Reading Room STRANGE TALES "Save Me from the Weed!"

Yesterday's tale about sentient shrubbery reminded me of a later story...

...with a similar plot, featuring some amazing art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers!

Unlike the previous story, this one doesn't diminish the dignity of the hero, whom the protagonist considers "unambitious"...until the end.

Plotted by Stan Lee and scripted by Larry Lieber, this tale from Atlas/Marvel's Strange Tales #94 (1962) was published with a cover date of March, the same month Fantastic Four #3 came out (note the blurb at the bottom of the story).

Strange Tales itself would shortly become the home of several ongoing series including Doctor Strange, The Human Torch (and The Thing), and Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

Reading Room WORLD OF FANTASY "Useless Ones"

As more and more Baby Boomers retire, will the vast number of retirees still be considered...

Or will they finally get the respect they deserve, and perhaps even envy from stressed-out workers?

This never-reprinted tale from Atlas' World of Fantasy #1 (1956) takes a rather patronizing attitude towards the older characters.

And, if written today, the scientist might be shown as envying the retired couple, who are able to enjoy their now-free time!

Ilustrated by Tony DiPreta, the story's plotter/scripter is unknown.

Reading Room SILVER SURFER: THE ULTIMATE COSMIC EXPERIENCE Part 3

We Have Already Seen...

...though he lost the battle against Galactus, the Silver Surfer's rebellion caused Galactus to spare the Earth so he could imprison the Surfer on it.

The tale now diverges totally from the story we've known since 1966...going off on previously-unseen pathways...

Needless to say...

TO BE CONTINUED!

As previously-mentioned, the Ultimate Cosmic Experience graphic novel was based on an unproduced screenplay for a Silver Surfer feature film with Olivia Newton-John as Ardina.

But who would've been the other major new character; Master of Guile?

I think I know...Vladek Sheybal!

Well-known for villain portrayals in From Russia with Love and the original Casino Royale, Sheybal had expanded to sympathetic roles like Dr. Jackson on UFO.
And this clip from the little-seen The Apple (produced in the late 1970s) shows he could carry a tune.
And doesn't the Master of Guile look like Sheybal?

You'll LOVE Love Diaries and Love Letters for Valentine's Day!

Until the intro of texting, blogs, and Twitter, the main way people kept track of their love lives was thru Love Diaries & Love Letters!
In fact, they made up one of the most popular sub-categories of romance comics, with literally dozens of titillating titles!
Let our selection of the best of these these kitchy, campy (and very kool) classic comics covers help you express your true feelings on the Most Important of Days--Valentines Day on greeting cards, teddy bears, mugs, and even "naughty" undies!

And, if they can't assist your love-life, perhaps something from one of our other sections at True Love Comics Tales™ will help get your point across on the Most Important of Days!

Reading Room OUT OF THIS WORLD "From All Our Darkrooms..."

Here's a tale we couldn't tell in today's world of digital photography...

...but until a couple of years ago, it was quite plausable!

Though set in 1972, this tale from Charlton's Out of This World #4 was published in 1957!

Wonderfully-rendered by Steve Ditko at his moodiest, the story was most-likely scripted by Charlton workhorse Joe Gill.

The "negative" effect was achieved by simply making negative photostats of parts of the original art and pasting them onto the art boards before photographing them for color separations.

To demonstrate, here's the printed cover...

...and here's the b/w original art with the caption and negative photostat removed...

You didn't think Ditko inked the right side as "negative space", did you?