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Proposed Dell Comics Nukla cover, unpublished Giordano is a shame.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.

1 comment:

  1. Archie Goodwin and Dick Giordano were considered 2 of the nicest men to ever work in comics. However being a nice guy doesn't make Dick Giordano one of the greatest inkers of all time. Palmer, Rubinstein, Austin and Janson were far better talents than Mr. Giordano. It's always irked me that he was the one receiving the Shazam and Alley awards for best inker while far better talents were passed over.

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