Nightmare-Joe Sinnott-1953

Seeing as how I sleep with one of those things over my nose these days, too, I'll either have nightmares tonight myself or perhaps pleasant dreams about this lovely early Atlas-era art from the always perfect Joe Sinnott. 

Black Venus-Harvey Kurtzman-1945

According to Bill Schelly's great new 600+ page biography of Harvey Kurtzman, this was the future MAD creator's first post war comic book story as well as his first done in all brushwork. Hardly the 21 year old artist's best work but you can see the Harvey of EC starting to emerge.

Sam Brown, Supersalesman-Harry Sahle-1949

Here's an early appearance by Bob Hope in his own comic strip. Sorta. The writer had Bob's patter down pitch perfect for the most part and former Archie artist Sahle makes him look just like a mustachioed Hope--especially in the fifth panel of page two! It wasn't long after this when DC gave Bob his OWN A-list title, perhaps inspired by this low-budget B-movie short version of same.

Frank Luther's Me, Myself and I-1950

Okay, this is a tad weird and creepy and definitely in the WTF? category. That said, Frank Luther is a fascinating and oddly little-remembered character in music history. He was an important early figure in country and western music, became a big band singer and later a pioneer of children's records. By that point he was also an executive at Decca Records with his own radio show (see page bottoms) and that's when this one-shot comic, SILLY PILLY,  featuring some of his radio and children's record characters, came along. 

The BLA Vs. the Marvelous Super-Heroes-Grass Green-1967

Although credited to Gary Friedrich, I could swear I've read somewhere that Roy Thomas--who had done a similar piece in Alter-Ego a few years earlier--had a hand in this but I can't find any mention of that at the moment. Grass Green, though. Maaaan! He shoulda been a contender. 

Superman and the Great Cleveland Fire-1948

Posted in tribute to lifelong Superman fan Steve M. Cohen, who passed suddenly on Monday after years of illnesses and health problems that were never able to break his spirit. 

Rest in Peace

Bunny-Hy Eisman-1966

BUNNY was probably the grooviest and-dare I say it-most psychedelic overground comic book of its day...eventually. Here in its early days, it was a more traditional Archie-style, here providing a pretty amusing MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. parody!

Pint-Size Pin-Ups-Sheldon Mayer-1960s

So who else clipped these from their issues of SUGAR & SPIKE? I always thought the costumes, generally designed by readers, were just amazingly cute and fun. Note that Bernie the Brain appears in a couple, too! Hey, I was 7-9 years old. Paper dolls were neat! Besides, I was cutting cool images out of JUSTICE LEAGUE and AVENGERS anyway! Thanks, SM!

Zero, Ghost Detective-Al Bryant-1941

Lots of work lately and the big Stevens Point 3 Day Trivia Contest this weekend! Here. Read this until I get back.

Jack Wander, War Correspondent-Ed Moore-1941

This was one of those backup strips in comics full of newspaper reprint strips that was NOT a newspaper reprint strip but was meant to LOOK like a newspaper reprint strip.