Sunday 29 April 2012

MEET THE COMEDIAN OR IS IT THE COMIC-HOUND

The Death of a Hero sparks the original investigation that helps tell the tale of the Watchmen.

Edward Blake aka The Comedian is a ruthless, cynical, sarcastic, bully who Moon lighted as a Hero. In another world he would be one of the Bad Guys, but for all The Comedian's faults he fights to preserve Justice, or his version of justice.

He was originally part of the 1940's line up of the Minute Men, who were a forerunner of The Watchmen. Whilst part of the Minutemen, The Comedian had a relationship with his fellow team mate Sally Jupiter aka The Silk Spectre.  This resulted in Sally becoming pregnant with her Daughter Laurie. He was sadistic and enjoyed beating up the villains a bit too much. As a result of his heavy handedness he was expelled from the Minutemen. 

Sally never told Blake that Laurie was his daughter until many years later when The Comedian tried to seduce Laurie, the 2nd Silk Spectre. Luckily Sally stepped in before things went too far.

The Character of the was mainly based in the Charlton Comics character The Peacemaker, with a little bit of Marvel Comics super spy, Nick Fury thrown in for good measure.



THE COMEDIAN WITH MASK

THE COMEDIAN WITH HIS TRADE MARK CIGAR



His trade mark Smiley Face Badge becomes splattered with blood at the beginning of the WATCHMEN saga, which become the main symbol of the tale.


More Watchmen soon






ENJOY

Friday 27 April 2012

THE SILK SPECTRE LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER

LAUREL JANE JUSPECEZYK or Laurie to her friends was the Daughter of the Original Silk Spectre from the 1940's.

Her Mother Sally Jupiter, or The Original Silk Spectre always wanted her daughter to go into the family business as a costumed crime fighter. Laurie on the other hand was not so keen, but to please her Mother who had herself retired from fighting crime mainly due to her age and becoming a mother, Laurie pulled on her silk stockings and skimpy uniform and became the New Silk Spectre. Both Laurie and her mothers relationship was strained by this, mainly due to the problem that Laurie could not always cope with Sally's over bearing nature.  Deep down inside Sally was jealous of her daughter, and blamed Laurie for her having to give up her own Heroic life. 

Laurie had always suspected that her Mothers Husband Laurence Schexnayder was not her real Father,  however for years she had believed that her Mother's fellow crime fighter from the Minutemen, The Hooded Justice was her real Father.  It was not until after the Death of another Masked Hero    The Comedian, did Laurie discover that HE was her real Dad.

Laurie spent many years as the Silk Spectre,  even finding love with one of her fellow Watchmen, Doctor Manhattan.    When the US Government band un registered  Super Heroes, Laurie retired and set up home with her lover the Blue God like Dr Manhattan.

However, as time went on she found it difficult to cope with his changes in personality and slow loss of his Humanity.... as a result Laurie left him and found love again with the Nite Owl.

The Silk Spectre  and the 2nd Silk Spectre is loosely based on the Charlton Comic Character NIGHTSHADE, however they have more in common with The Phantom Lady from the 1940's and the slightly later Black Canary who's characteristics where used in forming both The Original Silk Spectre Sally and her Daughter Laurie.


More Watchdawgs soon.



ENJOY

 


 

Tuesday 24 April 2012

NITE OWL OR IS IT BITE HOWL

DANIEL DREIBERG became the second person to fight crime as the NITE OWL, with Hollis Mason being the original who had retired some years earlier.

The Nite Owl was loosely based on another Charlton Comic character THE BLUE BEETLE, and like The Blue Beetle there had been a silver and modern day version of the character.

Non super powered both Nite Owl's had different ways of fighting crime. Where the original wore a basic costume (Very Like Robin the Boy Wonder) and used his wits and his fists to fight crime, the 2nd Nite Owl used a more updated costume that Incorporated armour and gadgets. (very like THE BAT-MAN)


THE NITE OWL IN THE STYLE OF THE GRAPHIC NOVEL


More Watch Dawgs Soon


ENJOY

Sunday 22 April 2012

DOCTOR MANHATTAN OR IS IT DOG-TOR MUTT-HATTAN ?

Unlike the other Watchmen, Dr Manhattan does have Super Human Powers. He was just plain old Doctor Jonathan Osterman a physicist  who due to an accident in 1959 was transformed into a glowing blue being composed of quantum energy. 

After his accident or rebirth, he is quickly requested to work with the US government of the day where he uses his new abilities and his already enhanced  knowledge in the quest to better man kind. He was rechristened Dr Manhattan after the Manhattan Project that developed the First Atomic Weapons after W W 2.    In the early days he did dabble with being a Super Hero as such, but science and knowledge where his true vocation.

He has many powers that include super human strength, telekinesis, teleportation and control over matter.  His mind perceives time as happening simultaneously, ie  the future, present  and past to him are one thing.   He states that although he can see the future he cannot act to change things, he is but a passenger who's own actions have already been predetermined.

When the US Government passed a bill banning Masked Vigilantism, unlike the other Watchmen, Dr Manhattan did not have to reveal  his identity as the government already knew who he was.  But as far as Dr Manhattan was concerned he was no longer Jon Osterman, that person died in the accident that gave birth to him.

As the years go on he starts to lose touch with his humanity at the cost of distancing  himself with others, especially his long time girl friend and lover The Silk Spectre.


Here is my take on Doctor Manhattan

DOG-TOR  MUTT-HATTAN




More WATCH-DAWGS next time


ENJOY


Friday 20 April 2012

MEET RORSCHACH OR IS IT ?

Walter Joseph Kovacs is better known to the world as RORSCHACH.... one of the WATCHMEN

Loosely based on  The Charlton Comic character The Question, Rorschach became the antihero without a face.... hiding behind his mask that mimicked the Inkblot tests used in medical circles....  named after its creator, the Swiss psychologist  Dr Hermann Rorschach.

The story of the Watchmen begins with Rorschach investigating the death of one of the other Watchmen...... and ends with the near total destruction of  the planet.




Rorschach's  Journal: October 12th, 1985. Tonight, a comedian died in New York. This was the famous last line of the Comic and Movie, which related to the opening pages of the story.



Watch out for more of my Watch Dawgs



ENJOY

Thursday 19 April 2012

WHO WATCHES THE WATCH DAWGS ?

This week we will be looking at The WATCHMEN   or  is it THE WATCH DAWGS  ?

In 1986 a twelve issue comic book was published by DC COMICS. The Series was created by writer Alan Moore and artist Dave Gibbons with the help of John Higgins.

The original story would have featured characters that DC had acquired from a company they had previously bought. It was later decided as many of the characters from the now defunct Charlton Comics would be changed as a result of appearing in the new proposed story,  it would be easier to make these all NEW original Characters instead.

However, even though the characters had been altered, they were still basically the same Charlton Comic players.  Many of the NEW original characters could be likened to others in comics.... but that is what made Watchmen work many thought.  These were more Heroes than SUPER HEROES

Watchmen was a comic BUT a comic aimed at adults, that was not afraid to dealt with adult subjects and American and world history in a different more grittier way.

Main stream comic heroes from DC and Marvel at this time would never go out of their way to kill a villain for revenge......... The Bat-Man never killed The Joker,  Superman would never use his powers to hurt Lex Luther  on purpose...... Captain America never sliced off the Red Skulls head with his shield and Spiderman never dropped Dr Ock off a building for fun.    But with The Watchmen, they fought Fire with Fire...... An eye for an eye..... was the usual.  Justice ?  Yes...... But Their own brand of  JUSTICE.





Sit back and enjoy my tribute to THE WATCHMEN

ENJOY

Wednesday 18 April 2012

COMING SOON

Coming Soon a more away from the Marvel Universe to a new one.



Make sure you WATCH this Space all this week.

ENJOY

Tuesday 17 April 2012

THANKS TO DEAN FROM SPRINGFIELD PUNX

One of the people who inspired me to start blogging and share my art with others was Dean Frasier.

Dean's Art mixes the style of the Simpsons with popular TV and comic characters.

I am a big fan of his work and sometimes mix my art with his and send it to him.  He is a very kind artist who sometimes posts my or should I say OUR work on his site. Many of you may have found my Dawgs via Dean's in  the past.

If you have not seen his work PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE check it out. 


Thanks Dean for Everything and your encouraging words of support.


Here are a Few of the Springfield -Dawgs mash ups I have done for Dean in the Past



http://springfieldpunx.blogspot.com/


THE ORIGINAL WEATHER GIRLS
PUNX STORM & THE BREEZY BITCH

FROM SPRINGFIELD PUNX   SPIDER WOMAN & THE BEAST  meet SPIDER POOCH & THE HAIRY BEASTIE

PUNX HAWKEYE & THE HAWK-EYED HOUND

I updated the original to give my Hawkeye the same West Coast version of the Uniform and take advantage of the 2nd Hawkeye Dean did with bow drawn.


ENJOY

Sunday 15 April 2012

BY THE LIGHT OF THE SILVERY MOON BITE



The Moon Bite would be the next Hero invited to become an AVENGING HOUND after he helped the team escape from Ancient Egypt where they had been sent after a battle with an enemy.

When I say Moon Bite helped the team return, it was really the spirit of the Khonshu, the ancient Egyptian GOD of the MOON.

Khonshu had many years before resurrected Bark Spector who had died trying to save the life of an archaeologist.  Bark had died at the feet of a statue of the Moon God .It was his belief that Khonshu had brought him back from the dead in order to be the his Knight of Vengeance.  Spector removed a cloak from the statue of Khonshu and confronted the person who had both killed him and the Egyptian Archaeologist and thus Moon Knight was born.

Returning to New Yorkie City, Bark started to use his new found powers and abilities to avenge wrong doers.  He created many secrete identities and aliases to allow him pass through the dark under belly of the city with ease.  The only thing was in the end each of these aliases started to have lives of their own.

Things became so bad that at times Bark Spector did not know who he was any more.   It appeared that the act of juggling the different persona's put a strain on Spector's mental health.

During this time the Spirit of The Moon God started to take over control of the Moon Bites actions too. And this is why both Bark Spector as the Moon Bite became WEST COAST Avenging Hound.

Moon Bite stayed with the WC AV  Hounds for some time, BUT when Bark realised that it was Khonshu, not him that wanted to be part of the team, Bark wrestled control of his Moon Bite identity away from the Moon God and took control again.

However, as a result The Moon Bite decided to leave the WC AV Hounds as he Bark Spector believed he would be better off as a lone agent.

Many years later The Moon Bite would become one of Canine America's Secret Avenging Hounds, doing the jobs that other AV Hounds could not or would not do.

The West Coast team would go on to open its doors as I have mentioned to The Viz-Hound and the Scarlet Bitch..... and also the wonderful Waspish Pooch would transfer from the East Coast Team for a while.

BUT that is another story for a later date.

IT'S A GOOD BYE FROM THE WEST COAST AVENGING HOUNDS CIRCA 1988

That is the end of the tale of the West Coast Avenging Hounds for the time being.

Next Time it will be a NEW set of Heroes from a Different Universe completely.

WATCH THIS SPACE


ENJOY

Thursday 12 April 2012

A FLAMING NEW MEMBER



As I have already mentioned the original membership of the West Coast Avenging Hounds stayed very much the same in the early months.

The Team was made up of The Hawk Eyed Hound, The Mucky Bird Dog, The New Iron Hound,  Wonder Dawg and Tig-Growler

Membership was offered to others hero hounds in the early days like Bone Grimm the Hairy Thing from the Fur-tastic Four....... but he refused due to a mutation problem.... the mystery hound called the SHOUND, who just was not a team player and Dr Hairy Pym, who refused membership but accepted a roll as technical adviser to the new team.

When a young bitch with flaming powers came on the scene, the WC AV Hounds believed they had found a NEW hero to add to their ranks.

A NEW ADDITION TO THE TEAM ?

When the young BONE-NITA JUAREZ was struck by a Fire Ball whilst walking in the New Mexico she was bathed in strange radiation originating from outer space.

As a result she found she had the ability to manipulate energy from her body in the form of fire.  Bone-nita was a very religious person, and believed that this power from the Fire Ball was from the one of the Native American Gods. From her childhood she had been told of the legend of the FURRY-FIRE-BIRD, so she decided to adopt the name of the FURRY-FIRE-BIRD and use her new GOD GIVEN powers for the good of the local population.


She first came into contact with the WC AV Hounds when they battled the Evil MUTT PANDEMONIUM. She proved to be a real asset to the team. and after helping them defeat the  Demonic Hound she left to continue her battle for justice in the New Mexico Dessert. 

The WC AV HOUNDS then decided she would be ideal to join their happy gang as a WC AV HOUND in Training, but before they could speak with her  and offer her membership, most of the team found themselves displaced in time and space.

However,   The Furry-Flame-Bird did later return to visit the WEST COAST AVENGING HOUNDS home..... THE DOG POUND. By this time she had become more and more religious after starting on her own personal spiritual life journey.  She had now adopted the name of  HAIR-SPIRITA. She had the same powers, but had now adopted a more reverent and Holy look. 

Visiting the DOG-POUND looking for enlightenment she found DR Hairy Pym who was again at a very low point in his life. As he contemplated ENDING IT, the intervention of Bone-nita convinced him that life was Worth living.
HAIRY PYM LOOKING FOR SALVATION
SAME HERO ON A NEW MISSION TO FIND ENLIGHTENMENT

As a result of this he started a relationship with Bone-nita and also decided to to dedicate his life to both Science and Fighting Crime.

BUT unlike before, he decided NOT to to adopt a new or an old Hero Hound Identify.  He decided to use his size changing powers not on himself..... but on this scientific inventions.  He quickly devised a simple jump suit with many pockets in which he could place items that he had shrunk using his PYM PARTICLE powers. He could now combine his love for inventing, with his love of being a Hero Hound. After many years of uncertainty he was now fully content with his life. (and had come to terms with the Bad things that had happened too)
SAME HERO, DIFFERENT MISSION

Hairy PYM was back to being a Hero Hound..... but this time he did not have to hide behind a mask or fancy costume or code name...... He was now DOCTOR HAIRY PYM .... Scientific Adventurer.

Bone-nita and Hairy were an item for some time, but like most of Hairy's relationships he was never able to fully commit.   Deep down inside he still loved Janet Van Dog  "HIS" Wonderful Waspish Pooch.



NEXT TIME another new Hero Hound comes to stay......



ENJOY

Wednesday 4 April 2012

HERO HOUNDS WAY OUT WEST

The Tale of the WEST COAST AVENGING HOUNDS continues


The new Team made no time getting themselves and the new HQ up and running.

The Hawk eyed Hound had wanted to recruit Dr Hairy Pym to his team as a full time Avenging Hound, however, Hairy Pym was still happy to now be himself, he had put his days of being a Super Mutt behind him, he declined the offer of becoming one of his various hero hound identities, BUT he did offer his assistants as scientific adviser and assistant to the new team.  The Hawk eyed Hound knew if he could not have Ant-Pup, or Giant Dawg, or The Hound Goliath or even The Yellow Jack Russell on his team..... their alter ego DR HAIRY PYM would be good enough.


DR HAIRY PYM..... SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY TO THE WC AV HOUNDS

The Team line up stayed the same for the next few months, the only initial change came when IRON HOUND was replaced by a NEW IRON HOUND. 
THE NEW IRON HOUND, NEW WRAPPING SAME FILLING !

The Iron Hound that had originally been recruited to the Team was NOT the Original Iron Hound. The Mutt inside the Armour was Jaws Rhodes. The New Iron Hound was officially ANOTHER person, BUT the team knew it was the ORIGINAL IRON HOUND.... although most of the AV Hounds still had no clue that it was BONEY BARK who had been the original Golden Avenging Hound.

The New Iron Hound came with a updated suit of Armour....This allowed Jaws  Rhodes to continue operating a Iron Hound also..... as they looked completely different.  Jaw was more happy working as a lone wolf, whilst Boney enjoyed working with others..... Boney's place was with the team.

The New Suit of Armour was nicknamed the Scarlet Centurion.  This was a more powerful  Suit of Armour. In the past Boney had just basically updated his existing Armour over the years.  Each suit was better than the last but basically they were based on his original designs.  This New Armour was completely new.  He had gone back to the drawing board and had designed and built it as if he was building it for the first time. It was better than any thing before,  as it was designed using  up to date technology and all modern state of the art scientific  knowledge and techniques. 

Boney would use this Armour for the next few years.

During the early months of the newly formed WEST COAST AVENGING HOUNDS, Simm-Hound Wailling Hounds aka The Wonder Dawg started to become closer to his "Brother" The VIZ-HOUND and his Wife The SCARLET BITCH.   Even adopting a new look .... in honour of his NEW brother VIZ.


Not a good look. However Simm-Hound did revert to a more TRADITIONAL look later on

Both Viz and Wanda were now in semi retirement after his near break down when he tried to take over the world. (see last months tale)  They had set up home in a small house in New Jersey. Whilst there both worked on there relationship and on improving themselves. The Viz - Hound began contemplating his Canine-ity and wondering if he had a soul.... whilst the Scarlet Bitch continued her magical studies under the guidance of her teacher.... The Witch   Agatha Barkness. Also Wanda and her twin brother Pup-tro's relationship improved, especially after the realisation of who their real Father was discovered to be.  ( That is another Story for another TIME )


When the Wonder Dawgs real brother,  Ear-ache Wailling - Hounds aka , the Crazy Vill-Hound called THE GRIM REAP - PAW, tried again to destroy both the Viz-Hound and the Wonder Dawg.... and the Whole of the West Coast Avenging Hounds... his defeat marked a turning point in both Simm-hounds and The Viz relationship. At long last The Viz-Hound had a Family, but he wanted more.
MAD &BAD..... THE GRIMM REAP-PAW


Wanda's Twin Brother had just had a Puppy with his wife The In-Canine Princess CRYS-TAILS...... this made Wanda long for her own puppies, but could she and the Viz-Hound even have any offspring.  she was a Mutt-ant Canine and he was a Artificially Created Canine after all. Could they ? should they ?

Well with a little bit of practise and a bit of help from her Mutt-ant Rex Power and a dash of Mutt-Magic courtesy of her Mentor Agatha Barkness .... Wanda found herself expecting


HAPPY TIMES AHEAD

The Viz-Hound was happy to soon becoming a FATHER, the Wonder Dawg could not wait to become an UNCLE.  The Scarlet Bitch was content.

9 months later The Scarlet Bitch and The Viz-Hound became proud parents of twins......  Life was good for the new family.... however,  their house in New Jersey was destroyed by a band of Mutt-ant hating  rioters.   Now Homeless the Hawk-eyed Hound offered them a place  to live at the New West Coast Avenging Hounds new base..... THE DOG -POUND

Both Wanda & the Viz both thought it would be a safer environment for them to raise their new pups.... Waill-Hound & Tom-Mutts.  They could be near to Uncle Wonder Dawg,  have a chance to resume their Hero Hound Work   and Also find a Safe place away from the dangers of the  ANTI-MUTT-ANT problems that had started to erupt around the country.  The fact that they had become an open target for all the other CRAZY Vill-Hounds in the Universe JUST BY moving into the WC AV Hounds HQ,  seems to have been overlooked.

A RE UNITED FAMILY


A NEW Hero Hound was also recruited around this time.

More about her next time


ENJOY

Sunday 1 April 2012

THE AVENGING HOUNDS HEAD WEST


On the instruction of  The Viz-Hounds, the then Chairperson of the Mutty Avenging Hounds, Clint Barkton, aka the Hawk eyed Hound travelled to the West Coast of America and set up a second team of Hero Hounds.

The New base of operations was completely different from the Grand New Yorkie Manson that the Original Group called Home.  The New Avenging Hounds home was called The Dog Pound. It was located on the coast of California..... far way from the local population.

The AV HOUND DOG POUND  was soon up and running.  The Hawk eyed Hound did not take long to assemble his initial team.  This Team was made up of mainly experienced former AV Hounds, with only the Mucky Bird Dog a newbie.


The New Team consisted of .....

Team Leader........ Clink Barkton aka THE HAWK EYED HOUND

THE HAWK-EYED HOUND TAKES AIM


His wife  Doggie Morsel aka The MUCKY BIRD-DOG

DON'T MOCK THIS LITTLE LADY


Seasoned Power House......  Simm-Hound Wailing -Hound aka The WONDER DAWG

FILM STAR GOOD LOOKS AND A ROCKET BELT


Growler Grant-Nelson aka TIG-GROWLER

SHE'S NO PUSSY CAT !

and the Original Avenging Hound ....... THE IRON HOUND

SAME SUIT, DIFFERENT FILLING !

What the other AV Hounds did not know was this was not the same IRON HOUND that they knew.  This was a new mutt inside the  Iron Hound Armour.  At this time most of the AV Hounds did not know that The Iron Hound was in fact Boney Bark Billionaire inventor and benefactor to the group.   Boney had had to give up being the Golden AV  Hound after he succumbed to his alcoholic problems.  His best friend JAWS "RHODEY" RHODES had taken on the mantel of the Armoured Hero whilst Boney tried to get his life back together again.

At first Rhodey played along that he was IRON HOUND, but later he confessed that he was a different Mutt behind the Mask.  This fact caused little if any effect to the Groups dynamic.

The New WEST COAST-- AVENGING HOUNDS

NUFF SAID


ENJOY