What's wrong with this cover?

Look closely...
Figure it out?
Clue: One of those Avengers (as shown) doesn't belong there...
Ready for the answer?
Iron Man!
"But..." you say, "Iron Man was one of the original Avengers!"
Quite correct!
But...the all-gold armor Iron Man never appeared with Captain America!
By Avengers #4, when Cap was defrosted, Iron Man was wearing his first red-and-gold armor...

...so this particular assemblage of Avengers, as shown, never occurred!
You could say the cover is "symbolic", but shouldn't "accurate" transcend "symbolic", especially when it's easy to do and would look equally-dramatic?
(The red-and-gold armor was less-bulky and looked kooler!)
Yeah, it's nit-picking, but I expect better from "professionals" who are paid to "get it right".
Hell, it's what I did when I was working full-time in the business...

Reading Room: SPEED CARTER: SPACEMAN "Famous Explorers: Venus"

One of the cool things about the Speed Carter comic was the creation of a "history"...

...of "early" space exploration like this tale set in the "distant past" of 2004!

Hank Chapman, who wrote the entire Speed Carter series, apparently wanted to emulate writers like E.E. "Doc" Smith and Issac Asimov in creating a cohesive universe with an established backstory.

OTOH, the concept of Venusians all being beautiful women was a cliche even then.

The art on this story from Speed Carter: SpaceMan #1 (1953) is by a young guy named John Romita, who had a real knack for drawing gorgeous females.

I wonder whatever became of him?  ;-)

One interesting note: the astronauts in this story, which takes place three generations in the "past" of Speed Carter, have different uniforms and lower-end technology than what's shown in the Speed Carter tales.

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Reading Room: SPACE ACE "Death in Deep Space"

The final chapter in the short, but exciting, life of Space Ace 2.5!

Art by Al Williamson, the Fleagle Gang, and a special guest-star!

Can you guess who?

Only 50,000 credits?

Last time it was 1,000,000,000.

Space Ace must be slipping!

A hearty Atomic Kommie Comics™ "well done" to all those who spotted the legendary Wally Wood's distinctive style in a number of panels of this tale from Jet #4 (1951)!

It's a spectacular send-off for the character, written by Gardner Fox, penciled by Al Williamson and inked by Williamson, the Fleagle Gang, and Wally Wood.

Space Ace would reappear in a one-shot that reprinted the first Space Ace's tales from Manhunt in 1954.

The two Lawrence Woromay-illustrated tales were reprinted when Super/IW Comics reprinted the complete contents of Jet #1 & #2 in Jet Power #1 & #2 in 1958.
This story has been reprinted in several fanzines and prozines, but never in color.

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YouTube Wednesday AVENGERS...1966!

With the new movie opening next week, let's look at some early adventures based on the comics and featuring stats of the original art with limited animation...

They didn't adapt Avengers #1 into animated form, but several other Avengers stories became Captain America, Thor, Hulk, and Iron Man tales.
Today, we're going to present a story starring Captain America where a group of Avengers plays a critical part...



Oddly, Goliath is called Giant-Man! (Yes, it's the same guy, Hank Pym, in the costume, but in the comic, he's called "Goliath" in this blue/yellow costume, not "Giant-Man" as when wearing the earlier red/blue garb.)
And it's almost all Jack (King) Kirby art!

Bonus: The origin of Hawkeye (with the Black Widow) from the Iron Man series...

Art by Dashing Don Heck with a little Gene Colan and Jack Kirby thrown in!

Reading Room: SPACE ACE "Nothing Weapon"

Buckle up for EXCITEMENT in the far-flung reaches of space, gang...

...the second Space Ace is back, and he's looking good!

Al Williamson assumes the penciling duties, showing off his superb design and anatomy skills.

The inking is by Williamson plus the legendary Fleagle Gang (Frank Frazetta, Angelo Torres, Roy Krenkel, George Woodbridge).

If that weren't enough, the script is by Gardner Fox, taking the concepts of "Space Ace 2.0" and making them a superb example of classic space opera.

It's hard to believe this story from Jet #3 (1951) hasn't been reprinted in one of the numerous compilations of Golden Age material that have popped up in the past few years.

BONUS: the original art for page one...

Is that magnificent, or what? ;-)

Thursday, the (choke) final Space Ace tale.

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Reading Room: SPACE ACE "Invisible Death"

The second sci-fi character to use the name Space Ace returns...

...in a tale of greed and avarice on both sides of the conflict!

"..a full pardon for any...er..crimes I may have committed here and there!"

Helluva hero, that Space Ace!

The extremely-Wayne Boring-style art in this tale from Jet #2 (1951) is by little-known artist Lawrence Woromay, whose comics career spanned the 1950s and 1960s and various genres including sci-fi, war and horror.

Tomorrow, Space Ace 2.5!
New writer!
New artist! (actually, artists, and wait until you see who!)
New attitude!
But, same character!

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Design of the Week--Captain Future Logo

Each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another!
This week...It's the logo of the hero of Big Bang Theory's Sheldon and Leonard, hanging in a place or honor by the front door of their apartment!

He's the Wizard of Science!
He's been the subject of pulp magazines, comic books, even an anime series!
He's Captain Future, and now you can wear him on shirts, bags, cellphone & e-reader cases, and other kool stuff!