Reading Room STRANGE TALES "I Am the Abominable Snowman!"

We presented tales from pre-Marvel Atlas Comics of catching and finding "Abominable SnowMen" HERE and HERE!

So this never-reprinted Atlas Comics' story's title seems almost...inevitable!

This story from Atlas' Strange Tales #72 (1959) is the weakest of the three "Snowman" tales, both in terms of writing (by an unknown scripter) and art (by journeyman Paul Reinman).

The plot's too convoluted and illogical.
The art tells the story competently, but not dynamically.
And it's obvious Reinman was rushed while inking it, making it hard to make out details.

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Atlas-Era Marvel MasterWorks

Strange Tales

Volume 6

(The final volume, reprinting issues 49-57)

Reading Room STRANGE WORLDS "I Captured the Abominable Snowman!"

Last month, we presented Jack Kirby's epic tale about the Abominable Snowman HERE...

Now let's see a rather intimate story of one man's obsession with Yeti, illustrated by Steve Ditko!

Like the Jack Kirby-illustrated Abominable SnowMan story, no one (including Marvel) is certain who scripted this tale from Atlas' Strange Worlds #1 (1958).
It ain't Stan Lee, because almost everything he scripted featured his name/signature on the splash panel along with the artists' names!

And, you'll note that neither tale shows the "real" Yeti, just people or other creatures mistaken for it!
There's a third variation on this story, by a different artist, which we'll present on Thursday!

BTW, this was the second comic with the Strange Worlds title.

The first one was published by Avon Comics from 1950 to 1955.

This series ran for five issues in 1958-59.

Since then there have been several one-shots with the title from various publishers, usually reprinting stories from the Avon series.

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Marvel Masters of Suspense Omnibus
Volume 1

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko
(which reprints this story)

Reading Room WORLD OF FANTASY "It Stands in the Snow"

We've presented "abominable snowman" stories before...

...but none that ends like this one!

We guarantee it!

OK, did you follow the surprise ending?

Admittedly, it's a little difficult due to the final panel being drawn sideways.

Let's run the final panel the way it should be shown...

Now that works!

Was this never-reprinted tale from Atlas' World of Fantasy #2 (1956) a four-pager that was re-worked into three pages?

Only artist (and Atlas/Marvel production whiz) Sol Brodsky and the unknown writer knew...

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Taylor Illustrated History

Science Fiction Comics 

Reading Room TALES TO ASTONISH "I Found the Abominable SnowMan" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

Art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers

...reality TV show producer Victor Cartwright stops at nothing to get ratings, even faking some of the wonders he shows on the cathode screen!

When he publicly promises to deliver film of the legendary Abominable SnowMan, Cartwright dons a furry costume to fake some footage.

But things go terribly wrong when a huge furry creature captures him and takes him via an advanced drilling ship into the depths of the Earth, where Victor discovers...

Whatever happened to the stranded lizard-man?

The cover art above was reused, but not for a reprint of the story you just read!

When it appeared on the cover of Marvel's Where Creatures Roam #5 (1970)...

Art by Jack Kirby, Dick Ayers with additions by Marie Severin

..it was to cover-feature a reprint of a different furry character (also drawn by Kirby and Ayers) that had it's own cover when it appeared in Tales to Astonish #18!

Why didn't they use that art?

Most likely, the original photostats and printing films of that cover had been lost, so Marvel decided to modify the art for TtA #24 that they did have stats for!

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August 1961 Omnibus
(Featuring EVERY comic published by Atlas/Marvel the month Fantastic Four #1 hit the newsstands!)

Reading Room TALES TO ASTONISH "I Found the Abominable Snowman!" Part 1

Baby, it's COLD outside!

So, here's one of the coolest (literally) giant monster tales from the final days of Atlas Comics' pre-Marvel Universe Tales to Astonish! told by the King himself, Jack Kirby, assisted by inker Dick Ayers!

Be Here Thursday...

...when things get even hairier for Victor Cartwright!

(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

Unfortunately, there's no available record (or even consensus among experts) as to who wrote this snow-bound story from Tales to Astonish #24 (1961).

But, if you haven't read this tale previously, the conclusion does have a couple of surprising developments!

BTW, when we said this was from the "final days" of the pre-Marvel Universe Atlas Comics, we weren't kidding!

The very next month saw the debut of Fantastic Four #1, launching the Marvel Age of Comics!

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August 1961 Omnibus
(Featuring EVERY comic published by Atlas/Marvel the month Fantastic Four #1 hit the newsstands!)