TOP 13 LISTS | 13th Dimension, Comics, Creators, Culture

May17

You Attended FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: 13 Quick Thoughts On What’s Next

Posted by Dan Greenfield on May 17, 2025

You Attended FREE COMIC BOOK DAY: 13 Quick Thoughts On What’s Next

Retailer MARC HAMMOND of Aw Yeah Comics in New York ponders the aftermath of the event… By MARC HAMMOND Free Comic Book Day, the largest event on the calendar for most comic-book stores, has once again come and gone. Even in this uncertain economic climate, the report I heard from many retailers (and our own locations) was that it was the best one yet. We saw higher foot traffic, more purchases, and less people coming in only for whatever free stuff they could get. All in all, a great day, and we’re already planning for next year. The real question is “What’s next?” Assuming you attended an event at one of the many excellent stores who participated, you may be asking yourself what you do from here. If you’re a longtime comics fan, you’ll probably settle back into established routines and normal scheduling. Nothing wrong with that. If you’re new to our world (welcome, by the way!), you might not have a routine to resume. Here are 13 suggestions on what you can do next in the wild, wonderful world of comics: — 1. Don’t wait until next year to visit that comic book store. Or another store. Or both! Chances are you’ll be able to experience the shop without a throng of free-comic devotees. Take your time, look around, talk to the staff, and really get a feel for how the store operates on a regular day. You never know, it might become your new favorite place. 2. Hopefully, you read the comics you picked up on FCBD, and didn’t just put them away, hoping they will produce a gold mine later in life. The point of these comics, of any comics, is to be read and enjoyed. There’s something to be said for the fun of collecting comics like your favorite Pokemon, but the real magic lies within the pages. Think about which you enjoyed. Did the end of the comic point to something coming up, like a new series, or to a graphic novel that is already available? If so, seek it out. Ask the staff at the shop for help, if you’re not sure. 3. In fact, that’s an excellent habit to develop. Please ask any time you are not sure. Shop staff are there to help, armed with myriad suggestions of titles we love, and...

May16

The TOP 13 Yvonne Craig BATGIRL EPISODES — RANKED

Posted by Dan Greenfield on May 16, 2025

The TOP 13 Yvonne Craig BATGIRL EPISODES — RANKED

A birthday celebration! — UPDATED 5/16/25: The late, great Yvonne Craig was born 88 years ago on May 16, 1937. This column was first published in 2016 in slightly different form. Perfect time to present it again. Plus: Check out Franco’s new tribute to Craig’s Dominoed Daredoll. Dig it. — Dan — Yvonne Craig was born May 16, 1937, but sadly didn’t make it to her 79th birthday. Ms. Craig left us last summer and at the time, we filled 13th Dimension with remembrances and tributes. It was an honor. Now it’s time to once again celebrate her time in those purple, spangly tights. As I said in August, Yvonne Craig saved the third season of Batman ’66. As a kid, I didn’t even recognize that the writing had slipped or that some of the performances had flattened. Having Batgirl swing across the screen in the animated opening was a special occasion. So with that in mind, here are the 13 BEST YVONNE CRAIG BATGIRL ’66 EPISODES — RANKED: — 13. The Batgirl “pilot”. Low production values. Outlandishly bad Killer Moth costume. But that’s all to be expected of what’s basically a test reel. All the basics are introduced here, though, even if viewers had to wait years to actually see this. Batgirl’s even a little saucier than she is in the series. — 12. Ring Around the Riddler. I went on John S. Drew’s The Batcave Podcast to talk about this episode (click here) which I loved so much as a kid. As an adult, not so much. However, one of the great elements is Barbara’s easy relationship with her father, Commissioner Gordon. Yvonne Craig and Neil Hamilton had such good, gentle chemistry, and I especially like the scene where they watch the Betsy Boldface’s late-night sports show. 11. Nora Clavicle’s Crime Club. Horrible episode. One redeeming quality: The Siamese Human Knot. — 10. Batman ’66 #21. I’m sneaking this in here because it’s a great Batgirl ’66 story. Batman and Batgirl travel to Japan to battle Lord Death Man (whom you can read about here). The most memorable Batgirl appearance in the excellent comics series. Written by Jeff Parker with art by Sandy Jarrell and colors by Jordie Bellaire. — 9. Catwoman’s Dressed to Kill. Batgirl as fashionista. The Batgirl/Catwoman rivalry bares its claws in this one....

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