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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Apr 22, 2015 13:45:20 GMT -5
I dunno if this will take off as a thread but I was thinking it would be cool to have a place to post examples of this being done in comics. Granted, some characters/series like Deadpool do it all the time but I want to see some more classic examples if possible. It can be inserting a creator into the story, referencing a real life movie or person. I am curious to see what the oldest example someone can find would be. I will start with one that is not old by any means but made me smile during my recent reading. It is from DD Vol 2 issue 8. Just a nice cross reference with the Who Watches The Watchmen spray painted on the fence, as well as some nods to the writers plus a Jay and Silent Bob reference to Kevin Smith (whose run just ended on the title). So post some examples! What series/issues are your favourites that use this technique? Or do you hate it when comics try to do this sort of thing? Attachment Deleted |
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Post by Action Ace on Apr 22, 2015 14:04:48 GMT -5
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Post by fanboystranger on Apr 22, 2015 14:23:51 GMT -5
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Post by fanboystranger on Apr 22, 2015 14:31:45 GMT -5
Another favorite of mine is Steve Gerber's final issue of Man-Thing where he basically tells us that writing all the social horror of the series was making him miserable. (Chris Claremont would try a similiar stunt during his M-T run, but it fell flat on its face.)
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Post by Phil Maurice on Apr 22, 2015 15:00:11 GMT -5
Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein appear as themselves in 1951's "Horror Beneath the Streets" from Haunt of Fear #17. It recounts how the EC publisher and his editor were forced to ink a deal with the Crypt-keeper so that he and his cohorts could spin their yarns in the comics.
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Post by MDG on Apr 22, 2015 15:01:28 GMT -5
I thought it was fun the first few times Byrne did it in She-Hulk, but by issue 3, it felt like he was doing it on every page. And of course...  |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,871
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Post by shaxper on Apr 22, 2015 15:05:19 GMT -5
Not exactly breaking the fourth wall, but kind of...  |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Apr 22, 2015 15:17:36 GMT -5
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Post by Cei-U! on Apr 22, 2015 16:02:08 GMT -5
I ran into this several times while researching my article for Alter Ego (now on sale!) as Sheldon Mayer was rather fond of the technique. Probably my favorite example is from All-Flash #14 (Spring '44), in which the Three Dimwits break into the AA offices and rearrange the pages for the very story they're in. Attachment DeletedIn the midst of the ensuing chaos, Green Lantern and Doiby Dickles pop up. Attachment DeletedCei-U! Sorry the reproduction is so dismal! |
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Post by pinkfloydsound17 on Apr 22, 2015 16:02:59 GMT -5
Loving the examples! These are all great actual fourth wall breakings. I realize my initial one wasn't really but I was still hoping that any unique references in comics would have a thread where they can be posted (maybe I should add that to the topic)?
Another example from the Volume 2 DD that I am reading that made me laugh. Murdock is in the hospital in issue 10 and he is detailing what is happening around him. He tells the reader that the nurse walks off to help the patient "with the gerbil problem". I can only assume this is in reference to the urban legend of Richard Gere and the gerbil. If you have never heard it, I suggest you look er up.
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Apr 22, 2015 17:47:18 GMT -5
What's that Silver Age Green Lantern story where the last page is the picture of the artist "Hi, I'm Gil Kane. We ran out of room in the comic, but let me TELL you what happens..."
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Post by Farrar on Apr 22, 2015 17:52:51 GMT -5
Great examples. Simon and Kirby were known to insert themselves into their works too, as here in Boy Commandos #1 from 1942. Joe comments on the (then-)Brooklyn Dodgers! UPDATE/ EDIT: Y'know, in rereading this thread, I'm not sure what I posted is what was asked for in terms of "breaking the fourth wall " in the OP. Sorry! So consider this a Simon-Kirby complement/precursor of sorts to Shax's great FF #10 Lee-Kirby sequence above.  |
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Post by MDG on Apr 22, 2015 17:59:52 GMT -5
What's that Silver Age Green Lantern story where the last page is the picture of the artist "Hi, I'm Gil Kane. We ran out of room in the comic, but let me TELL you what happens..." U'know, there's another GL story by Broome where he writes a caption with something like, "My editor allows me one coincidence per story. This is it." |
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Post by Phil Maurice on Apr 22, 2015 19:03:01 GMT -5
Human Torch #3 (Winter 1940) has a text piece in which the Sub-Mariner and the Human Torch battle over who is the better artist, Carl Burgos or Bill Everett. Sadly, I can't provide a scan, but it's nice to know that Timely was promoting their estimable talent even at this early date.
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Post by berkley on Apr 22, 2015 19:12:32 GMT -5
Another favorite of mine is Steve Gerber's final issue of Man-Thing where he basically tells us that writing all the social horror of the series was making him miserable. (Chris Claremont would try a similiar stunt during his M-T run, but it fell flat on its face.)
I remember when I saw the Claremont Man-Thing on the stands it struck me as a cynical attempt to sell it as more of what Gerber had given us on the series. But what Gerber had done was very unique and personal to him, not something you can package and formulise. And to expect Claremont of all writers to be able to emulate what Gerber had done was ridiculous. I enjoyed X-Men and Iron Fist and Marvel team-Up as much as anyone else, but he was never that kind of writer. This was one of several things that turned me away from Marvel at the time. Sometimes being cynically commercial will cost you readers, though I suppose never as many as you gain. |
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