Reading Room TALES OF SUSPENSE "Creature from the Black Bog!"

Is this guy a "Kirby Kreature"?

Art by Francesco Francavilla

Read the story and judge for yourself!

While it's clear that Steve Ditko penciled and inked this Stan Lee-scripted tale from Atlas' Tales of Suspense #23 (1961), did he design the Creature?

It's unknown if the moody cover by Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko predates the interior art.

But considering the differences in facial detail, I'd say it was done first, which would make this monster a Kirby Kreature!

The George Roussos version from Marvel's Monsters on the Prowl #19 (1972) follows the Ditko design pretty closely, but shows the elderly couple as teenagers/young adults!

Monsters Unleashed looks like a lot of fun, so get it at your local comic shop...NOW!

FindAComicShop.com

Comic Shop Locator!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Monsters Unleashed: Prelude
(which, sadly, doesn't include the Creature from the Bog's premiere appearance!)

Berni Wrightson Exhibition 1977

Even with less than a decade of published work...

...the comics field knew Wrightson was a singular talent!

The (now defunct) New York Comic Arts Gallery devoted an exhibition to the work of this then up-and-comer!

These scans are from a HTF comic-book sized catalog produced for the exhibition.

Note: the story "They Just Fade Away" appeared in Marvel's EPIC Illustrated #34 (1986).

Absolutely Incredible Comics was never published.

The koolest part is reading Berni's own opinions of his work.

Want to see more?

Let us know!

Please Support Hero Histories

Visit Amazon and Order...

Berni Wrightson

A Look Back

Reading Room AMAZING ADVENTURES "Exhibit One!"

One of the classic cliches of sci-fi is "aliens treating humans beings like zoo animals".

While this Allen Anderson cover indicates the story starts out that way...it ends...well, wait and see...

This never-reprinted tale from Ziff-Davis Amazing Adventures #2 (1951), takes the cliche and adds a new twist.

While we don't know who the writer is, we do know the artist is Alex Schomburg, who had a long career as a pulp and comic book artist, not only penciling and inking, but painting covers as well!

BTW, the writer, more than likely, is the book's editor...Jerry (Superman) Siegel.

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Order...

Chroma

The Art of Alex Schomburg

Berni Wrightson (1948-2017)

In tribute, here's a quartet of intro pages illustrated by Berni Wrightson...

...for DC's 100-Page Super Spectacular #4 (1971)

Titled "Weird Mystery Tales", the reprint anthology featured brand-new art for the section headers with Berni himself as a "host" doing intros...

BTW, none of these headers has ever been reprinted!

So, unless you own this HTF issue, this will be the first time you've ever seen these pix!

Here's the book's text piece, a never-reprinted story with a large Wrightson illo, and a cute twist ending!

Yep, Wrightson's the protaganist!

Trump Reading Room aka the Outhouse FARMER'S DAUGHTER "Short Subjects"

Since Donald Milhous Trump's "deplorables" have short attention spans...

...here's a trio of one-pagers that will probably hit the limit of their attention!

This never-reprinted story from Stanhall's Farmer's Daughter #1 (1954) was typical of the sort of lowbrow humor the publisher specialized in.

With titles including Broadway-Hollywood Blackouts and G.I. Jane, Stanhall produced adult-oriented (but never more risque than PG-13) humor.

Animator Hal Seegar was the editor/writer/illustrator for the non "good girl" strips like "The Farmer", while Bill Williams handled the art for the more risque material (like the title feature) which Seegar wrote and edited.

Please support

Atomic Kommie Comics

Visit Amazon and Order...

Best of Li'l Abner

by Al Capp