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The above comic is regarded by some as being controversial in its attempt to address the subject of racism. In showing reporter Lois Lane being ignored contemptuously by every black person she meets in Metropolis's 'Little Africa' - simply because she's white - it inadvertently (and inaccurately) portrays blacks as just as racist (some are, of course) as whites are reputed to be. It means well though, and ends with a glimmer of hope for relations between blacks and whites.
This issue is regarded as a collectors' item due to it's subject matter and commands a hefty asking price - check eBay to see just what I mean - but that's not why I bought it. No, I wanted it because it has the second instalment of Rose And The Thorn, a story I've never seen before. There were 25 '70s Thorn tales of which I've only read around half, so I recently decided to obtain the ones I don't have and never had, as well as upgrade some of the ones I do own.
Being a canny Scot, I didn't want to pay out a fortune though, so I managed to get this particular issue at a nearly reasonable price. I had to settle for one not in the highest grade, but then I turned my 'restoration' skills loose on it, in order to enhance its cosmetic appeal. (That's the 'after' above, the 'before' can be seen in the last couple of pics below.) Didn't do too bad a job if I say so myself, and it's far tidier than it was when I got it.
As well as colour rub on the cover, there was a two and three quarters inch tear at the foot of the spine, a two and one quarter inch tear at the top, with a three quarters of an inch tear somewhere between them. Not any more, thanks to my archival invisible repair tape on the inside, plus a colour touch-up in places on the outside. I can't claim the repairs are completely undetectable, but they're not glaringly obvious and you'd probably have to be looking for them to spot them.
Anyway, I'm currently awaiting a few replacement issues of LL, so when they arrive, I'll do a post featuring the covers of all the issues that had Rose And The Thorn in them. It's only taken me nearly 50 years, but I'll finally be able to sit down and read all 25 stories from beginning to end - something I didn't get to do at the time due to the spotty distribution in the UK back then. Any of you Crivvies ever read this ish? So what did you think of it?
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Below, the 'before & after' images side-by-side to help you compare (click to enlarge)...
I read the Thorn stories in order but though the character's costume is cool, I never thought Robert Kanigher really had a good handle on where to go with the series. Of course, being mostly a DC guy, it was a given that he kept the status quo from story to story. He had a subplot about where the Thorn got her belt-weapons but I think the series ends before he finished it. But hey, it's leagues better than his HAUNTED TANK! And I think it's got Poison Ivy's third appearance in comic books (not counting strips), some time before she was reinvented into a Classic Bat-Villain.
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to reading them when the issues I'm waiting for arrive, hopefully in the next few days. I'm not even fussed whether the tales are good or not, GP (Thorn's costume is enough of a reward), but it'll be nice to finally connect to a part of the '70s that slipped by me at the time.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great issue of Lois Lane to have, very much of its time but cool. As you say the story was well meaning it just didn't quite work. I really liked Rose and the Thorn at the time and I still have a few of my original issues.
ReplyDeleteYeah, it's about time DC published a collected edition of Rose And The Thorn (if they haven't already) - I'd certainly buy it.
ReplyDeleteKid, what do you think of the new Doctor Who?
ReplyDeleteNot impressed at all, CJ. Me and Dr. Who have come to a permanent parting of the ways. It's almost as if they're trying to ruin the show. Seems it's unacceptable to be a white male in some circles these days. Almost 60 years of history and continuity poured down the drain since Whittaker - and still they stamp on its head.
ReplyDeleteI have never been able to figure out why the Rose and Thorn stories have never been collected. It seems a natural and I for one would buy it immediately.
ReplyDeleteSo that's two of us, RJ - now we only have to persuade the rest of the world (and DC Comics).
ReplyDeleteKid, Ncuti Gatwa (the new Who) was born in Rwanda but he grew up in Scotland from the age of two so I suppose that makes him the 4th Scottish Doctor after Sylvester McCoy, David Tennant and Peter Capaldi.
ReplyDeleteScottish Doctor? Oh no, not another one.
ReplyDeleteI liked this issue . I thought when she couldn’t get a taxi was spot on.
ReplyDeleteI also liked how she makes a point to Superman. But it’s never stated. It’s that Superman may be in illegal immigrant. But he looks like the majority and blends in.
I thought the rest of the story was pedestrian . But better than the one when she had the American Indian baby.
The taxi could've been pre-booked though, to pick up the guy it stops for. He looks as if he could be standing on the street outside his house. That's not the writer's intention, but that's the way it might be in real life in a similar situation. Actually, it's Superman himself who states that he's an outsider, though it's Lois who says his skin is the right colour. I think the story is well meaning, but it goes too far by dealing in extremes, and ends up making blacks look as racist as whites are accused of being. I'm just waiting for the issue you mention to arrive, PS.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting for a Transgender Dr Who to turn up then the show can be renamed Dr What.
ReplyDeleteWell, the character is already transgender, so the actor playing the role will probably be transgender too one day, LH. Shame that a once iconic TV show (though it was crap a lot of the time) is now a tool in the hands of those who use it to pursue their own agenda.
ReplyDeleteMake that 3 for a 1970s Rose and Thorn collection Kid, I think they collected the recent versions.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen the recent versions, McS, but I seem to remember reading somewhere that her continuity and origins were messed about with in them. Yeah, it'd be nice to see the '70s tales reprinted. Just need another umpteen thousand readers with the same view as us and DC will have to cave in to our wishes.
ReplyDeleteAs one other poster tossed out a random question, so will I.
ReplyDeleteWe disagreed on the merits of BATMAN RETURNS, and since I just tortured myself watching BATMAN FOREVER in order to trash it, I wondered if you concurred that FOREVER is more or less the bottom of the Bat-barrel. Thoughts?
Batman was great, Batman Returns had some good bits, but failed to score, and the other two were sh*te - especially the fourth one.
ReplyDelete