Number 961


Walt Kelly's Lost Prince


Is "The Lost Prince" a "real" fairy tale, as opposed to something a comic book scripter, or even Walt Kelly himself, made up for Fairy Tale Parade #4 in 1943? The only reference to the title I can find on the Internet is a 1915 novel by Francis Hodgson Burnett, which, based on its synopsis, is not the same story. If this "Lost Prince" is a Kelly story then it's full of his usual delightful stuff. The giant with two heads, one head covered by a hat, reminds me of the EC story from a decade later, "The Basket."*

I've also included the other Kelly story from this fine issue of Fairy Tale Parade, "The Traveling Musicians," which I know is adapted from an old story.



























*I showed "The Basket" by Graham Ingels in Pappy's #570.

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Flash Gordon - S045 - Moon Pirates (1953-03-01 to 1953-05-31)

Story & Art: Mac Raboy 

Summary: Setting off for Earth in their hyper-advanced Venusian ship (see S-044 Venus), Flash, Dale and Zarkov suddenly realise that they are running out of fuel and decide to steer their craft towards the Moon’s gravity in order to arrest their freefall.

Making a rough landing near a new space station at the back of the Moon, the trio are rescued by its inhabitants, but relief soon gives way to despair as their ship suddenly disappears from the Lunar surface and Flash becomes the victim of a brutal murder attempt...

(Source of summary: www.ipcomics.net)

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It's from Emile's e-collection. All credits go to her & the original uploader(s).

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Marvel's Son of God

Of course, this is a paraphrase of one of the sayings attributed to Jesus on the cross. It is interesting to look at some of the similarities of the Odin/Thor relationship with that of Jesus and God the Father.

If you look at the God of the Old Testament, he's very much like Odin: regal, imperious and somewhat haughty and capricious. Jesus is like Thor in some ways: came to Earth to help the humans, long-haired, etc. Of course, Thor relishes battle while Jesus was the Prince of Peace. And Odin does not judge mortals, but rather his fellow gods.

Of course, DC has also occasionally hinted that Superman is similar to Jesus, most explicitly in the trailer for Superman Returns.

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Number 960


Needlenoodle strikes back


This is part 2 of the final issue of Black Hood Comics, #19 from 1946. For part 1 scroll down to yesterday's posting.

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Flash Gordon - S115- The Death Planet (1971-02-14 to 1971-05-02)

Artist: Dan Barry

The story: Saying goodbye to Kara and Zarkov at Venusport, Flash and Dale begin their journey to Earth, but are soon mercilessly drawn towards an uncharted planet unable to reverse course.

Landing safely, Flash and Dale are unaware that they have been guided to the planet by the Aphrods, determined to exact revenge for their defeat on Venus by bringing their enemies to a special-built death star...

(Source of summary: www.ipcomics.net)


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It's from Emile's e-collection. All credits go to her & original uploader(s).

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Number 959


Needlenoodle needles Black Hood


Today and tomorrow I'm showing the two parts of the last issue of the 1940's Black Hood. They're from issue #19, 1946. The Black Hood gets his secret identity exposed, so he drops his costume and goes into business as a private detective. And that villain, Needlenoodle! To form his skull into such a monstrosity his parents must've used a vacuum cleaner hose on his head every day from birth.

A lot of comic book costumed heroes weren't selling after World War II, and the comic book industry was changing. The company known as MLJ Comics became Archie Comics, and replaced its original MLJ logo with the Archie Comics colophon on issue #17.* It could be that MLJ/Archie was trying to save the Black Hood comic by dropping the costume, and perhaps introducing villains that wouldn't be out of place in the Dick Tracy comic strip. If that was the plan, then despite the try it didn't work. Black Hood dropped out of sight for about 20 years.

This is part 1 of the story. I'll give this tale credit for energy in its storytelling, and also for the artwork by Irv Novick, who went on years later to draw war comics and Batman for DC. That's also another story.

Come back tomorrow for part 2.

*Black Hood became Laugh Comics with the next issue, #20.














I showed the Black Hood's origin in Pappy's #382, and his second story in Pappy's #467.

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