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Post by majestic on Dec 18, 2021 20:09:40 GMT -5
My story is similar. I started reading late Silver Age and discovered Golden Age stories through reprints in DC's and Marvel's giant sized issues. Then during the 70's Roy Thomas really ignited my love of the Golden Age with All Star Comics with the JSA. All Star Squadron. The Invaders. Looking forward to this thread.
Also Alan Scott is my favorite Green Lantern |
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
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Post by shaxper on Dec 19, 2021 14:26:25 GMT -5
Really excited to follow this thread. While I enjoy the Golden Age in short bursts, I definitely struggle to sit and read any of DC's Golden Age characters for multiple issues at a time. So I'm excited to watch you do it for me!
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Post by MWGallaher on Dec 19, 2021 17:33:55 GMT -5
From the early Green Lantern stories, it seems like the initially intended tone was quite different than what the series quickly evolved into. The stories give off a pulp-ish vibe, with GL a mysterious character who walks through walls and hypnotizes his enemies with his ring, evoking, to me anyway, The Shadow, not Superman. That garish color scheme didn't really suit such a character, and I'm betting Mart Nodell didn't anticipate that red, purple, green and yellow mess when he was producing those first pages. I suspect he intended a darker, mostly monochrome outfit. (Note: I have a tremendous fondness for that fashion crime that is the GA GL costume, and I wear my mostly red Green Lantern long-sleeve t-shirt as my traditional Christmas garb.)
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Post by chadwilliam on Dec 19, 2021 23:23:52 GMT -5
From the early Green Lantern stories, it seems like the initially intended tone was quite different than what the series quickly evolved into. The stories give off a pulp-ish vibe, with GL a mysterious character who walks through walls and hypnotizes his enemies with his ring, evoking, to me anyway, The Shadow, not Superman. That garish color scheme didn't really suit such a character, and I'm betting Mart Nodell didn't anticipate that red, purple, green and yellow mess when he was producing those first pages. I suspect he intended a darker, mostly monochrome outfit. (Note: I have a tremendous fondness for that fashion crime that is the GA GL costume, and I wear my mostly red Green Lantern long-sleeve t-shirt as my traditional Christmas garb.) Alan Scott
"Bizarre, perhaps. Dreaded... perhaps not."Bela Lugosi Alan Scott's thought process there isn't too far removed from Bruce Wayne's "Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot..." observations while he's contemplated just what form his war on crime should take. Not surprising since Bill Finger was handling both creations. There's an early Green Lantern story very similar to Batman's battle with Hugo Strange using giant Man-Monsters and all that. A number of swipes too in the artwork taken from issues of Batman and Detective making me wonder if Finger, who provided a lot of visual information to his artists, was offering Nodell references from these comics himself to assist in the process. Anyhow, I've long thought it interesting that a comic character so early on would acknowledge that, "Hey, the tights and cape look is a pretty weird look". |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 23, 2021 13:41:11 GMT -5
Plastic Man was one of the reasons they could legitimately call themselves Quality Comics. One of the very best and most innovative Golden Age features and one of those that has actually aged well.
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Post by majestic on Dec 27, 2021 15:50:30 GMT -5
Plastic Man and Capt Marvel are my father's favorites from he was a kid. I confess I really love 1940's Plastic Man (and the Marvel Family also) for this reason. He also got me to listen to old radio shows on cassette giving me my love of the Lone Ranger and others.
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Post by chadwilliam on Dec 27, 2021 22:10:59 GMT -5
"If I must fight evil beings, I must make myself a dreaded figure! I must have a costume that is so bizarre that once I am seen I will never be forgotten!"Alan Scott
"Bizarre, perhaps. Dreaded... perhaps not."Bela Lugosi Alan Scott's thought process there isn't too far removed from Bruce Wayne's "Criminals are a superstitious cowardly lot..." observations while he's contemplated just what form his war on crime should take. Not surprising since Bill Finger was handling both creations. There's an early Green Lantern story very similar to Batman's battle with Hugo Strange using giant Man-Monsters and all that. A number of swipes too in the artwork taken from issues of Batman and Detective making me wonder if Finger, who provided a lot of visual information to his artists, was offering Nodell references from these comics himself to assist in the process. Anyhow, I've long thought it interesting that a comic character so early on would acknowledge that, "Hey, the tights and cape look is a pretty weird look". and MWGallaher (and anyone else interested), I happened to stumble onto some more information you might find interesting on this topic. I was reorganizing some of my reference materials today and just happened to flip through Alter Ego #5 from 2000 and lo and behold, a lengthy interview by Roy Thomas with Nodell. A lot of discussion on the early character design. In addition to the high level summary I provided in my review, Mart noted a few other things going through his mind. After his initial meeting with Mayer and thinking about possible super-hero ideas, he cites drawing on his interests in both Chinese folklore and Greek mythology. He also mentions contemplating opera, and indicates the Wagnerian Ring Cycle was one of the first things that came to mind. And then of course the story of how that was followed by seeing the "green lantern" in the subway. Thanks for this, Supercat. I think the number of influences at play here explains why the outfit sort of does and doesn't work for me - it's a mish mash of ideas which seem to be leftovers from something else with each individual piece and color fighting to be noticed first. Am I supposed to notice his emblem first or the giant collar on his cloak? Why do my eyes get drawn to those yellow straps on his boots? Are they supposed to? Is his color green or red? What about purple? Is his cloak supposed to make him mysterious? Why then the bright colors? But if I look at it quickly and then quickly look away, it kind of leaves me with the impression that it's a pretty good costume. |
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Post by chadwilliam on Dec 27, 2021 22:12:35 GMT -5
Plastic Man was one of the reasons they could legitimately call themselves Quality Comics. One of the very best and most innovative Golden Age features and one of those that has actually aged well. I figure it's probably the closest we ever got to seeing what an EC produced superhero comic would have looked like. |
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Post by MDG on Dec 28, 2021 10:32:01 GMT -5
Plastic Man was one of the reasons they could legitimately call themselves Quality Comics. One of the very best and most innovative Golden Age features and one of those that has actually aged well. I figure it's probably the closest we ever got to seeing what an EC produced superhero comic would have looked like. EC had superhero comics of a sort...
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