Baker Reading Room "Behind the Scenes of 'Half Man-Half What' "

Here's Tuesday's tale...

...but from the original Matt Baker/Al Williamson art!

Take particular note of the areas "whited out", probably at the request of the Comics Code Authority!

BTW, note that in the story, Dr Talbot's right side is altered, but on the cover, his left side is affected!

Let's look closely at that final panel...

Dr Talbot's right side has been totally-whited out.

Was it still metallic?

And his face originally wasn't happy!

Did the original ending show him at the beginning of the process, wondering if it would succeed, and leaving the door open for a sequel if it didn't?

Was the Comics Code Authority responsible for the odd changes?

We'll never know...
Penciler Matt Baker was one of the few Black comic book artists of the Golden and Silver Ages, and was easily the most prolific of them!
Though known for his "good girl" art, including the famous (and infamous) Phantom Girl stories, he handled every genre with ease, including horror, war, sci-fi, and romance!
Sadly, though, few of his stories featured Black characters...who were rare in comics until the mid-1960s!
You can read a short, but complete bio HERE!
He'll be our featured artist this month in the Baker Reading Room at Atomic Kommie Comics, spotlighting his amazing cross-genre versatility!

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Matt Baker

Art of Glamour
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Baker Reading Room ALARMING TALES "Half Man-Half What"

"Scientists Tampering with Things Man Should Not Meddle In!" is an old cliche...

Art by John Severin

...given a new look by a most unusual assortment of artists...at least four, along with the writer...

Art by the Bob Powell Studio

OK.

Let's identify the talents involved in this never-reprinted tale from Harvey's Alarming Tales #5 (1958)...

Cover art by John Severin

Script by Dick Wood.

Opening page (which was actually the lower part of the contents page) by the Bob Powell Studio.

Story pencils by Matt Baker (who's the reason this is included in Black History Month).

Story inks by Al Williamson.

Thursday:

the entire story (and cover) in original art form, with some revealing alterations and footnotes!

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Matt Baker

Art of Glamour

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Friday Fun RIOT "Mother Goosepimple's Nursery Rhymes" Parts 1 & 2

Atlas Comics' numerous 1950s MAD comic clones...

...gave the company's creatives a chance to flex their artistic muscles in ways rarely-seen by their readers!

This never-reprinted short from Atlas RIOT #5 (1956) gave amazingly-versatile artist Joe Maneely a chance to show his rarely-seen humorous side.

The second, final, also never-reprinted installment in this series features an artist who already had a rep doing humor, John Severin, best known for his serious Western and War comics work at Harvey and EC!

He was also brother of EC Comics colorist Marie Severin, who later became Marvel's resident caricaturist (among her many other talents)!
I suspect this was going to be an ongoing series featuring rotating illustrators, but since Riot was cancelled as of this issue (6) in 1956, we'll never know!
BTW, if the writing style for both stories feels "familiar", that's because it was by snarky Stan (the Man) Lee!

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Kirby Reading Room BOMBAST "Bombast Lives!" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

Revived from suspended animation after 15,000 years genetically-engineered warrior Bombast encounters problems in then-current (1993) Chicago!

Besides not understanding any current language, the Garzan soldier's actions are misunderstood and the police, led by the Savage Dragon, attempt to apprehend him!

He narrowly manages to evade the authorities and...

To Be Continued on Friday at our sister RetroBlog...

HEROINES

as NightGlider makes her introduction!

BTW: there's an in-joke on the cover almost nobody born after 1975 will get!
(But almost all the readers of Topps' never-reprinted Bombast #1 in 1993 did understand and appreciate!)
All the listed creatives worked on Marvel's Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos!
"Wah-Hooo!" was the squad's battle cry!)
Additional BTW: all the creatives were active during the Silver Age and Bronze Age!
But both Dick Ayers and John Severin began working in comics at the end of the Golden Age!
And Jack (King) Kirby himself was there at the dawn of the Golden Age up to the "present" (1993)!
So that's three generations of creators who happily leaped to participate in this project on the strength of Kirby's name alone!

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Kirby: Genesis

A retelling of elements of the Secret City Saga which also combines other Kirby projects like Galaxy Green, Captain Victory and Silver Star!

Kirby Reading Room BOMBAST "Bombast Lives!" Part 1

Moving from 15,000 years ago (as we saw yesterday) to the "present day" of 1993...

...Chicagoans (including Savage Dragon) are about to meet the first of the Ninth Men to be revived from suspended animation!

To Be Continued...

Thursday!

And before you ask, yes, Erik Larsen granted permission to utilize his Chicago-based Image Comics character, Savage Dragon, in this tale to help foster the "Silver/Bronze Age" feel with an almost-traditional "heroes meet up but fight due to a misunderstanding" event.
Considering how much Jack Kirby has influenced Larsen's storytelling/illustrating style, I suspect Erik might have wanted to, at least, pencil the tale, but was unable to do so!
As it is, plotter Roy Thomas, writer Gary Freidrich, penciler Dick Ayers, and inker John Severin are all in top form as they follow through with the concept in this never-reprinted story from Topps' Bombast #1 (1993), producing a kool example of how comics used to be before the "Dark Age of Comics" begun by Watchmen and Dark Knight Returns in the mid-1980s!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

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Kirby: Genesis

A retelling of elements of the Secret City Saga which also combines other Kirby projects like Galaxy Green, Captain Victory and Silver Star!