ACTION FIGURES & MERCH | 13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture

Apr05

Dig This UP-CLOSE LOOK at an Original RIDDLER Costume

Posted by Dan Greenfield on Apr 5, 2024

Dig This UP-CLOSE LOOK at an Original RIDDLER Costume

The late, great FRANK GORSHIN was born 91 years ago… — UPDATED 4/5/24: The late, great Frank Gorshin was born 91 years ago on April 5, 1933. The owner of this Riddler outfit, Dr. Stewart Berkowitz, died recently. He always liked it when I’d re-run these articles. This one first appeared in 2018. Enjoy. — Dan — There were few things more exciting as a kid watching Batman on New York’s Channel 11 in the ’70s than when Frank Gorshin showed up as the Riddler. See, I liked Cesar Romero’s Joker and Burgess Meredith’s Penguin just fine. But I didn’t fully appreciate what those actors brought to their roles until I was much older. Not the case with Gorshin, whose manic, spring-loaded kineticism was mesmerizing from the jump. So imagine my giddiness at being able to see — to touch — an original Riddler costume that’s part of an extraordinary private collection of screen-used Batman costumes and props: Yeah. That’s the real deal. Now, the collection — which also features an original Batmobile and a replica Batboat, Batcopter and Batcycle — belongs to an anonymous owner we’re calling Alfred. It’s ensconced in a hidden location in New Jersey and we’ve already teased it for you. (Click here. You want to.) It is, in all likelihood, the greatest Batman ’66 collection you’ll ever see. And hopefully you’ll get the chance in person: Alfred is considering a traveling exhibit. In the meantime, we’re showing off the items one at a time over the coming weeks and months. For example, we’ve already given you an UP-CLOSE LOOK at Burt Ward’s Robin duds. (Click here for tons of pix.) But as far as the villains go, I wanted to start with the guy who was Young Dan’s absolute favorite, the Riddler. Just check this out: Almost everything you see there is original. (Replica shoes and cane were added to complete the look.) Oh, and that mannequin? That’s the amazing handiwork of Greg Maraio and a team of fellow artists, including Marc Spess, who handled the 3D rendering, molding and casting; Daniele Tirinnanzi, who did the custom color-matched glass eyes; and, David Costa of Dash-N-Dazzle, who provided the paint job: Stunning. Absolutely stunning. The best part is we’re just getting started. With that in mind, do you want another tease? Here you go: — MORE...

Apr03

1975’s Classic MIGHTY MARVEL CALENDAR to Be Re-Released — For 2025!

Posted by Dan Greenfield on Apr 3, 2024

1975’s Classic MIGHTY MARVEL CALENDAR to Be Re-Released — For 2025!

1975 and 2025 line up, so Abrams ComicArts has big plans… Well, maybe this explains it. Abrams ComicArts had planned the Mighty Marvel Calendar Book: A Visual History, by our pal Chris Ryall, for December 2023 but then delayed it a year. The book covers the entirety of the famed calendars’ history, from 1971 to 1981, but perhaps this was a case of where timing is everything, because coming your way is the Mighty Marvel 2025 Calendar — reprinting the 1975 classic wall-hanger. And it works perfectly because 1975 and 2025 share the same calendar year — and 2025 marks the calendar’s 50th anniversary. So this holiday season, you can give (or get) both the book and a calendar. Not just that, Abrams ComicArts has two other fantastic retro calendars planned: the Marvel Value Stamps 2025 Day-to-Day Calendar and one so spectacular it deserves its own article. (Click here, True Believers. It’s a mind-blower.) Anyway, dig the official descriptions of the Mighty Marvel 2025 Calendar and the Marvel Value Stamps 2025 Day-to-Day Calendar: — MIGHTY MARVEL 2025 WALL CALENDAR: A REISSUE OF THE 1975 CLASSIC Spiral-bound and printed on sturdy cardstock, the Mighty Marvel 2025 Calendar is the first ever reissue of the classic 1975 calendar, which featured original art by legendary Marvel Comics artists, including Jack Kirby, John Buscema, John Romita Sr., and others. Because 1975 and 2025 share the same calendar dates, it is only fitting to reissue the original Mighty Marvel Calendar, first published fifty years ago and now a timeless classic from the Bronze Age of the Marvel Universe. Spiral-bound and printed on sturdy cardstock, the Mighty Marvel Calendar features Super Heroes and Super Villains, alike, with visual call-outs throughout the year for birthdays of noted Marvel staff and creators, key moments in Marvel history, famous quotes from fan-favorite issues, and other celebratory mentions. Each month is dedicated to a different Marvel character or group from Spider-Man and Daredevil to the Avengers and the Fantastic Four. As artistically designed and captivatingly written as any of the Marvel comic books, this calendar features original art created especially for it by iconic Marvel artists, including Jack Kirby, John Buscema, John Romita Sr, Gil Kane, Gene Colan, and others. Celebrated Marvel editor-in-chief and historian Roy Thomas wrote and edited it. Also included are major holidays and observances from...

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