Podcast: Threessentials

Episode #9

Look for us on iTunes, ShoutEngine or directly download an art-tagged MP3 from the Internet Archive

In a second(!) episode for April (clearly failing weekly offerings, that's a step up from monthly!) we catch up with correspondence given short shrift since the last mail heavy episode, #6: Strawmanhunter from Mars. Besides reading all the long form comments since mid-March, Frank elaborates at length. For instance, he reads a letter about applying the "Three Point Model," three short definitive statements about a character, to the Alien Atlas. Discussion includes the less than stellar Martian invasions of Earth, John Jones' sociopolitical leanings, and more randomness that hopefully augments folks' understanding of the character.

We enjoy dialogue on the red planet, so here are our non-telepathic contact options:

• Tweet host Diabolu Frank directly, or probe @rolledspine as a group.
• Email Diabolu
• If the main Idol-Head of Diabolu blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.

2005 Comic-Con International: San Diego Souvenir Book art by Amanda Yaryan

One of the fun things about this "Fifty Fridays*" project is the archaeological aspect. Ten years ago, mostly amateur artists contributed some Martian Manhunter pieces to a convention book, and then they moved on with their lives. Some are in entertainment industries, others are still promoting projects, a few have portfolios available, and most have escaped my cursory detection efforts. Too many have the same names as politicians, which makes for dull image searches. Two Amanda Yaryans turned up on Google, one a photographer whose flair for dramatic make-up could betray a youthful interest in a shapeshifting alien, but that's mere conjecture. It could just as easily be the mom referencing Bill Engvall on Twitter, or another lady entirely.

*To be clear, there are actually only 20-some-odd Fridays worth of material celebrating the 50th anniversary.

2005 Comic-Con International: San Diego Souvenir Book art by Valter Guevarra

Click To Enlarge


Another full page con book entry that was probably in color, based on the other paintings I was able to find online. You'll have to search them out for yourself though, because about half of what's out there are explicit female nudes.

Podcast: 60 Years of Martian Manhunter - 1956

Episode #8

Look for us on iTunes, ShoutEngine or directly download an art-tagged MP3 from the Internet Archive

After a hiatus of four episodes and three months, we finally return to our year-by-year overview of the Sleuth from Outer Space's early adventures, 1956 being his first full year of publication with a dozen cases to cover. Co-creator and initial writer Joe Samachson is replaced first by Dick Wood before the arrival of the longest consistent scripter of the strip, Jack Miller. Joe Certa carries on with his own lengthy run on art, here mostly on Detective John Jones as a plainclothes policeman with extraordinary powers who only occasionally runs across challenges of a truly supernormal nature.

1956 Cover Dated Story Synopses

• #227: "The Man With 20 Lives"
• #228: "Escape To The Stars"
• #229: "The Phantom Bodyguard"
• #230: "The Sleuth Without A Clue"
• #231: "The Thief Who Had Super Powers!"
• #232: "The Dog With A Martian Master"
• #233: "The Ghost From Outer Space"
• #234: "The Martian Convict"
• #235: "The World's Greatest Magician"
• #236: "The Great Earth-Mars Mystery"
• #237: "The Sleuth Who Went to Jail"
• #238: "Earth Detective For A Day"

We enjoy dialogue on the red planet, so here are our non-telepathic contact options:

• Tweet host Diabolu Frank directly, or probe @rolledspine as a group.
• Email Diabolu
• If the main Idol-Head of Diabolu blog isn't your thing, try the umbrella Rolled Spine Podcasts.

2005 Comic-Con International: San Diego Souvenir Book art by Dennis Harrell

The disarmed suit-wearing heel lying next to a desk in an otherwise nondescript room fairly screams Middletown crimebusting, so even without an overt nod, this one feels like an anniversary piece. I wish I could have displayed it bigger, but all those tones as printed looked crap when enlarged. Too bad this was only a quarter page in size.

2005 Comic-Con International: San Diego Souvenir Book art by Joan Miles

Yet another "Fiftieth Friday" piece sabotaged by black and white reproduction at a mere quarter page in the SDCC convention book. I'm not offering an enlarged version because I think it would unfairly alter the artist's work. It was sweet of her to acknowledge the creators of the Sleuth from Outer Space, and she was the only one to offer them such a courtesy among the artists featured.