Reading Room COMMANDER BATTLE AND THE ATOMIC SUB "Journey to the Moon!"

Once more the Atomic Commandos guard democracy from any threat...

...below the ocean's surface, and well beyond...

Be Here TOMORROW for the suprising conclusion...

I'm surprised Irwin Allen never did a Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea episode like this!
Making a submarine into a spaceship seems like the sort of thing he would've loved to do.
Adding a kid sidekick, though, is never a good idea.
They end up taking over the spotlight, and the series' emphasis goes from soft sci-fi to kid-show.
But I digress...
This never-reprinted tale from ACG's Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub #3 (1954) was produced by series creators Richard Hughes (writer) and Sheldon Moldoff (illustrator).

Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub are Returning!

Here's a taste of what's to come...

...from ACG's Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub #2 (1954)!

Written by Richard Hughes and illustrated by Ogden Whitney and Sheldon Moldoff, this page holds a clue as to the exciting adventure you'll be seeing starting tomorrow!

Best of Reading Room: COMMANDER BATTLE AND HIS ATOMIC SUB "Battle Beneath the Earth"

We Have Already Seen...

...now that you've read the built-in synopsis, let's proceed, but with one caveat: this part of the story (despite being Comics Code-approved) is possibly NSFW due to politically-incorrect racial attitudes.

SPOILER: The "new, exciting mystery character" will quickly replace one of the original four Atomic Commandos.

Is he...

• 1) an alien?
• 2) a teen sidekick?
• 3) an alien teen?

You'll find out when Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub return in a previously-unreprinted tale in two weeks!

Two points:

1) You'd think the giants would find blonde and red-headed Belotti just a bit out-of-place.

2) I wonder if Irwin Allen saw this series, years before either the movie or tv versions of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea.

Besides the similar plots to several episodes of the tv series, Allen's use of a submarine-berthed aircraft (the Flying Sub) seems more than coincidental.

Just sayin'...

The script for Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub #2 (1954) by Richard Hughes, the Stan Lee of ACG who wrote practically everything at the company during his tenure as editor/writer!

Pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Al Camy, Odgen Whitney and others.

Best of Reading Room: COMMANDER BATTLE AND THE ATOMIC SUB "Fight for Survival"

When Last We Left Commander Bill Battle and His Crew...

...and with that succinct synopsis, let the mayhem ensue!

Tomorrow:

The Fearsome Finale!

The pseudo 3-D created by Craft-Tint tones used in the first issue was eliminated for #2 of ACG's Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub (1954), although it looks like the pages were initially-conceived to utilize the Craft-Tint effects to create depth.
Script by Richard Hughes, the Stan Lee of ACG who wrote practically everything at the company during his tenure as editor/writer!

Pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Al Camy, Odgen Whitney and others.

Best of Reading Room: COMMANDER BATTLE AND THE ATOMIC SUB "Giants from the Depths"

Having successfully defeated one world-threatening menace...

...and completed their shake-down cruise, the aptly-named Commander Battle and his Atomic Sub are ready for action!

Tomorrow:

Giant Squid!

Giant Humanoids!

Giant Thrills!

The pseudo 3-D created by Craft-Tint tones used in the first issue was eliminated for #2 of ACG's Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub (1954), although it looks like the pages were initially-conceived to utilize the Craft-Tint effects to create depth.
Without it, the giants aren't quite as imposing as they would have been, and panels like the last one on Page 7 (Battle bailing out of the airplane) just look silly.
Script by Richard Hughes, the Stan Lee of ACG who wrote practically everything at the company during his tenure as editor/writer!

Pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Al Camy, Odgen Whitney and others.

Reading Room: COMMANDER BATTLE AND HIS ATOMIC SUBMARINE...in REAL 3-D! Conclusion

When Last We Left Our 3-D Heroes...

...that really says it all, doesn't it?
BTW, wouldn't this comic make a great multi-million dollar cgi-fx movie?
(Wait a sec...they did a BattleShip flick...and, man, did it suck!)

Aquatic aliens vs the US Navy!
These guys at American Comics Group were ahead of their time...by over 50 years...and theirs was better!
On with the story...and remember; Left Lens Red/Right Lens Blue!

BTW, you can read the original "TrueVision" (non real 3-D) version of this chapter HERE!

Script by Richard Hughes, the Stan Lee of ACG who wrote practically everything during his tenure as editor/writer!

Pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Odgen Whitney and others.
As for how this 3-D adaptation came about...

You'll note that, in 1990, without the Grand Comics Database and its' contributors, the artists of Commander Battle were mis-identified.
ACG rarely ran credits before the Silver Age, so the mistake on this 1950s tale was understandable.

Reading Room: COMMANDER BATTLE AND HIS ATOMIC SUBMARINE...in REAL 3-D! Part 2

When Last We Left Our 3-D Heroes...

Now, that's a synopsis!

(For the record, the "saucer" still looks like a doughnut!)

On with the story...and get out those old red/blue glasses, kids!

Remember, red on the left and blue on the right!

I could see the editorial conference now...

"OK, guys, for our first issue we have..

3-D (sort of) effects!

An atomic sub!

Evil aliens!

A "flying saucer"!

The underwater city of Atlantis!

A giant sea monster!

Did we leave anything out?"

Find out tomorrow in the pulse-pounding conclusion!

Script by Richard Hughes, the "Stan Lee" of ACG who wrote practically everything during his tenure as editor/writer!

Pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Odgen Whitney and others.

BTW, you can read the original, pseudo 3-D version of this chapter HERE!

Reading Room: COMMANDER BATTLE AND HIS ATOMIC SUBMARINE...in REAL 3-D!

Recently, we presented this pseudo 3-D comic tale...

...and then, we discovered that the legendary Ray Zone had taken the story and coverted it to real 3-D!

So get out those old red/blue glasses, kids!

Remember, red on the left and blue on the right!

Travel back to the 1950s, when atomic power was all that stood between us and flying saucers...

Oddly enough, the "flying saucer" looks more like a flying doughnut...or the 1950s concept of a space station as seen in then-contemporary films like Conquest of Space!
Script by Richard Hughes, the "Stan Lee" of ACG who wrote practically everything during his tenure as editor/writer!

Pencils by Sheldon Moldoff, inks by Odgen Whitney and others.

Be here tomorrow for Part 2 when we'll see who's behind the "flying saucer"...