Dave-El's Book Report: The Charlton Companion

It's time for the return of Dave-El's Book Report and today's book is The Charlton Companion by Jon B. Cooke about the history of a strange outlier in the comic book industry, Charlton Comics. 

Full disclosure: I never purchased or read a Charlton comic book. But I've always been fascinated by this unusual comic publisher, who they were, how they came about and their sad, ignominious end.   

In 1931, Italian immigrant John Santangelo Sr began what became a highly successful business publishing song-lyric magazines out of Yonkers, New York. It was a business model that involved violating copyright laws so Santangelo went to jail for that in 1934 for about year. 

In 1935, Santangelo went right back to that highly successful business, this time partnered up with lawyer Ed Levy who made sure the requisite permissions were acquired to reproduce lyrics in such magazines as Hit Parade and Big Song Magazine. 

In 1940, Santangelo and Levy  founded the T.W.O. Charles Company and would later become known as Charlton Publications.  

Printing presses that aren't printing aren't making money so Charlton got into the comic book business. 

Their first comic book was Yellowjacket, an anthology of superhero and horror stories launched September 1944.

Charlton Comics ran out of a factory building in Derby CT. Unlike other comic book operations, Charlton ran the whole process from one location: creating content, editing, production, printing and distribution.  This process actually helped the company to survive and even flourish at a time when other comic book enterprises were flaming out.  Those same practices would later drive the company to extinction. 

By the early 1950’s, the declining interest in super hero comics and the restrictions of the newly formed Comics Code Authority (CCA) were driving a lot of publishers out of the comic book business. Charlton was able to buy up a bunch of unused inventory on the cheap and greatly expanded their portfolio. With some editing to make sure this material was now CCA compliant, Charlton Comics would print virtually anything.  

And what couldn’t be covered by this ready-made found inventory, new material was produced paying the lowest rates in the industry.  Beggars cannot be choosers in a flagging industry.   

Mostly the Charlton line up consisted of a hodge podge of westerns, war comics, romance comics and humor books.  They also published licensed comics based on newspaper strips and TV shows. 

 Charlton did venture into super hero stuff in the 1960s with an initiative spearheaded by artist/editor Dick Giordano called the Action Hero line which gave us Capt. Atom, Blue Beetle, the Question, Nightshade, Peacemaker (yes, THAT guy from James Gunn's Suicide Squad movie and his own TV series on Max) and more.  Charlton pulled the plug on those titles because, as Giordano put it, “Charlton was more interested in saving $5 than in making $5.”  

 

In the early 1970s, Charlton provided a training ground for up and coming talent who would move on better pay and greater exposure at DC and Marvel. The pay sucked hard but it was an opportunity to hone their skills.   

• Before breaking in big time with Marvel’s X-Men, John Byrne got his start as the artist on Charlton’s Doomsday +1 series.   
• Mike Zeck would go on to draw Captain America and the first Secret Wars series at Marvel  but did time on Charlton’s horror and mystery titles.  
• Joe Staton drew E-Man for Charlton before coming a mainstay at DC Comics, principally on Green Lantern.  
• Jim Aparo and  Don Newton did time drawing Charlton’s comic book version of the Phantom before moving on to draw Batman for DC Comics. 
• Artist and editor Dick Giordano and writer Denny O'Neil also made the move from Charlton to the big leagues of DC and Marvel.  

While it was not unusual to see people do their time at Charlton and then leave, there was a least one person who kept going back: Steve Dikto. Given a choice of working for Stan Lee at Marvel or grinding away in near anonymity for the low wages at Charlton, Dikto chose Charlton. He was instrumental in redesigning Captain Atom and Blue Beetle for Giordano's Action Hero titles.  Over the years, Dikto would schlep back to DC or Marvel for some work but then he would pack up his portfolio and go back to Charlton. The infamously prickly Steve Dikto was easily offended by others he had to work with at DC and Marvel. While Charlton paid really low page rates, they pretty much left Dikto alone to do whatever the hell he wanted.  

There were those who came to Charlton in desperation. In the 1960's, Superman creator Jerry Siegel spent some time working for the boys in Derby on some truly awful attempts at creating the next super hero sensation. (Mr. Muscles? Really, it was a thing.)  

And there were the people who never left. Writer Joe Gill wrote maybe 90% of the comics that Charlton published.  OK, that may be an exaggeration but not by much. Gill was a veritable writing machine that churned out scripts for almost every comic in every genre that Charlton produced.

Speaking of machines, Charlton would often employ a typesetter for lettering word balloons and caption boxes. It was supposed to be a cost saving measure but it took a lot of time and effort to set up and it just looked weird.  

At their peak, Charlton Comics was a major player in the industry, competitive with Marvel and DC.  But Charlton was bound by a corporate structure that only got into comics to keep their printing presses running.  There was no incentive to grow Charlton Comics, to develop and nurture properties that appealed to the changing tastes of comics fans. Licences for comics based on children's animated characters were lost and went to other publishers. Charlton had nothing left for children and what was left was unwanted by older readers.   

In 1976, when 80 year old John Santangelo Sr saw reports that Charlton Comics was losing money, he did not order a review to look for a way to change their declining fortunes. No, he issued the following 2 word edict: "Stop comics!" 

And Charlton Comics stopped. About a year later, Charlton returned but was no longer producing new comic books. The Charlton line was now reprints of older comics.  As Dick Giordano said, “Charlton was more interested in saving $5 than in making $5.” 

Charlton made a few forays into trying to publish something new. Charlton Bullseye featured new stories written and drawn by heretofore unknown talent who agreed to let Charlton print their work for free in order to gain exposure for actual paying work. 

Steve Dikto found a new publisher to get ticked off at (independent publisher Eclipse Comics) and took his toys back to Charlton in an attempt to kick start that company's fortunes.

It was all too little too late and by the mid 1980's, Charlton Comics stumbled and gasped it's way across the finish line and a few years after that, the old factory in Derby with it's worn out and decrepit printing press was destroyed.  

The Charlton Companion is a comprehensive look at the rise and fall of this strange comic book company.  Jon Cooke has interviewed dozens of comics pros and read hundreds of documents to pull together an extensively and meticulously researched history of Charlton Comics.  

This book is jammed with tons of information and that's not always a positive. Sometimes this book is a bit of a slog to get through and I think some of that extensive and meticulous detail could have used some editing and streamlining. 

It doesn't help that the print font used on this book is very, very tiny. It is very difficult to read outside really bright light.  

The overly dense narrative and the tiny font aside, The Charlton Companion is undeniably a great resource about the comic book company that was and perhaps could've been. 

from the cover art by Joe Staton  

Tuesday TV Touchbase: The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel

Bringing a TV show in for a series finale landing is a tricky proposition.  On one hand, the series has to deliver what has always endeared the show to it's fans. On the other hand, the series has to deliver some real changes to the status quo.  

For the series finale, you need more of the same but different. 

The series finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel sticks the landing. 

More of the same: once more, Miriam "Midge" Maisel has an opportunity for her big break as a stand up comedian. Gordon Ford has relented to let Miriam appear on his show despite his previous objections. 

More of the same: fuckery occurs that threatens Miriam's big break. There's always some fuckery that gets in the way of her big breaks. In this case, Gordon has made a last second change to only have Miriam on in a lame "meet the writers" segment instead of letting Miriam do her act. Gordon's a dick. Shoulda seen it coming. 

But different: Miriam steals the show. 

Literally. 

When Miriam informs her manager Suzie Myerson of her intention do something reckless to get her shot, Suzie harkens back to the events of the first episode of the first season:  “You started your career by standing on a stage that no one told you to get up on, saying a bunch of shit that no one wanted you to say."  

Right in the middle of Gordon's lame ass segment, Miriam stands up, takes the mike and does a 4 minute set that KILLS!!!

Although pissed off that Miriam usurped his show, even he is doubled over laughing as Miriam brings her 4 minute bit in for a landing. 

After 5 seasons of working night clubs, strip clubs, private parties and whatever straws she could clutch, the marvelous Mrs. Maisel finally gets her nationally televised break before all of America! 

In order to set in motion the events to get Miriam to that point in time on that stage in front of Gordon Ford's cameras, Susie Myerson had to do something she didn't want to do because she knew it would break her heart.  

Susie had to talk to Hedy, Gordon's wife and Susie's ex-girlfriend.  

The aftermath of that encounter sends Susie on a bender which leaves her drunk and passed out on a park bench.  A cop on the beat tries to get Susie to get up and move on. 

The sequence ends with Susie resisting arrest from 3 cops.  

In a reversal of fortune from season 1, it's Miriam who bails Susie out of jail.  Then we have a scene with Miriam and Susie at their favorite deli/diner where Susie is uncharacteristically open about how much Hedy had hurt her and Miriam only now realizing how much she asked of Susie to ask Hedy to convince Gordon to let Miriam be on the show.  

Miriam asks if Suzie has ever been in love since Hedy. Suzie rants and curses as is her want and does not answer this question.  Well, not out loud. 

Suzie's point of view shot is Miriam, perfectly centered in the frame, the background almost out of focus. That shot says more than words could ever convey.

Susie loves Miriam. Romantically, sexually, maybe it matters , maybe it doesn't. However it's defined or how much it defies definition, Susie loves this woman. 

This is not a major revelation for anyone watching this series for 5 seasons but that scene really underscores the depth of Susie's feelings for Miriam, even if unspoken.   

After the mishap in their relationship revealed in the mid 1980's flash forward, Miriam and Susie are tight as the episode ends with one last flash forward, this one to 2005.  

Although separated by half a world, Miriam and Susie are on the phone with each other watching Jeopardy together, making fun of the questions, riffing on tangents and making each other laugh. 

The sequence fades to black with the two of them laughing and thus we reach the end of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. 

I'm sorry to see it go but it ended well.

Well, that is that for this week's Tuesday TV Touchbase.  

Next week, we look a couple of comedy specials, one starring Alex Borstein of  The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and another featuring John Mulaney.   

Until next time, remember to be good to one another and try to keep it down in there, would ya? I'm trying to watch TV over here.  

Game of Wrongs

Last week, the U.S. House of Representative and the Senate passed a budget deal that raised the debt limit so the government would not run out of money.  

President Joe Biden addressed the nation Friday evening about this legislative achievement.  “Passing this budget agreement was critical. The stakes could not have been higher.  Nothing would have been more catastrophic than defaulting on the country’s debt. No one got everything they wanted but the American people got what they needed. We averted an economic crisis and an economic collapse.”

Biden's statement must've been very important. Locally, it interrupted Wheel of Fortune.  

So the U.S. government stays in business for awhile longer.

We got into this dangerous game of fiscal chicken because Republicans were in a tizzy of a snit over excessive government spending.

Which is not entirely an inappropriate thing to be worried about. The government wouldn't have to borrow more money to stay in business if we maybe spent less. A reasonable point except the Republicans only bring it up when there's a Democrat in the White House. And the only spending they seemed concerned with was for food stamps and Medicare.  

And this sudden partisan concern with spending ignores some key points.  According to economist Robert Reich, actual discretionary spending has fallen more than 40% in the past 50 years as a percentage of the nation’s gross domestic product (from 11% to 6.3%).  In other words, what we spend of domestic programs may be a large amount, but compared to the overall economic health of the country, it is a large amount that is actually going down. 

Defense spending is a big part of driving up the nation's debt but the Republican Party is going to do fuck all about that. Even while Kevin McCarthy was all in a tizzy of a snit in his negotiations with President Biden to cut food stamp spending, McCarthy's budget actually included increases in defense spending.  

But also causing the debt to get worse is reduced income.  George W Bush pushed through huge tax cuts that benefited big corporations and the wealthy, tax cuts that added $8 trillion to the debt.

A decade later Donald Trump pushed through his own huge tax cuts for the largess of his wealthy cronies adding another $1.7 trillion to the national debt.  

The current Republican establishment that is SO worried over the national debt is currently preparing another round of huge tax cuts for the rich who do not need them and will only exacerbate our growing debt.   

So the Republican strategy for managing the government's debt is to cut programs that help people in need, spend more on a military that has more than it needs and to further reduce the government's capacity for taking in money to actually reduce that debt.   

One might think managing the U.S. government's financial responsibilities was not actually a priority for the Republican Party.  The national debt is only a weapon in their games of political maneuvering against political opponents.  

Consider the Republican Party's other skewed priorities that seem to have little to do with the actual practical mechanics of governing.  

1. Wokeness

Republicans are obsessed with things being "woke" as a threat to American society. What exactly does it mean to be "woke". One definition is “the belief there are systemic injustices in American society and the need to address them”.

That definition is actually offered by Ron DeSantis' general counsel. I guess from the perspective of a straight white male, there are NO systemic injustices in American society and thus NO need to address them.  

If you are straight white or male, well, fuck you and your opinion and the horse it road in on. 

If you are a straight white male with a strong sense of self importance and entitlement and the unbending belief in American exceptionalism, no wonder you think you need to go to war with "woke".   

Health care costs on the rise? Fuck that! We've got woke to fight.

2. Trans people

American citizens who identify as trans gender constitute less than 0.5% of the population and not proven to be a threat to the general population.   

So why are Republicans working overtime to curb the rights of trans gender citizens?

Because it plays well with the evangelical base. It's all part of the political game being played to identify a subset of the population as scapegoats for all our ills and troubles.

Crumbling bridges and roads? Who cares when there might be a drag queen reading to your kids at the local library.  

3. Critical race theory

Republicans have a made a big deal of opposing the teaching critical race theory. CRT is an examination of America’s history of racism which apparently is a threat to America because it makes kids feel bad and teaches them to hate America. 

CRT is a scare tactic for white conservatives, ignoring the lesson that "those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it".  

Energy costs are out of control? Who gives a damn when someone might be teaching your kids that racism is bad.  

4. Couch potatoes

A frequent refrain of Republican scare tactics is that someone somewhere might be getting away with something.  

In the fight over raising the debt ceiling, Republicans added work requirements to food stamps and welfare, arguing that too many “couch potatoes” collect government benefits.

OK, let's consider that yeah, maybe someone somewhere is getting something for nothing who could get off their lazy asses and get a damn job. I'll concede the point that these people probably exist. 

But how many of these “couch potatoes” actually exist? The thing is a lot of people who collect some form of food stamps and welfare are already working but still qualify for assistance because the jobs they have don't pay enough.

By the way, the same party that wants to stop “couch potatoes” is also against increasing the minimum wage.  

But stopping “couch potatoes” is the priority.

It's easier to get people worked up over things than to actually do something like actually governing.  

Skewed priorities are all part of the Republican Party's game of wrongs.  

Cinema Sunday: Gigi

Yesterday was my wife Andrea's birthday so today's Cinema Sunday will be about one of her favorite movies from her childhood.  She has fond memories of watching this movie with her grandmother.

From 1958, we present Gigi, an American musical romantic comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli. 

At the turn of the 20th century, Paris is awash in vibrant colors and passions for  wealthy young bon vivants.

Except for Gaston, the pleasures available to a man of his wealth and privilege leave him bored. Gaston's indifference to his opportunities are a source of trouble and confusion for his uncle, Honoré Lachaille.  Honoré may be an older man but he still persues beautiful women with the same passion of his youth. 

Gaston appears to get some sastisfaction spending time with Madame Alvarez and her granddaughter, the precocious, carefree Gilberte, affectionately known as Gigi. 

Pronounced "zhee zhee".

Since the movie is named after her, what is up with Gigi? 

Following "family tradition", Madame Alvarez is sending Gigi to her sister, Alicia (Gigi's great-aunt) to be schooled in proper etiquette and charm, to be groomed as a courtesan. 

Or expressed another way, wealthy man's mistress. 

Or high society whore. 

Remember this is a movie Andrea remembers fondly from her childhood. I'm thinking the implications of Gigi's training may have gone over her head.   

Gigi disdains all this education when all she wants is to have fun with Gaston, whom she regards as an older brother.

Yeah, this could get awkward. 

Especially when great-aunt Alicia and Madame Alvarez scheme to turn Gigi into Gaston's mistress. 

So Gigi's courtesan training goes into high gear, Gaston is flummoxed by Gigi's more womanly style of dress and Gigi's weirded out when she realizes she expected to do what with who now? 

There's a lot of emotional outbursts, mostly from Gaston who blows up about some damn thing or another, stomps off, sulks a bit and returns all contrite and to be blunt, I'm not sure what's going but it seems to me that Gaston needs therapy.  

Gigi performs perfectly as a courtesan to Gaston which seems to tick Gaston off for... reasons. 

Look, this is an American film made in the 1950's. There will be no fucking with out the marriage so...

The final sequence features Honoré Lachaille proudly pointing out Gaston and Gigi getting into a carriage, elegant, beautiful, and happily married.

The "It's That Person Who Was In That Thing" Department  

• Leslie Caron plays "Gigi" and back in 1951 in  An American in Paris, she also played the too young love interest for the the too old leading man.  
• Louis Jourdan as Gaston would later appear in Made in Paris where he once more plays the very suave sophisticate about town, a role that is second nature to Louis Jourdan. 
• The role of Madame Alvarez was performed by Hermione Gingold who was in The Music Man.  
• And Liane d'Exelmans was played by Eva Gabor who provided voice work on animated Disney films like The Aristocats,  The Rescuers, and The Rescuers Down Under. Perhaps her most popular roles was a Lisa Douglas on the television sitcom Green Acres.

Let's spend some time with Maurice Chevalier who portrayed Honoré Lachaille. 

If you have heard the classic Warner Bros. cartoon character Pepe Le Pew, well, you have a handle on how Maurice Chevalier speaks. And acts. 

Chevalier's first number in Gigi is "Thank Heaven for Little Girls".  Honoré is grateful for little girls because they grow up into beautiful women who are...   How can I put this politely? Well, I won't.   The grown up into beautiful women who are fuckable.  

OK, the actual lyrics are not so crude and somehow Maurice Chevalier makes Honoré's wistful ponderings seem romantic and charming. But let's be blunt here:  Honoré wants little girls to grow up so he can sex them up. I suppose it could be  worse: Honoré could be opposed to waiting. So God bless him for his discretion, chivalry and I suppose his patience.

Maurice Chevalier performs a duet with Hermione Gingold called "I Remember It Well" as the former lovers recall their youth but in slightly different perspectives. It's been homaged and parodied countless times over the years.  

• "I was early." "You were late."
• "You wore a red dress." "It was blue." 
• "The moon shone brightly." "It was cloudy." 
• "I sexually satisfied you." "I wasn't even there." 

And so on and so on.  

Gigi was responsible for revitalizing the movie career of the 70 year old Maurice Chevalier. 

The dude was 70 years old still chasing young women to fuck. Disgusted or impressed? Take your pick.  

Gigi is considered MGM's last hurrah for the big budget musical spectacles for which the studio was well known.  Such movies were no longer appealing to a new modern generation.

But if Gigi marked the end of an era for MGM, the studio was going out with a bang. The film is gorgeous to behold, shot mostly on location, glowing with the boundless spirit and beauty that is Paris.  

And if the modern audience of the era was moving away from such lavish musicals, Gigi found enough enough loyal cinephiles to make the movie both a commercial and critical success.  

Gigi was nominated for 9 Academy Awards including Best Picture and won all of them, a record that remained unbroken until The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won all eleven of its nominations at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004.

I know I snarked off about this movie a bit but objectively, I can see why Gigi enchanted audiences when the movie came out and why it enchanted Andrea when she was a little girl. 

There are things one should not think about too much but otherwise, Gigi is a warm and colorful romantic fantasy.  

Songs For Saturday: Johnny Mathis, B-52s and They Might Be Giants

Today is my wife Andrea's birthday. So for today's Songs For Saturday is dedicated to her.

Andrea is a big fan of classic music from the 1950's and 1960's. One of the most talented crooners of that era was Johnny Mathis. If Andrea and I ever had a song, it was this one: "The Twelfth of Never".   

When Andrea and I first started dated, I got her the CD of Cosmic Thing by the B-52s and damned if we almost didn't wear that thing out on road trips.  This is the record that included "Love Shack" and "Roan" but for today's play list, I chose "Topaz".

Another CD we played a lot in those younger "not married with children" days was "Flood" by They Might Be Giants. A song from that CD was "Particle Man".  The clip used in today's play list is from an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures which despite us being alleged grown ass young adult people, we used to watch. 

Happy birthday, Andrea! Love you, mean it! 

And that is that for this week's Songs For Saturday.

Tomorrow's Cinema Sunday post is inspired by Andrea as we look at one of her favorite movie musicals.  

Until next time, remember to be good to one another and to always keep the music alive.  

Your Friday Video Link: Tina Turner

Last week we lost a great musical legend when Tina Turner passed away at the age of 83.

For Your Friday Video Link, I'm posting a hard driving live performance from Tina Turner of "Nutbush City Limits".

Homophobic Chicken Is Woke?

Chick-fil-A vice president Erick McReynolds made the following statement last year: “Chick-fil-A restaurants have long been recognized as a place where people know they will be treated well. Modeling care for others starts in the restaurant, and we are committed to ensuring mutual respect, understanding and dignity everywhere we do business. These tenets are good business practice and crucial to fulfilling our Corporate Purpose.”

It seems Erick is Chick-fil-A's VP of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. 

This innocuous, even tepid statement about "being nice to each other is a good idea" finally got noticed a year later and ticked off a lot of people.   

“Chick-fil-A has gone woke!” whined commentator Ian Miles Cheong.

Turning Point USA’s Jon Root complained, “Is this just checking off a corporate box or do they believe in this Marxist nonsense?”

Wade Miller, executive director of Citizens for Renewing America, tweeted, “Everything good must come to an end. Here @ChickfilA is stating [its] commitment to systemic racism, sexism, and discrimination. I cannot support such a thing.”

This is frigging Chick-fil-A we're talking about here.  

The same Chick-fil-A that closes on Sunday in honor of the Christian Sabbath.   

The same Chick-fil-A whose founder S. Truett Cathy professes to base his business on Biblical principles and the company’s website says its mission is “to glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us [and] to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-A.”

The same Chick-fil-A whose chairman Dan Cathy said he believes in “the biblical definition of the family unit."  

The same Chick-fil-A that donated millions to anti-LGBTQ organizations.    

This is the same Chick-fil-A that has gone "woke"?

Really? 

"Ensuring mutual respect, understanding and dignity"  is Marxist nonsense?  

Chick-fil-A makes a damn fine sandwich and I really like their milkshakes.  

What more do we need from them?  

OK, it would be great is they were not identifiable with homophobia.

But to get in trouble for just saying, "Wouldn't be nice if we treated each other with respect"?  

How far have we fallen?