The Comic Book Catacombs

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle in "The Voodoo Beasts of Changra-Lo" (Fiction House;1949)

2012-02-02T10:36:00.000-05:00

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle stars in "The Voodoo Beasts of Changra-Lo" from Jumbo Comics #124 (Jun.1949); originally published by Fiction House, with art by Robert Webb. The story title comes from that issues cover blurb. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publishers and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

[ANNOUNCEMENT] Cave Girl in "Altar of the Axe" (Magazine Enterprises; 1954)

2012-02-01T13:20:00.000-05:00

Folks, I will hit the half century mark this month and as a personal form of celebration, I plan on deploying what I refer to as the Catacombs “All-Stars” for your reading pleasure. During the course of this blog I have tried to maintain my golden age jungle postings in as linear a timeline as possible, with only an occasional foray coming outside of the established publishing sequence for each feature; however I fully intend to step away from that conceit for the entire month of February 2012. Instead, I will present some of the very best looking adventure stories remaining in the archives (thanks to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos), regardless of when they were originally published, and there are literally hundreds to choose from - so I hope you all enjoy the selections this month. As for which characters will comprise my impromptu lineup of “all-stars”; well prepare for some REALLY cool tales starring Cave Girl (who kicks things off today), Fantomah, Jo-Jo, Judy of the Jungle, Ka’a’nga, Nyoka, Princess Pantha, Rulah, Red Panther, Samar, Sheena, Tabu, Thun’da, Tiger Girl, Tor, Voodah and Wambi over the next few weeks. Please, stay tuned!

Cave Girl is captured by elephant-riding Amazons in the bondage-themed "Altar of the Axe" from Cave Girl #13 (Jul-Sept.1954); originally published by Magazine Enterprises. This terrific tale is written by Gardner Fox and illustrated by Bob Powell. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

In Memorium: Al Rio

2012-01-31T13:24:00.001-05:00

Dawnstar of the Legion of Super-Heroes by Al Rio

Details are certainly unclear at this point, but it is being reported that popular Brazilian artist Al Rio died yesterday, reportedly by suicide. The highly talented Mr. Rio worked for a variety of American publishers over the years including Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Chaos Comics, Image Comics, Zenescope Comics, Malibu Comics, Wildstorm Comics, Crossgen, and Vertigo on such series as Dungeon Siege, Grimm Fairy Tales, Avengelyne, Voodoo, Grifter and the Mask, Secret Files,WildC.A.T.S., X-Men Unlimited, Captain America, Star Wars - A New Hope, Purgatori, Titan A.E., Exposure, Knockout, Mystic, Peter Parker - Spider Man, Spider-Man, Threshold, Jungle Girl and New Mutants Forever. In addition to voluminous amounts of prints or sketch books, Rio stayed perpetually busy on private commissions of mostly beautiful cheesecake type imagery of established media or genre characters. The Catacombs extends its sincerest condolences to his family, friends and worldwide fans.

Wild Boy in "The Slavers" (Ziff-Davis;1951)

2012-01-31T11:04:00.000-05:00

Wild Boy stars in “The Slavers" from Wild Boy #4 (Oct.1951); originally published by Ziff-Davis, and featuring the artwork of Paul Parker. Today, Wild Boy falls victim to that staple of the jungle adventure genre, a roving band of Arabs who specialize in human trafficking. His regular animal pals are present too, but the panther "Timba" is referred to as "Dara" for this outing. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Bantor, Monarch of the Jungle in "Revolt of the Jungle Monsters" (Star Publ;1953)

2012-01-30T13:35:00.000-05:00

“Revolt of the Jungle Monsters” is taken from Terrors of the Jungle #6 (Sept.1953), originally published by Star Publications. Briefly billed as the erstwhile "Monarch of the Jungle", Bantor (and his mate, Zenta) actually proved merely to be a one-shot couple; so this was their only golden age appearance. The artist on this feature was Jay Disbrow. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Claudia Bassols

2012-01-27T12:29:00.001-05:00

Oh, baby! Check out this luscious Spaniard, currently featured as "Maggie" on the sit-com "Rob" (opposite comedian Rob Schneider). Claudia Bassols appeared with Amber Tamblyn in the 2007 film Blackout; and in 2008 was featured in the PBS series “Spain... on the road Again” alongside diverse celebrities such as Mario Batali, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Mark Bittman. In 2009, Bassols filmed a lead role in the The Eagle Path with Jean-Claude Van Damme. Although the film was screened at Cannes in 2010, it will finally be released on home video in 2012. As a student, her drama studies carried her to such locales as Paris, London, Los Angeles, the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, and at the National Institute of Dramatic Art. She also studied English language and literature at the University of Barcelona. It's doubtful that her gig on "Rob" will stick around too terribly long, so if you want to get a peek at this smoking hot "gal", better hurry.

Dr. Voodoo in "The Castle of Doom" (Fawcett; 1942)

2012-01-26T11:59:00.000-05:00

In the jungles of Brazil, Dr. Hal Carey's parents gave their lives tending to the natives of a tribe called the Blancas (because they were “white Indians“), and raised their son Hal to take over for them after they died. Shortly after this happened, Hal (later christened Dr. Voodoo) became the leader of the tribe. During his golden age career Dr. Voodoo's adventure were very well drawn by noted golden age artist Mac Raboy. The stories were like those of Prince Valiant, only set in a jungle, with Hal facing everything from headhunters to tribes of giants and dragons. This short tale is listed as "The Castle of Doom" in the Grand Comics Database, and was chapter nine of the extended “Golden Flask Quest” from Whiz Comics #26 (Jan.1942); originally published by Fawcett, with art by Mark Schneider; but the story title is also used in the next issue blurb at story’s end. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

The Tarzan Cover Gallery!

2012-01-25T14:21:00.001-05:00

In the early 1970s, DC Comics acquired the license to publish comics starring Tarzan of the Apes, and then continued the numbering from the previous Gold Key Comics series. Here are the first fifteen covers starring the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs creation from #207 (Apr.1972) through #221 (Jul.1973); all illustrated by the legendary Joe Kubert, and with perfectly muted and sensational coloring by Tatjana Wood. Believe me, you'll see nothing of this caliber in the new Dynamite Entertainment series, "Lord of the Jungle" title. Enjoy!

In Memorium: Dick Tufeld

2012-01-24T14:09:00.000-05:00

“Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!”

You probably don't recognize the face, but the voice is iconic. DICK TUFELD, the voice of the “Lost in Space” Robot has died at eighty-five, his long time friend and costar Bill Mumy announced today via Facebook. In addition to voicing the Robot, Tufeld was a familiar voice actor having announced the exploits of the super-sub Seaview on “Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea”, “Time Tunnel”, and in commercials for the bubble bath Mr. Bubble. Tufeld also was the announcer on various Disney TV shows including the 1957-59 series, Zorro, which starred future Lost in Space lead actor, Guy Williams. He also reprised his role as the Robot in the 1998 feature "Lost in Space" which starred Gary Oldman, William Hurt, Mimi Rogers, Heather Graham and Matt LeBlanc. The Catacombs extends it sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans.

Kara, The Jungle Princess in "Inescapable Disaster" (Standard;1946)

2012-01-24T12:31:00.002-05:00

This golden age tale called “Inescapable Disaster” starring Kara, Jungle Princess is from Exciting Comics #44 (Feb.1946); originally published by Better/Standard/Nedor. Artist Al Camy, was a regular artist for Better Publications titles on such features as 'Jill Trent', 'Crime Crushers', 'Grim Reaper', 'Phantom Detective' and 'Spectro'. Before she became a jungle princess called Kara, she was regular army nurse Jane Howell who stumbled upon a lost civilization in the jungles of Africa. There she was elevated to ruler of the Arohitans, a people possessing a charm against physical harm, where she must always stay alert for the evil machinations of the priest Targala. Thankfully, Major Kit Kendall was along to help out with the tougher problems. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning

2012-01-24T08:45:00.001-05:00

Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a single-player action role-playing game with an impressive pedigree. Ken Rolston, the lead designer of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, acts as the game's executive designer. Additionally, noted fantasy author R.A. Salvatore created the game universe and lore, with Todd McFarlane, creator of Spawn, working on the artwork. It is being released by 38 Studios and Big Huge Games on February 7, 2012 in North America and February 10, 2012 in Europe. Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning features five distinct regions, four playable races, and three class trees with twenty-two abilities per tree. The playable races are the Almain (noble Humans) the Dokkalfar (Dark Elves), the Ljosalfar (Light Elves), and the Varani (nomadic Humans). The class (or ability) trees are Might, Finesse, and Sorcery; corresponding to fighter, rogue, and mage classes respectively. The player starts off as a "blank slate," having awakened in a pile of corpses after returning from the dead. The game utilizes a unique "destiny" system, whereby players invest in a skill-tree system to unlock various "destinies," which act as the class system for the game. Combat works based on the timing of button presses, similar to the style of an action RPG, with occasional quick-time events like those in the God of War series. 38 Studios founder Curt Schilling (former Boston Red Sox Pitcher), originally began developing the Amalur universe for use in an MMO, codenamed 'Copernicus'. After acquiring Big Huge Games in 2009, the studio decided to transform the project into a single-player RPG. There are still plans to expand the Amalur universe into an MMO after the release of Reckoning. A playable demo was released on January 17, 2012 for Windows (Steam and Origin only), Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

As a fan of the Dragon Age franchise from Bioware, I was admittedly curious about Amalur and quickly downloaded the demo last week. Big Huge games and Bioware are participating in a cross-promotional event whereby demoing both Amalur and the upcoming Mass Effect 3 (another favorite game series of mine), earns you some in-game perks for each game once you purchase them. One thing that I really appreciated about Amalur is that the human male characters you are able to create really look like “heroic” warriors. My male human Varani character looked like an awesome hybrid of Thor and Conan the Barbarian; plus the crafting skills allow you to create your very own personalized weapons and armors, etc. In this game I preferred the large two-handed hammers over most other weapons. Those really packed a hell of a wallop, and naming mine (Yurthur, by the way) was pretty cool. After the initial sequence is completed, you are given 45 minutes to romp around select portions of the world of Amalur, and there are a variety of things to experience during the demo. It is lots of fun, and in my opinion, with the dynamic combat, colorful world and interesting character customizations, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning will prove to be popular. Recommended!

Auro, Lord of Jupiter in "The Sacred Festival of Mur" (Fiction House;1944)

2012-01-23T10:52:00.000-05:00

Auro, Lord of Jupiter returns in a short story from Planet Comics #28 (Jan.1944); originally published by Fiction House. As there was no official title for this golden age adventure, I've christened it "The Sacred Festival of Mur ". ["John Charles"] is credited on the title page, but the Grand Comics Database attributes the artwork on this tale to Alex Blum and Arnold Hicks. Also of note, artist Robert Webb is credited with reworking some of the faces. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Gina Carano

2012-01-20T12:51:00.002-05:00

Formerly known as the Gladiator "Crush" on American Gladiators and a currently retired mixed martial arts fighter, Gina Carano makes her major acting debut this week in director Steven Soderbergh’s new spy thriller movie "Haywire" (she has previously appeared in a couple of minor releases). It may be difficult to imagine this beauty excelling in boxing, kickboxing and Muay Thai, but she was at the top of her game until at least 2009, with a kickboxing record of twelve wins, one loss and one tie; and a mixed martial arts record of seven wins and one loss. Undoubtedly, her unique fighting skills combined with her stunning good looks got the attention of Hollywood, and for sure Soderbergh who’s said as much. In Haywire, Carano plays the role of Mallory Kane, a black-ops soldier who seeks the ultimate revenge after she is betrayed by her colleagues. I would have to say that win, lose or draw, this smoking hot, totally fit and fabulous “gal” is definitely worth checking out.

Zegra, Jungle Empress in "The Deserter's Prize" (Fox;1948)

2012-01-20T11:49:00.000-05:00

Tegra / Zegra was originally the star of a rewritten Rulah story, but she eventually became a wholly separate character whose name was changed from Tegra to Zegra and whose hair color was changed from brunette to blond with Zegra Jungle Empress #2 (Oct.1948); originally published by Fox Feature Syndicate. She was the “Empress” of an apparent village filled with blond, brunette and red-headed jungle gals. Today’s tale is called “The Deserter’s Prize”, and sadly I have no specific creator credits available for you, but it’s a fun read and looks pretty nifty too. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Tangi in "A Purple Parakeet" (Fox;1949)

2012-01-19T09:29:00.000-05:00

Tangi originally appeared in golden age issues of Dagar, Desert Hawk and Jungle Jo, published by Fox Feature Syndicate. She appears today in a short adventure tale called “A Purple Parakeet” from Dagar, Desert Hawk #22 (Feb.1949); illustrated by Jack Kamen. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Tiger Girl in "The Warning Drone Menace" (Fiction House;1947)

2012-01-18T14:04:00.000-05:00

This previously untitled story starring Tiger Girl (aka Princess Vishnu) nicely delves into her background and that of her constant companions (Abdola, Togara & Benzali) in a thrilling adventure tale that I've decided to call "The Warning Drone Menace" from Fight Comics #51 (Aug.1947); originally published by Fiction House. The story is credited to 'Allan O'Hara' and the lovely art is by Matt Baker and Jack Kamen. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Ghanga the Elephant Boy in “The Gorilla God” (Buster Brown;1950)

2012-01-16T12:45:00.000-05:00

This golden age story called “The Gorilla God” starring Ghanga the Elephant Boy was written by Hobart Donavan and illustrated by Ray Willner and first appeared in the Buster Brown Comic Book #19 (Spring 1950); originally published by the Buster Brown Shoe Co. In this tale, young Ghanga the Mahout (elephant driver) and his Excellency the Maharajah have to recapture an escaped great ape whose activities imperil the superstitious locals. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publishers and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Brooke Adams

2012-01-13T18:56:00.000-05:00

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling currently lays claim to model, dancer and professional wrestler Brooke Adams, but you may know her by her stage moniker of Ms. Tessmacher. That borrowed name from the old Superman films notwithstanding, this chick packs quite a wallop.

Although she was initially little more than an eye-candy caricature, once she earned her time in the ring, fans discovered that her more than ample lusciousness was merely the surface layer over a nice degree of athleticism. Now, admit it, you want to roll around and get hot and sweaty with this young fireball. Right?

That's what I thought!

Alas, as willing as I might be to get the living hell knocked out of me by the lovely "Miss Tessmacher", I'll just have to stick to more pleasant fantasies. In the meantime, take a gander at this weeks smoking "gal" Friday and go do a push up or something.

Princess Pantha in "The Fire God of Death" (Standard;1948)

2012-01-12T12:56:00.001-05:00

Princess Pantha and her companion, Dane Hunter are wrongly blamed for bringing a curse upon native villagers after their temple is raided by pygmies in "The Fire God of Death" from Thrilling Comics #64 (Feb. 1948), originally published by Better/Standard/Nedor and well drawn by Art Saaf. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Safari Cary in "Mountain of Doom" (Fox;1948)

2012-01-11T11:13:00.002-05:00

I freely admit it, Pappy posted this story back in December 2009. I also had the scans in the queue, but he had notified me in advance that he was planning on running "Mountain of Doom" starring Safari Cary, as part of his own jungle girls week. Cool beans, but enough time may have elapsed to allow me the opportunity to rerun the story, since it is a pretty nice looking adventure tale from the Fox Comics series, Dagar Desert Hawk #15 (Apr.1948). Safari Cary was featured in Dagar from #14-23. Just like Pappy, I have no clue who to credit with the sweet artwork, but that doesn't mean you can't appreciate this blast from the past. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Tor in "The Black Valley" (St. John;1954)

2012-01-10T12:52:00.002-05:00

Industry legend Joe Kubert is best known for his classic work on DC Comics war series like Sgt. Rock and for reintroducing silver age fans to Hawkman, but he started out in the golden age on strips like the Seven Soldiers of Victory in Leading Comics. In 1953, Kubert as managing editor for St. John, along with writer Norman Maurer, created the enduring character Tor, a prehistoric-human who debuted in the comic 1,000,000 Years Ago #1 (Sept.1953). Today, Tor stars in an exciting "Panel-Rama" feature titled "The Black Valley" from Tor #3 (May 1954). Trivia: Norman Maurer was Moe (The Three Stooges) Howard's son in law. Maurer also wrote and drew various "Stooge" comic books from the 50's to the 70's. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Judy of the Jungle in "The Fatal Film" (Standard;1949)

2012-01-09T10:52:00.000-05:00

The great Ralph Mayo is credited with providing full art duties on “The Fatal Film” starring Judy of the Jungle. Judy first appeared in Exciting Comics #55 (May 1947) and her published golden age adventures continued until #69 (Sept.1949). She had displaced Miss Masque as the regular backup strip and ultimately even knocked off the Black Terror as lead cover feature. This story is taken from Exciting Comics #65 (Jan.1949); originally published by Better/Standard/Nedor. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Amanda Cerny

2012-01-06T14:27:00.000-05:00

This week I'm continuing with my opening "salvo" of luscious brunettes for 2012 in the form of Playboy's Miss October of 2011, Amanda Cerny. A few factoids: she earned her first-degree black belt in karate at the age of 11, earned straight A's in high school while running Varsity track and for her 18th birthday she celebrated by free-falling at 120 mph AND she's twenty!

Amanda is currently a student at Florida State University. This lovely girl needs little additional embellishment, so feast your eyes on the photos and hustle on back next week for another sultry brunette. Adios!

Zago, Jungle Prince in "The Maiden and the Drifting Danger" (Fox;1948)

2012-01-05T09:04:00.000-05:00

As promised here is another Jack Kamen illustrated tale called "The Maiden and the Drifting Danger" which like the other Zago adventure presented on Tuesday was published in Zago, Jungle Prince #2 (Nov.1948) by Fox. Interestingly, both of these golden age Zago stories by Kamen are built around an aquatic theme, however instead of mermaids you get a big-ass whale today. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Kevin Eastman Studios ... Auction Ending!!

2012-01-04T12:49:00.006-05:00

Fans of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles co-creator have less than twelve hours to place a bid for the contents of his studio. The proceeds (currently going for $8300) will partially benefit the Hero Initiative. Here's a sampling of the contents awaiting today's lucky winner: Kevin Eastman's Drawing Table and Chair (table is as it was when Kevin decided to do this auction). Includes Pens, Shot-Glasses, Empty Red-Bull Cans, etc. Full Original Illustrated Storyboards and Scripts for the HEAVY METAL 2000 animated film. 2 Pages of Original Art from the TMNT Movie Adaptation. Over 600 DVDs - all of them watched while working on art in the studio over the last ten years (includes DVD deck and flat-screen monitor, etc.). Double-Sized Production Prototype of OZZY OSBOURNE "Bark At The Moon" Action Figure sculpted by Digger T. Mesch. Richard Corben Original Art - at least two pieces - there may be more! Signed Elizabeth Hurly Photo from Austin Powers, signed animation cells, prints and movie posters. Kevin Eastman's personal San Diego Comic Con Badges, rare t-shirts and like personal effects going back about 10 years. Toy Guns, Swords, Knives, Props and even a Hand-Grenade (all non-functional) and tons of magazines and reference books used for projects. A Fish tank (formerly held Kevin's gecko) filled with various odds and ends tossed in over a six year period - even Kevin's not sure what's in there??? Box of Original Photos of Playmates & Models (mostly nude) - Photography by Julie Strain. TONS of random Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles goodies . . . prototypes . . . and oddities . . . including things we're sure you *didn't* know existed. Statues & Action Figures - - Pin-Up, Fantasy, Superhero, Horror, Turtles (natch) and more! Various Billiken Models From Japan (Frankenstein, Dracula, Creature, Mummy and MORE) - all MINT in their original boxes! Some of the boxes have not even been opened (Kevin liked the idea that there would be surprises), who knows what lurks inside?!

Zago, Jungle Prince in "The Murderous Mermaids" (Fox;1948)

2012-01-03T10:34:00.000-05:00

This Jack Kamen illustrated tale called "The Murderous Mermaids" was originally published in Zago, Jungle Prince #2 (Nov.1948) by Fox. It’s been a while since I posted a Zago adventure and since these golden age Zago stories by Kamen are quite lovely to look at, you’re gonna get another golden age classic starring the erstwhile “Jungle Prince” on Thursday of this very week. Don’t worry though, even with the lead male character, there are still some pretty jungle girls in the mix. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Skyman in "Correspondence Course Detective" (Columbia;1949)

2012-01-01T09:53:00.000-05:00

All right! First post of the new year, so let's get this party started. Skyman was Allen Turner, who was raised by his uncle to become "outstanding in mind and body." A brilliant scientist, he had no superpowers but did have a flying wing-shaped airplane, dubbed "The Wing", that flew by the power of Earth's magnetic poles. With this and money inherited from his late uncle's will, he fought crime. The character was created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Ogden Whitney, who also draws today's excellent story titled "Correspondence Course Detective" from Big Shot #99 (Mar.1949); originally published by Columbia. Happy New Year and Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Devon

2011-12-30T10:36:00.001-05:00

I think that I'm in love!

I wanted to end this year with an anonymous "gal" Friday selection to represent the many luscious ladies (of all ages) that every horn-dog on the planet sees on television, in the movies, in print, or just strolling by on any given day somewhere in the world. I recently spotted this awesome photo over at Model Mayhem and, well, at this moment if I had a lucky wish to make, it would be to vanish to some deserted (but tropical) island with this sultry, young brunette lady. Yeah, that's just what she needs, right? A slobbering old codger, and all the time in the world to get used to his sad cravings; just not gonna happen.

Alas, I can't actually make that fantasy a reality, and she's damned lucky that's the case. Anyway take a gander at "Devon" and with much respect to the original photographer, the Model Mayhem website, and the exquisite model herself; I hope that all of you have a very happy new years celebration this weekend. Aloha!

The Catacombs 2011 Year End Recap!!

2011-12-30T10:21:00.000-05:00

Before 2011 ends with a whimper, I would like to take a moment to thank some of the fine folks who've helped make this year quite memorable for the Comic Book Catacombs. Several publishers/manufacturers allowed me to present early previews or glimpses at some of their upcoming books, toys and other properties so here's to Tommy Hancock/Moonstone; Gerald Cooper/InVision; Stefan Blitz/NBM; Ed Catto/CA Enterprises; Chris Irving/Hermes Press, and Mark Ross/Curse of the Phantom Shadow. Guys, I really appreciated having an opportunity to show off your goods.

This year among all the bevvy of Hollywood beauties that appeared in my regular “Gal” Friday featurette, a single lass allowed me to "officially" introduce all of you to her. Thanks, Riddle! You're one of the best cos-players on the convention circuit, and it's always great seeing you at the regional shows that I attend. Artist Bridgit Scheide was the only actual creator interview that I ran this year, something that I regret, but I was being a tad lazy (so that's on me). Thanks, Bridgit! And thanks also to artist Juan Pedro Quilón for special contributions. You "guys" were terrific!

The world of entertainment lost a number of faces that were familiar to genre geeks. 2011 saw the passing of Anne Francis, Susannah York, Michael Gough, Elisabeth Sladen, William Campbell, Jackie Cooper, Yvette Vickers, Jeff Conaway, James Arness, Cliff Robertson, and recently Cheeta the Chimpanzee. Sadly for us comic book fans, many of the old guard and several talented younger creators (see above) were lost this year. Let's never forget the timeless contributions of legendary artists such as Dwayne McDuffie, Jeffrey Catherine Jones, Gene Colan, Lew Sayre Schwartz, Dave Hoover, Jerry Robinson, Joe Simon, and Eduardo Barreto.

Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to all of the folks over in my links section for posting so many classic comic book stories and related items. It's become a daily pleasure to stop by your blogs and see what's going on there; plus to everyone who frequents my own little blog - thank you so much. I'm glad that you find something of worth here to bring you back time and again. Here are a few interesting factoids about the Comic Book Catacombs: The Comic Book Catacombs has roughly 7,062 monthly visitors, viewing on average 1.30 page views per session. That equates to between 235-257 daily visitors. United States visitors account for approximately 41% of my readership and almost 68% of my page views. Visitors from other countries account for approximately 58.50% of my readership and another 31.40% of my page views. Apparently my websites estimated value is $17,581.44. I can live with that!

Here's to us all, as we slide forward into the Mayan "year of doom", 2012. Don't forget to celebrate Christmas a few days early next year, or you may miss out. Just kidding! Maybe.

Wambi the Jungle Boy in "The White Elephant" (Fiction House;1941)

2011-12-29T13:29:00.000-05:00

Wambi the Jungle Boy had an innate ability to communicate with the lower order, even when the animals made no sound at all. In fact, Wambi's best friends were an Indian-variety elephant named Tawn, and Ogg the Gorilla. All three appear in an untitled tale written by Roy S. Smith that I’ve dubbed "The White Elephant" from Jungle Comics #16 (Apr.1941); originally published by Fiction House, alongside Shikkar the Tiger, Reynar the Wolf and the Rajah of Kaahki. The elephant cub in this story is supposed to be white, but the poor thing is colored gray throughout. The artwork is by Henry Kiefer. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

In Memorium: Cheeta the Chimp

2011-12-28T12:59:00.000-05:00

A Florida animal sanctuary says Cheeta the chimpanzee sidekick in the Tarzan movies of the early 1930s has died at age 80. The Suncoast Primate Sanctuary in Palm Harbor announced that Cheeta died Dec. 24 of kidney failure. Sanctuary outreach director Debbie Cobb told The Tampa Tribune on Wednesday that Cheeta was outgoing, loved finger painting and liked to see people laugh. She says he seemed to be tuned into human feelings.

Based on the works of author Edgar Rice Burroughs, the Tarzan stories, which have spawned scores of books and films over the years, chronicle the adventures of a man who was raised by apes in Africa. Cheeta was the comic relief in the Tarzan film series that starred American Olympic gold-medal swimmer Johnny Weissmuller. Cobb says Cheeta came to the sanctuary from Weissmuller's own estate sometime around 1960. Cobb says Cheeta wasn't a troublemaker. Still, sanctuary volunteer Ron Priest says that when the chimp didn't like what was going on, he would throw feces. That is hilarious (and so in character from his famous films). I'm glad that Cheeta lived to a ripe old age, and like many of you saddened to hear of his passing.

The Face in "General Lee-Ahng" (Columbia;1945)

2011-12-28T12:33:00.000-05:00

Here is an interesting golden age adventure with a twist from Big Shot #61 (Nov.1945);originally published by Columbia. The Face (sort of) stars in "General Lee-Ahng", written and illustrated by Mart Bailey and Ogden Whitney. Following up from a previous issue where journalist Tony Trent (in a rare cameo role) had decided to rid himself of the fright mask that he had worn in his heroic role as "The Face", just tosses the thing out the window during a flyover of occupied China, and another person decides to make use of the item. Great artwork on this one (and there's still a nice Skyman tale from this publisher coming up this weekend). Enjoy!

From the Dust Bin: 1963 (Image Comics)

2011-12-28T10:57:00.001-05:00

1963 was a six-issue comic book limited series written by Alan Moore in 1993, with art provided by his frequent collaborators Steve Bissette, John Totleben, and Rick Veitch; plus other contributors including Dave Gibbons, Don Simpson, and Jim Valentino. The six issues hearkened back to the Silver Age of comics (particularly, early Marvel Comics), and featured spoof advertisements on the rear covers.

Moore's homage to Marvel cliches included fictionalizing himself and the artists as the "Sixty-Three Sweatshop", describing his collaborators in the same hyperbolic and alliterative mode Stan Lee used for his "Marvel Bullpen"; each was given a Lee-style nickname ("Affable Al," "Sturdy Steve," "Jaunty John," etc.—Veitch has since continued to refer to himself as "Roarin' Rick"). The parody was not entirely affectionate, as the text pieces and fictional letter columns contained pointed inside jokes about the business practices of 1960s comic book publishers, with "Affable Al" portrayed as a tyrant who claimed credit for his employees' creations. Moore also made reference to Lee's book Origins of Marvel Comics (and its sequels) when Affable Al recommended that readers hurry out and buy his new book “How I Created Everything All By Myself” and “Why I Am Great”. Funny stuff!

Issue one introduced Mystery Incorporated, a Fantastic Four surrogate featuring Crystal Man, Neon Queen, Kid Dynamo and The Planet. Issue two featured The Fury; based on Spider-Man, as well as Sky Solo, Lady of L.A.S.E.R., a female version of Nick Fury. Issue three, an anthology comic called Tales of the Uncanny, featured USA, Ultimate Special Agent based on Captain America, and Hypernaut, who was based on Iron Man. Issue four, another anthology comic called Tales From Beyond, introduced readers to the Unbelievable N-Man, based on The Incredible Hulk, and Johnny Beyond, a beatnik version of Doctor Strange. Issue five was devoted to Horus, Lord of Light, based on The Mighty Thor. Issue six told the story of the Tomorrow Syndicate, based on the Avengers. This comic brought together Horus, Lord of Light, Hypernaut, N-Man, and USA, and also introduced Infra-Man and Infra-Girl, based on Ant-Man & the Wasp.

Rulah Jungle Goddess in "The White Death" (Fox;1948)

2011-12-27T12:31:00.000-05:00

Rulah Jungle Goddess pits her might against a villain billed as "Walking Death Boy" in a golden age adventure called "The White Death" from All Top Comics #14 (Nov.1948); originally published by Fox Feature Syndicate and illustrated by Jack Kamen. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Skyman in "The Purloined Jade Necklace" (Columbia;1945)

2011-12-26T14:31:00.000-05:00

Well, I certainly hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday weekend. My brother David, surprise-gifted me with fifteen Silver Age issues of "Green Lantern" (see above; thanks Dave), so I picked another classic hero from slightly further back to fill today's post. Skyman stars in "The Purloined Jade Necklace" from Big Shot #61 (Nov.1945); originally published by Columbia. The GCD credits "Ed Mortiz" as artist, but I wonder if the guys real name isn't actually Ed Moritz. The latter version I've heard of as an inker at least. Who knows? Jungle stuff returns tomorrow, but I've got one last Skyman adventure in the queue; so expect that story this week too.

"Gal" Friday! Jingle Belle

2011-12-23T14:07:00.001-05:00

Although I supposedly "swore" off of live Christmas trees last year, I caved. It only took a few days, but the stealth Triffid otherwise known as a Fraser fir finally tail-gunned my sinuses. I've been wallowing in "les miserable" since mid-week and semi-hating on my three grown children for cajoling me into this for the holidays - yet again. No more! I swear.

As is, I hadn’t given much thought to who this weeks “gal” Friday selection could possibly be; too many to choose from – as always. So, I’m calling a late Friday afternoon audible for the impending holiday weekend and going with Jingle Belle the cutie pie cartoon character created by Paul Dini. She's Santa Claus' spoiled teen-age daughter, whose stories depict Jingle's usually contentious relationship with her famous father.

The character has been featured in a variety of comic book mini-series and one-shots (all written by Dini) and also in a series of animated shorts (available on JingleBelle.com). She has been the subject of lots-o merchandise too, including a Jingle Belle statue, a Christmas ornament, a lunch box, and a t-shirt, featuring artwork by Bill Morrison. Illustrators who have brought her to life at Oni Press & Top Cow have included Morrison, Stephen DeStefano, J. Bone, Sergio Aragonés and Stephanie Gladden. The image (above) is by Greg Horn.

Merry Christmas to all!!

Worldbeater & Unggh in "Paradise Lost" (Prize;1945)

2011-12-21T14:27:00.000-05:00

It has been quite a while since I posted additional adventures of this odd trio of characters Worldbeater, Unggh and Jo-Blo from Prize Comics golden age series, Headline Comics #15 (Sept-Oct. 1945). This tale follows our wacky trio who encounter a race of Gopher People in the wastes of Mars. The artwork by August Froehlich is a bit marred by the relatively poor quality of these scans, but it’s the holidays – so forgive me. Despite the seemingly abrupt ending, this is the entire published story.

The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Og, Son of Fire ... final adventures (Dell;1937)

2011-12-20T10:17:00.000-05:00

Three for Tuesday! The serialized adventures of creator/writer/editor Irving Crump's "Og, Son of Fire", concludes this week with three back-to-back strips from The Funnies #12, #13 and #14 (Sept-Oct-Nov.1937); originally published by Dell. Artist Stephen Slesinger provides illustrations that are re-purposed in color from an original black & white 1936 Big Little Book version copyrighted to Slesinger. Dell serialized "Og, Son of Fire" in issues of "The Funnies" from January to November of 1937 (comprising issues 4-14 in two page snippets). Hope you enjoyed this esoteric run of strips!

The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: the copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Nyoka the Jungle Girl in "The Voodoo Drums of Death" (Fawcett;1945)

2011-12-19T12:23:00.000-05:00

Chapter I: "Death Is The Pilot

Chapter II: "Shark Island"

Chapter III: "Voodoo Hoodoo"

Chapter IV: "Dinner Music--for Cannibals"

Nyoka the Jungle Girl #2 was the first issue of her ongoing Fawcett Comics series, after her long and successful run in Master Comics. Her self-titled series ran until #76 (June 1953). There was a previously published #1 issue featuring Nyoka, but it was a 1942 Fawcett Comics one-shot simply called "Jungle Girl". The artwork for this terrific full-issue tale called "The Voodoo Drums of Death" is by the team of Rod Reed and Harry Anderson. Nyoka's comic book adventures tended to follow a specific pattern, always broken up into chapters like the cliffhanger serials that were popular at the movies during the golden age of Hollywood; not surprising since the character got her start in the cinema, too. The four parts of this exciting story are "Death is the Pilot"; "Shark Island"; "Voodoo Hoodoo"; and "Dinner Music--for Cannibals". The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Tony Trent in "The Most Wicked Genius" (Columbia;1949)

2011-12-17T11:15:00.001-05:00

We are closing in on the Christmas holiday, and you folks have earned a bonus today (plus I've had this story floating around for far too long), so hope you like it. In the days following the closing of World War II and the onset of the Cold War, Tony Trent gave up his long-running masked role as "The Face" and returned to his duties as a foreign correspondent. Note: I watched “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” on the big IMAX screen last night, (highly recommended, by the way) and was inspired to dig up this untitled story that I've decided to call “The Most Wicked Genius” from Big Shot #103 (Jul.1949); originally published by Columbia and illustrated by Mart Bailey. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Paula Patton

2011-12-16T09:40:00.001-05:00

After graduating magna cum laude from the USC Film School, Paula Patton scored her first acting role with a small part in 2005's Hitch, which starred Will Smith. She’s also appeared in Déjà Vu, Mirrors, Swing Vote, Precious, Just Wright, and in limited IMAX release today alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

In fall 2010, Patton was announced as succeeding Sharon Stone as the new full-time assistant district attorney on the NBC legal drama and one of my favorite shows, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. However, after she landed the lead female role in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, her role on SVU was reduced to one episode. This makes me sad, but I’m still looking forward to seeing her on the big IMAX screen later today, and inducting her as an official “gal” Friday for posterity.

In Memorium: Joe Simon & Eduardo Barreto

2011-12-15T13:02:00.000-05:00

Eduardo Barreto (top; left) and Joe Simon (bottom; right).

As a writer, artist, editor and publisher, Joe Simon either created or co-created many important golden age comic book characters in the 1930s-1940s. He served as the first editor of Timely Comics, the company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. With his partner, artist Jack Kirby, he co-created Captain America, one of comics' most enduring superheroes, and the team also worked extensively on such features at DC Comics as the 1940s Sandman and Sandy the Golden Boy, and co-created the Newsboy Legion, the Boy Commandos, and Manhunter. Simon & Kirby creations for other publishers included Boys' Ranch, Fighting American, and the Fly. In the late 1940s, the duo created the genre of romance comics, and they were among the earliest pioneers of horror comics. Simon went on to work in advertising and commercial art, also founding the satirical magazine "Sick" in 1960, remaining with it for a decade. He briefly returned to DC Comics in the 1970s. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999. Mr. Simon passed away on December 14, 2011 at the age of ninety-eight.

Born in Uruguay, artist Eduardo Barreto made his name on DC Comics series like The New Teen Titans, Atari Force, The Shadow Strikes, and on specialty issues such as DC Comics Presents Annual #4 (1985). He drew Elvira, Mistress of the Dark for Claypool Comics; and The Long Haul for OniPress; and for Marvel he drew Marvel Knights. In 2006, Barreto took on artist duties for the syndicated comic strip Judge Parker from Harold Ledoux. Shortly afterward, he was involved in a serious car accident and was in the hospital for a few weeks, which left him unable to draw Judge Parker; others took on the responsibilities. He resumed his work, but in 2010, Barreto contracted meningitis, which finally forced him to stop drawing the strip, although he continued working on other projects such as a recent Captain Action Special and on July 31, 2011, Baretto became the artist for the Sunday comic strip, The Phantom. He passed away today at the age of fifty-seven.

The Catacombs extends its sincerest condolences to the families, friends and fans of these two fine gentlemen.

Jun-Gal in "The Curse of the Seven Straws" (Rural Home;1944)

2011-12-14T10:50:00.000-05:00

Jun-Gal received special powers from an exposed radium pit after she was abducted as an infant by tribesmen who had slaughtered her family. Why the tribesmen never received equal powers from living in such close proximity to the radium goes conveniently unexplained. Fortunately the natives brought "Mammy" along to care for the little girl. That being the case, there is no explanation as to why Joan (aka "Jun-Gal") wasn't raised speaking pigeon English too? Jungle comic books regularly featured insensitive, racist elements back in the day and all too often, for that reason alone, modern readers prefer to forget about them. This Jun-Gal adventure called "The Curse of the Seven Straws" is from Blazing Comics #3 (Sept. 1944); originally released by minor golden age publisher Rural Home Publications. Like the earlier Jun-Gal stories that I've posted, this tale is rife with racist stereotypes. The native Africans are depicted in standard black-face for that era. The artwork is credited to Harold De Lay. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Og, Son of Fire ... ever more adventures (Dell;1937)

2011-12-13T14:03:00.000-05:00

Two for Tuesday! The serialized adventures of creator/writer/editor Irving Crump's "Og, Son of Fire", continues this week with back-to-back strips from The Funnies #10 and #11 (Jul/Aug.1937); originally published by Dell. Artist Stephen Slesinger provides illustrations that are re-purposed in color from an original black & white 1936 Big Little Book version copyrighted to Slesinger. Dell serialized "Og, Son of Fire" in issues of "The Funnies" from January to November of 1937 (comprising issues 4-14 in two page snippets). I'll be presenting all of them in pairs on subsequent Tuesdays until I run out.

The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: the copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Ty-Gor, Son of the Tiger in "Hold That Tiger!" (MLJ;1940)

2011-12-13T13:52:00.000-05:00

Taken as a baby, Tyrone Gorman was offered as a living sacrifice to tigers in the jungles of Malaysia. Instead, the tigress Malma raised him. "Ty-Gor" was unknowingly an heir to a vast fortune back home while he roamed the jungle accompanied by Malma. In this story from Blue Ribbon Comics #7 (Nov.1940); originally published by MLJ/Archie Comics, Ty-Gor is brought on board the river trawler “Junglier” by Joan Davis & her father; travelers who had previously been rescued by Ty-Gor. Their efforts to civilize the wild boy result in less than favorable results, particularly after Malma is locked away in the ships hold. The writer of "Hold That Tiger!" is Joe Blair and the artist is Mort Meskin. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: the copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Jungol in "The Lost Laboratory" (Holyoke;1947)

2011-12-12T10:03:00.000-05:00

Jungo the Man-Beast stars in this previously untitled story from Sparkling Stars #23 (May 1947); originally published by Holyoke. There was a minor change by this point in this golden age series, as an extra letter had been added to the characters name, he was now known as "Jungol". The writer and/or artist is identified on the splash panel as "R.T. Golden" (per the GCD). Actor Phil Gant was famous for his movie serial role of "Jungol" until a blow on the head convinced him that he actually was the very jungle lord that he had been portraying. In this story, Jungol, his girlfriend Gloria Dean, and their companions stumble upon evidence of an ancient civilization; even as they try to steer clear of the villain, Malon. To a degree, the explosive climax mirrors Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's classic novel, "The Lost World".

The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publishers and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Diora Baird

2011-12-09T12:18:00.000-05:00

Florida native Diora Baird has made a name for herself among the usual sources that an up & coming actress-model can typically be discovered in: viral websites, video game voice-work, cheesecake photos in Playboy, FHM, Maxim, etc. Her television credits include The Drew Carey Show, Big Day, Shark, The Loop, Two and a Half Men, and this weeks episode of “Psyche”.

Diora’s theatrical releases include Wedding Crashers, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), 30 Days of Night: Dark Days, and Night of the Demon. In 2009, Baird portrayed an Orion Starfleet officer in “Star Trek” directed by J. J. Abrams, but her brief appearance was cut from the final version of the film. She can be seen in the deleted scenes on the home video release.

Her wholesome, girl next door good-looks combined with her stunning natural figure really make her one to watch; and it amazes me that she hasn’t been given more screen time. Hey, if you want to spend some pleasant minutes surfing the web, just do a Google image search in her name and enjoy the variety of shots of this weeks awesome “gal” Friday selection. She doesn’t take a bad photo!

In Memorium: Jerry Robinson

2011-12-08T13:17:00.001-05:00

Legendary golden age artist Jerry Robinson passed away in his sleep last night at the age of eighty-nine. For his classic work in comics on such features as The Batman, The Green Hornet, and The Black Terror, he won numerous industry awards including the National Cartoonists Society award for the Comic Book Division in 1956, their Newspaper Panel Cartoon for 1963 for his "Still Life", their Special Features Award in 1965 for "Flubs and Fluffs", and their Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. Robinson was also inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2004.

During the mid-1970s, alongside artist Neal Adams, Robinson was instrumental in winning full recognition and compensation for Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in their long struggle with DC Comics as the creators of Superman. Thanks to their efforts, in December 1975, Siegel and Shuster were granted lifetime stipends and an acknowledged creator credit in all subsequently broadcast and published Superman works.

1953 science-fiction-spy adventure strip "Jet Scott" by Robinson. I met Mr. Robinson only once, in 2007 at the annual Heroes Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Catacombs extends it's sincerest condolences to his family, friends and fans.

Rulah Jungle Goddess in "Murder in Duplicate" (Fox; 1949)

2011-12-08T10:01:00.000-05:00

The Catacombs favorite golden age cutie, Rulah Jungle Goddess makes her fourth appearance this year in a classic golden age adventure that tells the story of an ace reporter falsely lured to the Congo to do a profile on our lovely jungle goddess, only to fall victim to a “Murder in Duplicate”. This tale is taken from All Top Comics #15 (Jan.1949); originally published by Fox. The splash page ["Alec Hope"] creator credit belongs solidly to veteran good-girl artist Matt Baker. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Ka'a'nga in "The Mighty Broot" (Fiction House; 1940)

2011-12-07T10:11:00.000-05:00

Ka'a'nga stars in a previously untitled story that I've christened "The Mighty Broot" written by 'Red Brady' and illustrated by Ken Jackson. This golden age tale is from Jungle Comics #4 (April 1940); originally published by Fiction House. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Og, Son of Fire ... further adventures (Dell;1937)

2011-12-06T09:45:00.000-05:00

Two for Tuesday! The serialized adventures of creator/writer/editor Irving Crump's "Og, Son of Fire", continues today with these strips from The Funnies #8 and #9 (May/Jun.1937); originally published by Dell. Artist Stephen Slesinger provides illustrations that are re-purposed in color from an original black & white 1936 Big Little Book version copyrighted to Slesinger. Dell serialized "Og, Son of Fire" in issues of "The Funnies" from January to November of 1937 (comprising issues 4-14 in two page snippets). I'll be presenting all of them in pairs on subsequent Tuesdays until I run out. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for these stories. Note: The copyright for both issues, all contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Camilla, Queen of the Lost Empire in "The Nordic Giant" (Fiction House;1940)

2011-12-06T09:30:00.000-05:00

Legendary golden age artist Bob Powell illustrates "The Nordic Giant", a previously untitled thriller starring Camilla, Queen of the Lost Empire from Jungle Comics #5 (May 1940); originally published by Fiction House. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Samar in "The Obandi War Dance" (Quality;1941)

2011-12-05T12:03:00.001-05:00

This five-page classic jungle adventure starring Samar is short and sweet, largely due to the awesome artwork of golden age great Reed Crandall. "The Obandi War Dance" is from Feature Comics #44 (May 1941); originally published by Quality Comics. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Maria Verchenova

2011-12-02T13:46:00.000-05:00

There is a popular adult game that I will sportingly call "golf", where willing participants stroll around lush fairways called greens and knock little dimpled balls through the air. It is truly a game of skill that requires a high degree of talent to compete successfully at a professional level, but if you can manifest any degree of upward mobility, and if you can walk & chew bubble gum at the same time, you too can call yourself an athlete by simply participating in this game.

Now, all things being equal, I don't give a rat's ass about golf. However, in recent years some serious honeys have entered the country club set, and they get as much attention for their looks as for their relative skill level. I'm not making any judgement call about whether this is fair or not, but Tiger Woods personal peccadillo's notwithstanding, who gives a damn about hard little balls sailing through the skies, when these baby dolls are nearby.

Maria Verchenova is the first Russian to become a full-time member of the Ladies European Tour. Maria turned pro in late 2006 and is in her third season on the LET, where she has posted several top-10 finishes. Game or sport be damned, this young lady seriously has the goods!

Wambi the Jungle Boy in "Thundering Herds" (Fiction House;1940)

2011-12-02T08:20:00.002-05:00

Sticking with the youthful contingent from the jungle again today, and "gal" Friday will stop by later as well. Wambi the Jungle Boy had an innate ability to communicate with the lower order, even when the animals made no sound at all. In fact, Wambi's best friends were an Indian-variety elephant named Tawn, and Ogg the Gorilla. All three are featured in "Thundering Herds" from Jungle Comics #4 (Apr.1940); originally published by Fiction House. The illustrator is Henry Kiefer, signed in the lower left corner of the splash panel as 'Karl Kief'. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story, although they are stamped as a Marble River Scan. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Tom-Tom the Jungle Boy in "Feathers Will Fly" (Magazine Enterprises;1947)

2011-12-01T11:22:00.000-05:00

Tom-Tom the Jungle Boy along with his friends, Itchi and Tree-Trunk, try to capture a wild ostrich in this previously untitled tale (renamed by yours truly) from Tick Tock Tales #16 (Apr. 1947), originally published by Magazine Enterprises. I have no credited information on who the writer or artist was on this well-drawn strip. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Keeto the Jungle Boy in "Kidnapped by Baboons" (Dell;1943)

2011-11-30T10:56:00.000-05:00

Keeto the Jungle Boy is a true golden age rarity. Other than this lone appearance from Animal Comics #6 (Dec.1943-Jan.1944) originally published by Dell; his only other published adventure was in Crackajack Funnies #43 (Jan.1942), almost two years earlier. This story badly rips off author Rudyard Kipling's classic 'The Jungle Book', but the artwork by Tom Hickey is actually not too shabby. So, here is Keeto and Krufa the brown bear versus a gang of surly baboons. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Og, Son of Fire ... continues (Dell;1937)

2011-11-29T12:32:00.000-05:00

I inadvertently skipped last weeks chapters, but creator/writer/editor Irving Crump's "Og, Son of Fire", continues the serialized adventures of a cave boy who lived half a million years ago. The character was originally introduced within the pages of Boys Life magazine in December 1921. The artwork on these strips from The Funnies #6 and #7 (Mar./Apr.1937); originally published by Dell, may be the work of artist Stephen Slesinger, since the illustrations are re-purposed in color from a black & white 1936 Big Little Book version copyrighted to Slesinger. Dell serialized "Og, Son of Fire" in issues of "The Funnies" from January to November of 1937 (comprising issues 4-14 in two page snippets). I'll be presenting all of them in pairs on subsequent Tuesdays until I run out. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for these stories. Note: The copyright for both issues, all contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

The Red Panther in "Tale of the Black Orchid" (Fiction House;1940)

2011-11-28T10:35:00.000-05:00

The Red Panther stars in “Tale of the Black Orchid” from Jungle Comics #6 (June 1940); originally published by Fiction House. The story is credited to ‘Taylor Martin’ on the splash page, but Arthur Peddy was the artist on this previously untitled five page mini-epic, so I christened it accordingly. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, all contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and are reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Alexandra Daddario

2011-11-25T21:25:00.000-05:00

I really thought that this young lady was gonna prove too "young" for me to feature as this weeks "gal" Friday pick, but Alexandra Daddario is actually twenty-five years old. That's sufficient for me to give you dummies a look at my pick for Wonder Woman, should Hollywood ever pull it's collective head out of its ass. She also previously starred in Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, which gives her a degree of mythological genre cred for starters. Then there's the whole smoking hot brunette thing going on for the native New Yorker. I'm gonna just let the thought percolate for a bit and see if the universe is paying attention.

Tiger Girl in "Trail of Doom" (Fiction House;1947)

2011-11-25T11:50:00.000-05:00

Tiger Girl (aka Princess Vishnu) tackles a ruthless band of slavers who are plaguing the Bantu People alongside her usual allies, Abdola, Togara & Benzali in a thrilling tale called "Trail of Doom" from Fight Comics #49 (Apr.1947); originally published by Fiction House. The story is credited to 'Allan O'Hara' and the lovely art is by Matt Baker and Jack Kamen. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Jungle Jo in "Exile Dangerous" (Star Publ.;1953)

2011-11-23T12:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving, one and all! Here is an early "turkey" to whet your appetites for the bigger feast that awaits tomorrow. Jungle Jo stars in a tale entitled "Exile Dangerous" from Terrors of the Jungle #21 (Feb. 1953); originally published by Star Publications (although this feature was reprinted from an earlier 1950 Fox series called "Jungle Jo") that initially republished Jo-Jo Congo King stories, before ceding over space to this jungle lord wannabe.

As a character, Jungle Jo is really lame, and the Grand Comic Database doesn't even list any creator credits for this story. Maybe they feel the same way? Still, the Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Jan of the Jungle in "The Glowing God" (Fiction House;1949)

2011-11-22T10:27:00.000-05:00

In the wilderness of India, Jan the Jungle Boy encounters many dangers. Today he and his ape friend, Kaang, encounter an unfortunate incursion by "manlings" in an untitled tale from Rangers Comics #45 (Feb. 1949), originally published by Fiction House. I've christened this super-nice story, "The Glowing God", but you'll have to read until the very end to see why this was the logical choice. The story is signed "Coleman Hart", but the excellent artwork is by Enrico Bagnoli. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Marga the Panther Woman in "The Plot of Buckler Borgia" (Fox;1940)

2011-11-21T11:34:00.003-05:00

I've frequently introduced you fine folks to golden age jungle characters who've not previously appeared in the Catacombs, but today brings to a close one classic hero's run. "The Plot of Buckler Borgia" from Science Comics #6 (July 1940); originally published by Fox, features the last Marga the Panther Woman tale that I have available. There is no listed credit for James T. Royal in the GCD, and no actual creator names appear on any of the scanned pages. Chronologically this is not Marga's actual swan song, but the story does close out in such a way that it makes for a nice send off for this all but forgotten heroine - at least as far as the Catacombs is concerned. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Unessential Review: Captain Victory #1 (Dynamite)

2011-11-19T13:44:00.003-05:00

I've been enjoying the Kirby: Genesis series from Dynamite quite a bit, but frankly red flags started going up for me recently as solicitations started rolling out for a plethora of spin-off titles from this still newly launched series (based on various properties created by the late Jack " King" Kirby). All that I can say about this particular spin-off book is, thank god for websites that post preview pages of current comics (often several days or weeks before the things actually show up on the racks), because just as I had expected, this is a train wreck orchestrated by a sorry excuse of an artist.

Take a look at this great Alex Ross cover featuring the good Captain, and his Galactic Rangers. Yeah, that's nice isn't it? Ross doesn't draw the interior pages, and neither does regular Kirby: Genesis illustrator Jack Herbert. The folks at Dynamite also released this steaming mass under a few alternate covers as if to cloud the issue. Sadly, some of us still have the ability to recognize shit from Shinola. Now, put your money back in your pockets, and buy something else. THIS BOOK IS A TURD WRAPPED IN CELLOPHANE.

"Gal" Friday (or something)! Felicia Day

2011-11-19T08:02:00.000-05:00

I've rarely missed a "Gal" Friday post. In fact, I don't think that I have - at least for a very long time - but I took Friday off from work, went way out of town with my original nuclear family (parents & brother David), and engorged myself on my favorite meal (Lexington-style barbecue). I factored in plenty of time to actually do a quickie post later on, but then settled down for the evening to play the Dragon Age 2 DLC, "Mark of the Assassin", which I had recently downloaded. End result, I was having too good a time to remember posting yesterdays "gal". So, I'm calling a weekend audible, shunting that lovely selection to another spot on the schedule, and instead going with Felicia Day. Ms. Day stars in a new web miniseries based on the popular Bioware fantasy gaming franchise Dragon Age, called Dragon Age: Redemption. She also voices her elf character "Tallis" (the protagonist from Dragon Age: Redemption) in the down loadable content "Mark of the Assassin". She is the star, script writer and producer of the original web series The Guild, a show loosely based on her life as a gamer; plus she is a member of the Board of Directors of the International Academy of Web Television.

Felicia is also a very accomplished young lady. Before she made a genre name for herself on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dr. Horribles Sing-Along Blog, Dollhouse and she lent her voice as Veronica Santangelo in Fallout: New Vegas; Day studied operatic singing and ballet professionally, performing at concerts and competitions nationwide. Home-schooled throughout much of her childhood, she began college at the age of 16. An accomplished violinist, Day was accepted to the Juilliard School of Music, but chose to attend the University of Texas at Austin on a full scholarship in violin performance. She double majored in mathematics and music performance. Day was a National Merit Scholar in 1995 and graduated as valedictorian of her class. She is an avid player of a wide variety of video game genres. Much of her work on The Guild web series was based on her personal experience with video games.

I have to add that I saw her at Dragoncon in Atlanta this year, where she proved to be a very popular guest. Mark of the Assassin was an excellent expansion quest for DA2, so if you've not played it yet, be prepared for some quality time (thanks in part to Felicia Day).

The Planet Comics Cover Gallery!

2011-11-17T13:58:00.001-05:00

Here's a neat grouping of twenty covers from the popular golden age series, Planet Comics, originally published by Fiction House. The issues run from #1-7 and #11-23. Artists whose work is spotlighted here include Lou Fine, Will Eisner, Charles Sultan, Bob Powell, Nick Cardy, John Celardo and Dan Zolnerowich. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for these issues. Note: The copyright for all issues, contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

Judy of the Jungle in "Liquid of Life" (Standard;1947)

2011-11-17T12:30:00.000-05:00

Standard ...Better...Nedor...Pines; jeez, could Ned not make up his mind? Oh, well, regardless of the golden age identity crisis made manifest by this publisher, their stouthearted heroine Judy of the Jungle stars today in "Liquid of Life" from Exciting Comics #58 (Nov.1947); originally published sixty-four years ago by the aforementioned company of many names. Illustrations are wonderfully provided by Ralph Mayo, and I'm tossing in the terrific cover by some guy who went by the name of Alex Schomburg. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Jo-Jo, Congo King in "The Leopards of Learda" (Fox; 1948)

2011-11-16T10:23:00.001-05:00

Jo-Jo and Tanee travel to the kingdom of Caldi in today's classic tale from Jo-Jo, Congo King #14 (April 1948), titled "The Leopards of Learda". In this screwed up jungle realm, beasts speak like men, and vice versa. Ignore the company pseudonym credit for "Stan Ford", the artwork is by Jack Kamen. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publishers and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Og, Son of Fire (Dell;1937)

2011-11-15T12:53:00.002-05:00

Creator/writer/editor Irving Crump's "Og, Son of Fire", a cave boy who lived half a million years ago, was originally introduced in the pages of Boys Life magazine in December 1921. The artwork on these strips from The Funnies #4 / #5 (Jan./Feb. 1937); originally published by Dell, may be the work of artist Stephen Slesinger, since the illustrations are re-purposed in color from a black & white 1936 Big Little Book version copyrighted to Slesinger. Dell serialized "Og, Son of Fire" in issues of "The Funnies" from January to November of 1937 (comprising issues 4-14 in two page snippets). I'll be presenting all of them in pairs on subsequent Tuesdays until I run out.
The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, Ashley!!

2011-11-14T21:35:00.000-05:00

Today I just wanna wish my daughter Ashley, a very happy 23rd birthday. She's the one on the right in the photo (below) alongside her smiling siblings, Ian and Stacy. The Wells Trio were in attendance at their cousins wedding in Charlotte, NC on Saturday, and actually managed to stand for a rare photo together. I didn't go since it was on the former in-law side of things, but from all reports things went off without much of a hitch (other than the nuptuals, of course). There was the whole three hour late cake thing to contend with, but for a measly $700 dollars, what could you expect from the caterer anyway?

Ashley usually marches to the beat of her own unique drummer, so as soon as I got home from work today, we grabbed some munchies of choice for an impromptu picknick at a nearby park. That's what she wanted to do, and fortunately the autumn winds died down, and it ended up being a pleasant & sunny day with the kids and Ashley's friend, Brandon. Later in the evening, Ian's lovely girlfriend, Kait stopped by the hacienda, and we all closed out the day snacking on pizza, strawberry cupcakes with cream cheese icing; plus I nicely ceded over the TV from videogames, to her personal channel selection, Food TV.

A relaxing day for sure, and another successful year for this years double graduate. Now, who wants to help clean up the mess (?) Guys? Um, where did everybody go?

At the Movies: Immortals

2011-11-12T13:07:00.000-05:00

Gods vs. Titans

Eons after the Gods won their mythic struggle against the Titans, a new evil threatens the land. Mad with rage over the loss of his family to disease, King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) has declared war against the gods for failing to answer his prayers to spare them. Amassing a bloodthirsty army of soldiers disfigured by his own hand, Hyperion has scorched Greece in search of the legendary Epirus Bow, a weapon of unimaginable power forged in the heavens by Ares. Only he who possesses this bow can unleash the legendary Titans, who have been imprisoned deep within the depths of Mount Tartarus since the dawn of time, and who thirst for revenge against the gods who defeated them. In the king's hands, the bow would rain destruction upon mankind and annihilate the Gods. But ancient law dictates the Gods must not intervene in man's conflict. They remain powerless to stop Hyperion...until a peasant named Theseus (Henry Cavill) comes forth as their only hope. Secretly chosen by Zeus, Theseus must save his people from Hyperion and his hordes. Rallying a band of fellow outsiders including visionary oracle/priestess Phaedra (Freida Pinto) and cunning fellow slave Stavros (Stephen Dorff), one hero will lead the uprising, or watch his world fall into ruin and his Gods vanish into legend.

Now forget all of that bullshit, since that is about as much script as director Tarsem Singh utilized in making this epic film, which tries too damn hard to mimic earlier (better) genre flicks like 300, Troy and Clash of the Titans. Most of the praise that this movie is earning is due to Singh’s unique visual styling, and yes, Immortals certainly looks awesome in select parts, but those parts were strip-mined from other, more coherent films like the ones that I’ve cited above. There’s not any real acting going on here, this is largely a set piece dictated by studio marketing gurus to appeal to a young demographic. “Hey, let’s make a huge CGI spectacle that looks like – oh, say, Clash of the Titans or one of those other sword & sandals things”. You can almost hear the boardroom geniuses smacking their lips over the quickie profits that Immortals is bound to make in the short term, particularly when they shell out perks, access and tchotchkes to dipshit reviewers like the gang over at AICN, who all REALLY seem to love this movie and then overly talk it up. Go figure!

Henry Cavill as Theseus in "Immortals".

Immortals seems like just another superhero movie, but a modern era/Image Comics kind of affair only; where form trumps substance and visuals are expected to carry the whole book, minus an acceptable story. That being said, Henry Cavill at least manages to look heroic here and I am now curious to see what he will do as Superman. Frieda Pinto is incredibly beautiful (but deserving of better roles). Was that a body double in her nude scene (probably)? Stephen Dorff was pretty good in his supporting role too. The final battle between the Gods and the unleashed Titans was truly awesome, and it’s too bad that more of the film wasn’t like this all-too brief section. Still, can’t recommend Immortals based solely on about ten minutes of screen time.

"Gal" Friday! Heidi Cortez

2011-11-11T12:33:00.001-05:00

Click Me!

Luscious Heidi Cortez is truly an entrepreneurial sort of girl. As an actress, model, producer and writer, she has previously served as host & co-writer of “Tissue Time with Heidi” on Sirius XM radio satellite channel, reading saucy, comical, bedtime stories to listeners at the end of the day; plus she released her first book “Heidi’s Bedtime Stories” through Simon & Schuster in 2006, and she has appeared for two seasons on the E! Network television series “Sunset Tan”.

For all intents and purposes, she gives every impression of being very well-rounded, and if those simple factoids haven’t convinced you yet, then feast your starving eyes on these smoking hot photos for further proof. Since Heidi also involves herself in such charities as Social Vibe and Direct Relief International, let me add that I’m feeling the proper vibes and standing in need of immediate relief myself. Yummy!

Sheena, Queen of the Jungle in "Swamp of the Green Terror" (Fiction House;1941)

2011-11-11T12:00:00.004-05:00

The title of this classic Sheena, Queen of the Jungle thriller is taken from the front cover of the issue in which it appeared, Jumbo Comics #23 (Jan.1941); originally published by Fiction House. "Swamp of the Green Terror" is credited to writer W. Morgan Thomas and artist Bob Powell. Sheena's plucky animal pals, Chim the Monkey and Buta the Elephant are present, but so is white hunter/boyfriend Bob. Personally, I hate the fact that so many of the jungle girls of the golden age typically had a well-armed love interest hanging around, particularly in the early days. Notice how Sheena just couldn't resist cringing away from the pachyderm pounding that the villainess deservedly earns in the second to last panel of this story, and into Bob's manly arms. Sheesh! That's no way for a jungle queen to act. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Voodah in "The Trojan River Beast" (Golfing/McCombs;1945)

2011-11-10T10:39:00.003-05:00

The W'gissi tribe constructs a wooden monster to scare another tribe away from their hunting grounds in an untitled story that I’ve dubbed “The Trojan River Beast”, starring the golden age warrior, Voodah, from Crown Comics #6 (Winter 1945). After this story, Voodah would make a single additional appearance in this incarnation, before he would become just another white jungle lord in a loincloth. What the reasoning behind this unfortunate change truly was is lost to the ages, but needless to say the forward thinking that had first allowed creator Matt Baker to present a black adventure hero had long since run its course. The splash page creator credit ‘Clarence Ramon’ is probably an alias for artist Bob Hebberd (with slight facial touch-ups by either Baker or Jack Kamen) in this issue originally published by Golfing/McCombs. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Tangi in "The Idol with Four Paws" (Fox;1948)

2011-11-09T11:42:00.001-05:00

Unseen in the Catacombs since 2010, Tangi originally appeared in golden age issues of Dagar and Jungle Jo, published by Fox Feature Syndicate. She makes her welcome return today in this tale called “The Idol with Four Paws” from Dagar, Desert Hawk #16 (Jun.1948); illustrated by the great Jack Kamen. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

South Sea Girl in "The Vanishing Isles" (Leader Ent.;1946)

2011-11-08T10:49:00.001-05:00

Matt Baker draws "South Sea Girl" from Seven Seas Comics #1 (April 1946),originally published by Leader Enterprises/Universal Phoenix Features, and written by Manning Lee Stokes. South Sea Girl was also known as Alani, and she differed from most jungle girls in both her location and her usual garb, a sarong (inspired by the popular Dorothy Lamour films). The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or the creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Zago, Jungle Prince in "The Silver Spear of Death" (Fox; 1949)

2011-11-07T13:17:00.001-05:00

Zago stars in "The Silver Spear of Death" from Zago, Jungle Prince #3 (January 1949); originally published by Fox and with artwork by his creator, Jack Kamen. Zago was a short-lived jungle adventurer, very much like the more popular Tarzan and he was accompanied by his mate Wana, who bore a more than passing resemblance to Sheena. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork, belong to the original publisher and/or creators, and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

"Gal" Friday! Danielle Lloyd

2011-11-04T11:57:00.001-04:00

British glamour model, Danielle Lloyd first rose to prominence when she was stripped of her Miss Great Britain 2006 title after posing for nude pictures featured in Playboy magazine and her alleged affair with one of the pageant's judges, her then-boyfriend, soccer player Teddy Sheringham, although her title was reinstated in 2010.

She was also accused of using bullying tactics and making racist comments directed against the Indian actress Shilpa Shetty during filming of Celebrity Big Brother in 2007, but even Shetty acknowledged that the offensive remarks were attributable to “heat of the moment" and peer pressure among the other contestants. Lloyd has also dated a string of soul brothers, from athletes to deejays, in the UK, so let’s dispense with that idea. She is currently married to soccer player Jamie O' Hara.

Since it's been a while since I highlighted any British pin-up babes, and since that is against my policy, Danielle gets the nod this week as the Catacombs official "gal" Friday selection.

Zegra, Jungle Empress in "The Destiny Pearl" (Fox;1948)

2011-11-03T14:27:00.001-04:00

Zegra is up to her lovely ears in trouble today as she finds herself caught between battling family members for possession of "The Destiny Pearl" in a thrilling jungle adventure from Zegra, Jungle Empress #3 (Dec.1948); originally published by Fox Feature Syndicate and credited to ['Jed Lewis'] who was actually John Lanier. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork, belong to the original publisher and/or creators, and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!

Kirby: Genesis

2011-11-02T21:51:00.001-04:00

Let me tell you up front that Kirby: Genesis has been one of my favorite new comics of 2011. Written by Kurt Busiek (Marvels, Astro City) and illustrated by Jack Herbert & Alex Ross (Marvels, Kingdom Come, Justice), the Dynamite Publishing series blends together a plethora of characters, unused concepts, and forgotten character designs created by the late Jack "King" Kirby.

I've been entertained by the degree to which Busiek and his co-creators have integrated a wide variety of material into a seamless whole thus far, and the initial story arc hasn't yet run its course. Told through the eyes of Kirby Freeman, we've been witness to an event involving the original Pioneer 10 space probe that has inexplicably revealed the existence of fantastic beings, from ancient civilizations right here on Earth to far-flung galaxies populated by races with superpowers. The current issue is finally bringing this diverse group of characters into conflict over control of something called the Proto-Seed. Will Silver Star, Captain Victory and the Galactic Rangers, the Glory Knights and Galaxy Green succeed in preventing Roag, the Lightning Lady, Sundance and Darius Drumm from accomplishing their nefarious ends or are we all doomed? What is happening with Kirby Freeman on the Phantom Continent and will Reptar & Thunderfoot be revealed as friend or foe? Which Kirby creations will be introduced next? Yikes!

Frankly, it has been equally bemusing to read established reviewers less than favorable comments about this really fun title. Although some like the overall tone of Kirby: Genesis, far too many take the title to task for having various perceived failings. Look folks, virtually all of those "critics", whether entrenched at AICN, Comic Book Resources or elsewhere routinely praise the shit-in-a-bottle that Marvel or DC spins on a quarterly basis, even as the "big two" publishing titans incessantly relaunch, reboot, rinse & repeat till hell freezes over generic-cyclic swill. Forget which version of whatever maligned former hero holds the field for the moment, their just gonna change it again in short order anyway.

The most obvious thing that stands out to me about Kirby: Genesis is the forgotten concept of four-color "fun". The book is just steeped in fun, and I have no doubt that Busiek and company are having a blast creating this series. All that I can say is that Kirby: Genesis takes me to my happy place, and increasingly that's the back issue boxes, OR this book. Recommended!

"Men and Fire" (Standard;1952)

2011-11-01T11:13:00.001-04:00

Well, same old blog, different day AND a classic golden age story of a different sort. Here's a nifty science-fiction adventure from Lost Worlds #6 (Dec. 1952); originally published by Standard Comics (aka Better-Nedor-Pines) and illustrated by future bronze age Spider-Man artist Ross Andru.

"Men and Fire" casts Commander John Drake into the void of our own solar system in search of his true lady love, lost somewhere within the rings of Saturn, and under peril by mutated colonists. Enjoy!

2011 Halloween Film Festival: The Resident

2011-10-31T10:17:00.002-04:00

Happy Halloween from the Catacombs!

The little ghosts, ghouls and goblins will be out in force tonight to relieve you of the burden of some sugary treats, unless you’re planning a slate of nifty tricks to offset their cravings. Here is the last of my 2011 Halloween Film Festival reviews, and of this years grouping, this surprisingly turned out to be my personal favorite. Remember, I chose a handful of genre films, both old and new, that I had never actually seen before.

When a beautiful young doctor, newly estranged from her unfaithful boyfriend, suspects that something is just not right in her new Brooklyn loft, she discovers that her landlord has formed a frightening obsession with her. The Resident, from the reconstituted Hammer Films studio banner, is co-written by Finnish director Antti Jokinen and stars Hilary Swank, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Christopher Lee. Although it was shot in New York City, New Mexico and New Jersey in 2009, The Resident was only given a limited worldwide release in 2011, primarily going direct to DVD. That’s a shame, since although the movie has received a primarily negative response from some critics; others have praised Swank’s performance in a taut, slow-simmering thriller.

I would have to agree with the latter. This film marks a reunion for Swank and Morgan, who previously starred in the romantic comedy-drama "P.S. I Love You" in 2007. Morgan too, is particularly strong as a disarmingly charming, but ultimately gonzo psycho-killer opposite the – let’s face it – sultry, slim and sexy Swank (who's also a two-time Academy Award winner). Charges that The Resident is too generic and rife with plot holes and lack of originality ring false as well, the voyeuristic film is still an effective, atmospheric edge-of-your-seat experience with topnotch camera work and great performances by both leads, plus for genre geeks, it’s nice to see Hammer veteran Christopher Lee featured in a prominent supporting role.

Yes, movie-goers have seen stuff like this before, but The Resident is perhaps so good, that jaded critics simply don’t want to give it a pass based on familiarity alone. Hey, dipshits go watch Halloween 5 or Friday the 13^th VII or A Nightmare on Elm Street (whatever) or just waste even more time suffering through their various recent memory reboots. The Resident is highly recommended by the Catacombs. To the friendly folks at the revived Hammer Films, if you guys ever make anymore throwback cave woman thrillers, and stand in need of a suitable replacement for pin-up queen Raquel Welch; please consider giving Swank a call.

"Gal" Friday! Anneka Vasta

2011-10-28T14:25:00.004-04:00

As I struggled to choose an appropriate "gal" this week, things took a turn into the eerie & bizarre as a notable celebrity cold case murder/suicide/death from January 2011 reared its head in the form of a new public appeal by police charged with investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the 1975 Penthouse Pet of the Year. Born Marjorie Lee Thoreson, Anneka Vasta (aka Anneka di Lorenzo) was a 70s & 80s pin-up model and actress. She portrayed Messalina in the infamous softcore-porn film, Caligula in 1980.

Vasta & Penthouse Pet Lori Wagner in "Caligula" (1980)

Nine months after her death, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service is asking for public help as they continue to probe her death. Vasta's body washed up in San Diego County, and authorities want to know if anyone say Anneka Vasta before joggers found her naked body on a Marine training beach at Camp Pendleton on January 4 this year. She was apparently in such good physical shape that they initially believed her to be a teenage victim. The 58 year old was discovered with a broken neck and back, although she had wounds in her neck - possibly from a steak knife in her car (which was later found at a popular scenic overlook). Vasta was know to be a fragile personality type and was believed to suffer from paranoia, but her family insists that she was not suicidal. Federal agents are not able to say how Vasta got from a vantage point 60 feet above sea level, to the rocky sand below, more than a mile south.

Investigators believe that if Vasta had jumped from the bluffs below her car, her body would not have hit the water, because the tide is not high enough at the location. Although I truly hope that a solution to her unfortunate death can ultimately be determined, lets all take a moment to recall a lovely, vibrant and sexy woman, no matter what name she went by during her brief career.

"I Hunted Gazonga'a The Thing That Grew!" (AC Comics;1999)

2011-10-28T13:11:00.001-04:00

"Hallow-weekend" is upon us and I thought that another black & white story from Wild Women #1 (1999 one-shot); originally published by AC Comics, might be in order as a bonus. "I Hunted Gazonga'a The Thing That Grew" was written by Bill Black & illustrated by Larnei Deeda (who I've actually never heard of before). There is a bit of cheesecake/nudity in this little three page snippet, so avert your eyes if lines drawn on paper offends you. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork, belong to the original publisher and/or creators, and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes.

Enjoy!