Reading Room TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED "Cartoon That Came to Life"

Let's wind up the week with an off-beat tale...

Art by Nick Cardy

...that made the cover both times it was published!

Art by Bill Ely

...though I have to admit the original cover (above) is a bit dull compared to the reprint's cover (top)

Written by Otto Binder and illustrated by Bill Ely, it's a nicely-done story with one obvious question?

Why is the Martian called a "dragon-man"?

His wings are feathered and look more like a bird's...or even an angel's!

The new art for the cover of the reprint gives him scales and a beak so it's a little more like a dragon, but still...

Was the original concept much more lizard/dragon-looking, but the Comics Code Authority forced DC to "tone it down" to the rather innocuous-looking alien?

Trivia: This story was the cover feature both for its' original publication in Tales of the Unexpected #1 (1956) and the reprint in From Beyond the Unknown #24 (1970)

Reading Room ROCKET TO THE MOON Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

The first appearance of Maza of the Moon. Art by Robert A. Graef

...Held captive by P'an-Ku, Ted Dustin, along with scientist Shen Ho, plan their escape...

Note: May be NSFW due to racial stereotypes common to eras of both the original novel and the comic.

While there was the potential for one or more sequel stories to this "scientific romance", none was ever done either in prose or comic form.

However, the novel does fit into a "Kline-verse" that links it to OAK's other tales set on other worlds as show HERE.

Note: 

This 1951 one-shot comic from Avon Comics , based on the novel Maza of the Moon by Otis Adelbert Kline, was scripted by Walter (The Shadow) Gibson and illustrated by Joe Orlando and Wally Wood.

Now that's a pop culture pedigree!

Reading Room ROCKET TO THE MOON Part 3

When Last We Left Our Space-Spanning Hero, Ted Dustin...

...he had arrived on the Moon to try to negotiate with the inhabitants, who are bombarding Earth after they mistook a reconnisance missile Ted sent as an attack from Earth!

Note: May be NSFW due to racial stereotypes common to eras of both the original novel and the comic.

Can Ted escape?
Is Earth doomed?
Be here tomorrow for the astounding finale!

This 1951 one-shot comic from Avon Comics was scripted by Walter (The Shadow) Gibson and illustrated by Joe Orlando and Wally Wood.

Reading Room ROCKET TO THE MOON Part 2

When Last We Left Our Spacegoing Hero...

...well, now you know the source material for the comic!

(And isn't that a great Frank Frazetta cover?)

Brilliant young scientist Ted Dustin sends an unmanned test rocket to the Moon, and the inhabitants of the satellite, believing it to be an attack, respond with missiles of their own.

Despite being able to make video contact with the Moon people, the language barrier proves insurmountable and the bombardment of Earth continues.

In desperation, Dustin launches himself in an experimental rocket to the Moon...

Note: May be NSFW due to racial stereotypes common to eras of both the original novel and the comic.

What does Ted encounter?
Be here tomorrow and find out!

This 1951 one-shot comic from Avon Comics was scripted by Walter (The Shadow) Gibson and illustrated by Joe Orlando and Wally Wood.

Reading Room ROCKET TO THE MOON Part 1

Here's a comic story adapted from a sci-fi high adventure novel...

...see if you can guess which one?

Hint: the comic's name is not the same as the novel's!

Note: May be NSFW due to racial stereotypes common to eras of both the original novel and the comic.

Be here tomorrow, when the story lives up to its' title!

And, if you haven't figured out what novel this story is adapted from, we'll show you the cover of the book!

This 1951 one-shot comic from Avon Comics was scripted by Walter (The Shadow) Gibson and illustrated by Joe Orlando and Wally Wood.