Number 2528: “...or if you want something visual that’s not too abysmal, we could take in an old Steve Reeves movie.”

Hercules here is the Hercules whose movies were made in Italy, starring the American body builder Steve Reeves. They were dubbed into other languages, including English, from the late '50s into the sixties. I never saw any Hercules movies in theaters, with an explanation why in the next paragraph.

I saw some of the movies on television, long ago. What I remember most about Italian muscle movies dubbed into English is that producer Joseph E. Levine, who was an exploitation specialist, bought the rights to the Italian production Hercules for $120,000 (a lot more money, obviously, in the late ’50s than it would be today), after it was turned down by American studios. Levine put up a massive advertising campaign on television, got his name in newspapers a lot and the movie became a box office hit. My mother had a saying, “The more a movie is advertised the worse it is.” That would explain why she didn’t drive me into town to the theater playing the film.

I don’t have the Dell Comics version of the original Hercules, but I have the follow-up, Hercules Unchained. Forgetting all of the hyperbole and Joseph E. Levine’s selling of the movie in many TV commercials, the comic book is exceptional because of the artwork of Reed Crandall and George Evans. Crandall is credited with penciling, and both Crandall and Evans are given credit for inking. The adaptation of the screenplay of Hercules Unchained was done by Paul S. Newman, and is Dell Four Color #1121, from 1960.

Number 1832: A Yellow Submarine Christmas

Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!

...and having said that, I have no Christmas comics to show you. But I relate Yellow Submarine to a Christmas memory: December, 1968...I had been out of the Army a few weeks;  just before Christmas I saw a screening of the Beatles animated film. I am a Beatlemaniac, through-and-through.

The comic book preceded release of the picture, and as you can see if you are familiar with the movie, is different in many ways from the film. The Grand Comics Database states it was written from an early draft of the script. That happens with these adaptations. With the long lead time on a licensed project like this the publisher would want to get the script and art done as soon as possible, thereby risking what happened here, perhaps disappointing some readers.

Oh well, all you need is love, as the Beatles said. In the spirit of Christmas, I gift this 68 page Gold Key giant comic, with poster. It is written by Paul S. Newman, and drawn by José Delbo.

I got a nifty Christmas present recently, when one of my favorite cartoonists, Jim Engel, sent me a fantastic new logo for this blog. Jim has done a beautiful job, and I am proud to have it adorn Pappy's. It will replace the current logo on January 1. Until then, here is a preview: