Monday Madness CRAZY, MAN, CRAZY "Pocket Book Covers"

How do we get today's would-be readers to actually read the "classics"?

Do what artist Vince Fodera and an unknown writer suggest in this never-reprinted two-page spread from Charlton's MAD Magazine clone Crazy Man Crazy V2N2 (1956)...

BTW, "pocket books" were how what we now call mass-market paperbacks were referred to until the 1960s!

In fact, the first American mass-market publisher to use the format (in 1939) was named "Pocket Books"...a name they utilize to this day!

Who says comics ain't educational???

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Sincerest Form of Parody

Space Hero Saturdays CAPTAIN KEN BRADY: ROCKET PILOT "Boy Who Wasn't There!"

We met Captain Ken Brady and his co-pilot-sidekick Buzzy HERE...

...in his premiere appearance, conceived and produced by the co-creator of Superman and the definitive Bronze Age artist of Dracula!

This tale from Ziff-Davis' Lars of Mars #11 (1951) was written by Jerry Siegel and illustrated by Gene Colan.
It's both the character's second (and last) appearance and the second (and last issue) of the comic!
While the series isn't anything particularly innovative, it's a classic example of 1950s-style sci-fi.
And Gene, who was doing a little of everything from horror to romance to Westerns, showed his versatility with this too-brief strip's run.

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Secrets in the Shadows
Art and Life of Gene Colan
Trade PaperBack Edition
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Friday Fun ZANY "Li'l Abnrr"

Unseen since 1959, a look at how comics...

...and by extension, media in general, change to reflect pop culture trends!

Comics, in particular, jump on the latest fad, sometimes revamping the book or strip almost beyond recognition!
The classic example was the mid-1960s "New Blackhawk era", when the middle-aged WWII veteran flyers, published continuously since 1942, became superhero/spies...because the two hottest pop culture trendsetters at the time were Batman and Bond!
(Think I'm joking?
You can read the transition story beginning HERE!)
BTW, both the artist who did a dead-on imitation of Al Capp's style and the scripter for this never-reprinted Li'l Abner spoof (with a cameo by creator Al Capp himself) from Candar's Zany #4 (1959) are unknown!

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Li'l Abner: the Frazetta Years Vol 1

Legendary artist Frank Frazetta ghost-illustrated the Sunday strip from 1954 to 1961!

Reading Room THIS MAGAZINE IS HAUNTED "Secret of the Walking Dead"

With the return of AMC's The Walking Dead...

...we thought we'd present a shocker involving someone deliberately creating a scientific zombie!

Could this be similar to how the walkers on AMC's Walking Dead came to be?

This tale from Fawcett's This Magazine is Haunted #6 (1952) was illustrated by Ed Waldman who worked on-and-off in comics from 1941 to 1954.

The tale's writer is sadly, unknown!
However, the cover artist is Sheldon Moldoff!

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EC Horror Library of the 1950s

(It ain't cheap,...but it's GREAT!)

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Monday Madness LUNATICKLE "Horrible Comic Story Behind the Horror Story Comic Books!"

I'll let the original editors introduce you to today's Monday Madness...

"This, then, is the true tale of the Comic Book Industry’s brief but shocking plunge into the Witches Brew of gore and bloodshed.

Presented herewith is an authentic documentary of how it came about and how it ended—And how it ended!
The names, dates, and places given are all factual and for real! Any reference to certain persons is strictly intentional,

Only the prices have been changed because it’s after five o’clock!
-the editors"

Created by two horror comics veterans; writer Jack Mendelsohn and illustrator Lee Elias (in a very Jack Davis-esque style), this never-reprinted story from the second (and final) issue of Whitestone Publishing's short-lived MAD magazine clone Lunatickle is a bittersweet, but amazingly-accurate look at how the comics industry almost disappeared in the mid-1950s!

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Ten-Cent Plague

The Great Comic Book Scare and How It Changed America

Space Force Saturdays SPACE PATROL "Outlaws of Vesta"

Continuing the (sadly) short-lived cosmic comic adventures of Buzz Corry and the members of 1950's TV/radio Space Patrol...

...with another tale from Ziff-Davis' Space Patrol #1 (1952)!

Yes, Tonga was still a "bad" girl at this point in the series.
Though the art is clearly Bernie Krigstein, there's debate as to whether the scripter is prolific comic writer Paul S Newman or Drift Marlo creator/writer Phillip Evans.

There's more Space Patrol excitement to come as we present every tale from its' two-issue run!

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Missions of Daring in the Name of Early Television

Space Patrol

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Friday Fun FARMER'S DAUGHTER "Gig McCoy: Around the Cracker Barrel"

As cons/Republicans continue to support a failed politician/urban "businessman" who specializes in tall tales...

...we'll amuse you with a story about a rural businessman who, though honest, specializes in tall tales!

This never-reprinted story from Stanhall's Farmer's Daughter #1 (1954) was typical of the sort of lowbrow humor the publisher specialized in.
With titles including Broadway-Hollywood Blackouts and G.I. Jane, Stanhall produced adult-oriented (but never more risque than PG-13) humor.
Animator Hal Seegar was the editor/writer/illustrator for the non "good girl" strips like this one, while Bill Williams handled the art for the more risque material (like the title feature) which Seegar wrote and edited.

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Sh*t My President Says:

Illustrated Tweets of Donald J Trump

Kirby Reading Room BLACK MAGIC "Slaughter-House!!"

If Republicans think finding employment is difficult now (hint: it isn't) ...

...imagine what it'd be like when your boss is a tentacled invading alien (which some Repugs believe Democrats actually are)!

This tale of interstellar labor relations from Prize Comics' Black Magic #31 (1954) was illustrated by the legendary duo of Joe Simon & Jack Kirby, though who penciled what and who inked what has been disputed by aficionados.

Personally, I think Kirby penciled and Simon inked.

As to who wrote it, since both Simon & Kirby co-edited the book, it's more than likely they both scripted it.

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Simon & Kirby Library
Science Fiction