#Dave Manak

[comic-covers]

(1982)

[oldschoolfrp]

Happy Groundhog Day!

Dave Manak from Plop! #22, 1976. Plop! Was DC Comics’ “magazine of weird humor” in the mid-1970s, featuring gross-out art by Basil Wolverton and contributions from Mad/Groo artist Sergio Aragonés.

[wolfgang1097]

Evening, folks. I think I need to get something off of my chest regarding a certain woman in gray from Spy vs. Spy.

As much as so many people would wish, or even hope, that Gray Spy would lose for once, on account of how much they hate her, I don't think that would be a good idea at all. I mean, Prohias refused to draw a woman enduring the fates that the two male spies, Black and White, go through on a regular basis because he wanted to be respectful to women. Don't get me wrong, I'm not too fond of her myself, but I'd rather stay true to the comics, and that includes Gray Spy always winning. I will admit, I'd like to use Gray Spy always winning as well as her seductive, manipulative, cruel, sadistic, and overall evil nature towards the male spies, which is why I view her as the antagonist (who never loses of course) despite that she was supposed to represent neutrality, as a message that women harming and/or taking advantage of men in any manner really should be taken just as seriously as the other way around.

However, after a few years, Prohias slowly phased her out of the comics after realizing that she was too predictable. Bob Clarke and Duck Edwing brought her back for three strips (two magazine strips and one paperback strip, with the latter marking her only appearance in the paperbacks), after Prohias retired in the late 80s, of course. Peter Kuper, however, made her into a recurring character. She also appeared in two of the Sunday strips, all 39 of which were illustrated by Dave Manak and written by Duck Edwing in 2002. Of course, she won in both of the Sunday strips she appeared in. Not gonna lie, I'm glad Prohias phased her out of the comics because I'd rather she not show up at all anyway. I mean, Spy vs. Spy lacked the good vs. evil element, thus giving the comics a perfectly good balance, and Gray Spy ruins it because like I said, she is practically the antagonist (again, who never loses) for the most part because she is so cruel and sadistic, probably even more so than the male spies, as well as being so seductive and manipulative towards Black and White. So yeah, I'm glad she never appeared in any of the MADtv shorts nor CN'S MAD shorts at all as she'd probably ruin them anyway.

Other than Prohias wanting to be respectful to women despite realizing that she was too predictable, I have a theory as to why Gray Spy always wins: Gray Spy always wins because she is deliberately more intelligent than both Black Spy and White Spy. A weakness both Black and White have in common is attractive women and Gray Spy knows it, which may explain why she uses her seductive and manipulative nature to make them fall head over heels for her so she can take advantage of their gullibility, which of course results in both Black and White ending up in her traps every single time, especially during Prohias's era, before he phased her out, of course. Gray Spy is so intelligent that she is always at least one step ahead of the male spies, so even if both Black Spy and White Spy teamed up for once to defeat her once and for all, they will still fail miserably.

Thanks for taking the time to check out my thoughts, opinions, headcanon, and theory about Gray Spy. Peace.

[sonicpanels]

Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Ongoing) #4: "Tails' Little Tale"

Writer(/possible uncredited layouts): Michael Gallagher Pencils: Dave Manak Inks: Henry Scarpelli Letters: Bill Yoshida Colors: Barry Grossman

Editor: Victor Gorelick

[jhsharman]

celebrity lookalikes

[acmeoop]

Radishes Make Me Repeat “Alf #26” (1989)

[the-gershomite]

Star Wars Droids #7 April 1987

Part Two of a Three Part Saga “Star Wars: According to the Droids”

written by Dave Manak

pencil art by Ernie Colon

inked by Al Williamson

colored by George Roussos

lettered by Ed King

[nerds-yearbook]

With a cover date of December, 1989, Marvel released the first of two Super-Sized Alf Holiday Specials (the second was released the following year with a cover date of December, 1990). The special contained multiple winter themed stories involving Alf and the Tanner family. ("Shop Around the Clock", "Snowman is an Island", "The Return of the Crazy Critter", "The Gift of the Melmagi", "WOTIF The Twelve Days of Christmas Happened on Melmac?" "23 Ski do's and don'ts", "Alf Lang Syne", Super-Sized Alf Holiday Special 1#, Marvel Comic Event)

[thesabrinatheteenagewitchblog]

Every Saturday, I'm going to publish a compilation post, where I collect all the moments or pages or clips of specific things, like "Every characters first appearance" or "Every Sabrina love interest"! (These can also be requested at any time)

This time: The cover of every first issue of solo Sabrina runs! (Not including guest appearances, like Archie's Madhouse) (note: while the manga run is counted as part of the 2000 run, it's so distinct (and even collected as such) that it feels wrong to not make it count as its own run here):

Sabrina The Teenage Witch # 1 (1971) by Dan DeCarlo! (The first run)

Sabrina The Teenage Witch #1 (1997) by Dan DeCarlo! (The sitcom run)

Sabrina The Teenage Witch #1 (2000) by Dave Manak! (The Animated Series and Sitcom run)

Sabrina The Teenage Witch #58 (Manga #1) by Tania Del Rio! (The Manga run)

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina #1 (2014) by Robert Hack! (The horror run)

Sabrina The Teenage Witch #1 (2019) by Veronica Fish! (The Kelly Thompson run)

Sabrina The Teenage Witch #1 (2020) by Veronica Fish! (The second Kelly Thompson run)

Which is your favourite? Mine is the first Thompson run cover, which coincidentally is my favourite Sabrina run too!

[paulagnewart]

Sonic the Oz-Hog Act 9/12: Livin' on the Hedge!

Sonic the Hedgehog issue 3 AU Publication Date: 24th September 1993 Price: $2.25

There's something wrong with the world today, and it's not just like a case of deja vu. September 1993 was immensely important for the enduring success of everyone's favourite blue boy over in the Land of the Free, but how did Australia stack up by comparison?

The ongoing adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog were far from many a mind when the late Juan Antonio Samaranch infamously proclaimed "The winner is… Sydderny!". Thousands packed Circular Quay in celebration of securing the 2000 Olympics bid. Pre-dawn fireworks swept over Sydney Opera House for lucky locals, while the rest tuned in early on Channel Nine for overnight coverage, then Channel Seven's afternoon recap. Or at least when they weren't watching the premiere of 'Stay Tooned: The History of Tom and Jerry', a half-hour feature promoting their grand cinematic outing which opened a week prior.

For those with kids or simply being kids at heart, the morning was instead another romp on Agro's Cartoon Connection. Having gnashed his teeth in the late 1970's, everyone's favourite talking bathmat underwent an extensive rework come January 1990, now joined alongside youthful cohost Ann-Maree Biggar. This dynamic duo were by 1993 indomitable, winning the nation with their two and a half hours of animation, antics and a rambunctious live studio audience.

Not that it stopped other networks attempting to muscle in on their success. Launched on the week of Christmas 1992, Channel Ten attempted to fight back the timeslot with 'The Big Breakfast'. Hosted by equally youthful larrikin Tim Bailey, their prime directive focused on quantity over quality, airing upward seven different cartoons a week. For that day, sandwiching the penultimate episode of all-new 'Capitol Critters' were repeats of 'Bionic Six' episode 'Ready, Aim, Fired', and 'Speed Racer' episode 'The Desperate Desert Race: Part 2', the latter ironically stolen from their competitor.

Speaking of fight backs, the conservative branch of Australian politics were in shambles after their centerpiece policy failed to swing voters. At 650 pages, the highly contentious Fightback! manifesto offered among other things higher tax cuts for the wealthy and striking a proverbial axe to low income earners. Riding off the back of "A Recession that Australia Had to Have", the mainstream media months earlier declared the left-leaning Labor party's chance of retaining power an "unwinnable" prospect. But they did, and Prime Minister Paul Keating was on top of the world. Plus leaving his mark on the world, that month exchanging pleasantries with US counterpart Bill Clinton while pushing for Australia to officially sever constitutional ties from the UK.

Yet there was an even larger development which swept Aussies off their feet. More than Meat Loaf ruling an unopposed 8 weeks with his megahit "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)". Higher than Michael Crichton and Steven Spielberg's adventure some 65 million years in the making which sent Harrison Ford tumbling off the proverbial box office dam. Enticing thousands more than the launch of Australia's first ever Toys R Us at Belconnen, complete with Sonic mascot greeting visitors at the door. And yes, arguably even more than The Dinky-Di's potential animated film and guaranteed tax write-off Mephisto's Web. All those and more paled in comparison to the rise of the Internet.

Once the experimental plaything of Melbourne university students back in June 1989, technology had become more widespread and affordable for the common layman. Internet Service Providers sprung up, ready to compete in the inevitable web wars while fans across the land stretched their fingers, ready to type away to complete strangers about all the important information of life, like commenting and speculating over whether or not a storehouse in Toronto housed a horde of missing Doctor Who episodes.

As for the Blue Blur, it's hard to gauge a consensus on this and numerous other early issues as the organized Archie Sonic fandom was by that point nonexistent. Granted the comic sold thousands of copies across multiple nations, but it would take more time for fans to escape the confines of playgrounds and mingle over his monthly adventures online. As far as then-Hedgehog enthusiasts were concerned, Archie Sonic was but a supplement for his new cartoons. And it's through the likes of early fan pioneers like Ron D. Bauerle, David DeSimone, Serinthia Kelberry, Lindsay Cibos and Dan Drazen the success (or lack thereof) of Sonic's formative years are measured.

"If you read the comic book put out by Archie Comics, the characters featured there also come out in the series." One early reviewer commented. "They have Princess Sally, Bunny Rabbot, Antoine, Tails and of course Sonic. Being an animation fan and having seen DIC's earlier derivative works(there are too many to name), I expected it to be a hodge-podge of scenes/situations lifted directly from the video games(As DIC did in "Captain N", a lame lift from Nintendo). Actually, this show introduces some new, interesting characters, allowing for more original stories. Instead of ripping off the game, this show expands on it. The voice characterization is good,too(cast includes voice veterans Jim Cummings and Charlie Adler). So if you're a Furry, a gamer, or just can't get a chance to see ANIMANIACS, give this one a try."

"I think it's one of the better NEW Saturday morning 'toons, and probably the best thing I've seen from DIC in years." More swiftly agreed. "Anyone who's seen the weekday versions of Sonic would probably agree with me that the weekday episodes have nothing on the Sat AM ones.", or how "I've seen the daily Sonic show (TAOFSTH)… and I can safely say it's poorly animated cartoon swill.". Yet a few treated it with trepidation. "While not great, it's better than the Bonkers dreck. I had decided to skip it, but saw the ABC preview last night and there were some cute-looking furries in it.".

But as the weeks progressed, a divide slowly formed between cartoon and comic counterparts. "It is true that the television show derives from the Archie Comic, but from what I've seen in SEGA VISIONS, the cartoon's artistry and storyline is MUCH better than the comic. Besides, the Furries ARE neat, and the voice characterization is well done". Future long-running debates were born including "The editor of the letter column in Issue #5 of the Sonic comic says she's a squirrel, but I don't believe him - not with a short tail like that. I still favor chipmunk myself.".

It drew new fans like "Sonic's superspeed is interesting (but then, I liked "The Flash"). Jaleel White does an adequate job of voicing him, Kath Souci does the princess, and Christine Cavanaugh (Gosalyn from Darkwing Duck, I believe) does the bunny. Does anybody have a better explanation of the basis of the show? How about the video game? (About which I know nothing.) I'll keep watching for the furries, if nothing else…". Praise was short lived however, and by the conclusion of its first season, "These stories are really going downhill. Where did all the light come from in that underground world? And sorry, but I can't believe in any magic fertilizer water that makes trees grow instantly. I'd rather have seen a continuing story than all of these disjointed lame ones. E.g., are we ever going to find out what happened to Sally's father? Probably not, with only three more to go.".

Sonic the Hedgehog fans. Fawning over the female cast, criticizing plots and bashing the Archie series since 1993.

Time changes, and yet some things never change.

[smashedpages]

On this date in 1993, Sonic the Hedgehog came spinning out of video games to land in his own comic series, courtesy of Archie Comics, Michael Gallagher and Dave Manak!

[thecomicsnexus]

ALF #12

February 1989

By Michael Gallagher, Dave Manak, and Marie Severin.

ALF goes amnesiac and thinks Earth has destroyed Melmac.

In another story, ALF tells a western tale from Melmac.

And in the last story, Lynn accidentally uses a shampoo conditioner from Melmac that makes her hair grow out of control.

SCORE: 8

I do not remember the last two stories in this issue (from my childhood), but I do remember reading the first story. I think, overall, two stories are good in this issue. The Melmac adventures are usually just parodies, and they don't always work.

One fascinating thing about this comic is seeing the Tanner's house from unusual angles, the ones that simply did not exist on the set.

Also, with stories like Lynn's hair conditioner accident, they were able to explore a story for Lynn that couldn't be made in live-action.

I am not sure right now if Paul Fusco had a say on the stories that got printed (but I doubt he would let anyone write stories without his approval).

[ultrameganicolaokay]

Ghosts #109 ‘The Darker Shade of Death!’, ‘The Corpse Wasn't Ready to Die’, ‘The Spectral Sculptor’ and ‘Fingered’ (1981) by George Kashdan, Dick Ayers, Bruce Jones, Dan Mishkin, Michele Wolfman, Noly Zamora, Fred Carrillo and others. Edited by Dave Manak. Cover by Ernie Colón.

Ghosts #109 - DC, February 1982.

Cover art by Ernie Colón.

[wolfgang1097]

What's up folks? After looking at all 39 of the short-lived Spy vs. Spy Sunday comic strips from 2002, this one is one of my favorites. I mean, panel three just melts my heart with Black mentioning his mother and father there. Seeing the illustration of his parents in the speech bubble in that same panel also has been giving me ideas, for some reason. Either way, it's just so heart-warming.

In panel five, that face is basically me whenever I receive a jury summons in the mail. Not to mention that's it is actually the image for the "This is gonna suck" trope page image. It's perfect for that.

As for the short-lived Sunday comic strips in general, it's hard to believe it's been almost 22 years since these have been made. I may have been in preschool (4-5 years old) at the time these were made, but holy frick I feel old (personally).

I do not claim ownership of the content. Spy vs. Spy belongs to the defunct MAD Magazine and the late, great Antonio Prohias. The Sunday Strips were produced by Dave Manak (illustrator) and the late, great Don "Duck" Edwing.

[sonicpanels]

Sonic the Hedgehog (Archie Ongoing) #9: "What's the Point?"

Writer(/possible uncredited layouts): Angelo DeCesare Pencils: Dave Manak Inks: Henry Scarpelli Letters: Bill Yoshida Colors: Barry Grossman

Editors: Victor Gorelick & Paul Castiglia

[the-gershomite]

Star Wars Droids #8 June 1987

Part Three of a Three Part Saga “Star Wars: According to the Droids”

(12-23 of 23)

written by Dave Manak

pencil art by Ernie Colon

inked by Al Williamson

colored by George Roussos

lettered by Ed King