As I drew this, I started wondering, "Who was the first person to hide behind their own cape? "Dracula? The Shadow? Bull fighters? Is it a cliche from ancient times? Anybody out there know anything about it?
As always, if you'd like to see more of my work, you can check out my web comic. It's starting to get a little crazy--!
I read somewhere that this was first done in Plan 9 from Outer Space, when they needed extra footage after Bela Lugosi had died. But more research is definitely needed.
ReplyDeleteBoy, you really don't like Jay Garrick, do you?
ReplyDeleteI DO like Jay Garrick! It's really just happenstance he's ended up like this a few times. Someone else will get it next time. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm going to guess it came from theater because it's a cheap dramatic effect. I'd love to know if they used it in the first productions of Dracula.
ReplyDeleteA quick googling brought up this image, but not its date: http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/batman/images/d/d6/BatmanEarthTwo.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20101130175801
ReplyDeleteAh, here we go: https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbatmanlegends.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2011%2F05%2Fsuperbatmanlogo.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbatmanlegends.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fepisode-6-september-1939%2F&docid=gFTG7KagwFMhSM&tbnid=-CvdK_KEsbtnPM%3A&vet=1&w=677&h=637&bih=960&biw=1753&q=batman%201939&ved=0ahUKEwilu9f4oNbSAhWn64MKHVpYBzwQMwhSKBYwFg&iact=mrc&uact=8#h=637&imgrc=-CvdK_KEsbtnPM:&vet=1&w=677
ReplyDeleteThat's from 1939. The Lugosi Dracula movies began in 1931, so I'll bet a similar image is to be found there.
funny! as usual, thanks.
ReplyDeleteI really love your attention to detail on these, especially the off-register color and the faint traces of a comic on the other side of the page. I can practically smell the newsprint.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all your comments! I always appreciate them. And thanks, Will, for your research!!
ReplyDeleteSo is no one going to say a thing about Aquaman's seashell nipple pasties?
ReplyDeleteSo bloody perfect, even as a comic geek I caught myself trying to remember if I had that issue back in the day, and then I discovered your wonderful blog/art.
ReplyDeleteCheers, a new fan,
For early hiding behind capes, I'm going to propose Douglas Fairbanks in The Mark of Zorro (1920). In his first appearance, he holds his cape in front of himself over his arm, though he does reveal a bit more face than in your comic. And he puffs on a cigarette, something no self-respecting 1950s superhero would do.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I would not be surprised if someone comes up with an earlier instance from melodrama.
Image tags don't seem to work here, but follow the link to see Zorro with cape in 1920.
ReplyDeletehttp://i199.photobucket.com/albums/aa123/cleteux/SilverScreen/zorro2.jpg
Unknown, good find!
ReplyDeleteMuy buen trazo respetando la línea vintage original .Felicitaciones .
ReplyDeleteThe Golden Age Flash is so eminently mockable. Love it.
ReplyDeleteIf not for the Sea Shell Pasties, I would have had no idea this was from a few years ago as opposed to 60 years ago.
ReplyDelete