Random Coolness

Alot of the comic book reading experience is about the "Big Stuff".  Huge drama, intense action, mindblowing revelations, ultra-twisted villains, unparalleled heroism...you know...the Big Stuff!  Although I've touted a bunch of that kind of thing in my Highlight Reel feature...I also have to say that some of the coolest things in comics are the small things that have stuck with me.  They're as varied and random as it gets, but they all have one thing in common...I think they're cool.  Off the top of my head:

1.  Before becoming the second Flash in 1956, Barry Allen was a fan of the original Flash. Of course, Barry later discovered that his comic book hero actually existed on a parallel Earth.

2.  The fireplace of Superman's Fortress of Solitude.
Click on the Barry White clip below for the full effect.

3.  The android superhero named The Vision was actually an upgraded version of the WWII era Human Torch (who, contrary to his name, was actually an android).  Recycling before recycling was cool!

4.  Tony Stark's attache' case with the secret Iron-Man armor panel.

5.  Spider-Man's web-shooters with those cool click-in cartridges.

Oh, you can be assured there will be more random coolness to come. 

What are some of your randomly cool comic book elements?

Comments

[Siskoid]

Nice feature!

From my youth, I'd say:
-The original DC Multiverse (ok ok no small thing)
-Ambush Bug's ability breaking the fourth wall
-The H Dials
-Kitty Pryde being my age

[cinephile]

Awesome idea for a post, and I love your observations (my favorite small detail of the items you've chosen is actually the box of milk next to the comic, and the bent plastic straw, a wonderful visual observation that says so much about Barry's character). You took two of the things I might have mentioned-- the IM attache case and the original spidey web-shooters--so, let's see...

1) I always liked those "downtime" scenes in the Avengers, when they were just lounging around the mansion in their costumes. There was something ridiculous about it-- geez, don't these people ever dress in regular clothes?-- but also a sweet sense of comradeship and humor, esp. when the book was written by Roger Stern or David Michelinie.

2) Bully's documented these scenes extensively, but I always liked watching Ben Grimm reading comics and pulp novels.

3) The blase, "whatever, get out of my way, doofus" crowd responses to superheroes in the marvel universe, esp. in the 70s-- it was such a funny, realistic contrast to the "gee whiz! A hero!" worship that had run in comics up until then.

4) This is fresh in my mind because I just re-read it, but-- Avengers 176. Government interference means they can't use their quinjets to get out to the suburbs, where they suspect the supervillain is hiding. So, Iron Man yells, "Avengers Assemble!...Um, on the corner outside," and they're forced to wait at a bus stop, then sit on a bus going out to the 'burbs. Plotted by Jim Shooter and written by Michelinie (who really was great at those small, everyday moments of offbeat humor), the joke extends for about three pages, and works as a nice breather amidst an epic, serious action arc.

[Brian Disco Snell]

Tony Stark's briefcase was almost as cool as Oscar Goldman's...

[ploni]

What about that light shaped like spideys head that would come from his belt!
That was cool!!

[Mark Engblom]

All great ones, guys!

[Keith Holt]

Hey Mark.

I just discovered your site and will probably become a regular reader.

My two favorite "small stuff" moments:

1) In one of the annual crossover events between the JLA and the JSA (I don't remember which--I'm lousy with numbers--but it was the one where the Red Tornado died) the heroes were arguing over who gets to take the big bomb against the bad guy and most likely die. Superman says he's invulnerable to anything and Dr. Fate zaps him in the chest and says "not magic." Hal Jordan says his ring will protect him and Alan Scott pipes up, "so will mine, why shouldn't I go?" and Green Arrow says "neither of your rings will protect you from this" and holds up a wooden, yellow arrow. Even as a kid I loved that Green Arrow not only had a wooden, yellow arrow, but that he carried it around with him just in case. He's a lot more like Batman than he'd care to admit.

2) I believe it was in the 2nd Superman/Spider-Man crossover. The big Treasury Edition. Dr. Doom is alone in some grand hall, spouting off about his plans, ranting, and spouting poetic--you know how he gets. At the end of his soliloquy he says, seemingly to the air, something like "save and transcribe." The guy records his rants. It so explains why he's saying all that stuff out loud all the time instead of using thought balloons. I believe that was written by Jim Shooter.

If I think of any more I'l be sure to post 'em here.

[Wes C]

So many to choose from....hmmmmm....

I'd have to say one of my favorite "small things" would have to be A.I.M's original goofy upside down yellow bucket "helmets"

Anybody who would wear that helmet and yellow jumpsuit is not somebody you want to mess with!

Also I just love M.O.D.O.K, just a great character design.

Also:

I love the little 8 page homage to pre Marvel monster stories that John Byrne worked into Fantastic Four# 271. Just an example of the nice little personal touches and extra effort he put into his run on the FF. (Your post on the modest monsters of Marvel - prompted me to go back and read this one again).

Thanks for the great idea jogger.

BTW:Your site is great. I've gotten hooked on it and have had a great time (and a lot of laughs) digging through the archives.

Thanks for spotlighting some of the innocent fun and goofy things that comics seem to want to distance themselves from thesedays.

[McRingtail]

Always liked the Bat Cave's trophies (giant penny, dinosaur, etc.). Just having that stuff in the background unexplained gave Batman a sense of untold history.

[Mark Engblom]

"I just discovered your site and will probably become a regular reader."

Hey, thanks, Keith. I appreciate that. Glad you're enjoying the blog.

I'm a huge fan of the JLA-JSA teamups as well (in fact, here's the link to my retrospective on every single one of 'em), but I'd completely forgotten about the bit with Dr. Doom. That's some funny "in joke" kinda stuff that I always appreciate (explaining away a super villain's incessant "monologing").

Anyway, thanks for stopping by, and glad you're a "regular"!

[Mark Engblom]

"I'd have to say one of my favorite "small things" would have to be A.I.M's original goofy upside down yellow bucket "helmets"

Ahh....the "Bee-Keeper" outfits! Yeah, I love those, too! And, yes....MODOK is one of the most (if not THE most) surreal supervillains of all time. I'm glad to see him enjoying a sort of "cult status" thing nowadays. He made my Big Heads Cover to Cover column some time last year...and for good reason!

"I love the little 8 page homage to pre Marvel monster stories that John Byrne worked into Fantastic Four# 271."

I'll definitely have to read that one again. I still believe Byrne's FF run to be the high point of his career (despite his protests to the contrary). Second only to the Lee-Kirby years.

"BTW:Your site is great. I've gotten hooked on it and have had a great time (and a lot of laughs) digging through the archives.

Thanks for spotlighting some of the innocent fun and goofy things that comics seem to want to distance themselves from thesedays."

You have no idea how much that means to me. That's been my goal all along...to touch on all of the things I love about comics (yeah, with a little griping here and there, too). Thanks for noticing, Wes!

[Mark Engblom]

"Always liked the Bat Cave's trophies (giant penny, dinosaur, etc.). Just having that stuff in the background unexplained gave Batman a sense of untold history."

Oh, yeah...always loved the trophy rooms (both Batman and Superman's...and even the unusually meager JLA trophy room).

I definitely plan on doing a series of posts centered around Superman's Fortress...which will definitely include some stuff on the trophy room!