Friday, July 15, 2016

Reading Room DEATH RATTLE "Xenozoic!" Part 1

With one simple, invented word and a passion for dinosaurs and EC Comics...
...a young writer-artist named Mark Schultz created one of the more successful comic series of the 1980s!
What has Jack discovered?
Find Out...
Plus, we'll toss in some background about both the series and the creator!

Thursday, July 14, 2016

Esteban Maroto's WOLFF is Back!

Wolff-themed cover art for New England Library's Dracula #6 (1972) by Enrich!
...the saga of Esteban Maroto's post-apocalpytic barbarian continues HERE with the last tale published in America!
But fear not!
The remaining chapters that never made it to our shores will be presented this summer at our "brother" RetroBlog, Hero Histories!

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Reading Room: FLASH GORDON "Chapter 4.1: the Man Who Would be Ming!"

...all you really need to know is Flash Gordon and Ming the Merciless are finally about to meet face-to-face!
A classic high-adventure tale by writer Mark Schultz and illustrator Al Williamson, little-seen in either its' first publication in Marvel's Flash Gordon #2 (1995) or the reprint in the HTF Flesk Publications' Al Williamson's Flash Gordon: a Lifelong Vision of the Heroic (2009).
We have more rarities coming up, so watch for them!

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Reading Room: SPACE ADVENTURES "Lunar Rendezvous"

A 1950s-style script with art that tries to offer a 1960s "psychedelic" feel...
...in this never-reprinted tale from Charlton's Space Adventures V2#6 (1969)
Sam Glanzman was an amazingly-versatile artist, whose work in every genre was usually exemplary.
Whether this was a rush job, or he simply had an off-week, or he was experimenting with a new inking style, it's just not up to his usual high standards.
BTW, you may notice the indicia says "Vol 1 Number 6", but the book is actually from Vol 2 Number 6!
Charlton's first Space Adventure title ran from 1952-56, then 1958-64 for a total of 58 issues.
This tale was from a 1968-69 revival of the title that lasted only 7 issues.

Monday, July 11, 2016

Reading Room CAPTAIN JOHNER AND THE ALIENS "Fear of the Unknown"

...we discover Earthmen are as frightened of the Aliens as they were when Earthmen landed on their world!
First, let me apologize for not posting a Captain Johner & the Aliens tale last week.
Monday was the 4th of July, so we were going to post CJatA on Tuesday, but the passing of actress Noel Neill preempted it, and, at that point, with an-already scheduled Flash Gordon for Wednesday, we thought it best just to bump the strip a week.
Today's tale from Gold Key's Magnus, Robot Fighter #10 (1965) continues the established pattern of xenophobia that both species apparently share.
It was also the final story to be reprinted in Gold Key's 1960s one-shot reprint anthology of the Aliens tales, leaving the audience for that book with a semi-cliffhanger.
Unlike them, we'll continue next week...