He was an invention of New England Comics, as a mascot for their newsletter. New England Comics is a chain of comic book stores in Massachusetts. The Tick is the undisputed spoof king of superheroes. Later Ben Edlund (original artist) started writing stories with The Tick in them. In 1986 he wrote a 3 page story in the newsletter about how our hero, The Tick, escapes from a mental hospital. His crime fighting life has begun.
He is first a black and white comic that the store helps finance. The Tick gets his sidekick Arthur in 1989. Every super hero needs a side kick. Some of his characters are Chainsaw Vigilante, Man eating cow, and Paul the samurai. One of my favorite networks finally gave The Tick his own television show in 1994, the Fox Network, home of the X Files which you know I love. When I first met started dating my husband he loved The Tick. He watched the show every Saturday. Townsend Coleman was the voice of The Tick and the famous Monkee (from the 1960's singing group) Mickey Dolenz was the voice of his sidekick Arthur. That was season one. Ron Paulsen was Arthur in seasons 2 and 3. TV brought a weirdo, shallow, wimpy Batman named Die Fledermaus, Sewer Urchin, who was a stupid Aquaman, and lastly American Maid. She was a combo Wonder Woman and Captain America. There was also a live action series in 2001 by Fox, but it was gone in a short 9 episodes. The Comic lives on!!
I was reading tonight No. 9, from March 1991. It is one of the black and white versions from New England Comics. The first page The Tick wakes from sleeping to say, "I just had the most horrifying nightmare...That I stop existing for 8 months." On the page under the comics it says over and over "NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING.........."
The Tick and Arthur are going across country in a car to New York, they are going to take the exit 749, Deertown-Hobbleville Expressway, on a 1959 map. This will get them into NYC. As they leave town, they discover that all the inmates from the asylum have escaped with the Tick, and have become his following. Though they are saddened by his departure, but they are determined to make him proud. They are beginning a new society called, "Mystic Order of the Arachnid Vigilance". They will support it by buying real estate for no-money down and sell it for huge profits. I think they were watching too much late night television.
As we drive cross country we discover that our super hero does not ask for directions, which results in The Tick and Arthur being lost in the desert after week 2. To which they swear to ask for directions. Later Arthur says they have made an important discovery when they have discovered the "road to no where". I too have been on that road before.... More than I care to admit. The heroes eventually find exit 749, and after filling their Merury Bobcat Villager with gas, they are on their way. They run into the "Civic Minded Five" a crime fighting group who is battling "Chainsaw Vigilante". At this time the comic of course is to "be continued" until next time.
I love the back of the comic book as it is filled with articles, editorials, and fan mail. They have the worlds best stalker fan who sends them limericks like:
The Tick is a crime fighting hero-
whose intelligence is very narrow
In fact with that jerk
Arthur the clerk
Their I.Q. totals less than Zero.
Also:
Tis the night for ghosts and ghouls
to stalk and prey on wandering fools
but those hellspawns from the grave
All bow down to their master Dave, he, he, he
His stalking fan was Dave Lavictoire, from Ontario, Canada. So that is my information about The Tick. So now I am off to get another Tick Comic. Have a good one.
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