Friday, June 10, 2016

Reading Room: WOLFF "Lady of the Wolves"

...he had been cursed to become a literal version of his name...a lycanthrope!
Is Wolff fated to repeat this nightmare whenever the Moon is full?
Or is there a way to defeat the curse?
While this chapter of the Wolff saga, written by Luis Gasca (aka Sadko) & Estaban Maroto and illustrated by Maroto from New English Library's Dracula #5 (1972) leaves us hanging, the next chapter will offer an answer...though it might not be one Wolff likes!
Join us in July at our "brother" RetroBlog Hero Histories, as we complete the Wolff Saga!

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Reading Room: WOLFF "Night of the WereWolf"

...well, that doesn't sound promising, does it?
I don't remember this ever happening to Conan...
This tale from Dracula #4 (1971) was written by Sadko superbly-illustrated and co-written by Esteban Maroto.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Reading Room: WOLFF "Sorceress of the Red Mist"

...where technology and magic are both considered "dark arts" by the majority of inhabitants of this barbaric future!
Is it just me, or does the Sorceress of the Red Mist remind you of sexy space heroine Agar-Agar, who was also published in the Dracula anthology magazine (and was also written by Wolff co-scripter Luis Gasca under the pen-name "Sadko")?
Or was that eye-makeup thing just a fashion trend in the early 1970s?
Esteban Maroto rendered this tale from Dracula #3 (1971) with his usual superb linework.
Not sure who colored it, though..

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Reading Room: WOLFF "World of the Witches"

...where technology and magic are both considered "dark arts" by the majority of inhabitants of this barbaric future!
Is it just me, or does the Sorceress of the Red Mist remind you of sexy space heroine Agar-Agar, who was also published in the Dracula anthology magazine (and was also written by Wolff co-scripter Luis Gasca under the pen-name "Sadko")?
Or was that eye-makeup thing just a fashion trend in the early 1970s?
This tale from Dracula #2 (1971) was superbly-illustrated and co-written by Esteban Maroto.

Monday, June 6, 2016

Reading Room: WOLFF "Path of the Dead"

Wecome to one of the best "barbarian in a post-apocalyptic future Earth" strips...
...as we present the saga of Wolff the Barbarian.
Written by Luis Gasca (under the pen-name "Sadko") & Esteban Maroto, illustrated by Maroto.
Published in England in Dracula (1971), a 12-issue partworks magazine* by New English Library, the first 6 tales made their American debut in Warren Publishing's HTF Dracula TPB in 1972 which reprinted #1-#6 of the British Dracula's run.
The remaining tales from #7-#12 have never been published in the US.
This week, we'll be catching up with chapters 1-5.
We will be presenting the remainder of the complete Wolff strip (including the never-seen in US tales) over the summer on our brother RetroBlog Hero Histories!
Watch for it!
*Partworks magazines are a limited series issued from weekly, fortnightly, or monthly.
They usually run 12-24 issues for each volume.
When the final issue in a volume is published, the publishers offer a wraparound cover to make the complete set into a hardbound book. 
The buyer is offered the option to bind the magazines themselves or send the set to the publisher who professionally-binds the mags and sends the bound volume back to the customer.
This concept is extremely popular in Europe, but has never caught on in America, despite numerous attempts.