“The Eye Sees” by Frank Thomas appeared for a short time in Centaur Publication’s*
Keen Detective Funnies, and in a couple of reprint issues,
Detective Eye. The Eye was a mysterious creature whose origin was never explained, although in one issue the splash panel proclaims, “The Eye! A symbol of the haunting voice of man’s inner conscience! That mystic all-powerful force that causes evil deeds to boomerang and destroy those who plot them!” With that sort of mystical status you’d think The Eye would be an unseen force, but it has a physical presence, as we see in this story (the second published) from
Keen Detective Funnies #18 (1940) when it is spotted by one of the gang members plotting sabotage.
**********
*Centaur has the distinction of being a comic book company that went out
of business during comics’ original heyday. According to Wikipedia,
“Centaur Publications, Inc. ceased production at the end of 1940, but
continued to produce comics under the name Comic Corporation of America.
Centaur ceased publication four years later, primarily due to poor
distribution.”
**********
Here’s the first story featuring The Eye. Just click on the thumbnail:
These "cosmic justice" stories are fun (like Stardust stories), but very low-stakes. Certainly, most continuing narratives are low stakes -- the hero has to continue on -- but these god-like beings can cause some pretty boring stories.
ReplyDeleteThough, keeping the page count low, and it can work.
That is the least sexy attempt at a sexy woman I've ever seen in comics, though!
Tha Eye is SPOOKERY yo! Brrrr! But we feel safe as long as Pappy is around. We luv u Pappity! XOXOXOXO
ReplyDeleteAlicia, well, thanks, sweetie...but if the Eye showed up in the room you and Deb might have to move fast lest Pappy run you over in his mad rush to get out the door.
ReplyDeleteBrian, just today I was writing a post for April about those characters whose powers are so broad that there is no suspense. That seems to be the problem you have with the Eye, although he is one of the most oddly oddball Golden Age characters, and it gives him some visual interest, at least.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever considered The Eye in Spyman #1-3 by new talent Jim Steranko in Harvey superheros circe 1967? You should check her out!
ReplyDeleteI like how The Eye's manifestation before Sandra is completely and utterly irrelevant. He (It?) tells her to do exactly as he/it says, but she takes no action, nor even mentions being visited by a giant talking eyeball so Daddy can gently mock her for being a "typical female."
ReplyDeleteAlso, The Eye is sometimes a left eye and sometimes a right eye. That's very creepy.
@Brian: Eh. She's practically Inza's twin from Sherman's Golden Age Dr. Fate stories, trying to breathe through a barely-existent nose and permanently-pursed lips.
You mentioned Stardust; I think Fletcher Hanks was the master of the unsexy female by sheer dint of his primitiveness. "A woman flying around in lingerie? Better give her an angry skull-face so the li'l punks ain't get no boners!"
Hi Pappy,
ReplyDeleteYour first post for the Eye indicated he had some connection to the Afghans. That would be interesting to follow up...
Ironic that the villain here, Ganza, is missing an eye while there's this extra one floating around.
Thanks,
Darci
Part of what made Ibis tolerable (in spite of an over-abundance of power), in those stories where the artist did a reasonably good job, was Taia. While “sexy” is not the first word for which I'd reach in describing her (YMMV), she was physically attractive, &c.
ReplyDeletePappy, that is the gabbiest eyeball I've ever seen! Real pretentious, too...well, looks like no wine for Ivan. And just what is "plumb center" on a man's body - the belly button?(BTW, the Belly Button was another discontinued Frank Thomas character - "The lint of justice will trip up those evildoers!")
ReplyDeleteAs mentioned earlier, that Sandra was a real looker (in that she looka lika man)! Yeesh! She should wear her skirt over her face and teach her butt to talk, know what I'm sayin'? Incidentally, I also had an experience just like Sandra when the Eye appeared over her bed and said "don't tell anyone and don't be afraid!" The only difference was, when the Eye appeared over me in my bed, he looked alot like the homeless guy from down the street (smelled like gin, too)! I'll never tell, Eye! Ooops...
Do you have the Eye's last adventure? That's when he appeared during hay-fever season and got all red and blotchy...he was then defeated easily when he got poked right in himself and started crying! It was a sad end...
Hey, Apocolyte, you get the Pappy Ever-so Slight Nod of Approval (I am not a demonstrative type, so for me "slight nod" is akin to jumping up and down and screaming.) Anyway, you made me laugh, friend, and that's good.
ReplyDelete