raul grau
May 27, 2005, 12:53 pm
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/comix10_logo.gif" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">The Top 10 Comic Book Catchphrases
Writers: Joel Phillips, Jon Hancock, Mitch Brown, Raul Grau, Jordan T. Maxwell
Editor: Raul Grau
There are two basic requirements for a catchphrase to be a catchphrase. First of all, they must be phrases, and secondly, they must be catchy. There is a long tradition of catchphrases in comic books, from the "Up, Up, and Away" of Superman to the "Lana, it will be different this time" of Smallville.
But what elevates a simple, oft-repeated collection of words to top catchphrase status? We posed that question to Comixfan's best and brightest... but they were too busy, so these five had to fill in. Each returned with their Top 10 Comic Book Catchphrases... though, knowing these guys, they will not be able to sit quietly while the others present their lists.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar6615_1.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Joel Phillips">First off we have Joel Phillips, who secretly yearns to Reed Into more Things...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Bohica!"
Obregon Kaine in Negation
Seemingly just an exclamation without any meaning, "Bohica" earned its spot in my top ten once we learned what it stands for: after being hollered at by Evinlea about explaining its meaning, a wounded Obregon Kaine staggers out into the snow, half dazed, and mutters to the sexy, stately Evinlea, "Bend over, here it comes again". It's funny because it's true.
(Jordan: Ah...reminds me of my youth in the Boy Scouts. Um...I should go now.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures"
Fone Bone in Bone
This is most definitely NOT one of those I'm able to rattle off without getting funny looks, but the looks are kinda worth it. Though not the greatest line ever uttered in a comic, it's one of those phrases that perfectly encapsulates the feel of its source. You can't really picture Bone without the stupid, stupid rat creatures, and you can't really picture calling them anything else.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/54.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "What, Me Worry?"
Alfred E. Neuman in MAD
I haven't read MAD in a long, long time, so I don't know how much use Mr. Neuman gets these days, nor if he still utters his famous catchphrase. Still there was a time, admittedly before I was born, when MAD was the voice of a generation, and Alfred E. Neuman was its face (Jordan: What an awkward and goofy looking generation that must've been), and this strange, pseudo-sarcastic line was his coverall punch line. Nowadays most people have no idea this was even a catchphrase at all, let alone whose it was, but it's here for its historical significance if nothing else.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Cowabunga!"
The Turtles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
I will have to defer to some expert on slang, but I don't remember 'Cowabunga' existing before Turtlemania swept over the Western world in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Of course I was about five when that whole craze started, so what do I know? In any event, nobody says 'Cowabunga' anymore, but when they did it instantly made you think of the heroes in a halfshell.
(Jordan: Actually, the phrase Cowabunga was first coined on the Howdy Doody show. Hmm...Howdy Doody bears a striking resemblance to Alfred E. Neuman. I'm beginning to sense a certain motif at work here. Has anyone ever actually SEEN a picture of Joel?)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "Oh, Good Grief!"
Charlie Brown in Peanuts
There are two kinds of people who like Peanuts. One kind are old-fashioned family types who like clean, good natured comics the whole family can enjoy. The other kind get a sick kick out of watching a kid with a huge head getting pushed around by his whiny, blanket hugging friend, his disobedient dog, and the local shrew with her lies and footballs. Guess which group I fall into? For me, "Good Grief" is the wholesome way of saying "Why the **** does this kinda **** keep happening to me, god ******?", and I periodically use it as such. I also say "Bwah bwah bwah bwah bwah" too, but nobody ever knows what I'm talking about.
(Jordan: I definitely fall into the second group, but I've always been a bigger fan of "I got a rock." And it's less of a "sick kick" as it is a cathartic identification. *Sigh*)
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/headshots/thing.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "It's Clobberin' Time!"
The Thing in Fantastic Four
When I was growing up, I used to say this way more often than I want to admit right now. Thankfully I was not wearing an oversized blue diaper at the time (Raul: Have to go wash my brain out now), but that only diminishes my embarrassment slightly. I firmly believe that the best Fantastic Four run remains a creative failure if Ben doesn't says his trademark line at least once.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/headshots/hcap.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "Avengers Assemble!"
Captain America et al. in Avengers
Possibly the most purely iconic of all superhero catchphrases, which is part of the problem. There was a time when the team's great rallying cry really did make your chest swell (Jon: Was Rob Liefeld drawing them?), your heart race, and your expectations for the coming battle soar (Jordan: Huh. Sounds like my last date). Nowadays jaded, cynical writers really only use it for a cheap nostalgia pop, or to mock the superhero conventions that pay their bills. See, I can be cynical too (Jordan: Yes, but the people who used to read your column already knew that. Both of them ).
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/15.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "SHAZAM!"
Captain Marvel in Power of Shazam!
THE most iconic of all superhero catchphrases, even if I can never remember exactly which letter stands for which figure and which attribute. Still, this beats out all the other superhero catchphrases for the simple fact that you can't have a Captain Marvel story without it. The word is the source of his power, and that makes it a vital part of the Captain Marvel mythos.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/dc/kingmob.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "Nice and Smooth"
King Mob in The Invisibles
Easily the coolest catchphrase out there, and one that is cool by design. It means something slightly different depending on when and how it is said, but the basic core of laid back cool remains throughout. It's also one of those ones I can get away with saying out loud, because it sounds cool and very few people know what it's from.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "Keep on Truckin'"
Robert Crumb in Zap Comix
Crumb never thought to register a copyright on "Keep on Truckin'" after he introduced it in a comic strip in 1968, though he collected royalties on it anyway. Then in the late '70s somebody decided they didn't want to pay for it and challenged Crumb's rights to the phrase in court. Because he'd never filed a registered copyright, and so many years had passed with the phrase out in general circulation, the court ruled Crumb had no right to royalties. This catchphrase became so iconic that it transcended its comic book roots and became imbedded in popular culture. THAT is a #1.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar3822_3.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Jon Hancock">Next is Jon Hancock, head of our Resources department and quite unapologetic about being British...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Up and Atom!"
Radioactive Man in Radioactive Man
Radioactive Man's adventures in the Radioactive Man comics are rarely documented and have little acclaim beyond them being the sole source of literature for Bart Simpson to improve his vocabulary. Radioactive Man is such a stereotype of comic heroes that he perfectly suits the Simpsons' style of constantly bashing us lowly periodical lovers. (Mitch: Is that the PC term for Fanboy?) His Superman esque powers and his sidekick that just smacks of a Bucky/Robin hybrid are perfectly complemented by his woefully puntastic catchphrase. Of course what really makes this catchphrase brilliant is Ranier Wolfcastle's total misunderstanding of the nuances of the English language. "UP AND AT THEM!" You can't say it any clearer.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Spacker Dave!"
Spacker Dave in Punisher (5th and 6th series)
It seems Punisher can never be just about guns and violence and relentless explosions (Joel: No matter how hard Garth Ennis tries). Every so often there has to be a softer side (Jordan: Yes, but that softer side usually involves the gushiness of an exit wound). When Frank was brought back to take down the Gnucci family, it was time for more supporting cast. While the obese Mr Bumpo was funny enough, it was Spacker Dave who lit up the series. His relentless attempts to get Frank to call him by his chosen title were endearing. I'm not certain about the culture stateside but me and my chum Tim (the biggest of all the Spacker Daves) always get a guilty pleasure in being hideously politically incorrect by chanting "Spacker Dave!" whenever someone does something truly idiotic (Joel: Something more idiotic than chanting "Spacker Dave"?). Knowing me that happens quite often.
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/headshots/hulk.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "HULK SMASH!"
Hulk in The Incredible Hulk
Yes you do, don't you. I'm sure that the Hulk could be a philosopher. I smash therefore I am. Whether said in anger, frustration, disappointment or merely sorrow, this charming ditty will always add something to a conversation. It's also fun to try and change the verb. "HULK READ!" "HULK POOP!" (Raul: Why is Jon always mentioning biological functions on these things?) "HULK DISSECT!!" Maybe that's just me and my hobbies then...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/70.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Ya Fraggin Bastich"
Lobo in Lobo
Wolverine's so cool isn't he (Jordan: Oh boy, we all see where this is going, don't we?[/). Gosh I wish i could be angry and hairy like him (Joel: At least you're halfway there.). All that anger, all that venom and the guy never ever swears. (Jordan: Here it comes...) He's much more likely to snarl and threaten with the ever present bub but he never lets lose and because of that he always looks like he's trying to be hard. (Jordan: ...and there it goes. Fanboy rule #33, kids: You can't praise one character without bashing another. And for bonus points, do it in a way that uses as little logic as possible. Jon will now demonstrate:) Lobo (the greatest and best Wolverine rip off act) took everything to the extreme including his language. It was rare that a panel in his solo run didn't have some euphemism that you could use in class free from reproach. Calling someone a fraggin' bastich under your breath (particularly annoying customers at your place of work) is like a double victory. They know what you mean but they can't complain. (Joel: True, instead they just take satisfaction that you're going home alone tonight.) Swearing's cool kids. Especially if no one cottons on to it.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "Snootchie Bootchies"
Jay in Bluntman and Chronic
Hee. Also cool (but highly illegal and should never be done outside of Amsterdam) is being stoned. Speaking as someone whose brother used to frequently indulge I can attest that as fun as being stoned is, it's infinitely more satisfying to stay sober and laugh at the stuff that stoners prattle on about. (Jordan: I'd respond, but I'm really hungry for some cookies right now. Oh, or Taco Cabana! Anyone wanna pitch in? I'm not driving, though... ) The most beloved of all hemp subscribers has to be Jay, the mouthpiece to the stoic Silent Bob. While Jay has spawned countless quotable moments, the versatile phrase that defines his character has no specific meaning. It's just lovely to roll of the tongue.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "UH FUH!"
Arseface in Preacher
Yeah I love Garth Ennis. Yes his characters have endearing qualities. And yes, his characters have really memorable lines. The only thing more memorable about Arseface is his... well his face. Christened by the wise observance of Cassidy, Arseface would go on to become a legend in the music industry. His cover of Wonderwall is particularly poignant. (Jordan: That was a cover? Wow. I thought it was actually Oasis. Really couldn't tell the difference...) But his battle cry of his name resonates in the hearts of all outcasts and rejects. All hopeless optimists find joy in Arseface's pride at his rectal visage. "UH FUH" is a motto for life as much as a catchphrase. (Joel: God, how do you get out of bed in the morning?)
#4: "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Just about everyone in Justice League International
Team catchphrases are usually a little dull. They're usually alliterative rallies to inspire the troops. Titans together, Avengers Assemble, Defenders... defend? Those are the domain of normal teams. Of course not all teams are normal. There's that special group of eejits that are the Justice League International. If Beak and his buddies were the Special Class of the X-Men then Maxwell Lord (boo hiss) and his employees were the kindergarten of the Justice League. Their adventures were legendary and 90% of the time all that would be heard echoing in the hallowed halls of the Justice League embassy were four letters with two recurring incessantly. The causes were various, the circumstances varied but the result? Never in doubt. JLA: Classified is bringing a refresher course in BWAHAHAnomics at the moment and is well worth a look. We miss you already Ted.:( (Jordan: Well, Max didn't.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "SPOOOOOOOOOON!"
The Tick in The Tick
I like letters being repeated. This much has become apparent to me while writing this article. Perhaps my favourite words should be banana and Mississippi. Anyway where was I? (Joel: Knee-deep in creepy attempts at British wit.) I'm honestly running out of ways to say this is cool, funny and brilliant to shout when with friends. The Tick lit up comics and screen alike with his battle cry. What criminal can withstand the fearsome cry of cutlery? I've lost count of the number of friends I've introduced to the Tick just through laughing when they're eating pudding or soup. (Joel: Readers, insert your own jokes here.) Sometimes I worry about how often I say "SPOOOOON". If you are looking for a guideline then I think more than twice a day takes away the impact of the formidable scoop.
(Jordan: I don't know. Personally, I always preferred "Not in the face! Not in the face!")
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/45.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "I am the Law"
Judge Dredd in 2000AD
Finally something serious. (Jordan: Were you trying to be funny up until now?) Judge Dredd is often an enigma to many comic readers. Especially those unfortunate enough not to be born in England. Hee. Dredd's life is law enforcement. He never takes off his uniform (Joel: Which explains the stains). If any catchphrase epitomizes a character it is Dredd's persistent statement. Most interesting is the meaning behind the phrase. When Chief Judge Cal went mad he also stated "I am the Law." However, this was a bastardization of Dredd's credo. While Cal believed he was the living embodiment of the law and anything he said became law, Dredd instead is the human arm of the law. He lives to serve the law rather than making it something he controls. Dredd is almost faultless in all his appearances because any moral ambiguity is removed by his strict adherence to the law. He is not malicious, merely doing his job. Being the Law.
(Raul: Poor Jon... reduced to quoting Sylvester Stallone)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "Ratter F***ing Tat..."
Kazuo Kiriyama in Battle Royale
Possibly the coolest catchphrase I've ever heard. Kiriyama spends the vast majority of the beginning volumes of Battle Royale in complete silence. Kiriyama is concerned with how things are and why they are there. Emotions and impulsiveness do not factor into his life. As such he sees the game of Battle Royale as something that he is experiencing, nothing more. He's not enjoying the slaughter like Mitsuko Soma. He's merely responding to stimulus. Throughout the book Kiriyama ruthlessly kills his fellow students with his ever present Uzi 9mm, his only reaction is to utter "Ratter F***ing Tat..." This is the only time we see emotion from Kiriyama. He acts like a small child who has found a new toy. He realizes what the gun does but somehow finds a piece of humour in its relentless and merciless display. It can be read as many things humour, reflection, sadness, futility or just observation. The catchphrase is moving and memorable. And to be shallow for a moment (as opposed to my usual deep analysis) it sounds great to drop into casual conversation.
(Joel: That's your #1? Whoopdee F***ing Doo.)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar8614_4.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Mitch Brown">Then we have Mitch Brown, Interviewer, Reviewer, and apparent fan of Joel Phillips...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Avengers Assemble!"
Captain America (and others) in The Avengers
If there's one thing that the Avengers have over the JLA, it has got to be the rallying warcry of "Avengers Assemble!" (Jordan: Well, they've also got that bitching plasma screen TV in the den. And every episode of "Lost" on DVR. But the League has X-Box and stereo surround sound, so it's really a toss up for me.) Sure it's corny and often doesn't make much sense, (especially with Captain America's penchant for yelling it out when the team is already well...assembled around him) but its one of comic's most recognizable and uplifting catchphrases and the precursor to many a classic beatdown.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "It's Clobberin' Time!"
The Thing in Fantastic Four
And speaking of beatdowns... I don't think there's single supervillain in the Marvel Universe that wouldn't find themselves quivering in the boots at the prospect of being on the receiving end of the ever-lovin', blue-eyed Thing's brutish catch-cry. When a ton of orange rock comes bearing down upon you snarling that its "clobberin' time" you'd better hope you've paid up your dues to the Supervillain Health Insurance fund.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch8.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures"
Fone Bone in Bone
Here we come to the first in this list of catchphrases that has actually entered into my normal vocabularly. Hell, even my girlfriend's been known to blurt this out from time to time (Joel: Hey, now're talking...)(usually in response to one of me and my housemate Paul's drunken escapades)(Joel: Oh. Shoot.) Sure, it's not that clever but come on, those rat creatures are possibly the stupidest things to ever grace the comic book page and Fone Bone says it all with this one.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Hulk Smash!"
The Hulk in The Incredible Hulk
If there's one thing more frightening to hear in the Marvel Universe than "It's Clobberin' Time", "Hulk Smash" is undoubtedly it. Forget Mr Fixit or the intelligent Banner-controlled Hulk, the Mean Green is where its at. A variation of this was even used by one of my primary school teachers back in the day - a good natured, though slightly-obese music and art teacher who used to scare kids by declaring that when she got angry she turned into the "Incredible Bulk" and would run about the classroom shouting "Bulk Smash!" at all the delinquents up the back. Even scarier? The fact that I'm not making this up.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "I'm the best there is as what I do..."
Wolverine in X-Men
Cue gratuitous Wolverine guest-appearance #835872385238239419924891241. Yeah, I know it's not cool to be into Wolverine, but not matter how misused and overly-hyped Logan has become over the years, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the hairy little runt. (Joel: Yeah, for all his cheap jokes and bad-mouthing, I like Jon too.) So what if he's spawned countless imitations, both at Marvel and in the pages of many an early Image book? As the man says himself, "he's the best there is at what he does" and given the amount of books the man appears in these days to do what he does you've got to get up damn early in the morning. (Joel: Which would explain the hair.)
(Raul: Did Mitch just mention Wolverine? Well... he won, the sellout...)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "Excelsior!"
Stan Lee in Bullpen Bulletins
No, I don't mean that teenage superhero team showing up over in Runaways these days. I'm referring to Stan "The Man" Lee's immortal catchphrase that used to grace his ever-present Bullpen Bulletins. What's so great about "Excelsior"? Well, its testament to the charismatic power of "The Man" that he can spin a seemingly meaningful catchphrase out of a word whose only dictionary definition refers to "thin curly wood shavings used for packing or stuffing". (Jordan: Or, alternately, a Latin phrase meaning "ever upward." Do they not have Latin down under, Mitch? Or did someone steal it and trade it for beer?) Proof positive that its not what you say, its how you say it.
(Joel: And it's that credo of style over substance that is the driving force behind all Marvel comics to this day.)
(Raul: Nuff Said, True Believer!)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch4.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "I Am The Law!"
Judge Dredd in 2000 A.D.
Behind every tough-sounding catchphrase there needs to be big, tough, barrel-chested, intimidating thug, and they don't come any tougher or thuggier than Mega-City One's top lawman, Judge Dredd. In one singular line, Wagner and co. have been able to perfectly encapsulate the force of nature that is Dredd.
(Jon: I couldn't have said it better. Apart from back there when I already did)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "Da Fug?!"
Chubby Da Choona in Seaguy
Yet another phrase that earns points for entering into my everyday vocabulary. In a lot of ways, Chubby Da Choona's expletive sums up reader reaction to Cameron Stewart and Grant Morrison's often-nonsensical nautical adventure Seaguy. Don't get me wrong, I loved Seaguy, I really did, but honestly Grant... "Da Fug?!"
(Joel: For all of you who are confused by Mitch constantly copying my picks, please remember that he picked this little gem all on his own.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch2.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "Keep On Truckin"
Robert Crumb in Zap Comix
Crumb's "Keep on Truckin" is one comic book catchphrase that has truly transcended the medium, finding a place on album covers, song lyrics, bumper stickers, t-shirts, jumping out of the pages of the legendary underground comic book Zap and into the hip vocabulary of 60s youth. Even if Crumb didn't really know what he is was saying when he wrote the Keep On Truckin' strip, the phrase has become an iconic piece of American slang that will endure for many years to come.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "Nice & Smooth"
King Mob in The Invisibles is the epitome of comic book cool, and every icon of cool needs a equally cool catchphrase. "Nice and smooth" is one of those lines that I find myself saying out loud in non-comic book circles without a hint of geek guilt. However, like everything in The Invisibles, nothing is what it seems on the surface. Originally lifted from the intro to the Kinks' classic David Watts, a song about trying to be as hip as the eponymous, mega-popular high school superstar, "Nice and Smooth" summarizes King Mob's own desperate and misguided attempts at exemplifying the uber-cool alpha male asskicking stereotype that he lives up to for most of the series.
(Joel: And there's nothing cooler than shamelessly copying me. Ironically, it's actually cooler than being me. Not that the bar is set real high on that one or anything...)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar12769_1.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Raul Grau">The fourth slot goes to Raul Grau, Comixfan Columns Editor and (in my humble opinion) the best there is at listmaking...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Power Pack Attack!"
Gee in Power Pack
The Power children realized, just as most other superhero teams eventually come to understand, that without a proper rallying cry, how would they ever know when to rally? (Jordan: Fliers in the high school gym?) After much debate and discussion, Alex, their gravitationally enhanced leader, coined this phrase in order to alert his sisters and brother whenever they should be attacking something. Whereas the Avengers went for alliteration in their choice of clarion call, Power Pack went for rhyme, and I obviously went for nostalgia when making this selection. (Joel: In other news, a new psychedelic drug called "nostalgia" is sweeping the nation. It's effects include hampered judgment... )
(Mitch: Power Pack? Power Pack?!? Bwahahahaahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!! )
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Teen Titans, Go!"
Robin in Teen Titans
While the papery version of the Titans respond well to Titans Together! as their alliterative announcement, the animated teens need the added boost of direct direction... in this case, to know to go. This proclamation has since been co-opted as the title of the series featuring the comic book versions of the animated versions of the comic book heroes (confused yet?), but mere lettering cannot capture the insistence of this message. Thanks to Ami and Yumi, we now know that when there's evil on the attack, the Teen Titans will Go!... I assume, towards that aforementioned evil.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/drstrange2.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!"
Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange
While Strange will occasionally use this catchphrase as a statement of surprise (much like a "Blue Blazes!" or a "Suffering Shad!... that reminds me, Honorable Mentions must to go to "Blue Blazes!" and "Suffering Shad!), the alliterative exclamation actually allows him to draw upon the mystical might of Hoggoth. Hoggoth, for those not up on their pretend deities, is one-third of the Vishanti, and while Agamotto is the Vishanti who garners the most fame (what with his Eye and Orb), it is Hoggoth who is the hoary one. Hoary, by the way, means ancient, so one must presume that despite their advanced age, his host still packs a punch.
(Jordan: Don't underestimate the hoary. Have you seen the lobbying power of the AARP? )
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Wonder Twin Powers Activate!"
Zan and Jayna in Superfriends
Two pointy-eared animated aliens, Zan (the male, watery Wonder Twin) and Jayna (his animalistic sister) took their rightful place alongside the greatest heroes of the way out-of-continuity DC Universe. Jayna had the full range of Beast Boy powers, minus the green tinting, and Zan could transform himself into anything hydrogenated (Joel: Even corn syrup?), from an ice ladder to a conveniently placed puddle to a... errr, to an ice ladder... wait, mentioned that one already. With their activation mantra and wealth of super-abilities, the Wonder Twins fought crime and taught valuable lessons about camping safety better than Wendy and Marvin ever could... how's that for an obscure reference?
(Jordan: Eh. Not too obscure. I mean, anyone who actually knows who the Wonder Twins are is most likely going to know who Wendy and Marvin are by association. I give it a high 7, maybe an 8. Now, if you'd said "Bluegrass and Copper Kid" instead, THAT would earn you a 10.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/dc/greenlanternhj.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "In brightest day..."
Hal Jordan in Green Lantern
"In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
Admittedly, Jordan stole his oath from Alan Scott, but Hal was the Greatest of the Green Lanterns (tm), so that earns him catchphrase credit.
(Jon: Shame that he's not Guy Gardner)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "Holy _____, Batman!"
Robin in Batman
There is always debate over whether Dick Grayson or Tim Drake was the better Robin (never any Jason Todd love), but the best was clearly Burt Ward. Twice each week, Ward would find a new way to relate their current situation to his campy, costumed cohort using his trademark formula. If a large, rubbery shark was gnawing on Batman's leg, then Robin helpfully pointed out the Holy Sardine! If the cunning crime somehow involved a men's clothing store, then he stretched his vocabulary skills to exclaim Holy Haberdashery! Honestly, the best thing Chris O'Donnell ever did as Robin was to notice the porousness of some oxidized iron.
(Joel: I always wanted to see the ones that got cut out of the show. "Holiest of the Holy, Batman! It's the Pontifficator! He's speeding away in his Popemobile!" "I can see him, my good chum. I'm not ****ing blind." ... Too soon?)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul4.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "Long Live the Legion!"
Various Legionnaires in Legion of Super-Heroes
Less a rallying cry, and more a statement of hope, Long Live the Legion! (or LLL! for short) came from the belief that the Legion of Super-Heroes would endure long after the last member fell (which should say something about the mortality rate of Legionnaires). It speaks to a font of hope, to a karmic certainty that good will always prevail, and to a recognition that the Legion gets rebooted quite often. In my opinion, their current slogan (the slightly more in-your-face Eat it, Grandpa!) just does not have the optimistic edge or the acceptance of death that I look for in a Legion catchphrase.
(Jordan: Would "Eat it Grandpa, we're all gonna bite it" work better? Or in the grand tradition of LOSH abbreviations, "Eig, wagbi"?)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "Bang"
Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop
With a playful smirk and outstretched fingers, that one word perfectly encapsulates the character of Spike Spiegel (Jon: And apparently also Diamond Dallas Page and half of Cactus Jack). The cool, carefree Spike drove the Bebop tale from beginning to end... granted most of their adventures proved just how many deep-seeded problems were plaguing Spike, from dangerous liaisons to vindictive ex-comrades, but nothing could sully his hipster image for very long. When you live by the gun, you die by the gun... or, at least, you die by the twenty-sixth episode, but the story of Bebop certainly went out with a bang, as well as a pleasant musical montage.
(Jordan: Yeah, Spike sure was cool and he...HEY! Isn't this supposed to be about comic books? This is the fourth entry you've made from another medium. I'm telling the editor, and he'll straighten things up...oh. Right. Heh. Can I keep my job, please?)
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/headshots/spiderman1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "My Spider-Sense is tingling."
Spider-Man in Spider-Man
Adam West would often receive curious stirrings in his utility belt, but the danger detecting method of Peter Parker is far more effective... and far less creepy. When trouble is about to strike Spider-Man, wavy, black lines appear about his head, and he generates a thought balloon informing the reader of why wavy, black lines have appeared about his head, which, you might be surprised, actually takes place with your typical arachnid. Parker is also quite fond of mentioning a pseudo-intellectual connection between power and responsibility, but that never causes wavy, black lines to appear about his head.
(Joel: It's true. Scientists at UC Berkeley have identified wavy black lines coming out of the heads of spiders with electron microscopes. How the spiders got electron microscopes I'll never know. Ba-dum, ching. I'll be at Yuck-Yuck's through the 30th)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/dc/batman1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "... a superstitious, cowardly lot."
Batman in Batman
In the completely well-adjusted mind of Bruce Wayne, criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot. As a symbol, the Bat-themed spandex that he wears nightly is meant to strike fear in the hearts of the dastardly, so, in every third appearance he makes, Batman feels compelled to remind the reader of the reason behind his particular fashion statement. To date, no supercriminal has ever simply given up upon seeing his pointy-eared continence, but his marketing... err, I meant his image is dependent upon his accruements, and the phrase continues to be synonymous with the Bat way of life. In fact, forty or fifty years beyond our present time, the catchphrase might just inspire a Broadway duet, which could go a little something like this...
"A superstitious, cowardly lot. They preen and plot, but they always get caught. Their evil schemes will come to naught. A superstitious, cowardly lot."
(Jordan: You need to get out more. And by get out more, I mean leave your home and seek therapy.)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar1126_1.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Jordan T. Maxwell">Finally, we have Jordan T. Maxwell, Assistant Columns Editor and our inevitable winner...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "England prevails."
Members of the Norsefire Party in V for Vendetta
Here, we have the catch phrase in one of its oldest and most effective uses in the real world: nationalist propaganda. A simple phrase to somehow encapsulate all of your patriotic pride and national identity, a jingoist jingle. God bless America. Vive le France. Deutschland uber alles. (Joel: Burundi rocks your booty.) And in the dystopian world of V for Vendetta (itself a take on Churchill's old catch phrase, "V for Victory"), "England prevails." For the Nazi-esque Norsefire party, it is essentially "God save the Queen" and "Sieg heil" all rolled into one. It is interesting to note that only those in the government use this phrase. The oppressed and discontented populace never utter it throughout the book, a sign that while their apathy and desire for order may have allowed Norsefire to take power, they take no pride in this government or the state of their nation. Patriotism is hard to swallow when someone is squeezing your throat. (Joel: That's how the guy from INXS died. ... Too soon?) There's also a certain dramatic irony to the phrase as in the end England (with a little help from a smiling psychotic vigilante with a flair for the theatrical) does indeed prevail...and overthrows its oppressors.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Great Caesar's ghost!"
Perry White in the Superman family of titles
It's a little known fact about me (Jon: That you wear women's underwear?)(No, that's pretty common knowledge), but I have a closet passion for journalism. I was an editor and columnist for my high school newspaper and considered going into it for a living...but found that I didn't like dealing with all the bureaucracy and censorship. My passion for it lives on, though, and Perry White is the kind of character who embodies that passion and the reasons why I love print journalism so much. He's old school, a throwback to a bygone era of rolled up sleeves, the smell of newsprint, men with ink in their blood and deadlines to meet, back when you could still stop the presses and hold the evening edition. And this exasperated exclamation is such a perfect expression of that period. The fact that it has survived as a part of the character for so many decades (well, there was that brief and awkward stage of "Great shades of Elvis", but the less said of that the better) shows that there's still a bit of that era left that appeals to people in this day and age of media conglomerates and white washed reporting when real journalism...and journalists...are hard to come by (Raul: Just don't call him Chief...).
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan8.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "Don't look!"
The crow in The Crow
Eric and Shelly are a young couple with nothing but bright dreams of their future together, until one night when their car breaks down and tragic fate brings a group of violent thugs across their path. They shoot Eric in the head and a crow comes to ferry his spirit into the land of the dead, but Eric can't do anything but helplessly watch as they beat, rape and kill Shelly on the side of the road. "Don't look," the crow tells him. He does anyway. And it is that trauma and pain that allows him to refuse death and one year later stalk through the dark urban wasteland ("This isn't hell...but you can see it from here."), taking horrific vengeance on those who not only took his life but destroyed the most precious thing in the world to him. Eric embodies that pain, punishing himself with self inflicted wounds and the memories of his lost love as the crow tells him "Don't look...don't look." Before Eric takes his final vengeance in one last bloody battle, he cries out, "THE CROW SAID DON'T LOOK!" letting go of all of his pain in a final bloody massacre. Victory and vengeance taken, he finally accepts death and a hopeful reunion with his beloved.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Oh my stars and garters!"
Beast in the X-Men family of titles
It's not often that celestial bodies and women's under garments are invoked in the same sentence... (Joel: Someone needs to read more Victorian poetry) or at least not often enough...so Hank McCoy's version of "Eureka!" has to make the list if for nothing else than originality. Beast is more than just a superhero. He's also a scientist and a man of great wit and cleverness. Therefore, it's entirely fitting that his catch phrase wouldn't be so much a battle cry as an expression of discovery and awe. At the same time, there's a wonderful playfulness to the phrase that subverts the moment it's being applied to. Whereas most would call upon some divine power ("Oh my God!", "Oh sweet lord!", "Oh heavens!"), Beast calls on two entirely unrelated and ludicrous items. Why those two? Why not "comets and camisoles"? Or "nebulas and knickers"? The phrase also has a certain lyrical quality to it...say it out loud. It trips neatly off the tongue. It's bold. It's fun. And it sounds cool. What more do you need out of a catch phrase? (Unless you're Grant Morrison, and then you need to insert an expletive...heh. That scene still makes me smile.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "...until the end of the world."
Jesse Custer in Preacher
A lot of people like Preacher for the cartoonish violence or its hilarious blasphemy. Others like the horror and western elements. I enjoy those things. I do. But what most appeals to me are the characters and their relationships. The friendships, the rivalries, the families...but most importantly, the romance. Preacher is a love story. The passion, the affection, the fire and chemistry between Jesse and Tulip is a driving force for the narrative. We see in flashback one night early in their relationship as Tulip asks Jesse if he loves her. "Yeah, I love you. I'll love you until the end of the world." He repeats the phrase throughout the series at key points and where for most guys it might just be a clever line to win a girl's heart or get in her pants, with Jesse you know it is an oath. And one he intends to keep for this girl he would sacrifice everything for, stand up to his family and God for, fight, kill and die for...this girl he'd even cry for (Raul: You know it's true... everything he does... he does it for her).
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "...your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."
Spider-Man in the Spider-Man family of titles
This is just goofy, irreverent, self-referential...and I love it! Peter Parker may be the man of constant sorrow and angst, but Spider-Man is much more whimsical. He cracks jokes, he makes fun. If comic books are modern mythology, then Spider-Man is very much in the trickster mold with plenty of pranks and antics between life and death situations. Peter Parker doesn't have antics. He puts on a pair of tights, antics aplenty (though I suppose that's true of most of us). (Joel: Some more than others...) Peter is all about responsibility and duty. The dichotomy of someone who carries that kind of burden also being a jokester is one of the best things about the character. And referring to himself as "your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man" captures that sense of humor, as though he were just a simple civil servant. Like a fireman, a policeman, a mailman...a Spider-Man. There is a certain truth to it, though. He's there to help, to protect, to serve. So while funny, it also shows that more serious and responsible side. Both sides make up the hero. And every neighborhood should be lucky enough to have one.
(Raul: Geez, enough with the psychobabble. Anyway, everyone know that Daffy Duck is the modern inheritor of the trickster archetype, so :P)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan4.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "Welcome to the X-Men...hope you survive the experience!"
various X-Men covers
First used for Kitty Pryde's introduction into the X-Men, the phrase has been used a number of times since for when new characters are joining the team (and once to welcome back Chris Claremont). It's cheesy and over the top (I can't recall anyone who's been "welcomed" and hasn't survived the experience) (Jon: Me, me!!)...but screw it. I like it, if for no other reason than the sheer irony of it. I mean, the act of welcoming someone is meant to be one of acceptance, not often accompanied by thoughts of survival. How often do you go to someone's house, they open the door and say "Oh, hi, come on in...you might die!"? (Joel: Happens every time I go to my aunt's house. Of course she hasn't been quite right since the Reagan years.) So there's immediately a level of comedy to it which I'm a fan of. But there's also the deeper meaning, that this is a dangerous life to choose. X-Men have died (not Kitty or Claremont, but still...). They suffer almost daily. (Joel: Between the pool parties, impromptu baseball games and heart-warmingly trite Christmases.) If not at the hands of bigots, villains, giant robots or aliens, then just the drama of having to deal with each other. It's a house full of ultra powerful but mentally unstable and emotionally immature teenagers and young adults...who COULD survive that kind of experience? I had a hard enough time just getting along with my sister...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "Filthy assistants!"
Spider Jerusalem in Transmetropolitan
And we're back to journalism. What can I say? Comic books have a long tradition with journalism. From Clark Kent and the Daily Planet to Peter Parker and the Daily Bugle. Lois Lane, Ben Urich, Jessica Jones. And then there's Spider Jerusalem, undersexed and spiteful gonzo journalist of the future. For the most part Spider just seems like a ranting lunatic who hates everyone and everything. But then there are his assistants, Channon Yarrow and Yelena Rossini. And for all the crap they give each other, there are moments of such genuine concern and affection among the three of them on their tireless crusade for truth. So when Spider calls them his "filthy assistants," as he often does, it rings not only of Spider's over the top and insulting rhetoric...but also a term of endearment. They are the closest thing in the world to family for him and like the City itself, he insults them mercilessly while trying to take care of them. They are the journalistic superheroes of the future, armed with their meat guns, attack wombs, an illegal bowel disruptor and the Truth. Fear them for they are mighty. (Joel: I just fear them for the bowel thing.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan2.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "Stupid, stupid rat creatures!"
Fone Bone in Bone
Jeff Smith's masterpiece is often compared to the works of Walt Kelly and Carl Barks, and with good reason. Even with the more epic fantasy elements swirling about the plot, Bone never loses an iota of its cartoonish charm. Fone Bone's utterly befuddled frustration with the not too bright monsters trying to eat him never ceases to get a laugh out of me. You can almost hear the delivery, the blend of anger and confusion, the same tone in which you might hear a "you're dethpicable" or "of course you realize, this means war." The rat creatures as a species are rather dim, and the two foot soldiers we often encounter throughout the tale who are first dubbed the "stupid, stupid rat creatures," have a charm in their total cluelessness (and one's odd obsession with quiche). It's like watching a pair of clowns in a Shakespearean play. You know they're not affecting the plot that much and they probably won't meet a good end, but you laugh when they're onstage and you care about their fate. They're not evil. They're not even particularly mean. They're just stupid...stupid...rat creatures.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "It's clobberin' time!"
The Thing in Fantastic Four
Now this is the epitome of a cool catch phrase. It's been around for over forty years and every time you read or hear it, you still get a big goofy grin on your face. Forty years. Think about the shelf life of most catch phrases. Think about how annoying "wassuuuuuup" or "did I do that?" became after the second time you heard them. Think about how tired you are of hearing "I'll be back" or even "I'm the best there is at what I do," no matter how cool they were at first. This is the kind of cool that lasts. Steve McQueen cool. Lee Marvin cool. John Wayne cool. (Joel: Herve Villechaize cool.) And besides being leagues better than the other catch phrase among the Fantastic Four (or am I the only person who thinks "Flame on!" sounds like a rallying cry for a musical theatre troupe?), it's just so perfect for aunt Petunia's favorite blue-eyed boy. Ben Grimm is a working class, blue collar, down and dirty kind of guy. And whether an all star quarterback, an ace test pilot or one of the world's greatest superheroes, he's never lost that attitude. He goes to work fighting aliens and saving the world like most people punch the clock for their 9 to 5. So when he says what time it is, you'd damn sure better believe him.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
So there you have it. While we return our column contributors to their respective cages, make sure to vote for the list of Top 10 Comic Book Catchphrases that you like best.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writers, and are not reflective of Comixfan or its other staff in general.
Writers: Joel Phillips, Jon Hancock, Mitch Brown, Raul Grau, Jordan T. Maxwell
Editor: Raul Grau
There are two basic requirements for a catchphrase to be a catchphrase. First of all, they must be phrases, and secondly, they must be catchy. There is a long tradition of catchphrases in comic books, from the "Up, Up, and Away" of Superman to the "Lana, it will be different this time" of Smallville.
But what elevates a simple, oft-repeated collection of words to top catchphrase status? We posed that question to Comixfan's best and brightest... but they were too busy, so these five had to fill in. Each returned with their Top 10 Comic Book Catchphrases... though, knowing these guys, they will not be able to sit quietly while the others present their lists.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar6615_1.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Joel Phillips">First off we have Joel Phillips, who secretly yearns to Reed Into more Things...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Bohica!"
Obregon Kaine in Negation
Seemingly just an exclamation without any meaning, "Bohica" earned its spot in my top ten once we learned what it stands for: after being hollered at by Evinlea about explaining its meaning, a wounded Obregon Kaine staggers out into the snow, half dazed, and mutters to the sexy, stately Evinlea, "Bend over, here it comes again". It's funny because it's true.
(Jordan: Ah...reminds me of my youth in the Boy Scouts. Um...I should go now.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures"
Fone Bone in Bone
This is most definitely NOT one of those I'm able to rattle off without getting funny looks, but the looks are kinda worth it. Though not the greatest line ever uttered in a comic, it's one of those phrases that perfectly encapsulates the feel of its source. You can't really picture Bone without the stupid, stupid rat creatures, and you can't really picture calling them anything else.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/54.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "What, Me Worry?"
Alfred E. Neuman in MAD
I haven't read MAD in a long, long time, so I don't know how much use Mr. Neuman gets these days, nor if he still utters his famous catchphrase. Still there was a time, admittedly before I was born, when MAD was the voice of a generation, and Alfred E. Neuman was its face (Jordan: What an awkward and goofy looking generation that must've been), and this strange, pseudo-sarcastic line was his coverall punch line. Nowadays most people have no idea this was even a catchphrase at all, let alone whose it was, but it's here for its historical significance if nothing else.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Cowabunga!"
The Turtles in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
I will have to defer to some expert on slang, but I don't remember 'Cowabunga' existing before Turtlemania swept over the Western world in the late 1980s/early 1990s. Of course I was about five when that whole craze started, so what do I know? In any event, nobody says 'Cowabunga' anymore, but when they did it instantly made you think of the heroes in a halfshell.
(Jordan: Actually, the phrase Cowabunga was first coined on the Howdy Doody show. Hmm...Howdy Doody bears a striking resemblance to Alfred E. Neuman. I'm beginning to sense a certain motif at work here. Has anyone ever actually SEEN a picture of Joel?)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "Oh, Good Grief!"
Charlie Brown in Peanuts
There are two kinds of people who like Peanuts. One kind are old-fashioned family types who like clean, good natured comics the whole family can enjoy. The other kind get a sick kick out of watching a kid with a huge head getting pushed around by his whiny, blanket hugging friend, his disobedient dog, and the local shrew with her lies and footballs. Guess which group I fall into? For me, "Good Grief" is the wholesome way of saying "Why the **** does this kinda **** keep happening to me, god ******?", and I periodically use it as such. I also say "Bwah bwah bwah bwah bwah" too, but nobody ever knows what I'm talking about.
(Jordan: I definitely fall into the second group, but I've always been a bigger fan of "I got a rock." And it's less of a "sick kick" as it is a cathartic identification. *Sigh*)
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/headshots/thing.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "It's Clobberin' Time!"
The Thing in Fantastic Four
When I was growing up, I used to say this way more often than I want to admit right now. Thankfully I was not wearing an oversized blue diaper at the time (Raul: Have to go wash my brain out now), but that only diminishes my embarrassment slightly. I firmly believe that the best Fantastic Four run remains a creative failure if Ben doesn't says his trademark line at least once.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/headshots/hcap.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "Avengers Assemble!"
Captain America et al. in Avengers
Possibly the most purely iconic of all superhero catchphrases, which is part of the problem. There was a time when the team's great rallying cry really did make your chest swell (Jon: Was Rob Liefeld drawing them?), your heart race, and your expectations for the coming battle soar (Jordan: Huh. Sounds like my last date). Nowadays jaded, cynical writers really only use it for a cheap nostalgia pop, or to mock the superhero conventions that pay their bills. See, I can be cynical too (Jordan: Yes, but the people who used to read your column already knew that. Both of them ).
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/15.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "SHAZAM!"
Captain Marvel in Power of Shazam!
THE most iconic of all superhero catchphrases, even if I can never remember exactly which letter stands for which figure and which attribute. Still, this beats out all the other superhero catchphrases for the simple fact that you can't have a Captain Marvel story without it. The word is the source of his power, and that makes it a vital part of the Captain Marvel mythos.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/dc/kingmob.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "Nice and Smooth"
King Mob in The Invisibles
Easily the coolest catchphrase out there, and one that is cool by design. It means something slightly different depending on when and how it is said, but the basic core of laid back cool remains throughout. It's also one of those ones I can get away with saying out loud, because it sounds cool and very few people know what it's from.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/joel1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "Keep on Truckin'"
Robert Crumb in Zap Comix
Crumb never thought to register a copyright on "Keep on Truckin'" after he introduced it in a comic strip in 1968, though he collected royalties on it anyway. Then in the late '70s somebody decided they didn't want to pay for it and challenged Crumb's rights to the phrase in court. Because he'd never filed a registered copyright, and so many years had passed with the phrase out in general circulation, the court ruled Crumb had no right to royalties. This catchphrase became so iconic that it transcended its comic book roots and became imbedded in popular culture. THAT is a #1.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar3822_3.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Jon Hancock">Next is Jon Hancock, head of our Resources department and quite unapologetic about being British...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Up and Atom!"
Radioactive Man in Radioactive Man
Radioactive Man's adventures in the Radioactive Man comics are rarely documented and have little acclaim beyond them being the sole source of literature for Bart Simpson to improve his vocabulary. Radioactive Man is such a stereotype of comic heroes that he perfectly suits the Simpsons' style of constantly bashing us lowly periodical lovers. (Mitch: Is that the PC term for Fanboy?) His Superman esque powers and his sidekick that just smacks of a Bucky/Robin hybrid are perfectly complemented by his woefully puntastic catchphrase. Of course what really makes this catchphrase brilliant is Ranier Wolfcastle's total misunderstanding of the nuances of the English language. "UP AND AT THEM!" You can't say it any clearer.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Spacker Dave!"
Spacker Dave in Punisher (5th and 6th series)
It seems Punisher can never be just about guns and violence and relentless explosions (Joel: No matter how hard Garth Ennis tries). Every so often there has to be a softer side (Jordan: Yes, but that softer side usually involves the gushiness of an exit wound). When Frank was brought back to take down the Gnucci family, it was time for more supporting cast. While the obese Mr Bumpo was funny enough, it was Spacker Dave who lit up the series. His relentless attempts to get Frank to call him by his chosen title were endearing. I'm not certain about the culture stateside but me and my chum Tim (the biggest of all the Spacker Daves) always get a guilty pleasure in being hideously politically incorrect by chanting "Spacker Dave!" whenever someone does something truly idiotic (Joel: Something more idiotic than chanting "Spacker Dave"?). Knowing me that happens quite often.
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/headshots/hulk.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "HULK SMASH!"
Hulk in The Incredible Hulk
Yes you do, don't you. I'm sure that the Hulk could be a philosopher. I smash therefore I am. Whether said in anger, frustration, disappointment or merely sorrow, this charming ditty will always add something to a conversation. It's also fun to try and change the verb. "HULK READ!" "HULK POOP!" (Raul: Why is Jon always mentioning biological functions on these things?) "HULK DISSECT!!" Maybe that's just me and my hobbies then...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/70.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Ya Fraggin Bastich"
Lobo in Lobo
Wolverine's so cool isn't he (Jordan: Oh boy, we all see where this is going, don't we?[/). Gosh I wish i could be angry and hairy like him (Joel: At least you're halfway there.). All that anger, all that venom and the guy never ever swears. (Jordan: Here it comes...) He's much more likely to snarl and threaten with the ever present bub but he never lets lose and because of that he always looks like he's trying to be hard. (Jordan: ...and there it goes. Fanboy rule #33, kids: You can't praise one character without bashing another. And for bonus points, do it in a way that uses as little logic as possible. Jon will now demonstrate:) Lobo (the greatest and best Wolverine rip off act) took everything to the extreme including his language. It was rare that a panel in his solo run didn't have some euphemism that you could use in class free from reproach. Calling someone a fraggin' bastich under your breath (particularly annoying customers at your place of work) is like a double victory. They know what you mean but they can't complain. (Joel: True, instead they just take satisfaction that you're going home alone tonight.) Swearing's cool kids. Especially if no one cottons on to it.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "Snootchie Bootchies"
Jay in Bluntman and Chronic
Hee. Also cool (but highly illegal and should never be done outside of Amsterdam) is being stoned. Speaking as someone whose brother used to frequently indulge I can attest that as fun as being stoned is, it's infinitely more satisfying to stay sober and laugh at the stuff that stoners prattle on about. (Jordan: I'd respond, but I'm really hungry for some cookies right now. Oh, or Taco Cabana! Anyone wanna pitch in? I'm not driving, though... ) The most beloved of all hemp subscribers has to be Jay, the mouthpiece to the stoic Silent Bob. While Jay has spawned countless quotable moments, the versatile phrase that defines his character has no specific meaning. It's just lovely to roll of the tongue.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "UH FUH!"
Arseface in Preacher
Yeah I love Garth Ennis. Yes his characters have endearing qualities. And yes, his characters have really memorable lines. The only thing more memorable about Arseface is his... well his face. Christened by the wise observance of Cassidy, Arseface would go on to become a legend in the music industry. His cover of Wonderwall is particularly poignant. (Jordan: That was a cover? Wow. I thought it was actually Oasis. Really couldn't tell the difference...) But his battle cry of his name resonates in the hearts of all outcasts and rejects. All hopeless optimists find joy in Arseface's pride at his rectal visage. "UH FUH" is a motto for life as much as a catchphrase. (Joel: God, how do you get out of bed in the morning?)
#4: "BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Just about everyone in Justice League International
Team catchphrases are usually a little dull. They're usually alliterative rallies to inspire the troops. Titans together, Avengers Assemble, Defenders... defend? Those are the domain of normal teams. Of course not all teams are normal. There's that special group of eejits that are the Justice League International. If Beak and his buddies were the Special Class of the X-Men then Maxwell Lord (boo hiss) and his employees were the kindergarten of the Justice League. Their adventures were legendary and 90% of the time all that would be heard echoing in the hallowed halls of the Justice League embassy were four letters with two recurring incessantly. The causes were various, the circumstances varied but the result? Never in doubt. JLA: Classified is bringing a refresher course in BWAHAHAnomics at the moment and is well worth a look. We miss you already Ted.:( (Jordan: Well, Max didn't.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "SPOOOOOOOOOON!"
The Tick in The Tick
I like letters being repeated. This much has become apparent to me while writing this article. Perhaps my favourite words should be banana and Mississippi. Anyway where was I? (Joel: Knee-deep in creepy attempts at British wit.) I'm honestly running out of ways to say this is cool, funny and brilliant to shout when with friends. The Tick lit up comics and screen alike with his battle cry. What criminal can withstand the fearsome cry of cutlery? I've lost count of the number of friends I've introduced to the Tick just through laughing when they're eating pudding or soup. (Joel: Readers, insert your own jokes here.) Sometimes I worry about how often I say "SPOOOOON". If you are looking for a guideline then I think more than twice a day takes away the impact of the formidable scoop.
(Jordan: I don't know. Personally, I always preferred "Not in the face! Not in the face!")
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/columns/top70dccharacters/45.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "I am the Law"
Judge Dredd in 2000AD
Finally something serious. (Jordan: Were you trying to be funny up until now?) Judge Dredd is often an enigma to many comic readers. Especially those unfortunate enough not to be born in England. Hee. Dredd's life is law enforcement. He never takes off his uniform (Joel: Which explains the stains). If any catchphrase epitomizes a character it is Dredd's persistent statement. Most interesting is the meaning behind the phrase. When Chief Judge Cal went mad he also stated "I am the Law." However, this was a bastardization of Dredd's credo. While Cal believed he was the living embodiment of the law and anything he said became law, Dredd instead is the human arm of the law. He lives to serve the law rather than making it something he controls. Dredd is almost faultless in all his appearances because any moral ambiguity is removed by his strict adherence to the law. He is not malicious, merely doing his job. Being the Law.
(Raul: Poor Jon... reduced to quoting Sylvester Stallone)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jon1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "Ratter F***ing Tat..."
Kazuo Kiriyama in Battle Royale
Possibly the coolest catchphrase I've ever heard. Kiriyama spends the vast majority of the beginning volumes of Battle Royale in complete silence. Kiriyama is concerned with how things are and why they are there. Emotions and impulsiveness do not factor into his life. As such he sees the game of Battle Royale as something that he is experiencing, nothing more. He's not enjoying the slaughter like Mitsuko Soma. He's merely responding to stimulus. Throughout the book Kiriyama ruthlessly kills his fellow students with his ever present Uzi 9mm, his only reaction is to utter "Ratter F***ing Tat..." This is the only time we see emotion from Kiriyama. He acts like a small child who has found a new toy. He realizes what the gun does but somehow finds a piece of humour in its relentless and merciless display. It can be read as many things humour, reflection, sadness, futility or just observation. The catchphrase is moving and memorable. And to be shallow for a moment (as opposed to my usual deep analysis) it sounds great to drop into casual conversation.
(Joel: That's your #1? Whoopdee F***ing Doo.)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar8614_4.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Mitch Brown">Then we have Mitch Brown, Interviewer, Reviewer, and apparent fan of Joel Phillips...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Avengers Assemble!"
Captain America (and others) in The Avengers
If there's one thing that the Avengers have over the JLA, it has got to be the rallying warcry of "Avengers Assemble!" (Jordan: Well, they've also got that bitching plasma screen TV in the den. And every episode of "Lost" on DVR. But the League has X-Box and stereo surround sound, so it's really a toss up for me.) Sure it's corny and often doesn't make much sense, (especially with Captain America's penchant for yelling it out when the team is already well...assembled around him) but its one of comic's most recognizable and uplifting catchphrases and the precursor to many a classic beatdown.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "It's Clobberin' Time!"
The Thing in Fantastic Four
And speaking of beatdowns... I don't think there's single supervillain in the Marvel Universe that wouldn't find themselves quivering in the boots at the prospect of being on the receiving end of the ever-lovin', blue-eyed Thing's brutish catch-cry. When a ton of orange rock comes bearing down upon you snarling that its "clobberin' time" you'd better hope you've paid up your dues to the Supervillain Health Insurance fund.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch8.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "Stupid, Stupid Rat Creatures"
Fone Bone in Bone
Here we come to the first in this list of catchphrases that has actually entered into my normal vocabularly. Hell, even my girlfriend's been known to blurt this out from time to time (Joel: Hey, now're talking...)(usually in response to one of me and my housemate Paul's drunken escapades)(Joel: Oh. Shoot.) Sure, it's not that clever but come on, those rat creatures are possibly the stupidest things to ever grace the comic book page and Fone Bone says it all with this one.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Hulk Smash!"
The Hulk in The Incredible Hulk
If there's one thing more frightening to hear in the Marvel Universe than "It's Clobberin' Time", "Hulk Smash" is undoubtedly it. Forget Mr Fixit or the intelligent Banner-controlled Hulk, the Mean Green is where its at. A variation of this was even used by one of my primary school teachers back in the day - a good natured, though slightly-obese music and art teacher who used to scare kids by declaring that when she got angry she turned into the "Incredible Bulk" and would run about the classroom shouting "Bulk Smash!" at all the delinquents up the back. Even scarier? The fact that I'm not making this up.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "I'm the best there is as what I do..."
Wolverine in X-Men
Cue gratuitous Wolverine guest-appearance #835872385238239419924891241. Yeah, I know it's not cool to be into Wolverine, but not matter how misused and overly-hyped Logan has become over the years, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the hairy little runt. (Joel: Yeah, for all his cheap jokes and bad-mouthing, I like Jon too.) So what if he's spawned countless imitations, both at Marvel and in the pages of many an early Image book? As the man says himself, "he's the best there is at what he does" and given the amount of books the man appears in these days to do what he does you've got to get up damn early in the morning. (Joel: Which would explain the hair.)
(Raul: Did Mitch just mention Wolverine? Well... he won, the sellout...)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "Excelsior!"
Stan Lee in Bullpen Bulletins
No, I don't mean that teenage superhero team showing up over in Runaways these days. I'm referring to Stan "The Man" Lee's immortal catchphrase that used to grace his ever-present Bullpen Bulletins. What's so great about "Excelsior"? Well, its testament to the charismatic power of "The Man" that he can spin a seemingly meaningful catchphrase out of a word whose only dictionary definition refers to "thin curly wood shavings used for packing or stuffing". (Jordan: Or, alternately, a Latin phrase meaning "ever upward." Do they not have Latin down under, Mitch? Or did someone steal it and trade it for beer?) Proof positive that its not what you say, its how you say it.
(Joel: And it's that credo of style over substance that is the driving force behind all Marvel comics to this day.)
(Raul: Nuff Said, True Believer!)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch4.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "I Am The Law!"
Judge Dredd in 2000 A.D.
Behind every tough-sounding catchphrase there needs to be big, tough, barrel-chested, intimidating thug, and they don't come any tougher or thuggier than Mega-City One's top lawman, Judge Dredd. In one singular line, Wagner and co. have been able to perfectly encapsulate the force of nature that is Dredd.
(Jon: I couldn't have said it better. Apart from back there when I already did)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "Da Fug?!"
Chubby Da Choona in Seaguy
Yet another phrase that earns points for entering into my everyday vocabulary. In a lot of ways, Chubby Da Choona's expletive sums up reader reaction to Cameron Stewart and Grant Morrison's often-nonsensical nautical adventure Seaguy. Don't get me wrong, I loved Seaguy, I really did, but honestly Grant... "Da Fug?!"
(Joel: For all of you who are confused by Mitch constantly copying my picks, please remember that he picked this little gem all on his own.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch2.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "Keep On Truckin"
Robert Crumb in Zap Comix
Crumb's "Keep on Truckin" is one comic book catchphrase that has truly transcended the medium, finding a place on album covers, song lyrics, bumper stickers, t-shirts, jumping out of the pages of the legendary underground comic book Zap and into the hip vocabulary of 60s youth. Even if Crumb didn't really know what he is was saying when he wrote the Keep On Truckin' strip, the phrase has become an iconic piece of American slang that will endure for many years to come.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/mitch1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "Nice & Smooth"
King Mob in The Invisibles is the epitome of comic book cool, and every icon of cool needs a equally cool catchphrase. "Nice and smooth" is one of those lines that I find myself saying out loud in non-comic book circles without a hint of geek guilt. However, like everything in The Invisibles, nothing is what it seems on the surface. Originally lifted from the intro to the Kinks' classic David Watts, a song about trying to be as hip as the eponymous, mega-popular high school superstar, "Nice and Smooth" summarizes King Mob's own desperate and misguided attempts at exemplifying the uber-cool alpha male asskicking stereotype that he lives up to for most of the series.
(Joel: And there's nothing cooler than shamelessly copying me. Ironically, it's actually cooler than being me. Not that the bar is set real high on that one or anything...)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar12769_1.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Raul Grau">The fourth slot goes to Raul Grau, Comixfan Columns Editor and (in my humble opinion) the best there is at listmaking...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "Power Pack Attack!"
Gee in Power Pack
The Power children realized, just as most other superhero teams eventually come to understand, that without a proper rallying cry, how would they ever know when to rally? (Jordan: Fliers in the high school gym?) After much debate and discussion, Alex, their gravitationally enhanced leader, coined this phrase in order to alert his sisters and brother whenever they should be attacking something. Whereas the Avengers went for alliteration in their choice of clarion call, Power Pack went for rhyme, and I obviously went for nostalgia when making this selection. (Joel: In other news, a new psychedelic drug called "nostalgia" is sweeping the nation. It's effects include hampered judgment... )
(Mitch: Power Pack? Power Pack?!? Bwahahahaahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!! )
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Teen Titans, Go!"
Robin in Teen Titans
While the papery version of the Titans respond well to Titans Together! as their alliterative announcement, the animated teens need the added boost of direct direction... in this case, to know to go. This proclamation has since been co-opted as the title of the series featuring the comic book versions of the animated versions of the comic book heroes (confused yet?), but mere lettering cannot capture the insistence of this message. Thanks to Ami and Yumi, we now know that when there's evil on the attack, the Teen Titans will Go!... I assume, towards that aforementioned evil.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/drstrange2.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "By the Hoary Hosts of Hoggoth!"
Doctor Strange in Doctor Strange
While Strange will occasionally use this catchphrase as a statement of surprise (much like a "Blue Blazes!" or a "Suffering Shad!... that reminds me, Honorable Mentions must to go to "Blue Blazes!" and "Suffering Shad!), the alliterative exclamation actually allows him to draw upon the mystical might of Hoggoth. Hoggoth, for those not up on their pretend deities, is one-third of the Vishanti, and while Agamotto is the Vishanti who garners the most fame (what with his Eye and Orb), it is Hoggoth who is the hoary one. Hoary, by the way, means ancient, so one must presume that despite their advanced age, his host still packs a punch.
(Jordan: Don't underestimate the hoary. Have you seen the lobbying power of the AARP? )
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Wonder Twin Powers Activate!"
Zan and Jayna in Superfriends
Two pointy-eared animated aliens, Zan (the male, watery Wonder Twin) and Jayna (his animalistic sister) took their rightful place alongside the greatest heroes of the way out-of-continuity DC Universe. Jayna had the full range of Beast Boy powers, minus the green tinting, and Zan could transform himself into anything hydrogenated (Joel: Even corn syrup?), from an ice ladder to a conveniently placed puddle to a... errr, to an ice ladder... wait, mentioned that one already. With their activation mantra and wealth of super-abilities, the Wonder Twins fought crime and taught valuable lessons about camping safety better than Wendy and Marvin ever could... how's that for an obscure reference?
(Jordan: Eh. Not too obscure. I mean, anyone who actually knows who the Wonder Twins are is most likely going to know who Wendy and Marvin are by association. I give it a high 7, maybe an 8. Now, if you'd said "Bluegrass and Copper Kid" instead, THAT would earn you a 10.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/dc/greenlanternhj.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "In brightest day..."
Hal Jordan in Green Lantern
"In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight.
Let those who worship evil's might,
Beware my power, Green Lantern's light!"
Admittedly, Jordan stole his oath from Alan Scott, but Hal was the Greatest of the Green Lanterns (tm), so that earns him catchphrase credit.
(Jon: Shame that he's not Guy Gardner)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "Holy _____, Batman!"
Robin in Batman
There is always debate over whether Dick Grayson or Tim Drake was the better Robin (never any Jason Todd love), but the best was clearly Burt Ward. Twice each week, Ward would find a new way to relate their current situation to his campy, costumed cohort using his trademark formula. If a large, rubbery shark was gnawing on Batman's leg, then Robin helpfully pointed out the Holy Sardine! If the cunning crime somehow involved a men's clothing store, then he stretched his vocabulary skills to exclaim Holy Haberdashery! Honestly, the best thing Chris O'Donnell ever did as Robin was to notice the porousness of some oxidized iron.
(Joel: I always wanted to see the ones that got cut out of the show. "Holiest of the Holy, Batman! It's the Pontifficator! He's speeding away in his Popemobile!" "I can see him, my good chum. I'm not ****ing blind." ... Too soon?)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul4.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "Long Live the Legion!"
Various Legionnaires in Legion of Super-Heroes
Less a rallying cry, and more a statement of hope, Long Live the Legion! (or LLL! for short) came from the belief that the Legion of Super-Heroes would endure long after the last member fell (which should say something about the mortality rate of Legionnaires). It speaks to a font of hope, to a karmic certainty that good will always prevail, and to a recognition that the Legion gets rebooted quite often. In my opinion, their current slogan (the slightly more in-your-face Eat it, Grandpa!) just does not have the optimistic edge or the acceptance of death that I look for in a Legion catchphrase.
(Jordan: Would "Eat it Grandpa, we're all gonna bite it" work better? Or in the grand tradition of LOSH abbreviations, "Eig, wagbi"?)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/raul3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "Bang"
Spike Spiegel in Cowboy Bebop
With a playful smirk and outstretched fingers, that one word perfectly encapsulates the character of Spike Spiegel (Jon: And apparently also Diamond Dallas Page and half of Cactus Jack). The cool, carefree Spike drove the Bebop tale from beginning to end... granted most of their adventures proved just how many deep-seeded problems were plaguing Spike, from dangerous liaisons to vindictive ex-comrades, but nothing could sully his hipster image for very long. When you live by the gun, you die by the gun... or, at least, you die by the twenty-sixth episode, but the story of Bebop certainly went out with a bang, as well as a pleasant musical montage.
(Jordan: Yeah, Spike sure was cool and he...HEY! Isn't this supposed to be about comic books? This is the fourth entry you've made from another medium. I'm telling the editor, and he'll straighten things up...oh. Right. Heh. Can I keep my job, please?)
<img src="http://x-mencomics.com/xfan/images/headshots/spiderman1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "My Spider-Sense is tingling."
Spider-Man in Spider-Man
Adam West would often receive curious stirrings in his utility belt, but the danger detecting method of Peter Parker is far more effective... and far less creepy. When trouble is about to strike Spider-Man, wavy, black lines appear about his head, and he generates a thought balloon informing the reader of why wavy, black lines have appeared about his head, which, you might be surprised, actually takes place with your typical arachnid. Parker is also quite fond of mentioning a pseudo-intellectual connection between power and responsibility, but that never causes wavy, black lines to appear about his head.
(Joel: It's true. Scientists at UC Berkeley have identified wavy black lines coming out of the heads of spiders with electron microscopes. How the spiders got electron microscopes I'll never know. Ba-dum, ching. I'll be at Yuck-Yuck's through the 30th)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/headshots/dc/batman1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "... a superstitious, cowardly lot."
Batman in Batman
In the completely well-adjusted mind of Bruce Wayne, criminals are a superstitious, cowardly lot. As a symbol, the Bat-themed spandex that he wears nightly is meant to strike fear in the hearts of the dastardly, so, in every third appearance he makes, Batman feels compelled to remind the reader of the reason behind his particular fashion statement. To date, no supercriminal has ever simply given up upon seeing his pointy-eared continence, but his marketing... err, I meant his image is dependent upon his accruements, and the phrase continues to be synonymous with the Bat way of life. In fact, forty or fifty years beyond our present time, the catchphrase might just inspire a Broadway duet, which could go a little something like this...
"A superstitious, cowardly lot. They preen and plot, but they always get caught. Their evil schemes will come to naught. A superstitious, cowardly lot."
(Jordan: You need to get out more. And by get out more, I mean leave your home and seek therapy.)
<center><hr width=75%></center>
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/forums/customavatars/avatar1126_1.gif" align=left border=0 alt="Jordan T. Maxwell">Finally, we have Jordan T. Maxwell, Assistant Columns Editor and our inevitable winner...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan10.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#10: "England prevails."
Members of the Norsefire Party in V for Vendetta
Here, we have the catch phrase in one of its oldest and most effective uses in the real world: nationalist propaganda. A simple phrase to somehow encapsulate all of your patriotic pride and national identity, a jingoist jingle. God bless America. Vive le France. Deutschland uber alles. (Joel: Burundi rocks your booty.) And in the dystopian world of V for Vendetta (itself a take on Churchill's old catch phrase, "V for Victory"), "England prevails." For the Nazi-esque Norsefire party, it is essentially "God save the Queen" and "Sieg heil" all rolled into one. It is interesting to note that only those in the government use this phrase. The oppressed and discontented populace never utter it throughout the book, a sign that while their apathy and desire for order may have allowed Norsefire to take power, they take no pride in this government or the state of their nation. Patriotism is hard to swallow when someone is squeezing your throat. (Joel: That's how the guy from INXS died. ... Too soon?) There's also a certain dramatic irony to the phrase as in the end England (with a little help from a smiling psychotic vigilante with a flair for the theatrical) does indeed prevail...and overthrows its oppressors.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan9.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#9: "Great Caesar's ghost!"
Perry White in the Superman family of titles
It's a little known fact about me (Jon: That you wear women's underwear?)(No, that's pretty common knowledge), but I have a closet passion for journalism. I was an editor and columnist for my high school newspaper and considered going into it for a living...but found that I didn't like dealing with all the bureaucracy and censorship. My passion for it lives on, though, and Perry White is the kind of character who embodies that passion and the reasons why I love print journalism so much. He's old school, a throwback to a bygone era of rolled up sleeves, the smell of newsprint, men with ink in their blood and deadlines to meet, back when you could still stop the presses and hold the evening edition. And this exasperated exclamation is such a perfect expression of that period. The fact that it has survived as a part of the character for so many decades (well, there was that brief and awkward stage of "Great shades of Elvis", but the less said of that the better) shows that there's still a bit of that era left that appeals to people in this day and age of media conglomerates and white washed reporting when real journalism...and journalists...are hard to come by (Raul: Just don't call him Chief...).
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan8.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#8: "Don't look!"
The crow in The Crow
Eric and Shelly are a young couple with nothing but bright dreams of their future together, until one night when their car breaks down and tragic fate brings a group of violent thugs across their path. They shoot Eric in the head and a crow comes to ferry his spirit into the land of the dead, but Eric can't do anything but helplessly watch as they beat, rape and kill Shelly on the side of the road. "Don't look," the crow tells him. He does anyway. And it is that trauma and pain that allows him to refuse death and one year later stalk through the dark urban wasteland ("This isn't hell...but you can see it from here."), taking horrific vengeance on those who not only took his life but destroyed the most precious thing in the world to him. Eric embodies that pain, punishing himself with self inflicted wounds and the memories of his lost love as the crow tells him "Don't look...don't look." Before Eric takes his final vengeance in one last bloody battle, he cries out, "THE CROW SAID DON'T LOOK!" letting go of all of his pain in a final bloody massacre. Victory and vengeance taken, he finally accepts death and a hopeful reunion with his beloved.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan7.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#7: "Oh my stars and garters!"
Beast in the X-Men family of titles
It's not often that celestial bodies and women's under garments are invoked in the same sentence... (Joel: Someone needs to read more Victorian poetry) or at least not often enough...so Hank McCoy's version of "Eureka!" has to make the list if for nothing else than originality. Beast is more than just a superhero. He's also a scientist and a man of great wit and cleverness. Therefore, it's entirely fitting that his catch phrase wouldn't be so much a battle cry as an expression of discovery and awe. At the same time, there's a wonderful playfulness to the phrase that subverts the moment it's being applied to. Whereas most would call upon some divine power ("Oh my God!", "Oh sweet lord!", "Oh heavens!"), Beast calls on two entirely unrelated and ludicrous items. Why those two? Why not "comets and camisoles"? Or "nebulas and knickers"? The phrase also has a certain lyrical quality to it...say it out loud. It trips neatly off the tongue. It's bold. It's fun. And it sounds cool. What more do you need out of a catch phrase? (Unless you're Grant Morrison, and then you need to insert an expletive...heh. That scene still makes me smile.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan6.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#6: "...until the end of the world."
Jesse Custer in Preacher
A lot of people like Preacher for the cartoonish violence or its hilarious blasphemy. Others like the horror and western elements. I enjoy those things. I do. But what most appeals to me are the characters and their relationships. The friendships, the rivalries, the families...but most importantly, the romance. Preacher is a love story. The passion, the affection, the fire and chemistry between Jesse and Tulip is a driving force for the narrative. We see in flashback one night early in their relationship as Tulip asks Jesse if he loves her. "Yeah, I love you. I'll love you until the end of the world." He repeats the phrase throughout the series at key points and where for most guys it might just be a clever line to win a girl's heart or get in her pants, with Jesse you know it is an oath. And one he intends to keep for this girl he would sacrifice everything for, stand up to his family and God for, fight, kill and die for...this girl he'd even cry for (Raul: You know it's true... everything he does... he does it for her).
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan5.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#5: "...your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man."
Spider-Man in the Spider-Man family of titles
This is just goofy, irreverent, self-referential...and I love it! Peter Parker may be the man of constant sorrow and angst, but Spider-Man is much more whimsical. He cracks jokes, he makes fun. If comic books are modern mythology, then Spider-Man is very much in the trickster mold with plenty of pranks and antics between life and death situations. Peter Parker doesn't have antics. He puts on a pair of tights, antics aplenty (though I suppose that's true of most of us). (Joel: Some more than others...) Peter is all about responsibility and duty. The dichotomy of someone who carries that kind of burden also being a jokester is one of the best things about the character. And referring to himself as "your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man" captures that sense of humor, as though he were just a simple civil servant. Like a fireman, a policeman, a mailman...a Spider-Man. There is a certain truth to it, though. He's there to help, to protect, to serve. So while funny, it also shows that more serious and responsible side. Both sides make up the hero. And every neighborhood should be lucky enough to have one.
(Raul: Geez, enough with the psychobabble. Anyway, everyone know that Daffy Duck is the modern inheritor of the trickster archetype, so :P)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan4.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#4: "Welcome to the X-Men...hope you survive the experience!"
various X-Men covers
First used for Kitty Pryde's introduction into the X-Men, the phrase has been used a number of times since for when new characters are joining the team (and once to welcome back Chris Claremont). It's cheesy and over the top (I can't recall anyone who's been "welcomed" and hasn't survived the experience) (Jon: Me, me!!)...but screw it. I like it, if for no other reason than the sheer irony of it. I mean, the act of welcoming someone is meant to be one of acceptance, not often accompanied by thoughts of survival. How often do you go to someone's house, they open the door and say "Oh, hi, come on in...you might die!"? (Joel: Happens every time I go to my aunt's house. Of course she hasn't been quite right since the Reagan years.) So there's immediately a level of comedy to it which I'm a fan of. But there's also the deeper meaning, that this is a dangerous life to choose. X-Men have died (not Kitty or Claremont, but still...). They suffer almost daily. (Joel: Between the pool parties, impromptu baseball games and heart-warmingly trite Christmases.) If not at the hands of bigots, villains, giant robots or aliens, then just the drama of having to deal with each other. It's a house full of ultra powerful but mentally unstable and emotionally immature teenagers and young adults...who COULD survive that kind of experience? I had a hard enough time just getting along with my sister...
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan3.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#3: "Filthy assistants!"
Spider Jerusalem in Transmetropolitan
And we're back to journalism. What can I say? Comic books have a long tradition with journalism. From Clark Kent and the Daily Planet to Peter Parker and the Daily Bugle. Lois Lane, Ben Urich, Jessica Jones. And then there's Spider Jerusalem, undersexed and spiteful gonzo journalist of the future. For the most part Spider just seems like a ranting lunatic who hates everyone and everything. But then there are his assistants, Channon Yarrow and Yelena Rossini. And for all the crap they give each other, there are moments of such genuine concern and affection among the three of them on their tireless crusade for truth. So when Spider calls them his "filthy assistants," as he often does, it rings not only of Spider's over the top and insulting rhetoric...but also a term of endearment. They are the closest thing in the world to family for him and like the City itself, he insults them mercilessly while trying to take care of them. They are the journalistic superheroes of the future, armed with their meat guns, attack wombs, an illegal bowel disruptor and the Truth. Fear them for they are mighty. (Joel: I just fear them for the bowel thing.)
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan2.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#2: "Stupid, stupid rat creatures!"
Fone Bone in Bone
Jeff Smith's masterpiece is often compared to the works of Walt Kelly and Carl Barks, and with good reason. Even with the more epic fantasy elements swirling about the plot, Bone never loses an iota of its cartoonish charm. Fone Bone's utterly befuddled frustration with the not too bright monsters trying to eat him never ceases to get a laugh out of me. You can almost hear the delivery, the blend of anger and confusion, the same tone in which you might hear a "you're dethpicable" or "of course you realize, this means war." The rat creatures as a species are rather dim, and the two foot soldiers we often encounter throughout the tale who are first dubbed the "stupid, stupid rat creatures," have a charm in their total cluelessness (and one's odd obsession with quiche). It's like watching a pair of clowns in a Shakespearean play. You know they're not affecting the plot that much and they probably won't meet a good end, but you laugh when they're onstage and you care about their fate. They're not evil. They're not even particularly mean. They're just stupid...stupid...rat creatures.
<img src="http://www.comixfan.com/xfan/images/columns/cx10-16/jordan1.jpg" align=left border=0 alt="ComiX-Ten">#1: "It's clobberin' time!"
The Thing in Fantastic Four
Now this is the epitome of a cool catch phrase. It's been around for over forty years and every time you read or hear it, you still get a big goofy grin on your face. Forty years. Think about the shelf life of most catch phrases. Think about how annoying "wassuuuuuup" or "did I do that?" became after the second time you heard them. Think about how tired you are of hearing "I'll be back" or even "I'm the best there is at what I do," no matter how cool they were at first. This is the kind of cool that lasts. Steve McQueen cool. Lee Marvin cool. John Wayne cool. (Joel: Herve Villechaize cool.) And besides being leagues better than the other catch phrase among the Fantastic Four (or am I the only person who thinks "Flame on!" sounds like a rallying cry for a musical theatre troupe?), it's just so perfect for aunt Petunia's favorite blue-eyed boy. Ben Grimm is a working class, blue collar, down and dirty kind of guy. And whether an all star quarterback, an ace test pilot or one of the world's greatest superheroes, he's never lost that attitude. He goes to work fighting aliens and saving the world like most people punch the clock for their 9 to 5. So when he says what time it is, you'd damn sure better believe him.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
So there you have it. While we return our column contributors to their respective cages, make sure to vote for the list of Top 10 Comic Book Catchphrases that you like best.
<center><hr width=75%></center>
The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the writers, and are not reflective of Comixfan or its other staff in general.