Obscure Comic Book Info

[Solario]

I figured we needed to revive this particular forum a little bit and was inspired by a thread at the official CoH boards.

This is a place for indulging people in your comic book geekery, preferably in the relatively more obscure parts (not all of it though).

I'll start naturally.

The name Bruce Wayne was created by Bill Finger, the guy who actually created Batman, and is an homage to Bob Kane. Bob Kane Bruce Wayne, get it?

The reason there are mutants in the 616 Marvel Universe is according to Stan himself, because he was lazy. This way he did not need an elaborate explaination for the characters' powers.

I know that the original Human Torch is in fact not Johnny Storm, but a member of the WWII Invaders. He was also a robot.

I know that Ras Al Ghul means Demon's Head.

I know that the creator of Wonder Woman was a psychiatrist, who was into sadomasochism and that Wonder Woman is a thinly veiled dominatrix. She is powerful and dominating, except when bound, when she losses all her powers.

I know that in order to beat the Golden Age Green Lantern, I need to wear yellow and beat him with a wooden baseball bat. Edit: Drat, I was mistaken, Wood is the Golden Age Green Lantern's weakness, however yellow is not.

[Magna Harrier]

Your knowledge on that last point is incorrect. Alan Scott (The Golden Age Gren Lantern) IS vunerable to wood, but his ring has no vunerability to yellow. That weakness belongs to the Silver Age green lanterns (Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, etc), although it no longer exists.

[Solario]

Your knowledge on that last point is incorrect. Alan Scott (The Golden Age Gren Lantern) IS vunerable to wood, but his ring has no vunerability to yellow. That weakness belongs to the Silver Age green lanterns (Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, etc), although it no longer exists.

Damn. You know, you totally foiled my plot to hunt down Alan Scott and beat him to death with a wooden object, all the while dressed in the color of evil, yellow.

[Esbat]

Didya know that the model that golden age Catwoman was based on later on married Bob Kane. :cool:

[Magna Harrier]

Or that the origional Human Torch's robot body was rebuilt into the Vision, of Avenger's fame, by Ultron. There's a bunch of complicated Marvel continuity issues with it that they tossed in so they coulkd use the Human Torch in another story, but the origional story is STILL canon apperantly. How, you might ask? Same way Marvel always deals with that sort of thing. Plugging their ears, and yelling "I can't hear you!".

[Gaia]

I know that the creator of Wonder Woman was a psychiatrist, who was into sadomasochism and that Wonder Woman is a thinly veiled dominatrix. She is powerful and dominating, except when bound, when she losses all her powers. This was also the same guy that invented and patented the lie detector, go figure.

Did you know that the original Human Torch had a sidekick named Toro?

The Nedor line of comics heroes has been revived in the pages of Tom Strong and Terra Obscura. (http://blaklion.best.vwh.net/timelineBSN.html)

Nedor Comics due to some interesting loopholes in the copyright laws are also all public domain characters. Sort of why there are so many variances on the characters known as The Black Terror, Tom Strange, and Captain Future.

The Rocketeer is based on Commander Cody from the Republic serial "King of the Rocketmen"

Cliff Secord's girlfriend in the Rocketeer comics is based on Betty Page.

Wally Wood started out working on 'Terry and the Pirates' by Milton Caniff and 'The Spirit' by Will Eisner before eventually going to EC (shut down by the Comics Code Authority) and Mad Magazine which was a staple through out his life. He also wrote and drew the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.

[Gold Rush]

The name Bruce Wayne was created by Bill Finger, the guy who actually created Batman, and is an homage to Bob Kane. Bob Kane Bruce Wayne, get it?


Most likely true. Similiar to Clark Kent's name but on a different tact (His name actually comes from two sources : Clark Gable and I forget the Kent part. Lois Lane's is also some famous Lois and the Lane Sisters).




The reason there are mutants in the 616 Marvel Universe is according to Stan himself, because he was lazy. This way he did not need an elaborate explaination for the characters' powers.



Essentially, yes. Come to think of it, he was probably schmoozing the rest of the story on the how's and why's of creating mutants.



I know that the original Human Torch is in fact not Johnny Storm, but a member of the WWII Invaders. He was also a robot.


Magna answered most of this, but this has popped a similiar question in my head (although maybe Magna has answered THAT one as well). Okay, so the Vision is Dead-Dead (How dead can a robot be>) and now we have the "original Human Torch" traspising (sp) around the comic world again. Did the original take his body back from Vision, was it some other way they explained how Torch got back in the game, or has Marvel covered their ears yelling out "Neener-Neener-Neener"?

And, as most android/robots of the ill-written 30's, the Original Human Torch had spunk and an attitude to beat anyone up. I guess this fits with his "fiery temper", but having personality circuits was *quite* advanced for the time... :P




I know that the creator of Wonder Woman was a psychiatrist, who was into sadomasochism and that Wonder Woman is a thinly veiled dominatrix. She is powerful and dominating, except when bound, when she losses all her powers.


As Gaia points out, he did invent the lie detector (Lasso of Truth, anyone?). Assuming he is not "smarmy", his PR for the character was to promote a role-model for girls. Actually, most of the bondage stuff came in the 70's when Wonder Woman lost her powers for a long time and started to wear a Full white 70's Jumpsuit attire. I have met MANY comic fans that seem to have started their "road to kinkiness" with those particular issues and fondly remember them.

More Wonder Facts :

Nearing the end of 70's (or close to that time frame), DC wanted to make sure to trademark their symbols (there were a few Superman copyright lawsuits because companies would either copy the stylized "Superman" text logo and the Superman shield for their businesses). Wonder Woman lost her eagle on her chest and it was replaced by two W's because of this. I remember the comic where some in-comic reason was given : Some Women (Women's Liberation) gave her the new symbol in a ceremony for thanking her to be a symbol for strong women.

Wonder Woman has been pretty much running non-stop since its inception. Why is it never cancelled, you ask? According to the estate of Wonder Woman's creator, if DC ever fails to put out Wonder Woman in a timely manner, the rights to Wonder Woman revert back to the estate/family. So, in a worst case scenario, if DC failed to publish Wonder Woman, it is possible Marvel (or even a lower rated comic company) could take over publishing rights.


I am gonna add more below.

Gold Rush

(Gathering too much nonsense info for my own good...)

[Gold Rush]

@ There has been discussion that Bob (Robert) Kane actually lifted elements from his hero, the Bat-Man (note the dash that was there briefly for his few first appearances) from certain silent film noir movies at the time. There are a few compelling things that do back this up. One movie, "The Bat" seems like inspiration for such a character, although we never really see "The Bat" fully onscreen and he seems to fit the mold of "The Shadow" more than the "Batman" we all have come to know of.

Further evidence is given by some of the villians in Batman's early world, especially the Joker. His appearance is similiar to a character in the silent film of Dr. Caligari's Cabinent. Also, in his early appearances, the Joker does not smile EVERY panel; he frowns in thought as well.

@ Contrary what you might hear, Batman did tote a gun in his early appearances, but he really did not use it as some folks (like I) have been lead to believe. In one intro panel (not story related) you see him shooting the gun. The only time he really uses it is when he fashions silver bullets (out of silver candelabras) to kill a nest of vampires as they lay in their coffins. Most of the time, it hangs from a holster. It is seen in maybe Two or Three issues and is never seen again. It is not even seen in the first few issues.

@ (Here is something Morc might like) One of Batman's early villians was named Doctor Death. He eventually fulfilled the promise of his name personally (He died, lasting two issues).

@ During the 50's run of Superman, the editor/ staff seemed to grab onto a notion/fad of naming most of their new characters introduced into the book with a naming convention that stuck them with the initials "L.L." Note, Lois Lane (and I believe Lex Luthor) were named before this fad took place. So now we have, Lana Lang, Lucy Lane, Lori Lemaris, and a few others. When it was pointed out that the only character in the books without an L.L. was Jimmy Olsen, the editor answered "au contraire"; His name full name was Bartholomew James Olsen (although, this is rather lame to me personally, the only way I can see pulling L's out of the given response is from the middle of the names "Bartholomew" and "Olsen" and that doesn't sit right with me. And heck, what about Perry White? I better not hear that he comes from Asia and his name is Pelly Lazarius White!! (JOKE :P :D ) )

Eh, enough info for now, you cheecky monkeys. :)

Gold Rush

( o/~ "Calling occupants of Interplanetary, most Extraordinary craft." o/~
Name that tune :P )

[Solario]

Further evidence is given by some of the villians in Batman's early world, especially the Joker. His appearance is similiar to a character in the silent film of Dr. Caligari's Cabinent. Also, in his early appearances, the Joker does not smile EVERY panel; he frowns in thought as well.

I assume you're talking about The Man Who Laughs? of course I have no idea on who made that.

@ Contrary what you might hear, Batman did tote a gun in his early appearances, but he really did not use it as some folks (like I) have been lead to believe. In one intro panel (not story related) you see him shooting the gun. The only time he really uses it is when he fashions silver bullets (out of silver candelabras) to kill a nest of vampires as they lay in their coffins. Most of the time, it hangs from a holster. It is seen in maybe Two or Three issues and is never seen again. It is not even seen in the first few issues.

In addition to this Superman was also shown in early comics killing the criminals.


Also the person who played Perry White, Lane Smith, on the Lois and Clark show died yesterday (or was it the day before?)

[Liquidiz]

Did you know that the first black character to appear in Marvel was a side kick named WhiteWash,adorned in full blackface, he appear in the war comic, Young Allies

He was always in some sort of trouble and he had to be bailed out by the hero, Bucky and Toro (the human torch).

[Magna Harrier]

My favorite old-timey SUperman quote? From his first meeting with Mr. Mxylplyx (SPelling sucks, I know)
"Myxlyplyx, eh? That'll be a hard name to carve on your tombstone!"

[WingedAvenger]

Spider-Man was actually inspired by a fly. :cool: