'76
Encyclopedia
'76 is an eight-issue 2007
comic book
limited series
published by Image Comics
, and written by B. Clay Moore
and Seth Peck, and illustrated by Ed Tadem and Tigh Walker. Each issue of the mini-series, both set in the year 1976, focus on separate, ongoing storylines; one story takes place in New York City
, and the other in Los Angeles
. Both are crime dramas, drawn in monochrome
and the series draws heavily upon 1970s 'street' culture. The series has been reviewed as not so much "a flip-book" but instead "more like a drive-in double feature".
budgets of the day.
Moore notes that the idea for the series came from John Siuntres (who hosts a comics-influenced podcast called Word Balloon), who suggested that he tackle the '70s street-action genre. "The idea of Jackie came from my observation that a lot of kung fu heroes in the '70s were anything but Asian
," Moore said. Enter the Dragon
, with its international cast of fighters, being a prime example.
In an interview, Moore notes that '76 is not glossy 1970s satire or a Chuck Norris
movie, and that Jackie Karma would kick Chuck Norris' ass in a heartbeat, and not think twice."
together, and became bounty hunters when they returned to the United States. They are hired to find Cherry Baum, an exotic dancer with a suitcase full of drug money. Cherry’s boyfriend got killed in a drug deal and Cherry made off with the cash, unaware of how many people are looking for her.
Seth Peck noted that he had wanted to create a "kick-ass crime story without playing off of the 70’s clichés like disco
and pet rock
s,” Peck explains. “Most of the characters in Cool wouldn’t look out of place walking around the Los Angeles of today. Fashion is cyclical and drugs
never really went away.” Peck jokingly notes that while his story differs from Moore's in that the kung-fu element is missing, it is nevertheless a "timeless story about midgets, strippers, and cocaine...very Shakespearean stuff. While he agrees that his story has elements of Elmore Leonard
's stories, Peck notes that he was also influenced by the film contributions of Quentin Tarantino
, The French Connection
film, the music of Steely Dan
and the works of Marcel Proust
.
Peck further notes that when the discussion came up to do the series, he specifically wanted to use Walker. "Tigh has incredible instincts," notes Peck. "He really reads the script and visualizes it. The little details he adds, the depth he creates with his environments, it's phenomenal. His characters really "act", their facial expressions, their body language, it's all so dead-on perfect."
In a podcast interview with Moore, Peck agrees that the story is not kitsch
, and is more of a celebration of the 1970s, and not pandering to the cultural period.
were writer-driven, reflecting "America's restlessness and uncertainty about the future, but they also took full advantage of all the groovy pop culture obsessions of the day, from Kung-Fu
to karate
to horror". Conversely, Moore notes how DC
was moving away from that into action stories for all ages.
Peck also notes a love the comics of the era. He notes that his favorite superheroes of the period were Black Panther
, Iron Fist, and Power Man
, all of whom, he notes, were products of that era. Despite that, Cool "doesn’t have much in common with any of those books, and it has zero superheroes in it. It's closer to Taxi Driver by way of Elmore Leonard."
Moore notes that while they had initially planned to start the series closer to the start of the decade, there was something about '76 "that resonates.The Bicentennial
, the beginning of the recovery from Watergate
, a period of national soul-searching as the dreams of the sixties crashed and burned, and an explosion of exploitation pop culture, (like) movies, television, comics, magazines that we knew we wanted to tap into.” Moore specifically notes these influences ran the gamut from Bruce Lee
to Gordon Parks
to Tavares
to Deadly Hands of Kung Fu
to Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter
.
Moore singles out Tadem's work in recreating the cityscapes of period New York City, calling them beautifully hand-drawn. "Ed understands the value of environments, which is growing more and more rare in comics these days".
Moore further notes that Tadem is "absolutely fearless with a brush, has nailed the character designs, (and) nails the storytelling."
Moore notes that they decided to add pages to the comic listing the sports games and songs playing during the period so as to provide a backdrop and soundtrack of sorts to the stories. Peck notes this as well, pointing out that one of his characters, Peter Walker, uses the alias of "Edmund Fitzgerald," an homage to the Gordon Lightfoot
song, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
, which turns into a running joke, as the mob
figures chasing after him ask around town for the whereabouts of "Edmund Fitzgerald". Moore states that making comics is "very much like making movies with an no budget limitations", and notes that "this comic is the movie I would make if I could."
calls '76 a "great comic honoring an age of cinema that is refreshing to see revived in graphic storytelling format". It further notes that the while the "cartoony" aspects are balanced by maintaining a realism that avoids making the story too topical and light.
The podcast Around Comics notes that '76 offers "insight into the Double Feature style comic that breaks out the bell bottoms and muscle cars", further noting that the feel to each artist's handling of the period cities is "spot-on".
Dustin Christian, of For the Love of Comics notes, "if you aren't reading '76, you should be."
2007 in comics
-January:*January 10: Superman & Batman vs. Aliens & Predator released.*January 24: The Boys is canceled with issue #6.-February:*February 2: Newsarama reports that The Boys has been picked up by Dynamite Entertainment....
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
limited series
Limited series
A limited series is a comic book series with a set number of installments. A limited series differs from an ongoing series in that the number of issues is determined before production and it differs from a one shot in that it is composed of multiple issues....
published by Image Comics
Image Comics
Image Comics is a United States comic book publisher. It was founded in 1992 by high-profile illustrators as a venue where creators could publish their material without giving up the copyrights to the characters they created, as creator-owned properties. It was immediately successful, and remains...
, and written by B. Clay Moore
B. Clay Moore
B. Clay Moore is an American comic book writer, best known for the series Hawaiian Dick.-Career:Moore first achieved notoriety as the writer and co-creator of Hawaiian Dick, first published in 2002 by Image Comics...
and Seth Peck, and illustrated by Ed Tadem and Tigh Walker. Each issue of the mini-series, both set in the year 1976, focus on separate, ongoing storylines; one story takes place in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and the other in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Both are crime dramas, drawn in monochrome
Monochrome
Monochrome describes paintings, drawings, design, or photographs in one color or shades of one color. A monochromatic object or image has colors in shades of limited colors or hues. Images using only shades of grey are called grayscale or black-and-white...
and the series draws heavily upon 1970s 'street' culture. The series has been reviewed as not so much "a flip-book" but instead "more like a drive-in double feature".
Plot
As previously mentioned, both stories, while set on opposing US coasts, are both crime dramas set in the 1970s. While the cover art for each issue is in full color, the actual stories are in monochrome (black and white).New York City: "Jackie Karma"
Jackie Karma tells the tale of sixties-era street fighters Jackie Karma and Marcus King, as they come out of retirement in 1976 New York City, to tackle the threat of an old enemy who's returned to the scene. “Jackie Karma will probably read more like a smarter exploitation flick,” says Moore. “Although the climax of the story would probably be beyond most B-movieB-movie
A B movie is a low-budget commercial motion picture that is not definitively an arthouse or pornographic film. In its original usage, during the Golden Age of Hollywood, the term more precisely identified a film intended for distribution as the less-publicized, bottom half of a double feature....
budgets of the day.
Moore notes that the idea for the series came from John Siuntres (who hosts a comics-influenced podcast called Word Balloon), who suggested that he tackle the '70s street-action genre. "The idea of Jackie came from my observation that a lot of kung fu heroes in the '70s were anything but Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
," Moore said. Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
, with its international cast of fighters, being a prime example.
In an interview, Moore notes that '76 is not glossy 1970s satire or a Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
movie, and that Jackie Karma would kick Chuck Norris' ass in a heartbeat, and not think twice."
Los Angeles" "Cool"
Cool is the story of Pete Walker and Leon Campbell, best friends who initially served in VietnamVietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
together, and became bounty hunters when they returned to the United States. They are hired to find Cherry Baum, an exotic dancer with a suitcase full of drug money. Cherry’s boyfriend got killed in a drug deal and Cherry made off with the cash, unaware of how many people are looking for her.
Seth Peck noted that he had wanted to create a "kick-ass crime story without playing off of the 70’s clichés like disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
and pet rock
Pet rock
Pet Rocks were a 1970s fad conceived in Los Gatos, California by advertising executive Gary Dahl.-Development:In April 1975, Dahl was in a bar listening to his friends complain about their pets. This gave him the idea for the perfect "pet": a rock...
s,” Peck explains. “Most of the characters in Cool wouldn’t look out of place walking around the Los Angeles of today. Fashion is cyclical and drugs
DRUGS
Destroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
never really went away.” Peck jokingly notes that while his story differs from Moore's in that the kung-fu element is missing, it is nevertheless a "timeless story about midgets, strippers, and cocaine...very Shakespearean stuff. While he agrees that his story has elements of Elmore Leonard
Elmore Leonard
Elmore John Leonard Jr. , better known as Elmore Leonard, is an American novelist and screenwriter. His earliest published novels in the 1950s were westerns, but Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been adapted into motion pictures.Among his...
's stories, Peck notes that he was also influenced by the film contributions of Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
, The French Connection
The French Connection (film)
This article is about the 1971 film. For the British fashion label, see French Connection .The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore...
film, the music of Steely Dan
Steely Dan
Steely Dan is an American rock band; its core members are Donald Fagen and Walter Becker. The band's popularity peaked in the late 1970s, with the release of seven albums blending elements of jazz, rock, funk, R&B, and pop...
and the works of Marcel Proust
Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
.
Peck further notes that when the discussion came up to do the series, he specifically wanted to use Walker. "Tigh has incredible instincts," notes Peck. "He really reads the script and visualizes it. The little details he adds, the depth he creates with his environments, it's phenomenal. His characters really "act", their facial expressions, their body language, it's all so dead-on perfect."
In a podcast interview with Moore, Peck agrees that the story is not kitsch
Kitsch
Kitsch is a form of art that is considered an inferior, tasteless copy of an extant style of art or a worthless imitation of art of recognized value. The concept is associated with the deliberate use of elements that may be thought of as cultural icons while making cheap mass-produced objects that...
, and is more of a celebration of the 1970s, and not pandering to the cultural period.
Influences
Moore and Peck both credit the comic books of the 1970s as heavily influencing their view and execution of the series. Moore notes that the stories from MarvelMarvel Comics
Marvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
were writer-driven, reflecting "America's restlessness and uncertainty about the future, but they also took full advantage of all the groovy pop culture obsessions of the day, from Kung-Fu
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
to karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
to horror". Conversely, Moore notes how DC
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
was moving away from that into action stories for all ages.
Peck also notes a love the comics of the era. He notes that his favorite superheroes of the period were Black Panther
Black Panther (comics)
The Black Panther is a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and penciller-co-plotter Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Fantastic Four #52...
, Iron Fist, and Power Man
Luke Cage
Luke Cage is a fictional character, a superhero appearing in comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer Archie Goodwin and artist John Romita, Sr., he first appeared in Luke Cage, Hero for Hire #1...
, all of whom, he notes, were products of that era. Despite that, Cool "doesn’t have much in common with any of those books, and it has zero superheroes in it. It's closer to Taxi Driver by way of Elmore Leonard."
Moore notes that while they had initially planned to start the series closer to the start of the decade, there was something about '76 "that resonates.The Bicentennial
United States Bicentennial
The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to the historical events leading up to the creation of the United States as an independent republic...
, the beginning of the recovery from Watergate
Watergate scandal
The Watergate scandal was a political scandal during the 1970s in the United States resulting from the break-in of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate office complex in Washington, D.C., and the Nixon administration's attempted cover-up of its involvement...
, a period of national soul-searching as the dreams of the sixties crashed and burned, and an explosion of exploitation pop culture, (like) movies, television, comics, magazines that we knew we wanted to tap into.” Moore specifically notes these influences ran the gamut from Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
to Gordon Parks
Gordon Parks
Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director...
to Tavares
Tavares (band)
Tavares are a successful American R&B, funk and soul music group, composed of five Cape Verdean-American brothers from New Bedford, Massachusetts.-Band members:...
to Deadly Hands of Kung Fu
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu
Deadly Hands of Kung Fu is a martial arts comic book magazine published by Curtis Magazines, a short-lived imprint of Marvel Comics. There were a total of 33 issues published, plus one "Special Album Edition," before the series was cancelled.-Overview:...
to Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter
Richard Dragon
Richard Dragon is a fictional character created by Dennis O'Neil and Jim Berry in the novel Dragon's Fists under the pseudonym "Jim Dennis." O'Neil later adapted the character for DC Comics in the comic book Richard Dragon, Kung Fu Fighter....
.
Moore singles out Tadem's work in recreating the cityscapes of period New York City, calling them beautifully hand-drawn. "Ed understands the value of environments, which is growing more and more rare in comics these days".
Moore further notes that Tadem is "absolutely fearless with a brush, has nailed the character designs, (and) nails the storytelling."
Moore notes that they decided to add pages to the comic listing the sports games and songs playing during the period so as to provide a backdrop and soundtrack of sorts to the stories. Peck notes this as well, pointing out that one of his characters, Peter Walker, uses the alias of "Edmund Fitzgerald," an homage to the Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Lightfoot
Gordon Meredith Lightfoot, Jr. is a Canadian singer-songwriter who achieved international success in folk, folk-rock, and country music, and has been credited for helping define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s...
song, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald
"The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is a song written, composed and performed by Canadian Gordon Lightfoot to commemorate the sinking of the bulk carrier SS Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. It was inspired by the Newsweek article on the event, "The Cruelest Month", which...
, which turns into a running joke, as the mob
Crowd
A crowd is a large and definable group of people, while "the crowd" is referred to as the so-called lower orders of people in general...
figures chasing after him ask around town for the whereabouts of "Edmund Fitzgerald". Moore states that making comics is "very much like making movies with an no budget limitations", and notes that "this comic is the movie I would make if I could."
Reception
Ain't It Cool NewsAin't It Cool News
Ain't It Cool News is a website founded and run by Harry Knowles, dedicated to news, rumors and reviews of upcoming and currently playing films and television projects, with an emphasis on science fiction, fantasy, horror, comic-book and action genres...
calls '76 a "great comic honoring an age of cinema that is refreshing to see revived in graphic storytelling format". It further notes that the while the "cartoony" aspects are balanced by maintaining a realism that avoids making the story too topical and light.
The podcast Around Comics notes that '76 offers "insight into the Double Feature style comic that breaks out the bell bottoms and muscle cars", further noting that the feel to each artist's handling of the period cities is "spot-on".
Dustin Christian, of For the Love of Comics notes, "if you aren't reading '76, you should be."