Top Tens: The Horrifically naughty but nice art of Bruce Timm.

Bruce Timm’s style is immediately distinctive. It lends itself to most genres whether that be superheroes, grim detectives, or horror all of which are created with a hint of humour. Timm also makes no secret about his love for drawing pretty girls who are put into perilous situations and for the most part these are not just titillating drawings for teenage boys to drool over ; the women are usually in control of the situation (ok they do look titillating) or are the perpetrators of the scene. Despite all that I just love Timms work as for me it harks back to the fun that Stan Lee , Steve Ditko , Jack Kirby, and others breathed into those early Marvel comics. Regardless, who can resist horror art featuring pretty ladies – Below are some of my favourites to celebrate the Halloween season:

Above illos and at header, from "Naughty but Nice and "The Big Tease" collections by Bruce Timm.

Above: Pin-up from the Dark Horse "Creepy" magazine # 15

Back page art from "Bela Lugosi's Tales from the Grave " # 1.

Above: "Out There" #3 - With some nice Humberto Ramos art.

Above: "Little Shoppe of Horrors" magazine #18

Above: "Vampirella" #3 of the "Rebirth" mini series (Bruce did the interior art as well, if only I g could find issue 1 & 2)

Above: A final non-Halloween treat the covers to "Naughty but Nice" and "The Big Tease" collections - thanks to my mate Ronnie for loaning me a copy of "The Big Tease" to scan.

Top Tens: Bruce Timm

Bruce Timm is best known for his work on the critically acclaimed “Batman; the Animated Series” , "Superman; the Animated Series" and the excellent “Justice League Unlimited” shows. Although I watched these shows at the time, it wasn't until 1994 when I picked up the “Batman Adventures: Mad Love” comic book that I bacame aware of the man behind this amazing new animation style, I have been a fan of his work ever since. Although Timm hasn’t produced a great deal of actual comic strips he has created many striking comic book covers. Below are a few of my favourites to go along with the above cover to the “Adventures of Superman” issue 4.

Bruce Timm and Paul Dini co-created Harley Quinn in 1992 as a comic relief partner to the Joker for the Batman Animated series. Although Harley Quinn has become one of the most popular comic book / film crossover characters in recent years, she has morphed from the original vision that Timm and Dini had for her into an unhinged psychopath. The above cover to "Harley Quinn's Little Black Book" issue 23 perhaps hints at this with the original Harley's exasperated comments to a "Margot Robbie" inspired film version.

The 1999 Avengers 1½ special written by Roger Stern with a full strip drawn in the Timm style with a nod to early Jack Kirby.

Above: Variant cover to "Cage!" issue 2 from 2016 - this is a very different Luke Cage and is a great cartoon style series by Genndy Tartakovsky the animator on Samurai Jack, Dexters Laboritory etc. I'm still on the look out for this issue - cover taken from the Grand Comic Book Database.

Not and actual comic book but I love this Bruce Timm cover of Tigra from "Back Issue" magazine issue 17 from 2006.

Happy New Year: Batman: "Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot...""

The Batman Adventure Holiday Special (cover by Bruce Timm) was a one shot 64 page special published in December 1994 (cover dated January 1995). It features a delightful collection of 5 holiday themed short stories showcasing the work of some of the most talented artists and writers on the animated series including Bruce Timm, Dan Riba, Paul Dini and Ronnie Del Cameron. The strip below “ Should old Acquaintance be forgot” by Paul Dini and Dan Riba finishes this excellent comic collection and is a nice New Year’s type tale to round of this blog for 2023. hghfgh

As we say in Scotland at this time of year "Lang may yer lum reek!" (ok we only really say that to tourist - it means may you have enough coal to heat your home etc) and all the best for 2023. Have a great Hogmanay (31 December) and Ne'erday (1 Janaury) and I hope 2023 brings you all you wish for.