Journey Into Unknown Worlds #54 - Angelo Torres art

Journey Into Unknown Worlds #54, 1957 - A thief discovers a scientific device that can transport him instantly to a primeval forest. With this knowledge, he plans an elaborate robbery and escape plan. Angelo Torres' inking is a bit tighter than other Atlas works, and in general the artwork benefits from the added clarity. It is most evident on the first page, where a mass of machinery establishes the story's setting. The third panel on the same page, of the thief standing amid a blinding burst of power, is an exceptional use of light and shadow. Other artists in this issue include Sol Brodsky, Richard Doxsee, Herb Familton, Bob Powell, Ed Winiarski and Bill Everett (cover). This is number 3 of 3 Journey Into Unknown Worlds issues with Torres art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Torres or Journey Into Unknown Worlds issues. See also this blog's Torres checklist.
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"Nowhere" Torres story pencils and inks 4 pages = ***
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Readers' Poll: Best Horror Comics Artist

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The Unexpected #128 - Bernie Wrightson art

The Unexpected #128, 1971 - Of the five stories in this "bigger and better" issue, two are reprints from earlier decades within the same mystery genre. A miserly collector of antiques unexpectedly discovers a dimensional portal, and Bernie Wrightson illustrates his tale in stunning detail. Like much of his early bronze age works, the characters' faces are ghoulishly distorted at times (an influence of Graham Ingels at EC Comics). Still, there is an overall dark sumptuousness to his panels that easily exceeds the rest of the book. Note that Wrightson playfully inserted his name on the painting's title plate on the last page. Other artists in this issue include Bob Brown, Frank Giacoia, Sid Greene and Nick Cardy (cover). This is number 4 of 4 Unexpected issues with Wrightson art and/or covers (not including reprints). See today's posts or more Wrightson or Unexpected issues. See also this blog's Wrightson checklist or Top 10 Wrightson comics.
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"There's More Than One Way To Get Framed" Wrightson story pencils and inks 9 pages = ***
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Love Romances #87 - Jack Kirby cover, Russ Heath art

Love Romances #87, 1960 - Little of Jack Kirby's talent comes through on this text-heavy cover. The word balloons and graphics take up much of the same, adding to an already busy composition. Vince Colletta's inks also fail to define the faces of the background women. The only interesting aspect is Kirby's interiors and furniture, a knowledgeable rendition of late 1950's modernism. Russ Heath draws a story of a young girl's transition from the city to the country. A full page splash opens this admirable effort, one of Heath's few romance works. Other artists in this issue include Paul Reinman, Jay Scott Pike and Vince Colletta. See today's posts or more Kirby, Heath or Love Romances issues. See also this blog's Heath checklist.
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Kirby cover pencils (Vince Colletta inks) = **
"To Walk With Strangers" Heath story pencils and inks 5 pages = ***
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Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #33 - Marshall Rogers art

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu magazine #33, 1977 - The Daughters of the Dragon story takes a turn toward the extreme as the duo are captured and are forcibly addicted to heroin. There is brief nudity and violence, but Marshall Rogers takes care not to let the artwork seem gratuitous. As with the previous issue, the artist conveys a sophistication and craft heads above the rest of the book. His layouts are as varied as they are inventive, culminating in a grisly full page splash. The scene depicts a determined Colleen Wing delivering the fatal blow to her opponent (page 19). Rogers' conclusion is bloodier than usual, but nonetheless artfully designed. Other artists in this issue include Rudy Nebres, Joe Staton and Sonny Trinidad. This is number 3 of 3 Deadly Hands of Kung Fu issues with Rogers art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Rogers or Deadly Hands of Kung Fu issues. See also this blog's Rogers checklist or Top 10 Rogers comics.
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"Sword of Vengeance" Rogers story pencils and inks 20 pages (black & white) = ****
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Power Man - comic series checklist

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Power Man v1
Marvel
1974-86

(continued from Luke Cage Hero for Hire)
17-20
21-30
31 - Neal Adams art
32-41
42 - Alex Nino art
43 - Alex Nino art
44
45 - Jim Starlin cover
46
47 - mis-attributed Barry Smith art
48 - John Byrne art
49 - John Byrne art
50 - John Byrne art
51-60
61-65
66 - Frank Miller cover
67 - Frank Miller cover
68 - Frank Miller cover
69
70 - Frank Miller cover
71 - Frank Miller cover
72 - Frank Miller cover
73 - Frank Miller cover
74 - Frank Miller cover
75
76 - Frank Miller art
77-79
80 - mis-attributed Frank Miller cover
81-90
91-101
102 - mis-attributed John Byrne cover
103
104 - John Byrne cover
105
106 - John Byrne cover
107 - John Byrne cover
108-111
112 - John Byrne cover
113 - John Byrne cover
114 - John Byrne cover
115 - John Byrne cover
116 - John Byrne cover
117-124

Giant-size Power Man 1
Power Man Annual 1

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Angel and the Ape #4 - Wally Wood art

Angel and the Ape #4, 1969 - Wally Wood draws all three stories in this issue, the lead is a parody of Charlie Chan and various other Asian stereotypes. As usual the most attractive panels are the ones featuring Angel O' Day, but there are other notable scenes as well. On page nine, the detective ape amusingly holds up both hands and feet in response to a threat. The crowd scene on the next page is a tangled mass of people, very reminiscent of Wood's 1950's work on Mad. "Trouble on the Talk Show" begins with the lead characters standing in the midst of a dog show. The panel is surprisingly straightforward, with great care given to rendering the various breeds. Toward the back are two pages of single panel gags, four (out of seven) by Sergio Aragones. Cover by Bob Oksner. This is number 3 of 5 Angel and the Ape issues with Wood art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Wood or Angel and the Ape issues. See also this blog's Wood checklist.
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"Remember the Chow Mein" Wood story inks (Bob Oksner pencils) 12 pages = ***
"Trouble on the Talk Show" Wood story inks (Bob Oksner pencils) 5 pages = ***
"Cheapskater's Waltz" Wood story inks (Bob Oksner pencils) 6 pages = ***
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Grimm’s Ghost Stories #5 - Al Williamson art

Grimm’s Ghost Stories #5, 1972 - Al Williamson's art is darkly lit, perfect for this story of a man haunted by his brother's ghost. Each page is finely detailed in its inking, and his adroit handling of light and shadows only heightens the tension. The disembodied specter floating through the hallway (see inset above) is only one of many superb panels throughout. This is one of only a handful of comics Williamson drew for Gold Key during the 1970s. Although not as well-known as his science fiction genre works, these mystery stories are vastly underrated gems. This is number 1 of 2 Grimm’s Ghost Stories issues with Williamson art and/or covers (not including reprints). See today's posts or more Grimm's Ghost Stories or Williamson issues. See also this blog's Williamson checklist.
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"My Brother's Ghost" Williamson story pencils and inks 8 pages = ****
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Tally Ho Comics #nn - Frank Frazetta art

Tally Ho Comics #nn, 1944 - Frank Frazetta's first comic book work was an assistant to John Giunta on this one shot issue from the 1940s. An arctic idol worshiped by Eskimo-like followers comes to life to battle a demonic figure named Fang. The idol curiously holds a tomahawk and smokes a pipe, but more closely resembles a cartoon snowman. Frazetta's handiwork is not clearly evident, but the depictions of Snowman and Fang would be my best guess. Like most artists, this first effort is a far cry from later polished works and falls well below expectations. Interestingly, what looks most like Frazetta is the face and hands of Fang on the John Giunta-credited cover. This is number 1 of 1 Tally Ho Comics issues with Frazetta art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Frazetta issues. See also this blog's Frazetta checklist or Top 10 Frazetta comics.
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"Snowman" Frazetta story partial pencils and inks 8 pages = *
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Warlock v2 #3 - Jim Starlin cover & reprints

Warlock v2 #3, 1982 - The third of this special edition series reprints the critically acclaimed 1970s issues drawn by Jim Starlin. Warlock #10 and Warlock #11 are re-presented in their entirety, but lack of available pages resulted in only a partial reprint of Warlock #12. A new wrap-around cover by Starlin completes the package, although the figures appear much stiffer compared to his earlier works. The back cover is much stronger in composition on its own. As with the previous issues in this series, the brighter reproductions sacrifice the subtleties of the originals. This is number 3 of 6 Warlock v2 issues with Starlin art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Starlin or Warlock issues. See also this blog's Starlin checklist or Top 10 Starlin comics.
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Starlin wrap-around cover pencils and inks = **
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Roy Rogers and Trigger #121 - Alex Toth art

Roy Rogers and Trigger #121, 1958 - Roy Rogers steps into the boxing ring to help a struggling family, even though he faces a gorilla-sized and (gorilla-faced) opponent. Alex Toth's design of the individual panels collectively tells the story with razor-sharp clarity. The artwork is far from simplistic, tackling the many crowd scenes with plenty of detail. His initial fight scene of mismatched combatants on page three is especially impressive. This is number 4 of 7 Roy Rogers and Trigger issues with Toth art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Toth or Roy Rogers issues. See also this blog's Toth checklist.
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"Victory Fists" Toth story pencils and inks 12 pages = ***
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Fantastic Fears #5 - Steve Ditko art

Fantastic Fears #5, 1954 - After a lifetime of enduring brittle bones, a cynical old man ingests a newly invented pill to help his condition. One of Steve Ditko's first solo efforts in comics, "Stretching Things" displays the artist's talent for depicting the grotesque. He also employs several visual techniques that enhance the storytelling. The view through the skylight on page four, panel six quickly shifts the scene from inside to outside. The close-up of the machine gun on page five, panel two suggests the potential violence. Ditko's best scene, however, is the opening panel and its faded vignettes of a history of suffering. This story could well be the best of the artist's early works. This is number 1 of 1 Fantastic Fears issues with Ditko art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Ditko or Fantastic Fears issues. See also this blog's Ditko checklist.
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"Stretching Things" Ditko story pencils and inks 5 pages = ***
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Marines In Battle #17 - Al Williamson art

Marines In Battle #17, 1957 - The Victory at Veracruz during the Mexican War is briefly retold as part of a US Marine Corp segment. Al Williamson has only three pages to depict this monumental battle, and does so superbly. There is no lack of detail, even in panels with large armies on both sides. The first page displays a massive amount of soldiers, yet it doesn't seem overly crowded. Williamson's precise drawings are further polished by the capable inks of frequent collaborator Ralph Mayo. Gene Colan's story is almost photo-journalistic in approach, adding an implied realism to the pages. Other artists in this issue include Don Heck, Joe Sinnott and John Severin (cover). This is number 1 of 1 Marines In Battle issues with Williamson art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Williamson or Marines In Battle issues. See also this blog's Williamson checklist.
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"A City at Stake" Williamson story pencils (Ralph Mayo inks) 3 pages = ***
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Jet Fighters #7 - Alex Toth art

Jet Fighters #7, 1953 - A jet pilot has numerous sightings of a UFO, leading his superiors to question his sanity and his comrades to chide him. Plenty of dialogue crowds the smaller panels in this short story. Alex Toth does his best to tell it efficiently and straightforwardly, perhaps too much so. The opening panel is the story's largest but too conservative to elicit excitement. Toth's multiple vantage points on subsequent pages are composed more interestingly. This is number 2 of 2 Jet Fighters issues with Toth art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Toth or Jet Fighters issues. See also this blog's Toth checklist.
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"Seely's Saucer" Toth story pencils (Mike Peppe inks) 6 pages = ***
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Mister Miracle #4 - Jack Kirby art, cover & reprint

Mister Miracle #4, 1971 - Big Barda, the woman warrior of Apokolips, makes her first appearance in this issue. She would become a significant supporting character on the series and a key ally of Mister Miracle. The frenetic, action-packing scenes are made more so with Jack Kirby's roomy panels. Most pages are quartered into four sections, each painstakingly designed, especially pages 1-3. High points include the relatively quiet opening splash of Barda in full military regalia and a demonstration of her brute strength on page six, panel five. Kirby allows too many text elements to muddy up the cover, but note how the stone arch in the background conveniently follows the curve of the masthead. Golden age Simon & Kirby reprints also begin with this issue (in this case Detective Comics #82). This is number 4 of 18 Mr. Miracle issues with Kirby art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Kirby or Mister Miracle issues.
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Kirby cover pencils (Vince Colletta inks) = ***
"The Closing Jaws of Death" Kirby story pencils (Vince Colletta inks) 22 pages = ***
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Christmas Parade v2 #6 - Carl Barks reprint

Walt Disney's Christmas Parade v2 #6, 1968? - This Disney holiday issue reprints the cover and several stories from Christmas Parade #8 (minus the Barks and Hubbard tales). The main feature, "You Can't Guess", first appeared in Christmas Parade #2 and is among Carl Barks' finest works. See today's posts, more Barks or Christmas Parade issues.
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Deadly Hands of Kung Fu #32 - Marshall Rogers art

Deadly Hands of Kung Fu magazine #32, 1977 - Misty Knight and Colleen Wing, supporting characters in both Power Man and Iron Fist series, make their debut as the "Daughters of the Dragon". Marshall Rogers illustrates these martial arts detectives with equal beauty and grace. Open panels and sound effect typography are generously used throughout, most effectively in the combat scenes. Pages 19 and 20 employ some of the largest panels and the most interesting layouts. The high point, however, has to be Rogers' full page portrait on the first page. The two women stand poised against a meticulously designed architectural backdrop while two gargoyle-like statues bookend the composition. This exemplary bronze age work by Rogers continues with the next issue. Other artists in this issue include Rudy Nebres, Joe Staton and Sonny Trinidad. This is number 2 of 3 Deadly Hands of Kung Fu issues with Rogers art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Rogers or Deadly Hands of Kung Fu issues. See also this blog's Rogers checklist or Top 10 Rogers comics.
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"Daughters of the Dragon" Rogers story pencils and inks 21 pages (black & white) = ****
"Enter the Letters" Rogers masthead illo pencils and inks (black & white) = ***
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The Unexpected #122 - Wally Wood art

The Unexpected #122, 1971 - In trying to outwit a gypsy's curse, a cold-blooded murderer finds it no easy task. Jerry Grandenetti's often harsh pencils are softened by the inks of Wally Wood. His divisions of dark and light are similar in approach but are that much more clarified. Faces and figures are smoother, while retaining their intended expressions. Fans of Dick Dillin will also not be disappointed by one of the few mystery stories he did for DC. Other artists in this issue include Vince Colletta, Murphy Anderson, Dick Giordano and Nick Cardy (cover). This is number 1 of 3 Unexpected issues with Wood art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Wood or Unexpected issues. See also this blog's Wood checklist.
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"To Die A Dozen Deaths" Wood story inks (Jerry Grandenetti pencils) 8 pages = ***
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Frontline Combat - comic series checklist

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Frontline Combat v1
EC
1951-54

1 - Wally Wood art
2 - Wally Wood art
3 - Wally Wood art
4 - Wally Wood art
5
6 - Wally Wood art
7 - Wally Wood art
8 - Wally Wood, Alex Toth art
9 - Wally Wood art
10 - Wally Wood art
11
12 - Wally Wood, Alex Toth art
13 - Wally Wood art & cover
14 - Wally Wood art & cover, Joe Kubert art
15 - Wally Wood art & cover

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Iron Man #160 - Jim Starlin cover, Steve Ditko art

Iron Man #160, 1982 - Tony Stark awakens from a nightmare, just as Steve Ditko takes over the pencilling chores from Marie Severin. His style sometimes seems too antiquated for well-established superhero characters, yet his graphic approach also has its moments. Pages two and four are fine examples of Ditko's carefully considered page design. Speaking of which, Jim Starlin's cover is a masterful composition of diagonal elements, marred only by the encroaching typography on the lower right. This is number 4 of 5 Iron Man issues with Starlin art and/or covers and number 1 of 1 Iron Man issues with Ditko art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Starlin, Ditko or Iron Man issues. See also this blog's Starlin checklist, Ditko checklist or Top 10 Starlin comics.
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Starlin cover pencils and inks = ***
"A Cry of Beasts" Ditko story pencils (Dan Green inks) 21 pages = ***
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