Thursday, September 25, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Avon's The Unknown Man (1951)
Facing someone who says they can't stand golden age comics because of the writing? It is time to start pulling out the Avon one shots. Like this one... The Unknown Man (1951, art by Louis Ravielli) "The strange, bewildering tale of a man on trail for his life, and the man who hold it--and justice--in his hand!"
...An eye for eye, a tooth for tooth, and that killeth that man shall be put to death...
The link only has the main story in the book. The
second story is "The Nightclub Swindel" by Lesile Charteris and A. Chollingsworth.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
“Dixie Dugan”
"A man is never too young to become a cartoonist. John Striebel, who draws the widely popular “Dixie Dugan” cartoon strip, won national prominence at the age of fourteen when he was recognized as the youngest front-page cartoonist in the country." -- Modern Mechanix: Dixie Dugan’s Fathers
Much has been said about Dixie Dugan, so I will not rehash it here. For More information on this multi-media comic strip girls see the links at the bottom.
Image via The blog of Joakim Gunnarsson
Lambiek: John Henry Striebel
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Mr. Muscles!
Brett Carson suffered from polio, but through determination and hard work he was able to become the most prefect man on earth--Mr. Muscles!Mr. Muscles came to be from the mind of Jerry Siegel in March 1956. Charlton threw in the towel on Blue Beetle (1955), and kept the numbering from his magazine as they replaced him with Mr. Muscles. Bill Fraccio was the artist for the first issue, #22. For the second and last issue, Charles Nicholas and John Forte were in charge of the art with Siegel still doing all the stories.
It is important to point out this is the ad in the front of the comic. Both issues are full of ads just like these, making it seems like a big advisement.
Not only did Mr. Muscles have a sidekick, but there was a Miss Muscles too! She only lasted two pages in issue #22.
You can read the origin story from #22 on scans_daily along with Miss Muscles' story (with a backup link here). You can read the story of Kid Muscle and Mr. Muscles vs. Jake Armbuster on dreamwith.
The final story in issue #23 is call "Steeple Jack," but more on him in another post.
In the way of more information...there isn't much....
International Catalog of Superheroes: Mr. Muscles
Oddball Comics - Mr. Muscles
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Johnny Doughboy
Staring in Military Comics #14 Bernard Dibble's" Johnny Doughboy", knocked "Inferior Man" out for the humor filler spot. Johnny Doughboy fit the military them more the the parody-superhero. Johnny lasted as long as the title Military Comics did. His final appearance is #43.
From Military Comics #28...Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Star Pirate
He is only known as Star Pirate. No one knows from where he hails, only that he captains the ship "Revenge" and has yet to meet his match. Star Pirate began in Planet Comics #12, and lasted till #64, when reprints started. (But he's in #65, #67, 68 and 70 of the reprints.) His original wrier used the pen name "Leonardo Vinci." The owner is unknown, but the artist for most of the strips signs. The original was Al Gabriele, but later the title sported Maurice Whitman, Leonard Starr, and Joe Kubert. It was young artist Murphy Anderson, along with writer "Len Dodson," who handled the largest part of the run, staring in #33.
Star beings and ends his adventures being thrown up against one gorgeous female villain after another. For the first part of his career it is done along side his purely loyal first mate, Trodelyte or Trody. Trody only make it to #31, where he is replaced by Star's "Martian-pal" Gura. Gura only makes it to #35.
But in #36, Star picks up the pirate that will stay with him to the end of his run.
Once a enemy, Blackbeard joins with Star to escape the rival band of pirates.You can read the story here. #36 also is when Star Pirate becomes a comic for laughs over serious drama.
Below a story from from Planet Comics #41. Star takes a spaceship of male colonists to a forgotten world populated only by women.
UK monthly, Planet Stories (Atlas, 1961-62), reprints some of the Planet Comics titles, including Star Pirate. Series info for Planet Comics.
Murphy Anderson essay by Michel Vance
More Star Pirate on the way!Friday, June 20, 2008
Peterkin Pottle
Peterkin Pottle is a life guard, a early American hunter, and an all around great hero. Peterkin Pottle is a high imaginative little boy.In real life Peterkin goes to a school where he has to sit in back of the class for being stupid. He is consetly teased by the other kids, except for the lovely Patty.
Peterkin Pottle is one of the earliest original creations of John Stanley. He started appering in 1949 and issues #32 to #38 of Raggedy Ann and Andy star Pottle on the cover.
Peterkin Pottle gave John Stanley a chance to show off his dark humor and really start to play with one of his favorite themes, social alienation.
From Raggedy Ann and Andy #33 you can read this Peterkin Pottle story on The John Stanley website.Below is the story from Raggedy Ann and Andy #38.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
The Comet
Jack Cole is remembered for his creation of Plastic Man, but the stretchy superhero wasn't his first super powered savior. Scientist John Dickering discovers a gas 50 times lighter than hydrogen. By injecting this gas into his blood he gains he the ability jump high into the air, achieving near flight. After his experiments continue he finds that by crossing his eyes he can focus beams to desegregate whatever is in his path. Knowing what this could do in the wrong hands, John destroys the formula and picks up a costume to become The Comet.
The Comet ran trough Pep Comics #17, but Jack Cole was only the writer as far as #5. Before Cole left he had John meet reporter Thelma Gordon, who remained his girlfriend till the end of his series.
Shortly before he meets Thelma, he is hypnotized into stealing and killing a police officer, becoming a fugitive. Thelma believes he is innocence and falls in love with him. For a while the two work together, by #17 she is asking him to turn himself in so they can live normally.
For More Information...
The Comet - Don Markstein's Toonopedia
The Comet (International Superhero)
Dangerous Origins, part 2
The Mighty Crusaders (The Comet was a member when revived later in comics)
Be sure to check the tags for more on The Comet.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Lil' Eightball
Three "Lil EightBall" cartoons were produced and distributed through Universal Pictures in 1939. Black Like Me: The History Of Black Comic Book Heroes Through The Ages Part One 1900-1968 by Dart Adams makes mention of one of the Lil Eight Ball cartoons and give a short background on the character with pictures. "A-Haunting We Will Go" provides more screen shots for the last of the cartoons with a light background.Dell took the short-lived, animated character from 1939 and dropped him into the pages of New Funnies. Lil' EightBall is a black boy growing up in the rural south. It has all the racist stereotypes one might expect with that setting.
From New Funnies #106 (Dec 1945)
page 01 // page 02 // page 03 //page 04//page 05 //page 06 // page 07//
Der Captain give his thoughts on Lil Eightball after seeing "A-Hunting We Will Go"
Here is the story of Lil Eight Ball B-17G-35-DL 42-107215 from the 709th Bomb Squadron which featured the character as it's nose art.
I am not sure who owns it now, but New Funnies is not in the Public Domain. It is safe to say Lil Eightball will never be re-printed, but you can still find the cartoons running around and unadvertised episodes on Walter Lantz's Cartoons DVDs.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Betty Bates, Lady at Law
Staring in Hit Comics #4, Betty Bates finds danger everywhere she turns. Sometimes she jumps into trouble, sometimes it grabs her and runs. Either way "Betty Bates, Lady at Law" was one of the better back-up in Hit Comics, outlasting it's cover stars: Neon the Unknown, The Red Bee, Kid Eternity, and Hercules. Betty Bates, Lady at Law (later called Attorney at Law, then just Betty Bates) has no side kick or repeating cast for most of her run. As Hit Comics began to cut some of its length, only becoming five or six stories and issue, Betty picks up Larry. Larry is a Police reporter who clearly has a crush on Betty, the new District Attorney.
Larry is often used as comic relief, but never falls to being the consent funny man or the annoying side kick. He backs Betty up in her out of office adventures, but he never has to save her. The strip is not degraded by the additions of a side kick like many other strips have been.
Betty was created by the name she is usually credited to, "Stanley Charlot." Stanley Charlot, a pen named used only on Hit Comics, is credited to Bob Powell by The Grand Comics Database (Hit Comics) and Lambiek Comiclopedia (Comic creator: Bob Powell). Some Hit Comic readers give credit to Al Bryant, who later did all the art for the strip. Artists Nick Cardy also worked on the title before Al Bryant came in, but is never credited with writing it. Alice Kirkpatrick is credited with the art on some of the last issues.
Betty Bates sometimes has alight, funny story, and sometimes a darker of crime. Below you will find a light one.
From Hit Comics #12 "One Hamburger with Trouble!" Art by Al Bryant
Click here to read and be sure to come back for more Betty Bates!
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Klaus Nordling and Lt. Drake of the U.S. Naval Intelligence
Writer and artist Klaus Nordling, famous for his work on Lady Luck, started his career in 1939. His first work is Baron Munchausen, a Sunday strip comic. Soon he was working with Fox Comics on "Spark Stevens" and "Lt. Drake of the U.S. Naval Intelligence."F. Klaus, who singed the first panel of the comic below, is really Nordling. He did do the pencil work here, if not the writing. The writer is is marked as unknown by the Grand Comics Database, but Nordling did the writing on a number of strips.
Now to see some early work! Here is Mystery Men #12 (July 1940)"The Stuffed Fish Smugglers"More more infomation on Klaus Nordling:
Klaus Nordling (Artist Profile)
Nordling, Klaus (Who's Who Bio; A few of his pen names, and a list of known works)
Friday, April 25, 2008
The Mouthpiece
"A newly elected district attorney, Young Bill Perkins, draws the ridicule of older officials because of his alert action methods. When out after first-hand evidence, Bill wears a mask and to the evasive figures beyond the law he brings terror and grim respect--to them he is...The Mouthpiece!" The above is from Mouthpiece's first story, and it is the only introduction creator Fred Guardineer ever gives. Mouthpiece is yet another 1940s, blue suited lawyer tired of the red tape. He stands out from look a likes The Sprit and Midnight because he is played complete straight. His comics are darker, more violent, and generally not as good.
Mouthpeice only lasted until Police Comics #13. In modern times, he has shown up as part of the DC Universe in Dr. Mid-Nite #1. Not as a crime fighter, but as a law advisor to Dr. Mid-Nite who lost his family to AIDS.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Blaze Barton and The World of the Future
In 50017 A.D. the Earth is spiraling towards the sun. Professor Solis and his daughter Betty (Avis by #3) create a great, heat-proof city for the best and brightest. The rest of the humans dies, and in their place the creatures from the center of the Earth have crawled out to live. Blaze Barton (dropping "and The World of the Future" after issues #1) ran for 13 issues of Hit Comics. Information of the creator is unknown, but artist for the first story was Henry Kiefer. Blaze goes though a lot of artist and a lot of gal pals.
You're set to read Blaze Barton now. That's all you really need know.
Hit Comics #1 "Doomsday and Afterwards" Writer Unknown; Pencils Henry Kiefer
Page 01//Page 02//Page 03//Page 04//Page 05//
More Information...
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Stories By Famous Authors Illustrated
Stories By Famous Authors illustrated was a 1950s, 13 issues series of adaptations from literature. Stories were usually 32 pages with two or three text stories at the end of the issue. Issues #1 through #5 were reprints of Fast Fiction with different covers, put out a year earlier. Stories By Famous Authors has some great history (and covers) on it's front page,"This series was first produced by Seaboard Publishing as Fast Fiction and provided competition for the more well known series, Classics Illustrated. The series used some of the same artists as that series, including the well known and very well regarded Henry Carl Keifer. Clearly Albert Kanter, the Father of the Classics Illustrated series wasn’t impressed to have another publisher muscling in on his idea and was also angered that Keifer was also churning out some of the Seaboard stories - Hamlet and She refer - and so Kanter bought the upstart in 1951...In fact, if you own The Red Badge of Courage, number 98 in the Classics Illustrated series, then you have what was planned to be number 14 in the series from Stories by Famous Authors and was purchased by Gilberton at the same time as the purchase of the publishing rights for the 13 issued. That is why The Red Badge is only 32 pages long..."
Famous Authors Illustrated #1 The Scarlet Pimpernel Famous Authors Illustrated #2 Captain Blood
Famous Authors Illustrated #3 She, art by Vincent Napoli
Famous Authors Illustrated #4 The 39 Steps
Famous Authors Illustrated #5 Beau Geste adaptation by Dick Davis; art by Henry C. Kiefer.
Famous Authors Illustrated #6 Macbeth, adapted by Danna E. Dutch; art by Henry C. Kiefer
Famous Authors Illustrated #7 The Window (text story: The Boy Who Cried Wolf)
Famous Authors Illustrated #8 Hamlet, adapted by Danna E. Dutch; art by Henry C. Kiefer (see it here) (Text stories: The Christophers, The Skeets calls for Skill, and Everyday expressions)
Famous Authors Illustrated #9 Nicholas Nickleby
Famous Authors Illustrated #10 Romeo and Juliet, adapted by Danna E. Dutch; art by Henry C. Kiefer
Famous Authors Illustrated #11 Ben Hur (text stories: The Word of Law, Te Cheating of Hadschi, Escape from War Prison)
Famous Authors Illustrated #12 la Svengali (text stories: William Tell, The First Commandos, The Rajah Takes A Census)
Famous Authors Illustrated #13 Scaramouche
For more info...
Stories By Famous Authors Illustrated (GCBDB)
If you know of any other links, please leave it in the comments!
Monday, April 14, 2008
Friday, April 11, 2008
Patty O'Day
Newsreel reporter Patty O'Day with her camera man/ever loyal bodyguard, Ham, investigates and adventures her way into her stories. Patty first showed up in Wonderworld #3, written and drawn by Adolphe Barreaux.
Patty is fairly athletic, and something of a of an actor. She has been know to dress up in disguise to get information.
(Image to the left from Wonderworld Comics #8 "Action in Switzerland," drawn by Clarie S. Moe.)
Read some Patty O'day here!
Wonderworld #30 page 01 // page 02 // page 03 // page 04 // page 05 // page 06 // page 07 // page 08
Find out more...
Comic creator: Adolphe Barreaux
Comic creator: Claire S. Moe - signing her work "Vic Todd" (See the story above) and Orville Wells.
See the tags for more Patty Comics!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Crack Comics #10 "Madam Fatal Meets The Jester."
Art and Story by Art Pinajian.Monday, April 7, 2008
Shock SuspenStories
Shock SuspenStories features a mixture of horror, crime, and war stories.
"We've tried to satisfy every one of you readers who have written us insisting that E.C. increase its output! Many of you wanted another science-fiction mag... you horror fans wanted another horror book... and you suspense readers wanted a companion mag to Crime SuspenStories! We decided, therefore, to make this new mag an "E.C. Sampler" ...and to include in it an S-F yard, a horror tale, a Crime SuspenStory, and... for you readers of Frontline Combat and Two-Fisted Tales... a war story! Although there was a wide variance in the types of mags requested, all of you fans seemed to agree on one thing: all of you wanted the stories to have the usual E.C. SHOCK endings! So what could be more natural than to call the magazine SHOCK SUSPENSTORIES?" -- Shock SuspenStories
The war stories don't make it past issue one, but some stories are social issue-based. In fact the comic often tries to teach moral lessons with it's twist endings.
The magazine start in 1952 an ran till 1955, putting out 18 issues in all.
Shock SuspenStories has seen reprints. A black and white collection was put out in the early 1980s. Reprints of all 18 issues were reprinted in the early 1990s. They can still be found running around. Recently, the series has been collected in great full color sets. You'll find links to those below.
If you enjoy shows like Tales From the Crypt, this is a comic for you.
Now for a sneak peek from the individual 90s reprints...
From issues #2 "The Patriots!" by Jack Davis
Page 01 / Page 2 / Page 03 / Page 04 / Page 05 /
Shock SuspenStories #1 "The Rug" by Graham Ingels - [Link Down]
Shock SuspenStories #1 "A Neat Job!" by Jack Kamen - Read it here!
Shock SuspenStories #1 "Yellow" - Read it here
Shock SuspenStories #9 "The October Game" by Jack Kamen - Enjoy it here
Shock SuspenStories #12 "The Monkey" by Joe Orlando -See it here
Shock SuspenStories #15 "Raw Deal" - See it here
Shock SuspenStories #15 "Well Trained" by George Evans. - Read it here
Shock SuspenStories #16 "The Hazing" by Joe Orlando - Read it here (Also see the famous "Are You a Red Dupe?" ad.)
More info....
GCD :: Series - Shock SuspenStories
The Regular artist/writers...
Comic creator: Wallace Wood (Wally Wood)
Pick it up today!
Gemstone - Shock SuspenStories: Volume One
Shock Suspenstories Vol. 1 : Books from Overstock.com
Ebay is good to check too. Especially if you are only looking for one story, or just want to test them out.
Shock SuspenStories, unlike many EC tittles and comics on the blog, is not in public domain. If you like what you've seen here, be sure to pick it up.
Fight Comics #47 Highlight Reel
See Señorita Rio drawn by Lily Renee! (See more of her here!)See Rip Carson, a creation of "Rollin Bell" (Later written Rollin W. Bell) and artist Jack Kamen, staring Fighting Comics #19. Rip was a parachute trooper during WWII, later an ace fighter pilot in Korea. His run is Fight Comics #19 to 85, except #69 when they made the magazine shorter.
See Patty Pinup, a humor strip, by "Sista Swing."
See part of Kayo Kirby, originally a creation of Will Eisner, here by "Chuck Walker."
See Hateful Herman, a humor strip, by "Happy Larke."
See pirate captain "Captain Fight" who appeared in Fight Comics #44-69.
See Hooks Devlin, spy/detective.
See it all here!
711 and Destiny
Daniel Dyce was an up and coming lawyer. When life long friend and look a like Jacob Horn commits an unspeakable crime, Daniel takes the rap just long enough for his friend to see his son born. On the way to the hospital Jacob Horn is killed in an accident, the truth passing away with him.Daniel Dyce knows he will spend the rest of his life as prisoner #711.
Desperate, Daniel finds a means of escape. He spends all his time digging a tunnel past the jail walls. By the time he finshes his digging to his freedom, he no longer believes he can have a life beyond the jail walls, so he crawls back in. Daniel does deiced to use the tunnel. He snanks out at night to become a crime fighter.
Leaving the jail to investigate tips he hears in it's halls, and retuning to jail life during the day. He takes his prisoner number as his costumed name.
711 began running in Police Comics #1 (Aug 1947), written and drawn by George Brenner
Read the Origin of 711 and 711 stories from Police Comics #8 and #9.
But Wait--There is more!
[Spoliers for 711]
711 only ran until Police Comics #15 (January 1943). His final fight is with a man called Oscar Jones, an escaped prisoner from the same jail that holds Daniel. Police Comics #15 tells the story of Oscar's life to the moment he shoots 711 down.
At the end of the comic a man is silhouetted in a dark archway as Oscar runs away. This man is to be Destiny.
Destiny is never given a name, but when we meet him is completely broke, only having enough for his next meal or the price of admission to a show where a drawing for $500 is taking place.
He picks the show, where he meets a performing physic that explains to him that he is able to rule the future of others. Not believing, he leaves, only to decide to try what the physic said. When his finds himself transported to another place, he comes to believe that he is Destiny.
Drawn to the scenes of crimes by a sixth sense, Destiny has transported himself to the office of a plastic surgeon being held up by Oscar Jones, 711's killer. Convinced Destiny is not human when he is faced with the story of how he killed 711, Oscar Jones jumps out a window, escaping.
Destiny's vow to bring Jones to justice is enough for the ghost of 711, who is now able to move on. Destiny spends the next two issues doing just that.
Read right here in Police Comics #15-17
Find more info at...
711 (Quality Comics)
711 at internationalhero.co.uk
711 at Don Markstein's Toonopedia
Destiny at internationalhero.co.uk
The origin of 711 has been reprinted by DC in Police Comics # 1
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Madam Fatal, first cross-dressing superhero
Madam Fatal began running in Crack Comics #1 (May 1940), a creation of Art Pinajian. Fatal debut six months before DC's cross-dressing Red Tornado in Scribbly. Madam's final appearance was in Crack Comics #22 (March 1942) . Pinajian drew the series until the end. Madam Fatal was really retired actor Richard Stanton. When his daughter was kidnapped, he set about making a new life for himself as an old woman. His foes now underestimated his speed and strength, and he easily topped them. No one knew of his secret but his pet bird, a parrot named Hamlet.
Stanton does save his daughter, but continues fighting crime as an old woman. Though now, instead living only as her, he swishes between identities.
Fatal shows up once in the modern era as part of the DCU. At the funeral of Wes Dodds, Wildcat (Ted Grant) mentions Madam Fatal's funeral, where no one showed up but he traveling cast of La Cage aux Folles (JSA #1). Stanton is buried in Valhalla Cemetery.
Read the Origin from Crack Comics #1 here! [Link fixed 06/2012]
At someone point Golden Age Comic Book Stories had “The Secret of the Rex” from Crack Comics #8 on the site, but the link no longer works. I've linked to it in hopes it will come back someday.
Gold Nuggets: Madam Fatal...Drag Queen of Justice! looks at some panels from Crack Comics #11
Read her final story at Crack Comics #22. [Dead link - I'll post the story at a later date 06/2012]
For more info on Madam Fatal....
Toonopedia article on Madam Fatal
Madam Fatal Profile on International Hero
Gay League - Madame Fatal
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Señorita Rio
Señorita Rio, Rita Farrar or Consuela Maria Ascencion De Las Vegas, was an American secret agent. She disguised herself as a Brazilian entertainer, taking advantage of her Latin background to go in to place other agents could blend in. She was often assigned to root out fascists Central and South America during World War II.
Senorita Rio appeared in #19-71 (1942 to 1951). The only exception is #69 when the comic dropped from 52 pages to 36. She has a lot of big name artist throughout her run: Nick Cardy, Lily Renee, Jack Kamen, and Bob Lubbers. Most notable due to the amount of time she spend on it is Lily Renee, see her interview with TCJ below.
Further info after the comics!
Fight Comics #19 (June 1942) "Swastika Web" [First appearance] Art by Nice Cardy Read it here OR take it page by page - Page 01// 02 // 03 // 04// 05 // 06 // 07 // 08
Fight Comics #47 (Dec. 1946) "Horror's Hacienda" Story by "Morgan Hawkins" (often used pen name, unknown owner); Art by Lily Renee Read it here or see it on comics19-at flicker. (Note that the pages are backwards.) And checkout the rest of Fight Comics #47 on a Highlight Reel.
Oddball Comics has a recap of “The Santo Bello Assignment” from Knockout Adventures #1
Links
Rio Rita (Toonpeida)
Rio Rita Profile (FemForce)
The Comics Journal - Lily Renée - An interview with the interesting woman who did so much of the art for the strip.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
The Jester
The Jester never made it on a single cover, but he made it into every issues from Smash Comics #22 (1941) to Smash Comics #85 (1949; Last issue). He was a creation of Paul Gustavson and an unknown writer (possibly Gustavson too). DC Comics acquired the Jester along with the other Quality Comics characters in 1956, but has sparsely used him. He shows up in All-Star Squadron #31 and #60, mostly as face in the crowd. His only modern appearance was in Starman #46, where, in flashback, he teams up with the first Starman against Icicle, Fiddler, and the Gambler. He gives up being a costumed hero and becomes a normal cop. His final fate is unknown.
There is good info already out there on The Jester, and no need of me repeating it here. After his origin story below, you'll find links to some informative pages on the funnyman hero.
From Smash Comics #22, the first appearance of the Jester...
page 1
The Jester (Quality Comics) - Wikipedia
Comic Book DB - The Jester (DC)