Don Markstein's Toonopedia Blog Entries

EXCERPT: You've probably heard of the above-named panel, at least if you've lived any length of time in America, and didn't spend that time under a rock. You can be even older than me, and not remember a time when it wasn't a well-established newspaper feature — most likely, in your home town; but if not, then at least in a nearby one. In fact, if you happen to be reading this on the day it's posted (Feb. 5, 2008), and happened to glance at "Today in...

EXCERPT: My latest post reminded me, in a roundabout way, of something I was trying to figure out some time ago. I never did come up with any true info. It doesn't have anything to do with cartoons, but my deliberations took me through an interesting toon-related detour, so I guess it qualifies for this blog. (Anyway, it's my site, so if I say something qualifies, then it does. I'm as big a liberty lover as the next guy, but I can be pretty autocratic when I own the place.) ...

EXCERPT: I just posted an article on an obscure 1940s superhero called The Dart. His appearance reminded me, in some ways, of a more modern character. Before I say who, you might click over and see if you can guess who I'm talking about, and exactly what the connection is. It's — wait a second! You did look and guess, right? Okay then, go do it now. I'll wait. … Okay, it's Element Lad of The Legion of Super Heroes. And the reason, of course, is that arrow...

EXCERPT: Earlier today, I posted an article on Fast Willie Jackson, an Archie clone who happens to be black. "Happens to be black" almost, but not quite, completely describes him. He's more an Archie type than a a guy who makes a big deal of being black, but the publisher's reason for doing him seems to have had more to do with his blackness than his Archie-ness. Still, he reminded me of some e-mail correspondence I had a few years ago. I wrote about it in print at the...

EXCERPT: Less than a week before her second birthday, my granddaughter Megan is scarcely a baby anymore — she's becoming a kidolescent. One of the signs is a new behavior she exhibited yesterday. Knowing she'd need a fresh diaper in a few minutes, but didn't yet, she pointed at the potty and got an adult to help her prepare to use it. To the great relief of all, she then took care of her business without needing a change. I guess it's time for her mom to treat her to...

EXCERPT: A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about an Uncle Scrooge story called "Cajun Gold", which I'd just finished writing, and which I was particularly pleased with. I mentioned that it went longer between gestation and final realization than any story of mine ever had before. Since then, I've recalled that almost wasn't true. The only thing that stopped "H.M.S. Pinfeather" from setting that record was that it never was quite finally realized. In the...

EXCERPT: I assume you know about Green Lantern. If not, this site is here to tell you. But for purposes of this page, I'm going to pretend you start off knowing nothing except that he's he's a comic book superhero, which you can scarcely avoid knowing if you're aware enough of the world around you to find your way onto the Internet. I do this, so I can begin with an explanation of him, concentrating the aspects most relevant to this topic. Green Lantern has this magic...

EXCERPT: I've mentioned (specifically, in connection with Bungleton Green) that I like to upload articles on relevant anniversaries, so as to get a little extra mileage out of connecting them with "Today in Toons". I just now missed one. It seems Burne Hogarth (best known for Tarzan) was inconsiderate enough to be born on Christmas Day, and I was kind of thwarted by that circumstance in getting my article on his Drago done in time. I like to get up very early in the morning....

EXCERPT: … to murder trees and turn their drying corpses into a hideous parody of life. No, I'm not really that cynical (except sometimes). I just have a tendency to see a darkly silly side to things most people don't see anything dark or silly about at all. Actually, I'm a sucker for a sappy old black & white Christmas movie, even the ubiquitous It's a Wonderful Life, on the rare occasions I have time to watch them (tho I'll admit I think a fit TV Guide...

EXCERPT: As you may have noted from today's (December 19) "Today in Toons", this is the anniversary of Dan DeCarlo's death. I remember the day well. He'd been suing Archie Comics for ownership of what is perhaps his most personal creation — the one he named for, and modeled after, his beloved wife, Josie. That's not why I remember the day so well, but I'll fill in the story before getting to that. It seems Archie had just come out with a live-action...