Super-Vixens: Laurel Kent

Back in Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes #219, a mysterious girl named Laurel Kent appeared before the group with powers of super-strength, and the twist at the end of the story revealed that the girl was a future descendant of Clark Kent, who was, of course Superman. So this chick was Supes’ great grand niece, or something like that.

 Apparently when Jim Shooter created an invulnerable, indestructible super-girl, Mike Grell decided with all that strength, she didn't’t need no stinkin’ costume, and garbed the super heroine in a skimpy red silk bikini outfit cut into a design he’d recycle over and over again…and I was all for it!

 Gorgeously drawn by Mr, Grell, Laurel was the perfect oxymoron of a beautiful, petite waif with the power to knock you into next Thursday! Sadly, later artists wouldn't take it from this angle, and beefed up Laurel’s physique to match her strengths, thereby turning her into “just another super heroine”.

 Laurel Kent

First Appearance: Superboy #217

By Jim Shooter and Mike Grell

Super-Vixens: Laura Lee Landers

The year was 1976, and the news of the most unbelievable incidents going on around New York! The Villain Jester had emerged as the newest  do-gooder on the block! His arch-enemy Daredevil had supposedly turned bad, toting a machine gun, robbing banks, and murdering NY policemen! And if that wasn’t enough, assassinated brothers Robert and John F. Kennedy had allegedly been found alive and well!

  It was at this time that pretty Laura Lee Landers used her powers of Super-Apathy and took to the sunny shores of Sydney Australia’s beaches, where temperatures were topping the 90º mark!  The question on everyone’s minds was “Did she know something we didn’t?”! At least, that’s how they printed it in the April 11, 1976 edition of the Daily Bugle that day!

Laura Lee Landers

Daredevil #136

By  Marv Wolfman and Bob Brown with Jim Mooney

Dave Clark Five + KISS = Any Way You Want It!!

Dave Clark Five song “Any Way You Want It”  was covered by 70’s Rock giants KISS

-and was included on their famous live album KISS ALIVE II!

Dave Clark Five was one of the major players in that very first “British invasion of the 60’s…in fact, they were right up there with the Beatles when it came to hit singles! Their songs always rocked because they seemed to have pounding, solid backbeats to them, (no doubt partly because Dave Clark was the DRUMMER of the band!) but they also had a flair for the sweet pop tunes too-witness the single “Because”.

 I’ve always felt that lead vocalist Mike Smith sounded an awful lot like Paul McCartney on most of their early tracks, although everyone I tell that to looks at me like I’m hearing things! Whenever I hear “Bits and Pieces” I’ve always had a vision of Paul McCartney singing it, and probably always will! Here’s DC5’s “Any Way You Want It”, complete with Dave’s pounding backbeat and Denny Payton’s driving saxophone!

 During their mock interview in the video KISS-EXPOSED, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley talk about how, in their early days as a duo, they would sit on street corners and sing Beatles songs. They even give us a little sample of “I’ll Be Back”, complete with Liverpudlian Harmonies! Their love of The British invasion was never more clear than when the phenomenal album KISS ALIVE II came out.

These were live recordings of the years touring for Destroyer, Rock N Roll Over, and Love Gun, and a kick ass album it was. The concert footage filled up three sides, and they decided to fill side four with unreleased songs. These songs are great to listen to-songs like All-American Man, Rocket Ride and Rockin’ In The U.S.A.are as good as any of their official album tracks…but it was the album closer that really made my day: “Any Way You Want It” by the DC5!

 Of course this song was probably just a novelty recording for them, but even so, you can really hear the love the boys have for this early sixties song. Gene and Paul trade off vocal lines as they rock, all building up to cool dual harmonies during the chorus! This is a very faithful cover of the Dave Clark Five song, with two very cool additions: A build up to a sweet Peter Criss drum roll snap, and a VERY Beatley guitar twang at the end!

This song always creates a cool "vicious Circle" for me-whenever I hear the DC5 version, I have to listen to the KISS version, and whenever I hear the KISS version, I have to dig out my old Dave Clark Five collection again!

Super-Vixens: Beverly Switzle

Up next are two beautiful gals who are (or WERE) usually associated with talking ducks a la Donald Duck, the two being Marvel’s Howard The Duck, and Frank Cho’s same-named fowl Frank in his original strip University (squared)

 First we have the gorgeous red head Beverly Switzler, your typical “Damsel in Distress”, til Howard came along and rescued her. The two began a lifelong partnership, one that was filled with many separations and diversions, but they always found themselves back together in the end!

 As conceived by Steve Gerber, Bev was supposed to be the optimistic, steadfast character (albeit a bit naïve at times) to contrast Howard’s grouchy, pessimistic outlook on life, and as such, always radiated a sunshiney aura whenever she was in the story. In fact, every reader would wonder how Howard could be such a downer when he had such a beautiful maiden as his partner!

 Originally pencilled by Frank Brunner (he of Red Sonja fame, among others), the role of penciller ultimately fell to Gene Colan, and I personally think his version to be THE version that all others must compare to!

 At some point, Beverly was semi-written out of the comic when she heroically married the evil Dr. Bong to spare Howard’s life, but Steve managed to bring her back every now and then, and years later, in the pages of THE SENSATIONAL SHE-HULK, brought her back (sort of ) for good!

Beverly Switzler

First Appearance: Howard the Duck #1

By Steve Gerber and Frank Brunner

Super-Vixens: Brandy Carter

Casual readers of Liberty Meadows may wonder what I’m doing calling Frank a duck, but the fact of the matter is, that’s just what he was during his original manifestation in the pages of University(squared) before ultimately becoming the neurotic human in Liberty Meadows!

 Of course, the change didn’t make all that much difference since most of the readers were reading the strip for Brandy, anyway!

 Originally part of an ensemble cast, Brandy has gone on to become Frank Cho’s signature character. She’s supposed to be styled after Lynda Carter of Wonder Woman fame, and Frank even wrote hilarious story where Brandy goes to a comic-con, and all the nerds and geeks obesessively follow her around!

 I remember when my friend Gerg first introduced me to the strip, after reading a few weeks of stuff, I said “It seems like this guy Frank Cho is using thin plots and storylines simply as an excuse to draw Brandy!” Then I thought about it, and added, “Gee, what a dream job! I wanna draw a strip like this!” Ahahaa!

Brandy Carter

in University2 and Liberty Meadows

by Frank Cho

The Ghost On Saturday Night

One of my favorite Children’s books growing up in the 4rd grade was The Ghost On Saturday Night, written by Sid Fleischman with terrific illustrations by Erich Von Schmidt.

   This was the tale of a young boy named Opie who was trying to save up money to buy a Horse Saddle. You see, His Great-Aunt Etta had promised him that when he saved up enough money to buy a good saddle, she’d buy him the horse to go underneath it!

   Unfortunately, Opie was a small boy, and all the really good after-school jobs went to the bigger kids, but there was one talent that Opie had that no one else did- He knew his way around town like the back of his hand. He could walk anywhere in town blindfolded, and so his way of earning money was to run errands or guide people around town whenever there was a thick fog in the town (which there usually was) !

  One night during an extremely thick fog, he is asked by the barber to guide a csutomer to his hotel. The stranger is a chilling, scary looking man, who says nothing, but gives Opie a free pass to attend a show he is performing. Opie later finds out the man is Professor Pepper, a famous GHOST-RAISER, and that Saturday Night he planned on ressurecting the Ghost of Outlaw Crookneck John!

   "That night, Opie went, and it turned out to be the scariest night of his life!"