Not Brand Echh #11 - The King Kong Issue!

 Dear Marble Gang, 

    Despite an inspired cover by "Mirthful" Marie Severin I felt the eleventh issue of Not Brand Echh was not quite as chipper as most that had come before. There are lots of fine features and many broght a smile still. 

   

 My favorite in the comic had to be "King Konk '68" by "Rascally" Roy Thomas and "Terrific" Tom Sutton. While this was far from a top notch parody, just seeing any version of the mighty ape that once ruled the cinema was neat to see. Too many Liz and Dick jokes I felt choked some possibilities for this one but that splash page with Konk atop the "Umpire State Building" was the highlight of the comic. 

    Coming a close second was "Dark Moon Rise, Heck Hound Hurt" by "Fearless" Frank Springer and newcomer "Audacious" Arnold Drake. It's nice to see Mr. Drake's name in a Marvel comic and he sure makes his presence known in this issue. The spoof on "Jaunty" Jim Steranko's  SHIELD #3 was visually spectacular. 

    Third on my list this issue was "Fame is a Cross-Eyed Blind Date with B-a-a-a-d Breath!" by Arnie and Marie. Taking potshots at the wild merchandising that has mushroomed with the success of Marvel in general and Spider-Man in general was great to see. And that last page was a real humdinger. Who is in that suit?

    Marie's 'How to be a Comic Book Artist!" was a great two-pager with a laugh in every panel. She struck gold again with her four-page "Super-Hero Daydreams". I suspect though we've seen the last of "Wonderful Person" in the Marvel Universe though. "It's a Mad, Mad Ave!" by writer "Stunning" Stu Schwartzbeg featuring more great Marie art fell short though. Roy and "Giant" John Verpoorten hit a real winner with "Auntie Goose Rhymes". 

    "Don't Rock the Vote" starring "Sunk-Mariner" and "Aqualung-Man" in a race to lead "Atloontis" was a one-joke effort that dragged on too long despite some funny lines by Arnie and some antic art by Tom. 

    "Ivanshmoe!" by Stan "The Man" Lee, Roy and Tom was a confusing bit of fluff. I get that an old story was updated with modern Marvel references but that sadly didn't really make it make more sense or be more funny. A dud this was.

    Sadly I have to report that "The Puns of Will Bonnet" by Drake and Sutton was the low point of the issue, though mercifully only four pages. The joke was again repeated and repeated and you had to watch a lot of TV to get them all. 

    I like NBE's bigger size, but hopefully as the series moves forward we can get a higher consistent quality in the features. I'll be there though. 

                                                                                                                Sincerely (Not)

                                                                                                                Rip Jagger

Notes and Comments: Gary Friedrich is gone on to other pastures, and has been replaced by Arnold Drake, late of DC Comics and Doom Patrol fame. Drake had been summarily dismissed by "Brand Echh" when he and a few other longtime employees pushed for some benefits. As I recollect he and Gardner Fox, two of DC's most talented writers were given the shove after many years of reliable service. Such was the forward-thinking world of comics even in the late 60's.  Drake's contributions were significant to this issue with the SHIELD spoof being the hit. Using Snoopy as the "Hell Hound" was inspired and on  my list of top five NBE gags all time for sure. I love King Kong so any parody is welcome and this one has  flavor, especially thanks to Sutton's curious take on the big ape. The spoof of merchandizing Spidey was also quite good and I like better now than I did at the time. When NBE was good it was very good and when it was mediocre it was really bad. Too much of this issue is just mediocre and feels like it could've been in many a satire comic. The "Sons  of Will Bonnet" spoof doesn't actually have any Marvel characters in it at all and could show up in MAD, Cracked, or Sick or anywhere. Losing that distinctiveness while it might be desirable to broaden the market for the book also hurts its core identity in the end. Oh and before I forget to mention it, the way Marie has the heroes all squished into Konk's fist is hilarious and something very few artists could do with such clarity and still keep it lively. She was truly underrated in her own time for certain. 

Here is the classic Steranko comic which a they spoofed and a remarkable Aurora model as well. 

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