V.w.verweij
Shared posts
18 Jul 18:57
joequinones: jordangibson: DC’s October solicits are out! I...
DC’s October solicits are out! I colored Joe Quinones’ cover for Batgirl!!
Hey! jordangibson collaborated with me on a Batgirl cover. Woo!
Yall should follow Joe and Jordan, my cool buddies, so talented, so kewl
18 Jul 18:43
americasgreatoutdoors: Formed from water running through...
Formed from water running through sandstone, Antelope Canyon is both a sacred site for the Navajo and a favorite destination for tourists from all over the world. The canyon walls rise 120 feet tall and streams of sunlight radiate down from the opening in the top of the canyon, creating a stunning scene for photographs. Antelope Canyon is located near Page, Arizona, and is a Navajo Tribal Park. Today, more than 800 Native Youth are participating in the first-ever White House Tribal Youth Gathering, an event designed to help remove the barriers to success for young Native Americans.
Photo by Michael Buikus (www.sharetheexperience.org).
17 Jul 13:50
Arlington’s Spotify Playlist Heavy on Country, Indie Music
by Heather Mongilio
V.w.verweijBoring.
Arlingtonians have an inordinate love of country and indie music, at least according to the most-played songs on Spotify’s “Sounds of Arlington VA” playlist.
Spotify, a streaming music service, released playlists of the most popular songs in various cities “relative to the rest of the world.” In other words, song that are distinctively popular in Arlington but less so elsewhere in the world.
While Arlington is a county, it was one of the “cities” to get its own playlist.
The top five songs on Arlington’s list are
- “John Cougar, John Deere, John 3:16″ by Keith Urban
- “The Fool” by Ryn Weaver
- “How Bad We Need Each Other” by Marc Scibilia
- “Dime Store Cowgirl” by Kacey Musgraves
- “Roses” by the Chainsmokers
Country music is highly represented on the playlist. Country singers to make the list include Kacey Musgraves, Luke Bryan, newcomer Canaan Smith, Dierks Bentley, Hunter Hayes, Rascal Flatts and Miranda Lambert.
While there are exceptions, especially in the form of songs from Kacey Musgrave, most of the country songs on the list can be heard on country radio stations or iTunes’ Top 100 Downloads.
Outside of country music, the playlist also heavily features indie bands and jumps between different genres with songs from Ryn Weaver, Halsey, Vance Joy and John Newman, among others.
Logo via Spotify
12 Jul 00:23
buy this print!
So a while ago I was either watching a video on youtube or reading an article where someone was quoting Sojourner Truth, and I don't even remember what the thing was, but in the comments section someone had written "look up her picture, she was OLD" and then they said something mean about her looks. I thought, I mean, it's pretty amazing to accuse and dismiss someone born in 1797 for being old and not hot enough to listen to.
I wonder how many speeches ever made (outside of movies) have ever gotten anyone to do anything because I have never heard a speech irl that would even get me out of bed.
Hark, A Vagrant: S. Truth, Jenkins
buy this print!
So a while ago I was either watching a video on youtube or reading an article where someone was quoting Sojourner Truth, and I don't even remember what the thing was, but in the comments section someone had written "look up her picture, she was OLD" and then they said something mean about her looks. I thought, I mean, it's pretty amazing to accuse and dismiss someone born in 1797 for being old and not hot enough to listen to.
I wonder how many speeches ever made (outside of movies) have ever gotten anyone to do anything because I have never heard a speech irl that would even get me out of bed.
03 Jul 21:17
Here is what a Burrito Sized Sushi Looks Like
by Prince Of Petworth
Buredo’s soft opening [825 14th Street, NW] still seems to be in full effect – thanks to a reader for sharing a photo of what it looks like.
03 Jul 21:17
House of the Day
by Prince Of Petworth
V.w.verweijHELLO WOULD YOU LIKE TO HEAR ABOUT OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST?
03 Jul 21:16
Your Afternoon Animal Fix
by Prince Of Petworth
V.w.verweijRANGER
If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 6-8 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.
“Meet Penny from Petworth, a 1.5-year old lab/border collie mix. Big shout out to WARL for an easy adoption process.”
“Maui of guarding his territory in Columbia Heights.”
“Ranger being overwhelmed by options in Edgewood.”
03 Jul 19:48
andy hutchinson
joanne paquette
joannne paquette
naomi paquette
naomi paquette
joanne paquette
nubbsgalore: the bioluminescent noctiluca scintillans – an...
andy hutchinson
joanne paquette
joannne paquette
naomi paquette
naomi paquette
joanne paquette
the bioluminescent noctiluca scintillans – an algae known otherwise as sea sparkle – of australia’s jervis bay. photos by (click pic) andy hutchinson, joanne paquette and naomi paquette.
02 Jul 21:15
The Airedale Gastropub and Beer Garden coming to former Mad Momos space in Columbia Heights
by Prince Of Petworth
V.w.verweijWhat.
I am cautiously optimistic. I was ridiculously optimistic prior to Mad Momos opening, so now I will throw a little caution in. But I have to admit dogs and beer gardens do make me a bit giddy…
Mad Momos abruptly closed back in January. Updates when more is known.
3605 14th St, NW
02 Jul 21:14
Random Reader Rant and/or Revel
by Prince Of Petworth
Photo by PoPville flickr user Jim Havard
You can talk about whatever is on your mind – quality of life issues, a beautiful tree you spotted, scuttlebutt, or any random questions/thoughts you may have. But please no personal attacks and no need to correct people’s grammar. This is a place to vent and/or celebrate things about daily life in DC.
01 Jul 20:33
Your Afternoon Animal Fix
by Prince Of Petworth
If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 6-8 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.
“Pippa from Columbia Heights”
“hanging out at the S St dog park”
“My Zsa Zsa, a 5 year old Cockapoo, with a tennis ball she found behind the courts at Carter. Baron. We live in 16th Street Heights.”
01 Jul 18:14
This ornithologist didn't stand idly by when this elegant but endangered crane species refused to take on a mate.
Man courts whooping crane for three years to save it from extinction (Video)
by Kimberley Mok
This ornithologist didn't stand idly by when this elegant but endangered crane species refused to take on a mate.
29 Jun 22:18
americasgreatoutdoors: This skunk family at Necedah National...
This skunk family at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge is so stinkin’ cute!
Nestled in central Wisconsin, Necedah hosts habitats including wetlands, prairies, savannas and forests. The usfws refuge is home to whooping cranes, trumpeter swans, skunks and red-headed woodpeckers. Visitors to Necedah can enjoy great hiking trails and wildlife viewing. Video by Ariel Lepito.
29 Jun 17:15
So beetles may not be the most obvious pollinators, or even the prettiest or best, but they are vital for the pollination of many of our plants. They may even have ulterior motives for visiting flowers, to eat the pollen or sex, but they are important, if under appreciated none the less.
Beetle Pollinators
by noreply@blogger.com (Alonso Abugattas)
 |
| Long-horned Locust Borer Beetle (a yellowjacket mimic) on Goldenrod |
To conclude National Pollinator Week, let's look at one of the least known, but vital, pollinators: beetles. Due to their sheer numbers (there are more beetle species than any other group of animals studied) they are responsible for a considerable amount of plant pollination. They are also one of the most primitive pollinators, among the first group of animals to start visiting flowers. Beetles are still the primary movers of pollen for numerous plant families, especially primitive ones like magnolias.
 |
| Chafer Beetles on Maple-leaf Viburnum |
Although many beetles can see color, they often depend on detecting the aromas of the blooms instead. These are not always pleasant smells (or the brightest colors) either, since they are attracted to numerous kinds of odors, including those of rotting meat for instance. That's why many beetle pollinated plants are brown or dark and not the most pleasant to us.
Beetles also pollinate in a different manner than most other pollinators. Many of them actually eat the pollen, and in so doing, transfer it to other flowers. They often defecate in the flowers while eating there and so are sometimes referred to as "mess and soil" pollinators. |
| Margined Leatherwing Soldier Beetles mating while pollinating Dogbane |
Beetles also often have more reasons that just a meal to visit flowers. Since they are grouping there already and are attracted to the flower due to smell and/or color, they make a great place to meet other beetles. Beetles often use the blooms as places to mate, sometimes having orgies in the flowers themselves.
 |
| Click Beetles inside a Sessile Trillium flower |
So beetles may not be the most obvious pollinators, or even the prettiest or best, but they are vital for the pollination of many of our plants. They may even have ulterior motives for visiting flowers, to eat the pollen or sex, but they are important, if under appreciated none the less.
D.C. is "the most Most Facial Hair Friendly City in America." [ 
26 Jun 22:48
The yet unnamed cephalopod cutie-pie is in need of a moniker.
Cutest tiny octopus may be formally named ‘adorabilis’ by scientists
by Melissa Breyer
The yet unnamed cephalopod cutie-pie is in need of a moniker.
26 Jun 22:45
Your Afternoon Animal Fix
by Prince Of Petworth
If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 6-8 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.
“Stella-Capitol Hill’s new pup checking out Lincoln Park”
“Sonny, Ukrainian cat who currently resides in Cleveland Park”
“Winston LeBlanc of Rockville, MD.”
25 Jun 21:36
Somebody Will be Offended by This – Yoga Mortis at Congressional Cemetery every Monday
by Prince Of Petworth
From an email:
“Congressional Cemetery [1801 E Street, SE] holds weekly yoga classes called ‘Yoga Mortis’, donation-based vinyasa flow classes in the Chapel. Yoga Mortis is held every Monday from 6 to 7 pm. All levels are welcome and no reservations are necessary. Props and a limited number of mats are provided, but feel free to bring your own. Come as you are wearing comfortable, flexible, clothing. The suggested donation is $10.”
25 Jun 01:07
Breaches of Subway Etiquette, Ranked
by Brendan O'Connor
54. Gross kissing.
53. Talking on the phone on an above-ground train.
52. Talking on the phone on a subterranean train (how???).
51. Being a dick to the people handing out copies of the day’s AM New York or Metro New York.
50. Not moving so a pair of friends can sit together.
49. Not making way for people transferring across the platform from one train to another.
48. Not taking your backpack off and putting it between your feet when the train is crowded.
47. Not consolidating your groceries.
46. Rolling your eyes at someone with a stroller.
45. Not distributing evenly across the entire platform.
44. Not getting out of the Showtime Kids’ way.
43. Acknowledging the Showtime Kids in any way other than to get out of their way and maybe watch out of the corner of your eye and smile a little bit, unless they’re really good.
42. Bringing your bike on the train (non-rush hours)
41. Eating smelly food.
40. Eating messy food.
39. Eating food that looks good.
38. Bringing non-service animals onto the train during rush hour.
37. Making eye contact.
36. Singing.
35. Talking loudly.
34. Talking to your friend who is sitting on the other side of the car.
33. Talking to me.
32. Exiting through the turnstiles when there is a rush of people trying to make the train.
31. Exiting through the turnstiles after someone has already just swiped.
30. Failing to swipe your MTA card correctly more than three times; it’s not your fault, but you still need to get in the back of the line and start over.
29. Sticking your feet out into the middle of the subway car when sitting.
28. Not giving the kid selling snacks a dollar for a snack (unless he’s being extremely annoying about it).
27. Spilling a liquid on the seat and not cleaning it up.
26. Listening to music without headphones.
25. Listening to music with headphones, but super loudly.
24. Beatboxing.
23. Not offering a swipe, on your way out, if you have an unlimited monthly card, to people who are looking for a swipe.
22. Anything that would otherwise normally take place in a bathroom:
a. Picking nose.
b. Cleaning ears.
c. Clipping nails.
21. Bike on the train (rush hours)
20. Not moving to the center of the car when it’s crowded.
19. Leaving your garbage behind—except today’s newspaper.
18. Walking too slowly up the left side of the escalator.
17. Stopping on the left side of the escalator.
16. Stopping on the staircase to send an email or text message.
15. Stopping at the bottom of the stairs or escalator.
14. Stopping at the top of the stairs or escalator.
13. Stopping anywhere, for any reason, other than the platform.
12. Using your laptop on the train.
11. Manspreading.
10. Not moving in order to maximize the number of bodies that can fit on the bench.
9. Not leaning forward, to allow more people to sit back, if you are a wider person.
8. Getting frustrated with other people on the bench. You’re sitting—check your prviasjldfk.
7. Leaning against the middle pole with your whole body.
6. Not getting up for a pregnant lady, or an elderly person, or a person with a handicap, or a person who has sustained a debilitating injury.
5. Not helping someone with a stroller carry the stroller up or down the stairs.
4. Holding the door for someone who is oh-my-god-so-close-please-hold-the-door to making the train. Leave them, they’re on their own now. It’s not your responsibility to help them get to work on time.*
3. Not letting people get off the train first before getting on it.
2. Not getting out of the way of people getting off the train.
1. Drinking a drink from a can or bottle and letting the condensation drip onto someone who is seated.
* However, if they do get a foot or hand in the door, you should help them open it, because good effort.
24 Jun 16:35
Cool New Public Seating in Shaw
by Prince Of Petworth
8th and Florida Ave, NW
Well done The Shay, well done.
Note the lights overhead too:
24 Jun 03:10
In honor of National Pollinator Week (June 15-21, 2015), it makes sense to honor the best of the animal pollinators: bees. Most people are aware of how important bees are for pollination of plants, including some 70% of our crops. What they do not often realize is that we have some 400 or so native bee species in our region, most of which are not at all like the introduced European Honeybee. Honeybees were were brought to the USA in to Jamestown, Virginia, in 1627. They are of course extremely valuable for the way we conduct our agriculture and to give us honey, but we need to realize that wild plants were doing fine (maybe even better) before these generalist bees arrived. Our native plants likely would do fine whether honeybees were here or not today. While most people think that all bees are like the social European honeybees (living in hives with a queen, making honey, and only capable of stinging once), they really are the exception and different from the other 4,000 or so other species we have in North America. There are also about 40 species of non native bees in the US, including the European Honeybee.
The one shown above is usually called the Hibiscus Bee, Ptilothrix bombiformis, which needs pollen from plants in the Mallow family (including hibiscus) to reproduce. I noticed these digging their burrows in one of our Natural Resource Conservation Areas, Arlington Forest Park. They do indeed look like a bumble bee (thus the scientific epithet bombiformis meaning "in the form of a bumblebee"), but unlike them, they dig solitary burrows in the ground. Thanks to friend and colleague Sam Droege, one of the best bee guys in the country, for the help in identification.
Bees
by noreply@blogger.com (Alonso Abugattas)
 |
| Metallic Sweat Bees feeding on a Greenheaded Coneflower |
The vast majority of our native bees for example are actually solitary, with a single female bee taking care of her young, collecting nectar and pollen for them all by herself. She is extremely non-aggressive and many are incapable of even having their stingers pierce our skin. Should that happen however, multiple defensive stings are possible. The reason solitary bees do not sting however is that they would prefer to fly away and not defend their nest, for if the solitary mother dies, her nest and eggs are dead anyways. Better to run away and start over. Honeybees live for the hive, the workers themselves really not even reproducing, so all they care about is defending their nest, even if they lose their lives stinging in the process.
Most male solitary bees also fend for themselves and are efficient pollinators by the way, unlike honeybees. No male bees of any species (or wasps for that matter) can sting by the way, since stingers are modified ovipositors (egg layers) and males cannot lay eggs of course.
Most male solitary bees also fend for themselves and are efficient pollinators by the way, unlike honeybees. No male bees of any species (or wasps for that matter) can sting by the way, since stingers are modified ovipositors (egg layers) and males cannot lay eggs of course.
 |
| Ground nesting bees and their holes |
70% of all bees live underground (the other 30% often rely on cavities in trees, plants, walls, and many other locations), usually in burrows they dig and then provision with nectar and pollen for their developing young. While each solitary bee lives by herself and takes on all the work alone, if the habitat is right, many female bees may nest near each other. Good real estate in a nice neighborhood can be hard to find (especially since agricultural practices like plowing can be so detrimental to them). After collecting enough food and laying eggs, the mother bee dies and the bee larvae develop on their own until they emerge, often the next year.
Another thing many people do not realize is that although bees can visit many different types of flowers to feed on for themselves, almost half of our native species are specialists in the type of pollen they need to feed their young. These specialist bees, often needing the pollen of a single family, genus, or even a single species of flower, are called oligolectic bees. If the specific (normally native) flowers are not available, the bees cannot reproduce. This is another reason to include a great diversity of native flowers in our yards and preserve them in our parks. They need the flowers they evolved with or they simply cannot survive.
 |
| Hibiscus Bee Ptilothrix bombiformis, digging her burrow |
The one shown above is usually called the Hibiscus Bee, Ptilothrix bombiformis, which needs pollen from plants in the Mallow family (including hibiscus) to reproduce. I noticed these digging their burrows in one of our Natural Resource Conservation Areas, Arlington Forest Park. They do indeed look like a bumble bee (thus the scientific epithet bombiformis meaning "in the form of a bumblebee"), but unlike them, they dig solitary burrows in the ground. Thanks to friend and colleague Sam Droege, one of the best bee guys in the country, for the help in identification.
These bees are remarkable in that they not only dig burrows, but carry water over on their fuzzy bodies to wet the ground enough to help them in their excavation. The dirt they pull out is often formed into little turrets that surround the entrance to their hole. They are living in this park because they have the bare, well-drained ground they need, a water source nearby, and of course the plants in the Mallow family that they love.
This is just one of our 400+ bee species. So this National Pollinator Week, honor all pollinators, but realize that none are better than our native bees.
This is just one of our 400+ bee species. So this National Pollinator Week, honor all pollinators, but realize that none are better than our native bees.
 |
| A male Perplexing Bumblebee (Bombus perplexus) pollinating a flower. Bumblebees are one of the few native social bees, though their nests only last one season. |
23 Jun 03:36
Before internet porn, teenagers had to go to great lengths to score masturbatory material. If a boy couldn't steal girlie mags from his old man, he had to make do with whatever newsdealers would sell him. Goodman recognized this lucrative untapped market, and thus was the adventure sleaze magazine created.
The big selling point of these rags were the illustrations of bodacious babes, as uncovered as Goodman could get away with. Imagine how many thousands of teenage horndogs drooled over the "Man Hungry Nymph Who Stole Red China's Secret Super-MIG"! Goodman no doubt paid Norem more for the paintings than he did for the stories themselves!
My introduction to Norem came much later, in the Seventies, when he became the go-to cover artist for Marvel's magazine line, which featured titles like Monsters Unleashed, Dracula Lives and The Savage Sword of Conan. Goodman was long gone, as were the adventure sleaze mags. Marvel put out a dozen magazines a month to try to grab some of competitor Warren's audience. Marvel's publisher was now Stan Lee, and he recognized that Warren's covers often sold the magazine, which frankly, were full of less than stellar material. Warren shelled out top dollar for the covers of Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella by A-list talent like Frazetta, Jeff Jones and Richard Corben. Marvel couldn't (or more likely, wouldn't) pay for that kind of muscle, but here was old friend Earl Norem, waiting in the wings.
I didn't much care for his Marvel mag covers, to be honest. But they led me back to the work of his sleaze mag heyday and that stuff simply blew me away. I found piles of them at Kay's Books in downtown Cleveland, priced for a few cents each.
The Silver Surfer GN is a tepid re-hash of Kirby's original Surfer-Galactus story that was such a cult hit a decade earlier, and which Stan desperately clung to as proof that he could actually write (he couldn't), even though, of course, he DIDN'T write the original FF Trilogy. Kirby did. Lee just filled in the word balloons with hokey dialogue, based on Kirby's detailed margin notes.
The Silver Surfer was the first book Stan "wrote" since 1971 when he was promoted to Marvel publisher. It came on the heels of his infamous Origin of Marvel Comics, where Lee first made the outrageous claim that he was the sole creator of all the great Marvel characters, a brazen lie that infuriated Kirby.
The Silver Surfer GN is a soapy weeper, minus the FF, and with an added romantic interest (!) and a cosmic sex scene (!!) with Stan, as usual, striving mightily to be deep, and failing spectacularly. It's Lee at his absolute worst and his dialogue is even worse than usual. It's better than the Surfer comic book series, thanks to Jack. Not a high bar, since those Surfer book are the dreariest of the Silver Age, a turgid mess of a series, with Stan fucking up a cult hit with tiresome allegories as obvious as a hammer blow to the head. The actual politics behind those allegories are totally mainstream and craven. It's Stan, the middle-aged cool dad trying to "rap with kids." When the book was mercifully canceled by Martin Goodman, Stan bawled endlessly about how brilliant it was, and that it failed commercially because, although college kids loved it, the stupid 11-year-old readers just didn't "get it." He repeats this fantasy to this day. No Stan. Your Silver Surfer wasn't too deep. It just sucked.
This GN is the final "collaboration" between Lee and Kirby. It's not a great book, although the art is Jack's best of his late period. Lee & Kirby bickered throughout, with Lee audaciously demanding changes to the art. Kirby's second Marvel contract ended with this, and, fed up with Lee's lies and shameless gloryhogging, and tired of being denied the compensation he so deserved, he would never work again for the company he essentially created. The Marvel Age ended right here, with the publication of the Surfer GN. So, too, did my interest in mainstream comics.
Norem's cover here is a dud. The combo of a Norem painting over a Kirby layout doesn't work at all! Guess Lee, typically, felt the cover needed more of a "book" feel than Kirby could provide, so his hokey doggeral could be "properly" showcased. Wrong call again, Stan!
I remember buying this at the chain bookstore in the mall. You never saw comix in regular bookstores then, so it really stood out. I also remember thinking, man, this cover sucks.
I prefer to remember Norem at his best.
Earl Norem, the King of Adventure Sleaze!
by Derf Backderf
V.w.verweijAction for MEN
The great Earl Norem passed away last weekend, at 92. Norem was the top illustrator of the adventure sleaze mags of the Fifties and Sixties. The newsstands were full of these rags, which paired junk fiction of the lowest brow with provocative large illustrations of busty, scantily clad babes engaged in various acts of over-the-top violence.
The publisher of most this marvelous trash was none other than Martin Goodman, who was also the founder and publisher of Marvel Comics. Comic books were low-profit enterprises back then. The big money was in porn, and this was the foundation of Goodman's vast publishing empire His son, Chip, held on to the porn mags long after the family foolishly sold Marvel, finally selling the last ones in 1993, just before the internet wiped out the titty mags.
Norem began painting for Goodman's magazine line when he returned from WWII. He was prolific and fast. Working in acrylic paint, he provided hundreds of covers and double-page illustrations for softcore sleaze mags like Stag, Men's Life and Men.
The publisher of most this marvelous trash was none other than Martin Goodman, who was also the founder and publisher of Marvel Comics. Comic books were low-profit enterprises back then. The big money was in porn, and this was the foundation of Goodman's vast publishing empire His son, Chip, held on to the porn mags long after the family foolishly sold Marvel, finally selling the last ones in 1993, just before the internet wiped out the titty mags.
Norem began painting for Goodman's magazine line when he returned from WWII. He was prolific and fast. Working in acrylic paint, he provided hundreds of covers and double-page illustrations for softcore sleaze mags like Stag, Men's Life and Men.
Before internet porn, teenagers had to go to great lengths to score masturbatory material. If a boy couldn't steal girlie mags from his old man, he had to make do with whatever newsdealers would sell him. Goodman recognized this lucrative untapped market, and thus was the adventure sleaze magazine created.
The big selling point of these rags were the illustrations of bodacious babes, as uncovered as Goodman could get away with. Imagine how many thousands of teenage horndogs drooled over the "Man Hungry Nymph Who Stole Red China's Secret Super-MIG"! Goodman no doubt paid Norem more for the paintings than he did for the stories themselves!
My introduction to Norem came much later, in the Seventies, when he became the go-to cover artist for Marvel's magazine line, which featured titles like Monsters Unleashed, Dracula Lives and The Savage Sword of Conan. Goodman was long gone, as were the adventure sleaze mags. Marvel put out a dozen magazines a month to try to grab some of competitor Warren's audience. Marvel's publisher was now Stan Lee, and he recognized that Warren's covers often sold the magazine, which frankly, were full of less than stellar material. Warren shelled out top dollar for the covers of Creepy, Eerie and Vampirella by A-list talent like Frazetta, Jeff Jones and Richard Corben. Marvel couldn't (or more likely, wouldn't) pay for that kind of muscle, but here was old friend Earl Norem, waiting in the wings.
I didn't much care for his Marvel mag covers, to be honest. But they led me back to the work of his sleaze mag heyday and that stuff simply blew me away. I found piles of them at Kay's Books in downtown Cleveland, priced for a few cents each.
Norem's death reminded me that he also painted the cover for The Silver Surfer graphic novel in 1978. Or, rather, he re-drew (or, I guess, re-painted) the original Jack Kirby cover. Above left is the Kirby original, later inked and colored by parties unknown. To the right, is Norem's reinterpretation. It's a pity he is associated with this book, the backstory of which is one of the saddest tales in Marvel history.
This was one of the first original GNs. It came out the same year as Eisner's Contract With God, commonly considered the first original graphic novel. It's not, but it was Eisner who coined the term "graphic novel," for better or worse, and jumpstarted the current GN Golden Age we all now enjoy.
The Silver Surfer GN is a tepid re-hash of Kirby's original Surfer-Galactus story that was such a cult hit a decade earlier, and which Stan desperately clung to as proof that he could actually write (he couldn't), even though, of course, he DIDN'T write the original FF Trilogy. Kirby did. Lee just filled in the word balloons with hokey dialogue, based on Kirby's detailed margin notes.
The Silver Surfer was the first book Stan "wrote" since 1971 when he was promoted to Marvel publisher. It came on the heels of his infamous Origin of Marvel Comics, where Lee first made the outrageous claim that he was the sole creator of all the great Marvel characters, a brazen lie that infuriated Kirby.
The Silver Surfer GN is a soapy weeper, minus the FF, and with an added romantic interest (!) and a cosmic sex scene (!!) with Stan, as usual, striving mightily to be deep, and failing spectacularly. It's Lee at his absolute worst and his dialogue is even worse than usual. It's better than the Surfer comic book series, thanks to Jack. Not a high bar, since those Surfer book are the dreariest of the Silver Age, a turgid mess of a series, with Stan fucking up a cult hit with tiresome allegories as obvious as a hammer blow to the head. The actual politics behind those allegories are totally mainstream and craven. It's Stan, the middle-aged cool dad trying to "rap with kids." When the book was mercifully canceled by Martin Goodman, Stan bawled endlessly about how brilliant it was, and that it failed commercially because, although college kids loved it, the stupid 11-year-old readers just didn't "get it." He repeats this fantasy to this day. No Stan. Your Silver Surfer wasn't too deep. It just sucked.
This GN is the final "collaboration" between Lee and Kirby. It's not a great book, although the art is Jack's best of his late period. Lee & Kirby bickered throughout, with Lee audaciously demanding changes to the art. Kirby's second Marvel contract ended with this, and, fed up with Lee's lies and shameless gloryhogging, and tired of being denied the compensation he so deserved, he would never work again for the company he essentially created. The Marvel Age ended right here, with the publication of the Surfer GN. So, too, did my interest in mainstream comics.
Norem's cover here is a dud. The combo of a Norem painting over a Kirby layout doesn't work at all! Guess Lee, typically, felt the cover needed more of a "book" feel than Kirby could provide, so his hokey doggeral could be "properly" showcased. Wrong call again, Stan!
I remember buying this at the chain bookstore in the mall. You never saw comix in regular bookstores then, so it really stood out. I also remember thinking, man, this cover sucks.
I prefer to remember Norem at his best.
17 Jun 22:50
The Hilltop still coming to Sherman Ave
by Prince Of Petworth
2737 Sherman Avenue, NW at Girard
It’s a miracle – thanks to a reader for sending “new signage up at The Hilltop!”
17 Jun 19:19
karnythia: note-a-bear: thekumazone: laughhard: This hawk...
by areshoekiddingme
V.w.verweijHawkward
This hawk came into my house this morning and made a complete fool of himself
that face says “dont look at me”
“Jen, I know this looks bad, but I just needed to talk to you”
“So listen, I know you said I have to stop eating drunken mice, but it was Dave’s birthday and…”
16 Jun 19:43
Your Afternoon Animal Fix
by Prince Of Petworth
If you have any animal/pet photos you’d like to share please send an email to princeofpetworth(at)gmail(dot)com with ‘Animal Fix’ in the title and say the name of your pet and your neighborhood. Your photos will go into the queue (usually 6-8 weeks wait) and will be posted in the order I receive them. If you’ve already entered your pet and would like to do so again – that’s no problem – just space the entries out a bit. Please try to send horizontal photos 640×480 (medium size on your iphone) if possible. If you’re not using an iphone any size is fine.
“Bob, originally from the Dominican Republic is enjoying his first Memorial Day weekend on Capitol Hill.”
“Sam, new resident of Kalorama”
“Sneeze the Schnoodle from Mt. Pleasant with his favorite toy.”