BEACH BUM COMICS : February 2015

"Every government has its secret service branch. America it's CIA; France Deuxieme Bureau; England MI5. NATO also has it's own. A messy job? Well that's when they call on me. Or someone like me. Oh yes by the way, my name is Drake, John Drake."

Secret Agent John Drake, Danger Man, was featured in Dell Comic's Four Color Comics #1231. The comic book was illustrated by Tony (Werewolf) Tallarico. The painted cover featured a photo inset of Patrick McGoohan, star of the television series.

Patrick McGoohan as a secret agent in Ice Station Zebra!

John Drake was the debonair and duty-bound secret agent played by Patrick McGoohan in the British television series Danger Man, known in the U.S. as Secret Agent. Unlike James Bond, he never carried a gun, rarely used far-fetched gadgets, never got the girl, and rarely killed anyone on screen.

Good story, had some good likenesses in Danger Man comic book!

Interestingly enough, another great television series of McGoohan's, The Prisoner, had an episode ("The Girl Who Was Death") based on a script originally written for Danger Man. There is always debate whether John Drake was Number Six in The Prisoner. McGoohan always denied it, but George Markstein said otherwise.

Four Color Comics #1231 A killer stalks the midway. The assignment of "danger man" is to stop him. The chase is on, as the hunter becomes the hunted.
"Danger Man"
Introduction
"Murder on the Midway"
John Drake goes undercover as part of a riding act to prevent the murder of a Prime Minister, who is attending a circus with his young son.
Story just has "Danger Man". The title comes from the introduction on the inside front cover. There is a two-page splash panel across the centerfold and two full page panels near the end of the story.
"Nato"
John Drake cameo.
On the back cover, illustration of the national flags of the 15 nations that make up NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization.)

Later, Gold Key Comics would come out with two issues of Secret Agent. Worth looking into.

Also worth looking into are the series of Danger Man/Secret Agent paperbacks, both here and abroad.

Two great features from the Gold Key Secret Agent comic book!

Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!

We all know are familiar with the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents - Dynamo, NoMan, Lightning, Menthor & maybe even Raven. But are you as familiar with the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad? Who didn't swoon over Kitten?

The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad members were Guy Gilbert (later to become Lightning), Kathryn "Kitten" Kane, Dynamite (John Adkins), Egghead (James Angor) & Weed (William Wylie.) The Squad was illustrated by Mike Sekowsky, Wally Wood & Dan Adkins.

The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad was there at the death of Menthor!

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1
"T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad"
Introduction of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad.
Death of Squad member Egghead.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #2
"Death of Egghead"
The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad is sent to San Bolivar to stop the takeover by General Bestia.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #3
"T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad"
Profile of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad.
Kitten on the cover.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #4
"The Deadly Dust"
Origin and first appearance of Lightning.
"Return of the Iron Maiden"
Dynamo tracks down Dr. Death but is captured. The Iron Maiden gives her life to allow Dynamo to escape.
Weed & Dynamite of The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad appear in this Dynamo story.
Both stories reprinted in T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #20.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #7
"A Matter of Life and Death"
With NoMan, Dynamo, Lightning & T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad. Menthor dies vs. Warlords.
Reprinted in T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #18.

Feature on the THUNDER belt!

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #11
"Understudy for Dynamo"
T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad Agent Dynamite wears the THUNDER belt. vs. SPIDER.
This time the Squad made the cover.

Original Wally Wood cover art!

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #12
"The Road to Spider HQ"
Lightning, NoMan & T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad vs. SPIDER.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #13
"The Quick and the Changing"
Shapeshifter Mock-Man makes fools of the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents.
Kitten makes an appearance in this Lightning story and on the cover!

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #17
"Weed out West"
George Tuska art.

JC Comics came out with JCP Features the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents magazine & a short lived T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents comic book, both of which featured the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad. The magazine contained stories illustrated by Jack Kirby & Neal Adams!

The THUNDER Squad also appeared in Archie Comics' Blue Ribbon Comics #12, originally slated for JC Comics' T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #3.

Next came Deluxe Comics' Wally Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. We even saw the return of Egghead in this series.

And who can forget Penthouse's Omni Comix #3 with Paul Gulacy illustrating the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents! Kitten was there. Even a Steve Ditko NoMan! Unfortunately, a conclusion to this story was not to be.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents Archives Vol. 1 through 6 cover the Tower Comics series.

T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents Archives Vol. 7 covers the Deluxe Comics series.

To me, this is an integral part of comic books, the human factor. The T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Squad brought a lighter touch to much of the drama in the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents comics. I looked forward to them just as much as Dynamo or Noman.