Comments on: Comic Book Urban Legends Revealed #74

By: ParanoidObsessive

ParanoidObsessive — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:55:12 +0000

>>> Sabotage comics is most disturbing, comics should always be used as a force for good not evil.

Well, depending on who you're sabotaging, one could make an argument that sabotage itself is good. The various Resistance groups in France during WWII who went out of their way to sabotage Nazi operations would almost certainly consider their actions to be a war of good versus evil, with them clearly on the side of good.

The problem with politics (and history) is that one man's freedom fighter is often someone else's terrorist.

By: jeff

jeff — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 20:32:37 +0000

I love the comment "It may be hard to imagine Batman water skiing". That's not the only water ski show to include Batman! In Northern California there was a theme park similar to Sea World called Marine World. Originally, the place was strictly animal shows (plus the ski show and an acrobat show) with some elements of a zoo/aquarium (a giraffe habitat, a shark enclosure, etc.). Their original water ski show, as I remember it, was a spoof of old detective stories and film noir. When Six Flags bought the park (circa '99), they changed it to a Batman flavored show -- based on Batman Forever, no less. That water ski show was operating until just a few years ago. I'm told that a Six Flags in Ohio also had the same show.

By: sackett

sackett — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 21:08:37 +0000

I would never have recognized Aquaman or Mera from that photo.

I'm really enjoying this site!

By: WInero

WInero — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 04:10:07 +0000

I also saw the DC Heroes water skiing show at Sea World in Auroura Ohio in the late 70's. It was one of the most awesome parts of the whole day. I remember in one part of the story the Joker was trying to use a contraption called the "swiss cheese hole maker" to kill Batman. The photo above of the pyramid stunt brought back memories. I belive my mom still has some old 8 mm home movies of that trip including the skiing show with a shot very similar to that photo.

By: King Dong

King Dong — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 11:02:16 +0000

A CIA produced propaganda comic book air dropped over Grenada after we invaded.

http://www.ep.tc/grenada/

This was done by Malcolm Ater's Commercial Comics Company. The CIA paid him 35k. In cash.
I recognise the artist from 60's - 70's era Dell type stuff but don't know exactly who it is. Jack Sparling, maybe?

By: Morten Pedersen

Morten Pedersen — Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:27:12 +0000

I don't think it was an odd decision from Ditko, and when you have read some of Ditko's Question. You know that Vic would never call a criminal a friend, so im on Ditko's side here.

By: Scott Simmons

Scott Simmons — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 05:11:04 +0000

Yep! I have fond memories of both the Sea World event and the Bugs Bunny show... both things I remember that my dad took me to. The magic show was a weird thing to see as a kid. It sort of freaked me out.

I love seeing these pictures now! It would be fun to see a filming of the event for nostaglic purposes... sort of like the old Mego commercials.

Scott

By: lebeau

lebeau — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 21:24:31 +0000

I saw the Sea World show as a kid. I remember it well. It was a real treat. It did include magic acts as well. I remember being very scared when the Joker and the Penguin ran through the audience during a magic trick. But Batman and Robin weren't far behind.

I don't remember the costumes looking so cheesy. To me, it was the real deal. Pretty amazing to see the pictures now.

By: anthony

anthony — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 14:03:29 +0000

is there a story behind the lack of trade paperback collections of the abnett/lanning/coipel legion from a few years ago? i understand that the present day focus is on waid's legion but i thought i once read paul levitz has a certain "stance" on the DnA/coipel (focusing on coipel if i remember what i read correctly) legion. i believe the DnA run did have some TPB's published after coipel left the book. it seems odd that the legion lost min-series never got collected nor did the first storyline from the then new legion ongoing both with coipel on art.

By: Jason

Jason — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 17:21:24 +0000

When Crossgen was a going concern, the owner of Crossgen and the writers claimed that "a bible" existed for their fictional universe that outlined the overarching storylines for their company and their characters. Obviously, most of the storylines will never be completed as the company is now defunct. Is there anyplace to find out what was contained in this "bible" or what might have been the intended conclusions of their storylines? Not really an urban legend more just a question.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 22:10:38 +0000

Holy Flashback Batman!

I hadn't thought of those water skiing super heroes for years! I remember my Aunt Betty Anne McCormack (we called her "Aunt BAM") took my siter and I and two cousins to Florida, and we HAD to go to Sea World to see the water skiing super-heroes!!

Thanks for the wacky flashback, BC!

By: Grant

Grant — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:48:46 +0000

Chazz-

Burned into my memory is the night my family and I walked up to our local arena only to be told THE BUGS BUNNY FOLLIES was sold out! I was crushed because if my memory was right it wasn't just any superheroes but THE Batman and Robin, Adam West and Burt Ward!! I'm thinking this was 1975 or 76.....

By: yo go re

yo go re — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 06:37:37 +0000

A potential Urban Legend (to which I already know the answer, but it might make for a fun column): was the Masters of the Universe movie a thinly veiled take on Jack Kirby's "New Gods" stories?

By: Mike Curtis

Mike Curtis — Sun, 29 Oct 2006 06:20:25 +0000

I saw the DC SuperHeroes water ski show, as performed at Sea World in Florida.

Not shown in the pictures are the actors playing Lois Lane and Perry White, along with several others.

Since seeing people (even in costumes) being dragged by a boat gets repetitive, part of the show actually took place on a stage. This is where the Joker would try to make Batgirl disappear (via a magician's trick) and other such things. The Joker, as lead villian, did not do any waterskiing. The Penguin is also shown in that photo, while the Riddler and Catwoman are not shown.

There was also a BatBoat in the show, and Lois and Perry were played for comedy, being dragged behind it.

In addition, in his only live action appearance before the recent episodes of SMALLVILLE. an actor playing Green Arrow did a high dive into a bullseye. That's him directly above the Joker.

Also note one thing in the Pyramid. All the costumes are lacking footwear. You can also see Aquaman's wife Mera, in her only live appearance in the pyramid shot.

Oddly enough, the least used hero in the show was Superman.

Mike Curtis
Formerly of COMICS OBSCURA

By: Jeff Zoslaw

Jeff Zoslaw — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 20:50:37 +0000

Credit where it's due (or not):

Carmine Infantino takes credit for plotting Bat-Lash, the story of the first Superman movie and creating Kamandi, among other dubious claims. Can you determine the accuracy of these?

Also: Neal Adams and Roy Thomas dispute who plotted the Kree/Skrull war, which actually began before Adams took over as Avengers artist. Adams also says that he was offered any Marvel book he wanted when he took over X-Men in the late '60s. ANY book? Even Kirby's FF?

If there are any other claims which seem suspicious to you, please mention them too!

By: The Mutt

The Mutt — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 12:23:06 +0000

Is it true that John Byrne turned the Vision white so that he and the Scarlet Witch would resemble Caspar and Wendy?

By: Graeme Burk

Graeme Burk — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 04:05:38 +0000

I remember the waterski ads in the back of the comics of course, but they actually published the picture of the superheroes waterskiing in pyramid formation in the Travel section of the Toronto Star (this would be in '78 or '79 I suppose) and from that point on I wanted to go to Sea World. (There was also a colour version in a travel brochure at the local supermarket to remind me). Of course, my parents weren't nearly so captivated with the idea of going to Florida just to satisfy my need to see live-action superheroes.

Eventually, we did go to Florida in '81 and we went to Sea World. And they had a waterskiing show, only it was the Hatfields and the McCoys by then. I was unbelievably disappointed.

By: sterg

sterg — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 03:13:36 +0000

Chazz,
You're not messing anything up. I just read about the Bugs Bunny meets the Superheroes show in Twomorrow Press's Back Issue magazine. Apparently, there were a series of them about when you said you'd seen one.

They sure were inventive about crossovers and merchandizing their products in other media back then, eh?

By: TV's Grady

TV's Grady — Sat, 28 Oct 2006 01:19:42 +0000

That is one ugly Batman costume, I must say.

By: Vertical

Vertical — Fri, 27 Oct 2006 23:19:18 +0000

I think you're right about magic at the ski show, Mark. I saw it at Sea World in Ohio when I was a kid. All I have are vague memories of being scared. It had to have been the first time I'd seen "live" super heroes "fighting". I think we were close enough to get a little wet, which, looking back, is probably pretty disgusting. Who knows what was in that water? I may have pictures somewhere. I'll look around.