Showing posts with label Ghost Rider. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ghost Rider. Show all posts
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Monday, July 1, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Sunday, December 2, 2012
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
The Human Fly
The 1970's were a strange time...
Much like today, the United States was deep in an economic downturn. Oil prices were high; smaller, more fuel-efficient cars began replacing the giant, hulking, gas-guzzling behemoths of past decades; and most people suffered from the effects of recessionary inflation. Hence, entertainment was a premium. Anything cheap or free was considered great entertainment.
Combine all these ingredients together and it makes a wacky stew. Throw in a dash of human nature in the form of morbid curiosity (drive real slow past that accident on the highway) and you have a powder keg souffle of zany goodness.
One man, billed as the world's greatest superhero (because he was real) briefly entertained the masses (or small clusters of yokels at county fairs). His name was...
In reality the Human Fly was Canadian stunt performer Rick Rojatt. Who? Exactly. Almost before the popularity of the Human Fly peaked, he faded into obscurity. For a time he was a popular Marvel Comics' character with his own comic book and crossovers with Spider-Man and Ghost Rider.
Much like Sort of like Evel Knievel, the Human Fly performed death-defying stunts for the gratification of gawkers at air shows, monster truck rallys and the like, complete with luchador mask and all.
Neat, huh? Over the years the legend of the Human Fly outgrew his original reputation. So much so that even today kids that weren't around to remember the daredevil stunts of Rick Rojatt worship enjoy the mix of reality and superhero drama.
There's scant information about this guy online but I think he deserves his props. If anyone knows how to contact Rick Rojatt or knows more about the history of the Human Fly, please let me know. Frankly, I think the time is right for the Human Fly to make a return to media greatness. Conditions are nearly identical to 30+ years ago. People would go crazy for the greatest superhero of all time...because he's real!
Much like today, the United States was deep in an economic downturn. Oil prices were high; smaller, more fuel-efficient cars began replacing the giant, hulking, gas-guzzling behemoths of past decades; and most people suffered from the effects of recessionary inflation. Hence, entertainment was a premium. Anything cheap or free was considered great entertainment.
Combine all these ingredients together and it makes a wacky stew. Throw in a dash of human nature in the form of morbid curiosity (drive real slow past that accident on the highway) and you have a powder keg souffle of zany goodness.
One man, billed as the world's greatest superhero (because he was real) briefly entertained the masses (or small clusters of yokels at county fairs). His name was...
In reality the Human Fly was Canadian stunt performer Rick Rojatt. Who? Exactly. Almost before the popularity of the Human Fly peaked, he faded into obscurity. For a time he was a popular Marvel Comics' character with his own comic book and crossovers with Spider-Man and Ghost Rider.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Ghost Rider (Old West) Premium Offer
The original Ghost Rider was a Western character created for Magazine Enterprises in 1949 by writer Ray Krank and artist Dick Ayers. First featured in Tim Holt Comics #11, the old west Ghost Rider quickly went on to feature in his own series. There's been a lot of ret-conning of this character, but this is the original and IMHO the best version of the western Ghost Rider.
Anyway, I recently ran across this ad from one of the original comics, circa 1950-ish.
I found another, similar ad on Pappy's Golden Age Comics blog, here.
Anyway, I recently ran across this ad from one of the original comics, circa 1950-ish.
Why don't they offer stuff like this anymore?!? This is awesome!
Well, old Xemnu got to wandering the 'net. And I found this auction at Hake's auction house. Apparently, it's one of only two existing samples of this premium!
Check out the nifty glow-in-the-dark feature!
Dang! I may have to craft one of these myself! I'll let you know if and when I do (I'm sort of a crafty alien-thing). Maybe I'll post pictures? Who knows?
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