R.I.P. Hulk Artist Herb Trimpe

I was devastated when I heard that Herb Trimpe had passed away. He was one of my favorite Hulk artists. The first issue of The Incredible Hulk I remember having was #191 (Sept. 1975).

I really wish I could have met him at one of his convention appearances. Rest in peace Mr. Trimpe.

See a complete list of his work on ComicBookDB.

From New York Post --

Prominent comic-book artist and Wolverine co-creator Herb Trimpe died at his home in upstate Hurley, N.Y., on Monday. He was 75.

Trimpe is credited as being the first comic-book artist to sketch the Wolverine character for publication back in 1974, when the clawed crusader made his debut in an issue of The Incredible Hulk.

During his time as an artist for Marvel Comics, Trimpe drew for other titles like Spider-Man, G.I. Joe, Godzilla, Captain America and Iron Man.

Before he started earning a living at his trade, Trimpe served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War. He enrolled at Manhattan’s School of Visual Arts upon returning home.

“He loved drawing but his real passion was airplanes,” said his wife of seven years, Patricia Velasquez-Trimpe. “He loved writing fiction, and had actually been writing just before he died.”

In the weeks and months after the 9/11 terror attacks, Trimpe, an Episcopalian deacon, worked at the World Trade Center site, serving as a chaplain. He also worked to clear away rubble.

“That was just his nature,” said Trimpe’s step-daughter, Natalia, 25. “He just wanted to help out, so when 9/11 happened, he just felt like he had to do whatever he could.”

His work after 9/11 earned him the Bob Clampett Humanitarian Award, an award given to artists in comics and animators who work tirelessly in their private lives to serve society.

After leaving monthly comics, Trimpe continued producing art and making public appearances at comic book conventions around the world.

He had just been meeting and greeting fans in New Jersey over the weekend at the East Coast Comicon at the Meadowlands Expo Center.

“He enjoyed people recognizing his work and seeing his fans,” his wife said. “We had a wonderful life together.”

The Toys Time Forgot

About a month ago, I went to a vintage toy store in Canal Fulton, OH called The Toys Time Forgot. I nearly had a nerdgasm when I walked in there. My wife had went there around Christmastime to buy me some presents (see pics here) and the only other time I'd been there was probably about 15 or more years ago. I spent way too much time just admiring all of the wonderful collectibles (my wife was waiting in the car) and I finally walked out of there with three Marvel Legends Hulk figures and a bunch of packs of Star Wars and Battle of the Planets trading cards. I dealt with the owner (who is a great guy) and think I got a pretty good deal. They graciously allowed me to take some photos with my cell phone. The one thing I wish I would have photographed was a set of Funny Face mugs with pitcher. If you're ever in NE Ohio, I highly recommend visiting this store.

Wow! A Marx Creature from the Black Lagoon and a Mummy Soaky.



All kinds of great action figures here. Ideal STAR Team Zem 21 and Knight of Darkness. Battlestar Galactica Colonial Warrior. Buck Rogers Tigerman. Pulsar and his nemesis Hypnos. V alien. I still have a Zem 21 and my brothers Pulsar.



Jigglers! I had the Mummy.



Marvel Legends.

Statues and busts galore.



Poor Howdy Doody has been lynched! I had this ventriloquist dummy when I was a youngin'.

MEGOs!!!!



Holy crap! A carded Aqualad (although the back of the card was cut open).

I love Shogun Warriors!



These Groovie Goolies statues are awesome!



G.I. Joe. I still have pieces of Mike Power, Atomic Man.

DC Super Powers Collection and Mego Pocket Super Heroes.



This one's for my brother. The Fantastic Four.

Left Over Joe

I still have a few ads left over from GI Joe week. So here they are --

This one's from December 1964 --


This is my era of GI Joe, Adventure Team! Back in the day I had Eagle Eye and the Intruders and my brother had Bullet Man and Mike Power.

From August 1975 --

July 1976 --

August 1976 --

GI Joe - Now In Color!

Here's some classic GI Joe ads in color. From March/April, May and June 1967.

And here's the 1967 TV commercial for the 'Capture Hill 79' promotion.

Andy & George Strike Back!

I think these are the last of the Andy & George ads. From October, November, December 1966 and January 1967. Is everyone enjoying these ads?

A special shout-out to my brother for finding these ads. Thanks bro.


Here's another classic Joe commercial. I sure would like to hear that record.

Have You Heard The Big News About GI Joe

Have you had enough of the ads yet? Don't worry, there's more to come.

From December 1965, January, February and March 1966.


And now for something a little different. Here's the beginning of the 80s cartoon --

The Continuing Adventures of Andy and George!

These ads are from June, July, August and September 1966. Enjoy.


Here's a 1960s commercial. Wouldn't it be cool to have all of this stuff?



GI Joe on Amazon --

Fighting Man From Head To Toe...

Three more vintage GI Joe comic book ads. These are from April, July and November 1965, respectively.

The Adventures of Andy and George

The Adventures of Andy and George In the GI Joe Club.

These ads appeared in DC Comics in April and May of 1966.

Showcase Presents GI Joe

In honor of the new movie coming out this Friday, it's GI Joe Week at the Wonderful Wonderblog. I'll be posting some vintage comic book covers and ads.

First up is DC Comics Showcase Presents #53. Dated Dec. 1964. Cover by Joe Kubert.


Showcase Presents #54. Dated Feb. 1965. Cover again by Joe Kubert.


This ad appeares in issue 54.

Stephen Sommers to direct 'G.I. Joe'

This article is from Variety.com.

Paramount Pictures has set Stephen Sommers to direct "G.I. Joe," the live-action feature based on Hasbro's line of action figures.

The studio is hiring a writer immediately, and has set a February production start for a summer 2009 release.

The accelerated production schedule began right after Sommers pitched his version of the film to Par chairman-CEO Brad Grey and production prexy Brad Weston on Wednesday evening. He was hired in the room.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce with Hasbro chief operating officer Brian Goldner. Sommers and his Sommers Co. partner Bob Ducsay will also be involved as producers.

While "G.I. Joe" served several futile tours of duty as a movie property, its momentum has been helped by "Transformers," the movie transfer of another Hasbro brand. That di Bonaventura-produced film has grossed $667 million worldwide for studio partners DreamWorks and Paramount.

Hasbro's Goldner said that the mythology of G.I Joe was fleshed out during the 1980s through 155 issues of Marvel Comics, as well as an animated TV series. There are about 30 core characters, good and evil, that can be exploited in films.

"Marrying Steve's vision with 25 years of this brand mythology feels like a great way to go forward," Goldner said.

While some remember the character from its gung-ho fighting man '60s incarnation, he's evolved. G.I. Joe is now a Brussels-based outfit that stands for Global Integrated Joint Operating Entity, an international co-ed force of operatives who use hi-tech equipment to battle Cobra, an evil organization headed by a double-crossing Scottish arms dealer. The property is closer in tone to "X-Men" and James Bond than a war film.

"Our vision (for "The Mummy") was clear the time the first trailer played during the Super Bowl, and by the time this one plays a Super Bowl, you'll see the coolest characters and visuals you can imagine, and beyond-state-of-the-art equipment," Sommers said. "I wouldn't have jumped into this just because of the Hasbro-Transformers tie. Remember, 'Pirates of the Caribbean was a big hit, but 'Haunted Mansion' not so much."

Di Bonaventura said the film has some of the elements that made "Transformers" work as a film.

"My experience with beloved properties is that characters, attitude and tone are even more important than plot," di Bonaventura said. "Paramount showed a great deal of confidence in Stephen's take, and our ability as producers to get this up and running for a February start. His passion for the characters and the world convinced the studio this was something they couldn't resist."

WMA plugged its client Sommers into Hasbro, which left CAA to become a WMA client earlier this summer. Sommers haunted Hasbro's Pawtucket headquarters to steep himself in the lore.

WMA is also helping Hasbro with possible movies based on such properties as the board games "Monopoly" and "Battleship."

Official Hasbro G.I. Joe Site