Frank Frazetta Tribute: Thun'da in "Gods of the Jungle" (ME;1952)

Thun'da, King of the Congo #1 was originally published by Magazine Enterprises in 1952. Gardner Fox wrote all of the stories and Frank Frazetta fully illustrated the entire package, including the terrific cover (which I'm saving for tomorrow). At some point I had actually planned to post the stories from this issue, but since I've searched through the entire backlog of posts in the Catacombs and failed to find any of them, I believe that I changed my mind. I do seem to remember pondering whether I should follow through with that idea, due to the fact that this issue has been reprinted a few times over the years, and probably shied away from doing so.

However, with the passing of Mr. Frazetta, and since I've already posted the third-of-four tales from this golden age classic yesterday, I'm gonna go ahead and post the last of that issues Thun'da stories today. Tomorrow I will post the first & second Thun'da adventures, and I apologize for falling out of sequence here, but the stories are so awesome that I hope you will forgive me in the long run.

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!

Frank Frazetta Tribute: Thun'da in "When the Earth Shook" (ME;1952)

In honor of the great fantasy illustrator, Frank Frazetta, who passed away yesterday, the Catacombs presents "When the Earth Shook" from Thun'da #1 (originally published by Magazine Enterprises; 1952).

This is the third (of four) Thun'da, King of the Congo tales from that seminal issue, which was superbly written by DC Comics/Silver Age master-storyteller, Gardner Fox.

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. The final Frank Frazetta story starring Thun'da will be posted on Thursday.

Enjoy!

In Memorium: Frank Frazetta

Frank Frazetta, one of the true godfathers of fantasy, science fiction and comic book illustration has passed away at the age of 82 from an apparent stroke in Florida.

Frazetta started drawing comic books at the age of sixteen in various genres: westerns, fantasy, mysteries, historical, and funny animal comics, which he signed as "Fritz." His talent was noticed at the outset of his career and yet he turned down job offers from Walt Disney. In the early 1950s, he worked for EC Comics, National Comics, (including the superhero feature "Shining Knight"), Avon, and several other comic book companies. Much of his work in comic books was done in collaboration with his friend Al Williamson and mentor Roy Krenkel.

Frazetta produced memorable work on syndicated strips like his own Johnny Comet, Flash Gordon and Li'l Abner, which he left after nine years [in 1961] with Capp to return to comic books. He eventually joined Harvey Kurtzman on the bawdy parody strip Little Annie Fanny in Playboy magazine.

Frazetta then really kicked his career up to a different level, whith his iconic painted covers on paperback science fiction and fantasy novels, such as the Conan the Barbarian series. In addition to this work, he produced movie posters, record album covers and worked in animation. In 2009, Frazetta's "Conan the Conqueror" painting was the first of his personal holdings to be offered for sale, and was purchased by a private collector for $1 million.

The Catacombs expresses its sincerest condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and worldwide fans.

Cat Scratching Fever!!!

I have previously mentioned that I had chosen to acquire an official John Byrne commission sketch, and also that I had opted to make getting it a bit interesting, by allowing the board members at his website to select the final subject of my commission from a list of ten characters that I had predetermined. To view my previous post on the matter click commission.

Marvel Comics character, The Black Cat, received the most votes from the participants at Byrnerobotics and now, John Byrne has completed the drawing.

I couldn't be happier with the results, and as you can see for yourselves, Felicia Hardy (aka The Black Cat), turned out spectacularly.

In fact, this one is so good, that I may have to break down and get another. The next highest vote getter's in the poll were 3-D Man and Doc Samson.

Now, which one should be next ..... ?

"Gal" Friday! Vanessa Branch

I hope that you will agree with me that the Catacombs selection for this weeks "Gal" Friday feature is simply "fabulous!"

Vanessa Branch is easily recognizable as the spokesperson for Orbit Gum, in those commercials she always closes with her signature line, "Fabulous! No Matter What."

I definitely say the same about her. Ms. Branch holds dual citizenship in the United Kingdom and the United States. She also speaks fluent French and Mandarin Chinese and she was Miss Vermont in 1994.

Vanessa has appeared in such films as Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Giselle in all three), The Cell and John Q. On television she has appeared in Star Trek Voyager, The Invisible Man, She Spies, LOST, Monk and CSI: Miami.

She plays the role of Zhana Agonskaya in the video game Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 and she voiced the character of Beatrice Portinari in the video game Dante's Inferno.

Blond, lithe, semi-British and still dreamy at the tender young age of thirty-seven, the fair Vanessa is certainly fabulous enough to rate a spot in the Catacombs .... no matter what.

Dragon*Con in 118 Days!!!

Dragon*Con, is the world's largest fantasy/SF convention, held annually in Atlanta, GA, on Labor Day weekend, September 3–6, 2010. That's means there are only 118 days left until the fun begins.

The organizers of Dragon*Con never rest on their laurels, since the Con offices stay open year round. As a courtesy, the Catacombs would like to entice you with this early sneak peek at some of the celebrities that are already queued up to appear at the show. I won't bore you with a long list of names, but if you are a fan of genre films and television shows, or classic TV of any kind, just take a gander at this montage of actors from recognized fare like Star Trek The Next Generation, Star Trek Deep Space Nine, Star Trek Voyager, Twilight, New Moon, Hercules The Legendary Journeys, Andromeda, Dallas, Halloween, V, Firefly/Serenity, Farscape, The Road Warrior, Stargate Atlantis, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and that represents just the tip of the celebrity iceberg that will be descending on Atlanta at the tail end of the summer.

There will also be dozens and dozens of sci-fi, horror & thriller authors, comic book writers and artists, musicians & bands, cos-players, reenactors, and well; more stuff than you can shake a light-saber at during four fun-filled days in the heart of Dixie.

Click here for more info and plan to join the fine folks of Dragon*Con in September.

"In Brightest Day" - the Song!!

Gary Mitchell, an independent musician and comic book fan, has written an original song that he is trying to get noticed by the filmmakers of the upcoming 2011 Green Lantern film (starring Ryan Reynolds). Gary contacted me recently and asked that I help spread it around to people who might also appreciate and enjoy it.

"In Brightest Day" features hard-hitting guitar riffs, rock solid grooves and some exhilarating energy. Mr. Mitchell believes that it just might be the perfect GL anthem, with exalting themes of courage, perseverance and will power in the midst of impossible challenges, perfect to appeal to fans and non comic fans alike.

Here are three links for you to follow in order to check it out. Myspace. Facebook. YouTube.

Give it a listen and see what you think! The Catacombs wishes Gary well in his efforts to get Hollywood's attention!

In Memorium: Peter O'Donnell

I had intended to post this yesterday and then fell victim to the joys of Cinco De Mayo.

Sadly the creator of Modesty Blaise, the female adventurer whose exploits were chronicled in the London Evening Standard's celebrated cartoon strip for almost 40 years, Peter O'Donnell has died at the age of 90.

In 1962 O'Donnell conceived Modesty as a former criminal, the retired head of an organization known as The Network, who (often at the behest of British Intelligence) now used her knowledge and formidable combat skills to help those oppressed by evildoers.

Modesty's feminine charms attracted male readers, but her independence and sexual autonomy also rapidly made her a role model for young women, especially those seeking to have careers of their own. Modesty Blaise seemed to catch the mood of the changing times.

O'Donnell took some trouble to think up a practical garment for her to fight in, and was quite pleased with his solution of all-in-one stockings and knickers, such as might be worn by a principal boy; but he was only a step ahead of fashion, and soon all women were wearing tights.

Another sign of the modern age was the relationship between Modesty and her lieutenant, the cockney avenger Willie Garvin. Though theirs was a partnership of equals, it was one in which Modesty – Garvin's "Princess" – was always the leader (and never his sexual playmate).

The Catacombs expresses its sincerest condolences to Mr. O'Donnell's family, friends and many worldwide fans.

Rulah Jungle Goddess in "The Miserable Mankillers" (Star Publ.;1954)

Surprisingly, this tale of Rulah Jungle Goddess comes from the pages of Ghostly Weird Stories #122 (Mar. 1954), originally published by Star Publications. It may be reprinted from an earlier Fox Comics issue, but I don't have that info at the moment. * [Updated] Originally published in Rulah Jungle Goddess #21 (Dec. 1948; Fox). * Thanks, Zu-Gogo!

I also have to thank a new provider for this one, McKiernan Daniel Kian. Don't worry, the great Don Falkos stuff will be back soon. 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!

FCBD Report (Part II)

It's always pleasant to hang out with friends, both old and new, and talk all things comics for fun events like Free Comic Book Day.

Getting into Charlotte a couple of hours before Heroes Aren't Hard To Find opened allowed my brother David, and his son Jack and I to catch up with our friend, Burt Dellinger (who breezed in from Hickory, NC) over breakfast at Showmar's, located just across the street from the store.

After a round of coffee, bacon & eggs and biscuits, we ambled back over and settled in for a short wait while the Heroes staff set up the long tables of $1 comics under the big tents outside the main entrance. Another grouping of tables awaited around the corner under even more big tents. That was where the guest artists would be taking over the day, later on in the afternoon.

Once 10am hit, the doors were flung wide and the swelling mob was allowed into the store to search out the free comics in a fun egg hunt. Heroes places the freebies on the normal racks in their appropriate locations, so kiddie comics are in that section and mature books are in theirs, while the superhero titles are with similar books. This made for some fun, if occasionally frustrating searching, as I often had to back-track in order to locate something that I missed. Heroes allowed each customer a copy of every FCBD title that was available this year, a whopping thirty-three comics. One title, Love and Capes, went like hotcakes and that was the only one that I missed out on. Although I passed on a couple of freebies that I wasn't really interested in, I still walked out of the store with thirty free comics to read and enjoy. Discounted store stock also proved too good to pass on, and I grabbed a stack of back issues to complete holes in my personal collection.

After lunch at the nearby Jackalope Jack's for burgers, wraps, quesadillas and beer, we stepped around the corner to await the impending arrival of the guest artists. My brother David, brought his bound copy of last summers Wednesday Comics to have Brian Stelfreeze sketch the Demon on a blank interior page that was incorporated into the binding for that very purpose.

Stelfreeze, Jason Latour, Mark Brooks, Ian Flynn, Andy Smith, Nathan Edmondson, Budd Root, Tom Lyle and Sanford Greene were all on hand in Charlotte to offer free sketches for awaiting comics fans. Adam Hughes, Allison Sohn and Cully Hamner had to cancel at the last minute, although they have all been in attendance at previous FCBD events at Heroes. This has become an increasingly popular part of the Heroes FCBD event over the nine years that Shelton and the gang have been throwing these bashes. I was able to add a nifty sketch of Cavewoman by Budd Root to my collection without having to shell out for it. I can't commend the artists enough for taking the time to be at Heroes and for putting in several hours drawing for their adoring public, all for free, or in some cases for small donations towards deserving charities. Thanks guys, you're all tops in my book!

Making an awesome day even more special, Heroes owner/founder Shelton Drum invited us into the "Inner Sanctum" of Heroes Aren't Hard To Find (housed in a nearby warehouse) to view a massive estate collection that had recently been purchased. 43,000+ mostly pre-code comic books representing a wide variety of genres, and all grading in fine or better condition. It was a sight to behold, and that photo is blurry for a reason. You try holding your composure while standing among uncatalogued golden age and silver age comics that haven't even been offered for sale to the public. Intoxicating doesn't even begin to describe it!

Soon we staggered back to the store and I hit the $1 discount boxes for a final stack of super-spiffy comics to read someday, and then we headed back to the pub for another round of beers. That still left time for a stop by the best pizza joint in the world, Fuel Pizza Cafe for supper. Yummy!

Yet the day still wasn't over. This year Heroes partnered with Twenty Two, a premium art gallery and wine bar, just up the street to present the opening of "Super! The Fine Art of Comics", an exhibit of original comic book artwork, sketches, covers and drawings by current and former Heroes Convention guests, including some of the guys mentioned above, but also featuring work by Steve Ditko, Jack Kirby, Joe Jusko, Brandon Peterson, Adam Hughes, Steve Epting and many more. The exhibit will run until the start of next months Heroes Convention on June 4, 2010. You can even purchase some of these pieces for pick up after the exhibit closes (if you've got the cash).

All in all, it couldn't have been a better day and although the weather temporarily threatened to put the kibosh on the festivities, it held out and didn't spoil the day. We had so much fun in Charlotte, that I expect to be there each year hence. [Photo's; above, in descending order] Fans await the arrival of the artists, patience is a virtue when getting free sketches, Tom Lyle arrives early to start drawing for fans, Budd Root doing my own sketch of Cavewoman, and the blurry final sketch, behind the lines of artists alley, the crowd swells about 2pm, my brother David next in line for Stelfreeze (in his signature knit cap), Shelton Drum/D. Wells/B. Dellinger inside the Heroes warehouse, the end of the line for sketches at 5pm, Fuel Pizza Cafe, Joe Jusko's original She-Hulk painting at Twenty Two and the skyline of Charlotte from the gallery on Central Avenue at 7pm. Hope to see all of you there someday!

FCBD Report! (Part I)

Yesterday, I spent Free Comic Book Day 2010 at Heroes Aren't Hard To Find in Charlotte, North Carolina. Heroes sponsors the annual, popular & famous Heroes Convention in Charlotte, generally around Father's Day each year.

Heroes owner/founder, Shelton Drum also throws one of the best FCBD bashes that you could ever attend and this year, with the assistance of Shelton and many current and former Heroes Con guests, Heroes also partnered with Twenty Two, a premier art gallery and wine bar to present a month long display called "Super! The Fine Art of Comics". The exhibit will run throughout the month of May and close during next months Heroes Convention. At Twenty Two, you can currently see and/or purchase fabulous artwork by Adam Hughes, Brandon Peterson, Jack Kirby, Brian Stelfreeze, Cully Hamner, Mark Brooks, Budd Root, Andy Smith, Steve Ditko and Joe Jusko (among many, many more great comic artists).

My brother David, my nephew Jack and our buddy Burt all rendezvoused early at the Heroes store location and then patiently waited for the festivities to kick off at 10am. It was worth getting there early, in order to score copies of the FCBD offerings which Heroes had in abundant supply. FCBD titles actually do cost the stores money to provide, and therefore this event allows each store to set conditions under which customers can acquire these "freebies". Heroes allows each person one copy of every issue available, but given the crowd that arrives, some of them go pretty fast. This year copies of Love and Capes went like hotcakes, but that was the only title that I was unable to nab for myself.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the fine staff at Heroes, plus all of the publishers, distributors and creative folks who put this years assortment of books together. It was especially pleasing to see that so many of the titles (above;left) were geared towards a general audience, particularly the dozen books that were completely safe for small kids to enjoy. The Heroes FCBD gala typically draws whole families, lots of kids, and a diverse ethnic clientele, along with the rest of us hard corps geeks and all of us are made to feel like part of a large, extended community of friends. Thanks, Shelton!

Of course, attending Free Comic Book Day in Charlotte meant driving from Greenville, South Carolina in order to hang out all day with other comic book lovers, talking about cool stuff, having a few brewski's along with some terrific eats, and just basking in an entire day of FUN.

The photos included with part one of my FCBD report represent the general atmosphere throughout the day at Heroes as the crowd grew and settled in for the event. [Above;top to bottom] Tables featuring $1 comics boxes, David Wells & Burt Dellinger share a laugh, the egg-hunt for freebies begins, discount customers begin to form a line, the crowd starts to swell, a life-size Doc Ock battles Spidey above the Heroes store checkout, Where did the Grey Hulk come from?, Dustin Harbin (facing away) answers a few questions, fans swarm the $1 discount boxes and Zatanna magically appears at the event. These were cellphone captures, so forgive the quality of some of them. In part two, I will share some specific details about the guests who were there to draw free sketches and some other interesting aspects of what turned out to be an awesome day in Charlotte.

See you tomorrow!