Thursday, September 10, 2015

Jamie Farr meets Red Sonja (played by the co-creator of "Elfquest") on "The Mike Douglas Show" in 1977

There's a lot going on in terms of fandom history in this clip from a July episode of "The Mike Douglas Show."  The man being interviewed is Phil Seuling, a comic book convention organizer and distributor who was responsible for the "direct market" as founder of Sea Gate Distributors in 1972, distributing comics directly to comic book specialty stores.  (He was also a voice in Ralph Bakshi's FRITZ THE CAT.)  There's Jamie Farr eagerly pointing out all of the Fawcett comics characters and discussing Wonder Woman's "mod" changes.  And there's also some early cosplay, as Wendy Pini, who would co-create "Elfquest" with her husband the next year, comes out on stage dressed as Red Sonja.  (The guy with the white hair is Jerry Lester, a regular comedian and personality who hosted one of the first late-night talk shows.)