Monday, July 15, 2024

Russkie-Smashers BLACKHAWK "Winged Menace!"

Better Russkie-Smashing Through Technology!!!

The Dark Knights utilize real-world technology in their final, never-reprinted, appearance from Quality Comics!
When this tale by writer Robert Bernstein, penciler Dick Dillin and inker Chuck Cuidera appeared in Blackhawk #107 (1956), the deLackner HZ-1 Aerocyle was undergoing tests by the Department of Defense!
Sadly, this rather kool-looking device failed the tests, as detailed HERE.
BTW, a "backpack helicopter" had been posited back in the 1940s, but was deemed not feasable as a weapon.
But that didn't stop sci-fi magazine and comic creatives from utilizing it in their stories!

Please Support Hero Histories
Visit Amazon and Order...

Monday, July 8, 2024

Viet-Cong Wallopers TOD HOLTON: SUPER GREEN BERET "The Curtain Rises!"

Never failing to capitalize on a pop culture trend...
...numerous comics publishers, noticing the popularity of the 1966 hit single Ballad of the Green Berets (by Staff Sgt. Barry Sadler and Robin Moore) quickly produced comics series featuring the elite Army unit.
Most were standard war comics, but one stood out from the rest for sheer weirdness...
What do you get when you combine
the Green Berets
with Teenagers and SuperHeroes?
Why,
SUPER GREEN BERET
of course!
Using his new-found powers of teleportation, telepathy, telekinesis, transmutation, time travel, invulnerability, and super-strength, Tod decides to fight Enemies of Our Country, mostly in present-day Asia, but also traveling through time to the American Revolution and World War II, during his two-issue run!
Yes, it's as hokey as it sounds!
Created by writer Otto Binder (who co-created the Golden Age Captain Marvel and the Silver Age Supergirl) and illustrator Carl Pfeufer, who was a busy artist in the Golden Age doing superhero and western strips at both Fawcett and Timely (Marvel Comics' predecessor), the series ran for only two Annual-sized (64-page) issues.
Support Hero Histories
Visit Amazon and Buy...

Monday, July 1, 2024

Russkie-Smashers CAPTAIN AMERICA "His Touch is Death!"

For the 4th of July, We Decided to Go with the Russkies' Attempt to Create Their Own Super-Soldier...

...Albeit One Powered by Electricity!
BTW, note the difference between how Electro, the Russkie "Super-Soldier" is shown on the cover and inside, even though both cover and interior art are by the same artist...John Romita Sr!
It's likely they were done a couple of months apart.
This cover-featured story from Atlas' Captain America V1N78 (1954) is written by Don Rico and illustrated by John Romita Sr.
Trivia: The name "Electro" was used by numerous heroes and villains at various comics publishers during the Golden Age, including a heroic robot appearing in Timely's Marvel Mystery Comics for several issues, making Ivan Kronov the second Timely/Atlas/Marvel character (and first villain) to use the name.
There have been two unrelated Marvel villains known as "Electro" since; Max Dillon and Francine Frye.

Support Hero Histories
Visit Amazon and Buy...
(Which reprints this story)
Paid Link

Monday, June 24, 2024

Russkie-Smashers SPACE ADVENTURES "Captain Atom II '...on Planet X' "

Despite the misleading title, Our Russkie-Smashing Hero never leaves Earth orbit...
...as you'll see in this tale from Charlton's Space Adventures #36 (1960)!
WOW!
Writer Joe Gill and illustrator Steve Ditko jammed a lot into just five pages!
These days, that'd be a whole issue, if not a two-parter!
As you saw, "Planet X" was, in fact, an artificial satellite, not another planet!
But the code-name made for a catchy title for an extremely-action-packed tale, eh?
Support Hero Histories
Visit Amazon and Order...
Captain Atom

Monday, June 17, 2024

Russkie-Smashers COMMANDER BATTLE AND THE ATOMIC SUB "Day in the Life of an Atomic Commando"

Did you know the leader of the Atomic CommandosCommander Bill Battle, was...
...an ex-spy, not a Navy officer?
Was it really wise of President Eisenhower to give command of America's first atomic submarine to a guy with no military, much less naval, training or experience?
Talk about on-the-job training!
This never-reprinted backup tale from ACG's Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub #3 (1954) was produced by series creators Richard Hughes (writer) and Sheldon Moldoff (illustrator).
There are a few more "Day in the Life of an Atomic Commando" shorts featuring other members of the team fighting various Commies.
We'll run them from time to time.
Trivia: there was another Bill Battle,who not only had his own comic book from Fawcett, but was even more of a Commie-Crusher than Commander Bill Battle!
...However, "The One-Man Army" fought only Koreans!
Also, since his series ended after only four issues in 1953, when Fawcett closed their comic book division, the character name was available for anyone to use!