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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 06/01/2026

My mood, courtesy of Jonathan Hickman and Leinil Francis Yu.

Page from Avengers 34, written by Jonathan Hickman and illustrated by Leinil Francis Yu.

Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 17/11/2025

For those who long for the good old days, before comics got all political, here’s a page from Avengers 148 (released in 1976). #ComicSky

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 10/10/2025

Rick Veitch says this is really happening. (DC will finally publish the cancelled issue of Swamp Thing that prematurely ended Veitch’s run.)

New cover to Swamp Thing 88, which should have been published in 1989, and will be published soon: Swamp Thing holds a lamb in his arms, his eyes closed in serenity.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Mark you calendars! New #ViaBella EP coming out on October 31! Track listing: 1. Everything Happens Here 2. The Will and the Hope 3. Everything Hurts 4. Rocket Bye Baby 5. After the Storm (EP cover by @robdumo.bsky.social)

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 05/09/2025

49 years ago today The #MuppetShow debuted. I was there for it, but so young that I thought Scooter's name was Gopher for longer than you'd think.

1976 poster for the The Muppet Show, featuring Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Dr. Teeth, Scooter, Animal, and Rowlf the Dog.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

OTD in 1998, @allredmd.bsky.social and Bernie Mireault (RIP) teamed up to tell a great story featuring their greatest individual creations in the second (and final) issue of Madman Jam. It seems like not calling this the "The Madman Jam Jam" was a missed opportunity.

cover to Madman Jam 2: A bearded man in a suit hold two oversized die, one with images of The Jam, the other with images of Madman.

Cover by Michael Allred and Bernie Mireault. Colors by Laura Allred.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

New Ookla the Mok out tomorrow! It's also Bandcamp Friday, which means we get a bigger cut on August 1. ooklathemok.bandcamp.com The EP features our Ska/Reggae cover of #TomLehrer 's "Folk Song Army," as well as songs about #BillCipher and #InvaderZim #GravityFalls #NerdRock #Filk #TheFuMP

cover to the Ookla the Mok EP Folk Song Army Men

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

This issue also includes a great exchange between Dream and Green Lantern, made even better because we know (but Kyle doesn't) that Daniel is as much under Morpheus' shadow and Kyle is under Hal's. [4/4]

panels from JLA 22: Dream tells Green Lantern that he will surpass Hal Jordan's legacy, because Kyle knows the one thing Hal never did: fear.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

You see, Michael is trapped in the "real" world. But Superman can hear his cries for help across dimension. And the only way for the JLA to save him is to cross over through Dream's realm. And the JLA have to give up their powers to cross over. And Grant Morrison gets Superman. [3/4]

panel from JLA 22: Superman says, "We have no powers, there are millions of them and there's a child in there who needs u sto save the world. Let's go."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

Then, you slowly realize that you’re reading a horror story. The combination of horror and hope on that second page is remarkable. Because Grant Morrison gets Superman. [2/4]

panels from JLA 22: Michael's father bursts into his room with a shocking surprise.

panels from JLA 22: Starro has taken over Michael's family. In desperation, Michael cries out to Superman for help.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 22/07/2025

OTD in 1998, #JLA 22 was released. #GrantMorrison gets #Superman. They believe that Superman has to exist. Their proof? If Superman didn’t exist, someone would just create him. Oh yeah, and the Sandman (the Daniel version of Dream) makes a rare DCU appearance! [1/4] #IHadThatComic

cover to JLA 22: The Sandman (Daniel) holds a clear globe in his hand that is filled with sand and Wonder Woman, Superman, and Green Lantern, all asleep.

Cover by Howard Porter

panels from JLA 22: a boy named Michael Haney draws superheroes, and realizes that something (spoiler warning: it's Superman) is missing.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

The Process Edition is glorious and absolutely worth seeking out. It’s oversized, and goes *deep* behind the scenes of the entire creation and execution, with more than triple the page count of the original.

Cover to the Pulp Process Edition graphic novel

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

By the end of the issue, the old man is dead, and Katar is ready to use his wings to return to Thanagar and kick some ass, third-act style. [5/5]

panels form Hawkworld 2: Katar buries the old priest.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Conveniently, Katar’s prison buddy is prepared to immediately begin Katar’s Jedi training. [4/5]

panels from Hawkworld 2: Katar is trained in swordplay by the old priest, who prays for everything, including Katar.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

This twist feels a bit more obvious now, but it really worked for me in 1989. [3/5]

panels from Hawkworld 2: Katar sees that the man he murdered has wings of his own, and the wings he was making were meant for Katar.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

Katar shares his exile with two others. One day he stumbles upon one of them creating a (thematically significant) means of escape. Katar kills the man and is confronted by the island’s other inhabitant. [2/5]

panel from Hawkworld 2: Katar sees someone making wings, presumably so they can escape the island.

panels from Hawkworld 2: Katar justified murder in his quest to have wings again.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

OTD in 1989, #TimothyTruman 's Hawkworld 2 was released. This fantastic reimagining is famously hard to reconcile with Hawkman’s long history, but just strap in and enjoy the ride. Following the events of issue one, we find our (hawk)man looking at some hard time. [1/5] #IHadThatComic

cover to Hawkworld 2: Hawkman stands, staring soberly and holding a recently fired gun.

Text: "Book Two: Freefall"

cover by Timothy Truman

panels from Hawkworld 2 showing a sad, wingless Hawkman in exile on an island.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 07/07/2025

OTD in 2009, #DavidMazzucchelli released the masterful #AsteriosPolyp. Rarely has so much thought been put into the storytelling potential of color and shape in a graphic novel. This book is stunning visually and philosophically, and I need to read it again. #IHadThatComic

cover to Asterios Polyp: a black and white illustration of Asterios standing and smoking a cigarette. There are overlapping horizontal blue and red boxes that partially cover the title and figure, creating purple boxes where they intersect.

Cover by David Mazzucchelli

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Did the Soldier kill Clyde and continue to carry his burden, or did Clyde relent and take on the mantle of the Unknown Soldier? The narrative is intentionally unclear, and the answer to the question is left entirely up to the reader. 5/5

panels from Unknown Solider 4: The Unknown Soldier (or perhaps Clyde) leans on a flagpole and says, "He is an American solider, known but to God. And he rests in honored glory."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Then we cut abruptly to the following morning, where a medical examiner bring us up to date and asks an important question. 4/5

panels from Unknown Soldier 4: a medical examiner stands nears the gravesite and says, "...this one grave's been opened and the body disinterred. Then it's like somebody dropped a second body in... They dropped two, possibly three phosphorus grenades in on top of them. It's a real mess in there. White phosphorus makes identification almost impossible, but we can distinguish the grave's, uh, owner, because of the embalming material. That stuff burns away a lot faster than flesh. So the question is who the hell's the other guy?"

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Clyde rejects this proposal, and the very idea of the Unknown Soldier, who responds that either Clyde kill him or he will kill Clyde. 3/5

panels from Unknown Solider 4: Clyde denies the US, saying, "You are not an American solider. I deny your legacy. I will not wash the blood off your hands and onto mine."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

Having sent Clyde, our protagonist, on a merry chase for three issues, the Unknown Soldier finally reveals his master plan: Clyde must kill him and take over as the new Unknown Soldier. 2/5

panels from Unknown Soldier 4: The US explains to Clyde that he must replace him.

panels from Unknown Solider 4: The US tells Clyde that "There has to be a man to make a difference. It can't be me, but there has to be. You have to do this."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 02/07/2025

OTD in 1997, #GarthEnnis and #KilianPlunkett released the final issue of their #UnknownSoldier mini-series. After three issues of political intrigue, most of this issue consists of an expository conversation as our two main characters sit in a freshly dug grave. 1/5 #IHadThatComic #ComicSky

cover to Unknown Solider 4: The Unknown Solider kneels with Clyde standing behind him, holding a gun to the back of his head. The image if superimposed over gravestone reading "Here rest in honor and glory, an American soldier, now in the arms of God"

Cover by Tim Bradstreet

panels from Unknown Solider 4: Clyde and the Unknown Solider sit in a freshly dug grave. As rain pours onto them, the US explains that "one man, in the right place, at the right time, can make a difference. And win a war."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

We all know that as part of The Flying Graysons, Dick was practically born in the spotlight, but we might forget that Alfred was once a stage actor. 8/8

panels from Batman and Robin 2: Alfred hold Batman's cowl like Yorick's skull as he reminds Dick that Batman is a great role, Damian needs him, the curtain is up and the spotlight is on Batman.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Dick’s concerns about being Batman go much deeper than his problems with Damian, and — as always — Alfred offers some good counsel. 7/8

panels from Batman and Robin 2: Dick admits that he's failing as Batman and Alfred suggests he think of his Batman not as a memorial but rather as a performance.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Of course, Alfred is here to help, no matter who is wearing the cowl. 6/8

panels from Batman and Robin 2: Dick talks with Alfred about Damian, who -- as always -- offers Batman good counsel.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

At any rate, like many mismatched couples, Dick and Damian get into a huge fight the moment they get home. One of great conceits of this version of B&R is that we have a dark, brooding Robin who is completely over-confident, and a light-hearted, happy-go-lucky Batman who is unsure of himself. 5/8

panels from Batman and Robin 2: Dick and Damian get into a big fight.

panels from Batman and Robin 2: Robin quits, ignoring Batman's orders.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Then Quitely unleashes some of my favorite Batman action shots of all time. Bear in mind that this Robin is Bruce Wayne’s son Damian, and Dick Grayson (the original Robin) is filling in for Batman during Bruce’s “death.” 2/8

panels from Batman and Robin 2: great action panels of Batman fighting.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

OTD in 2009, #GrantMorrison and #FrankQuitely 's Batman and Robin 2 was released. The choreography for Robin’s fight with Kushti (conjoined triplets who are acrobats in the Circus of the Strange) is perfect, as is the way sound effects are worked into the art itself. 1/8 #IHadThatComic #ComicSky

cover to Batman and Robin 2: A large spectral Batman looms over the Gotham cityscape, facing an outstretched hand that hold a single domino.

Cover by Frank Quitely.

panels from Batman and Robin 2: Robin fights conjoined triplets, who kick into a wall. The resultant cracks in the wall form the word "smash."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

When Kamala said "twinsies" in the previous post, she was referring to their healing factors. Logan informs her that his is on the fritz and he is, in fact, injured and in quite a bit of pain. Her response charms Logan so much he doesn't even remind her that he also has adamantium claws. [5/5]

panel from Ms. Marvel 6: Kamala says, "So like... now you're just a short, angry man who punches stuff?" and Wolverine replies, "I knew I liked you the minute I saw you."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

One of my favorite aspects of Kamala is that she's a total and unapologetic Marvel fangirl. This gives her an endearing connection to the reader without having to resort to metafiction. There's a great Avengers Annual that is just her fan-fiction. [4/5 - I was wrong on the previous post!]

panels from Ms. Marvel 6: Kamala tells Wolverine about her fan-fiction, and he is not amused.

cover to All-New All-Different Avengers Annual 1: Captain America (Sam Wilson, Ms. Marvel, and Nova pose in an action shot.

Text: "The fan-fiction world of Ms. Marvel"

Cover by Alex Ross

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

Sheikh Abdullah suggests that Kamala seek out someone to help her learn how to better accomplish this goal. If this were issue 2, that teacher would almost certainly have been Spider-Man, but since this is issue 6, it’s got to be Wolverine. [3/4]

panels from Ms. Marvel 6: Kamala meets Wolverine and has a total fangirl meltdown.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

We begin with Kamala's much dreaded conversation with Sheikh Abdullah. As with her father in the previous issue, and her brother in the issue before, Kamala is slowly learning that the older men in her life actually care about her well-being. [2/?]

panels from Ms. Marvel 6: Sheikh Abdullah and Kamala sit and talk about Kamala's father concerns, and her desire to help people. Abdullah can tell she's not telling the whole truth.

panels from Ms. Marvel 6: Sheikh Abdullah surprised Kamala with his kindness, common sense, and good humor.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 01/07/2025

OTD in 2014, Ms. Marvel 6 was released. I love this series, and this is probably my favorite issue. @gwillow.me and #JakeWyatt absolutely nailed it. Kamala has two very different conversations with male authority figures, and neither turn out the way she expected. [1/?] #IHadThatComic #ComicSky

Cover to Ms. Marvel 6: Kamala sits on the steps of a bank, casually looking at her cell phone as her left arm stretch out behind her to knock a bank robber out.

Cover by Jamie McKelvie

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

The theme of maudlin nostalgia that is so important throughout Morrison’s work finds its most pure expression here. Seeing no response, Morrison walks away, dejected. Foxy never existed, or, in a pitiful reversal of Puff the Magic Dragon, Foxy no longer cares. But that final glorious panel!

Panels from Animal Man 26: Grant Morrison walks away, dejected. "Stars go out. Streets are empty. Goodbye." Then a silent panel of darkness. In the final panel, the darkness is illuminated by a single flashing light.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

That would have been a great way to end the comic, but the coda manages to take it up a notch. As always, The Writer gets the final word, repeating a story told earlier in the run, well before we had any clue that this mysterious new character was Grant Morrison.

Page from Animal Man 26: Grant Morrison walks in the dark and thinks about his old imaginary friend Foxy, how as a child he would flash a light into the hills and Foxy would always flash back. "I've come to send a signal out into the dark. In the end, it seemed like the other thing worth doing. Are you there? Can you see me? Foxy, I came back. I didn't forget. I came back."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Then, after making it clear that it would unrealistic to just give Buddy his family back, Buddy wakes up and gets his family back.

page from Animal Man 26: Buddy opens his door to find his wife and children back from the dead, as if their murder had never taken place. He convinces himself it must have been a terrible dream.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

Less than three years after the final issue of Watchmen was released, Morrison makes it clear that "grim and gritty" is a dead end. Trying to make Superhero narratives "realistic" is profounding missing the point. The second image gets my vote for greatest four panels in the history of comics:

Panel from Animal Man 26: Buddy asks Grant Morrison "Listen, if you can do anything... if you can... will you bring my family back?" Morrison responds "Sorry. It would be realistic. Pointless violence and death is 'realistic.' Comic books are 'realistic' now."

four panels from Animal Man 26: Grant Morrison says "We'll stop at nothing, you see. All the suffering and the death and the pain in your world is entertainment for us. Why does blood and torture and anguish still excite us? We thought that by making your world more violent, we would make it more 'realistic,' more 'adult.' God help us if that's what it means. Maybe, for once, we could try to be kind."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 26/06/2025

OTD in 1990, the final issue of #GrantMorrison and #ChasTruog 's #AnimalMan run was released. The hero finally confronts the mysterious Big Bad, and it turns out to be Grant Morrison. In a stunning inversion of the Job story, we realize that we're on the wrong team. #IHadThatComic #ComicSky

cover to Animal Man 26: Animal Man lies on the ground in front of a photograph of Grant Morrison seating in front of their computer and holding a cat.

cover by Brian Bolland

Splash page from Animal Man 26: Animal Man stands, his back to the reader, in front of Grant Morrison, sitting at their computer workstation. Morrison says, "Me? I'm the evil mastermind behind the scenes. I'm the wicked puppeteer who pulls the strings and makes you dance. I'm your writer."

panels from Animal Man 26: Grant Morrison explains that they "didn't create you... or your family. I'm more of a demiurgic power. Someone else creates you to be perfect and innocent and then I step in and spoil everything. It's a little bit Satanic, I suppose."

panels from Animal Man 26: Buddy sees the death of his family in comic book and asks Grant Morrison if he knows what has been done to him. Morrison replies, "Of course I know. I wrote your grief and your rage and your acceptance."

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

We also made an appearance in the back cover of the earlier Patrick the Wolf Boy Summer Special (with Art and Franco and an impossibly young @toddbotdotcom.bsky.social). And lest you doubt that we're Famous Cartoonist Art Baltazar's favorite band, we have proof from that same issue! [3 of 3]

photo from the back cover of the Patrick the Wolf Boy Summer Special, featuring Art Baltazar, Rand and Adam from Ookla the Mok, Franco, and Todd Webb.

credits page from Patrick the Wolf Summer Special, including a box that says, "Art's favorite band is Ookla the Mok" and the URL to our long defunct website.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

This comic was made up of three of four short stories, with Patrick meeting real life musicians Art and Franco had met. At the time we performing as a trio. Adam’s never been that jacked and I’ve never been that thin, but Chris really was that generically handsome. [2 of 3]

page from Patrick the Wolf Boy Rock 'n' Special: Patrick and his parents arrive at the hotel. His father says, "Oh boy! I can't wait for the Ookla the Mok concert tomorrow! Ookla rock!" They check in to the hotel and then see Ookla the Mok (left to right: Adam, Rand, Chris) in the hotel lobby.

Panels from Patrick the Wolf Boy Rock 'n' Roll Special: Patrick leaves Ookla's hotel room. Rand points to him and says, "Hey look, it's that little dude from the lobby." Ookla enter their hotel room to find it trashed by Parick. Rand says, "Dude, it's already wrecked the way we like it!" Chris complains that "Someone ate all the green M&M's!"

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

OTD in 2004, the #PatricktheWolfBoy Rock 'n' Roll Special came out. This one features ME! Well, my band #OoklatheMok. We interacted with Patrick in the comic, and made a photo appearance on the back cover! [1 of 3] #ArtBaltazar #FrancoAureliani #IHadThatComic #ComicSky

cover to Patrick the Wolf Boy Rock 'n' Roll Special: Patrick rushes at the reading, made up like Paul Stanley's StarChild from Kiss, complete with a flying V guitar. A squirrel dressed as Elvis runs along side him saying, "Gimme Fever!"

Cover by Art Baltazar and Franco

Back cover of the Patrick the Wolf Boy Rock 'n' Roll Special: a photo collage including a shot of Ookla the Mok performing at the 2001 Pittsburgh Comicon.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

The Avengers’ combined will/souls/love causes the Wanda doll and the Chthon Wanda to swap places. Then Pietro (quick like a bunny) hurls the Chthon doll onto Mount Wundagore, and the Wanda Wanda hexes a massive rock slide onto the unsuspecting piece of wood.

Panels from Avengers 187: Chthon (now trapped in Wanda's Soul Doll) screams "No! Th-this can't happen! I'm Chthon! Chthoooooooooooo..." while being buried by an avalanche.

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Rand Posts About Comics and Music @randookla.bsky.social · 19/06/2025

Lacking other options, Pietro grabs Wanda's Soul Doll and points it at Chthon, teaching us that if you hold hands and think clean thoughts, you too can defeat an elder god. The lack of cynicism on display here is admirable. This sort of prescriptive storytelling is what superhero stories are for.

panels from Avengers 187: Pietro holds Wanda's Soul Doll up to Chthon, then the Avengers join hands and direct her soul back into her body.

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