Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Invasion of the Lederhosen Aliens"

The writing takes an odd turn...

...as Plutonians looking like a weird mix of 1930s-40s Swiss and Germans take advantage of an unusual situation...

While not an overt Nazi analogue, these previously-unseen Plutonians from Fiction House's Planet Comics #25 (1943) seem to be looking for expanded Lebensraum ("living space"), much as Hitler's Germany did in the late 1930s!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 7

Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Interplanetary Olympics"

With Earth's Winter Olympics coming to a close this week...

...it's appropriate we present the future interplanetary version held on, where else, Pluto!

Despite the fact almost all the Planet Comics series have episodes involving aliens from the Solar System, none of the Martians from the various strips match any of the others!

As you may have guessed, continuity was not a strong point in Fiction House's editorial policies!

In addition, though promised in the "next issue" blurb for the Norge Benson story at the end of Planet Comics #24, this story didn't appear until Fiction House's Planet Comics #26 (1943)!

We're restoring it to its' proper place in the story order!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 7

Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Mad Scientist and His Metal Man"

Poor Norge got bounced from Monday by Lincoln's Birthday...

...but, knowing his legions of fans missed him, we just bounced him to today!

1) What are "the outskirts of Pluto"?

Pluto's a planet, not a town or city!

2) Why did Lomar claim he fled from Pluto?

He was in a cave on Pluto!

3) If the "robot" actually walked and talked, where were the mechanisms Norge would have to remove to fit in the metal shell?

This sad little tale from Fiction House's Planet Comics #24 (1943) is a far cry from the earlier Norge Benson adventures.

But this time, it's the story that disappoints, not the improving Fran Deitrick/Hopper art!

The script's not cute or whimsical.

It's just bad!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 6

Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Attacked by the Aurorans"

As on Earth, there are hidden races in Pluto's unexplored wilds...

...and like the hidden races of Earth, these guys are somewhat xenophobic!

Since artist Al Walker was now in the military, one of the few female artists in 1940s comics, Fran Hopper (using her maiden name Deitrick) takes over the illustrating duties in her very first comic book assignment!

Though she tries to match Walker's layout style and sense of humor, the tale from Fiction House's Planet Comics #23 (1943) is but a pale shadow of what Walker would have done with the same script!

This is not a dig against Hopper!

Walker was a unique talent, and anybody following him would suffer by comparison.

Fran found her niche doing other strips like Gale Allen and Her Girl Squadron and Yank Aces of World War II, rendering over 120 stories exclusively for Fiction House via the Iger Studio during her career!

Fran passed away this past November.

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 6

Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Plutonian Prehistoric Peril"

When Last We Left Our Hapless Hero...

...he was returning to Pluto after spending a couple of issues on a jungle planet where he met the scantly-clad Princess Jolie...

This tale from Fiction House's Planet Comics #22 (1943), proves artist Al Walker and whoever the writer is haven't lost their sense of the ludicrous!
More cold calamities next Monday!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 6

Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Peace Conference on Pax"

Norge is no longer on Pluto, but a jungle planet with a beautiful princess...

...and you have to ask, "how could he possiblly screw this ideal situation up?"

Well, at least he's still involved with the beatiful princess, eh?
Al Walker's kool design style and sense of humor separate this tale from Fiction House's Planet Comics #21 (1942), from becoming like the standard square-jawed space heroes who filled the rest of the book!
As to what will happen when he (and she) hit Pluto...well, be here next Monday to find out!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 6

Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Princess of Pax"

I don't know if it was the editor's or the writer's choice...

...but as of this issue, Norge left frigid Pluto behind for the jungle planet of Pax and its' scantly-clad Princess!

As of this Al Walker-illustrated tale from Fiction House's Planet Comics #20 (1942), Norge has become more like the standard square-jawed space heroes who filled the rest of the book battling alien menaces and rescuing mimimally-clad helpless heroines!
But, thankfully, the wacky sense of humor that enabled the strip to survive far longer than it's predecessor, Cosmo Corrigan, is still evident!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 5

Reading Room NORGE BENSON "Springtime on Pluto"

The writer of this series is as scientifically-literate as Don (the Con) Trump...

...if his descriptions of Pluto's "global warming" are any indicaction!

This Al Walker-illustrated tale from Fiction House's Planet Comics #19 (1942) is over 70 years old, but it's just as entertainingly-hokey as the day it was created!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Planet Comics

Volume 5