The amazing adventures in The Amazing Spider-Man #100!
Read more50 Years Ago -- The Avengers!
Avengers #94, December 1971
-- I used to love the way the colors popped on the covers, like a breath of fresh air. That feeling of walking into a comic book shop (though for me, it was initially hand-me-downs and two interesting places to buy comic books…a pharmacy/magazine shop and a hyper-local hardware store!!).
It seemed in the 1970s that teen collectors were willing to swap and trade regularly. I got early 1970s comic books from these older kids.
And, check out Vision standing watch as part of the logo!
Writer: Roy Thomas
Penciller: John Buscema, Neal Adams
Cover Artist: Neal Adams
Avengers #94
Conversations with Jerome Charyn, edited by Sophie Vallas
Conversations with Jerome Charyn provides a fascinating and insightful look inside Charyn's work through his own words -- arguably the most interesting writer alive today. There is no one quite like Charyn -- the depth of the work across several genres is unparalleled.
Yet, while he is a bestseller in France, he is not widely known among American readers, which is pitiful. This is an American artist that should be heralded and studied -- his work transformed historical fiction, detective fiction, and the memoir.
Editor Sophie Vallas should be recognized for pulling the Conversations book together and her diligence in studying Charyn. Her interviews with the author contained in the book demonstrate a deep commitment to understanding this important writer. I appreciate the University of Mississippi publishing this series. I look forward to this book coming out in paperback, which will make it more affordable and widely available.
Sergeant Salinger by Jerome Charyn
If you love great literature, do yourself a favor and pick up a book by Charyn. I recommend Sergeant Salinger, his latest.
John Updike: Pennsylvania Roots on the Updike Podcast
John Updike was born in Pennsylvania in 1932. Much of his early work, including the famed Rabbit novels and many critically acclaimed short stories were set in the state. Examining Updike's PA roots is important in understanding his development as a writer and how that output shaped his "writerly" life.
I share snippets of a 1983 Updike speech in which he discusses many of these Pennsylvania connections and why he chose to dedicate his artistic life to "middles."
On another note...
I am incredibly honored to feature the fantastic piano piece, called "Swing Of The Hip," written and performed by Evan Palazzo. Evan is the band leader and pianist of The Hot Sardines, the group he and front woman, singer extraordinaire Elizabeth Bougerol created to play the great jazz classics of a century ago, as well as their own original recordings. If you love jazz, you should be listening to The Hot Sardines. Or, once live music kicks off again, see them at one of their many global tour stops. I guarantee seeing THS live is a concert experience you will never forget! For my money, The Hot Sardines are simply the best jazz band playing today!
For more information about The Hot Sardines, visit them online at www.hotsardines.com or at Facebook or Instagram where many thousands of followers gather to get the latest news, music, and information about the band.
New Podcast -- John Updike: American Writer, American Life
Over the course of his six-decade career stretching from the 1950s to 2000s, great American writer and novelist John Updike received praise from countless critics, including Christopher Hitchens, who called his scope “rather breathtaking,” and from Michiko Kakutani of the New York Times, who said that Updike “established himself as a major and enduring critical voice; indeed, as the preeminent critic of his generation.”
This Anchor podcast tackles many of the most urgent questions facing literature and pop culture in contemporary America and where culture goes from here. Some episodes will feature interviews with readers, critics, scholars, academics, and other interested in the life and times of John Updike.
Sometimes the show will be funny, other times, sad, but across the board, it will be informative as we interrogate, examine, and analyze the great American author John Updike.
Click on the URL to listen to “John Updike: American Writer, American Life”
"Tristate True Crime" on "Cincy Lifestyle" and WCPO
Cultural Historian and Biographer Bob Batchelor on the “Cincy Lifestyle” television show, airing M-F at 10 a.m. on WCPO
“Tristate True Crime” on WCPO’s Cincy Lifestyle
Join cultural historian Bob Batchelor as he presents “Tristate True Crime” bi-monthly on WCPO’s Cincy Lifestyle, airing weekdays at 10 a.m. The segment by the award-winning author airs on Tuesdays.
Batchelor’s first segment — The Rookwood Mad Man — debuted on February 23, 2021. The episode featured a 1888 true crime mystery at Cincinnati’s famous Rookwood Pottery, the art studio that birthed art pottery in the United States.
Please share with other true crime, mystery, history fans! And, look for future episodes on WCPO 9's Cincy Lifestyle!
Signed And Personalized Copy -- The Bourbon King: The Life And Crimes Of George Remus, Prohibition's Evil Genius
The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius is the epic tale of 1920s “Bootleg King” George Remus, one of the greatest criminal masterminds in American history.
You can order a signed and personalized copy of The Bourbon King via www.bobbatchelor.com/store.
Overview
Prohibition didn’t stop George Remus from cornering the boozy, illegal liquor marketplace and amassing a fortune that is rumored to have eclipsed $200 million (the equivalent of $5 billion today.) As eminent documentarian Ken Burns proclaimed, “Remus was to bootlegging what Rockefeller was to oil.”
Author Bob Batchelor has unearthed a treasure trove of untapped historical archives to cover the life, times, and crimes of the man who ran the largest bootlegging operation in America—larger and more powerful than that of Al Capone—and a man who was considered the best criminal defense lawyer of his era.
Remus bought an empire of distilleries on what is now The Bourbon Trail and used his other profession, as a pharmacist, to profit from loopholes in the law. He spent millions bribing government officials in the Harding Administration, directly tied to Attorney General Harry Daugherty and Harding’s “Ohio Gang.” And he created a roaring, opulent lifestyle that epitomized the Jazz Age over which he ruled. So extravagant was this Bourbon King’s lifestyle that his lush parties served as an inspiration for The Great Gatsby.
But Remus came crashing down in one of the most sensational murder cases in American history. After serving a brief prison sentence, he was driven mad by his cheating wife Imogene and Franklin Dodge, the G-man who not only put him in jail, but also seduced her before stealing all his riches. Remus murdered his wife in cold-blood, setting loose the most media-saturated trial of the Jazz Age. Claiming a condition that he invented – temporary maniacal insanity – Remus took on Charles Taft, son of former President and current Chief Justice William Howard Taft, in a trial that grabbed national headlines. Remus won over the star-struck jury with lurid allegations about his lost millions at the hands of his two-timing wife and the federal agent who stole her away.
Love, murder, mountains of cash, bribery, political intrigue, rivers of bourbon, and a grand spectacle like few before it, the tale of George Remus transcends the era and provides readers with a lens into the dark heart of Prohibition’s Bourbon Trail, the thirst of the American people, and their fascination with crime.
History Will Not Judge Trump's Presidency Kindly
I wrote an op-ed about how future historians may assess Donald Trump’s presidency. It appears at the Cincinnati Enquirer’s Cinncinnati.com site. Please take a look!
STAN LEE'S 98TH BIRTHDAY ON DECEMBER 28
STAN LEE’S 98TH BIRTHDAY DECEMBER 28
Marvel Icon; Saved Comic Books, Lived the American Dream; “Excelsior”
Cincinnati, December 26, 2020 – Marvel icon Stan Lee would have celebrated his 98th birthday on December 28. Although he passed away two years ago, his legacy has far-reaching consequences, from bringing comic books to a new generation of readers in the early 1960s to co-creating some of popular culture’s most enduring characters.
Storytelling
The superheroes that Lee and his co-creators brought to life in Marvel comic books are at the heart of contemporary storytelling. Lee created a narrative foundation that has fueled pop culture for nearly six decades. By establishing the voice of Marvel superheroes and shepherding the comic books to life as the head of Marvel, Lee cemented his place in American history.
History and context are important in helping people comprehend their worlds. New comic book readers and ardent filmgoers who turn out in droves to see Marvel Universe films should grasp how these influences impact their worldviews.
“Superman launched comic book superheroes, but Spider-Man made them human,” explains Bob Batchelor, cultural historian and Stan Lee biographer. “This nerdy teenager from Queens was full of complexities and angst, just like the rest of us. But, he still abided by Stan Lee’s immortal line: With great power, there also must also come -- great responsibility.”
Legacy
Stan Lee became one of America’s foremost creative icons. He transformed popular culture by introducing generations of readers to flawed heroes who also dealt with life’s everyday challenges in the familiar New York City setting. Lee did not invent the imperfect hero, one could argue that such heroes had been around since Homer’s time and even before, but Lee delivered the concept to a generation of readers hungry for something new.
The Fantastic Four transformed the kinds of stories comic books could tell. Spider-Man, however, brought the idea home to a global audience. Lee told an interviewer that he had two incredibly instinctive objectives: introduce a superhero “terribly realistic” and one “with whom the reader could relate.”
While the nerd-to-hero storyline seems like it must have sprung from the earth fully formed, Lee gave readers a new way of looking at what it meant to be a hero and spun the notion of who might be heroic in a way that spoke to the rapidly expanding number of comic book buyers.
Spider-Man’s popularity revealed the attraction to the idea of a tainted hero, but at the same time, the character hit the newsstands at the perfect time, ranging from the growing Baby Boomer generation to the optimism of John F. Kennedy’s Camelot, this confluence of events resulting in a new age for comic books. Stan Lee tells the whole story of Lee’s life, which also helps us understand our own culture and times.
In addition, generations of artists, writers, actors, and other creatives have been inspired, moved, or encouraged by the Marvel Universe Lee voiced and helped birth.
Comic Books
Why comic books (still) matter for today’s readers:
1. Advance their critical thinking abilities
2. Provide contextual information (history, emotions, politics, beliefs)
3. Build language skills
4. Develop visual acuity
5. Enhance creativity
6. Spark imagination
7. Help organize ideas
8. Identify emotional and developmental concepts
9. Enrich belief systems: re race, tolerance, empathy, and compassion
10. Create world views
About Bob Batchelor
Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel (Rowman & Littlefield Publishers), 264 Pages, • Hardback • September 2017 • $22.95 • Paperback • December 2018 • $16.95 • eBook • September 2017 • $16.00
Bob Batchelor is a cultural historian and biographer. He has published books on Stan Lee, Bob Dylan, The Great Gatsby, Mad Men, and John Updike. Bob’s new book Rookwood: The Rediscovery and Revival of an American Icon, An Illustrated History explores the company’s rich history from its 1880 founding to the current day, mixing 300 images with a vibrant narrative. The book provides a perceptive examination of Rookwood’s 140-year legacy as an American icon.
The Bourbon King: The Life and Crimes of George Remus, Prohibition’s Evil Genius won the 2020 Independent Book Award for Historical Biography. Stan Lee: The Man Behind Marvel was a finalist for the 2018 Ohioana Book Award for Nonfiction.
Bob’s books have been translated into a dozen languages and his work has appeared in Time magazine. He has appeared as an on-air commentator for The National Geographic Channel, PBS NewsHour, and NPR.
Bob earned his doctorate in English Literature from the University of South Florida. He has taught at universities in Florida, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, as well as Vienna, Austria. Bob lives in Cincinnati with his wife Suzette and their teenage daughters.
Holiday Gifts for the Smart Man in Your Life
I am constantly asked for Christmas and holiday gift ideas, particularly hard to shop for men! As a matter of fact, about 75 percent of the books I sign at book festivals, events, and appearances are women buying for the men in their lives. Perhaps it is just the subjects I have written about — Stan Lee, Bob Dylan, Bourbon King George Remus — but still…
In the holiday spirit, I thought I would put together a quick list of potential gifts for your husband, son, brother, cousin, or the other smart men on your holiday shopping list.
Here are several great options, but don’t delay, some of these are time sensitive.
Cool Stuff!
Marvel Unlimited membership — Give your favorite comic book fan access to over 28,000 digital comics. With Marvel Unlimited, he will be able to go deep into the Marvel archives, sampling comic books from when he collected as a kid or keep up with today’s hottest stories. Excelsior!
Hunky Dory Studio — Hunky Dory Studio is owned and operated by Amy Flesher. She says "I make things that are fun and unusual using sophisticated processes and materials. I surround myself with things that make me smile and faces I love that also fit into a “grown-up” décor." Hunky Dory Studio provides you with that unexpected statement piece that is totally unique and an expression of who you are and what (or who) you love...AND, they are always conversation starters!
Pop Octopus — Super cool and one-of-a-kind! Pop Octopus creates screenprinted and painted wall art for your home, den, dungeon or spaceport. Hundreds of phenomenal options, including Marvel, Anthony Bourdain, and many other pop culture icons!
Becoming Dr. Seuss: Theodor Geisel and the Making of an American Imagination by Brian Jay Jones
One of America’s greatest writers and biographers tackles one of America’s most interesting topics! A must read!
“A rich, anecdotal biography...Whether readers are familiar with Dr. Seuss books or not, they will find this biography absorbing and fascinating.”—Kirkus Reviews
The Iron Sea: How the Allies Hunted and Destroyed Hitler's Warships by Simon Read
A critical aspect of World War II examined by one of the top military historians writing today! A combination of stellar research and crisp, thrilling writing.
Using official war diaries, combat reports, eyewitness accounts and personal letters, Simon Read brings the action and adventure to vivid life. The result is an enthralling and gripping story of the Allied heroes who fought on a watery battlefield.
Warship Builders: An Industrial History of U.S. Naval Shipbuilding 1922–1945 by Thomas Heinrich
Part of the Studies in Naval History and Sea Power series, Heinrich’s book offers a revolutionary way to look at American naval power and the home front effort to win World War II.
"Warship Builders is a brilliantly crafted and impeccably researched book that completely transforms the way in which we should think about the rise of American naval and industrial dominance in the Twentieth Century. Discarding superficial Fordist narratives of standardized mass production, Heinrich reveals the fascinating tale of how the U.S. warship industry managed the highly specialized and complex task of flexible batch production on a scale unparalleled anywhere else on earth. Warship Builders is essential reading for anyone interested in the history of the U.S. Navy, U.S. mobilization in World War II and the triumph of industrial America." --Joseph A. Maiolo, Professor of International History, King's College London, and author of Cry Havoc: How the Arms Race Drove the World to War 1931-1941
Bourbon Lovers!
There are simply not enough bourbon history and bourbon enthusiast books in the world, so my list here leans heavily toward reading, but — trust me — the bourbon lover in your life will dig these gifts!
Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage by Michael R. Veach
Noted bourbon historian Michael R. Veach reveals the true story of bourbon in Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey. Like the bourbon’s Veach discusses, this book is richly crafted and offers deep insight into America’s foremost spirit!
Whiskey Master Class: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Scotch, Bourbon, Rye, and More by Lew Bryson
A great book by one of the master’s of the craft! He’s forgotten more about whiskey and bourbon than most of us will ever know…
“Lew Bryson knows more about whiskey than anyone I’ve met. But that’s only one reason to read Whiskey Master Class. He writes with clarity and humor in a way that will engage novices and connoisseurs alike.” — Clay Risen, author of Single Malt: A Guide to the Whiskies of Scotland
Bourbon Flight Board Deco Glass Set — Handmade Bourbon Flight Board from Tipsy Timbers Wood Company is made of sustainable, locally sourced Walnut, Poplar and Cherry. Tipsy Timbers is a wood fabrication studio creating high quality hand crafted wood goods ranging from small home goods to custom furniture.
Finally…
Of course, I must also recommend my book The Bourbon King, the epic life and crimes of “Bootleg King” George Remus.
I’m biased…but don’t just take it from me…
“Forget Al Capone. Forget Bonnie and Clyde and Baby Face Nelson. Let us turn our attention, instead, to one George Remus, the Bourbon King of prohibition…The Bourbon King might as well be the outline of a Netflix or HBO series…All in all, it’s a hell of a story.”
―Washington Independent Review of Books