Saturday, February 1, 2025

Space Force Saturdays CAPTAIN QUICK AND THE SPACE SCOUTS "Mystery of the Moon of Mars"

Here's the first of three short features...
...that appeared in the second comic series based on the Tom Corbett: Space Cadet TV show!
Though the art for this never-reprinted tale from Prize Comics' Tom Corbett: Space Cadet V2#1 (1955) is credited solely to Marvin Stein at the Grand Comics Database, the layout appears to be by Jack Kirby, which would make sense since the Simon & Kirby studio was packaging the book for Prize Comics.
Beyond being set in the future, there was no stated connection to Tom Corbett, though they do seem to be part of the Space Service.
This "Captain Quick" is no relation to a suave secret agent character played by Adam West in early 1960s Quick chocolate milk flavoring commercials...


...which many attribute to causing the producers of a new show to cast him as their campy caped crusader!
BTW, in a weird bit of comic numbering, this second series' #1 is Tom Corbett's first #1!
The earlier series (from Dell Comics) began with #4 since the first three issues were part of the Four Color series (#s 378, 400, and 421) which was used to test sales for a particular project or licensed property before giving it an ongoing series!

Support Atomic Kommie Comics!
Visit Amazon and Buy...

Friday, January 31, 2025

Friday Fun YAK YAK "Drama vs Realism"

I'm struck by the disparity of info presented by con and lib media...
...so to keep my spirits up, I decided to run this never-reprinted piece showing the stark difference between how each side portrays a given situation.
I leave it to the reader to decide which (drama or reality) is which (con or lib)...
Dell gave MAD mainstay Jack Davis his own title, to do with as he pleased.
The series, Yak Yak (subtitled "A Pathology of Humor") only ran two issues, but they were pure Davis, who wrote, penciled, inked, and colored the whole project as well as providing painted covers for both issues!
The next (and final issue) had another Drama vs Realism piece.
You'll see that next Friday!
Support Atomic Kommie Comics!
Visit Amazon and Order...

Thursday, January 30, 2025

Reading Room OUT OF THIS WORLD "My Secret"

You may ask "Why is a simple crime story being published in a sci-fi comic?"
The answer will surprise you...
Y'know, Donald Trump and his ilk could take a lesson from this Steve Ditko-rendered tale...illegal alien makes good and government rewards him with a free pass!
Originally-published in Charlton's Out of This World #3 (1957), this oft-reprinted story's author is unknown, but suspected to be Charlton mainstay Joe Gill.
Support Atomic Kommie Comics!
Visit Amazon and Order...

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder HOT STUF' "Heartfelt Thanks"

Remember the movie Fantastic Voyage, about a surgeon and his support staff...
...miniaturized to enter a patient's body to perform a delicate operation?
This is like that...but only up to a point!
OUCH!
Didn't end quite the way it did in Fantastic Voyage, eh?
Written by Kathy Barr and illustrated by Ken Barr, this somewhat grisly tale from SQP's Hot Stuf' #8 (1978) was one of his last comic stories before transitioning to doing movie poster, magazine, and book cover paintings on a full-time basis.

Tuesday, January 28, 2025

Reading Room TALES OF THE UNEXPECTED / FROM BEYOND THE UNKNOWN "Cartoon That Came to Life"

Here's an off-beat tale...
Art by Nick Cardy
...that made the cover both times it was published!
Art by Bill Ely
...though I have to admit the original cover (above) is a bit dull compared to the reprint's cover (top)
Written by Otto Binder and illustrated by Bill Ely, it's a nicely-done story with one obvious question?
Why is the Martian called a "dragon-man"?
His wings are feathered and look more like a bird's...or even an angel's!
The new art for the cover of the reprint gives him scales and a beak so it's a little more like a dragon, but still...
Was the original concept much more lizard/dragon-looking, but the Comics Code Authority forced DC to "tone it down" to the rather innocuous-looking alien?
Trivia: This story is one of the few to be the cover feature both for its' original publication (Tales of the Unexpected #1 [1956]) and the reprint (From Beyond the Unknown #24 [1970])
Support Atomic Kommie Comics
Visit Amazon and Order...