(from New Teen Titans v2 #24, October 1986; by Wolfman, Barreto & Tanghal) I could have mentioned I was taking last week off, but how punk rock would that have been? Recommended listening: Like all power pop romances, it works best if you imagine the subject has no idea who the singer is.

(from Strange Tales #6, September 1987; by Bill Mantlo, Bret Belvins & Bob Wiacek) I blame Billy Joel. For a lot of things. Recommended listening: There was a time when this was considered the antithesis of punk rock. If only they knew what was to come.

(from Young Justice #0, March 2011; by Kevis Hopps, Greg Weisman and Mike Norton) Keeping the flame (or is that “shame?”) alive into the 21st Century. Recommended listening: Nothing ever changes.

(from Fallen Angels #2, May 1987; by Jo Duffy, Kerry Gammill & Tom Palmer) Translation for those of you who aren’t fluent in X-speak: “I am hungry.” “Let’s steal some food, bro.” Recommended listening: Whatever it takes.

(from Punk and His Pals Special #1, 1993; art by Melisa Johnson) From the same folks who brought you Action Packed Tales of the Dallas Fantasy Fair. No, really. Recommended listening: Everything’s bigger in Texas.

(from Captain America #328, April 1987; by Mark Gruenwald, Paul Neary & Vince Colletta) All you need to know about that red-headed stranger can be found right here. Recommended listening: Ever have it in the ear before?

(from Sins of Youth: Secret Files and Origins #1, 2000; by Jay Faerber, Norm Breyfogle & Scott Koblish) Limbo — a.k.a. the artist eventually known as Goth — demonstrates how deep his failure of imagination runs. Recommended listening: Why settle for weak imitations?

(from Firestorm #54, December 1986; by Paul Kupperberg, Michael Bair & Bob Smith) The saddest thing is that I knew some scenesters who would have eagerly dropped a hundred bucks on a bat-winged cowl back in the day… Recommended listening: Claiming yet another victim.

(from New Mutants #2, April 1983; by Chris Claremont, Bob McLeod & Mike Gustovich) For the record, Rahne “Wolfsbane” Sinclair was my first comic book crush. Recommended listening: Gie me ae spark o’ Nature’s fire, That’s a’ the learning I desire.

(from DC Comics Presents #94, June 1986; by Barbara Randall, Bob Greenberger, Tom Mandrake & Don Heck) Funny, he doesn’t look like a burnt-out scene vet desperate to cling to whatever meager attention he can get by spouting dittohead nonsense on some internet radio show. Recommended listening: A handy summation of the GOP’s platform for [...]