Wednesday, February 10, 2021

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder AIRSHIP ENTERPRISE "Infernal Machine" Part1b

Responding to a distress call from a nearby research vessel, the crew of the Enterprise encounter a floating debris belt...which turns out to be both living organic matter...and hostile!
(Don't you hate it when that happens?)
To Be Continued...
Next Wednesday!

While not exactly original, it's a fun "alternate universe" take on the concept.
The characters aren't clones of the characters of the series' "inspiration", so there's some unique aspects to both plot and character interaction!
But there's enough in-joke "reference" to keep any serious fan entertained!
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Graphic Novel re-presenting the mini-series along with additional goodies

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Did You Know a Black Artist Penciled the FIRST Graphic Novel from a Comics Publisher?

Graphic Novels are the standard format for innovative storytelling today...
But "back in the day", as they say, it was an untried concept!
Written by Arnold Drake and Leslie Waller (as "Drake Waller"), illustrated by penciler Matt Baker and and inker Ray Osrin, the digest-sized 1950 one-shot from St John Publications is a pulpish "film noir" tale at its' coolest!
Dark Horse Comics (which published a high-quality reprint available below) explained it thusly...
In 1950, writers Arnold Drake and Leslie Waller, both attending college on the G.I. Bill, envisioned a sophisticated, novel-length comic tailored to their peers. Collaborating with comics art master Matt Baker, known for singularly defining the genre of "good girl art" on titles such as Phantom Lady, they crafted a film-noir inspired masterwork of romance, intrigue, and moral relativity. When cynical newspaperman Hal Weber reunites with old flame Rust Masson, he finds the beguiling widow of a mining magnate willing to do anything to undermine the local political machine--her only opponent for total control of Copper City!
Though not specifically-mentioned, penciler Matt Baker was one of the few Black artists of both comic books' Golden and Silver Ages!
It Rhymes with Lust was the basis of our 2017 Summer Blogathon spanning several RetroBlogs!
Start at True Love Comics Tales and experience not only comics history, but Black history as well!
Note: The thanks of a grateful nation go to Kracalactaka, who found the scans of the St John first edition in the wilds of the internet, cleaned them up, and made them available!
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Monday, February 8, 2021

Monday Madness THE STAND "Afterward"

...here's the personal notes of the writer, penciler, color artist, and editor of the maxi mini-series that, combined can be considered the War & Peace of graphic storytelling!
Roberto Aguirre-Sacsca is currently the executive producer/creative director of the various Archie Comics TV shows including Riverdale, Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Katy Keene, as well as the CEO of Archie Comics!
Mike Perkins continues to work for both Marvel and DC, usually both penciling and inking (a rarity in the business)!
Laura Martin may have started as a colorist, but she's now considered one of the preeminent color artists in the comics field, enhancing great illustrations and salvaging bad artwork!
Editor Ralph Macchio is now retired, no doubt exhausted from working on The Stand!
Sadly, he has no on-line presence I can link to!
He is not the actor who plays The Karate Kid nor is he related to him an any way!

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collecting all six miniseries and the SketchBook plus an exclusive Companion in one huge HTF and OOP two-volume slipcased set!

Sunday, February 7, 2021

Now THIS is a SUPER Bowl!

Today, we PARTY, with our own Super-HERO Bowl!
A marathon of comic book-based DVDs and BluRays from around the world (including the Japanese Spider-Man live-action series with the giant Spider-Robot!).

Thank the tech gods for multi-region players!
See you tomorrow with more exciting tales!

Saturday, February 6, 2021

Space Force Saturdays SPEED CARTER "BEMs"

There's never a dull moment in the future world of Speed Carter...
...as this never-reprinted tale from Speed Carter: SpaceMan #3 (1954) aptly shows!
The aliens in this story aren't identified by planet of origin or species.
The name given them, "bems", was a popular sci-fi slang term for "bug-eyed monsters"!
So, where are they from?
What species are they?
We'll never know, since they never appear again!
Written (as are all the Speed Carter stories) by Hank Chapman.
Illustrated by original artist Joe Maneely in his swan-song to the series.
Note: this was the last story in #3, but the first one from that issue we're presenting.
Maneely would later do a Famous Explorers short and a cover, but this was his last Speed Carter story.
There are two more Maneely Speed Carter tales to come...
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(under the pen-name "Paul French")
 Omnibus of ALL Six Space-Opera Sagas!
David Starr: Space Ranger, Pirates of the Asteroids, Oceans of Venus, Big Sun of Mercury, Moons of Jupiter, Rings of Saturn