Space: the Final Frontier (for Christmas Gifts)...

Since the 1890s, and the heyday of Jules Verne and H.G. Wells, science fiction-themed presents have found a place under the Christmas tree and in Xmas stockings for the young (and young at heart)!
Continuing that entertaining tradition, Atomic Kommie Comics™ is proud to offer our line of retro-design sci-fi/fantasy collectibles, The Future WAS Fantastic!™, for both kids AND adults!
We're talking 12-month calendars, mousepads, mugs, magnets, t-shirts, sweatshirts and other goodies featuring some of the niftiest illustrations from the comic books, pulp magazines, and movie posters of the 1930s-1960s, all digitally-restored and remastered!

Spaceships with wings and big fins!

Ray Guns that can zap an entire army in a flash!

Slimy Aliens!

Killer Robots!

Heroes in bubble-helmeted tight spacesuits!

Heroines in even tighter space suits!

Never did the future look so...stylish!
If you're looking for something in the vein of Star Wars or Star Trek (You did know that George Lucas wanted to remake Flash Gordon, but King Features didn't want to trust a young director whose biggest credit at that point was American Graffiti, didn't you?), here's the stuff that provided the visual inspiration for today's hi-tech flights of fantasy!
Enjoy, and may your rocket tubes never overheat...

Reading Room CAPTAIN SCIENCE COMICS "Spawn of Saturn"

Welcome to the cover feature of Captain Science #1 (1950)...

...except it's not about Captain Science!

In fact, the story's title isn't mentioned on the cover at all!

(You can find the actual Captain Science tales from #1 HERE and HERE and another solo story HERE.)
It's interesting to see a sci-fi tale where a handsome starship captain doesn't go on a landing party to a potentially-dangerous locale!
The writer is unknown, but the art is by Walter Johnson, who not only penciled and inked his own work, but ran a studio that supplied material to a number of comics companies, so some of his "signed" jobs (like this one) show elements of several artists' styles.

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Comics Collectibles Store!

Reading Room: LOST WORLDS "Men and Fire"

In 1952, outer space was the "final frontier"...

...and humans were going to tame it, no matter what the consequences!

This never-reprinted tale from Standard's Lost Worlds #6 (1952) was penciled by Ross Andru and inked by Andru and Mike Esposito.
The writer is unknown.

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The Future WAS Fantastic!

Comics Collectibles Store!

The Hardly Abominable SnowMan!

Along with Santa Claus and Scrooge, our frosty friend is one of the most recognizable symbols of Winter and the joyous Christmas Season!
The songwriting team of Jack Rollins and Steve Nelson took the folk-tale of a snowman coming to life and playing with children, only to melt at the end of winter, and adapted it into a song they sold to Gene Autry. who was looking for a follow-up to his previous hit; Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.
Like Rudolph, Frosty the Snow Man turned out to be a major hit single and was adapted to other media, including several cartoon versions, the first of which was a short "music video" version of the song itself...

It is that version, and the subsequent books and comic books of the 1950s that we draw our kool retro-style imagery for our line of holiday goodies including greeting cards, collectibles, infant/toddler/kidswear and adult clothing (sweatshirts and hoodies)!
So come play with the SnowMan! We promise he won't melt!

Reading Room: LARS OF MARS "Secret Origin"

What if 1950s sci-fi shows like Captain Video or Space Patrol were real?

Or if the aliens shown on the screen were real aliens?

As you've just read, that was the premise of the short-lived (two issues) Ziff-Davis series Lars of Mars!

Created by Jerry (Superman) Siegel and Murphy (Buck Rogers) Anderson, this premiere story from the first issue of his own title (which was #10!) established the somewhat-silly premise.

During his run, Lars battled Commies, crooks, and other aliens while protecting his "secret identity" from his nosy producer.

You'll be seeing all of Lars' stories here over the next few months.

Watch for them!

Trivia:

The cover paintings for both issues of Lars of Mars were painted by Allen Anderson, who was not related to interior artist Murphy Anderson!

Here's a "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon"-style fact (done in four degrees)...

1) Ziff-Davis also published a short-lived adaptation of an actual sci-fi tv series, Space Patrol, illustrated by Bernie Krigstein.

2) Krigstein illustrated the first issue of another Ziff-Davis sci-fi series: Space Busters!

3) Bernie was replaced on interior art for the second (and final) issue of Space Busters by...Murphy Anderson!

4) Allen Anderson did the painted cover for the Space Busters issue illustrated by Murphy! (Norm Saunders had painted the first issue's cover!)

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MARTIANS! MARTIANS! MARTIANS!

Comic Collectibles Shop

featuring the covers of both issues of Lars of Mars!