Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 44 years ago… This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of April 8, 1982. Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of April 1, 1950. Click here to check it out. (Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the issues that went on sale between April 5 and April 11.) So, let’s set the scene: Argentina this week launched an invasion of the Falkland Islands, sparking an (undeclared) war between the South American nation and the United Kingdom that lasted 2 1/2 months. Pretty much everyone not paying attention to the simmering tensions behind the conflict — which is to say, pretty much everyone not from either country — was completely baffled by it all. The war grew from centuries-long disputes over the control of two related territories: the Falklands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Needless to say, it’s complicated, but basically the territories had long been under British rule and the islanders, largely descendants of the colonists, wanted it to stay that way. Argentina considered the area theirs and the British government in the past was willing to cede control. Diplomatic efforts failed for years, however, and finally Argentina invaded, prompting the British response. (The Argentines lost and the islands remain a British Overseas Territory.) The highbrow comedy of manners Porky’s was the biggest movie in America because, y’know, boobs. It was in the middle of an eight-week run at the top(less). Other hits included the uproarious Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip; the intergenerational Fonda vehicle On Golden Pond; Blake Edwards’ Victor/Victoria, starring Julie Andrews; and two Disney re-releases: Robin Hood, and the greatest animated feature of them all, Fantasia. Dallas, MASH (in its penultimate season), 60 Minutes, The Jeffersons, Alice and Three’s Company were among the big TV hits. The most popular songs — all in heavy rotation on the burgeoning MTV — included I Love Rock ‘N Roll by Joan “The Perfect Woman” Jett and the Blackhearts; We Got the Beat, off the top-selling Go-Go’s album Beauty and the Beat; the J. Geils Band’s Centerfold and Freeze-Frame; Vangelis’ theme from Chariots of Fire; and, Huey Lewis and the News’ breakout Do You Believe in Love. Freeze...
Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 76 years ago… This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of April 1, 1950. Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of March 25, 1980. Click here to check it out. (Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the issues that went on sale between March 29 and April 4.) And, hey, check out that Walt Grogan banner! It’s the first time we’ve used the Golden Age version! — So, let’s set the scene: Wisconsin U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy’s disgraceful campaign of fear-mongering that ruined the lives of countless Americans and infected generations of U.S. foreign policy, had begun in earnest in February when he made accusations that communists had infiltrated the State Department. But McCarthy was just getting started. This month alone, the Senate established a subcommittee that began investigating McCarthy’s claim. On March 21, the Republican told reporters that he had informed Senate investigators of “the name of the man — connected with the State Department — whom I consider the top Russian espionage agent in this country” — soon identified as Owen Lattimore. McCarthy was full of it, but he began piling on with more names and Lattimore, who had been stationed in Afghanistan, rushed back to the U.S. to fight the charges. The senator’s unscrupulous assault was fully unleashed and by March 28 it had a name: McCarthyism, first used in the Christian Science Monitor. The next day, it got even wider exposure — thanks to Washington Post editorial cartoonist Herbert Block, aka Herblock: Meanwhile, a Gallup Poll was released April 4 that showed 37 percent of Republicans — a large plurality — wanted former Gen. Dwight Eisenhower to be the GOP pick for president in 1952. Ohio U.S. Sen. Robert Taft finished second in the survey — 20 points behind. Also telling: A third of independents said they would vote for Eisenhower. For his part, Eisenhower hadn’t even decided to run — and it wasn’t even clear yet whether he was a Republican or a Democrat. Francis — featuring Francis the Talking Mule and Donald O’Connor — was the most popular movie in the U.S. Other hits included Cecil B. DeMille’s Samson and Delilah, starring the magnificent genius Hedy...
