Reading Room SENSATION MYSTERY "Vengeance of the Invisible Men!"

Here's a kool, never-reprinted, 1950s sci-fi tale...

...using a combination of different genre cliches!

Illustrated by the legendary Murphy Anderson, this story from DC's Sensation Mystery #110 (1952) combines the following cliches:

Glasses that enable somone to see things nobody else can see!

Creatures from the center of the Earth rising up to attack up!

A heroic human in alien/creature form stopping the enemy from destroying/enslaving humanity!

All of which leads me to believe the unknown writer of this tale is Gardner Fox, who was also working for DC as well as being well-versed in such concepts because he was both an established pulp and paperback novelist and an avid sci-fi fan!

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Mysteries in Space

The Best of DC Science Fiction Comics

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder SPACE ACE "Yo, Bro!" Part 1

This particular comic series was a sequel to a video game and its' short-lived TV series...

...continuing the plotline established in both!

To Be Continued...

Next Wednesday

Written by Robert (Walking Dead) Kirkman and illustrated by Paulo Borges, this opening chapter from CrossGen's Don Bluth Presents Space Ace #1(2003) shows a nice balance between comedy and drama.
CrossGen published almost 70 titles between 2000 and 2004.
Besides creator-owned properties, the company also did a number of licensed projects like this, including Bluth's other big video game Dragon's Lair, John Carpenter's Snake Plisskin, and Masters of the Universe!

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Encyclopedia of Arcade Video Games

Reading Room STRANGE TALES "Save Me From the Weed!"

Yesterday's tale about sentient shrubbery reminded me of a later story...

...with a similar plot, featuring some amazing art by Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers!

Unlike the previous story, this one doesn't diminish the dignity of the hero, whom the protagonist considers "unambitious"...until the end.

Plotted by Stan Lee and scripted by Larry Lieber, this tale from Atlas/Marvel's Strange Tales #94 (1962) was published with a cover date of March, the same month Fantastic Four #3 came out (note the blurb at the bottom of the story).

Strange Tales itself would shortly become the home of several ongoing series including Doctor Strange, The Human Torch (later The Human Torch and The Thing), and Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

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Marvel Masterworks
Atlas-Era Strange Tales #5

Monday Madness WORLD OF FANTASY "Useless Ones!"

As more and more Baby Boomers leave the workforce, will that vast number of retirees still be considered...

Or will they finally get the respect they deserve, and perhaps even envy from stressed-out remaining workers?

This never-reprinted tale from Atlas' World of Fantasy #1 (1956) takes a rather patronizing attitude towards the older characters.

And, if written today, the scientist might be shown as envying the retired couple, who are able to enjoy their now-free time!

Ilustrated by Tony DiPreta, the story's plotter/scripter is unknown.

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Taylor Illustrated History

Science Fiction Comics 

Did You Know the First Captain of the USS Enterprise...

...was Jesus Christ?

Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus Christ in King of Kings (1961)

 Jeffrey Hunter as Captain Christopher Pike with Leonard Nimoy as Mr Spock in Star Trek "The Cage" (1964)
Here's"six degrees of separation" trivia in only five degrees:

• John Huston, who later did a prequel movie, The Bible: In the Beginning, directed Moby Dick, using a screenplay adapted by Ray Bradbury from the Herman Melville novel.
• Ray Bradbury wrote the voiceovers in King of Kings spoken by Orson Welles.
• Welles' The Shadow and Mercury Theatre co-star Agnes Moorehead served as dialogue coach to  Jeffrey Hunter (Jesus Christ) in King of Kings.
• Jeffrey Hunter later played Christopher Pike, the first captain of the Starship Enterprise in the pilot episode of Star Trek, "The Cage".
• Star Trek did an episode, "Bread and Circuses", about a planet where parallel evolution produced a society that resembled a 20th Century version of the Roman Empire, complete with it's own "Christians" and Jesus Christ (who doesn't appear on-camera, but is mentioned in dialogue)!