Yeah, I was one of those kids who had the 1982 original handed out to my class in grade school. Even back then I realized this thing was about as subtle as a brick to the head.
I remember coming coming across a copy of the original when I was in high school- up until now, I didn't even know there was a semi-updated version of it.
I actually got this comic in 6th grade, which was around 2001 or so. I think that they just like to reprint it because they think that it stops kids from smoking, yet it just makes me want to sell my soul to the devil for a pack of smokes. Thnx spider-man
Wow, I was wondering if you when you were going to do a psa comic (unless we're counting the Captian Planet comic). Weird how drug psa always just come out weird.
They reason they handed the papers back face-down is because they were afraid of lawsuits? And here I thought it was just to keep it a mystery until they flipped it up. I awlways yelled the grade I got excitedly. Yeah, I used to be the annoying but lovable brainy kid until my slacker attitude started kicking in around puberty.
While this video review didn't make me laugh quite as hard or often as some of the other reviews, I did get a lot more laughs than some of the friends I watched it with since I got the running gags. I'm surprised you didn't mention the fact that everyone had indented faces like the villains from Jackie Chan Adventures.
Wow, the art really went downhill in the remake. Talk about pathetic. And since it IS a remake I'm going to have to make my own article instead of posting this one and taking the easy way out. Thanks, Linkara. :(
I tend to grade PSA comics on something of a curve, and even by those standards this comic is bad.
HOw...how do you make Luke Cage's costume even more 70s then his 70s costume? I mean....god damn that costume was totally like just out of character even if it's supposed to be a recycled strip. I might not read comics much nowadays but even I know that in the 2000s he's kinda gone to street clothes rather then a fancy costume.
At least he did the last time I saw him in Web of Shadows.
If I might make a suggestion for something in a similar vein, The Spider-man/ Fantastic Four Office Max Comic, Brain Drain. Now there's a real piece of work.
Hmmm......thought great heroes like Linkara didn't do things like revenge??? jk jk Anyway, I don't want to nitpick on something not that important but then again its fun to do so. Exercising your arms DOES help you run faster or at least moving them while you run makes you faster. Its basically the momentum created by swinging your arms that makes you go faster. Nothing personal, SORRY :)
Since when have PSAs involving characters from our favorite shows, comics, etc. been good?
Anyway, I don't know how many people are familiar with the anime Orphen (if you aren't check it out, it's great), but Smokescreen's design reminds me of this character:
What a maniacal, poweful villain! Defeated by an air filter, what a behemoth he was. The mere thought of his return leaves my whole body trembling with fear...
Man, the 70's art was better than the modern version.
I can understand why you don't want to do webcomics. Some of them could compete with the worst of the 90's. Though I'm sure the Dominic Deegan series (and it's attempt to justify rape) would get your feminist senses into overdrive.
Ok, he story behind this comic is boring, the choice of characters is outdated and people in the USA may have seen this thousands of times in adds, comics and cartoons already.
But I think it really changed something. In europe, a comic or cartoon with this message would be considered awkward. Therefore, there are only some anti-smoking ads I have seen in my life. And they told us in school that smoking is bad, of course.
Many of you may know, that in relation many more europeans are smoking then north americans. This is not an accomplishment of comics alone, of course. But I am sure they where a part of this progress.
Its clever to manipulate kids by there favorite cartoon characters this way. And I consider "Manipulation" not as a bad thing here.
Why is Smokescreen dressed like Black Panther? Seriously, that was the ONE thing I wanted to know. Well, that and why Storm was switched to one of the costumes she wore at the time and Luke Cage, well, wasn't.
I hate PSAs, and this one managed to ruin three of my favorite characters in one puff.
Awesome review, as always.^^ Makes me wonder wich of my childhood icons has not been used for such bullcrap. Would love to see the Doom-Marine telling kids: "Stop f**king smoking, you need more guns!" *skronks violently*
Ecchi Otaku: good lord you're right, he looks like Black Tiger from Orphen. But he also reminded me a little of Obsidian from the DC Universe...
So here's something that bugged me - why is the female superhero the one easily taken out while the two guys get to kick major ass? I mean, Storm's powers are nigh-unto that of a goddess, and yet these two put up more of a fight than her? Ugh.
I have to second the motion of doing brain drain at some point. Your call but that thing NEEDS a beatdown. Seriously how does junk like this get on the market? Doesn't SOMEONE have enough brain cells to think: "wait a second, this comic sucks!"
This brings back memories of the other great Marvel anti-drug PSA of my youth: Spider-Man fights drug dealers in Canada. Yes. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, with help from the federal health ministry, got Marvel to write a three-part anti-drug series (scroll down a bit on the linked article) where Spider-Man helps Canadian kids say no to drugs. My favourite was the one where Peter Parker and Johnny Blaze go to a Blue Jays game.
It baffles me, why the CACP decided to use an American superhero to promote their anti-drug message. Needless to say, I remember the comics you mentioned.
@Marcel: I know, right? I'm not even Canadian, and this is the first I'm hearing of it, but couldn't they have used, I dunno, Wolverine? Or the Alpha Flight people? Or Captain Canuck, who's hardcore solely because he has a clean mind and exercises regularly?
@mightysamuri: First one here was a Supergirl "wear your seat belts" one. Though the first I ever saw was a Spidey/Doc Ock "brush your teeth regularly" one in my dentist's waiting room...
I'm wondering why blip can get the Chili's ads in full 30fps video, but can't get TGWTG stuff to run with video in synch with audio, much less at a decent frame rate...
there was a Captain America vs. Drugs PSA comic. And another one (if you can call it that) in his regular title, where he fights a drug ring, and ingests a (made-up) drug called "Ice", which of course causes him to go nuts ('cause of the drug reacting with Cap's SSS). Of course, they remove the SSS and Ice from Cap's blood stream, and he had to train regularly to maintain his frame.
If you can find it, there's also a horribly stupis Captain America PSA on energy conservation that came out around 1979 or 1980. IIRC it mention (then) President Carter's energy plan.
This may not be the best place to do it, but I just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, Linkara! Hope your family feast will wash the taste of bad comics out of your mouth, if only for a while.
JUST MAKE SURE YOUR TURKEY AND/OR HAM ISN'T SMOOOOOOOOOOOOKED.
(P.S. Is it sad that 'Smokescreen' made me immediately think of the much cooler Autobot of the same name?)
oh my, Spiderman VS the evil tobaco, he should team upp with Batman the anti rock music crusader ;)
and next we can get Green lantern lecturing uss on eating our vegetables :D (oh and wolverine can teach uss not to run with sharp objeckts in our hands!)
Bit o' research indicates 1998 as the earliest publication date for this thing. Which makes sense - the cover is using the recognizable 90s animated series logo for the Spidey-books, and Luke's wearing his "Heroes for Hire" get-up, which last from about about 96-98.
So according to this comic's warped logic, anyone having a gun is a bad guy? Fine, go tell that to The Lone Ranger, The Shadow, The Phantom, or The New Captain America.
All this comic needed was Batman sticking his up in a panel reminding kids that punk was nothing but death, crime, and the rage of a beast.
ah, the phantom! its kinda funny that a super hero created in the U.S actually has most of his fans in scandinavia and India! :3 as a scandinavian meself, i must say i really like the phantom, particulary the historical stories set in the 1500's the writers and pencilers make a damn good jobb at portraing the renicance :) (i am a history buff, yesh!)
This comic has one of the major flaws I've seen with many anti-smoking PSAs. They try to portray smoking like they would with harder drugs (bad grades, falling in with the wrong crowd, etc) but that's obviously not how it is in real life. And I think it was something like, what, 40% of America smokes? Most kids don't know any heroin addicts so they're more liable to believe what you say but probably have at least one relative who smokes. They should really just show how much of a pain in the ass it is to be a smoker instead of outright lying.
Being (mostly) homeschooled (via extension programm) i never witnessed much PSA stuff besides what used to come on the fox kids channel when i was younger. Even as a kid i relised how stupid most PSA stuff was.
Then again in all fairness, I was already educated in the effects of smokeing, Becuse my parents are smokers, And are very aware of them thierselves.
How can you they take an idea like this, with the right intentions, and fail so badly?
That Spider-Man comic published without the Comics Code seal, about drugs was done well. As was the Speedy addict storyline. So it can be done. They could have used someone like Daredevil or Cloak & Dagger (since their origins were rooted in drugs I believe) to bring this legit.
very funny video, of an otherwise disasterous fail of a comic!
So until, Smokescreen returns and teams with the Surgeon General, Neutro, the mad driver from US 1, rock and roll, and Snowflame, to make the new Sinister 6, MAKE MINE LINKARA
While the costume of the new Smokescreen IS kinda badass, it actually makes it worse. You got this all black/white eyed dark lord type of guy, what, trying to corner the market on betting at school events? The hell.
I was just going over this comic for a "Friday Night Fight" posting, and I noticed that even the word balloons are easier to look it in the original. (Although they do a nice nighttime sky in one panel of the remake Linkara shows.) In the panels we see here they try stuffing the entire dialog into one balloon, making it harder to read than splitting sentences up after a while so we don't get a huge paragraph. Huge paragraphs don't work as well in comics as they do in prose. (Case in point: this paragraph right here. :P )
I also maintain that the art was actually better in the original, even if the remake was more dynamic in their posing. (Sometimes overly so, giving more points to the original.)
I actually prefer the original costume, but that's my comic/cartoon upbringing talking. At least the new costume looks like he CAN be wearing the gas filter Spidey swears he has to have.
I actually own this comic
ReplyDeleteI think the good folks at TGWTG need to make one of those Chili's ads.
ReplyDeleteSorry I own the original for some reason I thought that was just a alternate cover what was I smoking
ReplyDeleteBROOKLYN RAGE FTW
ReplyDeleteYeah, I was one of those kids who had the 1982 original handed out to my class in grade school. Even back then I realized this thing was about as subtle as a brick to the head.
ReplyDeleteI remember coming coming across a copy of the original when I was in high school- up until now, I didn't even know there was a semi-updated version of it.
ReplyDeleteHeh, shoutouts to YGO:TAS.
ReplyDeleteActually, squats - not just squatting in place, but repeatedly coming down and lifting up - are a good way to train your legs.
I actually got this comic in 6th grade, which was around 2001 or so. I think that they just like to reprint it because they think that it stops kids from smoking, yet it just makes me want to sell my soul to the devil for a pack of smokes. Thnx spider-man
ReplyDeleteMan, PSA's suck.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.i-mockery.com/comics/longbox10/default.php
ReplyDeleteRequest: This one is begging for some attention. Seriously, by the end of the issue theres no Reset Button.
Wow, I was wondering if you when you were going to do a psa comic (unless we're counting the Captian Planet comic). Weird how drug psa always just come out weird.
ReplyDeleteThey reason they handed the papers back face-down is because they were afraid of lawsuits? And here I thought it was just to keep it a mystery until they flipped it up. I awlways yelled the grade I got excitedly. Yeah, I used to be the annoying but lovable brainy kid until my slacker attitude started kicking in around puberty.
Oh all the stupid...*sigh* brb facepalming forever.
ReplyDeleteYou're review made me giggle though!
While this video review didn't make me laugh quite as hard or often as some of the other reviews, I did get a lot more laughs than some of the friends I watched it with since I got the running gags. I'm surprised you didn't mention the fact that everyone had indented faces like the villains from Jackie Chan Adventures.
ReplyDeleteWow, the art really went downhill in the remake. Talk about pathetic. And since it IS a remake I'm going to have to make my own article instead of posting this one and taking the easy way out. Thanks, Linkara. :(
ReplyDeleteI tend to grade PSA comics on something of a curve, and even by those standards this comic is bad.
HOw...how do you make Luke Cage's costume even more 70s then his 70s costume? I mean....god damn that costume was totally like just out of character even if it's supposed to be a recycled strip. I might not read comics much nowadays but even I know that in the 2000s he's kinda gone to street clothes rather then a fancy costume.
ReplyDeleteAt least he did the last time I saw him in Web of Shadows.
If I might make a suggestion for something in a similar vein, The Spider-man/ Fantastic Four Office Max Comic, Brain Drain. Now there's a real piece of work.
ReplyDeleteHmmm......thought great heroes like Linkara didn't do things like revenge??? jk jk
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I don't want to nitpick on something not that important but then again its fun to do so. Exercising your arms DOES help you run faster or at least moving them while you run makes you faster. Its basically the momentum created by swinging your arms that makes you go faster. Nothing personal, SORRY :)
Since when have PSAs involving characters from our favorite shows, comics, etc. been good?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I don't know how many people are familiar with the anime Orphen (if you aren't check it out, it's great), but Smokescreen's design reminds me of this character:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ez8KxK29LHU
Luke Cage is wearing his outfit from the 1997-1999 Heroes for Hire series, and Storm appears to be wearing her pre-Morrison era costume...
ReplyDeleteIf I had to guess this comic was probably made cira 2000-2001 or maybe even earlier.
...And don't forget to buy our next comic, kids, where Batman teaches us about the dangers of eating disorders!
ReplyDeleteIts actually from 2003, I remember when it came out.
ReplyDeleteWhat a maniacal, poweful villain! Defeated by an air filter, what a behemoth he was. The mere thought of his return leaves my whole body trembling with fear...
ReplyDeleteYour theme song remix always makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteDo Sonichu!
ReplyDeleteI don't do webcomics.
ReplyDelete:( It could be a special edition where you showed everything not to do in a comic.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have gone for Daredevil as backup.
ReplyDeleteHe'd noir-monologue at the offenders too much and so nobody would listen to him. :P
Storm's pretty hip, though, and doesn't monologue people to death, so I think the thugs would be more into listening to her. XD
P.S. I'd love to see Snowflame and Smokescreen duking it out with each other.
ReplyDeleteBEST COMIC EVER.
I was under the impression that "Edgey" could refer to someone that was on-edge
ReplyDeleteMan, the 70's art was better than the modern version.
ReplyDeleteI can understand why you don't want to do webcomics. Some of them could compete with the worst of the 90's. Though I'm sure the Dominic Deegan series (and it's attempt to justify rape) would get your feminist senses into overdrive.
Ok, he story behind this comic is boring, the choice of characters is outdated and people in the USA may have seen this thousands of times in adds, comics and cartoons already.
ReplyDeleteBut I think it really changed something.
In europe, a comic or cartoon with this message would be considered awkward. Therefore, there are only some anti-smoking ads I have seen in my life. And they told us in school that smoking is bad, of course.
Many of you may know, that in relation many more europeans are smoking then north americans. This is not an accomplishment of comics alone, of course. But I am sure they where a part of this progress.
Its clever to manipulate kids by there favorite cartoon characters this way. And I consider "Manipulation" not as a bad thing here.
Why is Smokescreen dressed like Black Panther? Seriously, that was the ONE thing I wanted to know. Well, that and why Storm was switched to one of the costumes she wore at the time and Luke Cage, well, wasn't.
ReplyDeleteI hate PSAs, and this one managed to ruin three of my favorite characters in one puff.
Awesome review, as always.^^
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder wich of my childhood icons has not been used for such bullcrap.
Would love to see the Doom-Marine telling kids: "Stop f**king smoking, you need more guns!" *skronks violently*
Ecchi Otaku: good lord you're right, he looks like Black Tiger from Orphen. But he also reminded me a little of Obsidian from the DC Universe...
ReplyDeleteSo here's something that bugged me - why is the female superhero the one easily taken out while the two guys get to kick major ass? I mean, Storm's powers are nigh-unto that of a goddess, and yet these two put up more of a fight than her? Ugh.
In fact it is illegal for a teacher to publicly announce a student's grades.
ReplyDelete"I don't do webcomics."
ReplyDeleteWell, now you just made Lightbringer cry.
I have to second the motion of doing brain drain at some point. Your call but that thing NEEDS a beatdown. Seriously how does junk like this get on the market? Doesn't SOMEONE have enough brain cells to think: "wait a second, this comic sucks!"
ReplyDeleteOh my god...Smokescreen is actually Gay Spawn!
ReplyDeleteExcellent as usual!
This brings back memories of the other great Marvel anti-drug PSA of my youth: Spider-Man fights drug dealers in Canada. Yes. The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, with help from the federal health ministry, got Marvel to write a three-part anti-drug series (scroll down a bit on the linked article) where Spider-Man helps Canadian kids say no to drugs. My favourite was the one where Peter Parker and Johnny Blaze go to a Blue Jays game.
ReplyDeleteFirst comic I ever owned was some sort of Captain America anti-asthma PSA.
ReplyDelete@Evan
ReplyDeleteIt baffles me, why the CACP decided to use an American superhero to promote their anti-drug message. Needless to say, I remember the comics you mentioned.
@Marcel: I know, right? I'm not even Canadian, and this is the first I'm hearing of it, but couldn't they have used, I dunno, Wolverine? Or the Alpha Flight people? Or Captain Canuck, who's hardcore solely because he has a clean mind and exercises regularly?
ReplyDelete@ mightysamuri
ReplyDeleteI actually used to have a copy of that very same Captain American asthma comic.
Good stuff, gotta love 'message' comics. Especially ones that are too lazy to update their scripts to match how anyone in the modern day talks.
ReplyDeleteI understand that there is one of this PSA with Cap America, wich is kinda ironic ocnsidering that Cap America got his powers from drugs.
ReplyDelete@mightysamuri: First one here was a Supergirl "wear your seat belts" one. Though the first I ever saw was a Spidey/Doc Ock "brush your teeth regularly" one in my dentist's waiting room...
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering why blip can get the Chili's ads in full 30fps video, but can't get TGWTG stuff to run with video in synch with audio, much less at a decent frame rate...
@Juan
ReplyDeletethere was a Captain America vs. Drugs PSA comic. And another one (if you can call it that) in his regular title, where he fights a drug ring, and ingests a (made-up) drug called "Ice", which of course causes him to go nuts ('cause of the drug reacting with Cap's SSS). Of course, they remove the SSS and Ice from Cap's blood stream, and he had to train regularly to maintain his frame.
Weird you until now (18min, I'm watching and stop to comment) you don't say nothing about the bad drawn.
ReplyDeleteMan, look at Storm's mask, at spider legs in 15:00... is just terrible...
If you can find it, there's also a horribly stupis Captain America PSA on energy conservation that came out around 1979 or 1980. IIRC it mention (then) President Carter's energy plan.
ReplyDeleteThis may not be the best place to do it, but I just wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving, Linkara! Hope your family feast will wash the taste of bad comics out of your mouth, if only for a while.
ReplyDeleteJUST MAKE SURE YOUR TURKEY AND/OR HAM ISN'T SMOOOOOOOOOOOOKED.
(P.S. Is it sad that 'Smokescreen' made me immediately think of the much cooler Autobot of the same name?)
Anyone remember these weird-mini comics that featured Spider-Man, Mysterio, some interns, and some celebrity guy who did drugs?
ReplyDeleteI think the real lesson is if you;re a third party don't pay Marvel Comics to push your message or they'll let the maintenance crew do the script.
ReplyDeleteDid the American Cancer Society learn nothing from the Hostess Fruit Pies debacle of the 70's?
oh my, Spiderman VS the evil tobaco, he should team upp with Batman the anti rock music crusader ;)
ReplyDeleteand next we can get Green lantern lecturing uss on eating our vegetables :D (oh and wolverine can teach uss not to run with sharp objeckts in our hands!)
Stian
Bit o' research indicates 1998 as the earliest publication date for this thing. Which makes sense - the cover is using the recognizable 90s animated series logo for the Spidey-books, and Luke's wearing his "Heroes for Hire" get-up, which last from about about 96-98.
ReplyDeleteHappy Turkey day, Lewis. I hope that you and your family had a great day, and that you're getting over your illness.
ReplyDeleteOh man, that was all kinds of painful. I remember PSA comics and the awful garbage they spout.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of which, I have to see if I still have those Captain America comics made for my dentist's office (yes, those were real).
So according to this comic's warped logic, anyone having a gun is a bad guy? Fine, go tell that to The Lone Ranger, The Shadow, The Phantom, or The New Captain America.
ReplyDeleteAll this comic needed was Batman sticking his up in a panel reminding kids that punk was nothing but death, crime, and the rage of a beast.
ah, the phantom! its kinda funny that a super hero created in the U.S actually has most of his fans in scandinavia and India! :3 as a scandinavian meself, i must say i really like the phantom, particulary the historical stories set in the 1500's the writers and pencilers make a damn good jobb at portraing the renicance :)
ReplyDelete(i am a history buff, yesh!)
Stian
This comic has one of the major flaws I've seen with many anti-smoking PSAs. They try to portray smoking like they would with harder drugs (bad grades, falling in with the wrong crowd, etc) but that's obviously not how it is in real life. And I think it was something like, what, 40% of America smokes? Most kids don't know any heroin addicts so they're more liable to believe what you say but probably have at least one relative who smokes. They should really just show how much of a pain in the ass it is to be a smoker instead of outright lying.
ReplyDeleteBeing (mostly) homeschooled (via extension programm) i never witnessed much PSA stuff besides what used to come on the fox kids channel when i was younger.
ReplyDeleteEven as a kid i relised how stupid most PSA stuff was.
Then again in all fairness, I was already educated in the effects of smokeing, Becuse my parents are smokers, And are very aware of them thierselves.
Anyway, Great review.
I own the original they based this on... Sad.
ReplyDelete"Anti-drug paraphanelia hammered into me that cigarettes are unhealthy..."
ReplyDeleteYeah, Lewis, and NO ONE smokes today! Especially not kids! Thank God for those posters.
Great review, anyway. With Spider-man here, I'm sure that this is just a small step in his big scheme to destroy Peter's marriage.
How can you they take an idea like this, with the right intentions, and fail so badly?
ReplyDeleteThat Spider-Man comic published without the Comics Code seal, about drugs was done well. As was the Speedy addict storyline. So it can be done. They could have used someone like Daredevil or Cloak & Dagger (since their origins were rooted in drugs I believe) to bring this legit.
very funny video, of an otherwise disasterous fail of a comic!
So until, Smokescreen returns and teams with the Surgeon General, Neutro, the mad driver from US 1, rock and roll, and Snowflame, to make the new Sinister 6, MAKE MINE LINKARA
"Cocaine is my GOD! AND I AM THE LIVING INSTRUMENT OF ITS WILL! FOR I AM THE FIRE OF ADDICTION, THE IVORY POWDER OF ECSTASY, SNOWFLAME!"
ReplyDelete"COCAINE FOR THE COCAINE GOD! DRUGS FOR THE DRUG THRONE!"
While the costume of the new Smokescreen IS kinda badass, it actually makes it worse. You got this all black/white eyed dark lord type of guy, what, trying to corner the market on betting at school events? The hell.
ReplyDeleteI was just going over this comic for a "Friday Night Fight" posting, and I noticed that even the word balloons are easier to look it in the original. (Although they do a nice nighttime sky in one panel of the remake Linkara shows.) In the panels we see here they try stuffing the entire dialog into one balloon, making it harder to read than splitting sentences up after a while so we don't get a huge paragraph. Huge paragraphs don't work as well in comics as they do in prose. (Case in point: this paragraph right here. :P )
ReplyDeleteI also maintain that the art was actually better in the original, even if the remake was more dynamic in their posing. (Sometimes overly so, giving more points to the original.)
I actually prefer the original costume, but that's my comic/cartoon upbringing talking. At least the new costume looks like he CAN be wearing the gas filter Spidey swears he has to have.