Benedict Arnold's Face On The Dollar Bill by Dave Goode

The day after the " Bizzaro Jerry " episode of SEINFELD aired on October 4, 1996, I got a call from my sister Katherine who wanted to know if the show had given an accurate take on the Bizzaro world. I told her "pretty much". But the episode reminded me more of Earth-3 from the Silver Age of Comics. The world that was introduced in Justice League of America No. 29 (August 1964) in a story titled Crisis On Earth Three. Written by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Mike Sekowsky the story introduced the Crime Syndicate of America with it's evil counterparts of Superman (Ultraman) , Batman (Owlman) , Wonder Woman (Superwoman) , the Flash (Johnny Quick) and Green Lantern (Power Ring). This was one of the best remembered stories of the Silver Age.




We were shown a bit Earth Three's history. For instance Columbus discovered
Europe. President John Wilkes Boothe was assassinated by Abraham Lincoln. And British colonists won their independence from America. But we weren't really given any details about life on Earth-3. Or any real background on the members of the Crime Syndicate. That would change in 2000 in the graphic novel JLA:EARTH 2 written by Grant Morrison and illustrated by Frank Quitely. In this story we find that Clark Kent (Ultraman) is the cuckold husband of Lois Lane (Superwoman) who is having an affair with Bruce Wayne (Owlman). It's a world where evil and corruption are the norm. Where the slogan on money reads " In Mammon We Trust " and Benedict Arnold's face is on the dollar bill.

Another variation on an evil counterpart to the Justice League appeared during the Silver Age at Marvel Comics. The Squadron Sinister made their first appearance in the final panel of Avengers No.69 (October 1969). They were Hyperion (Superman) , Nighthawk (Batman), the Whizzer (the Flash) and Dr.Spectrum (Green Lantern). No Wonder Woman counterpart this time around. In the next issue Avengers No.70 (November 1969) the Squadron are defeated by Thor ,Captain America ,Goliath and Iron Man. The story written by Roy Thomas and illustrated by Sal Buscema gave fan-boys a battle they had long wanted to see...the Avengers vs. the Justice League.






The evil twin is a superhero comic book cliche that has existed as long as there
have been superhero comics.It goes back further to ancient mythology. Any number of heroes has at one time or another had to fight an " evil twin ".  One of my favorite examples is Professor Zoom a.k.a the Reverse-Flash. Eobard Thawne made his first appearance in comics in The Flash No.139 (September 1963) and was created by writer John Broome and artist Carmine Infantino. A man from the distant future he possesses the same super-speed powers as the "Fastest Man Alive". Wearing the same costume as the Flash , only with the colors reversed ,Thawne has been a thorn in the side of the Flash throughout the Silver Age and beyond.

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Now let us run at super speedster speeds and travel waaay back to March 12th 2010 and see the very first Judo Comics TV
hosted by the man of half a dozen masks, Mr. Incognito:

A Name Synonymous With Strength! by Dave Goode

 
I remember as a boy my family gathering around our big Magnavox television in the living room when a biblical epic was broadcast. One of my favorites was Cecil B. DeMille's SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949) starring Victor Mature and Hedy Lamarr. Of course I already knew the story about the Hebrew strongman and Philistine temptress from Sunday school. But the movie was so much like a sinew & sandal flick I couldn't help but love it. And after all the name Samson has become as synonymous with strength as Hercules.

One of the scenes I remember especially well comes when after Samson is blinded by the Philistines and he is brought to the temple of their god Dagon so that they can mock and make sport of him. I remember it for a comment my mother would make. When one of the Philistines remarks that " he looks like a man of iron " , or something like that.  My mother commented " Who are they kidding? He needs a brassiere." To be fair to Victor Mature she said the same thing about Johnny Weissmuller as he appeared in TARZAN AND THE MERMAIDS. Whenever I think of my mother's remark it reminds me that Cecil B. DeMille had wanted Steve Reeves to play the role of Samson.

Oddly enough director DeMille wanted the Mr.America winner to drop down to 175 lbs. from his competitive weight of 215. His reasoning being that Samson's strength came from GOD and not his muscles. Good enough. My question is why hire a bodybuilder for the role and then tell him to lose the muscles that must have played a part in your hiring him for the role in the first place? In any case Victor Mature was the better actor. And his beefy , if undefined , physique made him a believable Samson.

And then of course there was Hedy Lamarr as the Philistine temptress Delilah whose name has become synonymous with betrayal. Her performance is all seductive stares and swaying hips. She set the standard for all the sirens of sinew & sandal cinema to follow. There is a funny story about Lamarr complaining to DeMille that Mature was trying to upstage her making sure in their scenes together his face was turned to the camera and her back was to the camera. DeMille replied " Do you think there is any man in the world who would rather look at his face instead of your a** ? "

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Santo Science Fiction by Dave Goode

For years I've referred to Santo vs. The Vampire Women as the "Gone With The Wind of Mexiluchahero Movies". But if the genre has it's Citizen Kane than it would be Santo el Enmascarado de Plata vs. La Invasion de los Marcianos. Or as it's known in America , Santo vs. The Martian Invasion. Directed by Alfredo B. Crevenna and written by Rafael Garcia Travesi if this flick had been dubbed into English it would have enjoyed the same cult status in America that Santo vs. The Vampire Woman does. It still rates high on the Top 10 lists of fans of the genre.

Co-starring Wolf Ruvinskis and Maura Monti the story in some ways resembles the 50s sci-fi classic The Day The Earth Stood Still. Though the poster would make you think you were going to watch a Mexican version of Robinson Crusoe On Mars. What appears to be a Martian advance guard comes to Earth to force the human race to live in peace and stop experimenting with the A-Bomb. Living in peace seems to be a good idea. But gosh darn it we don't want aliens from another world to force us into it. So it's up to the Man in the Silver Mask to save the Earth.

Usually when I think of comic book adaptations of el Santo's movies it's Steve Ditko I imagine drawing them. The original artist on Spider-Man and Dr.Strange would have been perfect illustrating the adventures of a silver-masked grappler wrestling against the principalities and powers of darkness. But for this science fiction flick adapted to the comic book page I can only think of one of three Silver Age Superman artists illustrating it. Curt Swan working in a tag-team with George Klein or Murphy Anderson. Or Kurt Schaffenberger just to see his take on the Martian women. And finally Wayne Boring who drew the Man of Steel with the beefy , barrel-chested physique of a professional wrestler.

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Now, representing the very first Judo Comics TV from March 10th 2010:

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Burly Q Comics by Dave Goode

 
I have been a fan of old-time burlesque and striptease since the first time I saw the movie GYPSY as a preteen. Starring Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood (in the title role) this was the movie adaptation of the Broadway play based on the autobiography of legendary striptease artiste' Gypsy Rose Lee. Only the last third of the movie dealt with Gypsy's life as a burlesque queen. But it left a lasting impression on me. Burlesque like pro wrestling came across to me as something both glamorous and seedy.








Pro wrestling always seemed like a burlesque of big time sport. Boxing specifically , though the analogy pro wrestling is to amateur wrestling as striptease is to ballet works too. Pro wrestling had Ricki Starr and Gorilla Monsoon.While burlesque had Candy Barr and Tempest Storm. Back in the 80s I did some work for John Mozzer's underground comic WEIRD SMUT. I created two (forgive the joke) "strips" for the first two issues starring ecdysiast, Stella Starlett and Sugar Caine. Both features were illustrated by pin-up cartoonist supreme Bill Ward.

I had been introduced to Ward's art back in the 60s in the pages of mags like HUMORAMA. These were magazines that featured recycled burlesque jokes , pin-up pictures of Hollywood starlets and strippers in lingerie and swim-wear and pin-up cartoons by Ward and others , like Dan De Carlo. I absolutely loved Ward's work. I think I enjoyed his cartoons even more than the " girlie photos ". But it was funny looking at De Carlo's pin-up cartoons with strippers and bathing beauties that looked like Betty , Veronica and Midge a couple of years after a graduation from Riverdale High School.

We make comics! Currently you can grab JUDO COMICS. We also make comics for this very blog. A few weeks ago you met the Bronze Adonis. In that strip you also met a lovely young lady. And she's back....Miss Ginger Snaps~

Mexico's Justice League by Dave Goode

 

By their very nature Mexico's masked wrestler movies a.k.a Mexiluchahero movies can only be described as psychotronic. What with their colorfully costumed heroes having comic book-like adventures with alien invaders , mad scientists , mummies , vampires , werewolves and zombies what else could they be described as? And none of these flicks were more psychotronic than the Los Campeones Justicieros series. Better known in the U.S.A as the Champions of Justice trilogy. I consider the first film from this series to be the best. And it has what I consider to be the best team. Blue Demon , Mil Mascaras , Tinieblas , el Medico Asesino and el Sombra Vengadora.

The 1971 movie was directed by Federico Curiel and written by Rogelio Agrasanchez , Rafael Garcia Travesi , Ramon Obon and Valente Perez. The flick has five Mexiluchaheroes team up to thwart a mad scientist known as the Black Hand and his minions , including a squad of midgets in Halloween-like superhero costumes. There is also a plethora of Mexican pulchritude on parade provided by the actresses portraying our heroes' goddaughters/nieces. Do you remember the scene in the blockbuster movie PRETTY WOMAN between Julia Roberts and Elinor Donahue. Roberts tells Donahue that Richard Gere isn't really her uncle. And Donahue replies " They never are dear. "

The best remembered scene in this flick may be the one where the villain gives his team of  costumed midgets super-strength. It's hilarious watching the Black Hand's miniscule minions toss around the muscular heroes like rag-dolls. Almost as funny is the scene where their super-strength wears off and the heroes turn the tables on them. If you're a fan of psychotronica and Mexiluchahero movies and have never seen this flick or it's two sequels ( Vuelven Los Campeones Justicieros and Triunfo Los Campeones Justicieros ) search them out. You won't be sorry.

If you're a fan of comic book hero teams check out this alternate-universe JLA illustration by Vance Capley. It features Dr.Judo , Mr. Incognito , the Phantom Gorilla and the Judo Twins (Judo Jim & Judo Jenny).

Where Was The Sequel? by Dave Goode

One of my favorite flicks from the sinew & sandal genre is SAMSON AND HIS MIGHTY CHALLENGE. Not to be confused with HERCULES , SAMSON AND ULYSSES. This one features the strength heroes Samson , Hercules , Maciste and Ursus. Directed by Giorgio Capitani and written by Sandro Continenza and Roberto Gianviti this movie was a wonderful spoof of the genre and was originally titled ERCOLE , SANSONE , MACISTE E URSUS GLI INVICBLI. Hercules getting top billing makes more sense as he carries the picture.





Alan Steel is great as a narcissistic, ego-driven Hercules. He even bullies Samson, played by Nadir Moretti, after the biblical strongman has his hair cut by Delilah. In an interesting switch from the Bible Delilah is Samson's wife. And she doesn't cut his hair to betray him to the Philistines. But to keep him from chasing after other women. Maciste in this movie is played by Howard Ross. And Ursus is portrayed by Yann Larvor. Any of these four musclemen could have carried a movie on their own.

 Also notable are the women in the film. Moira Orphei portrays Delilah. And she's really quite stunning. Interestingly enough her cousin Liana Orphei played the Philistine temptress in the movie HERCULES , SAMSON AND ULYSSES. Helene Chanel never looked more beautiful than she does here as the oracle Onfale as opposed to the Princess Omphale played by Elisa Montes. Montes has one of the funniest lines in the movie. When told that Samson once killed one thousand Philistine soldiers using the jawbone of an ass she asks " Was that the best weapon he could find? ".

The movie climaxes with a free-for-all with the four heroes. And it ends with them riding off together. A perfect springboard into a sequel or two or three. But unfortunately we never got one.

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Steve Ditko...Luchador Artist by Dave Goode

When I first heard of the controversy involving the creation of Spider-Man's costume and Halloween costume designer Ben Cooper I was quite stunned. To be fair there is a superficial resemblance between the Spider Man costume created by Cooper's company in the 1950s and the one familiar to comic book readers.

But I always assumed that Steve Ditko's inspiration was the costume Warren Hull wore in the two Spider serials for Columbia , based on the popular pulp magazine hero. And this costume bore no  resemblance to the one the character wore in the pulps. But to me if a character has "spider" any place in his name he (or she) should have some sort of webbing on their costume. If anything Ditko's mask looked like that of Mexican wrestling icon el Santo. Only in red and covered with black webbing. Which makes me wonder if Ditko was a fan of lucha libre. After all the first person Peter Parker takes on after gaining his spider powers in Amazing Fantasy No.15 (August 1962) is pro wrestler Crusher Hogan.

If you've ever seen a Ditko-drawn fight scene you can't help but marvel at how the two protagonists look like acrobatic wrestlers in action. That's why for years I could readily imagine Ditko illustrating comic book adaptations of el Santo's and Blue Demon's movies. Or adaptations of Mil Mascaras movies while working in a tag-team with Wally Wood inking his pencils. Also a number of characters created or co-created by Ditko wore masks that would have done any luchador proud. In fact the villain in Beware The Creeper No.1 (June 1968) not only has a pretty cool mask. But talks about his physical training. The same type a champion luchador may have undergone.

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