Worst pick up line of all time?
More fun from Black Lightning creator Tony Isabella.
Pencils by Mike Sekowsky from the story “Date with Scandal” Pencils in Intimate Love #28, Aug. 1954.
Transcript:
SCENE: An African American woman crying with a crumbled handkerchief or piece of paper in her hand. She may be running away. In the background, a caucasian man looks towards her.
WOMAN (thinks): Please don’t say it…please don’t say it…
MAN: You know…I don’t see color. We should totally hook up!
CAPTION: And then she screamed…
DJP.lk458 & Intimate Love 28_29_4
1954 Art: Mike Sekowsky Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Guest Writer: Tony Isabella
↓ Transcript
SCENE: An African American woman crying with a crumbled handkerchief or piece of paper in her hand. She may be running away. In the background, a caucasian man looks towards her.
WOMAN (thinks): Please don’t say it...please don’t say it...
MAN: You know...I don’t see color. We should totally hook up!
CAPTION: And then she screamed...
DJP.lk458 & Intimate Love 28_29_4
1954 Art: Mike Sekowsky Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Guest Writer: Tony Isabella
WOMAN (thinks): Please don’t say it...please don’t say it...
MAN: You know...I don’t see color. We should totally hook up!
CAPTION: And then she screamed...
DJP.lk458 & Intimate Love 28_29_4
1954 Art: Mike Sekowsky Color: Diego Jourdan Pereira
Guest Writer: Tony Isabella
“Goodnight Steve! It’s been a wonderful birthday!..
…Much in the same way the Bataan Death March was a refreshing hike!”
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…Now I’ve got to go drink enough tequila to forget it happened!”
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…Although next time, remember to put the stripper inside the cake after you bake it…”
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…And it’ll get even more wonderful if you’re brother is home and still awake!”
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Does she look sort of Joker-esque in the original? Not trying to bash the artist, especially since I can’t draw a stick figure that doesn’t resemble a rhomboid, but something about the original just seems off. Maybe it’s me.
I thought this was supposed to be humor. I don’t get it.
I’ve always thought of Last Kiss as an exercise for the reader. You’ll find your own humor, bathos, pathos, history lessons, oh, so many things here. Most of them internal to yourself and your personal experience. That and the fine addition of Jams humorously warped tag lines.
All that and cartoon babes to inspire your prurient interests.
Thank you, Dave. I’m a bit humbled by that description—but I love it. And, yes, I do want readers to bring their own experiences to the experience.
I gotta admit, though, I’m sometimes astonished by reader reactions. (As for example, R. Logan’s response below.)
So, you take an old cartoon and turn it into a racist spiel. Nice work. The party of the KKK and Jim Crow must LOVE you
I think you’re misreading this. Far from advocating a racist attitude, this comic is lambasting that attitude by holding it up to ridicule. That seemed clear to me when Tony submitted the comic to me.
And knowing Tony—one of the most outspoken anti-racist writers in comic—I had no doubt of his intent.
Besides creating Black Lightning and other minority characters decades before almost anyone else in mainstream comics, Tony has been an extremely public advocate for minority rights, women’s rights and gay rights. That’s both in his comics work and in the real world.
I’m proud to have Tony working on Last Kiss.
Again, I think you’ve misread this comic.
—John Lustig,
Last Kiss Creator & Head Honcho
I did not “misinterpret” anything. Racism is NOT just a “white thing”. Racist humor is racist humor no matter WHO is the target. By deliberately pointing out a racial difference that is in itself racism. Think of it this way: What if you had drawn the MAN as African-American and the WOMAN AS A Caucasian. STILL FUNNY??? No way!!! Maybe you people should stop “virture signaling” for a moment and actually look at what you are saying.
We didn’t point out a racial difference so much as a totally insincere (and racist) pickup line and attitude by a guy who is obviously a jerk.
To my mind, that’s the opposite of racism.
Most of the characters in Last Kiss are absurdly flawed. They are not role models. They are cautionary tales in a one or two panel format.
I can see we’re not going to agree about this. So that’s all I’ve got to say.
And all I have to say is you can hide behind “Intellectual Freedom” all you want. Racism is racism. You, sir, whether you admit it to yourself or not, are a racist.
It may not be my place to say, but I think you’ve misinterpreted the gag. It’s not aimed at the lady. It’s aimed at the white guy who thinks that all he has to do to score with a woman who happens to have black complexion is to make some quarter-hearted attempt at being racially aware. It’s a dig at people who are overly conscious of race.
Such behavior is pretty racist on it’s own. “He’s my black friend!” instead of just “He’s my friend!”. “I’m dating a differently abled woman!” instead of “I’m dating a beautiful woman!”. To such individuals, people aren’t people. They’re points that can be scored depending on what category they fall in to. It may not be as dehumanizing as calling someone a racial slur. But it’s behavior that still manages to treat them as less than human.
Also, I believe Tony Isabella helped pioneer the first major African American superheros in the mainstream comics. I believe he created Black Lightning for DC Comics and Goliath for Marvel. So, no. I don’t think the KKK and Jim Crow would love someone who attempted to bring people of color into what was a predominantly Caucasian literature. But I’m sure they appreciate you thinking of them.
You probably mean well. At least I hope you do. But you won’t accomplish anything by trying to castigate someone who appears to be on the same side as you. Just my opinion though.
Sorry John. I must have been typing at the same time. Please excuse me butting in.
No need to apologize, Jams. Thank you for the eloquent defense. (And, as always, the funny quips about the original art!)
My three biggest regrets in life are not having John’s ability to write dialogue, and the rapid wit and eloquence of Jams. I just wish I could write and think like the two of you. I agree with all you have said.
My three biggest regrets in life are not having John’s ability to write dialogue, and the rapid wit and eloquence of Jams. I just wish I could write and think like the two of you. I agree with all you have said.
Thank you, Peter. And I totally agree about Jams quips!
Hey there John and Jams, sorry to get to the party a little late. I’ve been busy. I also support what you’re saying. It sounds like R. Logan has a stick up his backside. Not to start a flame war, but R. Logan, seriously, don’t you have anything better to do, maybe go out, get some sunshine…take a walk and smell the flowers… something. The world around you comprises 360 degrees. If you have a problem with what you see, just look five degrees to the left or the right, and in this case, your problem will be solved. You really don’t need to be a crusader here. I firmly believe that most if not all of John’s readers are intelligent enough to get the real joke and the point of the comic in it’s entirety. If this upsets you too much, I’d like to cordially invite you to, perhaps, find your humor in an environment that is more acceptable to you. That being said, Hello Peter, I don’t believe I’ve seen you around here before. I’m always happy to read comments from other readers and hope to hear more from you (by the way, I always enjoy a good laugh), so if you’ve got a comment or observation (funny or otherwise), let ‘er rip! !
Thank you so much for coming to my (and Tony’s) defense, PKM. I’ve decided that it’s a mistake to engage with R. Logan any more than I have. I do believe in letting people have their say—whether it’s positive or negative. But there comes a point of no return and I’ve reached it with R. Logan.
As for Peter, although he doesn’t comment as often as some, he’s chipped in with some fine observations and retorts over the last couple of years.
Hello John, don’t thank me, in my line of work I have to deal with little runts like him every day. I do love the ones who are too wrapped up in their little “moral” p.c. crusades to realize that the hand they use to point their finger at someone or thing still manages to point three more fingers back at them. Until they become tedious, they can be so fun to mess with. This guy however, was so hidebound he went straight to tedious. You’re right to cut ‘im loose.
Anyway, I’d like to apologize to Peter, I guess I’ve missed your past comments or I don’t remember them (my memory isn’t what it used to be). I’ll try to be more attentive from now on.
As for you John, Tony and Jams, keep up the good work and quipping (think we can get that made into a competitive sport? Something along the lines of Olympic level full contact quipping? Will there be t-shirts?). The world needs more folks like you.
If we make it to the Olympic level, there will definitely be T-shirts. And medals!!!
I’m in.