The RetroBlogs Summer Blogathon Continues...with AVENGERS BATTLE THE EARTH WRECKER!

It's the over-half century old, never-reprinted novel...

...that introduced the Marvel Universe into prose!
Note: neither Quicksilver or the Scarlet Witch appear in the book, though they're referenced, along with Thor, as past members.

The Wasp and Iron Man are the other featured members of the team in this story!

The cover art is by James Bond movie poster artist Robert McGinnis!

Written by long-time pulp/comic book writer Otto Binder (whose comic book credits include Superman and the original Captain Marvel, this never-reprinted tale is a rolicking, fast-paced adventure that would have made a kool flick back in the Swinging 60s!

Trivia: Binder co-created both Supergirl and the Legion of Super Heroes!

Though there had been numerous paperback reprints of Marvel comics by Lancer Books, this was the first prose novel...and an original story, not an adaptation of any of the comics tales!
There were three previous comic book prose novels before this...all based on DC characters!
George Lowther's Adventures of Superman, which, technically, was based on the radio show (not surprising since Lowther was the show's story editor and occasional scripter), and Winston Lyon's (William Woolfolk's) duo of books about the Dynamic Duo; Batman vs the Three Villains of Doom (based as much on the tv show as the comic) and Batman vs the Fearsome Foursome (a novelization of the 1966 theatrical movie).

Let's have a look at what the book is about!

Here's the inside cover hero lineup...

Monday, read the intro and first chapter of this lost classic at
Hero Histories!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder GRAPHIC SHOWCASE "Eyes of Mars" Part 2

We Have Already Seen...

...disturbed that, due to the development of warp drive, Earth's scientists are bypassing the planets of the Solar System as uninhabitable, Lt Cezer Leason, a pilot in the Space Patrol, steals his scout craft and heads to Mars!

His ship damaged by a meteor storm, Leason crashes on the surface of the Red Planet and discovers it is, in fact, inhabited!
Rescued by two rebel warriors, he and his new-found friends are captured and brought before the beautiful Queen of Mars...

To Be Continued...Next Wednesday

As we explained previously; the Edgar Rice Burroughs-inspired creator of this story from CCCS's Graphic Showcase #1 (1967) is none other than Mike (The Shadow) Kaluta!
The strip was probably intended as weekly installments in a high-school/college paper, but was repurposed for use in the fanzine.

Support Atomic Kommie Comics!
Visit Amazon and Order...

Michael Wm. Kaluta: Sketchbook Ser

ies

Volume 1
Paid Link

Friday Fun HENRY BREWSTER "Movie Madness"

"Teen Humor" Used to Be a Lot More Than Just Archie Comics...

...as this never-reprinted tale from  MF Comics' Henry #4 (1966) attests!

Golden/Silver Age icon Bob Powell was going for a far different look in this, his final ongoing comic book series, than we were used to seeing...

...while at the same time, deliberately avoiding the Dan DeCarlo Archie Comics "house style" almost everybody else was using for their "teen humor" books!

Sadly, the Henry Brewster series only lasted seven, never-reprinted, issues, which were entirely packaged (scripts and art) by Bob Powell and his studio!
This particular tale is from MF Comics' Henry #4 (1966).
Note: After MF Comics folded, Powell became Art Director at Prize's Sick magazine until he passed away in 1967.

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder GRAPHIC SHOWCASE "Eyes of Mars" Part 1

 In the pre-Internet days...

...comic creator wanna-bes had to print samples of their work in "fanzines", then sell them at comic conventions and through mailing lists.

Here's the very first published efforts of a wanna-be who made good...

The Edgar Rice Burroughs-inspired creator of this story from CCCS's Graphic Showcase #1 (1967) is none other than Mike (The Shadow) Kaluta!

The strip was probably intended as weekly installments in a high-school/college paper, but was repurposed for use in the fanzine.

Graphic Showcase ran three issues, with "Eyes of Mars" appearing in all three.

You'll see them over the next two weeks...

Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Michael Wm. Kaluta: Sketchbook Ser

ies

Volume 1
Paid Link

Monday Mecha Madness UNUSUAL TALES "Where Does It Go?"

Have you ever seen a bus pass by that you're unfamilar with, and wonder...

..."Where Does It Go?"

This never-reprinted tale behind this never-reprinted Rocke Mastroserio cover offers one possibility!

While the concept is rather kool, I have to ask, why is the robot such an insulting s.o.b.?

Writer Joe Gill, penciler Bill Moino, and inker Vince Alascia probably could have provided the answer when they created this story for Charlton's Unusual Tales #29 (1961), none of them are around now to answer the question...

Support Atomic Kommie Comics

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Mysteries in Space

The Best of DC Science Fiction Comics
Paid Link

Reading Room: GREEN PLANET "Empty Earth"

Ever Feel Like Staying in Bed and Pulling the Covers Over Your Head?

Here's a tale about an entire planet tha felt that way, from the one-shot Green Planet, published by Charlton Comics in 1962.

This backup tale, unrelated to the title story, was written by Joe Gill, penciled by Dick Giordano, and inked by Vince Coletta.

Green Planet was a very odd comic...

1) The title story was actually an adaptation of a then-current sci-fi novel by J Hunter Holly, but, oddly, there's no mention of that fact anywhere in the comic!

2) There's no numbering on the comic (it's indicia lists it as a quarterly book) and no copyright notice listing either Charlton or novel author Holly!

We presented the main feature a couple of years ago, HERE and HERE!

Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Science Fiction Comics

Taylor History of Comics

Vol 3

Paid Link

Friday Fun KOOKIE "Bongo & Bop 'Cats in the Attic' "

 Before Slackers!
Before Hipsters!
Even Before Hippies!
There were Beatniks!

Here's a tale about a pair of them that could easily be updated and re-told today!

This never-reprinted story from Dell's Kookie #2 (1962) by writer John Stanley and artist Bill Williams was part of an attempt to produce an on-going series featuring young adults in a (then) contemporary setting.

Bongo and Bop were the slackers of the ensemble, like Dobie Gillis' Maynard G Krebs amped up to 11!
Sadly the title only lasted two issues!

Support Atomic Kommie Comics

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Beatniks

Guide to an American Subculture
Paid Link

Reading Room: UFO FLYING SAUCERS "Read the Real Story of the UFOs and Flying Saucers!"

As we mentioned in an earlier post, Dell and Gold Key published anthology comics about UFOs..

Here's the intro story from Gold Key's UFO Flying Saucers #1 (1968)

Written by long-time sci-fi/fantasy comics scripter Leo Dorfman and illustrated by Golden and Silver Age artist Joe Certa (best known as the co-creator of another alien series; J'onn J'onnz, Manhunter from Mars), the story set the rather straightforward tone for the book, which would run for 13 issues from 1968 to 1977 before changing its' title to UFO & Outer Space and continuing for another 12 issues combining reprints and new material until cancellation in 1980.

Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Science Fiction Comics

Taylor History of Comics

Vol 3

Paid Link