The Nurses #2

The Nurses was a CBS medical drama that ran from 1962-1965. Due to another show from ABC with the same name, the show changed it's name to The Doctors and the Nurses. The show starred Zina Bethune as intern nurse Gail Lucas. Her nurse mentor was played by Shirl Conway.

I found this Gold Key comic during my annual pilgrimage to the 301 Endless Yard Sale. I paid $2 for it and when I saw it, I knew I had to have it. In fact, I think the comic book called out to me. Yet for all that, I know nothing really about this book, other than what I researched. 

I know nothing about the show's stars or really the show itself. Except, that I remember my mother telling me a very long time ago that she loved the series. She claimed that it was one of several TV shows that inspired her to become a nurse. So, I really did have to have this comic book you see.

For a comic book adaptation from the 1960s, this is actually one of the better ones. I've been learning that when a TV show inked a deal with a comic book publisher, there was very little time to mock up issues- nor was there very much info on what to go on. For example, when Marvel got the rights to Star Wars, several characters hadn't even been cast or designed yet. That's why Jabba the Hutt looks like some weird great turtle dude instead of a slug. When Gold Key, the very publisher of this comic book, got their hands on Star Trek, they colored all of the uniforms wrong and supposedly made Uhura and Sulu white in one issue by mistake.

I am wondering if knowing next to nothing about this series was what made it a good read. I didn't have any background knowledge in this series to be upset if there were any mistakes. The artwork itself looked really good, like of a young Neal Adams quality. Plus, the stories themselves were very interesting and engrossing. 

There was also a pre-9-1-1 story about a pair of men called the Rescue Crew who have to save a man having a heart attack from a ship leaking gas. But in order to move the man, they have to use Oxygen, which is highly flammable. It was a very creative story for 1960s drama comics. Unfortunately, I can't find further info on that series either and I really would like to find more of their exploits. 

A great gem of a comic. It was retro. It was in really good shape. Plus it's kinda fueled my new addiction- finding comic books of movies and TV shows from the 50s-70s.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.