Classic SF Comics

Moebius

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 12:29:44 -0500

I just heard that Jean Giraud has passed. His contribution to the world of SF is impossible to quantify. The idea of paying tribute to him in a single cover is absurd to me, and one I’m not capable of comprehending right now. This site might become a little one note for the next few days.

Thank you, M. Giraud. And au revoir.

If you haven’t already guessed my last few posts (other than the John Severin tribute) have...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:08:55 -0500

If you haven’t already guessed my last few posts (other than the John Severin tribute) have been some of my favourites from the new and very excellent Action! Mystery! Thrills! Comic Book Covers of the Golden Age 1933-45. It makes for a great tour through American comics of the 30s and 40s. Comes with my full recommendation.

Target Comics V. 1 #5 (1940) - Novelty Press Cover by: Bill...

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:00:05 -0500

Target Comics V. 1 #5 (1940) - Novelty Press

Cover by: Bill Everett

A rare water free Everett illustration. Perspective is a little funny, but the sense of motion and violence is great. The White Streak (who appears to have no white at all in his design) has to be one of the more unsettling looking superheroes I’ve seen.

I wonder how direct an influence he was on the creation of Vision years later?

Alarming Adventures #1 (1962) - Harvey Comics Cover by: John...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 12:28:11 -0500

Alarming Adventures #1 (1962) - Harvey Comics

Cover by: John Severin

RIP John Severin. One of the greats. Not lest because his last published work came out in June 2011. He was 89 and still regularly doing full issues! We’ll miss you, sir.

Also, I had no idea Harvey did sci-fi comics. New treasure trove!

Weird Comics #1 (1940) - Fox Features Syndicate Cover by: George...

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 10:03:05 -0500

Weird Comics #1 (1940) - Fox Features Syndicate

Cover by: George Tuska

I’ve always regarded Tuska as one of the unmemorable workman artists of the “Marvel Age.” But this cover, one his first jobs in comics, is so much fun I may have to re-evaluate my opinion of him.

Jumbo Comics #10 (1939) - Fiction House Cover by: Will Eisner...

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:44:25 -0500

Jumbo Comics #10 (1939) - Fiction House

Cover by: Will Eisner and Lou Fine

Seriously underrated designer of space monsters that Will Eisner.

New Years gifts to myself

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 12:52:59 -0500

Just placed a pre-order for these two books from Fantagraphics, both edited by Greg Sadowski. Fans of this Tumblr might find them interesting.

comicbookcovers: Marvel Graphic Novel #8, Super Boxers, August...

Mon, 26 Dec 2011 22:38:00 -0500

comicbookcovers:

Marvel Graphic Novel #8, Super Boxers, August 1983, cover by Bill Sienkiewicz

Hello again friends.

powerboy: My Greatest Adventure #75 January 1963 Gene Colan...

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 19:18:28 -0400

powerboy:

My Greatest Adventure #75 January 1963 Gene Colan (pencils, inks)

RIP Gene Colan.

Also WTF?

Fantastic Worlds #6 (1952) - Standard Comics Cover by: Alex...

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 10:00:06 -0400

Fantastic Worlds #6 (1952) - Standard Comics

Cover by: Alex Toth

It should come as no surprise that I fucking love Alex Toth’s art. However he tragically did very little sci-fi comics. So we’ll go with this obscure piece.

I’m really kinda impressed that he managed to do a killer plant without resorting to a Vagina Dentata cliché. There’s still something decidedly labial about it, but not in the conventional way.

Also, I get that a damsel eating plant would be scary and all. But don’t you think you’re over selling it a bit calling it “The Cosmic Terror”?

Amazing Adult Fantasy #13 (1962) - Marvel Comics Cover by: Steve...

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 10:00:06 -0400

Amazing Adult Fantasy #13 (1962) - Marvel Comics

Cover by: Steve Ditko

Wow, I really love this cover. The composition, with the creature’s back to us and the misty city, is really striking. A real sense of movement and physicality is being given off by the figure in a way I don’t always get from Ditko.

This series also carried the best defensive and self-conscious motto ever!

Strange Adventures #50 (1954) - DC Comics Cover by: Murphy...

Mon, 13 Jun 2011 10:00:06 -0400

Strange Adventures #50 (1954) - DC Comics

Cover by: Murphy Anderson

Perhaps its because of the anniversary issue, but this is an oddly sedate cover for a DC sci-fi book. That said the ring of pilots in the robot’s glass dome is kinda awesome. And his haunting eyes, nose, but no mouth make it strangely sympathetic.

Also, for a machine apparently dubbed “The World Wrecker,” there is curiously little actual damage evident. But wait. He seems to have interrupted a Little League baseball game! The blasphemy!

Planetary #8 (2000) - Wildstorm/DC Comics Cover by: John...

Sun, 12 Jun 2011 13:15:28 -0400

Planetary #8 (2000) - Wildstorm/DC Comics

Cover by: John Cassaday and Laura DePuy

An exciting and loving examination of super-hero comics and 20th Century pulp fiction in general by Warren Ellis. It featured some of the design and art work ever in a ‘Big 2’ comic. (If you don’t know each issue featured a unique design and logo.) Read it and love it.

This cover leaves out the main characters, in favor of a mash-up of classic B-movie stereotypes. I particularly like the tank tread robot on the bottom left.

Metal Men #14 (1965) - DC Comics Cover by: Ross Andru and Mike...

Thu, 26 May 2011 21:27:00 -0400

Metal Men #14 (1965) - DC Comics

Cover by: Ross Andru and Mike Esposito

Wow, how have I not featured the Metal Men yet? Next to Metamorpho, probably the wackiest successful superhero concept I know. The sexual tension between their inventor, Will Magnus, and the female Platinum was always odd to me.

And did they ever fight anyone but Chemo?

(via ruh-roe)

comicbookcovers: Logan’s Run #6, June 1977, cover by Paul...

Thu, 26 May 2011 19:17:23 -0400

comicbookcovers:

Logan’s Run #6, June 1977, cover by Paul Gulacy

Ah, Paul Gulacy. So much love of Steranko, none of the grasp of layout or anatomy. Also never one to avoid working some side boob onto a Marvel cover.

Flying Saucers #1 (1967) - Dell Comics Cover by Frank...

Thu, 26 May 2011 16:43:52 -0400

Flying Saucers #1 (1967) - Dell Comics

Cover by Frank Springer

I’m entertained by how very unimpressive these aliens are. They really look like a costume a kid could make for Halloween out of a some garbage bags.

Also they shamelessly reused this cover two years later for issue #5 (and charged 2 cents more!).

(via: cryptofwrestling)

The Brave and the Bold #49 (1963) - DC Comics Cover by: Carmine...

Thu, 26 May 2011 16:14:23 -0400

The Brave and the Bold #49 (1963) - DC Comics

Cover by: Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson

(via monkeycovers)

Two of my great loves: baseball and apes in comics!

mudwerks: CM_Sea_Devils_35 (by PopKulture) Sea Devils -...

Thu, 26 May 2011 15:59:00 -0400

mudwerks:

CM_Sea_Devils_35 (by PopKulture)

Sea Devils - Issue No. 35, June 1967.

Cover art by Howard Purcell and Carmine Infantino.

Mystery In Space #27 (1954) - DC Comics Cover by: Murphy...

Sat, 02 Apr 2011 17:16:20 -0400

Mystery In Space #27 (1954) - DC Comics

Cover by: Murphy Anderson

Bizzaro World? Have they been keeping this secret from us the whole time?

Why doesn’t the lady get an awesome space hat? She’s wearing wrestling headgear.

Star Wars #60 (1982) - Marvel Comics Cover by: Walt...

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:00:07 -0400

Star Wars #60 (1982) - Marvel Comics

Cover by: Walt Simonson

Believe it or not, there is some really rad Walt Simonson material in Marvel’s latter period Star Wars comics. This one in particular really stuck with me as a kid. (And probably was on the stands when I was born.)