Short(est) Lived Comic Series #38 - Emergency Doctor (Charlton Comics)

Here's another one-issue series that should have had more issues.  It's a shame when you find a comic, you enjoy it, and you discover that it only had the one issue - and it seems that a number of the golden, silver, and bronze age independent companies (such as Gold Key, Dell, Charlton, and others) were infamous for this.  While I ignored the whole genre of medical comics (as well as romance comics) back when I was a kid, I have developed a new appreciation for these books as an adult.  I have discovered that they have some truly great art by some well-known comic artists who were just getting their start back in the day ... plus, the stories are actually pretty good, quite often episodic in nature like a daytime soap opera (in fact, Charlton published two short-lived titles that reprinted earlier work under soap opera names:  the five issue Soap Opera Romances and the three issue Soap Opera Love).  Alas, so few of those medical / romance titles lasted, and this one is certainly no exception.

 

Emergency Doctor was published in the summer of 1963, with the indicia indicating it was to be published on a quarterly basis.  While the title seems fairly generic, it actually refers to a specific doctor - one Dr. Jerry Starr, a resident doctor at the County General Hospital.  And, yes, if you look at the cover, you will see that his name is misspelled as "Terry" rather than "Jerry" in that caption under the title.  The cover art is allegedly by Dick Giordano, who was working at Charlton when this comic was published, so it the credit is potentially correct.  The cover depicts a rather dramatic scene of surgery being performed on a patient of indeterminable gender, which scene was taken from the second story in this issue to feature Dr. Starr and his faithful nurse, Anne Adair.  I find it amusing that the lower portion of the cover is taken up by an add for a contest being run by Bonomo Turkish Taffy, in which readers could potentially win "sensational prizes," with pictures of board games, a television, and a bicycle as what I am guessing to be potential prizes.  The details about this contest are in the middle of the comic, right across from a prose story entitled "Recluse Pattern" (whose author is unidentified and remains a mystery today).

 

This comic features two main stories starring Dr. Jerry Starr and Nurse Anne Adair.  The first 10-page story is titled "Fatal Holiday," and it opens with a scene of excitement and danger as the doctor is seen climbing a ladder to get into a burning building.  Readers are quickly taken back to the previous morning, when Jerry and Anne are preparing for the day ahead of them - the day before the Fourth of July!  From a drowning boy (who does not survive, which is surprising to see in a comic like this!) to a horrible car accident involving a pregnant woman about to give birth; from a child who burned her eyes to a gunshot victim who is bleeding out; from a man who swallowed his car keys to that final emergency of men trapped in a burning building - in which Dr. Starr must make a daring rescue that ultimately requires him to jump three stories before the building collapses - readers are given the reality of the lives of emergency room doctors and nurses, who are forever rushing to save one life after another!  Of course, there is time to sneak in a bit of romance, as Jerry more than hints that he would like to make Anne his wife!  Joe Gill is credited with the script for this story, and Norman Nodel is given credit for the art chores.  Gill is best known for co-creating Charlton heroes such as Captain Atom, Peacemaker, and Judo Master; Nodel is recognized for the large amount of work he did for Classics Illustrated comics.

 

The second story featuring Dr. Starr and Nurse Adair is another 10-pager that focuses more on romance than medical drama.  In "The Perfect Doctor's Wife," Jerry saves the life of a rather beautiful woman who turns out to be Sandra Rees, daughter of the industrialist Alvin Rees.  Mr. Rees is so grateful to Jerry that he offers to fund whatever dream Jerry has - which happens to be the establishment of small neighborhood clinics for the poor.  Before you know it, Jerry is swept into the world of the rich and powerful, and he finds himself drawn to Sandra (much to Anne's chagrin!).  Before the two can marry, however, Jerry learns exactly what it will cost him to marry into such a wealthy family, and he's unwilling to leave his desire to help other behind.  The story has a very strong lesson for its readers, and a happy ending for Jerry and Anne.  The last two panels feature an intercom page for Dr. Starr to report to surgery - and a final caption that reads, "He heard and he answered the call ... just as he does every time an ambulance rolls!  This is Dr. Starr, the Emergency Doctor ... and he's doing a hard, dangerous job ... and he loves it!"  Gill and Nodel are credited with the writing and art for this story as well.

 

In-between the two stories, there is a 3-page story that is a reprint from Sweetheart Diary (another Charlton title), issue 34 from July 1956.  The story is "Last Chance for Love," and it shows readers what could happen when a woman cannot make up her mind between two men that she would love to have for different reasons.  When she finally agrees to make a decision, it turns out both men walk away before she can decide!  There is uncertainty as to whether Joe Gill authored this tale, but the art chores are credited to Charles Nicholas (pencils) and Rocco "Rocke" Mastroserio (inks), with lettering by Joe D'Agostino.  It's funny to think that an entire story can be told in three pages, when today's creators cannot seem to fit a complete story into just one full issue!

 

As indicated above, there is a two-page prose tale about a doctor at Mercy General Hospital who must take drastic action in order to convince a wealthy woman that she must eat in order to survive.  There is also a one-page comic strip at the end of the book titled "The Wilderness Scout," which provides some details about the life of Christopher "Kit" Carson.  The writer and artist are not identified, but online sources indicate Gill could have been the writer, and Maurice Whitman might have been the artist.

 

Overall, I would say this was a winning issue for me.  The two main stories kept my attention, with art that, while not exactly eye-catching by today's standards, definitely appeals to me as perfect for the content of the story.  The writing was a bit fast-paced, but Gill superbly integrates just enough of Jerry and Anne's personalities into the story that by the end of those first 10 pages, you feel like you know the characters, and by the end of the second 10-page tale, you are truly rooting for them.  I would have liked to have seen more stories with these two, but alas, that was not meant to be.

 

RATING:   9 cocktail parties in a hospital suite out of 10 for well-written and nicely drawn medical stories with just the right mix of drama and romance!

Short Lived Comic Series #33 - Judge Colt (Gold Key Comics)

I am by no means a fan of westerns, whether it be television, movies, books or comics.  I remember watching The Rifleman with my mom every Saturday afternoon, and I can remember being bored to tears, waiting desperately for the episode to be over so we could watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents.  Back in the '80s, when comics increased in price from 40 cents to 50 cents, and DC Comics added those 8-extra page stories, I did pick up Jonah Hex, mainly because at the time, I was trying out pretty much everything.  I did not buy a lot of issues, as the western tales could not keep my interest.  Flash forward 40 years (yowza!  has it really been that long?), and while at a local comic convention, I stumbled across three issues of a Gold Key title about a "hangman judge" in the Old West.  They were cheaply priced for the good condition they were in, so I picked them up, figuring I could find the fourth issue at some point.  And that I did.  So, with all four issues in hand, I sat down to read them, wondering if they would hold my interest any better than past westerns had done...

 

Judge Colt was published back from 1969 to 1970, with cover dates of October 1969, February 1970, May 1970, and September 1970.  While the indicia indicated a quarterly schedule, as one can see from the cover dates, that schedule was very flexible.  Cover priced at just 15 cents, with beautifully painted covers by Steve Grass (first issue only) and Richard Green (possibly for issues two, three, and four), the comic was promoted as the story of "The Hangman Judge" - following the adventures of Mark Colt, a judge who is reknowned for issuing harsh sentences and hanging criminals more often than not.  But, as is made clear in the first issue, Judge Colt harbors a secret - he has a reason for the decisions he makes, and his travels have a purpose other than just dispensing justice throughout the towns of the American frontier.  All four issues were written by Leo Dorfman, who authored a number of Superman-related titles for DC Comics, but also writing some stories for Dell, Fawcett, and Gold Key comic companies.

 

ISSUE 1 - "The Hangman Judge" is told in two chapters, Part I being "Trial by Sixgun" and Part II being "The Justice of the Noose."  According to the Grand Comic Database, the story was written by Leo Dorfman, with art possibly provided by John Celardo.  The issue opens with Judge Colt traveling west in the 1870s, drifting across the Arkansas territory.  He happens across a fierce gun battle between a gang of thieves and military men safeguarding the army payroll.  The leader of the gang is the Tattoo Kid, and Colt takes it upon himself to track him down and bring him to justice.  He ultimately brings the criminal, along with several others, to justice, sentencing them to death by hanging.  Throughout this first issue, there is a subplot, as Colt unmasks every criminal, obviously looking for someone specific.  Plus every time Colt is forced to use his gun for any reason, his hands shake uncontrollably, and he seems incredibly frightened.  I rather liked the fact they did not reveal all in that first issue, but dangled some plot threads for the reader to learn about in future issues (which, thankfully, there were...).

 

ISSUE 2 -  "Death Writes the Verdict" is another two-part story, with Part I as "Justice Stands Trial" and Part II as "Twilight of the Chiefs."  This issue is one again written by Leo Dorfman, but the artist is identified as either Jose Delbo or John Celardo.  Oddly enough, Judge Colt looks considerably older in the art of this issue, from a young man of maybe 30 or so in the first issue to a man who appears to be in his late 40s in this issue.  The story finds Judge Colt in Indian territory, where he rescues an Indian accused of stealing from being hanged. He quickly learns there is a war brewing among the Indian tribes, and when Colt works to aid the Indian he rescued, he makes enemies of a warring tribe. In the end, though, Judge Colt sees justice served and heads on his way.  While we do not learn anything more about the man he is searching for, we do see him continue to shake every time he is forced to use his gun.

 

ISSUE 3 - "Time of the Assassin" features yet another two-parter, with Part I titled "A Man with a Mission" and Part II titled "The End of the Masquerade."  Written by Leo Dofrman, this issue is said to have art by Jose Delbo, although like the previous issues, it is unsigned and uncredited.  This time around Judge Colt helps a missionary group, who is being threatened and robbed by a group of criminals posing as actors.  It is finally revealed that Colt is searching for the men who killed his wife Maria on their second wedding anniversary - "I'll remember their faces! I'll hunt them down, Maria, if it takes a lifetime" he promises his dying wife.  And I was pleasantly surprised by the twist ending, which really caught me off-guard - and made for a great read!

 

ISSUE 4 -  "Trial by Fury" is the final story, with Part I ("Medals of Death") and Part II ("The Final Reckoning") providing readers with the last adventure of Judge Mark Colt.  The art is once again provided by Jose Delbo.  In this final tale, Judge Colt must track down a serial killer who leaves a Civil War medal pinned to the chest of each of his victims.  Colt uncovers a list of victims and races to save the next person on the list, coming face-to-face with the killer - the last person he would have suspected!  After sentencing the man to justice (death by hanging, of course), Col rides off into the sunset, wondering, "Am I any better...? Is it justice I'm handing our, or retribution?  Maybe someday I'll find the answer."

 

Unfortunately, neither Judge Colt nor readers of the comic got that answer, as the series came to an end with that fourth issue.  I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed reading the series.  Perhaps that is because Judge Colt was not your typical western lawman, and while there were certainly some stand-offs and some gunfights, it was clear that the character only turned to violence as a last resort.  The underlying plot thread of Colt searching for his wife's killers added some depth to the character, and to the stories, and gave it a near soap opera feel to the story.  While each issue featured a different location, different villains, and a different supporting cast, one almost got a feel of "David Banner" from The Incredible Hulk television show - a loner, wandering from town to town, facing criminals and ne'er-do-wells while at the same time trying to resolve his own internal struggles.  The western aspect of the series was merely the setting.  Dorman's storytelling is what made the series a good read.

 

I would have to say this is probably a very underrated series.  Gold Key is probably more popularly known for its Walt Disney comics, as well as its Twilight Zone and Boris Karloff horror titles, as well as a number of licensed properties, such as Buck Rogers, Dark Shadows, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek, Battle of the Planets, and others; however, the exceptional writing of this book, along with the art of comic great Jose Delbo, definitely serve to make this book more than just a typical Old West title.  Even for those, like me, who are not fans of the western genre, I would recommend picking up this title, if you can find inexpensive copies.  The stories are well-plotted and perfectly paced, the characters are far more than the stereotypical, cardboard cut-outs - they have depth, and Judge Mark Colt especially tugs at your heart strings as you keep hoping he is going to find those men who forever changed his life.

 

More and more, I'm discovering that Gold Key comics, from Western Publishing Company, was way more than a sub-par comic company.  They offered up some fantastic titles, such as this, that far surpass the stories that are being told in today's comics (I mean, let's be realistic - each of these single story issues would be dragged out over six-issued each in today's market!).  I'm glad now that I picked up these issues, and I certainly will take a closer look at other Gold Key titles I happen to run across while combing through back issue bins as comic conventions!

 

RATING:  8 ever-tightening hangman nooses out of 10 for offering up way more than just western action in through-provoking, moving stories about a man with a broken heart and a true sense of justice! 

Short Lived Comics Series #31 - Little Archie Mystery (Archie Series)

There is a story behind how I came to possess these comic books, since I am not really an Archie Comics fan. My mom grew up reading and loving Archie comics, but I have never been much of a fan, the humor in these books simply not my cup of tea.  However, I did learn to appreciate their "Red Circle" cast of heroes (such as The Shield, Jaguar, The Fly, Black Hood, etc.), and in recent years, I have discovered current versions of Young Dr. Masters (who had a two-issue series published by Archie many decades ago) and Fran Frazer, a female photographer/reporter/detective who had a regular feature in Top Notch Comics back in the early 1940s.  Well, being a mystery fan, when I discovered a cartoon on one of our streaming networks titled Archie's Weird Mysteries, I was curious. The cartoon was rather kooky, and when I looked it up online, I discovered there was also a comic book series that evolved from Archie's Weird Mysteries to simply Archie's Mysteries. Thus, it was while I was looking for issues of those comics while vacationing in Kentucky earlier this year that I chanced upon the second issue of this series...

 

Little Archie Mystery is a two-issue series published by Archie Comic Publications, Inc. back in 1963 (featuring cover dates of August and October).  This was apparently a spinoff of the Little Archie series that had begun publication back in 1956 (which a previous spinoff titled Little Archie in Animal Land having been published from 1957-58).  Both the scripts and the art for these two issues were provided by Bob Bolling, who was the original designer of the Little Archie characters, as well as the writer and artist for the regular series when it began.  Bolling stays with the Little Archie universe of titles until 1965, when he was replaced by Dexter Taylor, while Bolling was moved up to some of the regular Archie Comics titles.  Bolling's art style for these two issues strays a it from the comical appearance of the regular Archie Comics characters - although Little Archie himself is drawn in a similar appearance to his teenage self, the rest of the cast and the backgrounds have a more realistic comic book feel to them.  Perhaps it was because of the mystery element to the stories, or perhaps the series was aimed at a more serious audience than the typical Archie Comics.

 

It's actually a shame the series only lasted two issues - both issues offered up some good stories, with fun mysteries mixed with just a touch of humor (after all, this is an Archie comic).  The only thing I felt was missing from the two stories was Archie's supporting cast (i.e., Veronica, Betty, Jughead, etc.); instead, Little Archie interacts only with adults in both tales, making it a bit awkward that an elementary school age child would be accepted and permitted to tag along with adults as they investigate crimes in the city!  Maybe if the series had continued, we might have eventually seen Little Betty or Little Veronica show up - but, as it stand, we only get these two mysteries, of which Archie was not truly the main "detective" solving the case.

 

In issue one, we get the "Egyptian Goddess Mystery," which finds Little Archie teaming up with Peggy Drake, a wanna-be detective who has "taken a correspondence course in criminology" and has a diploma to prove it (p. 2)!  There have been a series of bank robberies in town, and Peggy is determined to find the crooks and stop them (with Little Archie tagging along).  Readers are introduced to Chic Cooper (any relation to Betty??), who is Peggy's somewhat boyfriend that she mainly uses as a driver to take her where she needs to go to investigate her cases.  We also meet Police Captain O'Brien, who refuses to listen when Peggy tells him she's determined the criminal mastermind behind all of the robberies is a woman.  As the story progresses, we learn that old Professor Hadley is working on a special project with two assistants - but his house and his project have been overtaken by a mad woman who thinks herself to be an Egyptian goddess, hoping to restore her jewels and great fortune by stealing it from others.  Of course, Peggy interferes with their plans, and Little Archie manages to bring Chic there in the nick of time to save her and the Professor and stop the criminal from escaping in their boat (Little Archie actually drives Chic's delivery truck off the wharf and into the boat, sinking it, the treasures, and the criminals!  How he was ever able to reach the gas pedal - well, that's a question that will probably never be answered...)

 

In the second and final issue, we read about "The Strange Case of the Mystery Map, with a cover that is basically repeated on the first splash page when you open the book.  Readers are given a brief hint of things to come by the announcement that the home of Caleb Warfield is the only home in all of Riverdale that does not subscribe to and receive the Riverdale Record each morning.  The scene then quickly shifts to an antique store that is about to be robbed.  An elderly woman is purchasing an old diary, and when the thieves break in, Little Archie happens to be watching when the old woman beats up the two criminals, sending them running off down the street.  Little Archie happens to be hanging out with Jimmy Lee (hmmm, makes me think of Jimmy Lee Holt from General Hospital, but this was well before that character made his first appearance on the show...), who works for the Riverdale Record and wants to do a story on the old woman's amazing feat.  She refuses, and when Jimmy and Little Archie follow her, hoping to convince her to give him a story, she shakes them in a very unusual way - by turning into a young woman!  Jimmy pitches a story about the woman to Parker Penbinder, the editor of the Riverdale Record, but it's a no go. While readers learn that the woman is actually the niece of Caleb Warfield, who wanted the diary because it belonged to an old relative and reveals the whereabouts of a family treasure, poor Jimmy is determined to learn the woman's secret (with Little Archie tagging along, of course).  The mystery culminates during the town's Civil War re-enactment, when Caleb and his niece locate the missing map (gee - an old diary, a missing map - sounds rather familiar, doesn't it?) and Jimmy and Little Archie locate them!  It turns out the map reveals the family treasure is actually in New York City - under the Empire State Building!  The final panel shows Caleb Warfield sneaking off to the train station with the final words, "The End?"

 

Unfortunately for us, that was the end, and we'll never know if Caleb Warfield did find the treasure in New York, where the map showed it to be, and whether he kept his promise to donate whatever treasure her found to the town of Riverdale,  That is a Little Archie Mystery that will forever remain unsolved...

 

Even with the small amount of participation of Little Archie in the actual mystery-solving process, both issues were pretty enjoyable.  Unlike most of the Archie Comics, both issues featured full-length stories (although, the first issue did include a four-page story at the end entitled "A Love Story," in which Little Archie learns a lesson on how much more love can accomplish than yelling and screaming).  And since both issues featured entirely separate casts of characters, there is no actual continuity between them.  But that is okay, because they are simply fun reads, and after all, isn't that what an Archie comic is supposed to be?

 

It would have been interesting to see the characters of Peggy Drake and Jimmy Lee used more in the Archie universe - although I did discover that the Riverdale television show had a character named Jillian Drake, who was an ATF Agent - maybe she was inspired by Peggy Drake?  Jimmy Lee, unfortunately, never appeared again and had no characters appear with a similar name.

 

Once I manage to track down all of the issues of Archie's Weird Mysteries / Archie's Mysteries, then we'll find out just how that more modern series compares to this!

 

RATING:   9 maps hidden in a bottle out of 10 for fun and creative mysteries that make for a very enjoyable read!

Short(est) Lived Comic Series #30 - On Stage (Dell Comics)

It is with shock and surprise that I reach this 1,000th post for my blog!  When I started this blog back in 2015, I don't think I ever imagined I would still be writing it 10 years later, nor do I think I ever expected to have read as many books, short stories, and comics as I have read in that time.  It has been a fun journey, and (for the most part) I have been fortunate to have read so many great stories over those years.  So, it is fitting that for this special post, I review a comic that I have had for a number of years but have been waiting to read.  This one-off comic from Dell Comics (issue 1336 of Dell's "Four Color" series) is based upon Leonard Starr's very popular newspaper strip that ran for 22 years, from 1957 to 1979.  I have the full collection of comic strips in collected editions by Classic Comics Press, which I have been reviewing on this blog, and I never even knew this comic existed until I happened across it at a local comic convention one year.

 

Dell's On Stage comic was published in 1962, with an "April-June 1962" date listed in the indicia.  While the cover gives credit to Leonard Starr, the creator of On Stage, Starr did not actually work on the comic.  While no actual credits are given with the comic itself, which was standard in those days, the Grand Comics Database (Dell Comics - On Stage) indicates the cover art was provided by Robert Williams Meyers, while interior art was provided by Mike Sekowsky/Frank Giacoia (inside front cover); Frank Bolle and Mike Sekowsky/Frank Giacoia (main story); Frank Giacoia (inside back cover); and Mike Sekowsky/Frank Giacoia (back cover).  The script for these stories is credited to Ken Fitch, based on information in the "Who's Who of American Comic Books 1928-1999."  Despite Leonard Starr not being involved, I have to give the publisher credit for finding an artist who was able to mimic Starr's style when drawing Mary and her supporting cast.  Sadly, the one thing that is missing from the comic are the extremely detailed backgrounds that Starr provided in nearly each and every panel of his comic strip.  While the panels in this comic do have some backgrounds, there are quite a few panels that simply have basic, one-color backgrounds against which the characters stand.  For me, though, having only seen Mary Perkins in black and white in the reprint collections, it was exciting to see her brought to life in full color in this 32-page comic!

 

This story takes place during the years collected by the fifth volume of Classic Comics Press' reprint volumes, and it brings back not just one, but two recurring characters from Mary's newspaper strip.  When Mary is asked to take a role in a new play about Shakespeare's life, supposedly based upon diaries found that reveal missing years of his life, she must convince fellow actor and friend, Maximus, to come to the States and take a role as well.  The director's difficulty in finding a backer suddenly disappears when an attorney shows up indicating he has a backer who wishes to remain anonymous.  This is when Mary happens to run into Johnny Q, who warns her about the attorney and his reputation.  So, here we have two mysterious men from Mary's strip who swoop in to help her uncover the truth, not only behind the mysterious benefactor for the play, but also the reality behind those alleged diaries of Shakespeare.

 

There's not quite as much drama in this comic as there is in the daily strip, but it does have its moments - particularly when Frank Stewart, the playwright, is brutally attacked when he refuses to allow the financier to take credit for his script.  Maximus steps in and shows the hoodlums that he is more than just a "pretty face" (and if you have read the On Stage newspaper strip, then you'll understand that pun!).  Between Mary, Pete, Maximus, and Johnny, they manage to turn the tables on the crooked producer and save the play from having any unsavory connections.  And, surprisingly, in the end, Maximus reveals to Pete the truth about his appearance, a revelation that I cannot recall has ever been made in the newspaper strip (at least, not up to the point where I have read).

 

The cover art, by Robert Meyers, depicts the very dramatic moment when Maximus shows the producer's hoodlums that he can fight back and take them down - although, in the story, there is no woman in the background watching.  I am not sure if the woman shown on the cover is supposed to be Mary Perkins, but if so, then it is an inaccurate portrayal, as this woman is a blond, and Mary has dark hair.  And since Dell Comics of that period did not have any advertisements, the inside front cover, inside back cover, and back cover all feature short stories that give readers a bit more inside information, to to speak, about theater life.  "Angels Without Wings" on the inside front cover provides some details about investors, while "The Drama" on the inside back cover gives an abbreviated history of how drama has been depicted on the stage over the years. The back cover provides a color presentation of the "Arts and Tricks of Make-Up," and how strong make-up, simple techniques, and the use of rubber masks are used to hide blemishes, accentuate features, and sometimes change the appearance of actors on stage and screen. 

 

Overall, I would say this issue is a very nice tribute to the characters and stories of Leonard Starr, and it definitely does Mary Perkins proud.  Of course, only being one issue, the story is a bit faster paced than the daily strip, which had stories that lasted weeks, seven days each week, so had plenty of time to build up suspense and drop sub-plots that would come to fruition later.  Also, with just 32 pages, the writer did not have a lot of time for character development, so any readers who were not already familiar with the characters would likely have a lot of questions about who they are and how they are connected.  I wonder what we would have seen if Dell had decided to do more On Stage comics?

 

RATING:  9 electronic door locks out of 10 for keeping the drama in Mary Perkins' life and providing an interesting new theater story centered around the bard himself!

Short(est) Lived Comic Series #29 - Friday Foster (Dell Comics)

Two years go, I reviewed the collection of Friday Foster comic strips published in the Sunday newspapers (Friday Foster Comic Strips), at which time, I mentioned the fact that I was still searching for that hard-to-find issue of Dell Comics' version of the character, a stand-alone issue published with a cover date of October 1972, right in the middle of Lawrence's run of the comic strip.  Well, that search is over!  This past Christmas, a dear friend surprised me with a copy of this particular comic, in absolutely marvelous condition considering its age.  I've been holding off, waiting for the right time to read it, and that time is now!

 

Friday Foster is one of Dell's many one-issue comics.  Although the indicia at the bottom of the first page refers to this as "No. 1," there was never any other issues published after this one (which may be why it is so sought after and so hard to find at a reasonable price!).  While the characters and story are based on James D. Lawrence's comic strip, Lawrence was not actually involved in the comic.  The story was written by Joe Gill, and the art (both inside and on the cover) was provided by Jack Sparling.  Joe Gill is probably best recognized for his work at Charlton comic company, where he co-created Captain Atom, Peacemaker, and Judomaster, as well as others.  Jack Sparling was a rather busy artist back in the day, providing art for publishers such as Harvey, Charlton, Classics Illustrated, DC, Gold Key, Marvel, along with Dell Comics.  Gill does a superb job of staying true to the character of Friday Foster, while Sparling's art is a bit softer than Jordi Longaron's, but he still retains the look of all the cast.

 

The story finds Friday helping her boss, fashion photographer Shawn North, get photographs of an elusive American-born princess - Princess Jenny Shangri, newly wed wife of Prince Wimoweh of Teri-Aki.  She makes every effort to avoid the press, and Friday views her  as nothing more than a spoiled rich girl who has no understanding of what it is like for someone who grew up in Harlem (like Friday!).  She sabotages Shawn's attempts to get clear photographs, and ultimately has to confess her underhandedness to their employer at She magazine.  Well, as any good story goes, fate intervenes, and Friday finds herself having to pose as the princess's close friend in order to ferret out a member of the paparazzi who has been harassing the princess for some time - most recently causing a near-fatal car accident!  Friday is livid, but she takes the assignment, having no other choice.

 

Gill writes a well-scripted tale that could easily be translated to the small or big screen.  Friday spends time with Jenny (the princess), shopping for clothes, and while Jenny insists the dastardly Ferdy Trask is following them, Friday fails to see him (although the reader does spot him in various panels).  Friday begins to believe Jenny is making up the entire harassment scenario in order to gain publicity - but while she is trying to convince Shawn, the sneaky Ferdy Trask is doing his own digging into Friday's identity - and when he learns she works for Shawn North, he decides to turn the tables on her. Suddenly, Friday becomes the target of Mr. Trask's dirty deeds.  Not only is Friday threatened, but she comes home to find he has also threatened her little brother, Cleve!  Needless to say, Friday is not going to let Ferdy Trask get the better of her, so with Shawn and Jenny's help, she sets an ingenious trap to catch Trask at his own game.

 

One thing I like about these old Dell Comics is that you get 32-pages of story and art with no ads (except on the inside front and back covers, as well as the back cover itself).  That means Gill and Sparling have plenty of space to really flesh out the story, providing not only characterization, but also plenty of action and suspense.  Honestly, as I was reading the comic, I could see Pam Grier in my head acting out the entire story (for those who may not know, Grier played Friday Foster in the live action film of the same name back in 1975).  The bad guy gets his comeuppence, and Friday learns a thing or two herself about pre-judging people before she gets to know them.  The story has the same feel as those in the comic strip by Lawrence and Longaron, and I think they honored the source material very nicely.

 

It's so sad we only got one issue of this comic adaptation of the character - I think this would have made for a very dramatic comic book series.  Perhaps it was simply the wrong time period for a strong, black female character to lead a comic, or perhaps Dell was simply not a widespread enough company to attract enough readers to warrant more issues.  Whatever the reason, Friday Foster's one issue was a fantastic read and well worth the wait!

 

RATING:  10 games of bait and switch out of 10 for giving a little known character a chance to truly shine, while paying tribute to the character's creators with a superb story! 

Surfside Girls, Graphic Novel No. 3 - The Clue in the Reef

Hard to believe it has been three years since the last Surfside Girls graphic novel.  Although, considering the length of this mystery is pretty much double the size of the last one, I can imagine it took writer/artist, Kim Dwinell, some time to get this one done.  I've also learned, since purchasing this third volume of the series, that the Surfside Girls was made into a television show on ApplePlus TV.  I don't have that streaming service, unfortunately, so I haven't been able to watch any episodes, but I did catch the trailer on YouTube, and I must say, it looks just as fun as the graphic novels!  And after the girls uncovering the secret of Danger Point in the first book, and solving the mystery at the Old Rancho in the second book, I could not wait to see what the third graphic novel held in store!

 

The Clue in the Reef finds Sam Taylor and her best friend, Jade Lee, trying to figure out how a pack of small hedgehogs ended up stranded on an outer reef.  With the tide quickly coming in, Sam and Jade surf out there and rescue the poor animals.  The only clue they uncover is an odd tag with a clover and diamond on it.  Of course, their investigations into this mystery is limited, as both Sam and Jade are helping out Sam's father in the Surfside Days Festival, working in Mr. Taylor's burger hut.  In the last mystery, it was a surfing competition, but in this mystery, it's a celebration of the town of Surfside's founding back in 1853.  Everyone is dressed up in fashions from the 1850s, including poor Sam and Jade - "How did women do ANYTHING dressed like this?" Sam rightfully asks (p. 3), as she is being fitted for her costume.  But the uncomfortable clothes soon become unimportant, when Sam and Jade realize there is something strange going on in Surfside - because not only were the hedgehogs abandoned, but it also seems there is a ring-tailed lemur loose in Surfside, stealing mangos from unsuspecting vendors at the festival!  Where are these exotic animals coming from?  That is mystery Sam and Jade intend to solve!

 

While this particular mystery does not center around any of the ghosts that the girls have befriended and helped in the past, that is not to say they are not present.  Robert, and his fellow pirates, are on the scene, willing to help out where they can (although that does not amount to much).  Dwinell does spend some time, however, focusing on Sam and Robert's human/ghost relationship, and it's rather sweet to see how these star-crossed lovers are trying to find a way to make it work.  There is also an interesting part of the story where Sam and Jade listen to an old-timer spin a beautiful tale of how her people migrated from the mountain in the ocean to the mainland, only to have some of them fall off the "rainbow bridge" and into the ocean, where Mother Earth transformed them into sea dolphins.  It turns out this was a tale Dwinell herself held from a Chumash woman when she and her family were camping at the Malibu Creek State Park, and she incorporated it into this story.  While having no real connection to the mystery itself, it does provide some beautiful background to the fictional town of Surfside and its inhabitants, fleshing out the world in which Sam and Jade live.

 

While the girls do have cell phones and computers, I applaud Dwinell on keeping their usage to a minimum.  She has Sam and Jade do their detective work the old fashioned way, searching for clues outside of the internet!  Yes, they do ultimately use Sam's cell phone as a tracking device to follow the crook who is smuggling the exotic animals into Surfside, they are more reliant on Jade's mystery notebook, where she writes down all the clues, all of their suspicions, all of their ideas and plans, and everything else connected with the mystery.  Keeping the technology to a minimum definitely makes for a better read!

 

Dwinell does through in a surprise character in the form of "Amichelle," a famous pop star who is trying to lay low in Surfside to avoid being mobbed constantly by avid fans.  She plays an important part of the mystery, and she provides readers a clear reminder that although Sam and Jade are successful amateur detectives, they are still teenagers at heart.  With this in mind, it makes the climax of the story somewhat shocking, as the girls are placed in an extremely dangerous situation when they confront the criminal, and their very lives are at stake!  Of course, their quick-thinking and athletic prowess help them escape certain death, and the villain of the story is brought to justice by the end.

 

Dwinell's art remains consistent with the previous two books, for which I am glad.  In the beginning, it felt a bit cartoony, but as the series has progressed, I'm learning to appreciate and enjoy it more and more.  It has now established this world firmly for me, and I could not picture Sam, Jade, and their world drawn any other way!  I hope Dwinell is hard at work on a fourth mystery, as I do not want the adventures of the Surfside Girls to ever end!

 

RATING:  9 tubes of fake gold from an Old Prospector out of 10 for another superbly told mystery with a world that gets more and more fleshed-out with each book!

Jacqueline Jones - a Crime Comic for Kids of All Ages

I was completely unaware of this comic, and likely would have never heard of it, had it not been for my friend Kevin.  He came across the comic, purchased it, read it, and liked it, so he told me about it, and well ... since it has a female lead, it was pretty much a given that I was going to get it.  Apparently, the comic was funded via Kickstarter back in 2023, and hard copies are now available via Etsy (which is where I got my copy, and it is autographed by the creator as well!).  While the premise is not necessarily new, the execution and production of the comic, and the story behind the comic, is definitely worth while, and the comic itself - all I can say is WOW!

 

Jacqueline Jones is the creation of Carrick Esquivel, who wrote and penciled the book, with the help of Jesse Hansen and Johnny B. Gerardy (inkers) and Jeromy Cox (colors and letters).  The title is the main character's name, Jacqueline Jones, a dedicated police officer in the 1950s who managed to become a cop because she "misspelled" her name as "Jack" on the application (because, let's face it, back in the 1950s, how many women were police officers, patrolling the streets and fighting crime?).  While DC Comics may have had Liza Warner as Lady Cop back in 1975, Esquivel gives readers a 6'2" Amazon-like officer nicknamed "The Lady in Blue" by the good citizens of the city of Themis (which is appropriate, since that is the Greek goddess of justice, divine order, and law).  Esquivel plays the story appropriately for its time period, as Jones faces discrimination because of her gender, gets heckled by her fellow officers, and gets underestimated by the criminals she takes down.   But she fights back, and she fights back hard!

 

One thing I definitely enjoyed about this first issue is that it is not a long, drawn-out origin tale.  In fact, Esquivel manages to give readers everything they need to know (for now) about Jacqueline Jones' backstory in just three pages - showing how she got into the policewomen's bureau and moved up from writing parking tickets to eventually becoming the city's first patrolwoman.  This leaves plenty of pages to tell the real story - Jones is tipped off about a cache of guns found behind a local bar, only to come face to face with some very deadly henchman of a crime lord named "the Czar."  An attempted bribe, a rough-and-tumble fist fight, an exploding patrol car, and a good, old-fashioned car chase with bullets flying fill the remaining pages, as Jones fulfills her oath to bring evil to justice.

 

And Esquivel gives readers a wonderfully surprising cliffhanger on that last page, as we find out the identity (sort of) of the Czar - which makes me anxiously waiting for issue two (which, based on Esquivel's Facebook page, appears to be nearing completion).  

 

The art is perfectly matched for the 1950s setting.  Each panel has the feel of a mid-20th Century cartoon (think Fleischer's Superman cartoons), and you can easily, and the action scenes give off an impression of real movement. The hair styles, the clothes, the cars, the architecture - Esquivel nails it.  The inks are not heavy, for which I'm thankful, as I feel that thick inks can ruin beautiful comic art; and the colors integrate so many wonderful shades of blue in pretty much every single panel, it keeps the focus on the fact that the main character in the book IS the Lady in Blue!  Readers even get some fun pages at the end of the book, including a Jacqueline Jones paper doll with Jackie's Crime-Fighting Gear!

 

The last couple of pages offer fans a look at some real life ladies in blue, with photos of various female police officers that work in San Diego, and to whom Esquivel has shared his creation - after all, these lades were the inspiration for his fictional lady in blue.  Such a wonderful dedication to these hard working women who help keep our streets safe, not just in San Diego, but all across this great country. Jacqueline Jones is definitely a love letter to these officers, and one that's well worth the read!  Looking forward to reading the adventures of Officer Jones for many years to come!

 

RATING:  10 well-aimed garbage can lids out of 10 for bringing to the comic page a non-super-powered superhero that honors the real life superheroes who protect our streets every day!

Ms. Tree - Heroine Withrawal (The FIfth Ms. Tree Graphic Novel)

I can never get enough of Ms. Tree.  Ever since I picked up that first issue of Ms. Tree's Thrilling Detective Adventures (which I still love that title, even though I'm aware Ms. Tree's creators do not - for me, it gave the book a pulp feel, which I think fit the character nicely), I've been hooked, and I was devastated when the series eventually ended after years at Eclipse, then Aardvark-Vanheim, then Renegade Press, and finally DC Comics.  So, when Titan announced it would be collecting and reprinting the entire run, I was super-excited - sure, I had all the individual issues; but now I would have easy access to reading the stories again and again and again without having to dig through my comic boxes, unseal the bags, and pull out issue after issue to read them.  Even though the collections are not telling the stories in order (they reprinted the ten DC issues first, then went back to the beginning to start with the Eclipse issues, before moving on to the AV and Renegade issues - and even those have been told somewhat out of order, collecting them by story relevance and not chronologically), I have absolutely loved curling up in my recliner and walking down memory lane with Ms. Tree, Dan, Effie, and the rest of the gang...

Ms. Tree: Heroine Withdrawal collects issues 18-27 and 29-31 (with the title having officially switched fully to Renegade Press by issue 19).  These are some of my favorite issues, as they deal with Ms. Tree's final confrontation with Dominic Muerta and the aftermath - as well as a two-part story that dealt with the topical issue of abortion.  This is some of Max Allan Collins' best writing in the series, as they give the readers a real sense of why Ms. Tree is who she is and why the world (well, her fictional world, anyway) needs a Ms. Tree in it.  It's also extremely character driving, as most of the series is anyway - but these issues in particular give readers a greater understanding of not just Ms. Tree, but also many of the supporting characters.  Plus, we get our introduction to Dominique Muerta (gotta love Collins' play on names in this series), who turns out to be a wonderful frenemy for our favorite gun-toting crime-fighter!

"Muerta Means Death," the four-issue story that runs through issues 18, 19, 20, and 21, provides readers with a very satisfying conclusion to Ms. Tree's vendetta against the man who had her husband killed.  The title has a double meaning, since the word "muerta" is actually the Spanish word for "dead," and at the same time, it refers to the fact that Dominic Muerta is a killer, and if you cross him, you die.  I suppose it could also have a third meaning, since in the story, we learn Muerta has cancer and is on his death bed - and when Dan Green comes back to work (with a hook in place of the hand he lost in the explosion set by Muerta's men in a previous story), he's all set to take revenge on Muerta.  It all gets confusing when Dan goes to Muerta's house prepared to kill him - and when Ms. Tree and the police get there, they find Dan just waking up in the same room where Muerta and his nurse are both dead!  Dan swears he did not do it, and Ms. Tree sets about proving his innocence.  The story takes a few surprising twists, with the final one giving Ms. Tree the satisfaction she has been seeking - definitely a great read, and for astute readers (who have become accustomed to Collins' playing with names), Muerta's attorney, Dimitri A. Dopler, should give you a huge clue as to one of the biggest secrets in this story!

Following this big payoff, Collins gives readers a few shorter stories - the first being "Right to Die," which addresses the issue of abortion and readers find out that Ms. Tree had an abortion when she was younger, an act she regrets now that Mike Tree is dead, and the only child she could have had with him is gone.  The story addresses the issue without straying into preaching which side of the issue is "right" - instead, the story focuses on how various people deal with abortion and the doctors who perform the procedures.  It has a sad ending, and let's just say there are no real winners in this one - especially for Ms. Tree, as her actions in this story have serious repercussions...

Leading into the next two-parter, "Prisoner Cell Block Hell," in which Ms. Tree does time in a women's prison (with all the standard stereotypes you'd expect to see), and Ms. Tree has to face someone coming after her - after all, as the saying goes, the past always has a way of catching back up to you.  After unveiling some very corrupt prison guards, Ms. Tree then gets transferred to a psychiatric facility in the two-part "Heroine Withdrawal."  For those who remember the very first Ms. Tree story in her own comic (after her origin in Eclipse Magazine), Ms. Tree has a reason to be wary of psychiatrists - and for good reason!.  Only this time around, she manages to reveal the unscrupulous actions of a nurse and orderly, as well as a high-powered politician! And she makes a new friend who may or may not have been taken by aliens (let's just say Collins leaves it up to the reader to decide at the end of the story...)

This collection concludes with the three-issue tale, "The Other Cheek," which introduces us to a newly reformed Ms. Tree who has completed her psychiatric care and has decided to walk away from all of the violence, not even carrying a gun any more.  This, of course, forces all of those who work with her - including Effie! - to step up their game, because when it comes to Ms. Tree, danger is never far away. It's not until her stepson, Mike (named after his father), is kidnapped that Ms. Tree realizes she has no choice, and she throws off the new persona and steps back into the shoes she was made to fill - that of a female vigilante who fights for justice, and always wins!  One thing I thought was a great choice for Beatty in this story (and I don't know if it was his idea, or if Collins told him to do it), but I loved the fact that "reformed" Ms. Tree dressed so much differently - even wearing flower-print dresses!  But when she goes back to her old self to rescue Mike, she once again dons that blue overcoat that give her such distinctive style!  It makes for a nice visual aid to her change in character back and forth.

With only one more collection go to complete the reproduction of the entire run of Ms. Tree, I hope the sales on these collections have been such that Collins and Beatty will consider telling some more stories.  With all of the controversies in the news today, they would literally have a plethora of topics to pick from to create some great tales!  And who knows?  Maybe they could even age the characters, so that Mike (her stepson) could be old enough to work along side her - what a story that would be!  Any way you say it, we definitely need MORE MS. TREE!!!!!!

10 old-fashioned dynamite bombs out of 10 for some truly dynamite story-telling, masterful twists and surprises, and some of the best artwork you will ever see in a comic!  What more could you want?

Misty - 2024 Special

I was actually surprised when I saw this comic solicited in Previews.  I have several collection of the old Misty weekly comic from back in the '70s and '80s, as well as one of the original Annuals that was published in Britain; however, I was not aware that anyone was publishing new stories. Obviously, I ordered it, and when it arrived this month, I was not really sure what to expect.  What did surprise me is that three of the four stories were written by Gail Simone, a comic book writer, I have followed for years.  Her work on Birds of Prey for DC Comics is probably one of the best runs out there (outside of Chuck Dixon, of course), and I loved her run on Wonder Woman.  Thus, seeing her name headlining the creators for this special gave me high hopes - and she did NOT disappoint!

Misty 2024 Special features a beautifully painted cover by Tula Lotay (the pen name for English artist Lisa Wood).  The cover clearly pays homage to the classic images of the character Misty, who graced the covers and inside covers of the ongoing weekly comic, while at the same time giving readers a slight hint as to the first story once you dig inside.  I'm not familiar with Ms. Wood (a/k/a Ms. Lotay), nor do I recognize any of the artists for the four stories (Carola Borelli/Ellie Wright; Aly Fell; Marianna Ignazzi; and Letty Wilson), so I am assuming they are likely all European artists.  The work on the first three stories, all written by Simone, is magnificent (the second one being my favorite); the art on the fourth and final tale is a bit outside my normal likes, but I suppose it does fit the story.

The first tale, "Eleven Lonely Deaths," finds Misty herself walking the short of Syndon Lake, when she meets a photographer who is also a true crime podcaster.  He shares with Misty (and the readers) the tragic history of the lake and the eleven young girls who were murdered there.  A man was eventually arrested and charged with the crimes, but Misty surprises the photographer with news that the wrong man was convicted - and from there, the story takes a couple of surprising twists and turns ... and, well, I don't want to surprise the ending for you, but let's just say the irony is certainly fitting!

The second story, "The Pub at the End of the Road," is probably my favorite of the four tales.  Misty hosts the tale, but she only has a minor background role in the story itself.  A young woman named Willow, the daughter of a rather shady pub owner, is the star of this macabre tale.  While she may look and act like a Disney princess (even caring for the small critters that scurry around the back of the pub), she doesn't see herself as one, thanks to the cruelty of a father that uses her merely to increase his bank account.  Of course, there's the charming young man named David (who bears an uncanny resemblance to a young David Cassidy from back in the day!) who wants to save her from this life.  But, as with any good horror tale, things spiral out of control and ... well, by the end of this story, everyone really does get exactly what they deserve!

The third tale, "Happy Birthday, Mrs. Parker!," plays on the expectations of the reader. In this one, Misty takes on the role of a nurse at a small country hospital, where the nurses gather to celebrate the birthday of one very special nurse named Carina.  The patients refer to her as an angel because of her disposition and her willingness to work all hours of the day and night to help them.  But there's one nurse, Mika, who doesn't like her - in fact, she gets rather nasty to Misty as well!  Well, the story, of course, takes a dark turn when it is revealed the hospital has an unusually high death rate - and the tables get turned on one of the nurses who has been killing the patients!  Oh, and pay attention to the sign on the kitchen wall in the background, as it might give you a hint of what's to come...

The final story is definitely my least favorite of the four tales.  A young girl knows something strange has happened next door, as the neighbors have suddenly disappeared without cause.  When she goes to investigate, she discovers the house has been left with good on the counter and mail piling up at the door.  As she explores further, she comes across a mirror that is cracked ... a mirror that offers her an unusual escape ... or is it actually a trap?  And when she does finally find her way out of the mirror, is it her that comes back - or merely a mirror copy?  The art in this story just does not do it for me.  The story I can take - I like the idea of mirror/mirror worlds with alternate realities or other dimensions.  But I have a hard time appreciating the stylistic art of this tale - it takes away from my enjoyment of reading.

Overall, a pretty good issue, and it is capped off with a beautiful rendition of Misty by artist Shirley Bellwood on the back cover.  Hopefully this issue sells well so that maybe we will see some more specials in the coming years (or maybe even a regular series!).

RATING:  9 bottles of evening strange perfume out of 10 for some fantastic new tales of irony, horror, and Misty-loving fun!

The Pathfinders Society, Vol. 3 - The Legend of the Lost Boy

With this graphic novel, we reach the third and final book in the saga of the Pathfinders Society.  It's been a fun, three-book ride, and this last book provides readers with a conclusion to the five kids' quest to uncover the truth behind the Merriweather mystery and the alleged "treasure" that the family was trying to find, as well as whatever really happened to Henry Merriweather all those years ago.  While each book has had its own self-contained portion of the tale, there is an over-arching story that makes for some interesting reading.

The Legend of the Lost Boy picks up shortly after the end of book 2, The Curse of the Crystal Cavern, as the kids - Kyle, Beth, Harry, Victoria (Vic), and Nate - find themselves mysteriously transported back to 1962.  Nate has had a very strange dream, where he finds himself on the ship, The Lost Boy, and a mysterious stranger warns him he must hurry because the path is fading.  What that means, however, is unknown - Nate just knows that time is running out.  The kids are concerned about finding a way back to their own time, and they eventually enlist the aid of Mildred Merriweather (who they knew as an elderly woman in their own time, but how is a pre-teen in this time) to help them out.  Which involves getting a cranky old man named Gideon, who used to be a pathfinder himself, to lead them to the ringing rocks.  He is reluctant, only agreeing to do so once they find a map that shows the way.   It's a dangerous trip down a treacherous river that seems to fight against them, and then a race against time to find the right rocks to "ring" before a deadly wind dragon takes them away.  And once they hit that right combination of rocks?  Well, let's just say the story gets really interesting from there...

Writers Francesco Sedita and Prescott Seraydarian stay spot-on with the characterization, and it is fun to read the interaction among the characters as they face new challenges in this book.  The story moves quickly, but not so fast that the readers feels like he or she has missed anything.  Steve Hamaker does a fantastic job with the art, although I will say something I noticed more in this volume than in the previous two is that it seems all of the eyes of his characters are opened wide nearly all the time, as if they are surprised or in shock.  I think that has a direct affect on the expressions of the characters, so there does not seem to be much variation from which the reader can tell the emotional state of the characters just from the art.  Thankfully, the art mixed with the dialogue and story help keep that from becoming too much of an issue.

Overall, this has been a fun series, and while the story provided a very satisfying conclusion, I do wish there were more stories to tell of these young pathfinders.  Perhaps Sedita, Seraydarian, and Hamaker will eventually come up with another tale they just have to tell, and we'll get a sequel series ... only time will tell!

RATING:  9 outdated camp uniforms out of 10 for a great mix of mystery, comics, and time traveling to make for a fun read!

Freedom Agent a/k/a John Steele, Secret Agent - a Gold Key comic

Back in 1963 and 1964, Gold Key comics put out two comic books starring an American spy by the name of John Steele - a secret agent who initially went by the name "Freedom Agent."  Both comics had stories written by Paul S. Newman and drawn by Giovanni Ticci and Alberto Giolitti.  They both featured beautifully painted scenes on the covers, which scenes also appeared on the back cover without any title, logo, or taglines.  Now, these comics should not be confused with the other "John Steel" (without the additional "e" at the end of his last name), who was a British spy and whose stories appeared in issues of Thriller Picture Library in the early to mid-1960s.  Gold Key's John Steele is an all-American spy who is fighting the enemies of the United States, whether it be behind the Iron Curtain or high in the mountains of the Himalayas.

The first issue to be published was titled Freedom Agent, with a cover date of April 1963.  The indicia at the bottom of page one indicates this is issue 1 and states it is "[p]ublished quarterly by K.K. Publications, Inc."  I find it odd they would give a publication schedule for the book, when it was a single issue that had no subsequent issues published (at least, not under the name Freedom Agent).  Not sure if more issues were planned, but they were scrapped when this book did not sell well, or if that language was simply used in the indicia for all of Gold Key's comics, regardless of whether it was a one-short or a series.  In any event, this first issue contains two stories - "The Giant Makers," a 15-page tale about a scientist behind the Iron Curtain who has developed a serum that can increase the size of animals; and "Escape From the Top of the World," an 11-page tale about a mysterious 'fireball' that crashed into the Himalayas that could be a dangerous weapon.  In-between these two stories is a 4-pager titled "Behind Enemy Lines: The Heavy Water Raid," which tells the World War II efforts to prevent the Germans from developing any atomic weapons.  I'm not sure of the purpose of the 4-page historical account, unless it was to give readers a dose of reality between the action stories of John Steele.

The first story is highly fantastical, since it is pure science fiction to think that a serum can be developed that would change the size of animals and humans.  But Steele is sent into an unnamed area behind the Iron Curtain to retrieve the scientist who created the formula, and he ends up becoming a guinea pig for the experiment - causing him to grow into a giant!  Of course, this gives him the needed strength to overcome the soldier and help the scientist escape; yet, the scientist is killed by a crashing helicopter, but lives long enough to give Steele an antidote before dying, taking the formula for the serum with him.

The second story is a bit more grounded, as Steele is sent to Tibet to discover what the mysterious 'fireball' is.  He has to sneak into the country and utilize disguises to get close to the object, which turns out to be a small space satellite.  Steele manages to take out the guidance and radio systems before he is nearly caught, and he has to claw his way to the top of one of the mountains (at 18,000 feet up!) in order to be rescued by an American plane.

The second comic Gold Key published was the self-titled John Steele, Secret Agent, which came out in December 1964.  Interestingly, neither the indicia nor the cover give an issue number for the comic, nor a date, and the indicia merely says this comic is "[p]ublished by K.K. Publications, Inc." without indicating the frequency.  Perhaps by this point, more than a year after the other issue hit the comic racks, the publisher realized it was better to leave out the publication frequency in order to avoid any problems if no further issues were published.  Like its predecessor, this comic features two Steele tales - "The Unseen Foe," a 14-page story about invisible saboteurs; and "Double for Danger," a 13-page story about impersonating a dictator to prevent a dangerous alliance.  The comic also features another 4-page "Behind Enemy Lines" historical account, this time titled "Blow Up the Bridge," which details the mission to destroy a rail bridge to prevent supplies from reaching Germany during the war.

As with the first comic, the first story in this issue is a bit sci-fi in nature.  Steele finds himself sent on a mission to uncover how enemy agents are creating havoc and stealing top secret information without anyone seeing them - not even on camera!  Steele, of course, uncovers a plot to displace American agents from England by the use of enemy spies dressed in specially treated material that makes them "invisible" except under infared light!  The story sounds like something right out of a James Bond film.

The second story is definitely more realistic, as Steele dons the disguise to take the place of a dictator of a small country, to keep them from allying themselves with China.  He must fool the dictator's brother, who seems very involved in the scheme to ally with China, and when Steele's cover is nearly blown, it leads to an explosive escape in which the brother is forced to gun down the dictator - but was it Steele or his own brother that he kills?  It's actually a pretty great little tale, fast-moving  and an adventure that would actually make for a great plot of a movie.

From what I can gather online, all four stories were written by Paul Newman (not the actor!), and the art was by Giovanni Ticci and Alberto Giolitti.  Although uncredited in the issues themselves, the art is consistent throughout all four stories, making me believe the same artists worked on them all.  The art is nice - nothing super-spectacular, and far from detailed (many panels have blank backgrounds), but there is no strange style to it, making it an easy read.  The action sequences are a bit stiff at times, but over all, I would say the art fit the stories fairly well.  And with only 11 to 15 pages to work with, Newman's stores move along quickly, with little space for deep characterization.  Thus, we learn literally nothing about Steele's past or about any of the supporting characters other than what is necessary to fit the story.  And, with only two comic books featuring this daring spy, we are destined to never know anything more about him...

The cover art is beautiful, and I'm glad Gold Key publishing the full, clean paintings on the back of each issue - unobstructed by the title, the Gold Key symbol in the upper left-hand corner, or the taglines on each issue.  They would make great poster art - I just wish I knew who did the art.

Not anything spectacular, the if you enjoy spy or adventure stories, then these two John Steele comics would likely give you a good read.

RATING:  7 giant chickens, rabbits, and mice (oh, my!) out of 10 for taking not one chance, but two, on a non-costumed, non-super-powered hero.

Love on the Racks - a History of American Romance Comics

I developed a love for comic books ever since my dad bought me my first comic book back in 1979 - an issue of Super Friends based on the Saturday morning cartoon.  For years after that, I can remember going to the nearby convenience store (Magik Mart, if I recall correctly), as well as the Walgreen's located in the local mall, to comb through all the comics on the spinner rack and pick out which ones I wanted to read next.  Needless to say, it was those colorful superhero titles that caught my eye and quickly filled up my ever-growing collection.  Never in a million years would I have considered buying, let alone even picking up and paging through, a romance comic.  Yuck!  Those were for girls!  So, flash-forward more than four decades, and suddenly I have discovered the beauty of the stories and art that fill the pages of many romance comics from the '50s, '60s, and into the '70s. With today's comics becoming more focused on splash pages and "pretty art," and less about the story, I find myself gravitating back to the yester-years of comic books, where each issue was filled with tons of story, making each comic book well worth the price paid.  In recent years, I've developed an interest in and appreciation for romance comics, which, often times, were written and drawn by talented creators who later went on to make a name for themselves in the industry - people like Dick Giordano, Jack Kirby, Gene Colan, Kurt Schaffenberg, Gil Kane, and countless others. So, this book offered me a chance to go beyond the stories themselves and find out more about the behind-the-scenes drama that went on with America's romance comics.

Love on the Racks is the first in-depth study of romance comics in America, looking at the entry of romance stories into comics in the late 1940s all the way through to the demise of romance comics in the late 1970s.  The author, Michelle Nolan, was a newspaper and magazine writer who has also spent time as a comic and pop culture historian.  With this book, Nolan offers fans of romance comics an opportunity to read a chronological history of the comics, learn about the driving force behind the expansion and collapse of the genre during the 1950s, see what affect the Comics Code Authority had on the books and their publishers, and consider the reasons why romance comics finally left the market entirely by the end of the 1970s.  The book also contains numerous examples of romance covers, as well as some interior pages, with eight color pages showcasing some of the important covers throughout the thirty-year period.

Nolan opens the book with a look at what existed before the advent of romance comics, to wit: the romance pulp!  I had already read about a lot of these romance pulps in The Art of Pulps Illustrated History book that I reviewed previously; but it was enlightening to see how a lot of these stories and magazines were just one step on the path to romance comics.  The next chapter gives readers a brief glimpse of the early teen humor comics (such as those published by Archie), as well as some of those early Marvel comics (such as Patsy Walker), which featured romance, but were more focused on the humor side of things.  It's eye-opening to see just how politically incorrect comic humor was back in the day, with Nolan showing "Moronica" (otherwise known as Miss Nitwit) as a prime example.  Personally, I think the strip still holds humor when read and appreciated for the time period it was created.  It's so easy to look at comics from the past through today's lens and condemn them; but it takes a true fan and collector to see and read the comics with an understanding of when it was written and drawn to be able to grasp the full impact of the strip.

Nevertheless, with Chapter Three, Nolan begins to study of romance comics with the publication of Young Romance #1 in 1947 from Crestwood Publications by two creators who eventually hit it big in the comics industry:  Joe Simon and Jack Kirby!  From this one comic spawned three-decade boom of romance comics that flooded the market (and perhaps over-saturated the market) and took the publishers, retailers, and fans by surprise.  Nolan goes into each of the first four issues of this comic, providing details of the stories contained within those issues.  Then she moves on to the second romance title, My Romance, which was published by Marvel Comics in 1948, who was hoping to cash in on the success it saw in Young Romance.  An odd romance comic also came out from Marvel that year called Venus, which starred the goddess of love herself; however, only certain issues actually fit into the romance genre.  Nolan indicates the title underwent numerous changes during its 19-issue run, from science-fiction to fantasy to others.  This was followed by Fawcett Comics, who published Sweethearts in late '48, oddly enough starting it with issue 68 (see below for a discussion on the whole numbering of romance comics during their heyday).  Sweethearts, it seems, was the first romance comic to be published monthly - its precursors were bi-monthly or quarterly.  This, according to Nolan, was a big chance to take, since the romance genre was still so new to comics.

 

Each chapter thereafter looks at the succeeding years and how the realm of romance comics grew exponentially, then contracted, and then expanded once again, gaining considerable popularity to the point where there were periods when nearly 1 in every 5 comic published was a romance title!   I have to say, Nolan educated me on quite a bit regarding the history of romance comics - I never realized just how many comic publishers existed at the time, and how many non-DC/Marvel publishers were out there, pushing out books each month.  It was surprising to learn that some smaller companies only published a few titles a month, and one company only published one book!  Yet, from 1947 to 1977, just about every company out there that published comics joined the bandwagon and pushed out title after title of romance books.  If one failed, they would throw another one out there.  Titles ranged from Secret Loves to Girls' Romances to Thrilling Romances to Love Diary to Sweet Love and so many others.  Of all the companies, though, it was Charlton comics, who entered the game late, that published the most romance comics of any company - more than 1,400 individual issues in all!  The only company who got anywhere close to that many was DC Comics, who came in at only 931 individual issues over the three decades.  

Thankfully, Nolan has a "Catalogue of Romance Comics" that she, along with other romance aficionados Dan Stevenson and Jim Vadeboncoeur, Jr., compiled, listing virtually every known romance comic to have ever been published.  The list is sorted by publisher, and it lists the titles, the number of issues published in each title, and the total number of individual issues published by each company.  This is an excellent guide, because as mentioned above, a number of companies did not start their series with issue 1; rather, if another series they published was cancelled, they would simply pick up the numbering with a new and different title, even if it was a completely different genre (for example, some companies switched science fiction or super hero titles to romance titles, continuing the number, but renaming the book and changing the content!).  According to Nolan, this happened many times because the publisher wanted to avoid having to set up new books with the postal mailing requirements; if they simply changed the title, but kept the numbering, they could try and slide it in under the old application with the post office and not have to pay any new fees for a new title!  I had always wondered why companies back in the day would do that.  This results in a number of romance titles that never saw an issue 1!  Charlton was really bad about this - Career Girl Romances began with issue 24; Romantic Secrets began with issued 5; Hollywood Romances began with issue 46; Summer Love began with issue 46; and so on. Today, with the internet, it's easy to find out exactly what issue a particular series started and ended with; but back when these comics were first published in the '50s, '60s, and '70s, I'm sure a lot of fans were frustrated when they could not find any "early issues" of these series!

I particularly enjoyed reading about how the implementation of the Comics Code Authority affected the stories and covers to the romance comics.  Nolan cites to a number of examples of how covers were changed, with woman no longer allowed to show cleavage, and how the "drama" depicted changed from physical altercations or sexual insinuations to the more generic girl crying as she sees her man being tempted by another woman (no sex indicated, of course!).  Nolan also provides an example of a story from First Love #27 (April 1953) titled "Sinful Surrender" was altered when it was reprinted just three years later in First Love #61 (February 1956) to "Foolish Dream," with certain suggestive dialogue removed to avoid any sexual context,.  And yes, as the romance period went on, it seems more and more comics began to reprint older stories in order to fill out content for the considerable numbers of books that were being published.  Gradually, though, the Code began to loosen its grip, as many of DC Comics' later titles in the '70s began to feature stories with what might be considered somewhat "risque" at the time, including the free-love of the hippie years, interracial romances, and even some darker teen angst.  

Sadly, by 1977, the romance genre had reached its ever-lovin' end, and DC Comics' Young Love #126 (July 1977) was the last romance comic to hit the stands.  Oddly enough, this book was one of the books DC purchased from Crestwood when that company went out of business, along with Simon and Kirby's Young Romance (the book that started it all!).  Young Love made its debut in 1949, and was a sister title to Young Romance.  It was created by Simon and Kirby as well, so I suppose it is only fitting that this tremendous team that created the first romance comic would have one of their original series also serve as a closing book end to the era.   

Nolan does an outstanding job of detailing the history of romance comics, and while there is a bit of repetition here and there throughout the book, as she mentions some of the same titles and publishers over and over, it does not get monotonous nor annoying - in fact, the repeated statistics and information serves as a great reminder as the reader is trudging through this thirty-year period of just how much these comics played an important part of comics history - even if they are nearly forgotten by today's fans!  And for a fan like me, who only recently came into the genre, this is a spectacular resource that will provide invaluable aid in my search for issues to complete various series.  This book is a definite must-have for any fan of romance comics!

RATING:  9 romantic photo covers out of 10 for providing unbelievable details about the nearly forgotten and sordid history of romance comics and the impact it had on the comics industry!