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All images copyright their respective owners |
CRIVENS! COMICS & STUFF!
A cascading cornucopia of cool comics, crazy cartoons, & classic collectables - plus other completely captivating & occasionally controversial contents. With nostalgic notions, sentimental sighings, wistful wonderings, remorseful ruminations, melancholy musings, rueful reflections, poignant ponderings, & yearnings for yesteryear. (And a few profound perplexities, puzzling paradoxes, & a bevy of big, beautiful, bedazzling, buxom Babes to round it all off.)
Monday, 12 May 2025
CASTEL CRIVENS ACQUISITIONS...
Sunday, 11 May 2025
THERE ARE MARTIANS AMONG US...
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Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
So here's the scoop, Crivs! Martians crash-land on Earth, but remain undiscovered, leaving the populace nervous and frightened about what their purpose might be. A month passes, and we see two human-looking individuals, male and female (apparently husband and wife), in a house, with wifey fretting over hubby having to go out somewhere. After he's gone, wifey discovers she's out of coffee and goes out to buy some. Then the scene switches to hubby arriving home and discovering wifey absent, whereupon he rushes to the 'phone, presumably to call the police. Then it's revealed that hubby and wifey are the Martians, but that creates a little problem, story-wise.
What's the problem, you ask. Simple! Who exactly is hubby calling? It can't be the police, as he's effectively revealing he and his wife are Martians (who like Earth coffee), and surely he wouldn't blow the gaff that he and his missus are the ones the police are searching for. Wait, I know! His 'phone is really a disguised Martian communicator and he's calling the Martian mothership for assistance. Yeah, hardly likely - and notice that hubby has four arms, whereas there's no indication from what she was wearing earlier (trust me) that wifey was similarly equipped.
It doesn't really make much sense - Stan must've had far too much to do that month to think things out properly before he began scripting the yarn. (And who made the four-armed clothes?) Any of you Crivvies got an explanation for the lack of logic in the plot, or am I just expecting too much from a 5-page back-up tale in Amazing Fantasy #15? Do tell.
Friday, 9 May 2025
The MEETING Of The MUCKY MINDS CLUB...
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Copyright DC COMICS |
Friday, 2 May 2025
BABE Of The DAY - BATGIRL...
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
The SUBSTITUTE SUPERMAN...
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Copyright DC COMICS |
Recently, as I familiarised myself with my replacement issue of Action Comics #367 (shown in an earlier post), I realised the Supergirl back-up strip wasn't a two-part tale, but rather a three-part one, so I promptly bought the preceding issue, #366. I already had #368, having owned it for around 45 years, so that's one I don't have to worry about acquiring. Funny thing is, I no longer remember whether I bought 367 and 368 (which were back issues at the time) in sequence or not, and it's even entirely possible I acquired both of them on the same day from the same place (but maybe not).
Anyway, perhaps all that proves is what a thicko I am, though I'll strenuously deny it in court. While you're making up your own minds on the matter (if you haven't already), enjoy the images on display and feel free to comment if you so wish.
Tuesday, 29 April 2025
BABE Of The DAY - VAMPIRELLA...
Saturday, 26 April 2025
WEE FRANKIE - HE'S A MODEL MONSTER...
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Copyright relevant owner. (Seller's pictures 'cos I'm too lazy) |
Friday, 25 April 2025
BABE Of The DAY - BUNTY WINDERMERE...
Wednesday, 23 April 2025
THE MAN WHO CAME BACK FROM THE DEAD...
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Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
The Comics Code seal of approval no longer appears on the covers of US comics, having finally disappeared in the early 21st century. It was instituted in 1954 and was an entirely voluntary, self-regulating 'authority' with no law requiring its use. Designed mainly to assure parents, advertisers, and retailers that comics with the Code seal were wholesome reading material and unlikely to corrupt impressionable young readers, it served the purpose for which it was created in the wake of Fredric Wertham's controversial book 'Seduction Of The Innocent'.
For an example of how the code affected the content of some comics, consider one of the back-up stories included in the iconic Journey Into Mystery #83 (none other than Thor The Mighty's debut issue) - 'The Perfect Crime!' In the page shown at the top of this post, some speech balloons have obviously been re-lettered in places so that the criminal's 'off-panel' death doesn't happen. However, it's clear from the caption which says 'And in those last nightmarish seconds of Mike Morgan's life...' that the fate intended for him was his demise.
Whether the Code specifically intervened in this instance or it was a last-moment editorial amendment to avoid their potential objections is a moot point, as it wouldn't have been changed if not for their existence. The speech balloons in the last two panels appear to have been partially (at least) rewritten to indicate Mr. Bad-guy's survival as a reformed character, but consider the floating Mercurian's 'I guess I might as well glide down and save him...' Why? He's surely been splattered all over the terrain below by this point, so it's too late for a rescue.
Interestingly, that last panel looks like it's been redrawn to complement the amended dialogue - it would be interesting to see what it was like originally. So, Crivs - any thoughts, theories, or observations? Then fire away in our scintillating comments section.
Tuesday, 22 April 2025
ACTION COMICS #367 - HERE AT LAST...
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Copyright DC COMICS |
I no longer recall exactly when I purchased my original Action Comics #367 - it could've been anytime between 1979 and 1981, maybe 1980. It was a pretty beat-up copy so at some stage I bought a replacement, but I inadvertently damaged it in some way and dispensed with it. I don't think it was too long after acquiring my original (which I yet own), which was fairly old when I got it, but I made a mental note to obtain a second replacement at the earliest opportunity.
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Curiously, Superman looks less like Superman than Clark does |
40-plus years later, I finally got around to it and a much-better condition issue arrived at Castel Crivens earlier today. Aah, it feels good to have ticked another 'still-to-do' task off the list and I'm happy as a pig in sh-erbert. I'll hang on to my first copy though, seeing as how I've had it so long, but it's now been relegated to that of 'spare', while the newer issue assumes the position of main copy in the scheme of things.
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Dang! That Supergirl certainly is hot stuff! |
Anyway, seeing as you're here, I might as well show you a couple of interior images to whet your curiosity, should you actually be curious - so feast your eyes. Before that, however, look at the cover. I know it's only meant to be symbolic, but given the close proximity of Superman to Supergirl, they wouldn't have time to exchange that dialogue before Supes crashes through the glass dome. (I just can't help noticing these things.) Enjoy!
The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL PIN-UP BOOK...
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Copyright MARVEL COMICS |
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Spidey's left leg just doesn't look right to my eyes |
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Iron Man's mask has been altered from how it was originally drawn in this illustration |
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For some reason, the original Kirby-drawn face on Thor has been changed |
Saturday, 19 April 2025
BABE Of The DAY - GAIL McKENNA...
MARVEL TREASURY EDITIONS UPDATE...
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Copyright MARVEL COMICS |