Heroic Halloween Horror SCORPION "Devil Doll Commission" Conclusion

When Last We Left our Pulp-inspired Hero...

Art by Ernie Colon

...freelance "problem solver" Moro Frost aka The Scorpion, is engaged by the wife of missing financier Jules Reinhardt, who dabbles in the occult.
The Scorpion finds Reinhardt...murdered!
Frost learns that the dead millionaire was once smuggler Max Cervantes, who "disappeared" after plastic surgery...becoming the respectable Reinhardt!

But who ordered the death of Cervantes/Reinhart..and why?

The answer to both those questions is Buddy Lyle, a crooked nightclub owner owed a fortune in gambling debts by the dead mllionare...who hadn't paid up!

Lyle used the powers of a voodoo mambo to kill Reinhardt, then killed her, but not before she cast a curse on him.

Though Lyle had the numbers for Reinhart's foreign bank accounts, only the dead man's wife could draw funds from them.

Lyle's men kidnap Bishop, The Scopion's aide, impersonating Mrs Reinhart, and are about to board a plane for Panama when the Scorpion strikes and kills Lyle's aides and pilot.

The criminal is about to force The Scorpion to pilot the airplane or he'll kill his far-from-helpless hostage...

The Scorpion was the creation of Howard Chaykin, a young writer-artist who was already a recognized talent in the comics industry.

Unfortunately, while he was (and is) good, he was also slow, and the deadline for this issue crept up on him.

To get the issue out on time, a group of friends including Mike Kaluta, Walt Simonson, Ed Davis, and Berni Wrightson jumped in doing whatever needed to be done, so the book is a fascinating amalgam of styles.
The next issue solved the deadline problem by replacing Chaykin and his version of The Scorpion with a present-day costumed super-hero who was more Spider-Man than anything else.

That Scorpion disappeared after his one issue.

Chaykin would revive the character at Marvel with modified garb and a new name; Dominic Fortune, who continues occasionally-appearing in both present-day and flashback tales.

The Scorpion (in any form) wasn't included in the recent short-lived revival of the Atlas/Seaboard characters.
BTW, here's another, never-used cover for #2 by Howard Chaykin...

Wonder why it wasn't used...

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Weird Heroes
Volume 1

Heroic Halloween Horror SCORPION "Devil Doll Commission" Part 2

When Last We Left Our Hero...

Unused cover from Scorpion #2 (1975) by Howard Chaykin finally used as cover for Comic Book Marketplace #77 (2011).

...freelance "problem solver" Moro Frost aka The Scorpion, is engaged by the wife of missing financier Jules Reinhardt, who dabbles in the occult.
The Scorpion finds Reinhardt...murdered!
And Frost learns that the dead millionaire was once smuggler Max Cervantes, who "disappeared" after plastic surgery...becoming the respectable Reinhardt!

What does crooked nightclub owner Lyle see?

Be here Friday to find out...

The Scorpion was the creation of Howard Chaykin, a young writer-artist who was already a recognized talent in the comics industry.

Unfortunately, while he was (and is) good, he was also slow, and the deadline for this issue crept up on him.

To get the book out on time, a group of friends including Mike Kaluta, Walt Simonson, Ed Davis, and Berni Wrightson jumped in doing whatever needed to be done, so the issue is a fascinating amalgam of styles.

Please Support Hero Histories
Visit Amazon and Buy...

Weird Heroes
Volume 1

Heroic Halloween Horror SCORPION "Devil Doll Commission" Part 1

In the 1970s there were a number of pulp-style heroes in comics...

...and here's a never-reprinted story featuring one of the best of them against an occult menace!

...murdered via voodoo doll!

This spooky tale continues Tomorrow...

The Scorpion was the creation of Howard Chaykin, a young writer-artist who was already a recognized talent in the comics industry.

Unfortunately, while he was (and is) good, he was also slow, and the deadline for this issue crept up on him.

To get the book out on time, a group of friends including Mike Kaluta, Walt Simonson, Ed Davis, and Berni Wrightson jumped in doing whatever needed to be done, so the issue is a fascinating amalgam of styles.

Please Support Hero Histories
Visit Amazon and Buy...

Weird Heroes

Volume 1

Reading Room: THE SHADOW "Night of the Avenger" Conclusion

When Last We Left Our Heroes...

Art by Mike Kaluta

Somebody is assembling enough arms and men to form a small army.
Who?
A team of assassins lead by Smitty, one of The Avenger's aides, attempts to kill The Shadow.
Why?
Margo Lane, aide and confidante to The Shadow attempts to kill The Avenger.
Why?
Clues lead both The Shadow (and his aides) and The Avenger (and his aides) to a lonely stretch of New Jersey beachfront where a massive weapons cache is discovered.
When the two groups meet, each believes the arms depot belongs to the other, and...

In the 1970s, both Marvel and DC revived pulp characters whose paperback reprints were selling very well.

Marvel licensed Doc Savage, and DC grabbed both The Shadow and The Avenger.
Due to the fact Marvel had trademarked The Avengers,  DC's Avenger book was titled Justice, Inc. (the name of The Avenger's organization.)*
The Shadow lasted 12 issues, Justice, Inc. only 4.
While some of the 1970s Shadow run have been reprinted in book form, this issue has not.
*Similarly, when a comic based on the British TV spy series The Avengers was done in the late 1960s, it was called John Steed & Mrs. Peel!

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Reading Room: THE SHADOW "Night of the Avenger" Part 1

Recipe for mayhem; take two heroes, add one arch-villain...

...mix with assorted aides and assistants, stir, and serve HOT!

Tomorrow...

Action!

Suspense!

Secrets REVEALED!

Don't Miss It!

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