Mr. Blog's Tepid Ride

August 3, 2013

I am by no means a comic expert, but I am pretty knowledgeable. While I may not have read every comic out there, you can bet that if Marvel or DC put it out, or even one of the indies or “third” publishers, I’d at least have heard of it. I don’t typically, if ever, get surprised by an entire series put out by one of the Big Two publishers but this did it.

Swing With Scooter ran for 36 issues from 1966 to 1972. It was originally conceived as a British Invasion title. Scooter was a British pop star who came to America. He rode a scooter, so hence his nickname, Scooter.

Right away you can tell that this guy has nothing on John Lennon.

Anyway, it wasn’t long until Swing With Scooter became little more than an Archie rip-off. Eventually he wasn’t even British, just another ordinary comic book teen. However, this book has one thing to set it apart. It was written by Barbara Friedlander, the first woman to write a non-romance title for DC. (Note: Although I saw that referenced online, I am not sure that it is true.) Meanwhile, DC has not brought him back in The New 52. No shock there.

Check out the gallery below, and look for the issue where Scooter is (accidentally? Hmm) unzipping a girl’s dress. Pretty risqué by Archie Comics standards!

Tags: Barbara Friedlander, bmj2k, British Invasion, comics, DC, Mr. Blog, Mr. Blog's Tepid Ride, Mr. BTR, Saturday Comics, Swing With Scooter