What If Don da Con Actually WAS a SuperHero?

We interrupt our Christmas-themed blogathon to bring you...

...an early (or late, depending on your chronological point of view) April Fool's Day presentation!

Our resident disgraced, twice-impeached ex-President presented a line of NFT "trading cards" featuring himself as (among others) a super-hero, a cowboy, and and astronaut...sort of a six-year old's wish list of future careers!
But we couldn't help wondering...Did Donald Trump, born in 1946, read comics when he was a kid?

And, if so, which hero did he dream of being?

Superman?

No, despite being one of the single mightiest beings in the universe, Superman's stories required logical thinking to enjoy, and we've seen Donnie's not big on that, even now.

Captain America?

Certainly patriotic, but not powerful enough.

Donnie thinks BIG!

So there's only one character he might have read, and whose adventures are wish-fulfillment without having to think about how it works, much like how Don the Con ran the country from 207 to 2021.

Read the following, and compare the story (and captions) to Trump's descriptions of himself and how he'd be as President...

Written and illustrated by Fletcher Hanks, this surreal intro from Fox's Fantastic Comics #1 (1939) has little logic or even sanity in it's tale of almost-magical justice, much like Don the Con's own explanations of how he would deal with real-world problems.

Please Support Atomic Kommie Comics

Visit Amazon and Order...

Fire and Fury

Inside the Trump White House

Unquotable Trump

Sh*t My President Says:

Illustrated Tweets of Donald J Trump

MAD About Trump

A Brilliant Look at Our Brainless President

STARDUST: The Superhero Donald Trump Would Be...If He Was a Superhero!

Did Donald Trump, born in 1946, read comics when he was a kid?

And, if so, which hero did he dream of being?

Superman?

No, despite being one of the single mightiest beings in the universe, Superman's stories required logical thinking to enjoy, and we've seen Donnie's not big on that, even now.

Captain America?

Certainly patriotic, but not powerful enough.

Donnie thinks BIG!

So there's only one character he might have read, and whose adventures are wish-fulfillment without having to think about how it works, much like Don the Con's pronoucements about how he'll run the country.

Read the following, and compare the story (and captions) to Trump's descriptions of himself and how he'd be as President...

Written and illustrated by Fletcher Hanks, this surreal intro from Fox's Fantastic Comics #1 (1939) has little logic or even sanity in it's tale of almost-magical justice, much like Don the Con's own explanations of how he would deal with real-world problems.

Dynamic Duos in Classic Film Blogathon: LONE RANGER & TONTO "Part 1"

The first movie appearance of the Lone Ranger and Tonto...

...might not qualify as a "Dynamic Duo in Classic Film" entry...

...since it features five Lone Rangers!

Let me explain...

Republic Pictures did a movie serial in 1938 based on the already-legendary radio show.

However, Republic was notorious for using the comics and radio shows they based their serials on more as inspirations than adaptations, playing fast-and-loose with the concepts and characters, sometimes keeping little more than the name and costume.

In this case, while the idea of the Lone Ranger being the sole survivor of a massacre is kept, there are five different Texas Rangers (none of whom are named John Reid) who are now working together to solve this case!

And none of them will admit to being the sole survivor of a massacre!

But only one can be the Lone Ranger!

Which one?

Only Tonto (Chief Thundercloud) knows, because the only times we see him on screen is when the Ranger is in costume...

...and the Lone Ranger wears that odd mask that covers his entire face, making it impossible for the audience to deduce which Texas Ranger he is!
The serial has a "whack-a-mole" feel as one-by-one the Rangers are trapped and killed until only two remain.

One dies at the end of the penultimate chapter, and, while it's shown the Lone Ranger survives until the end, he's not unmasked until the end of the serial and we discover which one he is.

The owners of the character were so pissed at how the Ranger was portayed they ordered all prints and the negative of the serial destroyed!

The current versions on video are composited from prints sent overseas.

And look, you can see it for yourself...

(The current versions on video are composited from prints sent overseas.)

However, Republic's contract gave them the option to do a second serial if the first one did a certain level of box-office sales.

It did very well, so Republic went ahead with a second serial a year later, but since the original Ranger, Lee Powell, was in trouble with both the movie studio and radio show for making personal appearances as the Lone Ranger (see poster above), he was replaced by Robert Livingston as the Ranger, now disguised as "Bill Andrews".

Chief Thundercloud (Victor Daniels who was half-Native American) returned as Tonto.

It was a typical Western serial, well-done, but not really as good as the first Ranger production.
But then, you can judge for yourself, here...

When next the greatest duo in Western fiction appeared on the big screen, it was in the form of the definitive Lone Ranger and Tonto from the small screen, as you'll see at our "brother" RetroBlog, Secret Sanctum of Captain Video™, later today!
And see many, many other "Dynamic Duos in Classic Film" at this LINK to the blogathon participants!

Reading Room: BLUE BEETLE "His First Case" Conclusion

When Last We Left Our Hero...

Despite a rough upbringing in the slums, including the death of his mother during an epidemic, Dan Garret becomes a scholarship student at State University, not only making Honor Roll, but becoming a letterman at several sports as well.

During his senior year, he receives word that his policeman father has been shot and badly-wounded...

This tale from Fox's Blue Beetle #1 (1939) was written and laid-out by Will Eisner (yes, that Will Eisner) and illustrated by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, who later used the name "Charles Nicholas" for his comic work until he retired.
You'll note there's no explanation of how or when Dan developed the Blue Beetle identity or costume.
And, following this tale in the first issue of his own book, are reprints of Blue Beetle's first few appearances from Mystery Men Comics, including his premiere, which featured him in a radically-different costume!

Support Small Business!

Visit Our...

Comic Collectibles Shop!

Reading Room: BLUE BEETLE "His First Case" Part 1

Several months after debuting in Mystery Men Comics, the Blue Beetle got his own book...

...and, finally, the story (at least some of it) behind his first appearance!

Who wounded Dan's father?

Will he get away with it?

How does this event cause the birth of the Blue Beetle?

For the answers to these and numerous other questions...

...be here tomorrow!

Same Beetle time!

Same Beetle blog!

You'll note we don't call this untitled story an origin.
That's because, you learn some aspects of how Dan Garret became the Blue Beetle, but you won't learn all of them (including the most important one)!
This tale from Fox's Blue Beetle #1 (1939) was written and laid-out by Will Eisner (yes, that Will Eisner) and illustrated by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, who later used the name "Charles Nicholas" for his comic work until he retired.

Support Small Business!

Visit Our...

Comic Collectibles Shop!

Reading Room: BLUE BEETLE "Trap for the Blue Beetle"

The Blue Beetle was a beat cop without much pocket money...

...so, unlike Batman and the other millionaire heroes, Dan Garret had to depend on his local pharmacy for gimmicks and disguises!

Dan's partner, Mike Mannigan survived for the entire Golden Age run of the Blue Beetle, but when Dan Garret was revamped by Charlton in the Silver Age and became Dan Garrett (note the extra "t"): archeologist, Mike was nowhere to be found.
A different version of him did pop up in DC's CountDown mini-series in 2007!

This story from Fox's Mystery Men Comics #5 (1939) is credited to the the pen-name "Charles Nicholas", but was written by Will Eisner and illustrated by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, who later used the "Charles Nicholas" name for all his comic work until he retired.

Support Small Business!

Visit Our...

Comic Collectibles Shop!

Reading Room: BLUE BEETLE "Protection Insurance for Newsboys"

At last, the Blue Beetle hits his stride...

...as he finally appears in the armored costume that will (with minor variations) strike fear into the hearts of evildoers for the next decade or so!

This story from Fox's Mystery Men Comics #4 (1939) is credited to the the pen-name "Charles Nicholas", but was written by Will Eisner and illustrated by Charles Nicholas Wojtkoski, who later used the "Charles Nicholas" name for all his comic work until he retired.

Support Small Business!

Visit Our...

Comic Collectibles Shop!