Friday, May 27, 2016

Reading Room CLIFF HANGER "Chapter Two: Claws of Death"

...on with the show!
Be Here...NEXT WEEK!
Written by Bruce Jones and illustrated by Al Williamson, this backup strip from Pacific Comics' Somerset Holmes #2 (1983) perfectly conveys the fun and excitement of 1930s-40s movie serials!
Jones and Williamson worked on a couple of other projects together, including a short story for the Alien Worlds anthology series and the comic adaptation of the 1980 Flash Gordon movie!

Thursday, May 26, 2016

Reading Room JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY "Somewhere Hides a...Thing!"

Though the Mighty Thor tales from Journey into Mystery have been reprinted over and over...
...the stories that filled the back pages have rarely, if ever, been seen since the early 1960s!
This never-reprinted Stan Lee/Steve Ditko tale from Marvel's Journey into Mystery #84 (1962) is one of those hidden treasures!
Watch for more of them...

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

Reading Room: FLASH GORDON "Chapter One: Treachery in Torneo"

Most people don't remember (or never knew) about this bit of comics history...
...when Marvel tried what Dynamite is currently doing, reviving the King Features Syndicate adventure characters in comic books!
To Be Continued
Next Week!
Of the three characters' (Flash Gordon, Mandrake, and The Phantom) series, this one was the best, featuring the one-time-only dream team of Mark (Xenozoic Tales) Schultz and Al (Do we have to tell you?) Williamson working on one of their favorite characters in a true labor of love!
Look for various "Easter eggs" and tributes to Flash Gordon history, like the spaceship on the first couple of pages, which is the one Flash, Dale, and Zarkov flew from Earth in the first Buster Crabbe movie serial!
BTW, if you want more Williamson Flash Gordon (and who wouldn't?), check out our re-presentation of his comic adaptation of the 1980 movie...
...by clicking here...

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Reading Room FLYING SAUCERS "Far Out Physical"

Both Gold Key and Dell produced UFO-themed anthology titles in the 1960s...
...with decidedly-different approaches!
Editor Don (D J) Arneson wrote all the stories in the four-issue run of Dell's Flying Saucers, also making sure the various artists presented a fairly-consistent "look" to the aliens.
In the case of this tale from #1 (1967), Sam Glanzman brought his realistic, natural style to a story using many of the established elements of UFO lore.

Monday, May 23, 2016

Reading Room CAPTAIN JOHNER AND THE ALIENS "Forced Landing"

...we see how working together can have unexpected benefits!
Writers Eric Freiwald & Robert Schaefer and creator/artist Russ Manning take a deceptively-simple story and add an unexpected twist with this tale from Gold Key's Magnus, Robot Fighter #5 (1963).
Nicely done...