It’s a science fiction story about rats declaring war on humans. That would be silly enough, but throw in a little mouse named Cheesie(!) that owes allegiance to Airboy for setting its broken leg, and the jaw drops another few inches.
This cheesy story is from Airboy Comics Vol. 5 Number 11 (whole number 58, 1948). Cover by Dan Zolnerwich (“Zolne”), and artwork on the story by Ernest Schroeder. Grand Comics Database doesn’t know who is to blame for the script.
Come back on Friday for part 2.
Memory may fail me, and my copy of Steranko's History of Comics is in a box that I don't want to try to find and open; but I believe that he praised this story. So, when I first encountered it somewhere, I was expecting something … rather more inspired and inspiring.
ReplyDeleteFor what very little it's worth, rats naturally prey upon mice, and mice instinctively fear the odor of rats.
Well that was grisly! The panels where the rats attacked the small town were right out of a good horror story!
ReplyDeleteI don't have a big problem with Chese (so both mice and bats are in on it!) just how convenient it is.
I have to say, I don't think this is turkey day material. Sure, it's silly as all get out but they do manage to get a lot of mileage out of the rat menace, and there's cool military hardware drawings. And another 15 pages to come!
I hope there's a giant rat boss at the end, Godzilla sized!
Daniel, it's inspired, all right. Just not the type of inspired and inspiring you were imagining.
ReplyDeleteMy son had a pet rat at one time, then he left home and left the rat with us, his parents. I was happy that rats had a short lifespan and my personal aversion to that critter ended when I found him in his cage, lying still, with little X's over his eyes.
Brian, sorry if you were disappointed there was no giant rat. I think the story would have been much better.
ReplyDeleteI can imagine the Godzilla-sized rat swimming the Atlantic Ocean, headed for Switzerland and their famous cheese.