Conan Saga #20 (December 1988)

Editor in Chief: Tom DeFalco, Editor: Craig Anderson, Assistant Editor: Sue Flaxman, Traffic/Production Coordinator: Virginia Komita, Technical Advisor: Glenn Lord, Cover: Earl Norem, Frontispiece: Dave Simons, Soul and Inspiration: Robert E. Howard

P. 4: "Jewels of Gwahlur," Script: Roy Thomas, Art: Dick Giordano, Adapted from the story by Robert E. Howard. The original Conan short story "Jewels of Gwahlur" appeared in the March 1935 issue of Weird Tales and was originally titled "The Servants of Bit-Yakin." This comics adaptation first appeared in Savage Sword of Conan #25 in 1977 and is reprinted here.

Cracked #146 (November 1977)

Editor and Publisher: Robert C. Sproul; Associate Editor: Bill Sproul; Writers: Joe Catalano, George Gladir, Eugene Parnell, Elaine Ozimok, and Peter Hansen; Artists: Howard Nostrand, Sururi Gumen, Don Orehek, and Warren Sattler; Preuf Reider: Errin Spelin; Janitor: Sylvester P. Smythe.

P. 4: "Lettuce from Our Readers," 12 letters of comment from readers in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia,  Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia; and Manitoba, Canada. The best letter was sent in by Mrs. Elenore Palmer, of Old Lyme, Conn.: "I believe I am your oldest reader. I will be celebrating my 86th birthday in November and have enjoyed your magazine for many years. ... Grey power and my love to you all!"

P. 6: "Star Warz," film parody drawn by John Severin. Highlight includes comic strip- and science fiction-related graffiti throughout: "Sally Forth was here," "Wilma—I miss you! Buck," and "Dale, come home—love, Flash."

Resonant of Poe

The House of Secrets #149 (DC, December/January 1977/1978, 35 cents)
"The Rain Dance" Editing/Plot: Paul Levitz, Story: J. Cheever Loophole, Art: Bill Draut, Color: Liz Berube.

This eight-page story, following a one-page bookend drawn by Michael Golden, was written by Michael Uslan using a pseudonym. Racist residents of a small town in the supposed midwest go into the mountains to invade an Indian village and persuade the medicine man to help their struggling crops.

The shaman reluctantly dances, bringing on a rain of blood, as well as a large vampire bat—captured well on the cover by Mike Kaluta. The "blood-sucking spirit of death" targets the old and young, as well, prompting the townies to try to destroy the bat with fire. Instead, they destroy their town.



"The Evil One" Story: Jack Oleck, Art: Ricardo Villamonte, Color: Liz Berube, Editing: Paul Levitz.

Another eight pager, this story tells the tale of Paul Craven. After his uncle kills his father and gets away with the crime, the young man is raised by the "old miser." Seeking the assistance of Old Peg, a local witch, Craven eventually summons Satan and acquires his assistance killing his uncle in such a way that "no one will ever find his corpse."

The ending is a little resonant of Poe. When authorities find a body, Craven thinks it's his uncle and confesses. But, the body isn't his uncle's—it's someone else entirely, and Craven is institutionalized.

Publisher Jenette Kahn's publishorial "It's a Mystery..." discusses the late-'70s resurgence of horror and suspense titles. Bob Layton is featured in a DC Profile. A one-page "The House of Secrets Speaks" lettercol features four letters of comment.

Availability: Chances are good that this issue's material is included in House of Secrets: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1.

The Thick of the Action

John Carter, Warlord of Mars #1 (Marvel, June 1977, 30 cents)
"The Air-Pirates of Mars Chapter 1" Writer/Editor: Marv Wolfman, Artists: Gil Kane and Dave Cockrum, Letterer: Joe Rosen, Colorist: Glynis Wein.

This is not a mere adaptation of a novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, also creator of Tarzan. Instead, according to the two-page text piece "Welcome Back, Carter," the creators found an empty spot in the existing narrative—a nine-year gap between paragraphs three and four in chapter 27 of A Princess of Mars (!!!)—and proceeded to fill it with their own stories. That is so very cool. Wolfman also writes about how he first became a fan of the character, how the licensed series came to be, and how he connected with Kane during his "halcyon days as a far-out fanzine editor."



While I haven't read A Princess of Mars, I look forward to seeing how this 28-issue series fits in. This issue, the first, starts in the thick of the action, as Carter hunts for Dejah Thoris, kidnaped from her castle in Helium. While fighting several Warhoon desperately using radium bullets, Carter recalls his origin—and how he came to Barsoom. He also remembers how he first met—and fell in love with Thoris—before defeating the Warhoon and reaching the heart of Zodanga, where she is held prisoner.

John Carter, Warlord of Mars #2 (Marvel, July 1977, 30 cents)
"From the Shadows... Stara-Kan!" Writer/Editor: Marv Wolfman, Pencils: Gil Kane, Inks: Rudy Nebres, Letters: John Costanza, Colors: Janice Cohen.



After rescuing Dejah Thoris and his friend Tars Tarkas, Carter sets out to investigate the city of Zodanga. He soon encounters a red man equipped with an equilibri-motor and brings him to ground, then taking him to Helium. The prisoner remains silent on the Pedestal of Truth in the Temple of Reward and soon handily escapes from his cell. "The replacement of my arm with this mechanical one was well worth it." Carter and Tars Tharkas go in search of the escapee but are accosted by the White Apes, who snag Thoris and down our heroes.

This is an excellent adventure series, well written and drawn, and drawn on some of the best source material possible. Well worth exploring!

Availability: These issues were collected in John Carter, Warlord of Mars Omnibus. We also recommend John Carter: Barsoom Series, which compiles all seven John Carter novels.

Age-Appropriate Adventures

Spidey Super Stories #2 (Marvel, November 1974, 35 cents)
"In the Hands of the Hunter" Writer: Jean Thomas; Artists: Winslow Mortimer, Don Heck, and Mike Esposito; Editor: Roy Thomas; Art Director: John Romita. (13 pages)

Presented by Marvel Comics and The Electric Company, a production of the Children's Television Workshop, this ad-free (!!!) comic book aimed at readers age 6-10 was based on the recurring live-action skit featured on the TV show. It ran 57 issues between 1974 and 1982, living beyond the skit on TV—which ended in 1976-1977.



Written by Jean Thomas, who also wrote Night Nurse, the comic book was thoroughly vetted by the CTW to be sure it was true to the TV show, was age appropriate in terms of content and reading level, and featured female characters. In early issues, a story adapted one of the TV segments, and in many issues, Spider-Man was paired with a well-known Marvel hero or villain to introduce that character to younger readers and viewers. (Similar to the Marvel Heroes and Marvel Ultimate Spider-Man magazines published by Redan today.)

In this issue, Spidey and Jennifer of the Jungle encounter Kraven the Hunter after a film shoot. Kraven takes the web slinger prisoner, and Jennifer—with her friend Paul the Gorilla—go to rescue him. The writing is very simple, and the artwork larger-paneled (most pages with fewer than six panels)—but not quite coloring-book basic.

In the five-page "very short comic book ... as seen on The Electric Company" story "Spidey Vs. Mr. Measles," Spider-Man "meets the meanest menace of all," a man plans to throw spots at people so they get the measles. "Then everybody will have to stay in bed... in the dark, where they can't read!"

"The Long Arms of the Law-Breaker" (12 pages) pits Spidey against Doctor Octopus. The issue also features several one-page items: "The Secrets of Spider-Man's Costume," "Let's Pay a Visit to Peter Parker's Place," "Let's See Some More of Peter Parker's Place," and "Reader Vs. Speeder," which features Electric Company character Easy Reader.

An Odd Team Up

Super-Team Family Vol. 3 #12 (DC, August-September 1977, 60 cents)
"The Eternity Pursuit" Writer: Gerry Conway, Artists: Arvell M. Jones and Bill Draut, Letterer: Ben Oda, Colorist: Jerry Serpe.

This 30-page issue is "a new double-length novel" presenting Green Lantern and Hawkman plus the Atom. After a cover by Al Milgrom and Jack Abel, one might be disappointed by the interior art, but Jones and Draut, while unknown to me, do quite well. Not at all a drawback.



Nevertheless, it's an odd team up, and hardly the stuff of "family" as seen with the similarly named Batman and Superman titles of the time.  The three begin the issue in hyperspace, "that peculiar dimension between universes where nothing may travel at less than the speed of light."



Seeking Jean Loring, the Atom's fiancee, they are attacked by aliens, the Dhrune, there to subjugate the Aurians, who had somehow been weakened by Loring's "unnatural scream," able to tear the actual fabric of reality. Hawkman and the Atom search for Loring on the planet below while the Lantern goes to another planet. There, he finds a battle underway between the soldiers of Brewtus the Black Duke and Prince Simax, regent of Titan.



Captured, Hawkman and the Atom are imprisoned, where they meet an old woman. The Atom escapes, and on Titan, the Lantern is forced to fight Brewtus—but without his ring. He struggles, but, reclaiming his ring, succeeds—to return to find the Atom, Hawkman, and the Aurians now free of the Dhrune.



Taken to Titan to find a new home, the Aurians realize the danger posed by the swollen sun. They "pool their common mentality" to push the planet back into its original orbit. All is well, but Loring remains missing.



The issue also includes a one-page letter column and the three-page "How Hawkman Won His Wings," written by Gardner Fox and drawn by Joe Kubert, reprinted from the 1962 Brave and the Bold #42. This is a wonderful short piece, worth reading on its own!

Interestingly, this issue and #11 were reprinted in 2007 as Countdown Special: The Atom #1 to highlight key events that tied into the Countdown event, or Countdown to Final Crisis. Other specials featured the Flash, Kamandi, the New Gods, Eclipso, OMAC, Captain Carrot and the Zoo Crew, and Jimmy Olsen.

Availability: While this issue hasn't been collected per se, related Atom stories can be found in Showcase Presents: The Atom, Vol. 1 and four volumes of Countdown to Final Crisis (1, 2, 3, 4).

When the Gods Appear

Hercules Unbound #11 (DC, June-July 1977, 35 cents)
"The Dark Side of the Gods" Words: Cary Bates, Pictures: Walter Simonson, Colors: Jerry Serpe.

Jazzed about the too-soon-ended return of Hercules in the recent run of Wonder Woman, I was hopeful we might be treated to a return of the DC Hercules. I still am, and I turned to Hercules Unbound to satisfy that yen.

Drawn by Walt Simonson—cover and interiors!—before his characteristic style had fully gelled (his dinosaur-shaped signature still graces the cover), the comic is visually intriguing, particularly when the gods appear on p. 10.



Garbed in new armor, Hercules rescues his friends—including the Atomic Knights—from a collapsing foundry in Detroit. Kevin endangers the Knights, as well as their headquarters, before Hercules short-circuits Kevin's power. A fire-breathing dragon appears, and Kevin runs off, revealing his true identity. The action is a bit linear and meaningless, and there's not much to recommend in the issue other than Simonson's art and the late Atomic Knights appearance.

The series itself lasted only 12 issues, five of which featured Simonson. Interestingly, before Simonson took on the art, this series featured late-career work by Wallace Wood.

Read Also: Hercules Unbound #1.

Availability: Hercules Unbound #11-12 were collected in The Art of Walter Simonson.