Number 2364: “Sky Sabotage”

I can imagine the conversation between EC founder and publisher, Max Gaines, and writer Gardner Fox: “I want you to create a character just like Wonder Woman, only different. No kinky stuff!” Gaines had been the publisher of the All American line, partners with Donenfield and Liebowitz, publishers of DC Comics, where Wonder Woman was a big seller. In 1945 Gaines sold his share, including Wonder Woman, to DC, and went off on his own again. Superheroes were fading fast in the late 1940s, except for Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman, so naturally he would want to capture some of Wonder Woman’s sales.

It didn’t work as well as hoped, and the only super hero(ine) of the EC Comics line, Moon Girl, didn’t last for long. It doesn’t mean that Moon Girl wasn’t fairly well done; Fox and artist Sheldon Moldoff were professionals who had been working for Gaines for years, but Moon Girl didn’t have the bizarre characteristics of Wonder Woman that made her a big seller. M.C. Gaines died in 1947, and EC was put under his son Bill’s direction. He gradually made decisions that turned the company into his, and not his father’s.

“Sky Sabotage” is from Moon Girl #3 (1948):

Number 1918: Volcano sacrifices: Moon Girl and her mom!

I have mentioned before the character of Moon Girl is inspired by Wonder Woman, introduced to the world by publisher Maxwell Gaines. Moon Girl is like Wonder Woman without the kinky stuff. She has a fella (the Prince), like Diana has Steve Trevor. While Wonder Woman comes from a mythical place called Paradise Island, Moon Girl comes from a mythical version of a real place, Samarkand. Here’s a bit of information about Samarkand, from a travel guide on the Internet:

“Samarkand - The Capital of Tamerlane. Samarkand is situated in the valley of the river Zerafshan. It is the second largest city of Uzbekistan and is of the same age as the city of Babylon or Rome.”

No mention of a Moon Mountain or the Volcano Kokama, which are key plot elements in “The Spirit of Kokama,” from Moon Girl #3 (1948). There’s a rebellion going on in Samarkand, and Moon Girl’s mom is thrown into a dungeon. She didn’t detect the plot against her, but then I don’t think she is very smart. When the volcano erupts, she claims it is “harmless.” She sounds like a queen in denial.

Despite all of the things about mixing fantasy with real places, I am intrigued by Moon Girl’s plane. It isn’t invisible like Wonder Woman’s, but is controlled by Moon Girl’s moon powers. When it flies from Uzbekistan to America and shows up, unpiloted, to collect the Prince, it reminds me of a drone.

Artwork is by Sheldon Moldoff.

Number 1504: Jack Frost in the Land of the Lost

Brrrr. Much of North America and the United States is gripped right now is what is called a polar vortex, with record-breaking cold temperatures. Jack Frost is definitely nipping at our noses and any other exposed parts.

Speaking of Jack Frost, I’ll bet you wouldn’t place Jack Frost under the ocean (nor would I), but here he is in The Land of the Lost #3 (1946). The story is written by Isabel Manning Hewson, the creator and writer of the then-popular radio series, and illustrated by Olive Bailey.

I have shown other episodes of this charming series, published by EC Comics when EC stood for “Educational Comics,” under the ownership of Maxwell Charles Gaines, father of William Gaines, who went on to a wholly different style of comics when he took over the company after the elder Gaines’s accidental death in 1947.

Stay warm!

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More Land of the Lost. Just click on the thumbnails.

Number 1157: The Disappearing Desert

In addition to writing scripts and songs for the successful mid-'40s radio program, Land Of the Lost, Isabel Manning Hewson wrote the scripts for the comic book version, published by EC Comics. The comic book apparently sold well enough to have nine issues between 1946 and 1948. I'm not sure whether it was eventually canceled due to a drop in sales, or because EC founder Maxwell Charles Gaines died in the summer of 1947 and his son, William M. Gaines, took over the company.

As is well known in comics history, Bill Gaines took EC in a whole 'nother direction from that of his father.

Land Of the Lost is a clever and charming radio show/comic book, about a kingdom under the sea where lost things go. In the case of "The Disappearing Desert," it's a pair of Z-ray glasses. Red Lantern is joined by two human children, Isabel and Billy, who use "magic seaweed" to allow them to breathe underwater.

Olive Bailey did a terrific job on the artwork. As far as I know Bailey's only comic book credits are in those nine issues. I'm sorry she didn't do more in the field. As I've mentioned before, Hewson and Bailey may be the only female writing and art team in this era. Go to the labels below this posting and click on "Land Of the Lost" for more stories.

From Land Of the Lost #2, 1946: