Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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We're rapidly approaching that time of year when pumpkins roam and witches fly. But there's about to be something else on the roam that might just take flight.
And that's whatever it is we're talking about this week.
But what is that, "whatever?" And whatever can it mean?
Therefore, feel free to type that comment. After all, you never know what may happen.
Posts
36 comments:
As we are approaching the height of Autumn festivities, how about- are there any comics that either put you in a fall state if mind, or trigger an autumnal memory? And likewise, perhaps a song or album that does the same?
Redartz, posting from work...
Charlie goes with the following contenders:
Golden Brown by The Stranglers
The Sun King by the Beatles (Abbey Road)
And anything to do with the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald in November 1975 (?) including Gordon Lightfoot’s song. Charlie has worked the steel mills in Gary (like Nigel in the UK) and rode an ore boat from Gary to the Michigan UP and back to pick up a load of ore. The boat, the song hits the emotional chords.
And goulash… cassoulet… soups… squash lol. All the hearty dishes from late summer harvests. I do not know if a song or book was made about goulash though. Charlie.
Thanks for the topic, Red.
The only comics I can think of that make me think of Autumn are early issues of Marvel UK's Mighty World of Marvel because that was launched in the autumn.
When it comes to records, the only track that comes to mind is the Blue Nile's Tinseltown in the Rain which isn't particularly autumnal but, for some reason, always makes me think of autumn.
Red - as a fellow Hoosier you may well be familiar with McCutcheon’s depiction of “Injun Summer” from 1907 which ran in a full-page, color spread annually, for many, many decades with the Tribune Syndicate on a given Sunday in Fall?
I am going to guess that stopped in the 1970s due to the word Injun. I do find it unfortunate for the same reason I find banning The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn unfortunate. But i am not the aggrieved party (native or black ) so my opinion is not really relevant on the subject.
But my mom has it framed and it was part of my life for many years.
By the way, red, did you make it up to Purdue for the “hunters moon “festivities at the French fort outside Lafayette? We used to go when I was a student at Purdue in the 80s.
All this is very very much Autumn to Charlie!
For me the most Autumnal event is Guy Fawkes Night every November 5th in the UK which is also the date my mother died in 2009 but I can't think of any songs about Guy Fawkes Night. My local Tesco is currently selling toffee apples but I've resisted buying one so far.
Colin- ah, toffee apples (which I know more as caramel apples, or taffy apples- which is a misnomer, as they aren't coated in taffy, but in caramel. Presumably that is what you are referring to? Our stores are also loaded up with "Autumn Mix"- i.e. candy corn and pumpkins. Also the ubiquitous pumpkin spice everything. Are you folks bombarded with pumpkin spice as well?
Charlie- Yes, I have attended the "Hunter's Moon" fest. Was introduced to buffalo meat, traditional French Onion Soup and hatchet throwing.
And you beat me to the punch on "Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"; the ultimate autumn song (for me, anyway). Heard that on my transistor radio back in 1976 while helping my Dad rake leaves in the yard. Still brings back that memory (and the song really evokes the pre-wintery north).
As for a comic- Amazing Spider-Man 141 with Mysterio; had that in my hand while going to a relative's house for Thanksgiving dinner. It still feels like Fall when I look at that cover...
What are your thoughts on the pumpkin-spice scented toilet paper in stores? Saw it at local grocer.
Red, the On-Sale date of KAMANDI 24 was actually in September of 1974 but I totally associate it with October. That’s the one where Kamandi encounters a “haunted house” (the wild poltergeist activity is actually being caused by a telepathic/telekinetic cat). There was also a pretty big fire that Autumn about 15 miles away, so the skies were a crazy shade of dark brownish orange for a few days and we were reading Bradbury’s THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES for English Class.
b.t.
Are they not Fall festivities where you are, Red? Do you use both terms in the US - Fall and Autumn - or are you just being polite and thoughtful, seeing as its Steve's blog? In which case, well done on the good manners.
Anyway, the obvious song that immediately springs to mind is Don't Fear the Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult, which has always sounded autumnal to me. No wonder John Carpenter slipped it almost subliminally into Halloween, where it fit perfectly -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjA6yTAKyNA
Ok, I'm going to have to go away and think about this for a bit...
But don't worry my little SteveDoesComics chums, I'll be back.
-sean
Red, I had to google pumpkin spice as I didn't know what it is. I'd love to try pumpkin pie but they don't sell it here (not where I live anyway).
Yes, by "toffee apples" I mean apples coated in caramel.
Sean- the terms "fall" and "autumn" are both used here, but offhand I'd speculate that "fall" is more commonly heard. "Autumn", however, seems more poetic, and this season always brings out the dreamy introspective in me (or maudlin blatherer, depending upon who you ask). At any rate, you fine folks in the UK have a way with language that is most pleasing...
Oh, and great call on "Reaper". You're quite right, it almost oozes October.
Colin- right now, you'd be hard pressed to visit a grocery over here these days and find anything NOT available in "pumpkin spice".
b.t.- Reading Bradbury? Excellent! Indeed, one of his best seems quite fitting for today, "The October Country".
Autumn / Fall sort of slips through the cracks for me. In my mind Summer goes on until the end of September and then it’s suddenly Winter.
I’ll go along with the Bradbury thing!
If I weren’t engrossed in ‘Our Share Of The Dark’ and didn’t then have the last of Susan Cooper’s ‘The Dark Is Rising’ books lined up immediately afterwards (because one of my goals this year was to finally read those), then I’d re-read some of his stuff.
Interesting topic. My father used to play 'Autumn Leaves', by Nat King Cole. I suppose 'Forever Autumn' is another obvious song, at least in the UK.
Comics? For September (specifically Sept 10th), Marvel Superheroes Monthly # 1 (the yellow issue). Pretty much as good as it gets! For November, my first Spidey Weekly, # 247. For dark nights (late Nov?), maybe my first & 2nd Ghost Riders. Purple prose phrases, like 'velvet blackness', perhaps?
The word 'Fall' is in Shakespeare, so the Pilgrim Fathers & co exported it to America. Strangely, 'however, fall' died out, as a word, in the UK.
Pumpkins weren't a thing, in our childhoods; but the UK's jumping on the bandwagon in a major way, nowadays.
Charlie - Hoosiers is a Gene Hackman ( 'charismatic' sports coach) film, too. Does 'Indiana' Jones count as a Hoosier, too?
The Edmund Fitzgerald featured on a tv show, a few nights ago (DMAX?); but I forgot, and watched something else.
Matthew - I read Susan Cooper's TDIR a few years ago, it being praised as a fantastic Winter/Christmas book. To me, it was okay...the adult characters, however, seemed 'thin', in characterization terms. Deliberate perhaps, as to a young boy, adults aren't understandable - nor need to be?
Bradbury? As regards maudlin blatherings, my last paragraph's a bit of a dandelion whine, too!
The Huck Finn series is currently being broadcast on Rewind TV. From the synopses, it's following the original book quite closely. Huck Finn's impact on the cultural landscape's immense.
Phillip
Inverted commas should enclose 'fall', not 'however fall' - damn typos. Oh...I can't be &~"& bothered!
Phillip
IMO we use Fall much more than Autumn in the US. Yea, i’ve actually thought about this over the decades when writing various things. CH
And CH does NOT like pumpkin-spiced anything anymore but for in his organic pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving.
It is incredibly over done here, ubiquitous to the point of annoyance. And the oumpkin-spiced TP can only be for stay-at-home moms with too much time on their hands!
And RED my pumpkin pies are NOT sweet!!! Only 1/4 cup sugar (brown, organic natch!) for a 9”pie and just hints of cinnamon ginger and clove. At Thanksgiving the crew devours myoies and tbe store-bought things are all pathetically stupid looking left sitting on the counter with stray bits of food scattered on them from being in the way!
Maybe a Green Goblin story, him throwing pumpkin bombs (or was that the Spidey cartoon's Goblin, only? ) There's also Jack O'Lantern, the Machine Man villain.
Phillip
Phillip, like you I never saw any pumpkins as a kid but now Tesco sells loads of them. A few days ago I saw some mini-pumpkins, about the size of an orange, on sale in the fruit aisle and I did consider buying one but then I realised I haven't got a clue what you're supposed to do with a pumpkin - they aren't eaten raw I assume.
On a completely different subject - have you ever wondered how many fish there are in the sea? I'd assumed about 100 billion but according to Wikipedia the number is about 3.5 TRILLION.
I'll get me coat.
Autumn was also when the UK hardback annuals started appearing in the shops ready for Christmas.
And don't forget the Autumn/Winter mail-order catalogues featuring toys and those UK annuals.
I've been beten to the punch here.
Music: Forever Autumn from War Of The Worlds and California Dreaming even if it's about winter. Nobody's mentioned these two yet but Sean talks about the vibe from Don't Fear The Reaper and it's the same with these two.
Comics: I thought straight away of some scene of PP and Mary Jane having some deep conversation on a walk together and thoughts might have to spend a whole evening looking for it but, no, Red found the one I was thinking about in ASM #141.
Colin - " There's plenty more fish in the sea!" - I'll get my coat, too!
dangermash - I saw the Bangles singing California Dreaming, on channel 65, this morning, and - hearing "All the leaves are brown" - thought, like yourself, hmmm - maybe this is relevant to Red's topic! But maybe winter in California, with its higher temperatures, is like Autumn elsewhere!
Phillip
On this day in 2001 Apple released the iPod. On this day in 1982, Thomas Dolby released “she blinded me with science. “
But neither make me think of autumn or fall.
'April, Come She Will' by Simon & Garfunkel has the lyrics: "The Autumn winds blow chilly & cold/September I remember/A love once new has now...grown old."
Also, 'September' by Earth, Wind & Fire!
Phillip
dangermash, Forever Autumn did occur to me, but tbh I don't really like it much (despite a general fondness for War of the Worlds).
And I was trying to be a bit less literal. So for instance I find Neil Young's On the Beach - the title track - to have quite an Autumnal feel, even though it doesn't reference the season directly at all.
Veering away from the more mainstream tunes, I'm going to mention Amethyst Deceivers by underground weirdos Coil, recorded on the Autumn equinox sometime in the early '00s to mark the time of year -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfC8N8U3rzo
Which reminds me of the seasonal association with fungi, of the magic variety.
Although its been quite a while since I've done that kind of thing.
-sean
Personally, I was disappointed the heat ray didn't get the narrator in the first few bars of Forever Autumn, before the singing started. Theres never a Martian tripod around when you actually need one.
-sean
'Harvest Home' was a traditional autumn celebration. Neil Young stuff with the word 'Harvest' in it is, thus, ripe for autumnal nomination!
Phillip
Autumn is all about pumpkin which is also the favorite pastime in Appalachia and the Dakotas!
DW - our favorite Aussie - any commentary about dressing up like Ray Gun is the #2 costume of choice in the USA? It makes economic sense, too, which is rare for Americans. You can wear the green and yellow tracksuit after Halloween to all kinds of sporting events and such!
sean:
If you want a less literal song that evokes fall / autumn, with no actual mention of the season or anything “spooky” (no ‘Tubular Bells” or “Welcome to My Nightmare” or “Monster Mash”) — “Tin Man” by America was the song that popped into my head when Red first posed his question. I have no idea why.
b.t.
Anon (Charlie?), I’ve managed to avoid the whole Ray Gun thing, although I was a bit miffed that she received a government grant to study a PhD in women’s break dancing (old man screams at sky, an all that…). Dressing up for Halloween isn’t really a thing in Australia. Shouting at the monarch is the in thing at present. Being in the southern hemisphere, our autumn is March to May, and so Easter is the celebration of choice. I’ve been in Australia longer than I was in Britain but still can’t keep track of what season I’m supposed to be in. Currently Spring, but it’s 33C outside.
DW
Ah, Autumn.
A truly beautiful time here in the Dakotas for maybe a couple months. The colors on the trees, the pleasantly cool days.
The slanted sunlight, which gives rise to a wistful melancholy...
This shit ain't gonna last long. It's gonna get colder than the proverbial witch's tit pretty soon.
And I am full of dread.
THAT'S what's scary about Halloween. It's gonna get goddam cold up in here!
You get used to it after a few weeks, but the initial shock....
M.P.
And on a completely different note...
Sean-
I first ran across Grant Morrison at some point in the late '90's. i had been away from comics for a while, but I saw JLA #1 in a comics store, and thought what the heck.
Who knows, it might be interesting.
I thought it was. I had read something somewhere about his run on Doom Patrol. So I followed the JLA, and the penciler, Howard Porter, kept getting better and better. The stories got better too.
To me these guys managed to make these characters interesting again, at least to me.
I ended up picking up most of the back issues of Morrison's Doom Patrol run. Even the Flex Mentallo limited series!
Now, that might not be for everybody. I get it. Like his stuff on Animal Man, it's all very "meta" or "post-modern" . And generally I don't agree with artists sticking themselves in their own stories. Remember Byrne? Yikes.
But I think if you look at JLA, or The Seven Soldiers of Victory, you'll find there's some good stories there, and often with fantastic art. He could take old characters and make them new again....alive.
He brought back Plastic Man! I It wasn't his fault if nobody else knew what to do with him.
I've said my piece. Wanker or not, I like his work
Or "their" work, as the case may be...
In any case friends may disagree in matters of taste.
It's always good to hear from you. Cheers!
M.P.
You're still using the wrong pronoun for Grant Morrison, M.P.
But anyway, challenge accepted!
I'm well out of the loop on the DC universe, and I used to like the JLA as a kid so I'll try that. In fact, I am also curious about the modern Seven Soldiers of Victory, so I'll give that a go as well. So Grant has two shots at finally getting my seal approval! No doubt they will be thrilled to hear that.
I'm hoping for something better than the last time I tried twenty first century super-hero comics, when I read the whole of House of M - not just the series but all the spin offs too - in order to keep up with the Peerless Power of Comics reviews last year.
That was a fair few hours I won't get back, I can tell you.
But at least instead of vaguely grumbling about Bendis, and Big Crossover Events on the basis of the odd comic here or there, I can now authoritatively dismiss Bendis and at least one Big Crossover Event.
Although I am keeping an open mind on Morrison, honest.
So anyway, here's Autumn's Child by Captain Beefheart -
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=85qq2RIf_J0
-sean
*Oops, I cut and pasted from a tablet there, so maybe this will work better for that link -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85qq2RIf_J0
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