Reading Room ADVENTURE INTO MYSTERY "Beware...the Brimm!"

If there's one thing any fan of sci-fi/fantasy can tell you, it's that things that appear to be warm, cuddly, and cute are, in reality, rarely harmless...

Illustrated by Angelo Torres and likely plotted by editor Stan Lee, this never-reprinted story from Atlas' Adventure into Mystery #7 (1957) leaves the door open to a sequel, but one never appeared!

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Reading Room STRANGE WORLDS "Invasion from the Abyss!"

Since 1938, Halloween and alien invasions go hand-in-hand...

...even when the "aliens" are from inside the Earth, rather than outer space!

This story from Avon's Strange Worlds #3 (1951) was a "Fleagle Gang" production.

The "Fleagles" were a group of artists including Frank Frazetta, Al Williamson, Roy Krenkel, Wally Wood, Angelo Torres, and George Woodbridge who would help each other out on tight deadlines by doing a "jam" with individuals penciling and inking different pages and even different panels on a single page, producing some absolutely-amazing visuals!

Trivia: the group was named by EC Comics editor/writer/artist Harvey Kurtzman.

The idea of advanced beings living inside the Earth and invading/reconquering the surface was very popular in the early 1950s.

Richard Shaver and pulp magazine editor Ray A Palmer caused a media firestorm with series of stories presenting a theory that combined the "civilization inside the Earth" concept with another pop culture phenomenon...flying saucers!

Numerous readers wrote in, claiming that they had actually seen creatures and vehicles exactly as described in the stories!

The "Shaver Hoax" (as it came to be known) influenced 1950s sci-fi/fantasy ranging from the pilot episode of the TV's Adventures of Superman to movies like Brain Eaters.

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Reading Room ALARMING ADVENTURES "Secret of the Mountain"

Many people believe we've explored every inch of our home world, the Earth.

They'd be totally-wrong, as shown in this tale from Harvey's Alarming Adventures #3 (1963).

Penciled by Al Williamson and inked by Angelo Torres, this tale was probably intended for the never-published Race for the Moon #5.
The scripter is unknown, but it might have been Joe Simon, who was "packaging" the book after his partnership with Jack Kirby ended!

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Reading Room STRANGE TALES OF THE UNUSUAL "Man Who Said 'No' "

Here's one more Atlas/Marvel ant-themed story predating "Man in the Ant Hill"...

...about another scientist who developed a formula to shrink living beings!

Unlike Henry Pym, Max (whose last name remains unknown), never realizes his idea works...but the arrogant financier who refused to bankroll him certainly does...

This story from Atlas' Strange Tales of the Unusual #10 (1957) is illustrated by Angelo Torres, who started as one of EC Comics' sci-fi and horror-illustrating "Fleagle Gang", but found greater success when he switched to humorous cartooning for MAD Magazine and Esquire!

The writer is unknown, but might be Atlas editor Stan Lee.

Reading Room: ALARMING TALES "KIng of the Ants"

Here's a story done before Lee & Kirby's "Man in the Ant Hill"...

...which served as a "pilot" for Marvel's Astonishing Ant-Man series.

Did it help inspire that creation from studio-mate Jack Kirby?

Read and judge for yourself...

This tale from Harvey's Alarming Tales #6 (1958) was produced by writer Dick Wood, and illustrators Al Williamson and Angelo Torres.

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