Reading Room ADVENTURES OF THE DOVER BOYS Chapter Four "Molten Death"

You May Recall...

Now that you've been updated, read on...with one caveat:

May be NSFW due to politically-incorrect sterotypes common to the period (1950).

Super Duck was a duck, but was not "super"...at this point (1950).

He did start out in 1943 as an anthropromorphic superhero in red and blue, but lost both the costume and powers within six issues, becoming Archie's answer to those other ducks, Donald and Daffy.

It obviously worked since he kept going until 1960, and has been reprinted occasionally since then.

Be here TOMORROW when we will continue our re-presentation of this never-reprinted story and you'll see "the most thrilling scenes you have ever witnessed!"

Reading Room ADVENTURES OF THE DOVER BOYS Chapter Three "Lost in the Jungle"

When Last We Left Our Heroes...

Is your spine tingling?

Then let's continue, boys and girls...with one caveat:

May be NSFW due to politically-incorrect sterotypes common to the period (1950).

As you might have guessed from the ad at the end of this chapter, Archie Comics was not above doing their own imitation of their most successful character.

Be here TOMORROW to see if the Dover Boys can avoid a "certain and horrible death!"

Reading Room ADVENTURES OF THE DOVER BOYS Chapter Two "Wings of Doom"

We Have Already Seen...

Now that you're caught up, let's continue...

Note the ad for the lead title from this publisher, which began as MLJ Magazines, but changed it's name to Archie Comics when it became clear that the red-headed teen outsold everything else they published.

At this point (1950), Archie was slowly phasing-out their non-humor strips in existing books like Pep Comics and Laugh Comics, but were still willing to try non-teen humor material in standalone titles like this one, Sam Hill: Private Eye and Darling Love, none of which lasted more than eight issues.
Be here TOMORROW as we continue this never-reprinted tale! 

Reading Room ADVENTURES OF THE DOVER BOYS Chapter One "Peril of the Inca Treasure"

Remember when "high adventure" meant "politically incorrect"?

Whether they meant to or not, Archie Comics dove headfirst into the concept with this one-shot.

Incas don't wear turbans.

Indians (residents of the Indian subcontinent, not Native Americans) do...

The unknown writer was apparently conflating colonial India with Peru.

Artist Harry Lucey, who was also doing Archie's entry into crime comics, Sam Hill: Private Eye, presents the action in clear, concise terms.

Be here TOMORROW for the continuation of this never-reprinted saga!

ADVENTURES OF THE DOVER BOYS

No, not the hysterically-funny Chuck Jones cartoon from 1942...

...but a 1950 one-shot from, of all people, Archie Comics...

..based on the once-popular Rover Boys juvenile book series with elements of the then-current Hardy Boys thrown in for good measure!
It may have been meant as a back-up series, since the book consists of chapters, each with a cliffhanger ending.
Be here tomorrow, when the saga begins!

Arlene Martel (Sax) 1936-2014

It took an article in the NY Times for me to learn Arlene Martel had passed away.

She wasn't a household name, like Robin Williams or Lauren Bacall, but to several generations of sci-fi fans she was...

...the smiling woman who ominously-intoned "Room for one more, honey." in the nightmares of a hysterical woman in the classic Twilight Zone ep "Twenty-Two".

...an innocent woman caught in a battle inside a deserted building between a time-traveler from the future and aliens determined to kill him and destroy the secret that would save humanity in the equally-classic Outer Limits episode "Demon with a Glass Hand"...

...and, most memorably, T'Pring, the Bride of Spock in the (I hate to use the word, but it does apply) classic Star Trek ep "Amok Time"!

Besides appearances on other genre shows like Man from U.N.C.L.E., Wild Wild West, and Battlestar Galactica, she also appeared in comedies, Westerns, and crime shows, and was still working on-and-off in movies and tv until her passing.

Reading Room SPACE MAN "Out Into Space" Conclusion

When Last We Left Our Space Heroes...

Returing to Earth after successfully breaching the Anti-Force that kept humans from leaving Earth orbit, Ian and Johnny must keep the secret from the public that they are now part of a secret interplanetary defense force operated by a (dare I say) federation of planets to protect the galaxy.

The series would run another seven issues that got even weirder and wilder than this premiere from Dell's Four Color #1253.

We'll be presenting those tales in the future.