Sunday, April 12, 2015

Design of the Week: CIVIL WAR

Each week, we post a limited-edition design, to be sold for exactly 7 days, then replaced with another!
This week, commemorate 150th Anniversary of the end of the Civil War with this kool retro graphic by none other than Jack (King) Kirby!

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Reading Room: ABRAHAM LINCOLN: LIFE STORY "End of the Civil War & Asssassination"

Most people don't realize that the end of the Civil War and the murder of President Abraham Lincoln in 1865 were less than 1 week apart!
This section of Dell's never-reprinted one-shot Abraham Lincoln: Life Story (1958) was written by Gaylord DuBois, pencilled by John Buscema, and inked by Alberto Giolitti.
Be here next week as we present a number of graphic visions of Lincoln's final day...

Friday, April 10, 2015

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)

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Reading Room ROCKET TO THE MOON Conclusion

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!

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Reading Room ROCKET TO THE MOON Part 3

...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.