Two New Pickups for the Comic Collection

I nabbed two more comics for the collection today. I rarely pass up a chance to get a rare Jack Kirby comic, and I did so with HEADLINES #33. This was one of the crime titles that he did for Harvey Comics in the 1950s when he and Joe Simon were producing book with their studio. There's a really nice amount of Jack Kirby artwork in this one. There is part of a page missing from one of the Kirby stories, but I doubt I'll see this book again any time soon.

HEADLINE COMICS #33 with a great Jack Kirby cover!

The other book I picked up is an old Atlas title. I'm not sure, but the cover looks to have been illustrated by John Severin, but I could be wrong. The first story was illustrated (and probably written) by George Tuska. There are also two stories that look like Dick Ayers did them.

I wasn't really looking to pick up another Atlas comic for my collection, but it was the right price for a really decent condition copy of OUTLAW FIGHTERS #1. I'll take it.

OUTLAW FIGHTERS #1. (Is that a John Severin cover?)

BATTLE-GROUND

Battle-Ground was an Atlas war title (obviously). I bought this copy for the Russ Heath cover. Heath is one of the best comic artists who worked the industry, in my opinion, and is well known for his work on various war stories. He was a long-time artist on the Sgt. Rock series at DC.

This issue came out in 1954. Occasionally Goodman and Lee would land art from the EC artists. I'm not sure, but I think this issue came out around the time EC was having trouble from HUAC. During the time just before and just after EC's titles ceased publication (save for MAD which became a magazine to avoid the Comics Code Authority), many of the EC artists showed up doing work for Atlas. Of course some could not remain there because Atlas just didn't pay the rates they were accustomed to making at EC, which were among the highest in the industry.

But from time to time you'd see Jack Davis, John Severin, and even Bernard Krigstein showing up to produce stories for Goodman and Lee.

I was surprised at the quality of work in this issue of BATTLE-GROUND. I may end up having to purchase some more of these Atlas war comics.

Gayest. Cover. Ever.

One of the artists very important in the history of the company that was variously known as Timely Comics, Atlas Comics, then Marvel Comics, was a fellow named Joe Maneely. He was widely considered to be one of the finest artists around by other such draftsmen working in the comic book industry.

While Maneely was working at Atlas (which would later be known as Marvel Comics), it was well known that he was indispensable to Editor-in-Chief Stan Lee. Whatever Lee needed, Maneely could do it. Knights in shining armor? No problem. Cowboys and Indians? Fine. Cops and Robbers? Johnny on the spot. Cartoony kids' comics? That, too.

And it wasn't just that Joe Maneely could create any kind of character that Lee asked for, he could do it on deadline and with a style that floored just about everyone who viewed his work. In later years, it would be the gentleman genius we know as Jack Kirby who would serve this purpose for Stan Lee. But in the mid 1950s the well-spring of creativity at Atlas Comics was Mr. Maneely.

Maneely died young under mysterious circumstances. After working late he was making his way home via light rail. It was assumed that he stepped out of the car for a breath of fresh air and, in his exhausted state, fell between the cars and was crushed under the wheels of the train.

And it was just as Maneely was about to break out of the Atlas ghetto. He had been noticed by DC Comics and was about to gravitate to that company for the much larger paychecks they offered top talent. And they had apparently come to consider Maneely as top talent.

I don't have much of his work in my collection. And one of the most infamous pieces of artwork he produced was the cover for TWO GUN KID #29. Widely considered to be one of the most unintentionally gay covers ever produced for a comic book. So, I nabbed one for my collection. Just for the Maneely art. I swear.

Gayest mainstream comics cover ever. Art by Joe Maneely.

"What Did They Hunt?" Indeed.

Journey Into Mystery

My low-grade copy of Journey Into Mystery #77--this issue proved to be darker than most I own.

This is the latest addition to my pre-hero Marvel collection. A Journey Into Mystery #77. This is the book that Jack Kirby would later use to introduce the public to his superhero character, The Mighty Thor. However, this was some six issues before that happened. At this point, I assume that Stan Lee and Martin Goodman were just then discussing the possibility of their company dipping their toes into the superhero market for the first time in five or six years. It had been that long since they'd tried to revive their famous heroes of the Timely Comics era: The Human Torch, Captain America, and the Sub-Mariner. That had proven to be not so profitable for them, and since that time they'd left the super-heroes mainly to DC Comics.

But that's not a big factor at all for this issue of Journey Into Mystery. At this point, as far as the artist/writers working on the book were concerned, it was still mainly a combination science-fiction, fantasy, and horror comic. The stories in this book particularly span each of those genres. Goodman's company had been eking out a profit in this territory for some years, first as copy-cats of EC's great titles, and then just competing with a handful of other companies as the market continued to tighten.

This issue contains two stories by Jack Kirby, and one each from Don Heck and Steve Ditko. Kirby's stories, especially, seem to come wholly from the pen of Kirby with virtually no influence at all from any other quarter. Jack Kirby had been producing some truly creepy and disturbing horror stories for many years. When he really wanted to cut loose, he and Joe Simon had often created some truly monstrous images. Ironically, some of the most horrific illustrations that team ever produced came from titles they did with Harvey Comics, which most of us recall today as the home of Richie Rich, Casper the Friendly Ghost, and Hot Stuff the Little Devil, etc. The two Kirby stories here are darker than the usual fare that would indicate some input from Goodman's editor and nephew, Stan Lee. So my suspicion is that Kirby turned these in with virtually no outside help at all. Both feature some creepy imagery, and one ends with the implied killing of a man. Pretty dark stuff.

Man, this is just absolutely gorgeous Steve Ditko art. There weren't many the equal of Ditko during this time.

BATTLE GROUND #17

Sometimes I'll buy an old book based on the cover and the possibility that it might contain an interior story by an artist whose work I admire. So it was this issue of BATTLE GROUND, a war comic published by Atlas Publications, the company that later became known as Marvel Comics. The cover looks to be by John Severin, one of the greats of comic book art, so that was a plus. Also, this issue (#17) came out in 1957, the year of my birth. With all of that, anything inside was just going to be a bonus as far as I'm concerned. But I bought it online and wasn't sure what the interior stories would be.

And as it turned out, I did get lucky. This issue featured a story by Gene Colan, who recently died, one of the best artists of what we know as the Silver Age of comics. He later went on to become the definitive artist for both Sub-Mariner, Iron Man, and Dracula. When this tale was published Colan was already a comic art veteran of thirteen years! I was pleased to discover this story.