Monday, October 2, 2023

Monday Madness WORLD OF FANTASY "Cry for Help!"

Over the centuries, men have come up with many excuses for deserting their families...
...but I've never heard of "for the advancement of science" as a reason!
Illustrated by Kurt (Lois LaneSchaffenberger, and likely plotted (if not also scripted) by editor Stan Lee, this never-reprinted tale from Atlas' World of Fantasy #2 (1956) points out how the family is truly our most important social construct, and how it should not be neglected!
And, you never know when it'll save your life!

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Sunday, October 1, 2023

Tresspassers Will Be EATEN!

Trick-or-Treaters Will be Licked! 

Whether you're a member of Team Jacob, or just love the furry fanged furies, go WEREWOLF this Halloween with our kool kollectibles including recyclable trick-or-treat bags, mini-buttons (great for bag stuffers and they don't rot teeth), magnets, mugs, yard signs and banners, and of course, shirts and hoodies!
Order now or you'll be baying at the moon with regret!

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Space Hero Saturdays MANHUNTER 2070 "Incident on Krobar 3"

A mere 47 years from now...
...the 21st Century's Deep Space will look a lot like the 19th Century's Wild West!
This short appeared in the back of DC's Showcase V1 #90 (1970), leading into the final three issues of the series' original run, dedicated to one of Mike Sekowsky's more innovative projects...
Sekowsky had quite a bit of latitude at DC as a writer/artist/editor during this period, revamping Wonder WomanMetal Men and Supergirl (in Adventure Comics) while also presenting a couple of potential series in ShowcaseJason's Quest and Manhunter 2070.
This prequel was written and penciled by Mike Sekowsky, inked by Dick Giordano.
We re-presented the entire never-reprinted saga...

"Planet of Death" Part 1
"Planet of Death" Part 2
"Planet of Death" Conclusion
"D.O.A." Part 1
"D.O.A." Conclusion
"Next Issue"
"Never Trust a Red-Haired Greenie!" Part 1
"Never Trust a Red-Haired Greenie!" Part 2
"Never Trust a Red-Haired Greenie!" Conclusion
The story ended on a cliffhanger, and the apparent death of Starker.
For twenty years, except for a cameo in the revived Showcase's 100th issue, during a multiverse and time-spanning tale featuring almost every character who headlined a strip in Showcase...except James Bond from #43's adaptation of the movie Dr No...Starker had disappeared from the DC Multiverse.
HA!
Fooled Ya!
In 1990, Howard Chaykin and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez created Twilight, a mini-series combining and "updating" an assortment of DC Comics' 21st Century-based characters including (from left-to-right) Star Hawkins & IldaTommy TomorrowKarel Sorenson (and the rest of the not-pictured Star Rovers), and Manhunter 2070 (who apparently survived the ambush), along with the Space CabbieKnights of the GalaxySpace Ranger, and even the Space Museum!
It was also revealed that interplanetary private eye Star Hawkins was actually Axel Starker, brother to Manhunter 2070, whose full name was Jon Starker...contradicting the only-child storyline from the Showcase series.
Note: Star Hawkins was co-created by artist Mike Sekowsky (who, as a writer/artist/editor created Manhunter 2070) and writer John Broome, so the two characters were "brothers" sharing a "father", as it were.
Chaykin had already radically re-envisioned several other characters, including Blackhawk and The Shadow, and while his controversial Shadow updating (continued by Andy Helfer, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Kyle Baker) wasn't considered "official", the changes he introduced into Blackhawk became part of post-Crisis on Infinite Earths canon.
As to where Twilight stands in terms of continuity...well, we're not sure.
The events in the story have never been referenced in any other DC titles, nor has it ever been reprinted.
Which may be just as well, since Jon Starker dies during the tale.
But, Manhunter 2070 still had one more life left!
DC's continuity being what it is (or isn't) these days, it seems you can't keep an interplanetary bounty hunter dead for long.
In 2012, comics legend Walt Simonson wrote and illustrated a one-shot graphic novel, Judas Coin...
The coin falls into the hands of various people throughout recorded history (including a number of both notable and almost-forgotten DC characters)...
...the final chapter takes the reader to a near-future we have more than a passing familiarity with...
Yep, Starker survived!
Have a look at Manhunter 2070, a worthy addition to our collection of Space Heroes!
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Friday, September 29, 2023

Friday Fun BIG APPLE COMIX "Hi There! I'm Paranoia!"

As NYC's subways are shut down due to once in a quarter-century flooding (at least 7 inches of rain)...
...I fondly remember Big Apple Comix's back cover by Ralph Reese, personifying the response we New Yorkers tend to have to even the most outrageous occurrences!
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Thursday, September 28, 2023

Reading Room (JOURNEY INTO) UNKNOWN WORLDS "Prisoner of TIme!"

Here's a weird tale, even by the loose standards of 1950s comic book sci-fi...
...and, to top it off, thr tale is told by persons unknown!
Neither the writer nor artist(s) for this never-reprinted story from Atlas' Journey Into Unknown Worlds #36 (1950) have been conclusively identified, though some think longtime Atlas/Marvel production pro Sol Brodsky penciled it.
BTW, though it was numbered #36, it was actually #1 in the Journey into Unknown Worlds series!
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