Monday, May 22, 2023

Monday Madness CHAMBER OF CHILLS "Delusion for a Dragon Slayer"

The late Harlan Ellison wrote the novella this adaptation was based upon...
...and considering he had already written a couple of scripts for Marvel, I'm not sure why he didn't pen this retelling of his own tale...under this slightly-misleading (though really kool) Gil Kane/Tom Palmer cover...
This cover-featured adaptation of Harlan Ellison's novella "Delusion for a Dragon Slayer" by writer Gerry Conway and artist Syd Shores in Marvel's Chamber of Chills #1 (1972) was part of editor Roy Thomas' attempt to do new comic adaptations of prose tales by big-name sci-fi/fantasy authors in a group of anthology titles.
Sadly, none of the books survived past the first year without going totally-reprint, or switching over to featuring new horror characters like The Living Mummy
This particular tale shows the weaknesses of the project all too well, with the art failing to really separate Warren Glazer Griffin's fantasy world from the real one, thereby weakening the whole point of the narrative!
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(which contains the short story this comic tale is adapted from!)

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Cover Gallery SPACE ACTION

Here's the complete cover collection for Ace's Space Action...
Art by Lou Cameron
...which share something in common with the covers for Lost Worlds and Fantastic Worlds besides being science fiction-themed (We showed those covers HERE)!
Art by Matt Fox and/or Lou Cameron
Artist unknown
The answer?
None of the covers relate to any of the stories inside the books!
(But they're kool, eh?)

Saturday, May 20, 2023

Space Hero Saturdays BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25th CENTURY "Adventure of the Flying Discs!"

Yes, the 20th Century Guy Who Survived to the 25th Century returns to the 20th Century...
...(1950, to be exact) to take on Commies of various ethnicities, explains what flying saucers arnd and who's piloting them (It ain't little green men)!
Cover by Murphy Anderson and an unknown inker
This never-reprinted tale illustrated by Ray Chatton, from Toby Press' Buck Rogers in the 25th Century #100 (1950) was done specifically for the comic, unlike Buck's previous comic book appearances, which were newspaper strip reprints.
(BTW, though the book is "#100", it's actually the first issue from this publisher!)
"Korosa" is, obviously, Korea, where the Korean War broke out on June 25, 1950.
It's interesting to note that, in the 25th Century, peace reigns on Earth and there are rocket bases and other international facilities in Korosa/Korea!
Plus, the unknown writer apparently wasn't exactly conversant in the concept of time travel...which, even at this stage in science fiction literature, pretty much stated that interference in the "past" usually-resulted in catastrophic rewriting of history in the "future/present" as shown in stories like "A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury!
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Friday, May 19, 2023

Friday Fun HICKORY "Reel Life"

...in business development and taxes, let's look at how ReichWing rural Repugs like his followers see the media in this never-reprinted tale from Quality's Hickory #6 (1949)!
Illustrated (and probably written) by Harry Sahle, this comic series began in the anthology All-Humor Comics, then spun-off into it's own, short-lived, title when All-Humor was cancelled.
In 1948-49, superheroes were all but kaput.
Comics were experimenting with every genre imaginable to see what would sell.
Li'l Abner was a major success in newspapers and had already spawned a radio series and feature film!
Strips like Looie Lazybones had long been a part of anthology titles, and series like Ozark Ike, and Babe had earned their own titles, though it was probably due more to their emphasis on the characters' involvement in sports than their rural origins.
Hickory, the comic, only lasted six issues.
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Thursday, May 18, 2023

Kirby Reading Room SECRET CITY SAGA "Secrets" Conclusion

Cover by penciler Steve Ditko and inker Bill Sienkiewicz.
...the outnumbered good Ninth Men have been captured by the evil Ninth Men, who have also captured President Bill Clinton and replaced him with a metamorph!

Next Tuesday:
The Cataclysmic Conclusion!
(And no, they didn't title it "War of the Weirds"!)

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retelling of elements of the Secret City Saga which also combines other Kirby projects like Galaxy GreenCaptain Victory and Silver Star!