Posted By Dan Greenfield on May 8, 2024 | 4 comments

Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 33 years ago…

This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott Tipton and I are selecting comics that came out the week of May 8, 1991.

Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of May 1, 1983. Click here to check it out.

(Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are technically the comics that went on sale between May 5 and May 11.)

So, let’s set the scene: The first George Bush was in the White House and the Gulf War had been over for a couple of months, so it was a period of relative quiet on both the foreign and domestic fronts. Bush was, however, hospitalized for a bit due to an irregular heartbeat, giving rise again to concerns about callow Vice President Dan Quayle’s readiness for the Oval Office.

The celebrity world was afire with the raunchy version of Taylor and Travis: Lunkheaded, steroidal superstar Jose Canseco of the Oakland A’s on May 10 was seen leaving Madonna’s New York apartment. Three days later, Yankees fans — very much playing to type — serenaded him with “Like a Virgin.” The whole thing gave rise to such silliness as faux baseball cards but the timing was perfect: Madonna’s headline-making, controversial documentary Truth or Dare was released on the 10th, as well, and was a hit in theaters. (Otherwise, it wasn’t exactly a classic week at the box office: The No. 1 film was the deeply forgettable F/X2: The Deadly Art of Illusion.)

On a far more somber note, on May 9, beloved TV star Michael Landon appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson to talk about his terminal cancer diagnosis. He died less than two months later.

The NBC TV movie Cry in the Wild: The Taking of Peggy Ann, a TV movie — based on a true story! — led the Nielsens. Popular regular shows included L.A. Law, Murphy Brown, Cheers, Designing Women and 60 Minutes. Wheezing toward the finish line was the cult-fave Twin Peaks, which by the end of its run had squandered the promise of its first season.

Star Trek: The Next Generation was in its Season 4 heyday and two episodes premiered this week: Half a Life, guest-starring David Ogden Stiers and Majel Barrett as the irrepressible Lwaxana Troi, ran May 6, and the somewhat controversial Dr. Crusher showcase, The Host, ran May 11.

The catchy Joyride by Roxette led the singles chart, which also included C+C Music Factory’s sexy thumper Here We Go (No. 4), and back-to-back entries Touch Me (All Night Long) by Cathy Dennis (No. 5) and the Divinyls’ hilariously lampoonable I Touch Myself (No. 6).

Mariah Carey’s eponymous debut album, which was released in 1990, led the Billboard 200, followed by C+C Music Factory’s Gonna Make You Sweat (No. 2) and R.E.M.’s Out of Time (No. 3).

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Mister E #1, DC. One of the overlooked gems of the ’90s at DC. I haven’t read this in decades, but I remember it being legit unnerving.

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Darkhawk #5, Marvel. You know, I was buying as many comics as I ever did in the early ’90s, and yet I completely skipped out on Darkhawk. I wonder what it was that made me lack interest. It may have been the helmet, to be honest – you never really see the character.

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Captain America #387, Marvel. As much of a Mark Gruenwald fan as I’ll always be, I must confess: I never much cared for MODAM, the female MODOK.

Dan adds: Oh, Scott, how can you not?!

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Namor, the Sub-Mariner #16, Marvel. When his Superman run came to an end, John Byrne returned to Marvel for all kinds of projects, and his Namor was quite good.

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Star Trek Annual #2, DC. Of all the versions of Star Trek — the movies, the shows, the cartoons, the action figures, you name it — I have been, and always shall be, a Kirk guy. This ish gave us a deep dive into Jim’s Academy days — and half of it was pencilled by Curt Swan!

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Black Panther: Panther’s Prey #3, Marvel. The third part of Don McGregor’s Wakandan trilogy, which began decades earlier with Panther’s Rage. This four-part mini featured painted art by Dwayne Turner.

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Archie Digest Magazine #109, Archie Giant Series Magazine #621 and Betty and Veronica Double Digest Magazine #26, Archie. It wasn’t even Memorial Day but the folks at Archie just couldn’t wait to get Betty and Veronica into bikinis.

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MORE

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of  May 1 — in 1983! Click here.

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of April 24 — in 1954! Click here.

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Primary comics sources: Mike’s Amazing World of Comics, the Grand Comics Database.