Number 2088: A sprinkle of Stardust

Fletcher Hanks deserves his reputation as one of the most unique of the early comic book creator/artists. His stories can be...well...berserk.

In the origin tale of Stardust, for instance, Stardust’s arrival on Earth is foretold by a voice on the radio. Stardust, whose attitude toward justice is very Old Testament, is heralded by a disembodied voice like that of an angel, as if Stardust were a god. Hanks, who died years later on a park bench, presumably of alcoholism, probably had his own demons working on him. Whatever the reason, his works, almost 80 years old, are now prized as being both crazy and entertaining. His huge lettering shouts a god’s punishments for evil.

Paul Karasik’s two volumes for Fantagraphics reprinting the entire Hanks story collection,* are still available, and highly recommended.

From Fantastic Comics #1 (1939):

*“I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets” and Turn Loose the Death Rays and Kill Them All!: The Complete Works of Fletcher Hanks.

Number 2087: “Perverted little heart beating...”

Our third and last entry for our theme week, comic book women of the forties. Today we have Rulah, Goddess of the Jungle

I have written of my belief that comics with sexy women like Rulah, Sheena, and all the other revealing-costumed tree-swingers were designed to sell comics to young guys, especially servicemen. But comics were sold to anyone, so even the very young got a peek at those glamorous queens, princesses, and goddesses of the jungle. I recently found a copy of Cruisin’ With the Hound, a compilation of autobiographical comic strips by the late Spain Rodriquez, famous underground cartoonist. This panel struck me:

Rodriguez, born in 1940, was about 8 or 9 when Rulah was being published. Because they featured hot chicks, Zoot Comics and Rulah probably had a longer life than most comic books, passed around and treasured by young guys like Spain. We have further proof: the fact we are ogling Rulah seven decades after the comics were published shows Rulah may have worn a brief costume, but she had a long lifespan.

“The Harpies from Hades” is from Zoot Comics #10 (1948); the art was done by the Iger comics shop.

Number 2086: That girl is poison!

This is number two of our theme week, featuring comic book females of the forties.

We ended July with a story of a male poisoner, William Campbell, and now a tale of a female poisoner, Marquise De Brinvilliers, who allegedly poisoned her family members during the time of Louis XIV of France. As in the story, told in Real Crime Comics Vol. 5 No. 5 (1950), De Brinvilliers was arrested by a cop posing as a priest.

What isn’t shown is that the Marquise was tortured, beheaded and burned at the stake. There was also the major scandal of the Affair of the Poisons, touched off after her arrest, which led to the execution of 36 people. It is not covered in the comic book version. (You can read about it here). Our version is drawn by John Prentice. Prentice’s strong illustrative style shows even with the blobby printing of the comic book. A few years later, after the death of “Rip Kirby” artist, Alex Raymond, Prentice was given the job of continuing the comic strip. Prentice died in 1999.

I am also pleased by the poster-like effect of the cover by Prentice, which is either a re-drawing or a blow-up of a panel from the story.

Number 2085: Moon Girl is swamped

We begin another theme week, and like last month, the theme is comic book women of the forties. First up, Moon Girl.

Clare Lune, Moon Girl, must have needed a job when she accepted a position in a mansion far into the Bayou. She is all set to tutor little Mary, when the house is assailed by a vampire. Despite Moon Girl’s powers and obvious ability to take care of herself, she has to call in her boyfriend, the Prince. The story is kind of a mess, ending abruptly. We aren’t shown how that tutoring job turned out. At least the artwork by Sheldon Moldoff is atmospheric, and foreshadows his later work in Fawcett’s horror comics.

Grand Comics Database lists the writer as Richard Kraus, based on information from Tales of Terror: the EC Companion. Moon Girl #4 (1948) was edited and published by William M. Gaines, who took over EC Comics when his father died in a boating accident in the summer of 1947.

Number 2084: Bring on the flying monkeys gorillas!

There is something irresistible to me in images of flying simians. Maybe it was goes back to when my mom took me to see a theatrical re-release of The Wizard of Oz in the mid-fifties, and I saw the Wicked Witch’s flying monkeys. It is no secret to longtime Pappy readers that I am one of those fans who bought comic books if they had gorillas and apes on the covers. A deeper psychological reason I don’t want to explore, but I still like the imagery in comics. In 2014 I showed another flying gorilla story. See the link below.

This 1940 story from Slam-Bang Comics #6, has a super villain, the Sky Demon, dressed in an “enchanted” cape and bright tights, up against sartorially impeccable magician hero, Diamond Jack. The Sky Demon uses his flying apes as henchmen, or henchapes, if you prefer. He prepares to arm them so they can go down to Earth and destroy all human life. I'm all for setting goals, but that seems a reach.

Gus Ricca is credited by the Grand Comics Database as artist.

As promised, more flying gorillas. Just click on the thumbnail

Number 2083: Three uncanny artists

We're sliding into August with a couple of stories from Uncanny Tales #21 (1954). I don’t think there is anything new about the stories, but I like the artwork.

“When Walks the Zombie” is drawn by Bill Benulis and Jack Abel. Abel was a long-time comic book journeyman. Interesting to me from his Wikipedia entry is that he had a stroke in 1981, and rehabilitated his right hand so he could draw and ink again. That is dedication! Benulis quit drawing, according to his bio, after he left comic books in the '50s. Like artist Fred Guardineer, Benulis found the Post Office a good place for a post-comics career. That pension plan probably looked real good after years of freelancing.

“Tomb for Two” is credited to John Tartaglione, another long-time journeyman, who was an all-around guy at Marvel Comics for years. He could draw, he could ink, he could do production. As my dad, Big Pappy, once told me: “Make yourself valuable to your employer.” Tartaglione did that.

All three gentlemen are now deceased.