Monday, October 31, 2011

Reading Room: NOT WHO YOU THINK: Mr Monster

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
For a guy who had only one appearance in the Golden Age (and in a Canadian comic, at that) he's made a helluva impact on modern audiences!
Read the rest of this titillating tale, then we'll fill you in...
During the Golden Age, Doc Stearne had been a regular in the anthology title Triumph Comics.
"Triumph Comics"?
WTF?
Triumph Comics was a Canadian comic book.
We presented some background info about them HERE.
Doc was the typical two-fisted heroic adventurer in civvies of the 1930s-40s.
His nickname came from his daytime profession--he was a psychiatrist!
Doc Stearne continually ended up with patients who claimed they were seeing monsters...and actually were seeing deadly things of supernatural or alien origin!
Eventually, like most other civvie-clad heroes (Sandman, Doc Savage, Crimson Avenger, etc.), Stearne adopted a colorful set of tights and an appropriate name, though in his case, it was in his final appearance in 1947's Super-Duper Comics #3!
Years later, a copy of that book found it's way into the hands of writer-artist Michael T. Gilbert, who, long before Alex Ross did his mass resurrection of public domain characters in Project SuperPowers, revived the character in revamped form (though the original eventually did pop up as the new character's father).
Since then, Gilbert's version has been an action hero as well as a reprint anthology host.
And all his appearances are well worth picking up.
Oh, look! There's a bunch of them below!

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Reading Room: CLASSIC COMICS Frankenstein Conclusion

Original art for the cover by Norm Saunders
Victor Frankenstein is insane!
With his wife strangled by his own creation and his father dead from shock, the scientist collapses from exhaustion and is placed in an asylum.
This adaptation was a change of pace for writer Ruth Roche, who served as an editor for the Iger Comics Studios and Ajax/Farrell Comics as well as (probably) writing almost all the Fox-Ajax/Farrell Phantom Lady stories during the Golden Age.
She also penned the Classics Comics version of Lorna Doone.

As a bonus, here's a bio about the novel's author...

For a double-dose of classic horror check out Atomic Kommie Comics™, where we're presenting the first comic adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Reading Room: CLASSIC COMICS Frankenstein Part 3

Cover by Norm Saunders
Unable to prevent his family's nanny from being wrongfully-convicted and executed for the murder of his brother, Victor Frankenstein goes on a retreat with his family to their cabin in the mountains.
He encounters his runaway creation who reveals that the death of Frankenstein's sibling was an accident caused by the Monster's inability to judge his own strength.
The Monster offers Victor a bargain; if Frankenstein will construct and animate a mate for him, the Monster will leave Europe forever.
Victor agrees...
Tomorrow, the terrifying conclusion!

For a double-dose of classic horror check out Atomic Kommie Comics™, where we're presenting the first comic adaptation of  Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Reading Room: CLASSIC COMICS Frankenstein Part 2

Victor Frankenstein, scion of a wealthy and well-connected family, becomes obsessed with preserving human life and creating virtual immortality.
After assembling a test subject from the parts of recently-deceased men, he manages to animate the creature, who escapes when Victor is taken ill due to exhaustion.
Weeks later, when he recovers, Victor receives news that his brother has been murdered!
Returning home, Frankenstein sees the Monster wandering thru nearby woods.
Victor believes the Monster is the killer, though circumstantial evidence points to the Frankenstein family's nanny..
...as will we, tomorrow!

For a double-dose of classic horror check out Atomic Kommie Comics™, where we're presenting the first comic adaptation of  Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula!

Monday, October 24, 2011

Reading Room: CLASSIC COMICS Frankenstein Part 1

You've seen the Golden Age and Silver Age strips which were sequels (however loose they may be) to the Mary Shelley novel.
So here's the Classic Comics (later Classics Illustrated) adaptation of the original story from the mid-1940s!
Find out the frightening truth tomorrow!

BTW, we're simultaneously running the first comic adaptation of the Bram Stoker novel Dracula over at Atomic Kommie Comics™!