Number 2457: The weird tale of the witchy woman

I don’t know when the first comic book horror story appeared. When evaluating old stories one may have different definitions of what “horror” is. I tend to think of comic book horror as it was found in EC Comics and their myriad imitators. In creating their horror comics Bill Gaines and Al Feldstein of EC supposedly talked about a radio program they both liked, The Witch’s Tale, and that was their springboard. The Witch’s Tale featured Old Nancy as the witch. The old witch in this story does not have a name, just a story to tell. I presume one could imagine any witchy-sounding cackling noises.

“Weird Tales, The Tale of the Haunted Inn” is from Hit Comics #1 (1940). It’s likely they swiped the witch from the radio show, and the title of the feature from Weird Tales, the pulp magazine.

Number 2330: Red Bee, stay away from me

The Red Bee, a character created by Toni Blum and Charles Nicholas for Hit Comics, in a series that ran from issues number 1 through 24. The Red Bee had a power, that of controlling bees. I would like to have that power, at least to keep them away from me, since I am allergic to the sting of those little critters. I appreciate bees for their part in the overall ecosystem of Planet Earth. I just need to keep my distance while they are being busy bees.

The name sounds like it was influenced by the Green Hornet, or the Blue Beetle. And there is a tie-in. Charles Nicholas Wojtkowski,* who is credited with creating the Blue Beetle, also figured into the creation of the Red Bee with Iger Studio scripter, Toni Blum. I am showing it is because I love the cover, a beautiful illustration by Lou Fine of the Red Bee wrestling a swordfish. If you look at my teaser panel above you will see it actually shows a sequence from the story, something Quality Comics didn’t always do, preferring more symbolic and/or generic illustrations for their covers.

This is an early story, from Hit Comics #5 (1940), which is credited to Charles Nicholas Wojtkowski by the Grand Comics Database.

*According to the Wikipedia page, there were three artists who signed the name “Charles Nicholas” working for the Iger Studio. Jack Kirby, Charles Cuidera, and Charles Wojtkowski. The latter went on to Charlton Comics where he worked, still under the name Charles Nicholas, in tandem with inker Vince Alascia.

Number 2278: What is known about Neon the Unknown

Did you survive Christmas? I got through another one, only slightly the worse for wear. In case you need to be perked up after the holiday, I am here to jolt you with the wake-up colors of a Quality Comics story.

Looking at the origin story of Neon the Unknown, a character who appeared in Quality’s Hit Comics #'s 1-17, I see from the Public Domain Superheroes website that Tom Corbet (not to be confused with Tom Corbett, Space Cadet), was a member of the French Foreign Legion and the sole survivor of an attack on a local tribe. He drank from a mysterious pool which gave him super powers. It is in those “neonic vapors,” and then Tom glows, can fly, and shoot energy bolts out of his hands.

In this episode people are going mad, rioting in the streets. There is a powder collected by Neon, which he gives to his friend, the professor. He is one of those comic book professors who can whip out a microscope and ascertain the powder “if breathed by men will drive them insane!” That is one talented professor; he doesn’t even need a laboratory to confirm it.

I don’t know what makes Neon Unknown, but it sounds mysterious, doesn’t it? I also don’t know if he got a discharge from the French Foreign Legion, or if he is listed as a deserter.

Jerry Iger is credited as creating him. This episode, from Hit Comics #5 (1940), has Alex Blum with a question mark credited for the artwork by the Grand Comics Database. Blum is another of those old-timers (born in 1889) who went into comic books in their earliest days, when he joined the Eisner and Iger Studio.

Number 2116: Stormy Foster was a jerk

Stormy Foster the Great Defender may have had one of the longest superhero names, but his run was of short duration. He appeared in Quality’s Hit Comics from issues #18-#34 (1942-44). Stormy, in his civilian identity, was a soda jerk in a drug store. For those of you unfamiliar with the term, a soda jerk was a person who prepared ice cream confections for customers of pharmacies, many of which featured that service in days gone past. Long past, I might add. I had experienced them a time or two in my youth, and my youth is as long gone as those soda fountains. Enough said about that.

Stormy found a “supervitamin” which gave him the strength of 10 men for a limited period of time. Some kind of super steroid, perhaps? Stormy should have turned that “vitamin” over to the War Department for the sake of national defense, but he kept it to himself. Even patriotism has its limits, I suppose.

He was also a grown man with another minor child as a sidekick. In this case it was Ah Choo, a Chinese youngster. The Public Domain Superheroes website, from which I am taking this information on Stormy, calls Ah Choo “horribly stereotypical,” yet if compared to Blackhawk’s hideous teammate, Chop Chop, at least Ah Choo looks human. (A note for my readers in non-English speaking countries: “Ah choo” is a sound effect many comics used for a sneeze, so Ah Choo’s name is a lowbrow pun.) And speaking of lowbrow, Stormy’s costume looks incomplete. He forgot to put on his pants. Stormy wears white briefs along with his white socks and slip-on shoes.

Grand Comics Database gives Max Elkan credit for the sharp artwork. From Hit Comics #24 (1942):

Number 2037: Kid Eternity calls on Plastic Man

I don’t recall any crossovers in Quality Comics, no Plastic Man appearing in Blackhawk or vice versa. If they happened I may have missed them. If anyone knows of any please let me know. Here is the closest thing I know to a crossover from that publisher. It appeared in Hit Comics #32 (1944), when Kid Eternity needed help and called on Plastic Man by shouting out the word “Eternity!”

Plastic Man doesn’t have a lot to do, so crossover might be too strong a word. It is more like a guest appearance. He appears in 6 panels over two pages. When an old lady turns into Merlin the Magician he gives up and zaps back to Police Comics.

I have high regard for the artwork, credited to Alex Kotzky for pencils. No inker known.

Kid Eternity mixes with Amazons. Just click the thumbnail.