Best of Reading Room KENTON OF THE STAR PATROL "Monster-Men of Space!"

It's time for interstellar adventure with Kenton of the Star Patrol...

...as another talented artist takes the reins from Wally Wood and Joe Orlando for Kenton's final tale!

This Kenton story from Avon's Strange Worlds #6 (1952) is penned by Gardner Fox and rendered by Everett Raymond Kinstler, who left comics for fine art (including numerous official portraits of US Presidents).
Previous Kenton artists Joe Orlando and Wally Wood did the cover for the issue...

...but, when the cover was reused for IW/Super's Eerie #1 (1958), which contained stories from Spook Comics, the art looked decidedly-different!

Was the Eerie cover the original version, which was modified to make the alien match the Kinsler-drawn aliens?
Ironically, when the Kenton story was reprinted, it had a totally-new cover by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito featuring aliens who looked nothing like the Monster-Men...

And there's yet another twist to the tale of this tale, which we will tell...next week, when we go from Strange Worlds and Strange Planets to Strange Galaxies!

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Design of the Week Redux! SANTA'S ELVES ON STRIKE

Each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another, unless it sells really well!

Then we extend it for another week!

This week...Go back 79 years ago, to November 1938 and see...when elves were part of the 99%!
(You'll note that the cover is dated January, 1939. But it was actually on sale in November, 1938! Publishers used to cover-date comics and pulps two to three months ahead of the actual on-sale date to keep the books on the stands for as long as possible!)
And it looks like the elves aren't going to settle for sweatshop wages and conditions at the North Pole anymore!
Why not pick up this kool design on mugs, greeting cards, and other Christmas collectibles NOW!
Christmas will be here before you know it!

Reading Room ANYTHING GOES! "Heroes"

Sometimes you come across a beautiful piece that speaks for itself...

...such as this never-reprinted Alex Toth piece from Fantagraphics' "benefit book" Anything Goes! #1 (1986)

Exactly what Anything Goes was can be discovered HERE.

Several such "benefit books" (and "benefit portfolios") were produced in the 1980s, including Eclipse's Destroyer Duck (to aid Steve Gerber in his Howard the Duck lawsuit against Marvel), and Last Gasp's Strip AIDS U.S.A. (benefiting the Shanti Project, an AIDS education and support organization!)

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Strip AIDS U.S.A.

Friday Fun TALES OF SWORD AND SORCERY "Cult of the Cave Bear"

The second try at a Tragg strip...

...dropped any elements of science fiction, and went for pure fantasy...including zombies!

This Don Glut-scripted. Jesse Santos-illustrated story from Gold Key's Mystery Comics Digest #9 (1973) has never been reprinted, nor are the events or other characters referred to in the subsequent Tragg and the Sky Gods series, which we'll begin next Friday!

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Chariots of the Gods

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Best of Reading Room KENTON OF THE STAR PATROL "Sirens of Space"

Kenton goes hand-to-hand with space pirates...

...and to think he gets paid to do this sort of stuff!
Where do I sign up for the Star Patrol?

This Kenton story from Avon's Strange Worlds #5 (1951) demonstrates Joe Orlando and Wally Wood's talent for rendering both exotic machinery and beautiful women.
It's also their final Kenton story, but not their final work on the character.
He did the cover for the next issue, which features the final tale in the Kenton series, but illustrated by another artist!
You'll see that one on Monday!

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