Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts

November 8, 2012

The Oval Office

The Oval Office, Roy Lichtenstein, 1992
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November 12, 2009

Photos: Vivian Maier


Vivian Maier - Her Discovered Work

"This was created in dedication to the photographer Vivian Maier, a street photographer from the 1950s - 1970s. Vivian's work was discovered at an auction here in Chicago where she lived for 50 years but was originally a native to France. Her discovered work includes between 30-40,000 mostly medium format negatives. Born February 1, 1926 and deceased on Tuesday, April 21, 2009."
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October 4, 2008

Vintage Comics: In Search of Atom-mannen


I wrote to Hyperdave at Datajunkie.
"I need help identifying a superhero. I recently found out that there was a comic fan and amateur (in every sense) sculptor here in Sweden who has, during the last 50 years, created a sculpture park with all types of comic characters. I've only seen a couple of photos from there and one of those shows a sculpture of a superhero character that I've never seen before. On the base of the sculpture reads "Atom-mannen" which would - in English - be "The Atom Man". However he doesn't look anything like any of the atom men I've seen. Of course sometimes names aren't translated directly so he might be called something completely different. Now, it must be said that it's not certain he is American, perhaps he's even Swedish but it's not likely. I would appreciate if you'd have quick a look 'cause if someone would know it would be you. Cheers!"

website for the sculpture park - Seriegården (Comics Farm)

I had spent several hours searching for the right Atom Man. Here are some of the results that came up searching for comics/atom/superhero/atom man/atomic/atoman etc:



OK, back to my letter to Hyperdave. To my surprise he had no clue what superhero this could be!! But another one of his readers did. Lamont kindly informed that "He's Sparkman, from United Features Sparkler Comics". Wow, finally a breakthrough! He supplied us with an image of an issue of Sparkler Comics too, featuring "The Spark Man". I thought with a correct name there should be no problem finding a number of images on the Internet but ...no, not much at all. Four Sparkler covers and another one with a tiny image. That's it.






I guess The Spark Man wasn't very popular or at least he isn't now. Just one poor superhero among superheros. Probably short-lived. One would think though that there'd be - if hardly any images - some information available but the result is even worse. "King of Manhattan: Sparkle Comics. This madman who lived in the sewers with access to dutch settler's gold was in the habit of kidnapping and torturing beautiful women. Was opposed by the Spark Man." That sounds pretty interesting but that's about the only mention of The Spark Man that I could find. Well, if there is anyone out there with more you are welcome to share. That concludes my little story of my accidental and slightly obsessed search for Atom-mannen AKA The Spark Man.

...or so I thought...
Just about to publish this post I came to think of dear ol' Lex10 of the GlyphJockey blog who I know has a certain liking for the Nancy comic. As you may have noticed on the covers above Nancy was one of the featured comics in Sparkler Comics. So I took a look in GlyphJockey and what did I find if not an episode of The Spark Man!!! The costume and the colours are a bit different but it is The Spark Man. The comic seems really bad but... who cares!

Sparkler Comics #41 1945.



PS. The creators were Fred Methot and Paul Berdanier who also made the unforgettable Triple Terror comics. Remember? ;)

PPS. I found some additional information and more covers at atomicavenue.com: "Sparkler Comics (2nd Series)- Two issues of Sparkler Comics (1st series) were published by United Features Syndicate in 1940, but this second series ran from 1941 until 1955. As one might expect, the stars of this long-running series were primarily United Features comic strip characters: Tarzan (by the legendary Burne Hogarth); Nancy (by Ernie Bushmiller); The Captain and the Kids; Li’l Abner; and Abbie & Slats. The title also introduced the super-hero Spark Man who went through two or three costume changes over the course of the series, but was only cover-featured eleven times."

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Golden Age of Comic Books
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September 18, 2008

Vintage Design: Eames Chairs


1959 Chairs For Home, Office and Public Areas
Go here to download the entire four page brochure as a pdf.

From Eames Office Resources - the Vintage Eames Pages

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September 7, 2008

Cartoon: Rhapsody of Steel




Rhapsody of Steel
In this post from January ASIFA said: "Today we scanned a read-along storybook adaptation of John Sutherland's industrial film, Rhapsody of Steel (1959). Sutherland's studio was very influential in the mid-1950s, employing some of the best designers in the business. This film is no exception."

There is also a QuickTime link in the post!

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September 3, 2008

Vintage Postcards: New York World's Fair 1964-65


1964 NY World's Fair
"New York World's fair 1964-1965 "Peace through Understanding.""



Sinclair Dinoland 1964 World's Fair
"New York World's Fair 1964-65. Featuring nine life-size prehistoric monsters that roamed the earth millions of years ago"


New York World's Fair 1964-65

postcards found among many others here.
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Sinclair Dinopark

UPDATE: I added some snapshots I found from Sinclair Dinoland at Flickr, a couple of images from a book, a Sinclair dino toy, the Sinclair logo, and an ad:

Uploaded to Flickr by califboy101
Taken by Lillian Seymour and uploaded to Flickr by ninecormorants
From Palaeoblog: Sinclair Dinoland 1964-65: Part 1, Sinclair Dinoland 1964-65: Part 2
Gasoline Alley Antiques

Uploaded to Flickr by the owls go

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August 13, 2008

May 14, 2008

Transportation: Yesterday's Airports of Today


"This is a 1935 model for an underground air terminal. After landing, aircraft would go underground to various levels for passengers, maintenance, and cargo loading. Connections to ground transportation are at the lowest level."

Quote and image from The Smithsonian website - America by Air.


Via BibliOdyssey

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