Monday, April 29, 2013

Y: Yankee Clipper!

Yankee Clipper in blue with red gloves and boots
is for Yankee Clipper.

No, this isn't about Joltin' Joe DiMaggio (who they used to call the Yankee Clipper, I believe)...this is about a character from a Marvel Comics mini-series called "The Lost Generation, by John Byrne and Roger Stern.


This was a very cool, twelve issue mini that started with issue #12 and counted down to #1. It was loosely told from a time traveler's point of view and the story bounced around through the time periods of just after World War II up until the early 1980s.

The series focused on a loosely organized hero team called The First Line who had adventures around the fringe of the Marvel Universe. In the final issue (#1, remember?) the entire team is killed and and a government conspiracy, covering up an invasion attempt by the shape-shifting aliens called Skrulls, explains why the group or it's members never were public knowledge.

Basically, the whole series was one, big, retcon (retroactive continuity).

But, that was o.k...it was still a fun series and John Byrne's artwork just can't be beat.

The Yankee Clipper was Patrick Carney, a baseball player (perhaps, modeled after ole Joltin' Joe?) who encounters a time traveler by a strange twist of fate. Before the time traveler dies, she passes on her time traveling belt to Carney who was only able to use it, at first, to boost his strength to super heroic proportions. Later, he figures out how to use it to jump around in time with some very interesting results. He manages to jump past the rest of the team being killed and decides to just fade away into history...hanging up his time belt and living a long, uneventful, life.


Stop back tomorrow for "Z" end.... :)


42 comments:

Andrew Leon said...

I wasn't doing comics anymore when they did this whole thing, but I heard about it and wished I was still collecting. But, then, anytime I hear about what's going on in comics, I wish I was still collecting.

Brandon Ax said...

Wow you are making me doubt my comic knowledge, lol. This sounds like a cool mini. I like some of the weird stuff Marvel does, one of my favorites is the eXiles. I have most of the full run they did on them.

Ella said...

Yes, I up...thinking of what you said!
I am a zzzombie, lol.

Wow, really Yankee Clipper?! This was my favorite store growing up..they had everything, even Whoopie Pies ;D


I think Marvel ought to open the vault and give us a movie!

Happy Monday to you!
I'm doing my Y when I return from baker's hell-perhaps my new book~

Sheena-kay Graham said...

That's quite a name. The art work looks really good and variety is the spice of life.

Jeremy [Retro] said...

lovin' the choices you have been making... so many unknowns out there and you have picked some great ones... i am still laughing on "the whizzer"....

S.P. Bowers said...

Is it weird that I really like how he hung up his belt and lived a long uneventful life? I know the world needs heros (of all kinds) But I like how he is able to do his part (I haven't read it but I assume he helped the world) then move on and not keep promoting who he is and reliving the glory years.

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

One that got away...

Shell Flower said...

Sounds like Yankee Clipper might just come out of hiding one of these days. The artwork on that one is pretty amazing, too, I have to say.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

So there's a chance he might come out of retirement one day?

cleemckenzie said...

Some of these characters are timeless with their super powers and certainly this guy and his time travel skills is among that group.

walk2write said...

I think I recognize him as a local barber, now semi-retired in Florida. Those barbers sure can tell some fantastic stories.

Mark Means said...

@Andrew: I thought it was a very cool series and regret selling my issues. Since doing this post, I looked to see if it's out in trade which, of course, it isn't :( I don't find myself missing comics much these days, sad to say.

@Brandon: It was a very well done series and, if you're a fan of John Byrne, you'll love it :)

@Ella: Heh, you're absolutely right! We should get a "Lost Generation" movie...that'd be awesome :)

@Sheena: Definitely agree...that art is fantastic. John Byrne is one of my favorite artists, after George Perez.

@Jeremy: LOL...thank you and I think The Whizzer has the most votes for "Most Ridiculously Named Character" :)

@S.P.: No, not at all. I know a lot of the heroes I've featured have either been killed or wound up with some other type of miserable fate, so it's nice to hear of one who just 'faded away' and lived a long, healthy life. That is, until the writer's decide that he didn't.. :)

@Alex: Yes! He escaped the writer's wrath...so far :)

@Shell: It would be very interesting if he did, for sure.

@Diane: Maybe...in the world of comics, you never know...

@Lee: Very true...I wouldn't mind having a 'time traveling belt' :)

@walk2write: LOL...if he did wind up as a barber, he'd sure have some amazing tales to tell! :)

Suze said...

Retroactive continuity?

Mark Means said...

@Suze: It's something they like to do in comics where they insert something 'new' into an 'old' story and pretend like it's what they intended all along. Example: They come out with a new character...say he's this real old guy who's been around since WWII. Then, as part of his backstory, they say he's an old friend of Captain America, yet if you go back and read any old issues of Captain America, they make no mention of this new character. They're 'retro fitting' Cap's current continuity to include this new character. Stuff like that :)

Julie Flanders said...

I'd love to have that time traveling belt. Wouldn't that be awesome? I love anything connected to time travel.

Can't believe there's only one more to go!

Lisa said...

I remember the woman with the blue face wearing a hood. What was her name? I've always wanted to know how they would actually do a costume, like in a live action movie, where the face, like Yankee Clipper is covered up to the hair. Wonder if it would look as cool as it does in the drawings...?

John Wiswell said...

What a bummer to get wiped out that fast. And those Skrulls - they've really gotten around, at least in recent years. Seems like they've replaced a third of the planet.

John at The Bathroom Monologues

Gina Gao said...

This was a really interesting post! I liked this very much.

www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

Hart Johnson said...

There sure are a lot of comic characters I've never heard of... this one is comparatively hot... macho build... a GINGER... *cough* Like a minor time travel premise, too...

Andrew Leon said...

Well, I've been out of comics for a while, now, and I miss them.

Rebecca Green Gasper said...

I don't know if I'd want to time travel...but I think teleporting would be pretty cool.

Just Keepin It Real, Folks! said...

Time travel would be cool. In and out without making any commitments, and hopefully just enjoying the good stuff without the bad like wars and depression.

LD Masterson said...

Hmmm. Did it say just how long he lived this uneventful life? Maybe he's back into time jumping and might show up again somewhere.

Joylene Nowell Butler said...

I actually mentioned this to my husband who jumped up and ran to the computer to read your post. You've sparked fond memories, apparently. LOL. He said he had read a few of the series back in the day. The day being before I was born, I'm sure!

Mark Means said...

@Julie: Same here...I love time travel stories and, I know, just one more to go...it's been fun, though :)

@Lisa: I think her name was Nightingale, though she does look a lot like D.C. Comic's Raven from "The New Teen Titans". Well, as some movies have shown, not all the comic book designs translate well into real life...lol.

@John: Yeah, for a long time you'd just see them pop up here and there....now, they're all over the place.

@Gina: Thank you very much, I'm glad you liked it :)

@Hart: LOL...yes, you only like him for his time traveling...I know... -ahem- :)

@Andrew: I know exactly how you feel, though I tend to miss the old ones more than the new.

@Rebecca: I'd like to, at least once....after that, I'm not sure :)

@Deb: That would be very nice, for sure. Though, I think, fate has a way of messing those kinds of idealistic tendencies up, unfortunately.

@LD: Well, in the world of comic books, you never can tell!

@Joylene: Haha, I'm glad he liked it,thanks :)

Tara Tyler said...

so here is my limited comic knowledge...
yankee clipper? never heard of, but remotely recognize joe
xanadu was an awesome movie!!!
whizzer? really?
and xmen! yes!!

been fun seeing these crazy old comics! didnt realize! guess joss whedon has a ton more material to play with!

Andrew Leon said...

I missed Civil War, though, and I really regret that.

Christine Rains said...

Another one I've never heard of. I'm getting comic book schooled this month!

Robin said...

I like this one. Glad that they allowed one character to miss being Killed in Action. You never know... he could pop up again Anytime!

Manzanita said...

This sounds like a good one. I have been noticing the artwork in most of them. Muscles...rippling muscles. I love muscles. Have you ever noticed a baseball player's rippling thighs from always squatting. I wonder why an artist would choose to illustrate comic books? Pay must be good, huh?

Kern Windwraith said...

You're right, very cool. I can't understand how I've never bumped into a dying time-traveler who could pass her belt on to me. What am I doing wrong???

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

I like this guy. Sounds like a fun story line.

klahanie said...

Hey Mark,

I've never heard of "The Yankee Clipper" dude. Must agree that the artwork is superlative.

There you go, no silly comment from me.

Tomorrow will be "Zed" end? Ha ha...

Be well, my friend.

Gary

mshatch said...

I can't believe you know so many superheroes. Oh, and I told my brother about the Whizzer and he laughed his butt off!

Mark Means said...

@Tara: Awww...come on, you know more than you think! :)

@Andrew: I liked Civil War up to a point...then it started getting way to political and the shine wore off, for me. The good news is, I think you can still get it in trade paperback...unlike The Lost Generation :(

@Christine: This guy is a -truely- obscure one!

@Robin: See? They don't all die in the end :) This guy is, theoretically, still around...for now :)

@Manzanita: And the women are drawn just as well ;) See, now you get why young men tend to gravitate towards these books :D I think it does pay pretty well, if you're good.

@Kern: I know, right? I was just thinking that exact same thing.... I must not be living right :)

@Susan: Yep, it was a fun one :)

@Gary: Hmmm...no silly comment, eh? And why not??? :D Take care!

@mshatch: LOL....poor Whizzer...he can't catch a break...even these days :)

Carrie Butler said...

Oo, sounds creative! :)

Suze said...

Ahhh, that was interesting to read. I actually nodded kinda huge once I understood. I've learned a lot reading your A-Z!

Melissa said...

I never got into comics, but you make it sound fun. :)

Mina Burrows said...

That was a really good Y! I need to ask my husband if he remembers that one.

Samantha May said...

These sound cool! Being a Yankee fan I was drawn by the title :D

I think I would probably just stop time traveling too if I were him...

Elizabeth Seckman said...

I had never heard of him before. Now, if he was married to a hot blond movie star, we'd know it was a Joe rip off!

Regina said...

Well, I have you to thank for the comic education and it was fun! Congrats!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...