Number 2592: The thrilling Bill Everett draws the thrilling action for the thrilling Amazing Man

In the early days of comic fandom (early 1960s) a man* had a letter published in a fanzine with an article telling why Amazing Man was so amazing. Amazing Man (or John Aman, taking a test by some Tibetans who had raised him) could fight a cobra with his hands tied behind his back, and he could survive knives being thrown into his body. The writer of the letter called those events "thrilling." 

It took me a couple of decades before I was able to see the origin story of Amazing Man, and I guess those panels are thrilling. (I was impressionable in those days.)

Bill Everett, who created, wrote and drew this origin story, moved on after a while. Centaur, the publisher of Amazing Man, went out of business, and Everett went on to other comic book character, including Sub-Mariner. 

Everett died young, but in his time he was a “thrilling” good artist, just as that long ago comics fan claimed.

*The letter writer's name I don't remember. It was a long, very long time ago.

From Amazing Man Comics #5 (actual issue #1, 1939):

Number 1921: The mini couple and the Big Boy

I picked this story for one reason: the big robot. You may have noticed that I sometimes feature stories with giant robots (and also gorillas and apes, must not forget them). I remember at a very tender age being all googly-eyed over this paperback book cover:

It may have been the beginning of my lifelong love of clanking, whirring mechanical men.

In this story from Centaur’s Amazing Man Comics #15 (1941) Minimidget and his girl, Ritty, become trapped in a far future age where they are held captive, and meet Big Boy, the giant robot. It is crudely drawn by John F. Kolb, but in those early days when there were more comic books than there were talented people to fill them with pretty pictures.

How about that last panel when Minimidget tells of his allegiance to his new pal: “He’s our friend and slave”?  Must be love, eh?