Number 613


Star Pirate


I love Star Pirate, a regular series from Planet Comics, drawn by Murphy Anderson.

I first saw Anderson's work in the late '50s in DC's Mystery in Space and Strange Adventures. I love his clean artwork, his well drawn characters, muscular guys, beautiful girls. Murphy was young, in his late teens and early twenties, when he drew episodes of Star Pirate. But he was thoroughly professional, as he continued to be throughout his career.

Many times I've written of the journeymen in comics, the guys who went in and slogged it out for low page rates and gave it the best they could, month after month, year after year. Anderson drew syndicated strips (most notably stints on Buck Rogers). He drew many comic books, and though he could draw anything, I remember him best for science fiction and super-heroes. Star Pirate is in the best Planet Comics tradition: sexy girls, action heroes, rocket ships and ray guns. It's obvious from looking at this that he had a lot of fun doing it.

This Star Pirate episode is from Planet Comics #46, January 1947. I showed another in Pappy's #409.

Today is my brother's 59th birthday. Happy birthday, and relax, Robbie, baby...compared to me you're still a kid.