Imagine a comics panel. You've got a dramatic visual layout, the brightly-colored and powerfully muscled Bulletman barreling into hapless thugs with lowered shoulder. A vigorous starburst explosion heightens the impact of the crash, separating men from hats and setting limbs akimbo, thugs flying. A simple black and white divider in the background enhances the tension.
Meanwhile the caption at the top spells out what we're seeing, employing powerful words like "fury", "thundering manpower", and "hammer". All of which sets us up nicely for the ensuing onomontoPOWia. Perhaps a WHAM or the traditional POW? Or, more daringly, a BOOM or SHA-KOOOM?
No. Oh no. Because in a world with ninja tanks and villains slapped silly, a world where the two most powerful heroes get flung around the skies by their necks, limbs flapping like chickens spun at the end of a farmer's arm, "thundering manpower" goes "POOOOFF".
Maybe Viagra might help him.
I’m afraid if I stop laughing my head will explode… or I may just asphyxiate. Either way, I like living so I’m not going to stop.
I have to admit I’m still laughing over this one too, Brad. I’ve been cackling over it for two weeks, just waiting for the chance to post it. Good lord above, how I love Bulletman.
He calls it his “thundering manpower”. Bulletgirl is less complimentary in its description.
E-GADS, Bulletman! Deflating egos with mighty fisticuffs…
“Fury”, “thundering manpower”, “hammers”…then “POOOOF!”? I wonder if Bulletgirl knows of his secret lifestyle?
Wow, for once I didn’t make any sexual connotation at all, I missed that completely. I just think it’s hilarious that POOOOFF is the sound of guys getting the crap beat out of them. They couldn’t have picked a softer, less clash-y noise, you know? Pooooff is what you get when you squeeze the baby powder bottle, not when you crack skulls.
I am still laughing at this panel.
Maybe he just assaulted the ne’er-do-well’s with his thunderous flatulence, thus accounting for the giant “poooooof!”
…then again, if “pooof” is the best he can do in that department, then there ain’t much “thunderous” about him.
*****BRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAP!*****
It’s official. Bulletman is my favorite hero ever!
He never fails to amuse.
yes very funny. on another subject nice job with the banner for hm3/hm2
If I were completely honest (and could draw), I would have designed the whole panel more dynamic. And with a resonating “WHAM” sound. But maybe I’m spoiled by more modern attempts at similiar scenes.
Wait – that’s no onomatoPOWeia, that’s a speech bubble – the thug (or maybe the outline of a typical comic book onomatopoeia) SAYS “pooooof”. Case closed. It is a comment OF the onomatoPOWeia (which seemingly had decided to go on vacation)
It’s weird, for a while I thought that the whole artistic treatment of the sound effects came later, because most of the time in these Golden Age books they look like regular dialog — plain black lettering, basically. But every now and then in the same book, there’ll be a big red WHAM or something. It’s strange. If I weren’t so lazy I’d actually research it and put together examples but, you know, I am lazy. So not gonna happen.
Lazy? With the work you put in to this? No, just focused.
Well, I may be wrong, but it looks to me like the guy Bulletman just smacked is wearing a pink suit–a PINK SUIT, people :). Maybe that’s why “thundering manpower” goes “Poof.” 🙂