The Outliers of the Golden Age (A Listers Not Welcome!) 0

[N e r V]

2 hours ago, adamstrange said:

This is a great thread.

I don't think the animator Frank Thomas had anything to do with comicbooks for Centaur.  He seems to have had a very full career with Disney interrupted only when in the Air Force in WWII.

Here's the Lambiek entry on the similarly named comicbook artist Frank Thomas:

https://www.lambiek.net/artists/t/thomas_frank.htm

Opps... that was a rookie mistake and you are correct so I removed that post. Even before you posted I had a friend who works for Disney inform me that sites info. was incorrect so it’s updated. 

I need to double check my sources next time before posting. My bad...

Edited March 3, 2018 by N e r V

[Robot Man]

On 3/2/2018 at 9:12 AM, N e r V said:

For those of you that wish to find fault with comics logic at times a giant eye might be the most realistic part of that story because this is what it would be like on Venus....

 

Venus is the hottest world in the solar system. Although Venus is not the planet closest to the sun, its dense atmosphere traps heat in a runaway version of the greenhouse effect that warms Earth. As a result, temperatures on Venus reach 870 degrees Fahrenheit (465 degrees Celsius), more than hot enough to melt lead. Probes that scientists have landed there have survived only a few hours before being destroyed.

Venus has a hellish atmosphere as well, consisting mainly of carbon dioxide with clouds of sulfuric acid, and scientists have only detected trace amounts of water in the atmosphere. The atmosphere is heavier than that of any other planet, leading to a surface pressure 90 times that of Earth. Incredibly, however, early in Venus' history the planet may have been habitable, according to models from NASA researchers at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies. 

The surface of Venus is extremely dry. During its evolution, ultraviolet rays from the sun evaporated water quickly, keeping it in a prolonged molten state. There is no liquid water on its surface today because the scorching heat created by its ozone-filled atmosphere would cause any to boil away. Roughly two-thirds of the Venusian surface is covered by flat, smooth plains that are marred by thousands of volcanoes, some which are still active today, ranging from about 0.5 to 150 miles (0.8 to 240 kilometers) wide, with lava flows carving long, winding canals up to more than 3,000 miles (5,000 km) in length, longer than on any other planet.

 

Looks like a CA brushfire...

[N e r V]

Going to go a bit more mainstream now with a character that is clearly more popular and well known these days (thanks to TV shows like Arrow) and much less obscure than the previous two. However back in the GA she didn’t even rate her own short lived book series like Namora or Sun Girl. Nope, she was living the outlier life as a back up feature.

Shame too because those back up stories are pretty fun and the character was pretty cool herself. So let’s get some history on....

 

 

Dinah Drake

Cover of Flash Comics #92 (February 1948); art by Carmine Infantino

Dinah Drake made her debut in Flash Comics #86 (August 1947) as a supporting character in the "Johnny Thunder" feature, written by Robert Kanigherand drawn by Carmine Infantino. Initially appearing as a villain; Johnny is instantly infatuated with her, and is reproached by his Thunderbolt. Dinah is later revealed to have been infiltrating a criminal gang.

In Flash Comics #92 (February 1948) she has her own anthology feature, "Black Canary", replacing "Johnny Thunder".The new series fleshed out Black Canary's backstory: Dinah Drake was a black-haired florist in love with Larry Lance, a Gotham City Police Department detective. She first meets the Justice Society of America in All Star Comics #38 (December 1947-January 1948), joining them in All Star Comics #41 (June–July 1948).

 

Robert Kanigher and Carmine Infantino created the character in 1947 to be featured in Flash Comicsas a supporting character. Appearing first as a clandestine crime-fighter who infiltrates criminal organizations to break them from the inside, Black Canary was drawn with fishnet stockings and a black leather jacket to connote images of a sexualized yet strong female character. She appeared as a character in a back-up story featuring "Johnny Thunder":

I was drawing Johnny Thunder, which was not much of a character. I suppose he could have been better because his 'Thunderbolt' was interesting, but the situations they were in were pretty juvenile. Bob Kanigher wrote those stories, and he had no respect for the characters. These stories were nowhere near as good as 'The Flash' stories. DC knew it—they knew 'Johnny Thunder' was a loser, so Kanigher and I brought the Black Canary into the series. Immediately she got a good response, and it was, 'Bye, bye, Johnny Thunder.' Nobody missed him."

— Carmine Infantino

According to Amash & Nolen-Weathington (2010), Black Canary is "really" Carmine Infantino's "first character." According to the artist: "When Kanigher gave me the ---script, I said, 'How do you want me to draw her?' He said, 'What's your fantasy of a good-looking girl? That's what I want.' Isn't that a great line? So that's what I did. I made her strong in character and sexy in form. The funny part is that years later, while in Korea on a National Cartoonists trip, I met a dancer who was the exact image of the Black Canary. And I went out with her for three years.

Bob didn't ask me for a character sketch [for the Black Canary]. He had a lot of respect for me, I must say that. He always trusted my work... Bob loved my Black Canary design."

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2018 by N e r V

[N e r V]

This is her final solo story appearing in Flash comics #104 in 1949. She would continue to appear in All Star comics until issue #57 in 1951 and then disappear for a dozen years until her SA appearance in JLA #21 in 1963.

 

[Pat Calhoun]

Pretty nice, but perhaps it should be mentioned that she is an utterly shameless ripoff of the Black Cat...

[N e r V]

Here’s a “lost” or unpublished 6 pager of hers as well from Adventure comics #399 in 1970. I believe the theory was this was probably intended for a Flash Comics #105 or 106 if the original GA run had continued.

 

[N e r V]

Although it’s in the BA and is actually the earth 1 version of miss Canary it would be remiss of me not to post one of my favourite runs of her by Alex Toth from Adventure comics #418 in 1972.

 

[Mmehdy]

that toth story is amazing, thanks for posting it..

[N e r V]

Coming up next:

 

 

 

[N e r V]

Shock Gibson being one of the earliest superheroes to the market (oct. 1939) remains one of many GA characters that simply didn’t make it out of the Golden Age let alone have any notable new life in later years when the Silver Age beckoned the superhero back. No, but  he survives today as an example of what the “Superman effect” had on the industry as it rushed to find the next man of steel in comics. 

 

First some history from Toonopedia:

 

The impact of Superman, who debuted in 1938, on the American comic book industry can scarcely be over-estimated. And it was immediate — superheroes, …

 

… including Doll Man, Amazing-Man, The Sub-Mariner and The Wizard, were climbing on his bandwagon even before 1940. Part of that early proliferation of Superman imitators was Shock Gibson, whose first adventure had a cover date of October, 1939. Speed Comics #1, where that adventure appeared, was published by Brookwood Publications, which disappeared from the industry in 1941. It was bought by Harvey Comics, which, as the source of Richie Rich, Wendy the Good Little Witch and many other kid characters who started in the 1950s, had a much more noticeable impact on the field. It isn't known who wrote Shock's first story, but the artist was Maurice Scott, who has few other credits in comics. The title of that story was "The Human Dynamo", which is occasionally cited as Shock's superhero name, tho "Shock Gibson" is the name almost universally used in referring to him. Robert Gibson was his name before he powered himself up. He was experimenting to see if electricity, which had already improved people's lives in so many ways, might also be useful in improving their personal selves, by enhancing their strength, health, etc. He found that by proper application of electricity to his own body, he did gain super strength, as well as the ability to emit powerful electrical bolts, magnetize things, weld metal with his bare hands, and even fly. But instead of sharing his discovery with the world, he kept it to himself and became a superhero, using his newly-minted nickname, "Shock", as part of his monicker. Shock Gibson was the cover-featured star for the first couple of years Speed Comics was published. But he was eclipsed as of its 16th issue (January, 1942) by one of the Captain America-style flag wearers, Captain Freedom, who hung onto the lead position for the rest of the title's run. The only time Shock appeared on the cover again was the 38th issue (July, 1945), when he, Cap and The Black Cat were posed by artist Bob Powell (Thun'da, The Avenger) in a pastiche of the famous flag-raising scene at Iwo Jima. But Shock hung around in the back pages until the demise of Speed Comics, with its 44th issue (February, 1947). After that, he moved to the back pages of Green Hornet Fights Crime, where he had two adventures before disappearing completely. He was last seen in Green Hornet #38 (March, 1948). In the 1960s, when superheroes came back, many publishers either revived or did new versions of their '40s characters — DC with The Flash, Marvel with The Human Torch, even Western Publishing with The Owl. But Harvey did only a few reprints of The Black Cat. The rest of its '60s super guys were newbies like Jigsaw and Bee-Man. Shock Gibson didn't come back.

 

 

[N e r V]

The art in the earlier stories wasn’t as good as the later ones so I’m picking a couple of favorites deeper in the series. First from 1942 is a story with  wonderful Al Bryant artwork.

Edited March 6, 2018 by N e r V

[N e r V]

Next up from Speed comics #38 in 1945 is a lovely little gem drawn by Bob Fujitani.

 

[goldust40]

Bryant and Fuje were both terrific artists and storytellers. Great stuff.

[N e r V]

One of Planet comics longest-running strips, Flint Baker was another athletic space hero, who became part of the Space Rangers. Baker's debut story, "The One-Eyed Monster Men From Mars", was also the first story in Planet Comics #1, illustrated by D-ick  Briefer. Flint Baker was the "main hero" and "cover feature" of most of the first 13 issues, and after 25 issues he "team[ed] up with Reef Ryan to form the Space Rangers" when Planet Comics dropped its page count. 

So let’s have an introduction:

 

Flint Baker was the son of a scientist who built a rocket capable of traveling around 29,000 mph, and intended to take man to the planet Mars. After his father died, Flint vowed to make the trip to mars. Not expecting to return, Flint selected three former engineers, Harry Parks, Phillip Godwin and Cliff Grant, who were awaiting their respective death sentences in state prison. Mimi Wilson, a reporter for the New York globe also stowed away aboard the ship. The mission to Mars was completed successfully, and the team landed near the city state of Ru. During the course of their adventures, Flint lost his men, but continued to explore the solar system with Mimi. When they returned to Earth, nobody believed Flint and Mimi's stories, until they managed to save the Earth itself from a Venusian invasion. Flint then became the Earth's "Ace Planet Scout."

Although his adventures started in the 20th Century, Flint and Mimi eventually found themselves having adventures several hundred years in the future. There, Flint met the hero Reef Ryan, and the two of them were contracted to work as agents of the Space Rangers, upholding peace and justice throughout the galaxy. Once he joined the Space Rangers, Mimi was no longer allowed to accompany him on his missions. After working with Reef Ryan, Flint got a younger partner named Herc.  He appeared to have a relationship with Herc's guardian, Mary, daughter of the Viceroy of Earth.

Flint was a brilliant scientist, cunning tactician, and skilled pilot. In his early adventures, Flint and his men carried conventional Earth weapons, but later he wielded various types of ray guns and a Martian Electro Saber (which he used to kill giant ray-resistant space creatures). However, he usually relied on his fists and his brawn to defend himself. Flint seemed to have a charm that attracted a lot of female attention without him making any particular effort. Flint's first interplanetary cruiser, The Rogue Star, could accommodate at least 5 people for a number of months, and it had weapon ports. As a member of the Space Rangers, Flint flew more advanced ships that could leave the solar system and he used more advanced technology.

 

Edited March 8, 2018 by N e r V

[N e r V]

As Planet comics progressed the art improved so let’s jump up to 1946 now when the feature had become Flint Baker Reef Ryan Space Rangers.

 

Edited March 8, 2018 by N e r V

[MrBedrock]

I remember reading in Steranko's History of Comics (or some similar history book) that publishers worried about letters bleeding together in the print process and therefore they were scared to name any character "Clint".

Obviously they weren't worried about "Flint" becoming Funt.

[N e r V]

11 minutes ago, MrBedrock said:

I remember reading in Steranko's History of Comics (or some similar history book) that publishers worried about letters bleeding together in the print process and therefore they were scared to name any character "Clint".

Obviously they weren't worried about "Flint" becoming Funt.

Flint:

 

Funt:

[Mmehdy]

thanks for the stories that you just posted, great chance to see and read material that I have never seen.

[comicnoir]

2 hours ago, MrBedrock said:

I remember reading in Steranko's History of Comics (or some similar history book) that publishers worried about letters bleeding together in the print process and therefore they were scared to name any character "Clint".

Obviously they weren't worried about "Flint" becoming Funt.

And despite the fact they all smoked no one was allowed to FLICK their BICS.

[N e r V]

Sticking with Planet comics it would be a shame if collectors of the series never cracked open up their copies because what’s inside often surpasses those amazing covers. Case in point would be the Lost World Series with Hunt Bowman. 

Hunt Bowman lived on a future Earth that had been conquered by the Voltamen, fierce reptilian creatures that were initially depicted as short and orange, but later became tall with green skin. He is a giant of a man, massively strong, and highly skilled with a bow and arrow. He is discovered living on Earth by Lyssa, the Queen of Mars, when she leads an exploration party onto that planet. She takes him to Mars with her, then they return to Earth, where they gradually develop a resistance movementagainst the Voltaman. Among the people who join their resistance movement is Bruce, one of a set of triplets found by the Voltamen in suspended animation, who is in possession of the body of Guth, the Prince of the Voltamen. After Bruce was killed, his brother placed Bruce's brain into the Voltaman's body. While they develop their resistance movement, Hunt and Lyssa wander the future earth, defending the remaining people they find against the Voltamen.

By the beginning of their appearance in the first story in Planet Comics #21, the Voltamen have already conquered the Earth and enslaved its people. Hunt Bowman, one of the few surviving free humans, meets Lyssa, the Queen of Mars, and together they defeat the Voltamen who have captured them, and use their ship to return to Lyssa's homeworld. There, they form an invasion party to take back the Earth from the Voltamen.

Originally, the Voltamen were depicted as being short, somewhat hunchbacked, and orange-skinned beings, but eventually they became the tall thin green-skinned lizard men familiar to most of the Fiction House readers. The Voltamen wear grey uniforms with spiked pith helmets similar to those worn in World War I, and they have jet black eyes with red pupils.

 

From Planet Comics #21