Showing posts with label Space Adventures. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Space Adventures. Show all posts

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Reading Room: SPACE ADVENTURES "U.F.O.: Healers from Nowhere"

What's more "halloweenie" than an alien invasion?
...so here's one that also involved a Hatfield & McCoy-type feud among hillbillies.
Sooner than you think, Mr Mann...like Tomorrow!
This rather low-key story from Charlton's Space Adventures #60 (1967) was the first part of a three-part book-length tale that gets wilder as it goes on.
Not that unusual for comics of the Silver Age...except for three things:
1) It was a full-length story in an anthology title.
Anthology books usually had two or more stand-alone stories.
2) The story produced a sequel, which was published a year later!
3) Most importantly, each chapter of this tale was illustrated by a different artist!
This premiere chapter was rendered by "Melonius Thonk" (a play on popular jazz musician Thelonius Monk) a pen-name used to cover an apparent artist jam since every page has different stylistic elements.
The remaining two chapters were rendered by artists who penciled and inked their own work, as you'll see tomorrow and Saturday.
BTW, the entire story from the final issue of this book's first run was written by Denny O'Neil using his "Sergius O'Shaughnessy" pseudonom.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Reading Room: SPACE RANGERS "Operation PLUTO"

We continue the scientifically-silly adventures of the Space Rangers...
...with a tale from Space Adventures #2 (1952) that, even in the 1950s, didn't make sense!
You'll note the Space Rangers are now referred to as "Space Officers".
We're not certain why, since tv's Rocky Jones: Space Ranger didn't debut for another two years, and DC Comics' Space Ranger didn't appear until 1958, so it's not a trademark or copyright problem!
For whatever reason, the "Space Officers" moniker will remain for the duration of the series.
This tale from Charlton's Space Adventures #2 (1952) was illustrated by Art Cappello, who followed Al Fago & Lou Morales' costume and character designs.
The writer is unknown.


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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Reading Room: SPACE RANGERS "Invasion from the Moon"

Yesterday, the Moon was invaded by aliens from Saturn...
...today, the Moon is used as a dumping ground for nuclear weapons, resulting in serious complications!
(Apparently, they never aired Space: 1999 in this universe!)
This tale from Charlton's Space Adventures #1 (1952) was illustrated by Frank Frollo. who followed Al Fago & Lou Morales' costume and character designs.
The writer is unknown.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Reading Room: SPACE RANGERS "Mad-Man of Mars"

In the '50s you couldn't swing a dead Slime-Cat without hitting an interplanetary policeman...
...so here's the first appearance of Charlton's contribution to the mayhem from Space Adventures #1 (1952)!
At this point, they're called "Space Rangers", but that won't last long.
In #2, the leader, Rex Clive takes top billing on the strip, which is retitled "Rex Clive and His Space Officers".
Then it becomes just "Rex Clive" until it's final appearance in #7.
Ironically, as of #15, Space Adventures began a new strip adapting a hot new tv show...Rocky Jones: Space Ranger!
I don't think Rex Clive would've found that turn of events amusing...
Illustrated by Lou Morales.
The writer is unknown.
And yes, Space Rangers/Space Officers/whatever will be joining Space Squadron and the Space Sentinels in the Reading Room.