An assortment of comics covers from the Hermes Archives
First issue from April 1967, cover art by Mike Sewkowsky. Let's see, the old jalopy is the Gold Bug, driven by Plato, assistant to Yellowjacket. Starting from the passenger side and going clockwise, we see White Feather, the Blimp, Merryman, Dumb Bunny and Akwardman. They are pursuing H.U.R.R.I.C.A.N.E. agents Powerhouse and the Missing Fink.
Issue 3, August 1950, from Hillman. The cover is really the best part of this comic. The stories inside are unrelated, ranging from Viking to Roman to Elizabethan times, with no sign of any research into clothing or ships or speech patterns. Pretty forgettable. Sticking to archives and albums, which by their nature tend to collect the best material, you might forget just how mediocre and uninspired most comics have always been.
Winning the war should be easy, look how small the Nazis are! A typicaklly hectic and overheated cover by Alex Schomburg for ALL SELECT COMICS# 1, Fall 1943. Timely's covers were usually packed with details like machinery helpfully labeled "Death Ray" or papers marked "Plans To Invade America," with Bucky or Toro and/or a nubile blonde tied up and about to suffer painful death while the hero crashed in with bullets flying all around him. Whew. I particularly like the banner on the castle... giving not just the name of the place but who owns it.
Finally, an atmospheric cover for THE CREATURE, February 1963 from Dell. It's a reworking of that all-time great drive-in flick, CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON, but (although it follows the same basic plot) introduces a new cast, with a sub-plot involving ex-Nazis on the expedition. It's also a bit gorier than the movie, surprisingly, with a skin-diver clawed and blood streaming out in the water. The comic also adds a slick little stinger in the last panel... clinging to the sides of the boat returning to civilization are cute lil Creaturettes. I can't imaginr why there hasn't been a big-budget remake of CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON by now. It could be gross (the Creature lays its eggs in living hosts), or action-packed (the beast is intelligent enough to outwit its captors). In any case, I'd probably spring for a ticket.
