Sunday, October 30, 2011

Reading Room: CLASSIC COMICS "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...
It's 1790 in Sleepy Hollow, a secluded glen in upstate New York.
Ichabod Crane, a lanky, intelligent (but extremely superstitious) schoolmaster, competes with Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, the handsome and athletic town rowdy, for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and sole child of wealthy farmer, Baltus Van Tassel.
When Ichabod and Brom both attend a party at the Van Tassels, Brom prepares to deal with his rival...
Click on the art to enlarge and read
Did a ghostly Headless Horseman abscond with Ichabod?
Or did Brom Bones simply scare him away?
We will probably never know...

You'll note from the cover at the top of the post, that the Headless Horseman took second billing to the tale of Rip Van Winkle.
When the book was reprinted as part of the Classics Illustrated line with a painted cover (as most Classic Comics were), the Headless Horseman wasn't even mentioned, although his tale was still in the book!
Happy Halloween!

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Reading Room: CLASSIC COMICS "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" Part 1

With Halloween almost upon us, let's look at one of the most famous ghost tales of all...
Click on the art to enlarge and read
as told in Classic Comics, the predecessor to Classics Illustrated, in a story adapted by Dan Levin and illustrated by Rolland H Livingstone.
What does Brom have in mind for Ichabod?
Be here tomorrow for the answer!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Captain America the First Avenger Now on Blu-Ray & DVD

Click on the art to enlarge!
GO RENT OR BUY IT OR DVD or BLU-RAY!
The perfect Saturday matinee flick!
Director Joe Johnston, who directed The Rocketeer and was the SFX art director on Raiders of the Lost Ark captures the 1940s beautifully in a movie that evokes the excitement of classic movie serials the same way those other films did!

or the
plus these kool items available on Amazon...

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Reading Room: EERIE Dracula Conclusion

Dracula has made Lucy Seward a vampire.
Dr Van Helsing arrives, too late to save the poor girl, but not too late to send her tormented soul to the afterlife by staking her thru the heart.
Now, his attention turns to her master...Count Dracula!
Though there were a number of Frankenstein tales in the Golden Age, including Dick Briefer's long-running series, there were only a couple of appearances by our favorite vampire (usually a cameo) before this story in 1953!
The trend continued until the late 1960s when Dracula became a supporting character in the b/w Vampirella magazine.
In 1972, when the Comics Code was revised to allow vampires, the Count reappeared not only in short stories, but a long-running series from Marvel highlighted by moody art by Gene Colan.

And, don't forget our brother blog Hero & Heroine Histories™, where we're currently running the Classics Illustrated version of Frankenstein!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Reading Room: EERIE Dracula Part 3

Dracula traveled to England, where he made Lucy Seward his newest victim.
Meanwhile, Lucy's best friend, Mina Murray received news that her fiance Jonathan Harker had been hospitalized.
Rushing to Budapest, she discovers he is speedily recovering, and the two are married that day!
To be concluded...tomorrow!

In case you're wondering why we haven't listed credits for this tale, it's because there aren't any!
We have no idea who the writer and artist(s) are since the art isn't signed and the records for Avon Comics are apparently no longer extant.
However, the art is very well-designed with both clear storytelling and detailed rendering, if slightly-stiff, much in the Reed Crandall / Murphy Anderson school.

And, don't forget our brother blog Hero & Heroine Histories™, where we're currently running the Classics Illustrated version of Frankenstein!