My First Wonder Woman Book

Downtown Bookworks sent me a copy of another one of their volumes, My First Wonder Woman Book, which is a "Touch and Feel" board book. Inside, you can check out the Amazing Amazon's sparkly blue cape, feel her Magic Lasso, check out her reflective bracelets, and lift a flap to see WW in her secret identity:

Wonder Woman's JLA pals do make an appearance, thanks to this classic group shot by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN), which I never tire of looking at:

You can pick the book up now, on Amazon or via any fine seller of books. Thanks again to Downtown Bookworks for making these wonderful little tomes!


Postscript: I gave my copy of the book to a co-worker, thinking his three-year old daughter would enjoy it. Before I even made it home, he informed me she read it five times in a row. Can't ask for a better review of My First Wonder Woman Book!

Super Powers Pennants

Show your solidarity for the classic Super Powers line with these new felt pennants, featuring artwork by the one and only Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN)! On sale February 2017!

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

Justice League: Rebirth #1 Variant Cover by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

Speaking of Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (PBHN, and we always are), here is his stunning variant cover to Justice League: Rebirth #1. Aquaman needs to be a bit bigger, otherwise perfect!

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

"Praise Be His Name"

In 2012 post on this very blog, I off-handedly coined the phrase "Praise Be His Name" when mentioning the legendary artist Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (PBHN). I have always felt that JLGL is one of, if not the, finest artists to ever work in the medium, but someone whose work hasn't gotten the appreciation afforded other contemporaries like John Byrne, Frank Miller, Walt Simonson, etc. So I thought a nice way to remind people how great JLGL is was to follow every mention of his name with the phrase, as a sort of call-and-response thing.

I kept doing it on every JLGL-related post, until the thing took on a life of its own, and other people started using it. And now, thanks to F.O.A.M.er Carlos Mucha, the man himself has been informed of this tribute! In an interview Carlos did with JLGL over on CapedWonder.com, he asked the great artist what he thought about the whole thing:

Carlos Mucha: What do you think of the "Praise be his name" expression that some fans state whenever your name is mentioned in writing, on podcasts, or blogs?

José Luis García-López: What? No, it can't be. (Laughs)

Carlos Mucha: Yes, really! They say "José Luis Garcia-Lopez, praise be his name."

José Luis García-López: Oh my God. Oh my "Gosh!" I don’t know. I'm now finding out about this.

Carlos Mucha: Yes, it’s your nickname lately.

José Luis García-López: No, no. Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re saying! (Laughs)

Despite JLGL's modesty, I plan to keep on using "Praise Be His Name." He deserves it!

Super Poderes Store Display

Check out this nifty Spanish "Super Poderes Collecion" in-store display sign, festooned with that classic JLGL (PBHN) stock art! Absolutely gorgeous--what kid could possibly not want to pick up a few of these figures when you've got this kind of thing staring them in the face?

(h/t: WonderWomanCollectors.com)

Barratt Super Heroes Activity Album

Some classic (is there any other kind?) Jose Luis Garcia Lopez stock art adorns the cover to this UK activity book from Barratt. I don't like Aquaman being so small, but it's okay when the group shot of heroes is this gorgeous.

Check out all the oodles of great stuff inside the Wonder Woman Collectors site!

Justice League Duvet Cover

Check out this nifty kids duvet cover from Pottery Barn, featuring classic JLGL stock art of Aquaman, Batman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Superman! No Wonder Woman of course because girls have cooties!

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Jeff Petersen)

Aquaman Underoos

By popular demand, Underoos are back baby, in "adult" sizes! Festooned with glorious JLGL (PBHN) art on the package, you now can go to sleep dressed just like Aquaman is in the comics--everyone recognizes that big black A he's had over his heart lo the past seven decades! I'm kidding of course, but given Aquaman's current costume, there is a certain amount of resemblance seen here. *Ahem*

Head over to Underoos.com to see all the new sizes and characters available!

Super Powers T-Shirt

Here's a new t-shirt available in stores--the Super Power Sausage Party!

What the heck is with whoever put this together? Would Wonder Woman on this thing really have been so bad? Are people really clamoring for 70s-era General Zod on their shirts?!? At least Aquaman gets the front row, but still--where are the chicks?

Paul Kupperberg's Secret Romances #1

Paul Kupperberg's Secret Romances #1, part of the ever-expanding Charlton Neo Media line, is now on sale! Not only does this feature all stories by Friend of the Shrine Mr. Kupperberg, there's art by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN), Pat & Tim Kennedy, Jeff Austin, Bob Smith, and, well, me!

Yes, Paul was nice enough to ask me to contribute a spot illustration for a text piece called "The Man With A Copy of 'Catcher in the Rye", making this my very first bona fide comic book credit! Considering that Paul's work--especially on Aquaman--was one of the things that inspired me to get into comics in the first place, I guess everything has come full circle. I wouldn't even know Paul if not for the Shrine, and I'm very happy and proud to be part of this passion project of his.

You can buy Paul Kupperberg's Secret Romances #1 in print or digitally, find out how here!

Super Amigos Sticker Album

Check out this nifty sticker album cover from Venezuela, circa 1982. Clearly based upon the work of Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN), but whoever was doing the tracing went a little afield here and there. Still, pretty nifty!


(h/t: WonderWomanCollectors.com)

DC Stock Art by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez

After decades of constant use, it's hard to find any of the classic stock art by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN) that I haven't seen before. But these eight figures are completely new to me! They are, of course, beautiful, as is pretty much everything JLGL puts his pencil to. Extra treat: Aquaman and Firestorm posing together:

(Definitely going to have to find a way to use this for The Fire and Water Podcast)

What, exactly, are our heroes doing here? Considering that they're all looking into the sky and waving, and that Superman is nowhere to be seen, I'm gonna bet the Man of Steel was a separate piece of art but meant to be part the overall picture. Considering the inclusion of Firestorm and Cyborg--not generally seen on the stock art--I'm gonna bet it was meant for some piece of merchandising tied to Galactic Guardians/The Super Powers Show. Somebody call in Detective Chimp!


(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

 

My First Book of Super-Villains

Help your kids learn about good and bad with the help of the heroes and villains in the DC Universe in My First Book of Super-Villains, out now from Downtown Books!

Like the others in this super-fun series, Super-Villains uses classic stock art (mostly by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez, PBHN) to help little kids learn basic concepts--in this case, good and bad. And of course, there's a lot of bad to use as examples:

The only (minor) quibble the Shrine can make about this particular book is that it doesn't feature Aquaman or his villains, except for a brief cameo on the last page, seen above. But the Sea King has been well represented in the other volumes, so it's okay, My First Book of Super-Villains is still a great little primer for the superhero fan in your life. (Maybe Downtown should send some of these books to Washington D.C., it never hurts to brush up on the fundamentals)

Pick up a copy of My First Book of Super-Villains on Amazon today!



Other books in this series:

• DC Super Heroes Busy Bodies
• DC Super Heroes Color, Shapes, and More
• DC Super Heroes My First Dictionary
• My First Book of Girl Power
  
  

DC Super Heroes Busy Bodies

Yet another kids book starring the DC heroes and using the awesome stock art of Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN), DC Super Heroes Busy Bodies teaches wee ones about their bodies, actions, and clothing! Pick up a copy on Amazon!


(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

My First Book of Girl Power

Last week the Shrine posted pics of a new book, DC Super Heroes My First Dictionary featuring gorgeous stock art by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN). Well, I'm happy to report that the dictionary was only one of a whole line of DC-themed board books! Case in point: DC Super Heroes My First Book of Girl Power, which features not only the usual suspects Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl, but also Hawkgirl, Mary Marvel...and Mera!

While most of the book is by the aforementioned JLGL, that middle page of just Mera looks like it's by another master, Dick Giordano. Going by just these three pages, this is one beautiful book! Pick up a copy on Amazon!


(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

DC Super Heroes My First Dictionary

Oh man, how cool is this book? Coming out this month is DC Super Heroes My First Dictionary, featuring all your favorite DC heroes drawn by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (PBHN)! I don't have much else to say about it, other than, judging from these sample pages, it's simply a gorgeous book--go and buy it. And remember, A is for Aquaman and M is for Mera!

By the way (okay, I guess I do have something to say)--I find it interesting that companies that license DC characters for their products are still mostly using JLGL's stock art, which is almost thirty years old at this point. Why isn't there an out-of-New-52-continuity book drawn by this man?

(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Ilke Hincer)

New 52 Aquaman by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez

Here's something we don't get enough of--new Aquaman art by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez! Praise Be His Name!


(h/t: F.O.A.M.er Hector Negrete)

DC Superheroes Mug

Also courtesy F.O.A.M. member Ilke Hincer, this handsome mug features classic Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (Praise Be His Name) stock art of the big stars of the DCU (minus, for some reason, Wonder Woman!).

Still, a sharp-looking mug. Thanks again Ilke!

Super Heroes Stock Art by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez

There aren't too many pieces of JLGL stock art from the now-legendary 1982 DC Comics Style Guide that the Shrine hasn't already covered (pieces that feature Aquaman, at least), but I did find another one recently--this group shot, with the generic "Super Heroes" moniker adorning it.

The Big Three get the lion's share of the space, but there seems to be two other "tiers" at work here--Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, and Captain Marvel take up the middle space, with the Teen Titans, Red Tornado, and Supergirl bringing up the rear.

I never get tired of looking at this stuff.

DC Poster by Jose Luis Garcia Lopez - 1979

The master artist Jose Luis Garcia Lopez (Praise Be His Name) posted this over on his Facebook page a few weeks ago, the original art to a heretofore unseen poster he was commissioned to do in 1979 (despite the "1981" written at the bottom).

The poster was inked by Dick Giordano, and if you click to embiggen you can see it features all of the big DC stars of the time, with an emphasis on the Legion of Superheroes, who were pretty big then. Aquaman is kinda tucked away in the back there, but he's doing his best to catch up!

I had never seen this poster before, and Jose doesn't mention what is was for. Anyone ever have a copy of it?