Saturday, June 30, 2007

This week's Cartoon Saturdays is one of those where we look for something neat and then tell you something about the cartoon related.

Bug Bunny was a rascally rabbit and Elmer Fudd pronounced his "r's" as "w's." Thus "wascally wabbits."



We think Elmer looks a lot like Mr. Mxyztplk in this picture.

Friday, June 29, 2007

The Townshend Acts, which placed an import duty on a whole bunch of stuff, tea for example, coming into America from Britain were enacted on this day in 1767. The colonists were somewhat displeased with this.



Though a financial burden, the longest lasting result of the Townshend Acts were the American tradition of tea parties. Tea parties, though the efforts of the Daughters of The American Revolution have become so essential to a young girl's life that even anti-social young women like Lucy Van Pelt enjoy them.

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Today is director, writer, actor and producer Mel Brooks' birthday.



Pictured above is the birthday boy in a promo photo for his 1983 remake of "To Be Or Not To Be."

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Hurricane Audrey achieved Category 4 size, speed and strength fifty years ago today, just as it drew near both Louisiana and Texas. The storm claimed the lives of hundreds
and caused massive damage across several states.



The name Audrey was retired from the hurricane naming system after this storm (and hadn't been used before). It was not retired from the naming of comic book characters that would have creepy looking puppets made of them.

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

The boardwalk opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey on this day in 1870.



Here a family is assisted in their sightseeing by an unfortunate guy who has to push them in a "rolling chair."

Monday, June 25, 2007

George Orwell, author and perhaps prophet, celebrates his birthday today.



This cover of Orwell's Animal Farm is pretty trippy for a Penguin Classic.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

This week's Sunday Funnies looks at The Human Fly. We were going to make fun of Marvel for coming up with this character, since they'd had a lot of luck with that human spider, but then we found out that Spider-Man actually guest-starred in The Human Fly's book, so Marvel wasn't trying to pretend otherwise. I guess it was less calculated than Spider-Woman.

What struck us was the fact that the cover tells us he's "the wildest super-hero ever -- because he's REAL!" We don't remember ever hearing about a real super-hero called the Human Fly, or anyone who looked like the guy on the cover, for that matter. Apparently, the "real" Human Fly was a stunt man named Rick Rojatt. Except the real Rick Rojatt wasn't a super-hero at all, wild or otherwise, though he did have a rocket-powered motorcycle, which kind of beats the Batcycle. Then again, he only used it once and it crashed, badly. Still, prior to crashing (well, more like simultaneously) The Human Fly beat Evil Kneivel's bus jumping record.



The Human Fly #1.

Saturday, June 23, 2007

This week's Cartoon Saturday we're giving you a "Care Bears Stare" (ok, we're not really, since we don't have a picture of the eBay logo atop a calendar tattooed on our tummy, we're just gonna talk Care Bears for a sec).

The Care Bears were cute little bears that each represented an emotion, for use on greeting cards produced by the American Greetings firm. Within a few years, it occurred to someone that the bears had potential beyond wishing you a happy birthday or suggesting you get well soon. Kenner, who seemed to have made a deal with something in the 1980's got the job of coming up with a toy tie-in to a bunch of already well known cute bears. The decided to make teddy bears. That must have taken months to come up with.

In any event, they also made some cool posable action figures of the bears, jointed pretty much the same as Kenner's Star Wars line, but thankfully not using the same molds (or even the same type of plastic).

All that's well and good, but the important part of all of this marketing magic led to that greatest thing of almost all 1980's toy lines, the animated series. The Care Bears ran for three seasons (doing a reverse of the norm, starting in syndication and then moving to a network (ABC)'s Saturday morning line-up). In addition to the series, there were also three animated movies. Recently the Care Bears have had a bit of a resurgence, with old episodes making their way to DVD and brand new CGI versions of the Care Bears appearing in new direct-to-video films.



This is a nice Care Bears lunchbox with some art that pre-dates the animated series.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Today is director and screenwriter Billy Wilder's birthday.



This postcard shows the scene at Grauman's Chinese Theatre while Wilder's Some Like It Hot was up on the screen.

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Cyrus McCormick received a patent on the first horse-drawn merchanical reaper on this day in 1834. It took him six week's to develop the idea, which had been worked on by his father for well over a decade.



Though this new reaper would revolutionize the farming industry, it was no cause for fear.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Lizzie Borden was acquitted of charges that she took an axe and gave her mother forty wacks (and then, upon seeing what she'd done, giving her father forty-one) on this day in 1893.



The Chad Mitchell Trio scored a hit with their song about the infamous axe murders.

Tuesday, June 19

The Battle of Dragasani took place on this day in 1821. It was part of the Greek War of Independence waged between Greek rebels and the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empire won this one.



Years later things were calmer, as shown in this picture of downtown Dragasani.

Monday, June 18, 2007

America saw it's first duel on this day in 1621.



If dueling is what you like, Pirates! is a heckuva game.

Sunday, June 17, 2007

Since today is father's day, we'll use this week's Sunday Funnies to tell you about "The First Batman." We're not talking about the first person clean up after a commissioned officer, but rather the first person to dress up like a bat and strike terror into the hearts of criminals (though not other guests at a costume party). It was none other than Bruce Wayne's pop, Dr. Thomas Wayne.

Yes, he was attending a costume party dressed in a costume surprisingly similar to the Golden Age Batman suit, when some hoodlums caused some trouble. Well, not standing for that sort of thing, Dr. Wayne (still in costume) punched them out and saved the day. Thus he became "The First Batman." Or so the story goes.



The story appeared in Detective Comics 235, pictured above alongside a coverless issue 150.

Saturday, June 16, 2007

With the Fantastic Four back on the big screen, we decided to use this week's Saturday Cartoons to mention H.E.R.B.I.E., the robot who replaced the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four's 1970's cartoon series.

The ever popular Johnny Storm was heading to a big screen adventure of his own, which literally flamed out. Due to the weird and wonderful world of licensing contracts, the Torch was unavailable to producers of the late 70's toon, so they had to go for the next best thing. Though he tends to be unloved by the fans, the initial idea for H.E.R.B.I.E. (or at least a robot sidekick) came from Stan Lee, and the character design was eventually done by Jack Kirby, so while he may have been a (much) later addition, he has the same lineage as the rest of the FF.



H.E.R.B.I.E. was made into an action figure, seen here alongside Franklin Richards, son of Mr. Fantastic and The Invisible Woman.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Habeas Corpus, and the rest of the rights granted by the Magna Carta, got their seal of approval by King John of England on this date in 1215.



We liked it so much we made a commemorative stamp.

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Hawaii officially became a U.S. Territory on this day in 1900. Before that is was a possession, later it was a state.



Much like flowered print shirts at a thrift shop, we got Hawaii with a bunch of other stuff, like Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Twins Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen share their birthday today.



Though they released several music albums, unlike many tween-appealing stars, their work sadly cannot technically be considered "bubblegum pop," which means they really missed something somewhere.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Today is Irwin Allen's birthday. He brought us such television programs as Lost in Space, Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea, and The Time Tunnel.



Pictured is an issue of Gold Key's Time Tunnel comic.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Captain James Cook crashed into the Great Barrier Reef off Australia and thus discovered it on this day in 1770.



A safer way to explore the reef is by reading a guidebook like this one.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

This week's Sunday Funnies continues our reaction* to the movement denying evolution, which apparently picks up around this time of year, given that Tennessee issued a textbook on this day in 1925 refuting it.

We beg to differ. If there's no evolution, how can one explain a spy organization consisting of chimpanzees who use a rock band (named The Evolution Revolution, natch) as a front?



Pictured above is the first issue of Lancelot Link, Secret Chimp.

(* See here, here and here.)

Saturday, June 9, 2007

An astoundingly easy Cartoon Saturday subject to decide on this week, as today marks 73 years of Donald Duck. The Silly Symphony "The Wise Little Hen" was released by Walt Disney on this day in 1934, featuring the first appearance of the most famous of the Disney ducks.



Donald is pictured on the cover of this "Eye Popper Puzzles" book from the late 70's. We doubt that sort of thing is quite how the even-tempered duck chooses to relax, so given the nice condition of the cover, we assume it's not Donald's personal copy.

Friday, June 8, 2007

Today is singer Nancy Sinatra's birthday.



Apparently, these were made for walking.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Richard Henry Lee, Pennsylvania delegate to the first Continental Congress, put forth a resolution on this day in 1776 that the Congress should declare its independence from England. He likely would have authored the Declaration of Independence had he not been forced to take a leave of absence from the Congress to see to his ill wife.



Though Lee would miss his chance to write it, The Declaration of Independence was written without him, and is here presented on a copper sheet.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

The Battle Of Stoney Creek took place during the War of 1812 on this day in 1813. As we frequently find ourselves having to do when referencing events during that particular war, we would like to assure you that even though the battle happened in 1813, it did in fact take place in Stoney Creek.



Here you can see Stoney Creek, Ontario in happier times. Perhaps in 1814.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Children's book illustrator and author Richard Scarry was born on this day. Known best as the creator of Busytown, he was also the illustrator of many "Little Golden Books."



Pictured above is a 1940's "Little Golden Book" illustrated by Richard Scarry.

Monday, June 4, 2007

The Transcontinental Express arrived in California after leaving New York city about 83 and a half hours earlier on this day in 1876. It crossed the country on the First Transcontinental Railroad.



You couldn't tell by looking at it, but this old toy train is actually from years later.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Since Friday was the anniversary of the first appearance of Peanuts' Linus's security blanket, we though we'd dedicate this week's Sunday Funnies to Lucy's little brother.

Aside from his decades in print, Linus has reminded generations of viewers of the true meaning of Christmas year after year in A Charlie Brown Christmas.



Here is a vintage Linus figurine from 1966. He's accompanied by his trusty blanket as he should be.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

This week's cartoon Saturday picks up from Mel Blanc's birthday back on Wednesday, as we note Daffy Duck.

The duck was top banana at the Warner studios until the rabbit made it big (just as the pig was before the duck). His earliest shorts, by Bob Clampett were his zaniest, with Daffy at his most manic, bouncing all over the place like a, well, a daffy duck. Later interpretations by Robert McKimson setting him up as a half of a comedy team with Porky Pig and Chuck Jones' definitive version of Daffy as the jealous rival of Bugs Bunny, glory seeking, egotistical and almost (and sometimes completely) accidentally self-destructive all provided for classic moments, but for sheer lunacy, nothing beats the Clampett Daffy.

This week's cartoon Saturday picks up from Mel Blanc's birthday back on Wednesday, as we note Daffy Duck.

The duck was top banana at the Warner studios until the rabbit made it big (just as the pig was before the duck). His earliest shorts, by Bob Clampett were his zaniest, with Daffy at his most manic, bouncing all over the place like a, well, a daffy duck. Later interpretations by Robert McKimson setting him up as a half of a comedy team with Porky Pig and Chuck Jones' definitive version of Daffy as the jealous rival of Bugs Bunny, glory seeking, egotistical and almost (and sometimes completely) accidentally self-destructive all provided for classic moments, but for sheer lunacy, nothing beats the Clampett Daffy.

Though the more modern Jones version is the most frequently seen Daffy likeness on licensed products, this 70's Pepsi premium pictures the Daffy of the Bob Clampett era.

Though the more modern Jones version is the most frequently seen Daffy likeness on licensed products, this 70's Pepsi premium pictures the Daffy of the Bob Clampett era.

Friday, June 1, 2007

Linus van Pelt was first seen carrying his security blanket in the Peanuts strip that ran on this day in 1954.



This blue blanket is sure to offer security to whoever owns it.