Reading Room COLOSSUS COMICS "Colossus A.D. 2640" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

Note; Colossus never wears this garb in the story.

...in 2640, Plantaliens invade the Solar System, heading for Earth.

Meanwhile, Dr. Blitzmann claims to have perfected a growth hormone safe for humans and injects volunteer test subject Richard Zenith with it.

Unfortunately, Blitzman's lab assistant (and daughter) Eve mis-computed the dosage, making it 200 times stronger than planned.

Zenith grows to a height of over 2,000 feet, but the injection has also mentally-unbalanced him.

Proclaiming himself "Colossus", Zenith heads for Urbania, the capital of United Earth (as well as the Tri-Planetary Federation), to make himself the planet's ruler.

Meanwhile, the Plantalien fleet draws closer...

There was no second issue of Colossus Comics.

Pulp magazine company Sun Publications (whose titles included Golden Fleece Historical Adventures and 10-Story Book), abandoned their attempt at a comic book line after publishing this and one other title, Sun Fun Comiks.

Sun Publications went out of business two years later.

According to the blurb at the end of the story, Reinsberg (no first name known) and Bernie Wiest intended a sequel (where, presumably, Colossus would don the armor shown on the cover), but it's unknown as to whether the tale was ever drawn...or even scripted.

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Science Fiction Comics

Taylor History of Comics

Vol 3

Wednesday Worlds of Wonder MEDUSA CHAIN Part 1

In the mid-1980s, both Marvel and DC "discovered" the graphic novel format...

 ...and unleashed a slew of them onto an unsuspecting audience!

The Story Continues, Next Wednesday...

This one-shot was part of the mid-1980s "DC Graphic Novel" program publishing creator-owned properties in a magazine-sized format.

Unfortunately, the line was rather hastily-conceived and implemented, resulting in a hodgepodge of books (both original stories like this and adaptations of prose novels) in various genres that were never properly-promoted.

The project was terminated after seven issues, with only Jack Kirby's Hunger Dogs showing a profit, and that was due to the heavy promotion received by anything New Gods-linked since the Super Powers line of products (based on the Fourth World characters along with classic DC heroes) were introduced at that time.

Written and illustrated (in full painted color) by the highly-underrated Ernie Colon, this never-reprinted "futuristic film noir" gem deserves a wider audience than it received when it was published almost 40 years ago.

So, for the rest of the month, we'll be re-presenting it for your reading pleasure.

Reading Room COLOSSUS COMICS "Colossus A.D. 2640" Part 1

When you see how sophisticated (in terms of story and art) most of today's "graphic novels" are...

...it's hard to believe this is how the format began!

Published in Sun Publications' Colossus Comics #1 (1940) and produced by Reinsberg (no first name known) and Bernie Wiest, it reads like a dream as told by a third grader!

Thursday: Things get Weirder (really)!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Science Fiction Comics

Taylor History of Comics

Vol 3

Monday Madness: FLYING SAUCERS x FOUR #2 "I Discovered the Secret of the Flying Saucers!"

Last Monday, we looked at the first of four stories involving sentient flying saucers...

Art by Jack Kirby and either Christopher Rule or George Klein

...all written by Stan (the Man) Lee.

Today, we'll look at the second one, with art by the most famous collaborator of all...Jack (the King) Kirby!

At this point, Lee was editing the entire Atlas (soon to be Marvel) comics line...as well as scripting most of it!

But, this story shows indications of being done using the "Marvel Method" of having the writer and artist discuss the story, the artist then co-plotting and drawing it, then the scripter writing dialogue and captions to fit.

With distinctive art by Jack Kirby and Christopher Rule, the cover-featured tale from the first issue of Atlas' short-lived 1958-59 anthology Strange Worlds, feels more like something from Kirby's previous anthology series, Race for the Moon, rather than Lee's previous horror-oriented take on the concept of "alien IS flying saucer"!

The "epic space adventure" feel was something a lot of Kirby's previous work had, while most of Atlas' sci-fi stories (edited or written by Lee) favored a more "personal"approach with a minimum of spectacle, and certainly no half-page or full-page shots of alien cities or space battles!

Stan Lee has acknowledged that he was using the "Marvel Method" in 1961 when the first appearances of Amazing Spider-Man and the Fantastic Four were created, so it's obvious the time-saving technique, that gave more creative input to the illustrator, was already in use.

So I'm going with:

Plot by Stan Lee & Jack Kirby

Layout/Pencils by Kirby

Script by Lee 

Inks by Christopher Rule

Trivia: This was Kirby's first sci-fi story on his return to Atlas/Marvel!

Next Monday, see how Atlas/Marvel's most idiosyncratic artist handled the same plot two years later!

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics!

Visit Amazon and Buy...

Science Fiction Comics

Taylor History of Comics

Vol 3

What's the PERFECT GIFT for Your Sweetheart on Valentine's Day?

Comics aren't just about spandex-clad heroes and heroines in battles of cosmic import!
They also tell intimate tales of heartbreak and true love, betrayal and redemption, and misery and sheer joy!

With than in mind, Valentine's Day is coming, and what says "True Love" better than a gift from 
True Love Comics Tales™?
(Plus, it's both longer-lasting AND cheaper than a dozen roses!)
Choose from dozens of designs on greeting cards, teddy bears, calendars, shirts/tops/intimate wear, diaries, and many other kool kollectibles!

A public service announcement for all lovers from your friends at Atomic Kommie Comics™