I Love Atlas Comics #4: "The War of the Worlds"

Continuing my look at the weird and wonderful days of Atlas Comics, I bring you one of the many text features which appeared in comics from the late 30s to the mid-60s. These text pieces, usually two pages in length, were necessary in order for comic companies to receive distribution through mail services. Credits are rarely available for these tales (which is probably a good thing for the writers involved). The story I've chosen to look at hails from Adventures Into Weird Worlds#3 (1952) and is entitled...

Wait...what?

Uh, I think this title might have been used before. Regardless of your story's subject matter, you don't want to draw comparison to one of the all-time great science fiction novels, do you?

At any rate, "The War of the Worlds" tells us of Kara, a man who lives thousands of years in the future. Kara wants to conquer the Solar System and wields a time machine to assemble the greatest generals of history to lead his forces; his generals include Alexander the Great, Achilles, Hector, Julius Caesar, Attila the Hun, Napoleon Bonaparte, Hannibal, Oliver Cromwell and George S. Patton. Initially, the generals fought with each other.

"Napoleon insulted Cromwell, who would have attacked him, there and then, if General Patton hadn't intervened, warning that America would never stand by and allow an Englishman to be attacked."

Uh, except for when they did, Georgie.

Anyway, the generals don't want to work for Kara, so they kill him. Then they discover that Kara was really a Martian! Informing the governments of the time (presumably the USA) based out of the superoctogen, their information enables humanity to launch a war against Mars which obliterates them. The generals watch all of this and brood, then return to their own times. Having seen all of this, they lose their appetite for conquest.

Actually, this wasn't too bad - goofy but fun. Late in the story its pointed out that the generals can't comprehend futuristic warfare or the magnitude of destruction which armies can unleash. That being the case, why did Kara think they would be ideal in conquering the Solar System to begin with...?

In stores today: Proof#19

The latest issue of Proof came out today, written by Alex Grecian and drawn as usual by my friend Riley Rossmo. This is the second part of a storyline set in the 19th century which pits the Bigfoot protagonist Proof against the notorious Springheeled Jack! Also included is a very funny newspaper facsimile, a Dover Demon story by Grecian and Dave Casey and the start of a new Archie Snow serial by Kelly Tindall.

If you haven't read Proof before then...this is not really the place to start. Go back and get #18. Better still, go get the first trade, yah?

The Parker Bump

In his latest interview with Comic Book Resources, Jeff Parker was kind enough to randomly drop my name:

"My man – Number One Assistant Editor Supreme Jordan Delight White – is in charge of numbering the universes. Sometimes the Handbook guys like Michael Hoskin will run in and figure a good place to put a certain earth too. And he does save that info for just such a book."

He's a gentleman, that Jeff.

This weekend: The Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo

To all Calgarians - please come out this weekend (25th & 26th) to the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo. There are plenty of interesting guests lined up, including yours truly. Look for me at Another Dimension's booth (703-705) and help me to feel like a celebrity.

I Love Atlas Comics #3: "Trench War!"

Time for another look at why I love Atlas Comics; this time it's a war comic - Battle#28 (1954) and the story "Trench War!" by John Severin.

The opening two pages tell a brief history of warfare so it takes a while to get to the main plot. Then again, it's illustrated by Severin, so who's complaining?

Eventually we meet our mysterious narrator, who turns out to be an inanimate object.

That's right, the trench itself tells the story of World War I. It's a very French trench at that, as it has no love for the Germans who wind up occupying it late in the story.

Finally, the arrival of the US forces to drive the Germans from the trenches and the establishment of tanks brings an end to World War I.

So, it's a happy ending...? Happy in that trench warfare is no more, but I don't know how pleased those missile-filled skies with a mushroom cloud make me feel...

In stores tomorrow...

Tomorrow sees the release of Wolverine: Weapon X Files, the latest Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe. I blogged about it here.

I Love Atlas Comics #2: "A Thousand Years"

Continuing from yesterday, once more I'm returning to Astonishing#19. Come to think of it, this is another post about Cat People too.

Timothy Wurnel is a scientist trying to perfect a gamma ray device which will place humans into suspended animation. He tests it out on a cat.

Satisfied, Wurnel turns the machine on himself, hoping to awaken in an era which will be free from war and death. He sets the machine to make him lie in suspended animation for 1,000 years. When he awakens, he finds that the Earth is indeed a utopia - but there are no humans. The Earth has been overrun by Cat People!

These civilized Cat Men (check out the suits) thought they had purged the Earth "of all the living but cats!" Whoa, even cattle or anteaters? What'd they ever do to you Cat People? Anyway, a Cat Man announces "By the power invested in me by the Cat Kingdom, I sentence you to death!" They have to take Wurnel to a museum to find an execution device and on the way they point out another exhibit.

You maniacs! You finally did it!

The surprise twist of this story is obviously that we should abandon the use of animals in the laboratory, lest they rise up and overthrow us. Free the lab cats now!