The End 2010-2020

Ten years and 3100 posts later, we're done. And on a Friday the 13th, yet. I know I said that once before and I was only gone a few months but this time, I think it's enough. Odd to go out with two B&W posts.

I had said all along I would do it as long as it was fun but lately it's seemed more a chore. All of you regular commenters are much appreciated but our traffic and comments fell off drastically during the hiatus a few years back and just never built back up again. Even the Chinese spam comments, where literally every word linked to a different porn site,  went away. Many of the similar blogs, of which there used to be dozens, seem to have disappeared over time as well.

In case you're curious, our most popular post by far has been THE FLAMING SCAR by Al Williamson, posted in 2012. Don't ask me why. I mean, it's great, but...It still manages hundreds of hits per day, and the ever-growing overall total of views is more than triple the next best!

You can find it here: http://fourcolorshadows.blogspot.com/2012/02/flaming-scar-al-williamson-1965.html

Our very first post, in 2010, was the first of many by Alex Toth, an artist I've come to admire more and more over the years. Thus, there were many more Toth posts. I also learned to pronounce his name correctly! "TOETH." I had always called him "TAWTH."  ;P

https://fourcolorshadows.blogspot.com/2010/06/to-start-out-our-spanking-new-comics.html

My personal favorite post is probably this one, the completely fictional but official at the time story of the creation of Batman and Robin.

https://fourcolorshadows.blogspot.com/2012/03/true-story-of-batman-and-robin-win.html

I've discovered a lot of new to me comic book artists via this blog and I hope you have, too. Bill Williams, Ed Moore, Harry Lazarus, Lou Cameron, A.C. Hollingsworth, Al Bryant, Bill Woggon, and many, many more.

All 3100 posts will remain up and comments will continue to moderated! Lots of good reading! Tell your friends!

Anyway, it's been fun, and who's to say I won't post a story or two now and then over at my main blog, Booksteve's Library? 

So again, thanks all for the ride. It's a weird world in which we find ourselves and I hope all of you take care out there as we make an effort to ride out the weirdness. Keep low. 

Pax.

Exhibit Six-Bill Dubay-1971 Post # 3100

In the 1970s. Bill Dubay went from being a talented fan creator and publisher to being a  controversial and sometimes hated professional. This story, published in the first issue of FOR MONSTERS ONLY I ever say, looks like a reject from the now-legendary WEB OF HORROR series. Dube uses an assumed name. Was he already with Warren at the time? 

The Green Hornet-1967

Or the Back & White Hornet, as the case may be. From the UK. 

Tom Sparks: Boy Inventor-Bob Brown/Sy Barry-1951

Here we see a nearly forgotten DC hero who only appeared a handful of times. Timely and Fawcett and one or two other Golden Age companies had boy inventors, too, presumably a carryover from the popularity of Tom Swift. 

Dynomutt and the Blue Falcon-Mark Evanier/Paul Norris-1978

Dynomutt and the Blue Falcon have been in the news this week as they're co-starring in the new Scooby Doo feature, Scoob! Here's another Mark Evanier story of the pair (well, mostly Dynomutt this time out) with art by Aquaman creator Paul Norris. 

The Train That Vanished-John Buscema-1960

Within a decade, Big John would be one of the best in the business and he would continue to get even better in the 1980s. Here, he's a mere lad, yet already with the skills! A lot of words, though.

Dingle-Hoofer Und His Dog-H.H. Knerr-1940s

For dachshund fan supreme, Anthony Tollin.

Rip Kirby-Alex Raymond-1949

Everybody worships Raymond's lush art on FLASH GORDON, and rightfully o, but to me his storytelling had improved tremendously by the time of his post-war RIP KIRBY strip!