The first Halo and Sprocket collection has a (fairly popular) scene in it involving "Butter Crackers". I actually stole the concept from myself! Originally it was a single panel gag, along with a "Little Mermaid Fishing Lure" in an unpublished story. Let me explain...Waaaay back in 1987, I created a comic named Directory to a Nonexistent Universe. It was a take-off of the popular superhero directory books at the time. I did these when I was pretty young, so don't judge them too harshly if you click on and read the three sample pages below...
I created Grow-Arm-Hair Lad very much as a throw-away character. However, he seemed to be one of people's favorites! A few years later, I wrote a stand-alone 8 page story for for him. I eventually decided that the world has enough superheroes, and if I wanted to dabble in comics, I needed to invent something non-superhero. Halo and Sprocket eventually came from that. Here's the first three pages of my GAHL story. You'll see the Butter Crackers in the last panel...
Hey Kerry, how about posting the rest of the Grow Arm Hair Lad story? Can't leave it unresolved like that, we want more!
ReplyDeleteSorry, Don. I never drew the rest of the story, only the first three pages. GAHL wins in the end by threatening to scratch the paint off the guy's car. It's an amazing victory since GAHL would have won even without using his arm hair growing powers!
ReplyDeleteHe had something in reserve. You don't start out with your most powerful weapon.
ReplyDeleteGood police know that.
I have the Directory to a Nonexistent Universe, and I've always enjoyed it. My favorite? The Black & Blue Panther.
ReplyDeleteYou should reprint it, man.
Yeah, I really want to see more Pete Moss stories, along with a reprint of the Directory.
ReplyDeleteAnd, uh, so do my 800 rich friends!
Hmmm,maybe I should reprint it. It's sad, but I still occasionally think of new characters...
ReplyDeleteI just showed "Directory To A Nonexistent Universe" to my nine-year-old son this very night, and he laughed himself silly. Much as I did when I got it, and I didn't have the excuse of being nine.
ReplyDeleteIt is a real shame more people didn't get a chance to appreciate that gem. Thanks!
(Oh - my favorite? Probably White Lightning... the story possibilities...)
I got 'Directory to a Nonexistent Universe' when it came out and nicked quite a few rpg character ideas from it...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the memory!
This is crazy. I actually got in my hand a copy of that very book you wrote.
ReplyDeleteI always thought it was awesome how you tweaked the nose of the comic book industry using that parody.
My personal favorites? Pull-Yourself-Together-Lad and Dober-Man the pincher.
Hilarious stuff. Gotta love the net!!
W01F
I still have fond memories of Directory to a Non-Existent Universe; I still sometimes have the opportunity to work "A cheap thrill is still a thrill" or "I'm an unconformist; nonconformist is what you conformists call it" into conversation.
ReplyDeleteI still have a copy of this! I thought it was hilarious then, and still do now. I'm a huge comics fan, but even I still acknowledge that the concept of superheroes has a few...idiosyncrasies. Speaking of which, did you know that there is a (completely different) character named Night Knight in MyDamnChannel's "Save the Supers" on YouTube? They're a fun bunch. You guys would work well together.
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ReplyDeleteAll the "Directory" characters are great, but my favourite is Oldman:
ReplyDelete"Never apologize louder than you burp."
Definitely words to live by!
Jeff
I want to see Macho Ma'am in team-up with Marvel's Bronze Age versions of Ms. Marvel and Thundra the Femizon!
ReplyDeleteGoogling "Grow Arm Hair Lad" brought me here! It's amazing how the human brain can randomly remember things from childhood for no apparent reason lol. I loved that directory comic back then! Wish I still had it... any chance I could scam a .pdf copy of it? I'd love to trek down memory lane again! bikerscout2012 at Gmail dot com
ReplyDeleteA Facebook post by James Gunn regarding the DC character "Arm Fall Off Lad" made me immediately think of GAHL. I loved the directory (still do).
ReplyDeleteI've been trying to remember the name of the book but could only remember Grow Arm Hair Lad. It was a work of genius and should be in print. I read a borrowed copy (as I wasn't collecting comics at the time) and wish now I had a copy.
ReplyDeleteWe used your Directory to a Nonexistant Universe for a DC Heroes rolplaying game. I remember us fighting Dark Grow Arm Hair Lad who was flooding the midwest with arm hair.
ReplyDeleteHA! Thanks for sharing that, Secretly Mike.
ReplyDeleteI have this one - love it.
ReplyDeleteLoved the directory....a lot of it stayed with me, even after all this time...great work!
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