LOOKING BACK: Spy vs. Spy.
On Monday, Master of all that is Forbidden Planet, Jeff Ayers and I went out for a drink post Eli Roth signing. Jeff had the three volumes of some original Antonio Prohias works from his 26-year run on “Spy vs Spy,” the strip featured in Mad Magazine. We began reminiscing about the strip.
Looking back, I don’t remember what it was that I liked about the magazine, but I do remember that I was quite mad for this strip. The strips were always silent, and I remember filling in little captions, thought bubbles and sound effects. I remember my mother criticizing my hand writing in a Chinese restaurant in North Bergen, saying something about how if I was going to write in comics bubbles my hand writing should be much neater. I figure I was probably around ten when I was really into the strips. So, I endeavored to do just that. Somewhere, in some bin in my parent’s garage, is a crop of Mad Magazines with written in Spy vs Spy dialogue.
Now this is probably dating me, but I think Jeff and I are the only ones who remember the original Nintendo video game. I remember it being extremely difficult. I remember huddling in front of a small Panasonic where I played against my little brother and planted traps against each other. Then again most of those original Nintendo video games are ten times harder than any game put out today.
Most of all, what I enjoyed about this volume was the background given on the birth of what must be one of my favorite childhood memories. From John Ficarra’s introduction to my volume:
It was July 12, 1960 when a political cartoonist from Cuba named Antonio Prohias arrived at the offices of MAD magazine. He had come to America two months earlier after death threats were directed at him and his family by the new Cuban dictator, Fidel Castro. Accompanying Prohias on that fateful day was his daughter, Marta, who acted as interpreter (Though her English at the time was only marginally better than her father’s–which was nonexistent!) Also with Prohias were his drawings of two pointy-nosed characters he had created especially for MAD–one black, one white, both silent. Forever locked in a see-saw battle of destruction and mayhem, the conflict between the two was a metaphor for the futility of the Cold War.
You see, I never looked into the genesis of this strip. Being that kind of person who loves thinking about where creator’s lives intersect with their work I was quite happy to read this. Upon reading this introduction, I figure that I never read any of Prohias’ work during my younger days. I probably began reading it when Peter Kuper was beginning his tenure–so now, especially, I get to read the classic stuff. The classic stuff that ended when Prohias retired somewhere around 1986, I figure, and before my time.
Archie Loves Veronica
Today Archie and Veronica have officially joined the ranks of geek power-couples like Joanie and Chachi, Zack and Kelly, Lois and Clark, Iris and Barry, Peter and MJ, as American idol Archie Andrews proposed to Veronica Lodge in the pages of Archie #600. And while I’m not as unhinged by the news, nor doling out slices of cake in the NYC FP as other comic retailers are (as documented by The Daily News with a nifty quote by Planet alum Olive Panter), I’ve always rooted for Veronica and am somewhat satisfied after having read the issue.
Actually, let me clarify here: I’ve always rooted for Riverdale to be invaded by giant robots hell-bent on death and destruction, the human survivors huddled in bunkers crying their eyes out, Jughead starved to the point of eating his own flesh, and Mr. Weatherbee a post-apocalyptic badass with a cybernetic arm… But barring that I’ve always rooted for Veronica to end up with Archie (I like brunettes, what can I say?).
My only quam? Papa Lodge offers Archie a job, VP of Lodge Oil Holdings. Dopus accepts, despite having no qualifications and no idea what the gig entails, and you know that’s gonna spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E in Riverdale City.
Jughead should totally make his move on Betty now, btw.
Today in “What Does This Remind You Of?”
For your consideration:
Brian Austin Green as Metallo on Smallville.
Mickey Rourke as Whiplash in Iron Man 2.
Heh. Well, this is awkward. No, not that the fact that the former 90210 alum is sticking close to something that he previously did on Sarah Conner Chronicles BUT the fact that he looks so much like the new design for Whiplash. I guess it would be tough for him not to look like that.
I have to say I applaud Smallville. The first couple of seasons were really stagnant, boring, and like watching a broken record season after season. However, that changed quite significantly after they killed off Jonathan Kent and to say the least, the show has become its own thing. Its not afraid to do something different with the Superman mythology and has continually broken expectations towards what “should” happen in the mythos of the character.
INTERVIEW: Eli Roth.
Eli Roth, Inglourious Basterds star and writer/director of the Hostel movies gave us a moment to talk to him during Monday’s signing. We discussed the obvious topic of working with Quentin Tarantino, his next film project and his thoughts on comic books.
On working with the exuberant Tarantino, Roth said its been a different experience every time. “On Hostel, Quentin was just there just guiding me, even on Grindhouse I just came in for a week and shot my trailer on my own. This is first time that we actually worked together, day after day after day. I gave it everything I had I wanted to be that dream actor that was always there for him, and in character, I stayed over there over Christmas and New Years. Everyone else went home and I didn’t want to leave, I felt like we were on this mission, and I didn’t want to leave until it was done.”
The much rumored latest project of Roth’s is his Endangered Species script, which he hopes will be able to finish writing very soon. He’s been notably quiet about it and he was no different with me regarding the sci-fi epic, “I haven’t been able to tackle anything else,” Roth said. “I’m finishing up the script hopefully soon.” On locations, Roth said they are working that out now.
Having been in a comic book store, I simply couldn’t resist to ask if he ever has any thoughts to work in comics. Having gone to the Tisch School of Film at NYU, Roth mentioned throughout Monday’s signing how he’d frequent Forbidden Planet constantly.
“Comics for me has always been one of those side projects, that I never can fully do. I’ve been so busy with the movie stuff, and that’s my primary interest. I have a few more movies I want to crank out and if I do comics, I’d have to take a break for a couple of years from movies and dive right into it, because I don’t think I could do both at once. If I do a comic, I’m going to have to really really read what’s out there, and make it great.”
We’re looking forward to seeing Roth’s portrayal of Donny Donowitz beating some Nazi skull in with a Louisville Slugger, and further news on Endangered Species.