I also got a smile at the description on page 1 of Hunt’s companion, Lyssa, as his friend. A friend in a top with plunging neckline, mini-skirt and spike heels, who stalks the enemy with Hunt.* I assume they are friendly enough to keep each other warm at night.
*Hunt looks kinda kinky, himself.
Cover illustration attributed to Joe Doolin. From Planet Comics #30 (1944):
Here is an extra bit of Ingels for you. After EC folded Graham Ingels, like other comic book artists, was looking for work. Here is a short four-page strip from a 1957 issue of Treasure Chest, a wholesome comic book published for Catholic schoolkids.
The Lost World--where only the hot women survive.
ReplyDeleteThank heavens everyone on Earth had agreed to a shared language before Hunt and Lyssa found themselves in Paris!
ReplyDeleteIn any case, I do want to insist that, surely, those two have dutifully restrained themselves, until an minister of justice-of-the-peace can be found to make everything proper!
I agree, Daniel...even in times of chaos and the total breakdown of society and law restraint MUST be observed until the correct words are spoken over them.
ReplyDeleteRyan, I'm trying to remember if I have seen any other women besides Lyssa in the Lost World stories I have shown. Probably, but none hotter than our Lyssa.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how this great artist improved his style during his career. From naive sci fi stories to satanic puppeteer of ghastly figures, to more "comfortable" catholic (!) comics...
ReplyDeleteThe idea of a future world dominated by alien invaders, with a handful of "resistants" who fight them seems to be quite common in comics. Aside from "Buck Rogers" who had (if memory serves me) a similar premise, I remember a DC miniseries from the 80's called "Slash Maraud", where the band of resistants also visits the ruins of Paris. I guess it's hard to write about "resistance" without mentioning that city.
But as usual, I digress. What I really wanted to say is that I really like Lyssa and her sci fi-style, high heels shoes, surely real comfortable during her "hit and run" guerilla.
I want the future to happen now. And when that happens, I want to being selling high-heeled shoes, because no matter how torn your evening dress is, you always have high-heeled shoes.
ReplyDeleteAlso, my ads will be done by Bill Ward.
It's really depressing to me who Ghastly got pigeon-holed after the comics code. Obviously, by these two stories, he was skilled at much more than horror. Certainly, he was an expert at horror -- and I still say the best -- but he had done western, romance, and space adventure.
Though, his alcohol problems probably didn't help either.
Brian, J D, I notice you are both on the same page with the high heel shoes. That was Fiction House, all right! No matter how ludicrous, the heroines wore high heels.
ReplyDeleteJ D, I remember quite a few science fiction stories that involved post-apocalyptic worlds or resistance against alien invaders. We humans always win out in stories and movies...how well would be do if it really happened?
Brian, maybe that struggle with drinking and trying to make a living in the low-paying comic books drove Ingels to teach painting. He also did paintings including portraiture that can be seen if you google his artwork. As an aside, this June we can celebrate Ghastly's 100th birthday! He died at age 76 in 1991.
I have a feeling that Ingels was too sensitive for this business.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if this was speculated, but the alcohol problem could have been the "effect" and not the cause of his uneasiness. Maybe he took all the Wertham's psychological crap too seriously. If you are a sensitive man AND a catholic, you are perilously inclined to blame yourself for too many things..