A MORRISON MONDAYS Birthday Salute to JULIE NEWMAR!
By BILL MORRISON
I’ve been seeing John Romita Sr.’s “FACE IT TIGER” panel from The Amazing Spider-Man #42 (Nov. 1966) popping up a lot lately on social media platforms. It’s one of the most iconic single panels from a comic book, and among the most quintessential introductions of a major character, so I can easily see why people love to share it. (I know MJ was actually introduced in ASM #25, but we didn’t get to actually SEE her until Issue #42.) I’ve also seen several homages to the panel from other artists, so I decided that in honor of Julie Newmar’s birthday this week — she was born Aug. 16, 1933 — I would offer up my version:
Putting Adam West’s Batman in the place of Peter Parker, I imagined that he would have been equally as gobsmacked upon seeing Julie Newmar’s Catwoman as Peter was when he met MJ for the first time.
Like many boys my age (and probably several girls) I experienced my first major crush in 1966 when I saw Ms. Newmar in her skintight Catwoman costume in the 19th and 20th episodes of the Batman TV show. I looked forward to every subsequent Catwoman episode, and when Julie appeared as April Conquest in a 1967 episode of my second favorite TV series, The Monkees, my little head nearly exploded.
In the early 1980s, I appeared as the Al Capp character Available Jones in a community theater production of Li’l Abner, and because I always research my roles extensively I discovered that Julie Newmar played Available’s cousin, Stupefyin’ Jones in the original 1956 Broadway production of the musical, as well as the 1959 film version. So in the mid-’90s when I met Julie at San Diego Comic-Con, I brought my Li’l Abner cast album soundtrack for her to autograph for me.
Julie and Bill at San Diego Comic-Con
So I’m wishing a very Happy Birthday to my favorite Catwoman, my favorite Dogpatch bombshell, and even my favorite robot (see the short-lived 1964 sitcom, My Living Doll), Julie Newmar!
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MORE
— Beware the SQUADRON SINISTER — Er, the SPRINGFIELD SUPER SQUADRON! Click here.
— BATMAN #234: What if DICK SPRANG Was Still Drawing the Caped Crusader in 1971? Click here.
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Eisner winner Bill Morrison has been working in comics and publishing since 1993 when he co-founded Bongo Entertainment with Matt Groening, Cindy Vance and Steve Vance. At Bongo, and later as Executive Editor of Mad Magazine, he parodied the comics images he loved as a kid every chance he got. Not much has changed.
Bill is on Instagram (@atomicbattery) and Facebook (Bill Morrison/Atomic Battery Studios), and regularly takes commissions and sells published art through 4C Comics.
August 12, 2024
Before she was Catwoman, she was Living Doll and Stupifying Jones. I saw both before i saw her as Catwoman. Been a fan since her Living Doll’s days.
August 12, 2024
Yep, Bill mentions both.
August 12, 2024
Thank you, Dan.
September 19, 2024
I heard that Newmar on Living Doll coined the phrase “Does not Compute” but lets the rather artless “Lost in Space” Robot take credit for it.
August 12, 2024
I barely remember “My Living Doll.” I was about 4 years old! The surviving episodes are on DVD if you can track them down!
August 14, 2024
I love it! “Tiger” even makes more sense here. And she’s probably got one to feed Robin to!
I have seen pics of Julie as Stupefyin’ Jones. Aptly named!!!