Saturday, November 30, 2013

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER "The Reindeer Who Saved Christmas!"

...that's as concise a synopsis as you'll ever read, so on with the story with all requisite speed...
(Regrettably, the copy we're using doesn't have a final page.)
Written by Robert L May and illustrated by Denver Gillen, this beloved tale was actually an advertising promotion designed to lure customers into doing Christmas shopping!
True!
You can read about it HERE!
Monday:
The story behind the hit movie Frozen... 
The Snow Queen!
Support Small Business This Christmas!

Friday, November 29, 2013

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER "The Plot (and Fog) Thickens..."

...Rudolph lived a sad existence, shunned by his peers because he was "different".
But, on Christmas Eve, when Santa Claus, hindered by severe fog, making him hours behind schedule, delivers gifts to Rudolph's home, he literally sees a solution to his problem...
Tomorrow:
Written by Robert L May and illustrated by Denver Gillen, this beloved tale was actually an advertising promotion designed to lure customers into doing Christmas shopping!
True!
You can read about it HERE!
Support Small Business This Christmas!

Thursday, November 28, 2013

RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER "The Saga Begins"

Much as Disney's versions of classic fairy tales have become the "accepted" ones...
...the 1964 stop-motion animated TV special of Rudolph is the one everyone knows.
But, this is the real story...
Tomorrow:
The Plot (and the fog) Thickens...
Written by Robert L May and illustrated by Denver Gillen, this beloved tale was actually an advertising promotion designed to lure customers into doing Christmas shopping!
True!
You can read about it HERE!
Support Small Business This Christmas!

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Coming Tomorrow: The ORIGINAL Rudolph the Red-Nosed Raindeer!

You only think you know the story...
...but the truth is far different!
Yeah, you know the song and you've seen the animated special every Christmas for as long as you can remember.
But, it's not the original tale of the guy with the glowing nose!
Starting tomorrow, we're presenting a special treat...the rarely-seen prose tale that inspired the song and stop-motion tv special.
To pique your curiosity, HERE's an article about the Secret Origin of Rudolph!
Plus: here's a vintage 1940s cartoon by Max Fleischer that's somewhat closer to the "classic" version (but still has the song)...

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Black Friday through Cyber Monday Deal: 25% OFF 12-Month Calendars!

Plus MANY MORE!
Classic comic book and pulp magazine covers and movie posters, scanned from the originals and digitally-remastered and restored!
Normally $19.99!
From Midnight Thanksgiving (Thursday) night to Midnight Dec. 2 (Monday) night, all calendars are $14.99!
NOT available in stores, only on-line!
Order now...before time runs out! ;-)

Monday, November 25, 2013

Al Plastino (1921 – 2013)

Though most fans know his 1940s-60s work on DC's Superman and Batman...
...Al Plastino had quite a varied output, ranging from Golden Age comics to almost becoming Charles Schultz's replacement on Peanuts!
Mark Evanier has a nice pro/fan tribute to Plastino HERE.
And, you can read about a recent controversy involving Al's long-missing art for a Silver Age Superman story featuring the late President Kennedy HERE.
As for me, I'd like to link you to a tale from Plastino's early days...and a character he co-created, which unfortunately went nowhere.
The wild thing about The Rainbow, is that he was one of the first comic characters inspired to become a super-hero by reading a comic book!
Have a look HERE.

Sunday, November 24, 2013

Design of the Week Redux: JOHN F KENNEDY "...ask not..."

Each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another, except when the response has been so good that we can't see a reason to replace it, at least for another week.
Once more, we remember the passing of President John F Kennedy on the 50th Anniversary of his assassination with this retro-style art with a red/white/blue motif and his most famous quote "ask not what youre country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.
Available as a poster, mug, t-shirt, and a host of other kool kollectibles HERE.