23 February 2011

Parkmoor matchbook

Even I have never been bitten by the collectorbug enough to collect matchbook covers, but some people have tons of them. Here is an interesting one, Parkmoor drive in. (Dayton, Ohio 1966 location pictured)




21 February 2011

Comic Book Short Story- WALK THE PLANK!

From GRIMM'S GHOST STORIES #9, May 1973, a 4 pager.
This is a Gold Key comic from  Western Publishing, but look at the credits (according to GCD):

Script:Len Wein Pencils:Len Wein Inks:Len Wein Letters:Gaspar Saladino

You'd think it was a DC publication!





20 February 2011

Gold Key Comics I've Never Seen (Part 1)

During their first year or so of operation, Gold Key produced some odd comics that didn't last beyond one or two issues. I'd love to find some of these:

GK's 5th offering, dated October 1962, was CHECKMATE, based on the TV show starring Doug McClure & Sebastian Cabot. The episodes I have seen were pretty much off the bore scale, so I really don't see how it even got a second issue.


The next month, November '62, (so probably on stands in September) saw the first of 2 GK editions of "77 Sunset Strip". Dell had multiple Four Color issues devoted to this, as well as a single shot edition published just prior to the Dell/Western split. I'd imagine all the production was done  by the same people, and Russ Manning did the pencils. I have the FC issues...never have seen the GKs.

Also on the racks that month was BEN CASEY FILM STORY which I assumed used photos the same as the "3 Stooges in Orbit" also out that month.





For December 1962, GK gave us the 2nd issue of Dr Solar, and the first issue of Space Family Robinson, as well as various cartoon animals. The only one from this month that I don't recall is National Velvet, which lasted 2 issues.
I assume that this is a continuation of the 2 issues done for Dell.


Next Time: Into 1963

19 February 2011

Mr Mixie Dough

2 illos from the 1934  book by Veron Grant


                                                                   click to biggisize


Vernon Simeon Plemion Grant (1902–1990) was an American illustrator known for his whimsical gnome characters and fairy tale drawings. Over seven decades, Grant created hundreds of illustrations for advertising (General Electric, Gillette, Hershey’s. Kellogg's) and major magazines, including Judge and Ladies' Home Journal. He is best known as creator of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies cereal characters Snap! Crackle! and Pop!

18 February 2011

Gold Key Full Page Panels


 From Star Trek #1, July 1967 art by Nevio Zeccara (1924-2005)




 from Doctor Solar, Man of the Atom #15 (n of my all time favorite comic stories). Dec 1965, art by Frank Bolle.






 George Wilson gave us one of his best covers, and Frank Thorne did a full pager panel in issue #6, June 1966






 From July 73, with pencils by Jesse Santos, Dagar #






From another of my all time favorites, the Oct 65 issue of Space Famiy Robinson (#14), with a full pager by Dan Spiegle.

16 February 2011

Dell educational page from Four Color 1294

During the last half of its long run, the Dell Four Color series began placing , on its last page or so, an educational short often related to whatever that particular issue was about.Gold Key continued this for their first few years too. .




March, 1962


drawn by Ray Bailey







Here's the cover:

15 February 2011

DELL FOUR COLOR INFOPAGE- Doug Wildey Edition

Doug Wildey (1922-1994) is best remembered  the creator of the animated TV series JONNY QUEST and also for numerous Western comics from Atlas/Marvel.
He also did an issue of Four Color (#1337, Apr. 1962). Here are his "fact" pages from that issue.
(Sorry about the poor condition of this comic.)





13 February 2011

This would have been a good show......

I mean, I still play songs by Doggett and Etta James, and Little Richard and Joe Turner would have been interesting.

11 February 2011

This always bothered me.........

In the Disney universe, we have Pluto and Goofy. One is a comical yet otherwise normal canine. The other talks and wears clothes. As seen above, the whole alpha-pack leader thing seemsto have gone to hell.


and yes fellow comicbook geeks, I have read Mark Gruenwald's Omniverse. Was also a fan of Captain Carrot & the Zoo Crew.

10 February 2011

Back Cover of Dell Four Color #314

Early issues of Gold Key comics usually gave us nice color back covers of the cover painting sans logo. (Or if a TV show or movie tie in, a photo). Their predecessor, Dell, didn't often have anything special on the back covers. If not an ad, then maybe just the last page of the story.

Here from 1951 is Dell's versions of Zane Grey's "WESTERN UNION", renamed AMBUSH. It features a nice painted cover.

The prize here is the BACK cover, another painting, based on a scene in the story. The scene isn't your typical heroic Western.
Click to enlarge

While we're on this issue... here's an informative bit from the inside front cover:

09 February 2011

71 Scat Pack

Those uninformed dimwits in advertising actually thought that "sex sells"!. Pfft. give me a review from Consumer Reports anytime.