...and then there was the time when Josie McCoy was captured by a mad scientist who wanted to hack open the Pussycat's skull and make a powerful narcotic out of her gray matter...
Before I got on the mp3 blogging kick, there was a brief period of time where I contemplated joining the ranks of the comics blogosphere. Inspired by some of the cool folks I met while posting lame quips in response to Fanboy Rampage posts, I got the entirely misguided impression that I, too, could set up and maintain a comics-themed blog. That idea died a quiet death after I realized that comics and I are destined to be fuckbuddies, at best. The occasional four-color booty call and some fond memories are about as good as our relationship will ever be.
Besides, the comics blog scene is already well-served. I didn’t see the point of half-assedly covering the same ground that folks like Kevin Church, Ragnell, Dave Campbell, Dorian, and Mike Sterling (to just name a few) do so wonderfully and eloquently on a daily or near daily basis. Of all the comics blogs I frequent, though, none have consistently and successfully anticipated my vague, aborted notions of what I might have done as Chris Sims’s Invincible Super-Blog. Legion of Superheroes craziness? An in-depth exploration of the Fury of Firestorm? He has a knack for independently bringing up concepts and ideas that had been bouncing around my head, then adding racing stripes, chrome fins, and a horn that plays “La Cucaracha”.
Case in point, yesterday’s ISB post dealing with Brave and the Bold #115, where Batman dies and the Atom reanimates the Darknight Detective’s corpse by shinking down, crawling inside his cowled head, and jumping around on Batman’s brain. It’s necromancy via bemani, and the comic was one of the first I ever read as a kid. When the whole Identity Crisis flap -- with its darker, more sinister micronized brainstomping -- was happening a few years ago, I kept thinking about Bob Haney’s goofy 70’s version. Nothing came of it, however, and just as well, because such topics are best left to folks with PhDs in Headkickology.
The preceding overwritten and fulsome passage was my special way of setting up the theme for today, brains, without actually having to discuss the subject directly. So, yeah, brains. Enjoy.
MC 900 Ft. Jesus – If I Only Had a Brain (from One Step Ahead of the Spider, 1994) – Who knew Scarecrow had such mad skillz? Rumor has it that Mark Griffin is now a pilot. Too bad, because I’d take this over Beck’s similar white boy hip-hop experimentation any day.
Roky Erickson and The Aliens – Creature with the Atom Brain (from The Evil One, 1981) – Erickson is one of those wonderful characters that populate the fringes of the music world, the sort of fellow Marilyn Manson or Rob Zombie aspires to be, but minus the calculated-for-MTV nonsense. This track is an excellent bit of acid casualty garage rock run through a 50’s horror movie filter.
The Art Attacks – Take Your Brain Out for a Walk (from Outrage and Horror: 1977-1979, 2003) – The original line up of this band included Robert Gotobed. While he departed before this track was recorded, one can still pick out similarities between it and Wire’s brand of seminal art punk.
The Observers – When I Held Your Brain in My Arms (from Clowns in the Sky II, 1998) – Superior beings who keep their brains in pans, and seem to have a fondness for the Ink Spots. It’s the work of the Mystery Science Theater 3000 crew, from the later Sci-Fi Channel seasons of the much missed series.
Posts
All Comments
