Monday, February 6, 2023

Russkie-Smashers MARVEL BOY II "Zero Hour!"

The only thing you can trust about Russkies...
...is that you can't trust Russkies...who apparently would be happy to die to "own the imperialists" (to paraphrase Repugs)!
BTW, though the mag was called Marvel Boy for the first 2 issues, (and he appeared in issues 1 through 6), it became Astonishing as of #3, and remained that way for the rest of the title's 63-issue run!
Written by Stan Lee and illustrated by Bill Everett, this tale from Atlas' Marvel Boy #2 (1950) about cooperation-then betrayal parallels what happened between the Allies and Soviet Russians during World War II (when they acted together against the Axis) and afterward (when they became hostile once the common threat had been eliminated).
You'll note, though the other side is referred to as the "Eastern" Empire, they're clearly written and drawn as Russians/Soviets!
Bob Grayson was the second character to bear the "Marvel Boy" name, the first one being a Joe Simon/Jack Kirby creation who made only two appearances during the 1940s.
Since he appeared (and disappeared) before the 1953 revival of the "Big Three" (Captain America/ Human Torch/Sub-Mariner) he could be considered Timely/Atlas/Marvel's final Golden Age superhero!
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Atlas-Era Heroes
Volume 1
(which includes all of Marvel Boy's 1950-51 appearances as well as the re-intro of the Big 3)

Monday, January 30, 2023

Russkie-Smashers RICHIE RICH "Military Mix-Up"

Yep, you read that right!

The Poor Little Rich Boy kicks Russkie butt in this tale from Harvey's Richie Rich #51 (1966)!
Whatta guy!
And he didn't even have to become Super-Richie/Rippy...
...to do it!
(If you think there's a lot of Spider-Man or Batman titles out now...and there are quite a few...it's nothing compared to Richie Rich at his peak, when there were...take a deep breath...
32 simultaneous monthly, bi-monthly and quarterly titles!
You read that right, True Believer!
By the way, they were all selling better than almost everything Marvel and DC has out there now!
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Monday, January 23, 2023

Russkie-Smashers MAN COMICS "Bob Brant and the Trouble-Shooters in 'Behind the False Face!' "

You don't need to be a superhero, aviator, or even a space-going cowboy to smash Russkies!
Sometimes, it just takes a group of all-American kids to do the job!
With almost all superheroes banished from the four-color pages of comic books after the ned of World War II, somebody had to take up the slack against the Russkies and Red Chinese and North Koreans!
Atlas Comics' editor Stan Lee combined the still-popular "kid gang" sub-genre with anti-Commie action in this short-lived series.
And, before you ask, they did end up battling Russkies on the Moon!
(I believe anyone who was anyone in 1950s comics had to do that at least once!)
But, that was after their premiere in this never-reprinted adventure from Atlas' Man Comics #26 (1953), illustrated by Carl Hubbell.
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Newsboy Legion
Volume 1

by
Joe Simon & Jack Kirby

The First Kid Gang in Comic Books!

Monday, January 16, 2023

Russkie-Smashers BLACKHAWK "Where Will They Attack Next?"

Blackhawk started out as an Axis-smasher during World War II.
Here, in this never-reprinted tale from Quality's Blackhawk #39 (1951) is where he became a Russkie-Smasher!

Penciled by Reed Crandall and inked by Chuck Cuidera, the first anti-Russian story involved a super-weapon (the Skybase).
The Russians were shown to be as ingenious as the Germans and Japanese in producing technology equal to...or even surpassing...our own!

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The only novel based on the comic book!

Monday, January 9, 2023

Russkie-Smashers COMMANDER BATTLE AND THE ATOMIC SUB "Death of the H-Bomb!"

When an atomic bomb launched from the Moon hits Earth, the Atomic Sub is hastily converted to an atomic spaceship.
The Atomic Commandos journey to the Moon, where they discover a race of humanoids angry at Earthmen since other Earthmen (Russians) built an atomic missile base there, while killing curious moonpeople who tried to communicate with them!
Sentenced to death by the leader of the Moonmen, the unarmed Commandos face a huge lizard, while the sub is about to be destroyed by atomic plasma fire.
However, aboard the sub is a young "Become a Junior Atomic Commando Contest" winner...who's developed a telepathic transmitter/receiver!
Whatta guy!
(And don't worry!
There are Russkies lurking about, just waiting to be smashed!)
So now the kid's a full-time member...
This never-reprinted tale from ACG's Commander Battle and the Atomic Sub #3 (1954) was produced by series creators Richard Hughes (writer) and Sheldon Moldoff (illustrator).