Reading Room SILVER STARR "Operation Space Disc" Part 1

A blond space adventurer with a hot girlfriend and bearded scientist...

 ...you were expecting, maybe, Flash Gordon?

To be continued...
NEXT WEDNESDAY!

An illustrator in the classic Alex Raymond/Austin Briggs vein, Australian Stanley Pitt worked on a number of beautifully-rendered, commercially-successful strips that could charitably be called "carbon copies" of previous series.

Ironically, his most innovative strip, Gully Foyle (based on Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination, failed to make it to market. (Read why HERE.)

Written by Frank Ashley, illustrated by Pitt for Silver Starr #1 (1952)

BTW, note that, in an era where most Australian comic books were b/w or two-color, Silver Starr gets the more-expensive full color treatment!

Reading Room "The World You WILL Live In" Part 2

In 1950, what amazing advances did we think the 21st Century would bring?

Unlike our previous post's predictions, most of these have not come true!

Only the wristwatch one has occured, on only with expensive, high-end timepieces!

This never-reprinted feature from Harvey's Flash Gordon #2 (1950) features art by Bob Powell, though the writer is unknown!
This was one of three different new one-page features that appeared in all four issues of the series which reprinted the classic Flash Gordon Sunday newspaper strip by Alex Raymond, reformatted for the comic book page, and with new covers (not by Alex Raymond).
The others were "Stories Behind the Stars" (about the myths behind constellation names) and "Know Your Planets" (about the other worlds in the solar system).

Design of the Week SANTA'S SURPRISE!

Each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another.

This week,we take a look at a Santa Claus who's been naughty, not nice, in this vintage, saucy, 1930s comic cover!
Available on mugs, blankets, t-shirts, and many other goodies!

Under the X-Mas Tree: Behold...the Blue Bolt!

In the 1940s, comic books were the equivalent of videogames today. Everybody started publishing them, even the staid Saturday Evening Post! Their comics line was Novelty Press, and to create the lead character, they commissioned young up-and-coming writer/artist Joe Simon.
Simon came up with the concept, plot, and character designs and produced the first issue of Blue Bolt. But, by the second issue, his workload between this and other projects was so overwhelming, that to stay on deadline (Yes, there was a time when comics artists actually MET deadlines!), he partnered with another young up-and-comer, Jacob Kurtzburg.
You know him as...Jack Kirby!
(In the '60s he would, with Stan Lee, co-create The X-Men, The Fantastic Four, Iron Man, The Hulk, Thor...basically 95% of Marvel Comics' Silver Age line-up, almost all of whom are still going strong today! Yeah, THAT Jack Kirby!)
Thus, with The Blue Bolt, the legendary Golden Age team of Simon & Kirby born!
As to the character himself...he was a football star who was struck by lightning (twice), recovered, flew his private plane to get help, crashed it so hard that it fell thru to the center of the Earth where the inhabitants of an advanced civilization used radiation to save and improve him, was given a costume and weapon, and sent to battle the local super-villain, The Green Sorceress.
And that was just the origin story!
Then things really got busy!
It took a year for Blue to both fall in love with, and finally defeat, Greenie. Then realizing World War II was under way, he went to the surface to battle the Axis.
Simon & Kirby moved on to create other, even higher-profile, projects (Captain America, Newsboy Legion, Young Romance, etc.) but Blue Bolt chugged on, surviving until the early 50s, when, after changing from a superhero to horror title, it was laid to rest as a result of a public outcry against comics led by Dr. Wertham.
We at Atomic Kommie Comics™ have resurrected the valiant hero as part of our Lost Heroes of the Golden Age of Comics™ line, including his first appearance, his (in our opinion) BEST cover, and his final Golden Age cover appearance!
For a fan of the Golden Age of Comics, Jack Kirby, or the Blue Bolt himself, any of our shirts, mugs, mousepads or other goodies would make great Christmas gifts!
Show the fanboy (or fangirl) in your life you know what they like!

Reading Room "The World You WILL Live In" Part 1

In 1950, what amazing advances did we think the 21st Century would bring?

As shown in this uncredited (and never-reprinted) feature from Harvey's Flash Gordon #1 (1950), four of the five predictions have come to pass, albeit in modified form.
This was one of three different new one-page features that appeared in all four issues of the series which reprinted the Flash Gordon Sunday newspaper strip by Alex Raymond, reformatted for the comic book page, and new covers (not by Alex Raymond).
The others were "Stories Behind the Stars" (about the myths behind constellation names) and "know Your Planets" (about the other worlds in the solar system).