Space: the Final Frontier...for Christmas Gifts!

Since the 1890s, and the heyday of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, science fiction-themed presents had a place under the Christmas tree and in Xmas stockings for the young (and young at heart)!
Continuing that entertaining tradition, Atomic Kommie Comics™ is proud to offer our line of retro-design sci-fi/fantasy collectibles, The Future WAS Fantastic!™, for both kids AND adults!
We're talking 12-month calendars, messenger bags, mugs, magnets, t-shirts, sweatshirts and other goodies featuring some of the niftiest illustrations from the comic books, pulp magazines, and movie posters of the 1930s-1960s, all digitally-restored and remastered!
Spaceships with wings and big fins!
Ray Guns that zap an army in a flash!
Slimy Aliens!
Killer Robots!
Heroes in bubble-helmeted tight spacesuits!
Heroines in even tighter space suits!
Never did the future look so...stylish!
If you're looking for something in the vein of Star Wars or Star Trek (You did know that George Lucas wanted to remake Flash Gordon, but King Features didn't want to trust a young director whose biggest credit at that point was American Graffiti, didn't you?), here's some of the stuff that provided the visual inspiration for today's hi-tech flights of fantasy!
Enjoy, and may your rocket tubes never overheat...

Naughty OR Nice at Christmastime? Have We Got a Grrrl for You...

One of the most notorious Golden Age characters, Phantom Lady was also one of the first costumed superheroines, beating out Wonder Woman (who debuted in All-Star Comics #8) in 1941 by several months!

Like a number of 1940s comics characters, she was created and packaged by the Eisner-Iger comic book studio for an established publisher (in this case, Quality Comics), debuting in Police Comics #1 which also featured the first appearances of Plastic Man, FireBrand, and The Human Bomb.
After a year, her strip was canceled by Quality, and the character was offered to Fox Comics, where she was promoted to her own comic, which started with #13, since it took over the numbering of an already existing title.
Her costume was modified by legendary "good girl" artist Matt Baker to expose more of her (ahem) assets and a number of covers featured her being captured and tied up by evildoers.
It is this version which became notorious by becoming one of the primary examples in Dr. Fredric Wertham's crusade against comics detailed in his book Seduction of the Innocent.

Believing that both the "naughty" and "nice' versions of the character have a place in pop culture history, Atomic Kommie Comics™ has included the classic superheroine in not one, but two different sections of our store!
In the Heroines!™ collection, we have the G-rated "empowered" version, kicking evil butts right and left and suitable for even the youngest would-be heroine in your family!
In Seduction of the Innocent!!™, we have the PG-13, risque version, including the famous cover included in Dr. Wertham's book!
She's also featured on both our Heroines and Good Girl / Bad Grrrl 12-Month Calendars as well as her own 12-month calendar!

If you're looking for classy, yet kitchy, gifts, you can't go wrong with our selection of Phantom Lady goodies for the pop culture / comics aficionado in your life!
Let him (or her) unwrap Phantom Lady this Christmas!
They'll thank you for it! ;-)

Reading Room ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND "Decorate the Christmas Tree for Santa!"

Feel free to print out and cut up...

...this one-pager from Gleason's Adventures in Wonderland #5 (1956).

Both writer and artist are unknown.

"First Noel" or "First Nowell"?

Is it "Noel"...

...as most spell it these days?

From Dell's Santa Claus Funnies #1 (1942), illustrator unknown

Or is it...

..."Nowell", as seen in Dell's Four Color #91 (1945)?

Illustrated by Arthur E Jameson.

"Nowell" is the English (British) spelling...and the hymn is of British origin.

"Noel" is the French (and other Old Latin-based languages') spelling.

Presumably it became the standard when the hymn was used in hymnals (which used Old Latin verses for many songs, though I've never heard an Old Latin version of  "First Nowell") in the 18th Century.

Christmas at Ground Zero

At this time of year, Christmas carols are in continuous rotation in the Atomic Kommie Comics™ office.
One of our favorites is Christmas at Ground Zero by "Weird" Al Yankovic.
(You were expecting maybe Adeste Fidelis?)

Which brings us to, perhaps, the most unusual theme for potential Christmas presents (and, you gotta admit, we've had some real weirdies!)...atomic Armageddon!

Within our sci-fi-oriented The Future WAS Fantastic!™ section is the Atomic War line of kool collectibles with classic comic book covers from the fear-filled '50s, featuring the nuclear destruction of New York City (see above), Washington DC, and Moscow on black hoodies, sweats, and tees, as well as mugs and other tchochkies!

So for all you survivalists out there, while you duck n' cover under the Christmas tree, prepare for the irradiated end stylishly with our radiation-proof (not really!) garb and goodies!

Holiday Reading Room HUMBUG "Humbug Award: Fake Santa Clauses"

Remember yesterday's cute tale of multiple Santa Clauses by Walt Kelly?

...well, here's a far more cynical take on the matter, courtesy of artist Will Elder from the appropriately-titled Humbug #6 (1958)!

The writer is probably Elder or editorial staffers Harvey Kurtzman, Jack Davis, Al Jaffee, or Arnold Roth.

Any guesses?

Holiday Reading Room SANTA CLAUS FUNNIES "There's a Santa..."

Here's a kool one pager...

...written and illustrated by Walt (Pogo) Kelly from Dell's Four Color Comics #91 (1945) aka "Santa Claus Funnies"!

For the rest of the month, we'll be presenting various holiday-related items, some one or two-pagers like this, some longer stories.

Have a seat, get a mug of hot chocolate, and enjoy!