Friday, October 30, 2015

WHO IS TED KORD? - THE NEW BLUE BEETLE !!!


Archaeologist Dan Garrett enters the Egyptian tomb of Kha-Ef-Re and finds a sarcophagus with a blue scarab on it. When he touches it, the sprit of the pharoah tells him he will have the power of the Blue Beetle when he says the words: Kaji Dha. Several years later, Garrett's former student, Ted Kord, asks for help in stopping his uncle Jarvis who is building an army of destructive robots. After Garrett apparently dies during the fight, Kord vows to carry on as the next Blue Beetle.

The original Dan Garret, not only in the older Blue Beetle #2, but in the Ditko's Blue Beetle #2 origin story.
AC held the rights to the action heroes for a short time between Charlton & DC! Kept them alive!


Ted Kord was a genius-level inventor and a gifted athlete. His signature equipment was a bug-shaped personal aircraft, which he entered and exited typically with a cable suspended from the cockpit. He also generally eschewed personal weaponry, except for a pistol that made a blinding flash of light and, additionally, a strong airblast to gain the advantage when he closed in for hand-to-hand combat.

The best reference book you'll want about The Blue Beetle!

Len Wein, Marv Wolfman, Paul Levitz, Gary Cohn script with Steve Rude illustration!

Ted Kord is the second Blue Beetle, a superhero originally published by Charlton Comics and later picked up by DC Comics.

Exact reprint of Charlton's Captain Atom #84, except for newer ads and different cover copy.





Captain Atom #84
"Wanted for Murder"
The New Blue Beetle (Ted Kord) faces the Masked Marauder (Count von Steuben) with a cameo by Dan Garret (the former Blue Beetle.)
Concept & Art by Steve (The Question, Mr. A) Ditko with Gary (Sgt. Fury, Ghost Rider) Friedrich script.
Reprinted in Action Heroes Archives Vol. 2.

The Archives Edition also reprints several unpublished stores, including a Blue Beetle one.

Nice to see Gil Kane art on the Blue Beetle. Great retelling of the origin story.



DC Comics' Secret Origins #2 recreated the Blue Beetle origin story, written by Len (Star Trek) Wein with Gil (Blackmark) Kane artwork. Ricardo (Evangeline) Villagran inked the Gil Kane cover with layouts by Ed (Green Arrow) Hannigan.

Paul Smith art on our favorite action heroes. 
Original Blue Beetle sketches by Ditko!
Rob Liefeld fan art on the action heroes!


Live Large My Friends!

Thank You! 



Thursday, October 29, 2015

FIGHT THE ENEMY - SECRET AGENT MIKE MANLY !!!


All three issues, of Tower Comics Fight the Enemy, included a back up feature I'd forgotten about, even though I still have the first issue. I originally bought it for the powerful cover by a personal favorite Justice League of America artist of mine, Mike Sekowsky and the fact it was another marvelous Tower Action Series comic book.


My fondest memories of Dick Giordano is his terrific run on Charlton Comics Sarge Steel comics.
Joe Gill & Dick Giordano's Sarge Steel #1 from Charlton Comics!

While still editing and drawing for Charlton Comics in the sixties, Dick Giordano apparently moonlighted and illustrated a James Bond inspired "Mike Manly" series for legendary Tower (T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents) Action Series comic books. For many fans, it was undoubtedly the first time to see Giordano's lovely art printed where all its fine detail could be appreciated, after years of lower printing quality on Charlton Comics in-house press.







Fight the Enemy #1
"Message of Doom"
Mike (Man from U.N.C.L.E.) Sekowsky & Frank (Sherlock Holmes) Giacoia cover with Dick (Stephanie Starr) Giordano art.
Did you notice the Sean Connery likenesses?





Fight the Enemy #2
"The XX11P"
Mike Sekowsky & Frank Giacoia cover with Dick Giordano art.


Fight the Enemy #3
"Assignment in Paris"
Mike Sekowsky & Frank Giacoia cover with Dick Giordano art.

Jerry Grandenetti.
Frank Bolle, appreciate his style even more now.
Two great atists, Mike Sekowsky& Frank Giacoia.
Powerful Russ Jones & Al McWilliams.

Fight the Enemy was distinguished by strong artwork from Jerry (Creepy, Eerie) Grandenetti, Al (Star Trek) McWilliams, Jose (Yellow Submarine) Delbo, Frank (Magnus, Robot Fighter) Bolle, Ray (Undersea Agent)  Bailey and Boris (Savage Sword of Conan) Vallejo (who went on to become an extremely successful fantasy art painter.)

Jerry Grandenetti, magnificent horror artist.

Ray Bailey, remembrances of Milt Caniff.
Jose Delbo, another artist I appreciate more now!
Another Jose Delbo.
Boris Vallejo, on a comic book story! Wow!
Sadly, this is another account of a great comic out there, not reprinted. Not just the Mike Manly stories either, the whole series would be fabulous. 

Original Giordano art for the Aurora Model's Robin comic!
Can't do much better than lessons from Giordano! Cover from Future Comics' Mystic Marauder Deathmask #1.
Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!
Proposed Dell Comics Nukla cover, unpublished Giordano is a shame. 
Well deserved trade paperback on Dick Giordano.