The 1970's - A Great Decade For Comics!

Wolverine, Darkseid, Black Lightning, Black Panther, Luke Cage, Sabretooth, Patsy Walker, Etragan, Ghost Rider and myself all have something in common. We are are tied to the comic book industry and we were all produced in the 1970's.

The 70's were a cool decade that brought us Saturday Night Fever, Kojack, Superman The Movie, Star Wars, and Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman. It was time unlike any other as unrest on the world scene increased. Terrorism beginning to show its ugly face, an oil crisis plagued the world, the US Presidency was in turmoil and inflation was through the roof! Yet, out of the ashes of world turbulence, new heroes arose that led the comic book industry back into an industry of demand and want.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby continued to produce great stories and art but the art of such individuals like Neal Adams and Jim Aparo helped take the industry to a new level. The stories of the 70's took on real life issues of the day such as teenage drug abuse, domestic violence, terrorism, pollution, cold war and other similar topics. Governmental corruption became more dominate in the news and likewise showed up in the pages of comics. The world increased in more turmoil following the Vietnam War and what it needed was a new breed of heroes and villains. Ghost Rider (Johnny Blaze) and Wolverine serve as an example of the type of anti-typical heroes that arose to take on issues that called for more than simply a 'feel good' solution. Readers wanted retribution and such heroes delivered it.

Horror comics also took on greater roles and increased in popularity during the 1970's. Werewolf by Night, Dracula, Morbius, Blade, Swamp Thing and similar titles/characters became a mainstay during a period of what seemed to be a dark hopelessness. The darker, edgier characters were fitting for the time. Blood, gore and the occult ruled the era that was already ransacked with it.

Long time heroes such as Batman and Green Lantern also took on edgier roles during this period which led them to the kind of characters they still are today. The 1970's blurred the line between heroism and villainy and it made right vs. wrong more difficult to distinguish. Violence grew darker in comics as it also grew darker in the real world.

The 1970's produced an age of comics that certainly was not 'golden'. Yet the demand for Bronze Age issues increases as the nostalgia of such issues are a favorite among modern collectors. It is certainly one of my favorite decades for comics, not because of the darkness, but because of the willingness of the industry to change, the manner in which real problems were addressed, and because of the evident demonstration that answers to problems among humans and heroes is not always as clear cut as we might like them to be. The struggle of heroes helped readers relate to their own issues.

To celebrate the 70's, we have decided to make our contest this week (week of 03-14-2011) 1970's Week. Watch for our contests on Facebook, Twitter or join our email list.

What are you favorite story lines, heroes, villains, artists, etc for the 1970's? We would love to know. Leave a comment and we will give you 20 points per word toward our weekly contest.

Be sure to visit us on the web at http;//www.kryptoknightcomics.com

"Why So Serious? Let's Put A Smile On That Face!"

Those words issuing forth from the Joker's mouth in the film The Dark Knight will stand as one of the most famous lines in movie history. Throughout the Batman's history the Joker has been easily identified by that evil grin plastered against his pale skinned face. However, he will not be the only comic book character identified by his grin. Let me introduce to you...The Maniacal Smile!

Who is the Maniacal Smile? Fierce Comics, publisher of 'The Smile' describes the comic in this way...

"Born with super irritable bowel syndrome, Alex McClendon uses his powers to protect the city of Utopia. And when he dons The Maniacal Smile suit, you can be sure that there'll be a splatter of action. Keeping Alex from just farting around with his powers are his ex-hero Uncle Rich and his lab assistant the enigmatic E.V.I.L. Robot. But not everyone knows that Alex is the Maniacal Smile. His best friends Puffy, who owns a comic book shop, and Nikki can never seem to spend any time with the ever-disappearing Alex. Teenage angst, girl problems, and city destroying threats are all a day in the life of THE MANIACAL SMILE!"

Fierce comics sent me an issue to review and I have to say that I could not help but laugh at the crazy antics of this story. Mike Foss scripts the character with laugh-out-loud humor that borders on the juvenile and considering that the hero is a teenager growing into the role of hero, juvenile is quite fitting. Rob Rhine, creator of 'the Smile', provides the art and colors and gives the book a bright look fitting of the character. The artwork is superb and I found it entertaining to look at. The story flows easily with simple page layouts, and the paper on which it is printed is of a higher quality than you might expect from an Independent title.

The aspect I enjoyed the most about this book, though, is what was mentioned earlier. IT IS FUNNY! It brings 'comic' back into the meaning of 'comic book'! So if you want to read a GREAT book, see some fantastic art and get a good laugh, then pick up an issue of The Maniacal Smile...it will put a smile on your face!

Visit us at http://www.kryptoknightcomics.com

Superman Team-Up; Who Is Your Favorite?

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All I Want To Do Is Sell Comic Books

Many of you have the same passion as myself. We love comic books! I have been collecting comics since I was 14 years old. That was 24 1/2 years ago. While I would not classify myself as an expert, I have a vast knowledge of the industry and consider myself a continuous, progressive student. There are so many interesting things to learn ranging from artist techniques to character history to creator biographies. The field is wide open and as a true lover I am always striving to learn more.

Most of my life I have had careers that were non-related to comic books. However, my heart's desire has always been to have a comic book store or to have a job somehow related to comics. As a kid I wanted to write and pencil for DC or Marvel but those dreams never came about, nor have I given up on that completely. They are still goals I have along those lines. Still, the desire to be involved has never been stronger.

As the economy began to fall, I began to make plans to open a store. But those plans have slowed due to the economic troubles we have all faced. The business I did own practically dried up overnight and the last two years have been a struggle. So I taught myself how to build a website and I am still learning new things. I decided to build an online store and start working towards my dream of a physical store. I opened the online store before it was 100% complete and named it after the name my best friend and I came up with years ago, Krypto-Knight Comics. I try to make my prices fair amd I have worked to do all I can in promoting the store. Jobs are scarce around here and this is my primary means of survival. Having visited many comic book stores in my time and having noted that many are dark, dirty or have a negative atmosphere, it has been my goal to do just the opposite and create a place where positivity and creativity thrive. I would like to see a place where the colors are bright and super-heroes are the order of the day. In today's negative world who wouldn't want to visit a place like that?

At present, though, it's more about survival. I appreciate all who have done business with me and who have helped fuel my dream of owning a literal store. I want to thank all of you for your business, you support and your passion for comics. I look forward to 2011 being our best year yet!