Storm was seen as cute. That’s why this sequence from … Continue reading
USAgent or Alien Bounty Hunter?
In the age of the Greg Land, Mike Deodato, Bryan Hitch and others, we’re getting very used to looking for actors,public figures and Victoria’s Secret models (ahem … Land) in the faces of our favorite super heroes. It’s not suprising when Samuel L. … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Captain America Annual #3
This is a fantastic example of the classic Kirby first page. The opening prologue is punctuated with loads of dramatic Kirby Crackle. And, then, there’s that alien. Oh, the alien. Is it just me, or is that alien just a little … Continue reading
Why I Love Marvel Comics: Journey Into Mystery #107
Guys … this one is easy. I am going to gush forth a lot of digital love today. (Stay away from me, Chris Hansen.) You have to love that there was a comic called, “Journey Into Mystery” … and that … Continue reading
Marvel Smartass vs. The Vanisher
Okay. So. I apologize. I vanished off the face of the earth for a bit. No, it wasn’t Galactus. The Demons of Belasco didn’t haunt me. I wasn’t lost in the nagtive zone. Kang did not pull me out of time. But, … Continue reading
A.I.M. High ~ Issue 10 – Game Show Armageddon!
You have to stay up really late to catch this one on “Game Show Network. ” View a bigger version here. P.S. You don’t even want to know the strangest place Dr. Zola has ever made whoopee.
A.I.M. High ~ Issue Nine – Fanboys with Firearms
Come on, admit it, this has happened to you at work … Click here for a bigger version.
Marvel Smart Ass 