Heartless!

Post-holiday posts usually feature some of THOIA's most anticipated stories, especially so to our more "deadicated" readers who (as usual) recently had your own hearts ripped out by loved ones that didn't deliver on the xmas goodies you had hoped for this year! Yep, that's why we're here to deliver-- plus! with a little help from my buddy Brian Hirsch you know you're in for something that'll leave you clutching your chest in terror! Take for example this pulse-pounding yarn from Fight Against Crime #17 (1954.)

Need this Fight Against Crime issue added to your collection? Brian's selling one right now on ebay! Click HERE and bid NOW!

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Number 868


I wooden do that if I were you


I submit that the cover of Marvel Tales #97 from 1950 is one of the great comic book covers of all time. Weird, oddball, totally dotty. It's why I've used a vignette from it on my blog for the past year or so.

The story of the puppet or dummy who is really alive is practically a sub-genre of horror stories and movies. It goes back a long way. The artwork on this story is uncredited by the Atlas Tales web site, and I'm terrible at picking out Atlas artists. But it is pretty good, much better than a lot of the generic-looking Atlas artwork from the late '40s.

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Number 867


Bob Powell has fun


Everybody have a nice Christmas? Hope yours was as nice as mine.

But, Christmas is over, and time to get back to the business of bringing you old comic books. Today a couple of 1947 Bob Powell stories from Harvey's Green Hornet #33. Powell didn't do the title character, but his work on two backup strips stands out. "Spirit Of '76" has an oddball premise for a costumed hero; a West Point cadet. I think those guys would have enough to do without parading in a gaudy red costume and mask. Powell makes it work with the funny hillbilly characters, "the Smith Brothers." Some of the panels in this strip remind me of Powell's former boss, Will Eisner.

He had fun with both the stories. I showed you the first issue of Powell's Man In Black in Pappy's #822, where the MIB was "The Man In Black called Fate." Here's an earlier version, when the Man In Black was also known as Mr. Twilight. He mixes it up with a gremlin and I especially like his Father Time, which seems appropriate for this last week of the year.

Here's a warning that on the last page of the Man In Black strip is a single panel comic with a stereotyped and racist black character. It was my decision to include it because it was not uncommon in its time, over 60 years ago, and I apologize if it offends anyone.

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D2-111: Slaves

Story: Harry Harrison
Art: Dan Barry

Summary: Escaping the mystic valley on his hippogriff (see D2-110 Death), Flash is still chased by the ghost of death in various manifestations and plunges into a roaring river that sinks into a deep gorge.

Waking up, Flash is surrounded by young wood nymphs in what appears to be Paradise, but life on the ‘Mystic Isles’ will soon prove to be a living nightmare...

(Source of summary: www.ipcomics.net)

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It's from Emile's e-collection. All credits go to her & "Allen Lane" who scanned and first shared at net.

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D2-110: Death

Story: Harry Harrison
Art: Dan Barry

Summary: Escaping Ming’s kingdom via a long underground cave (see D2-109 Ming Supreme), Flash expects to reappear near the Forest Kingdom, but emerges disorientated amongst a flock of humanoid gorillas in unfamiliar territory.

Captured and left as an offering to the gorillas' mysterious 'Queen', Flash is lured by a voice from nowhere urging him to fight against unlikely adversaries in a confusing reality that is constantly changing from bad to worse...

(Source of summary: www.ipcomics.net)

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It's from Emile's e-collection. All credits go to her & "Allen Lane" who scanned and first shared at net.

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D2-109: Ming Supreme

Story: Harry Harrison 

Art: Dan Barry 

Summary: With Ming restored to his throne in Mingo (see D2-108 Skorpi on Mongo), Flash is approaching the tyrant’s capital in a captured Skorpi ship in order to find and capture his arch enemy on Mongo.

But with Ming reneging on his pact with the traitorous Skorpi, Flash’ disguise lands him in immediate danger and it is not long before he walks straight into a trap and has to fight against all odds to stay alive...

(Source of summary: www.ipcomics.net) 

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It's from Emile's e-collection. All credits go to her & "Allen Lane" who scanned and first shared at net.

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Merry Christmas From Silver Age Comics!

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