Showing posts with label Bob Powell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bob Powell. Show all posts

Saturday, August 20, 2022

Space Hero Saturdays VIC TORRY AND HIS FLYING SAUCER "Chapter Three - Catastrophe!"

Ace test pilot Victor Torry and his aviation-enthusiast girlfriend Laura are bequeathed a flying saucer by a dying alien.
Operating on automatic pilot, the spacecraft returns to its' home on Mercury, where they discover a civil war under way against the tyrant Szzz, who has plans to conquer the entire solar system!
Vic and Laura manage to commandeer another ship, override the controls and leave.
But now, they are returning to Mercury...
Art by Golden Age great Bob Powell.
The tale has been reprinted only once, in Eclipse's Mr Monster's Hi-Voltage Super-Science (1987)...
...with this new, super-kool cover by Michael Gilbert!
Vic himself appears in a cameo in the SkyWolf back-up story "Bachelor Party" in AirBoy #36 (1986)

Saturday, August 13, 2022

Space Hero Saturdays VIC TORRY AND HIS FLYING SAUCER "Chapter Two: The Evil of Szzz!"

Ace test pilot Victor Torry and his aviation-enthusiast girlfriend Laura are testing a new jet when they encounter a flying saucer!
They pursue it and, when it lands in the desert, they also land, then go aboard the alien ship where they meet an elderly alien.
Unable to return to Mercury (his home world) in time to regenerate, he bequeaths the spacecraft to Vic and Laura, then disintegrates.
Exploring the ship, they accidentally activate the propulsion system and the ship, operating on automatic pilot, returns to Mercury, with them aboard.
It lands, and a group of Mercurians greet the ship.
They are not pleased to see Earthlings instead of one of their own exiting the ship...
Script by Roy Ald, who also edited Fawcett's Captain Video!
Art by Golden Age great Bob Powell.
Be here next Saturday for the final chapter of Vic Torry!

Saturday, August 6, 2022

Space Hero Saturdays VIC TORRY AND HIS FLYING SAUCER "Chapter One: The Captive Planet"

One of the weirdest one-shot comics ever...
...featuring art by Golden Age great Bob Powell!
We'll come back to Vic and Laura...
...Next Saturday!
Published in 1950 during the flying saucer craze caused by UFO sightings at Roswell in 1947, Vic Torry and His Flying Saucer was probably going to be an ongoing series, but never got past the first issue.
I have that impression because this issue is primarily an intro, detailing how Vic came into possession of the alien ship, as well as setting up an ongoing antagonistic situation with at least one extraterestrial race.
It's possible that the comic was intended as a lead-in to a toy line and/or live-action TV series which never developed.

Friday, August 5, 2022

Friday Fun HENRY "It Surfs You Right!"

Summertime, when comic book teens do...
...well, what comic book teens have done since the Golden Age of Comics!
You'll note that it's done in a deliberately non-Dan DeCarlo/Archie Comics art style by Bob Powell, though the characters themselves (including red-headed lead character Henry) are obviously variations of the Riverdale crew!
This never-reprinted tale from MF Comics' Henry #5 (1966) was part of the the longest-running title (seven issues) from the short-lived Silver Age publisher who only published three series before folding after a year and a half!
It was also Golden/Silver Age writer/artist Powell's final comic book work before passing from this mortal coil in 1967.

Thursday, August 4, 2022

Tales Twice Told RACE TO THE MOON "Disc Jockey" Version 2

Tuesday, we saw a pre-Comics Code Authority version of this tale...

...but when the tale was reprinted in Harvey Comics' Race for the Moon #1 (1958), there were some odd art changes to the alien...because of the Comics Code Authority...



As we said, some odd art changes to make the aliens less-insectoid...which really made no sense!
Plus: note how, on the last page, Sam doesn't look frightened...and a couple of the word balloons have been re-written to be less "panicky"!
Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics
Visit Amazon and Buy...

(Anthology of the best of his 1950s horror and sci-fi tales)

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Tales Twice Told BLACK CAT MYSTERIES "Disc Jockey" Version 1

We're looking back at an era when "disc" could mean "flying saucer" and/or "lp record"...

...(presuming you know what an "lp record" is), in a Case of Curious Censorship by the Comics Code Authority!
Here's the original version of the story, as it appeared in Harvey Comics' Black Cat Mystery #46 (1947)...
OK, a straightforward tale of just desserts illustrated by comics legend Bob Powell.
Nothing too gory or gross.
But the Comics Code Authority thought otherwise...as you'll see on Thursday!
Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics
Visit Amazon and Buy...
(Anthology of the best of his 1950s horror and sci-fi tales)