The "Star Wars" Defense System...in 1962!

You think Ronald Reagan was the first US President to think of it?

From Drift Marlo #1 (1962) Art by Tom Cooke

In the early 1960s, we already had satellites in orbit that would have detected missile launches from the "damn Communists"!

Code-named MiDAS for Missile Defense Alarm System, the plan was to eventually put anti-missile missiles in orbit that could supplement land and sea-based defenses.

As it was, a number of scanner-equipped satellites were orbited, but the crude sensors kept mistaking other heat sources (including sunlight reflected from heavy cloud cover) as missile launches, so the plan was eventually abandoned.

We mention this because the project is one of the central elements of the current entry featuring the Silver Age character Drift Marlo: Space Detective at our "brother" blog Crime & Punishment™.

Check out Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE!

Here's some more fact-based feature pages from the Drift Marlo series showing the future as we hoped it would be in 1962...

Who says comics aren't educational?

Reading Room: SPEED CARTER: SPACEMAN "Space Trap"

"Wow! That's the second biggest robot I've ever seen!"

But, in the 1950s (or the future as seen from the 1950s), giant robots didn't transform into trucks...

This is the sort of story you wish Joe Maneely had ten pages instead of five to play with to allow a couple more pages of robot vs spaceship mayhem.
The series continues to play up the Saturnians as the future's equivalent of the Chinese Communists of the 1950s.
Written (as are all the Speed Carter stories) by Hank Chapman and illustrated by original artist Joe Maneely.

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Design of the Week Redux--King Kola

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 do a "redux"!
This week, once more, an ad for a soft drink (like Kooba Cola) that never existed!
What's even kooler is that the art is by the renowned creator of Plastic Man, Jack Cole, who did very little advertising art!
(Cole was working for Harry Chesler Studios when he did this ad which appeared in several Chesler comic books.)
We've digitally-remastered it from a mint-condition comic for large repro on thing like beach blankets and posters as well as t-shirts, mugs, bags and other collectibles that would be perfect for beach and vacation use!
Order now, because next Sunday, it'll be gone like an ice cream cone in the hot sun!

Sit on It, FanBoy/Girl! THE "Must-Have" Item for San Diego!

Remember San Diego on July 24th, 2010?

When reality became MORE frightening than a horror comic!

Holy Injury to the Eye Motif!

Commemorate one of the most infamous events in San Diego ComicCon history in comfort with this cozy convention blanket that'll keep your butt warm on the cold hotel or convention center floor while you're waiting in line for a panel, presentation, or autograph session.
A generous 50" x 60" (over 4 feet by 5 feet) with a totally machine-washable vintage four-color horror comic image, this conversation-starter is big enough to share with a cute cosplayer (or two)!
Order now for delivery in time for SDCC!
BTW, the art is also available on t-shirts, mugs, and other kool kollectibles!

Preview: THE SHADOW #6 Cover by Francesco Francavilla

Who Knows What Evil...?

Francesco Francavilla does, as this cover for #6 of Dynamite's new Shadow comic book shows!
Check out his blog entry about it, the Spider, and his appearance this weekend at Charlotte's HeroesCon HERE!

BTW, if you want more The Shadow stuff, have a look at...

The Shadow: the never-reprinted 1994 Alec Baldwin movie adaptation HERE!

The Shadow's never-reprinted Bronze Age adventures with The Batman and The Avenger as well as never-reprinted Frank Robbins-illustrated stories HERE!

The Shadow's never-reprinted, campy costumed Silver Age adventures HERE!