Reading Room TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED / FROM BEYOND THE UNKNOWN "Cartoon That Came to Life"

Here's an off-beat tale...

Art by Nick Cardy

...that made the cover both times it was published!

Art by Bill Ely

...though I have to admit the original cover (above) is a bit dull compared to the reprint's cover (top)

Written by Otto Binder and illustrated by Bill Ely, it's a nicely-done story with one obvious question?

Why is the Martian called a "dragon-man"?

His wings are feathered and look more like a bird's...or even an angel's!

The new art for the cover of the reprint gives him scales and a beak so it's a little more like a dragon, but still...

Was the original concept much more lizard/dragon-looking, but the Comics Code Authority forced DC to "tone it down" to the rather innocuous-looking alien?

Trivia: This story is one of the few to be the cover feature both for its' original publication (Tales of the Unexpected #1 [1956]) and the reprint (From Beyond the Unknown #24 [1970])

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Mysteries in Space

The Best of DC Science Fiction Comics

Reading Room LOST WORLDS "Worlds Apart"

"Submitted for your approval, a romantic triangle with unequal sides..."

"...because one point of this scalene triangle is firmly entrenched...in the Twilight Zone!"

(It works if you read it in a Rod Serlingesque voice.)

Cue Twilight Zone theme music...

While the writer for this story from Standard's sci-fi anthology title Lost Worlds #5 (1952) is unknown, the art is by Nick Cardy, who began his career in the Golden Age and kept working up until he passed in 2013!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder LOST WORLD "United We Stand"

When Last We Left Hunt Bowman...

...now that was a serious synopsis for this tale from Fiction House's Planet Comics #22 (1943)!

Though the writer is still unknown, the strip has a new look thanks to artist Nick Cardy (using his full name "Viscardy").

But it'll change when yet another artist does the next chapter!

BTW, I have no idea why page 38 has a 1/3 page ad on the left!

Next Week, the return of 1990s cyber-weirdness with Harsh Realm!

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Roy Thomas Presents

Planet Comics

Volume 6

(which includes this story and other kool space-oriented stuff)

Design of the Week Redux: LOVE ON THE BEACH

Each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another, unless it's both timely and selling really well, like this one.

It's romance on the sands and under the Moon in this vintage 1970s romance comic book cover by Nick Cardy.
Available on all sorts of kool kollectibles from t-shirts and pajamas to mugs and beach blankets HERE.

Design of the Week: LOVE ON THE BEACH

Each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another.

This week, it's romance on the sands and under the Moon in this vintage 1970s romance comic book cover by Nick Cardy.
Available on all sorts of kool kollectibles from t-shirts and pajamas to mugs and beach blankets HERE.

Nick Cardy 1920-2013

For decades, one of the most prolific artists in the industry...

...Nick Cardy was one of the unsung heroes of the business.

While never receiving the acclaim of a John Buscema or Gil Kane, Nick Viscardi produced over 1800 covers and stories (from shorts to book-length tales) for almost every major comic company from 1940 to 2008!

Every generation knew him for different things...

In the Golden Age, he was the co-creator of the long-running Senorita Rio.

In the Silver Age his work defined the look of Aquaman and the Teen Titans.

In the Bronze Age he was the primary cover artist for DC Comics, giving everything from superheroes to horror to romance to westerns his distinctive stamp.

We've featured a number of his tales on our blogs...

True Love Comics Tales

Heroines

Femmes Fantastique

...and there'll be more to come, since he left such a huge body of work covering every genre.

Thank you, Mr Cardy, and rest in peace.

Señorita Rio: the FIRST LATINA Comic Book Heroine!

"Señorita Rio" was the code-name given to popular Hispanic-American film actress Rita Farrar (real name: Consuela Maria Ascencion De Las Vegas), as she performed espionage against Axis agents in Central and South American countries, using a tour to promote her movies as a cover.
She was proficient with weapons, and could handle herself in perilous situations, requiring rescue by male associates far less frequently than most heroines of the Golden Age.

Based on real-life actress and World War II pin-up queen Rita Hayworth (who most people don't realize was Hispanic-Irish-American! Her real name was Margarita Carmen Cansino), Señorita Rio started as a backup feature in Fight Comics #19, and took over the cover slot as of #37 for a year.
After that, she remained as a backup, at least, until #71, when she retired from espionage and returned full-time to her acting career.

The first few Señorita Rio stories were illustrated by noted Golden and Silver Age artist Nick Cardy, but the bulk of her tales were rendered by one of the few female artists of the era, Lily Renee, who did spectacular work in every comics genre: sci-fi, adventure, superhero, war, western, horror, and romance!

Atomic Kommie Comics™ has lured Señorita Rio out of retirement, as beautiful and deadly as ever, on two of her best covers, in our Heroines™ line of cool comics-based collectibles including tops, bottoms, t-shirts, mugs, and other goodies!
(She's also one of the dozen dynamic dames on our Heroines™ 2010 12-Month Calendar!)

If you're a gal who wants to show off a classic example of female empowerment, or a guy who's confident enough in his masculinity to display a strong (and voluptuous) woman, head over to see Señorita Rio!