Saturday, November 5, 2011

Reading Room: BLAST-OFF "Space Court"

Here's an interesting little Twilight Zone-style tale...
This mild little story from Harvey Comics' Blast-Off #1 (and only) was penciled by Al Williamson, and inked by Roy Krenkel and Angelo Torres.
The writer is unknown.
According to the Kirby Museum, it was intended for the never-published Race for the Moon #5 in 1958, but remained unused until 1965!
And, it's never been reprinted!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Mars Attacks...AGAIN!

The series that inspired the wild Tim Burton movie is back...
Click on art to ENLARGE! Ack ack!
Originally developed as a series of trading cards, Mars Attacks was created by Len Brown and Woody Gelman, after Brown was inspired by the Wally Wood cover to Weird Science #16.
The cards went on to achieve cult status for their then-shocking imagery, fully painted by pulp legend Norm Saunders, and remains a staple of pop culture.
Topps revived the franchise in the mid 1990s with a sequel card set, several comic book series, a pair of hardcover novels, and a toy line.
The story was also adapted into the 1996 feature film, Mars Attacks!, directed by Tim Burton.

Debuting in summer 2012, IDW’s comic series will offer the first stories of an all-new Mars Attacks universe, bringing the brand’s outrageous action and dark humor to a new set of tales.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The NEW Next Issue Project: Crack Comics #63

What if...after 60 years, the next issue of your favorite comic book FINALLY came out?
Art by Alan Weiss
Admittedly, it seems like some current Marvel & DC titles have this problem, but writer-artist Erik Larsen decided to take REAL long-cancelled titles, and revive them as if they were just inadvertently-delayed...for six decades!
It's turned into an annual event, but it's always worth the wait to give some long-missing characters a "last hurrah".
For the third issue (after Fantastic Comics #24 and Silver Streak Comics #24), it's Crack Comics #63, starring Captain Triumph, the Clock (comic books' first masked hero), Alias the Spider, Space Legion, and other kool retro characters.
Alternate cover by Mike Allred
If you're a fan of Golden Age comic characters, you should pick it up.
If you know a fan of Golden Age comic characters, you should pick it up, and give it to them as a present.

and
Comic Collectibles Shops!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

YouTube Wednesday: DESTINATION MOON

It was legendary movie George Pal's first "hard" sci-fi film...
..and, hoo-boy, was it a goodie!
Our brother blog, Secret Sanctum of Captain Video™, is currently running the comic book adaptation written by Otto Binder, so, to nudge you into having a look over there...
we're not only going to show you the trailer...

 ...and a half-hour tv special from 1950...



...but we're going to present the entire movie!

Now, go have a look at the adaptation at Secret Sanctum of Captain Video™!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Cover Preview: Dark Shadows #4

One last Halloween treat (no trick)...
...the moody cover for Dark Shadows #4, one of our favorite artists, Francesco Francavilla!
 (and the first issue comes out tomorrow! Pick it up!)

Btw, there was a series of Gold Key Comics, published from 1969-1976, and currently being reprinted in collected editions by Hermes Press...
Innovation Comics published a comic series based on the short-lived prime-time revival of the show in the early 1990s, some of which we re-presented on our blog, True Love Comics Tales™ here and here.

Monday, October 31, 2011

Halloween by a Master of the Graphic Arts!

Click on the art to enlarge
A magnificent cover by the late, great Dave Stevens to celebrate the season!
I'm going to go party hearty, so I'll see you tomorrow!
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Reading Room: CLASSIC COMICS "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...
It's 1790 in Sleepy Hollow, a secluded glen in upstate New York.
Ichabod Crane, a lanky, intelligent (but extremely superstitious) schoolmaster, competes with Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, the handsome and athletic town rowdy, for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and sole child of wealthy farmer, Baltus Van Tassel.
When Ichabod and Brom both attend a party at the Van Tassels, Brom prepares to deal with his rival...
Click on the art to enlarge and read
Did a ghostly Headless Horseman abscond with Ichabod?
Or did Brom Bones simply scare him away?
We will probably never know...

You'll note from the cover at the top of the post, that the Headless Horseman took second billing to the tale of Rip Van Winkle.
When the book was reprinted as part of the Classics Illustrated line with a painted cover (as most Classic Comics were), the Headless Horseman wasn't even mentioned, although his tale was still in the book!
Happy Halloween!