Sunday, February 14, 2016

Reading Room SAVAGE TALES "Fury of the Femizons"

Consider, on Valentine's Day, what the world might be like if the "fairer sex" ran the whole planet...
...as portrayed in this Women's Lib-era story from the b/w magazine Savage Tales #1 (1971)!
(Was it really 45 years ago?)
Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by John Romita, Sr,  this tale had an unusual genesis, as detailed on the editorial page...
Women's liberation.
It's all around us, be we male or female.
marches, intellectual treatises, picketing, bra-burning, some four-letter forensics, and more burnings–not always of bras.
"Women are the equals of men every day, in every way!'
Men are beginning to believe it.
Women always knew it.
So what happens if maybe we come the full circle in, say the next hundred years or so?
What if women turn the rascals out–and we do mean out!
What would we have then?
A better world? Perhaps.
A gentler world? Could be.
A different world? Believe it.
Stan Lee got to wondering-and, by and by, he set imaginative artist Johnny Romita to wondering along with him.
The result is, perhaps, something just a wee bit new under the sun.
Not quite sword-and-sorcery–certainly not science-fiction–and not exactly a political polemic.
Robin Morgan clobbers Buck Rogers in the 25th century!
Kate Millett zaps both Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless–then takes over Mongo for good measure!
The hand that rocks the cradle really rules the world!
A Valentine's Day look at a possible future...as seen from the non-so distant past.  ;-)

Saturday, February 13, 2016

On Valentines Day, Check Out...

"Romance comics?
Yuk!
Why would I read those?"
How about to read never-reprinted work by comics legends...
...John Buscema?
...Wally Wood?
...or Dan DeCarlo doing sci-fi!
(To be accurate, the Dan DeCarlo story has been reprinted in a fantastic [though limited-run] hardcover!)
Want to see more?

Friday, February 12, 2016

RAUMPATROUILLE "Invasion"

These guys are smiling right now...
...but not for long, as we reach the apocalyptic series finale (yes, finale)!
The energy-based aliens known as "Frogs" make their move against Earth, using traitors from within to disable Space Command!
It's all-out war, and you, space cadets have a ringside seat!
Enjoy!
Note: We've tried to embed the English subtitles, but if they don't come up automatically, go to the "gear" icon on the lower right of the video screen, and set them manually.)
We'll be back next week with a detailed look at some of the unique aspects of the series.

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Reading Room WORLD OF FANTASY "If...!"

Ever think men and women are from different worlds?
Our pre-Valentines Day offering proves you right!
Writer Carl Wessler had already used the basic plot for this story twice before:
  1. "If!" in Atlas' Suspense #27 (1953), with the girl and her family being werewolves and vampires (talk about a blended family)! BTW, you can read that version of the tale HERE!
  2. "Out Cold" in EC's Haunt of Fear #25 (1954), with the girl and family shown to be ghouls!
But, by the time this never-reprinted story in Atlas' World of Fantasy #2 (1956) was published, the Comics Code had been implemented, banning "creatures of the night".
So Wessler went with aliens.
Sci-fi was experiencing a resurgence, so it was the logical way to go.
The illustrator was Jay Scott Pike who ended up specializing in romance comics.
You can see some of his work on our "sister" blog True Love Comics Tales.

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

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...