Amazing Heroes Issue # 158 Pg. 13

Amazing Heroes Issue # 158 Pg. 13

Periodical
Comics Strips

Page 13 of Amazing Heroes’ issue from February of 1989 features two news stories, one of which reports the details of an important legal case, while the other announces the reveal of deliberately silly comics concerning skateboards and a lizard woman. The heading of the articles, printed in the top right corner, reads “Newsline,” the title of Amazing Heroes’ journalistic section at the time. The bottom indicates the date of the issue, “February 1, 1989,” and the page number, “13.”

The first article, with its three columns of basic serif text, is entitled, “Bad News from the Obscenity Front: Friendly Franks’ Closes, Comic Legends Proprietors Convicted on Two of Three Counts,” and it details the aftermath of obscenity charges on two comic book shops, Friendly Frank’s in Lansing, Michigan (according to the article), and Comic Legends in Calgary, Alberta. The article describes the story in somber tones, with the closing of Friendly Frank’s and the arrest of the manager, Michael Correa, seen as an injustice towards the comics community and the right to free expression. Attempts to reopen the store have been unsuccessful, and the two remaining stores continued trying to stay afloat. Interestingly, the article states, “Correa was found guilty of the charges in January of ’88 and is currently in the process of appealing the decision with the aid of The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.” This organization, founded explicitly for this legal battle, was backed and supported by major industry figures, such as Sergio Aragones, Will Eisner, and Frank Miller, and it continued to be a driving force against obscenity charges for the next several decades. Similarly, the article ends with a parallel story in Canada, with, “The two are currently being aided by the Comic Legends Defense Fund, which recently published the all-star benefit comic True North.” This organization, on the other hand, does not have as widely recognized of a reputation.

The next article, which covers the bottom half of this page, is notably lighter, entitled, “Ribit, Shred Offer Broadsword and Skateboard, Urban Warriors.” While the piece is shorter, it is accompanied by three glorious black-and-white panels, captioned with “Frank Thorne’s Ribit!, vanguard of the new skatepunk comics,” which feature a long horizontal panel with a mysterious four-wheeled contraption resembling the head of an insect sweeping energetically to the left and dodging an explosion. The next two panels are more vertical but occupy the same width as the lengthier panel above, and they focus on the escape of a young bikini-and-leg-warmer-clad woman skating to freedom with the assistance of the strange vehicle, which reveals its ability to fly in the final panel. The article discusses the release of two skateboard-based comics in 1989: Frank Thorne’s Ribit!, published by Comico, and DFW Enterprises’ Shred the Skateboard Magazine in a light-hearted and hopeful tone, detailing their strange plots, eccentric casts, and crew of writers and illustrators, making sure the comics community is as ready for the ‘90s as they are.

Executive Editor: Kim "Lou" Thompson
Managing Editor: Chris "John" McCubbin
Art Director: Lynette "Mo" Alcorn-McCubbin
Associate Editor: Charles "Sterling" Lieurance
News Correspondent: Dave "Nico" Hogswid
Production Assistant: Mark Thompson
Typesetting: Linda Gorell & Arlene Easter
Circulation: Rachel Enger & Carol Kovinick-Hernandez

MSU Special Collection Comic Art, PN6725.A47

Fantagraphics Books, Inc.

1989-02

Colin Corcoran

Rights Restrictions Apply

6-5/8 x 10-1/4 in.

English

Periodical

1981-1992

Comic Book

6-5/8 x 10-1/4 in.