Monday Madness WORLD OF FANTASY "Gargoyle From the 5th Galaxy!"

Is this a kool cover, or what?

But, this sandals-wearing Jack Kirby-Christopher Rule scarlet alien isn't inside the comic!

Instead, we get a more humanoid, less "traditional" gargoyle-looking green alien!

To be fair, he does breathe fire, like the guy on the cover...

Plotted by Stan Lee, scripted by Larry Lieber and superbly-rendered by Don Heck, this tale from Atlas' World of Fantasy #19 (1959) was actually a re-do of an earlier story (illustrated by Jack Kirby, no less), which we'll present tomorrow!

BTW, though the story was reprinted in the 1970s, the cover has never seen the light of day since its' original publication!

Pity...

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Atlas-Era Marvel Masterworks
Tales of Suspense
Volume 4

Reading Room STRANGE TALES "Save Me From the Weed!"

Yesterday's tale about sentient shrubbery reminded me of a later story...

...with a similar plot, featuring some amazing art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers!

Unlike the previous story, this one doesn't diminish the dignity of the hero, whom the protagonist considers "unambitious"...until the end.

Plotted by Stan Lee and scripted by Larry Lieber, this tale from Atlas/Marvel's Strange Tales #94 (1962) was published with a cover date of March, the same month Fantastic Four #3 came out (note the blurb at the bottom of the story).

Strange Tales itself would shortly become the home of several ongoing series including Doctor Strange, The Human Torch (later The Human Torch and The Thing), and Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

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Marvel Masterworks
Atlas-Era Strange Tales #5

Monday Madness WORLD OF FANTASY "Useless Ones!"

As more and more Baby Boomers leave the workforce, will that vast number of retirees still be considered...

Or will they finally get the respect they deserve, and perhaps even envy from stressed-out remaining workers?

This never-reprinted tale from Atlas' World of Fantasy #1 (1956) takes a rather patronizing attitude towards the older characters.

And, if written today, the scientist might be shown as envying the retired couple, who are able to enjoy their now-free time!

Ilustrated by Tony DiPreta, the story's plotter/scripter is unknown.

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Taylor Illustrated History

Science Fiction Comics 

Friday Fun UNCANNY TALES "Day to Remember"

This never-reprinted story from Atlas' Uncanny Tales #40 (1956) takes place on April 1st.

Why is that important?

Read and see!

Written by Carl Wessler and illustrated by John Severin, it's an all-but-forgotten piece of comics lore that we enjoyed hunting for, finding and presenting to you!
It's sorta our "thing"!

Happy April Fools Day!

Holiday Reading Room MARVEL TALES "Louie's Leprechaun!"

A never-reprinted tale about a leprechaun on St Patrick's Day?

Talk about yer pot o' gold, and the "Luck 'O the Irish", eh?

Written by Carl Wessler, and illustrated either by Vic Carabotta or the team of Arthur Peddy and Bernie Sachs (experts disagree on who did it), this story from Atlas' Marvel Tales #143 (1956) hasn't seen print in 66 years!

Considering the numerous illogical aspects to this tale (not the least of which was how the leprechaun mailed a letter minutes after he was sealed back in the ground, but before Louie got home only minutes later), it's not a bad story...if you don't think too hard about it.

And after several pints of Guinness to celebrate the day, most of us won't...

Monday Madness AMAZING ADULT FANTASY "Ultimate Weapon"

Who, in 1962, could believe that we'd still be on the brink of nuclear war with the Russkies...in 1970?

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko thought so...and offered a potential solution...

Clever.

Would the solution proposed in Atlas' Amazing Adult Fantasy #13 (1962) work in reality, 60 years later?
Russia and China both have the capability to reach geostationary orbit (22,236 miles)., but would they try to use it?

Think about it...

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Amazing Adult Fantasy Omnibus

Reading Room STRANGE WORLDS "I Couldn't Stop the Runaway Comet!"

With most of America still in a deep freeze, let's see if we can warm you up...

...with this scientifically-inaccurate, never-reprinted tale about death by extreme heat from Atlas' Strange Worlds #5 (1959)!

There's also a really kool Easter Egg within the story!

See if you can find it!

No, we're not going to explore whether God exists or not.

Though popularized as fireballs in bad science fiction, the fact that comets were really composed primarily of rock and ice which vaporized as they approached the Sun, creating the "tail", was known as far back as Issac Newton's time.

So the whole idea of the comet generating heat like a star was ludicrous...even in the 1950s!

Though the writer is unknown, the artist was Steve (Spider-Man) Ditko.

That fact is crucial for understanding the Easter Egg...

The name "Victor Sage", used here for the extremely-fallible protagonist, later became "Vic Sage",  the secret identity of one of Ditko's more durable creations...Charlton's The Question!

Besides becoming a DC mainstay with his own title and spotlighted appearances in the Justice League animated series, the character was the basis for Rorschach in Alan Moore's "reimagining" of classic comic character archetypes in Watchmen!

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Marvel Masters of Suspense Omnibus

Volume 1

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko

Reading Room STRANGE TALES "I Am the Abominable Snowman!"

We presented tales from pre-Marvel Atlas Comics of catching and finding "Abominable SnowMen" HERE and HERE!

So this never-reprinted Atlas Comics' story's title seems almost...inevitable!

This story from Atlas' Strange Tales #72 (1959) is the weakest of the three "Snowman" tales, both in terms of writing (by an unknown scripter) and art (by journeyman Paul Reinman).

The plot's too convoluted and illogical.
The art tells the story competently, but not dynamically.
And it's obvious Reinman was rushed while inking it, making it hard to make out details.

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Atlas-Era Marvel MasterWorks

Strange Tales

Volume 6

(The final volume, reprinting issues 49-57)

Reading Room STRANGE WORLDS "I Captured the Abominable Snowman!"

Last month, we presented Jack Kirby's epic tale about the Abominable Snowman HERE...

Now let's see a rather intimate story of one man's obsession with Yeti, illustrated by Steve Ditko!

Like the Jack Kirby-illustrated Abominable SnowMan story, no one (including Marvel) is certain who scripted this tale from Atlas' Strange Worlds #1 (1958).
It ain't Stan Lee, because almost everything he scripted featured his name/signature on the splash panel along with the artists' names!

And, you'll note that neither tale shows the "real" Yeti, just people or other creatures mistaken for it!
There's a third variation on this story, by a different artist, which we'll present on Thursday!

BTW, this was the second comic with the Strange Worlds title.

The first one was published by Avon Comics from 1950 to 1955.

This series ran for five issues in 1958-59.

Since then there have been several one-shots with the title from various publishers, usually reprinting stories from the Avon series.

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Marvel Masters of Suspense Omnibus
Volume 1

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
(which reprints this story)