Yearly Archive: 2008

Arnold Drake was born on this day in 1924. Drake was best known for his work on Deadman and Doom Patrol but he also co-created the 1950 picture book It Rhymes with Lust, which may many consider the first American graphic novel. Drake also wrote the screenplay for a 1964 horror movie, The Flesh Eaters. Sadly, Drake died on March 12 of last year.

Joyce Brabner was born on March 1, 1952. A writer of political comics, she collaborated with her second husband, Harvey Pekar, on his series American Splendor and on the Harvey Award-winning graphic novel Our Cancer Year. Brabner also worked with Alan Moore and Bill Sienkiewicz on the anthology Brought to Light. She edited the anthology but wrote one of the two stories, Flashpoint: The La Penca Bombing.

Did you know that in the English speaking world, there’s a tradition that women may propose marriage on leap years? Yep. Surprise!

While it has been argued that the tradition was initiated by Saint Patrick or Brigid of Kildare in 5th century Ireland, it is dubious as the tradition has not been attested before the 19th century. Supposedly, a 1288 law by Queen Margaret of Scotland (then age five and living in Norway), required that fines be levied if a marriage proposal was refused by the man; compensation ranged from a kiss to a pound (money, nothing kinky– they didn’t have S&M in the 13th century) to a silk gown, in order to let the girl down easy.

Because men felt that put them at too great a risk, the tradition was in some places tightened to restricting female proposals to the modern leap day, February 29.

In modern times, of course, we knows this as Sadie Hawkins Day, made famous by the denizens of Dogpatch in Li’l Abner— although that takes place in mid-November, one can never be too careful when being chased by dames. You’ve all been warned.

Here’s a good illustration of the difference between subjectifying and objectifying comic book characters. 

On the one hand, io9 reports on a paper published by feminist comics blogger Karen Healey (who’s writing a dissertation on the fan culture of American superhero comics) and Terry Johnson on the Comparative Sex-Specific Body Mass Index (BMI) in the Marvel Universe and the “Real” World. 

As you might expect, the BMI range for the fictional women is much less varied and more unrealistic than the other three groups (fictional men, real men, real women), particularly if these characters are supposed to be athletes.  You can think up any in-story explanations you want, but they only cover up the limited range (or imagination) of many artists who draw these characters.

On the other hand, there’s DC’s iconic female character Wonder Woman.  Seen here as portrayed by Lynda Carter and as part of the newly-revealed Alex Ross cover for the book The Age of TV Heroes, to be published in November by Two Morrows, WW has certainly had her share of objectification and questionable storylines, even from her inception.

But she’s also been more of the subject of her own story than any other female comic book character, inspiring not only countless feminists but avid collectors as well. One of them, Kyall Coulton, has created an entire site of WW memorabilia, The Ultimate Wonder Woman Collector’s Guide.  The site currently features over 1200 items, the largest online index of its kind, as well as short biographies of participating collectors.  And the categories!  Everything from original art to jewelry, bedding, food items, clocks and watches, even cookie jars!  (If you’re seeking contributor Joel Thingvall’s famed WW gallery of original and commissioned art, it’s accessible from the links page.)  You can even enter a trivia competition to win a memorabilia pack! 

Recent coverage by the NY Times and other mass media can only inspire more collectables to come.

In order to entice readers and get them excited for Drew Goddard’s upcoming four-issue arc on Dark Horse Comics’ Buffy: Season Eight (as previously mentioned here), the publisher has now put another of Goddard’s Buffy stories, "Antique", online for your no-cost reading pleasure. The story, which has been posted in its entirety at the site, is part of the Tales of the Vampires anthology released a few years ago written by various former Buffy: The Vampire Slayer writers including Goddard, Ben Edlund and creator Joss Whedon.

Centered around Whedon’s story about a group of young Slayers in training, the anthology explores the history of vampires and the world of the Slayer, taking place at various points in history including medieval times, the great Depression and today. Goddard’s particular story concerns Buffy’s rematch with the evil Dracula and her attempt to free her pal Xander from the vampire’s hypnotic spell.

Reading "Antique" reminded me why I like Goddard’s writing in the first place. It’s dark, it moves and its funny. Three qualities I look for in a story.

Not that I really need another reason to read Buffy: Season Eight, though.

Goddard’s arc, "Wolves at the Gate", has its first issue drop on March 8th.