Flo Steinberg RIP, plus the SDCC Thor, JLA and Inhumans trailers (Potential Spoilers)

Fabulous Flo Steinberg by Lopaka42
[CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

It's a strange thing how you can find yourself feeling attached to someone you know almost nothing about but, thanks to that mysterious phenomenon, it was oddly saddening to learn, a couple of days ago, of the death of Fabulous Flo Steinberg, Marvel Comics' legendary Corresponding Secretary of the 1960s.

It was Flo who answered fan mail, dealt with enthusiasts who visited the office in the hopes of seeing where the magic was created and acted as intermediary between Stan Lee and the company's various freelancers.

Not only that but, in 1975, she became a key figure in the rise of indie comics when she published the infamously ribald mag Big Apple Comix, using the services of such industry titans as Neal Adams, Al Williamson and Wally Wood.

For  a woman so closely associated with the heyday of Marvel, she was there for a surprisingly short amount of time, from 1963 to 1968 but she clearly made her mark, becoming a household name for all readers of that company's output.

In the 1990s, she returned to Marvel, as a proofreader and continued to do such work up until her death.

It probably says it all that her demise made The Daily Express, The Mail and The Daily Mirror, and it's hard to think of any other comics company secretary who could manage such a feat.

Her other great claim to fame was, of course, acting as link woman on the Voices of Marvel Comics record from the 1960s and if you've never heard it or her magnificently Bostonian tones, you can find that very recording by clicking on this very link here.

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In lighter news, a few days ago, it was the San Diego Comics Convention, an event that, if it works hard at it, looks fair set to rival the Sheffield Comics Convention one day.

And that can mean only one thing.

That a whole bunch of trailers were released for display at that very get-together.

Obviously, all sane people only care that a trailer for the Doctor Who Christmas special was unleashed. However, even I've grasped that, this being a comics blog, I should probably concentrate instead on the Marvel and DC trailers that were debuted.

The big ones were the latest trailers for Thor: Ragnarok and Justice League.

Of the two, you can't get round it, Thor:Ragnarok looks like a way better movie. In fact, the trailer contains just about everything you could ever want from a Thor movie - including a total lack of Odin - and the closing moment has to be surely the awesomest shot ever included in a super-hero flick.

Not only that but it turns out that Hela's antlers move.

This is the second Thor trailer now where my main concern has been with Hela's antlers. I can only conclude that I should only ever watch films about reindeers.

I must also confess that, every time we see Hela spin round, I start wanting her to start singing the old Wonder Woman TV theme tune. I'm the sort of man who knows how to wreck any film.

Regardless of all that, my incredible magic powers tell me this film will probably be a walloping great big hit.

In contrast, I have to say the Justice League film looks about as much fun as filling in your tax return but I am intrigued to find out why it seems to feature a member of the Borg in it.

Granted, I do suspect he's not really a member of the Borg and that the film doesn't involve a crossover with the new Star Trek show that's on its way. I also suspect that if I were any kind of comics blogger, I'd know full well who he is, but I don't. The truth is I am a kind of comics blogger. A useless kind.

We've also had the release of a new Inhumans trailer and I have to say I'm still not feeling it. In this one, we get to see Medusa's hair moving, which is an improvement on the previous trailer but, otherwise, the project's still leaving me cold. I also feel that putting Rag 'n' Bone Man on the soundtrack is such an obvious (and an already clichéd) thing to do that it merely has the effect of exacerbating the gnawing sense of a lack of inspiration about the project.

But those are just my opinions and may well be wrong. The trailers are below and you can share your thoughts on them if you so wish, or not share them if you do so not wish. As always, there is no pressure upon you to do either.

More new movie trailers! Justice League and Suicide Squad!

It's certainly a busy time for trailer fans lately. Just two days ago, I was looking at the new promo videos for Dr Strange and Wonder Woman, and now, lucky me, I get to do it all over again.

This time, the trailers are for Justice League and Suicide Squad. So, don't read beyond this point if you don't want to be spoilerised.




Having taken a look at them, I have to say they both look somewhat less promising than the Dr Strange and Wonder Woman movies.

The Justice League one seems to be the better of the two but still feels somewhat lazy and dull with no hint at all as to just what menace it is they're going to be facing. Call me overly-conventional but I do feel that super-hero trailers should make some sort of effort to create the impression that there's actually some sort of peril to our heroes or to others. The trailer's total lack of such menace creates the impression that they're just going to spend the whole movie stood around saying hello to each other. I suspect that may not be the case and that there must be some degree of threat involved at some point in the proceedings.

The portrayal of the Flash looks like it's going to get annoying quite quickly. On the other hand, it's good to see Conan playing Aquaman.

I know I'm going to invite the wrath of all sane humans but, overall, viewing it felt eerily like watching that Justice League TV movie of about twenty years ago; only, shot with more style.

Having said that, I actually enjoyed the Justice League TV movie of about twenty years ago, so maybe I shouldn't complain.

As for Suicide Squad, other than the presence of Will Smith, there's nothing in the trailer that gives me any reason to want to see the movie. It all has a sense of random pointlessness about it that suggests intellectual waywardness on behalf of those who bankrolled it.

Its only other point of interest to me is that Margot Robbie's in it and she used to be in Neighbours and I always find it strangely exciting to see people from Neighbours turn up in American TV shows and movies. The power of Jim Robinson to turn up in seemingly everything over the years has always been a source of wonder to me.

Anyway, that's just my opinion. If you have thoughts on the two movies, feel free to express them in the comments box below.

Random comics I have owned. Part Five.

A far wiser man than me once said, "Shut up!" But I don't listen to wise men. That's what's made me the man I am today. Therefore, here's the latest instalment in the stunning new feature that's inducing catatonia on a scale never before seen in the history of the World Wide Web, as I take another random look at the covers of comics I once owned.

A crack team of hunters demonstrate the exact qualities you need if you're to catch your prey. Stealth, intelligence and razor-sharp alertness.

I acquired this comic on a Sunday morning. No comic acquired on a Sunday morning can ever be bad.

It's the third of the Black Orchid's original three appearances in Adventure Comics.  Sadly, it's another tale I can't remember that much about.

For those who've never read any of her original tales; blessed with invulnerability, super-strength and the ability to fly, she was basically like Supergirl but, for some reason, kept using a mastery of disguise to defeat her foes, when you would've thought she could have saved herself the trouble and just given them a punch in the bracket.

The Justice League come up against an alien called Nekron. I don't recall exactly what he was about but I do recall he was up to no good.

I'm not totally convinced Wonder Woman actually died in this tale.

If I remember right, this was the last issue before the X-Men all got dragged off into outer space for the trial of the Phoenix.

Needless to say, it was all cracking stuff and a highlight of its era.

The last issue of Conan I ever had.

From what I recall, Conan wanders into a village and it's not long before he's up against a deadly menace from the sea.

Poor old Conan, even a trip to the seaside turns into a life or death battle for him. I bet he couldn't even attempt to eat a toffee apple without it trying to kill him.

I always remember this issue as having great artwork but I can't remember who it was by.

Our third cover that involves a man carrying an insensate female.

One of my childhood faves, as our, "hero," finds himself up against a skeleton on a mission of revenge.

If you don't love that cover, there's probably no hope for you.

Then again, if you don't want to be a skeleton on a mission of revenge, there's probably no hope for you.

I really don't remember anything about this issue at all. I have no doubt though that it was all very strange.

Having blown up half of London, Iron Fist is still having trouble with his nuclear-powered foe.

Is this the issue where Misty Knight gets her bionic arm, or did she already have it by this point?

Random comics I have owned. Part Three.

Suffering shads! It's the return of the feature that's left the internet in tatters, as I once more drone on randomly about comics I've owned.

Just what'll be turned up by this veritable Pick and Mix?

Only a rifle through Steve's Lucky Bag of Confusion can tell us...

Superman's definitely in need of a good slap on this cover.

Inside, Hawkman quits the Justice League, and Eclipso might be involved.

Other than that I can recall little of the contents.

It's always nice to see a Nick Cardy cover though.

It's one of the few Original X-Men stories I ever liked, as the merry Marvel mutants find themselves on trial in the court of Factor 3.

I seem to remember that Ross Andru drew this issue, which could explain why it appealed to me more than their tales usually did.

Some bloke builds a big gun to commit crimes with and Thor has to stop him, in a tale of squabbling siblings.

The issue that introduced me to DC's man of mystery.

From what I can recall of this tale, the Phantom Stranger's called in to try and help establish whether a defendant's plea of insanity is genuine or not. Needless to say, there's a twist at the end.

It's the story we all wanted to see, as Conan takes on Kull.

Red Sonja and Belit, meanwhile, continue their bickering.

It's one of my fave Marvel monster tales, as Grogg causes no end of bother.

Sadly, we still get no answer to the enduring mystery of where Marvel's giant monsters buy those underpants from.

It's the only issue of Swamp-Thing I ever owned. It's from after Bernie Wrightson left the strip but that doesn't mean it lets us down on the pictorial front, thanks to some lovely interior work by Nestor Redondo.

It had stylish artwork by Howard Chaykin but I always remember this as being one of the few American comics I had as a child that I could never get on with.

Justice League of America #110.

It's September.

And that can only mean one thing.

Christmas.

And that can only mean one thing.

Let's kill Santa Claus.

Sadly for those with murderous intent towards the arch commercialiser of Chrimble, we've been beaten to it.

For some villain's done the deed before we've even got settled into this Justice League adventure.

Or at least they've killed a man who was playing the part for charity.

Who can it be? What can he want?

It's dying arch-criminal The Key and, if the Justice League don't deal with him sharpish, he's going to blow up some slums in St Louis.

The JLA gather their forces and invade the villain's underground lair, only to, one by one, be killed by his fiendish gimmicks. Is this the end of the world's greatest heroes?

Well, no it's not because, just as it seems it's all over, the Phantom Stranger reveals he was onto the villain's plan all along and has got the JLA-ers to safety, dispatched The Key's henchman and foiled his plan. Now all that's left is for our heroes to evacuate the slums before the bomb goes off.

I do remember really liking this story as a kid, mostly because it was a tale with a heart. It has snow in it and any story with snow in it's going to struggle not to warm the cockles.

Reading it again as an adult, the obvious question that raises its head is that, as the Phantom Stranger's aware of The Key's plan all along and spends the entire tale in the room next to him, why doesn't he just walk in and give The Key the slapping he's asking for, thus saving the Justice League from their ordeal?

But that's the Phantom Stranger for you; always happy to spew out words of wisdom, but never willing to actually show any wisdom.

Actually, this story's main importance to me is it introduced me for the first time to the Red Tornado. Even when I was a child, his similarity to the Avengers' Vision was impossible to miss, and it's interesting here that they've set up a relationship between him and the Green Arrow that's clearly based on Dr McCoy and Mr Spock.

The other matter of interest is it introduced me to the alternate Green Lantern - John Stewart - who has his JLA debut adventure here. Despite his novice status, and the initial distrust of his new teammates, John becomes the hero of the piece by virtue of his compassion and by using his power ring to recreate the destroyed slums, minus the rats fleas, damp and rot that had previously blighted the lives of the deprived locals.

You see? We didn't even need Santa anyway. Not when we had John Stewart on standby.

Supergirl in Adventure Comics #423. Making a spectacle of the Justice League.

If there's one thing you can rely on when you're a Supergirl it's that the next lot of troublesome aliens'll be along almost as soon as the last lot are out of the way. Last issue they were setting a giant robot loose in the city, now another bunch of aliens are out to cause chaos with spectacles.

As Linda Danvers is out and about, a mysterious shop assistant sticks a pair of sunglasses on her, sunglasses she can't get off no matter how much super-strength she applies. For some reason it doesn't occur to her to melt them with her heat vision. Nor does it occur to her to deck the assistant and find out what her game is.

Then it turns out the sunglasses are a mind-control device which the aliens use to make her put a pair of evil glasses on Superman. Now under the aliens' power, Superman sets out to stick mind-controlling glasses on the other members of the Justice League. Can Supergirl stop him in time?

Of course she can - but not before the leader of the aliens and his more responsible brother drown in their wrecked underwater base.

It's clear almost from the start that the leader of the aliens has gone completely mad and refuses to listen to his brother's repeated attempts to talk him out of a scheme that has no purpose other than to give him pleasure, but no explanation's given as to exactly why he's gone mad. Towards the end, the revelation's made that he's suffering from periodic bouts of blindness, which doesn't really explain anything in terms of his behaviour, although it may at least explain his strange obsession with glasses.

When it comes to the art, Mike Sekowsky'll never be my favourite artist but the truth is while I don't particularly enjoy his work here, it doesn't really put me off either.

Highlight of the issue has to be the sight of a bespectacled Superman trying to force a tiny pair of glasses on the Atom but, slightly underwhelming art and a lack of explanations aside, the main thing that strikes you with this outing is that, for once, it's a full-length Supergirl tale. Presumably this was in preparation for her finally getting her own mag just two issues later. It is one of the mysteries of life as to how Supergirl was able to sustain a viable series for three years in Adventure Comics but, once given her own mag, poor sales led to it being cancelled after just ten issues.

Justice League of America #117. Even a Hawkman can cry.

If there's one thing I learned from John Buscema and Stan Lee's How To Draw Comics The Marvel Way it's that one should always draw one's characters with their feet wide apart.

I sometimes think that's why I prefer 1970s Marvel to DC. To me, DC Comics always seemed to be a company that stood with its feet too close together. While Marvel was bold, brassy and dynamic, DC seemed somewhat staid, solid and dependable.

Justice League of America #117's a perfect example. Where the Avengers issue I looked at a few days ago was a master-class in imbuing stationary images with movement, mood, intent and urgency, this tale seems to be trundling along the spiritual slow lane. If Marvel were driving a Porsche, DC's Morris Minor was towing Batman's caravan.

What we get is this. There's an alien called The Equalizer who travels the universe, averaging out everyone he meets. Why he does this isn't explained but basically, he's trying to make everyone the same. Now, Hawkman - who's no longer a member of the Justice League - shows up on Mars to average-out himself and the JLA members so he'll get a share of each of their powers and be able to use it to tackle The Equalizer who's already averaged-out the populace of Hawkman's home world Thanagar.

The attempt fails but, fortunately, the rest of the League show up and, after all their attacks are fended off by The Equalizer using an equal and opposite amount of force to whatever they try to throw at him, they hit on the idea of bombarding him with hatred, to make him vanish. I don't understand this. Surely, if they bombard him with hate, he'll simply respond with an equal amount of love? However, the plan works and, instead of giving them all a big hug and a Valentine's card, he goes ka-blooey and everyone's back to normal. At which point the JLA decide to readmit Hawkman to their ranks and we get what seems like a blatant lift from the end of The Avengers #58, the one that closes with the Vision blubbing like a big girl's blouse.

Maybe imitating the Avengers wasn't such a great idea, as it only draws attention to the fact the Justice League of America simply isn't as interesting as The Avengers. Where the Avengers have clearly delineated characters, the JLAers - Green Arrow apart - are pure wood. And, whereas a Marvel villain like Ultron has a bucketful of motivations and complexes - and stands with his feet wide apart - The Equalizer's totally devoid of anything and never even bothers standing up, let alone parting his plates. We're never told why he's doing what he's doing and to be honest, he doesn't even seem that bothered about doing it anyway. To call him passionless would be an understatement. He seems to just be doing things because he doesn't have anything better to do. The tale's pleasantly drawn by Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin, but in that generic DC style that a whole bucketful of artists of the time seemed to have, and the space ship designs seem horribly Silver Age to say they were drawn in the 1970s.

Overall it comes across like the reinvention of the comic book as an art form, that Marvel had overseen in the 1960s, had completely bypassed DC who were still churning out the same kind of solid but redundant tales they could just have easily churned out a decade earlier. I suppose it's ironic that the villain in a DC comic should be a creature who makes super-heroes average and identikit when DC's own mindset was doing that already.