Spider-Man: The Secret Story of Marvel's World Famous Wall Crawler

Technically, this 1981 book doesn't come from Marvel. Instead it's a part of Ideals Children's Books Secret Stories collection of hybrid graphic novel/Superheroes encyclopedias. But it's very much a Stan Lee/Steve Ditko/John Romita Sr. work. 

Along with reprints of Spidey's origin in the pages of Amazing Fantasy #15, there's a great mystery action reissue of Amazing Spider-Man #80, guest starring one of the wall-crawlers most dangerous does, the Chameleon. Plus, there are about a dozen or more pin-up pages of Spider-Man facts and members of his Rogues Gallery peppered throughout the book. Definitely the work of Ditko. I'm wondering if they were filler pages in the back of issues of ASM...

I've really got to get back into Spider-Man. He's always been a favorite of mine. As a kid, Superman and he would tussle on a daily basis for the #1 spot on my list of favorite comic book characters. Marrying someone who is deathly afraid of arachnids, Spider-Man has dropped several notches for the sake of love. But every time I read an adventure starring him, I've rarely been disappointed. 

I like how even though this was a book aimed at kids, Roger Stern, the author of the history of Peter Parker and Spider-Man parts, did NOT dumb things down. I feel like a 48 year old could enjoy a brief timeline of important events involving Spidey could learn just as much as an 8-year old could have and not felt like they had read a book for those under the age of 4!

The question for me really is: do I keep this? I didn't hate it. No. In fact, I enjoyed the heck out of it. But it doesn't really fit my collection. I've got limited shelf space and it is too wide to fit in a storage box without spine damage. Plus I don't know how many reprints of Amazing Fantasy #15 that's got a place in my collection already. These books seem to command nice price tags. But that doesn't mean that they sell for those prices either. I have a feeling that if I took this in for trade credit, I would get way less than I should. 

Choices, choices.

If you have The Hulk, Fantastic Four and Captain America Secret Stories and need Spider-Man to finish the collection, you know where you can find one... for now!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 10 out of 10 stars.

X-Men: Rarities

I'm not really sure what this X-Men collection is titled Rarities, considering that I've read 2 of these 5 included stories before. 

The opening story, taken from an issue of Bizarre Adventures marks Bobby Drake, Iceman's first silo adventure which occurred about 3 full years before his 4-issue miniseries by J.M. DeMatteisx. The middle story, penned by Chris Claremont, originally appeared in the pages of Al Milgrom's Marvel Fanfare. It depicts a tense truce between Storm and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutant's Mystique over the soul of Rogue who at the time of the story has ironically gone rogue. 

Those were the two stories that I had previously read. The new-to-me stories include a peek at what happened after the Giant-Size X-Men rescued the Uncanny X-Men from the menace of Krakoa. An untold tale presented in Classic X-Men, it's a story that covers a period of mutant history that I had never really thought about and yet it's such a brilliant idea! When the introduction of the new X-Men concludes, there's like a dozen people now on the team. What happened that fateful first night together that caused Havoc, Angel and several others to decide to forgo membership as part of Professor X's team? Chris Claremont answers those questions with some stunning artwork by John Bolton.

Stan Lee and Steve Ditko are highlighted with a story developed for the pages of Amazing Adults Fantasy #14. 'The Man in the Sky' is a pre-X-Men story, considered by many to be the concept that gave birth to the Children of the Atom. It's a very short story that ends with a typical Ditko finale that is anything but. It makes me wonder if the character of Tad Carter, being Marvel's first official mutant, ever made an appearance in the X-Men universe of comics. (Turns out he has in the pages of X-Men: The Hidden Years.)

The last story, starring Generation X, is in my opinion the only real rarity in the book. An introduction for the all-new team of mutants led by Sean Cassidy, was a Comicon exclusive in 1994. Since this promo comic was only offered to the lucky few who tried to San Diego, I feel like this is a title that can officially be declared a rare find. If you ask me, X-MEN: Rarities should have been comprised of promo stories featuring the legion of mutants that house the Marvel Universe. That would have been more appropriate than putting in several stories that just happened to be published in more lesser known publications.

Finally, I want to comment on the story that starred Mystique. Originally published in 1988, the story offers a revealing glimpse at the character's gender fluidity, since Raven Darkholme is a shape shifter. But even more groundbreaking is what happens after Storm departs the underground club in which Mystique summoned her foe. Right in the middle of the club is Irene Hadler- Destiny! The woman who just recently wed Mystique in the pages of some X-Men book and caused countless fanboys to lose their minds! 'Woke Comics!', they cried. And yet, here's Raven and Destiny as lovers 36 years prior! Seems that these so-called Marvel comics experts know nothing about the history of one of the X-Men's most popular foes!

A fairly decent grab bag of X-Men stories. I think my idea of a collection of promo comics has merit and is more entitled to the title of 'Rarities.' But this is still a good read.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Speedball: The Masked Marvel

One of the highlights of reading the complete 125 issue run of Marvel Comics Presents were the pair of stories starring the teen superhero known as Speedball: The Masked Marvel. Co-created by Steve Ditko and Tom Defalco, Speedball was an interesting mix of teen angst, youthful enthusiasm and brilliantly creative villains. Plotted and penciled by the legendary Ditko, the pair of stories were a feast for the eyes. And immediately, I took it upon myself to get a copy of this 'omnibus'.

Speedball's story begins with young Robbie Baldwin, a star athlete, bright student and a BMOC in a small Connecticut community. One day during Robbie's part-time job as an assistant at the Hammond Research Lab, the teen is accidentally bathed with strange kinetic energies. As a result, whenever Robbie experiences the slightest bit of inertia, he transforms into the Masked Marvel and bounces around like a bouncy ball until he runs out of energy or finds a way to settle himself. 

The scientists who conducted the experiment know that somebody interfered with the experiment that gave Robbie his powers. But they think it's the lab's mascot, the feline Niels, who is obviously showing signs of the same blast of energy that powers Robbie. The teen is tasked with capturing Niels in order for the researchers to determine if the strange energy field is lethal or not. This comedy of errors is a running gag throughout the entire series which only lasted 10 issues. But it's an important plot device as Robbie just wants to be a normal kid once again.

In typical comic book fashion, Robbie's family is oblivious to the fact that their son is the town's new hero called the 'Masked Marvel'. Only Robbie himself refers to himself as Speedball because of the tiny energy balls that follow him when in costume. Robbie would love nothing more than to tell his mom and dad about his powers. But to do so could jeopardize Robbie's father! See, Mr. Baldwin is the town's assistant District Attorney. The town in which the Baldwin's live has a law against masked vigilantes. Robbie fears that should his secret come to light, it will mean disgrace for his lawyer father. 

Honestly, Robbie should lighten up a bit. His parents are doing a good enough job turning the whole town against them. When a skeleton is discovered within the walls of Robbie's high school, fingers point at both Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin as being the prime suspects. This results in a loss of jobs for Robbie's mom and a near disbarment of dear old dad. 

It says a lot about the writing when the reader is just as interested in the supporting characters as the main character. Roger Stern and Jo Duffy make the mystery of who killed the family friend of the Baldwins just as engrossing as Speedball's battles against an assortment of masked baddies. I was so hooked on the secret of the corpse's killer that I stayed up later than normal a couple of nights in a row to find out 'whodunnit!' 

Masks are a big theme in this book. Steve Ditko was a master of bizarre faces and Speedball's Rogue's Gallery, while rather inferior compared to a Green Goblin or Doctor Octopus, are some of the most creative of all-time. 

I wish the original Speedball's story didn't have to end!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Where Monsters Dwell #4 (2023 Comic Book & Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Where Monsters Dwell was a horror anthology series from Marvel Comics. The series, which ran from 1970-75, is a fan favorite among collectors of Bronze Age Marvel Comics as well as devotees to horror and sci-fi. With exception of the covers, the material in all of the issues were comprised of reprint material. Silver Age stories from Tales of Suspense and Tales to Astonish were the primary sources where the stories were culled. 

In this issue, there are 4 classic horror stories ranging from ancient terrors to physiological thriller to B-movie sci-fi involving aliens from another world

In Steve Ditko's 'Behind My Door Awaits... Medusa' (Tales of Suspense #10) a seller of curios and antiques may also be the owner of the legendary Medusa of Greek myth. Do you dare open the door to his side room to find out for sure?

Then a sailor finds a message in a bottle from a castaway (Tales of Suspense #12). Knowing that the island where the S.O.S. came from is nowhere near any active shipping lanes, the seaman investigates only to find a hideous beast blocking him at every move.

Also from Tales of Suspense #10, an adventurer learns the deadly secret to why no man returns from Nightmare Valley. 

Finally, in the cover story, 'The Monster in my Cellar' (TOS #12), a pulp writer dreams up the perfect horror thriller only for the monster to become a reality!

Where Monsters Dwell was one of several anthology series Marvel released in response to loosening restrictions of the Comics Code in terms of horror and sci-fi. However, due to cost cutting measures, Marvel decided to use reprints for their new books. Where DC was utilizing new, edgier material with amazing talent like Bernie Wrightson, Len Wein and William Michael Kaluta that pushed the new CCA rules to the limit, Marvel relied on tried and true tales that were previously published under the barriers of the Code. 

By not embracing the future of horror, many of Marvel's new anthology titles failed to catch an audience. Sister titled Monsters on the Prowl eked out 30 issues. The all-horror reprint tale Crypt of Shadows was sealed shut after only 21 editions. Where Monsters Dwell was the most successful of the reprint anthologies producing an impressive 38 issues. 

The popularity of Where Monsters Dwell continued to live on among fans both old and new. In 2005, a one-shot special was released as part of Marvel's Marvel Monsters tribute. In 2017, Where Monsters Dwell became one of Doctor Doom's Secret Wars Battleworlds in a 6-issue tie-in miniseries by Garth Ennis, Russell Braun and Frank Cho.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #18 (A Horror Comic) of the 2023 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves #34

The first comic book I remember getting to pick out and buy for myself was a horror comic produced by Charlton Comics. I loved it. As a result, any time I find a Charlton comic book that is all about the frights, I will buy it. 

In this issue, there are 3 stories. The first story has a couple running afoul of a trio of hooligans. Tragedy befalls the couple during their mugging. But for the murdering thieves, their damnation in close at hand...

Story number two involves an heiress who is currently on husband #3. I think... She's got plans to do away with her new beau and inherit the cash. Ah, true love.

The last story is the cover story. An eccentric inventor crafts the perfect haunted house for an amusement park. But his most brilliant haunt may be the one he executes in death!

The opening story was the best of the three. It had a twist ending (okay to be fair, don't they all?), that made me feel ill at ease. That second story wasn't scary at all. It was more appropriate for a crime comic than a horror title. The last story was a Steve Ditko classic. Unfortunately, the plot was so telegraphed that I knew how everything was going to end by the time I had completed the second page. 

I realize that I've read more than my fair share of horror comic books to be able to guess the twist ending of a story from time to time. Plus, this book is nearly 50 years old. I'm thinking Ditko either borrowed or reused the plot ending or somebody else used it in a later story. So, I won't take points off for the predictability of the cover story. But that middle story was such a stinker, I can't believe that Ditko had anything to do with it. That 'love story' was just unforgivable.

Rating: 6 out of 10 stars.

Blue Beetle #2 (2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge)

Manipulated by his Uncle Jarvis, brilliant inventor Ted Kord unknowingly helps to create a nearly indestructible army of androids. Ted seemingly thinks that his uncle is dead and the project is kaput when an explosion wipes out the laboratory. But a discovery of plans that survived the blast led Kord to the remote Pago Island along with his friend, Dan Garrett. There, Kord learns that his uncle is still alive and with the formula of his androids perfected, Jarvis seeks to rule the world.

Activating his magic scarab, Garrett becomes the Blue Beetle. First freeing Kord, Garrett goes into battles with the mechanoids. Unfortunately, the fracas sends the roof of Jarvis' cavern lair down atop the villain, his creations and Dan Garrett. In his dying breath, Garrett asks Ted Kord to take his place as the Blue Beetle.

Back in his father's lab, Kord utilizes the parts of old experiments to develop a beetle shaped flyer, a high-tech uniform and a dazzling light and air-blast gun to fight evil anywhere it rears its ugly head. 

Thus is the origin of the Ted Kord Blue Beetle. Though the character had debuted about a year earlier as a back-up in the pages of Captain Atom #83 (November, 1966), Kord's back story would not be revealed until issue #2 of his short-lived 1967-68 series. 

One key difference between Ted Kord and Dan Garrett was the use of superpowers. An ancient Egyptian scarab gave Dan Garrett his powers. Kord had to rely on a prowess in martial arts and an array of gadgets. For one thing, Dan Garrett was trapped under heavy boulders and unable to pass on the scarab to Ted. But later on, once Kord obtained it, he never could get the antiquity to work. 

The Ted Kord Blue Beetle was the creation of Steve Ditko (The Amazing Spider-Man). This issue was plotted and illustrated by Ditko with a script by D.C. Glanzman. This creative duo also created the back-up feature starring The Question. In this story, The Question takes on a villain that operates a stolen flying costume powered by compressed helium. Called The Banshee by his victims, this flying fiend commits a number of robberies. But these crimes are small potatoes and the Banshee has his sights on Crown City, the home of the mysterious new crime fighter The Question. Only, the Banshee doesn't realize that he's being targeted also by The Question's alter-ego, newsman Vic Sage who is just as active in bringing the baddie down as The Question is. 

Other than Marvel Comics, was there a comic book publisher that was creatively killing it during the mid-60s like Charlton Comics? The answer is no, there wasn't. At this time, Charlton boasted a line-up of Ditko, Dick Giordano, Dennis O'Neil, Pat Boyette Jim Aparo and others. Yet, because of the insane popularity of Marvel and the boost is sales given off by the Batman '66 TV series, Charlton Comics was fighting for crumbs. Sadly, the quantity of sales could not outpace the quality of the books. Blue Beetle's rebooted run was canceled after only 5 issues. The Ted Kord Blue Beetle would not return to print in new adventures until 1985 with the Crisis on Infinite Earths establishing the Charlton characters as part of the DC Universe.

One last fun fact of note. Both stories in this issue were lettered by 'A. Machine'. This wasn't a human employee with a cool name but a fun pun for Charlton's Vari-Typer office composing machine. A cost cutting decision, in 1957, the Vari-Typer was used by the publisher to letter the captions and word bubbles of all of Charlton's titles until the company folded in 1985-86, the same time period in which Ted Kord, The Question and friends were welcomed into the DC Comics throng.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Completing this review completes Task #8 (With an Animal in the Title) of the 2022 Comic Book and Graphic Novel Reading Challenge.

Marvel Comics Presents #56

The Stingray story, written by Len Wein, ends on such a high note. If I could go back in time, I'd do everything in my power to convince Marvel to do a series based on Stingray written by Len Wein! It's so freakin' good! 

Speedball appears in the one-and-done story. It's illustrated by a legend as well. Steve Ditko! Ditko! DITKO!! Written by Mary Jo Duffy, this story has Speedball going up against a gang of men in masks based on the number of pips on a die! Really great story. I've got half a mind to add the early issues of Speedball to my wish list. If the team who did this story is the same on the series, I may very well might. 

The Wolverine/Hulk story adds as clone at the same time as killing off on of the two heavyweights.

The Jack Russell story is so freakin' bloody. If DC published this, it would be a Vertigo level publication. Definitely not for the kiddies!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Marvel Comics Presents #14

Darn You Marvel Comics! You broke my #1 rule! YOU KILLED THE DOG!

In the first chapter of Panther's Quest, a random pooch saved Black Panther from attacking mercenaries. In round #2, those same mercs killed the doggie and for a Comics Code authorized issue, the death was rather gruesome.

Thankfully, the Steve Ditko crafted Speedball one-shot and the Fabian Nicieza penned Nomad short were light-hearted and enjoyable. As with the next-to-last chapter of the Colossus story, it was about as good as I remembered it. 

So once again 3 out of 4 ain't so bad. Just try to be a little more PETA friendly Marvel!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 7 out of 10 stars.

Curse of the Weird #1

Steve Ditko. Through his artistic lens, Ditko is a legend; having a hand in creating Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, The Blue Beetle and nameless others. But while I am fan of Steve Ditko the artist, I am even more of a fan of Steve Ditko the writer! 

A lot of this is due to the very first comic I ever bought (Ghostly Tales #152) featured a Ditko penned and penciled story. Though it was a reprint, I was hooked at a very young age. And so for Day 5 of my Halloween readings, I'm devoting some time to one of my all-time favs in Curse of the Weird #1.

It's true! This issue isn't 100% devoted to Steve Ditko. But it was a definite selling point to me. Curse of the Weird was a 1993 4-issue miniseries from Marvel. It was one of several short run series and one-shots published at this time that chronicled Marvel's rich horror history. This title focused on the pre-code horror published by Marvel's parent company- Atlas!

The first story was a Stan Lee/Ditko collaboration called 'Do Not Panic!' It's an alien first contact story with a great twist ending. 

Next up was a Russ Heath beauty called 'The Brain.' It looked like something destined for the pages of Vault of Horror or Tales From The Crypt. The only thing missing was that crisp, clean type-set style font. Well, that and a believable storyline.

Surrealist illustrator Basil Wolverton is featured in the third slot. 'The Eye of Doom' is reminiscent of Wolverton's magnum opus 'The Brain Bats of Venus'. So much to the point that this story too takes place on the same heavenly body! It's classic Wolverton! Not for everyone. But I loved it!

Things get wrapped up with a terrifying tale from Sub-Mariner creator Bill Everett. In 'The Man Who Owned a Ghost' a man trades away his soul in hopes of killing his wife. In typical Faust-fashion, things never go right proving you should never make a deal with a devil!

This is a very good collection of classic horror from before the beginning of the Marvel Age of Comics. Don't pass up Mort Todd's (Cracked Magazine) in-depth article about the creation of these fabulous lost tales. It's a little bit disjointed with randomly inserted images of other titles. But it also gives an intimate glimpse into one of my favorite eras in comics- the comic book scare of the 1950s. 

There's 3 more issues out there. I've never run across them. But they'll definitely be coming home with me when I do. 

4 great artists. 3 fantastic stories. Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

The Complete Gorgo Readers Collection: Volume 1 & 2

Gorgo was a 1961 British film produced by MGM. The film itself was a European rip-off of Godzilla with offshore atomic testing awakening the prehistoric beast and being worshiped as an ancient deity by a Gaelic seaside town. But the real change to this kaiju was that Gorgo was a baby. You did not want to get on the bad side of mama!

This deluxe volume from Gwandanaland Comics reprints the all of the Gorgo books published by Charlton Comics. First is the adaptation of the film. Then a comic based on the never made proposed sequel. Those two books was enough to warrant a 23-issue series based on further exploits of Gorgo and his kin. Then there was 2 one-shots that sought to revitalize the adventures of Gorgo, but to little avail. 

The main series that ran from 1961-65 was a product of it's time. As with all giant monster franchises, the threat of nuclear destruction is ever looming. But what's even more interesting about Gorgo is how he was such a vital cog in the war against Communism. 

One issue ties the events of the Cuba Missile Crisis to the classified inclusion of a very po'd Gorgo. Several other issues has Gorgo and his mom running afoul of hidden commie bases and wrecking the plans of global domination from Communist China. But when it comes to the good guys, Gorgo is there to help; almost like a giant reptile version of Lassie. 

This book has one big superstar tied-in. The legendary Steve Ditko (Doctor Strange) pencils the first 5 issues and then returns from time-to-time. I just wish that the storytelling and editing was given as much care as Ditko gave the art.

There are dozens upon dozens typos through this book. Apparently spellcheck was something never explored by the editors at Charlton Comics. Yeah, yeah. I know I am one to talk. But then again, I'm not a professional either.

I loved this book. It was as massive as Gorgo himself. Full of awesomely wild stories about a classic but forgotten movie monster.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Essential Doctor Strange, Volume 1

For a fan of horror comics, I am considered a bit of an outsider. I have no problem with ghost stories and tales of the macabre- or monsters. But when you get into witchcraft, demons and spells, I tend to shy away. That's one reason that you don't see a lot of Doctor Strange or Hellblazer on this blog. 

So why am I reading Doctor Strange now? The answer is easy with just 2 words:

Benedict Cumberbatch!

I love this actor. I adore him in Sherlock. I thought he was perfect in The Hobbit trilogy as the dragon Smaug. Heck, I could watch him read the phone book. 

The British actor's portrayal of the Sorcerer Supreme has made Doctor Strange one of my top 3 favorite Marvel movies of all-time. And it's piqued my interest in reading up on the earliest exploits of Stephen Strange.

It also greatly helps that the majority of the stories written and illustrated in this book are by some of my all-time favs as well- Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Together, they wove an intricate foundation of magic and wonder into the Marvel universe. and I loved every panel of it!

From legendary villains such as Dormammu and Baron Mordo to lesser known baddies such as random street thugs, if someone was misusing the mystic arts, Doctor Strange was there to restore order. 

As with all good things, both Stan Lee and Ditko would eventually depart the series. But a bunch of legends in their own right took over the mantle as creators with varying degrees of success. Roy Thomas was a Stan the Man clone; whereas Denny O'Neil showed little glimpses of the that eerie supernatural touch that he'd later bring to DC in the pages of Batman. I was a bit disappointed with former EC crew member Marie Severin's artwork. It was too static. But I loved the art deco touch of the 1930s brought about with the pen strokes of Bill Everett (The Sub-Mariner). It's literally unsung brilliance in the annals of great Doctor Strange talent.

Like a lot of comics from this era, I am now hooked. I really want to get my hands on volume 2 as it has issues 3-14 of the very expensive Marvel Premiere run of Strange stories that I need to complete that collection. As a penny-pinching collector, I count reprints as part of a run because for me, it's more important to be able to read and enjoy the entire story as opposed to owning issues. And this volume collects some of the most amazingly entertaining supernatural tales ever told!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Amazing Spider-Man: Secret Origins

An amazing assortment of Spider-Man tales from Stan Lee, Steve Ditko and John Romita! The first appearance of Spidey, The Lizard, Flash Thompson! The revenge of Electro. The death of Captain Stacy. Plus a modern-day fantasy in which Peter visits the grave of Uncle Ben on a frosty Christmas day.

This collection was released to correspond with 2012's Amazing Spider-Man film. I remember Electro being in the second film but not in the first. So, wasn't it a massive spoiler having that villain appear in this book? 

The art and story work is second to none. While many consider Ditko the original master, I think I'm more partial to Romita's time on the wall-crawler. Arguably, Peter Parker is the biggest sad sack in the Marvel Universe. But Stan Lee was able to make the super hero equivalent of Eeyore a compelling, exciting and fun character. 

These stories have been reprinted at least a dozen times. I've always said that if my wife wasn't so terrified by spiders, Spidey would be my all-time favorite super-hero hands down. That being the case, I would own this issues in some collected treasury. I've worked out a compromise for certain Spider-Man titles with my wife. Thus I don't have those premium collections. So, finding this book for a super deal at Ollie's was a great way for me to enjoy some classics that are old hat for true fans of Peter Parker's alter-ego!

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Ditko's Monsters

IDW Publishing remembers the late, great Steve Ditko in an over-sized special devoted to a pair of B-movie monsters.

Ditko’s Monsters
Written by Joe Gill
Art by Steve Ditko
Edited by  CraigYoe, with assistance from Christopher Yoe
Reprints Gorgo #1 & 8 (Charlton Comics, 1961-65);
Konga #5&6 (Charlton Comics, 1960-65)
Published by IDW Publishing with Yoe! Books

The British-American sci-films Gorgo and Konga aren’t original sci-fi movies from the Atomic Age. The pint-sized (for his species) Gorgo is a cousin of Toho’s Godzilla. Meanwhile, Konga is a descendant of the long-line of giant apes that evolved from RKO’s King Kong. Yet despite their cookie-cutter appearances, both Gorgo and Konga have developed cult followings.

The reason why both are mainstays in the schlock B-movie community of fans is because of their reign as kings of the comic book in the early 1960s. Charlton Comics was able to snag licensing rights to both properties at a time when both Godzilla and Kong were noticeably absent from the spinner rack.

The two titles continued the adventures of Gorgo and Konga long after the credits had rolled. The first issue of both series were adaptations of each character’s solo films. Then for the next 5 years, Charlton released 56 issues (23 issues per character) that pitted Gorgo and Konga against mutated prehistoric creatures, unsavory businessmen and the occasional nuclear bomb! Leading the charge in both titles was the yet unknown Steve Ditko.

Ditko’s time with Charlton occurred just prior to his co-creation of his most iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Doctor Strange and Doctor Octopus. Along with writer Joe Gill, with whom Ditko created Captain Atom and Blue Beetle at Charlton, Ditko took readers on masterful adventures of giant creatures without being credited. But now thanks to IDW Publishing and Yoe! Books, the master is finally getting his just due!

Yoe! Books has been known as a rising leader in publishing lost comic gems from the 1940s-60s. However, most of the books edited and compiled by Craig Yoe, while stunningly beautiful and remastered, aren’t very cheap. But in Ditko’s Monsters, fans of kaiju-like giants and Steve Ditko can enjoy a Yoe! quality edition in comic book format for a wallet friendly price. Plus, you get informative forewords from Tony Isabella and Steve’s nephew Mark Ditko, just like in a hardback Yoe! publication!

Ditko’s Monsters reprints a total of 4 issues from Steve Ditko’s time at Charlton. Issue #1 of Gorgo recounts the events that took place in the 1961 live-action feature in which the junior dinosaur is kidnapped by deep-sea scavengers. The second adventure has Gorgo being kidnapped again, this time by Soviet agents! In both stories, Gorgo’s momma is mad and ready to destroy entire cities just to get her baby back!

The Konga stories are from later in the comic adaptations run. Here in issues 5-6, scientists try to revert the giant ape back into his original form as a chimpanzee. I’m going to need Charles Darwin’s help to figure out how a chimp can change into a gorilla. But that sort of plot gaff is actually the fault of the 1961 John Lemont movie and not the team of Gill and Ditko.

All of the stories chosen for Ditko’s Monsters were selected by Giffin Yoe. Young Griffin is already showing signs of the mastery and love of classic comic books like his father Craig has for the medium. I liked the issues the editor choose for this book. But I preferred the Gorgo stories to those of Konga. The artwork is more alive with an explosive palette of colors. Plus, the Konga tales seem a little disjointed, with some scenes of action getting a bit repetitive in the transition from issues #5 to #6. Unfortunately, unlike what it says on both sides of this flip-book comic, Gorgo and Konga never fight each other, except for a place in fans hearts.

Ditko’s Monsters is a book that I hope to see more of from IDW and Yoe! They don’t have to be about Gorgo or Konga. It would be amazing to have more 100-page specials devoted to lost comics of my dad’s youth. Maybe one could be of the Lonely War of Captain Willy Schultz or a special on the lost Captain Marvel character from M.F. Enterprises! If such occurs, here’s hoping that young Griffin Yoe will get more chances to oversee the editing process!

A perfect read for fans of MST3K, Svengoolie, The Bone Jangler or Steve Ditko! Ditko’s Monsters debuted in print on April 17th, 2019.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Captain Universe: Power Unimaginable

Collecting the almost very first adventures of Captain Universe- the superhero who could be you! 

This volume features the Bill Mantlo/Steve Ditko creation that debuted in the pages of Micronauts. Since Marvel no longer owns the rights to that property, the first storyline is missing from this book. It seems really weird to me. The Micronauts are referred to several times in the stories collected and in at least one of them, there are characters from the Micronauts seen in panels recalling Captain Universe's origin. Surely, Marvel could have worked out some sort of licensing agreement to have had those books added to this assemblage.

I bought this book because of the reprinted stories from Marvel Spotlight. I figured paying less than $7.00 cover price (Check your local Ollie's for this book!) was going to be cheaper than finding those 3 issues from the early 70s. It was a very good gamble as I enjoyed almost the entire book.

The concept behind Captain Universe was that there's the sentient power called the Unipower. It bestows itself upon random people in need of superhero assistance. From a small child to a pair of twins, the Unipower wasn't prejudiced. The best story involves Bruce Banner being stripped from his Hulk persona and becoming Captain Universe. While fighting his mean green alter-ego, Banner must also stop a nuclear missile from being launched on the Soviet Union!

My least favorite story was the last one. It sorta reboots the character and ends on a cliffhanger. I wouldn't mind either if Marvel ever published a second volume. As this book debuted in 2005 and a quick Amazon search doesn't show a sequel, I ended this amazing read a little unfulfilled. 

Another thing that might make you feel like you are missing something is that some of these stories are from Web of Spider-Man. Other than an off-panel cameo of Peter Parker, the wall-crawler is absent from this book. Do not expect this book to be the jewel of your Spidey collection.

But for someone like myself who didn't any of the books or stories reprinted (except for the Marvel Fanfare beauty), this is a great collection of adventures. I love the Steve Ditko art and it's kinda fitting to read this now as he passed away earlier this year. Plus it features work from the great Bill Mantlo whose career, but not life, was cut way too short by a hit-and-run driver.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.

Steve Ditko

Normally at Madman with a Book, I review books, comics, and movies. But today I felt that I needed to pay tribute to a man who greatly influenced my decision to start collecting.

The news broke yesterday of the death of a comic book legend- Steve Ditko. Ditko was 90 and actually had died on June 29th. Why it took a week for news to get around is anybody's guess. But it hit a lot of people very hard- myself being one of those people.

I'm not going to be one of those people who claim that the loss of Steve Ditko is so devastating and yet have zero connection to the man. True, when I list my 5 favorite artists of all-time, I admit, that the co-creator of Spider-Man is not in it. When I list my top 5 favorite writers in the medium, again I admit that the co-creator of Doctor Strange is not among the group. But my nearly life-long love of comic books might not even exist at all it not for Steve Ditko. 

Around 1981 my parents took me to a used book store called Tales Resold in Raleigh, NC for the very first time. I was about 4 or 5 and my parents showed me this room filled with kids books and more importantly- comics. There was a box of books for .25 cents a piece and I was allowed to choose one book from it. That day, I choose Charlton Comics' Ghostly Tales #152.

Looking back, I have to question my parents decision to allow a young child to buy a horror comic book. But for the moment, the image of the ghoulish I.M. Dedd holding a skull and looking resplendent in his flowing blue cape just appealed to me visually. The interiors were just as intriguing, though a little dated. 

While the book was only a year or two old, all of the stories inside were reprints from the 60s and 70s. But most importantly about those ghost tales was that one of them was drawn and possibly written by Steve Ditko. Even at 5, I could tell talent when I saw it. 

I probably read that comic book a hundred times. Though sadly I no longer own that original copy, having lost that book as well as my original collection decades ago due to theft. But Ditko's contribution to Ghostly Tales #152 opened my life up to a hundred-hundred times that many more comics over the span of another 35 years. And as my current collection nears 10,000 books, I now have a replacement as a keystone issue to reflect my first purchase. 

Steve Ditko will never know how much his art meant to my life and my hobby. That's okay, as I am sure he knows now. But without him, who knows what I would be doing now instead of typing a tribute to a sequential art legend. I'd probably would had been quite popular in high school, a former jock, now selling vinyl siding or used cars. Ugh... That thought is more terrifying than anything found in the pages of my first comic book purchase.

Thank you, Steve Ditko... and Rest In Peace.

This tribute was published concurrently on Outrightgeekery.com. 

Scary Tales #11

When is a scary book not scary? Apparently when it's Scary Tales #11.

The book features 3 tales about creatures that according to the issue's themem, are ones that people would consider as pets. The first piece is about a couple on a trek to capture a unicorn. The cover basically gives away that story's twist ending. While I guess you could consider a unicorn a pet, there's really nothing terrifying about this story so much as it's fanciful. Illustrated by the great Steve Ditko (Amazing Spider-Man), it's really not one of the master's best works.

I really enjoyed the second adventure. It's about a circus owner who tracks down a kind of Bigfoot creature. I almost from the beginning knew how this one was going to end. But the shear shock and terror of the owner was great! The whole concept of a pet was stretched quite a bit and I did not find this story scary in the least. But the narrative was of EC Comics' level quality, it's that well done.

The last piece is about a vampiress with an enchanted whip. She's so alluring, a talent scout brings her to New York City to put on a captivating show. I couldn't tell if the main character was supposed to be the hostess of this title. They were both dressed alike and looked similar. But I am not really that familiar with this Charlton horror comic as much as I am with some of their other books like Ghostly Tales or The Many Ghosts of Doctor Graves. So I am not really sure. But I don't categorize a female vampire as a pet and this yarn was too avant garde to really understand, much less be scared by. 

I wasn't too impressed with this issue. From the really corny cover, I shouldn't be surprised. I really have a hard time finding a bad silver age horror comic. I did today and I was really stunned by it. Especially for something containing works of a legend like Ditko.

Not Worth Consuming!

Rating: 3 out of 10 stars.

Where Monsters Dwell #5

    The bargain bin- it's where I find lots of great little gems and this one was no exception. It's like mining for gold at those little tourist traps in the mountains. The stuff you find might be unique and maybe even a little rare but it's so flawed that there's very little value to it unless you polish it up. In my case, that would mean having it graded. But I don't care, I was extremely happy to find this monster book from 1970 even if the cover is almost about to fall off.
    This issue has 4 stories. The first is the cover story involving a giant mud monster who has returned to turn earth with plans of turning our planet into it's private global kingdom. By Jack Kirby along with Dick Ayers, this is one of the last Kirby stories before the King left for DC. An interesting read with touches of the King's mastery and a bit of an ending ripped from the Classic Trek episode "Charlie X.'
     The next story by the legendary Steve Ditko, involves an American sailor enthralled by the ship of an Asian warlord. The sailor goes as far as to shanghai the crime lord to commit piracy but it turns out that the criminal leader also has magical powers. This story had an ending that I figured out pretty quick but it was still an entertaining read.
    Then a country bumpkin helps a trio of aliens repair their ship in return for a special treasure. But when the earthling discovers that the visitors are planning to return with an invasion fleet, the man promises to make things right. It was okay but clearly the weakest story of the bunch.
     Lastly, a man wanting to buy a haunted house is encouraged by the realtor to spend a night in there. It's a classic version of an old ghost story but with a great twist. 
    I think the biggest surprise to me about this book was it's age. I really thought Where Monsters Dwell was a Marvel book from the early 60s- like pre-Fantastic Four early. I had no idea that it ran in the 70s. But man, was I glad I found this- it was worth early penny of the dollar I spent on it and then some. What a great way to start my Halloween haunted reading for the 2016 season!!!
   
   Worth Consuming

   Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.
 

Time Warp #1

This short-lived, but superb sci-fi anthology featured stories about “doomsday and other strange things.” Each issue featured 8 different tales with twists right out of the EC Comics playbook. Comic legends Denny O’Neil, Paul Levitz, and Steve Ditko contribute. Michael Kaluta did some super cover work that harkens back to some classic 1940s-style pulp art. He missed his calling if he never did a Buck Rogers or Flash Gordon book.

Time Warp only lasted 5 issues and though they weren’t massive hits, they’ve formed a sort of cult status among collectors, especially those of anthology comics. I was lucky to find this copy in a dollar box and I hope to find the other 4 issues. Though, I suspect that I’ll have to cough up big bucks for those.

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

    

Legends of the DC Universe 80-Page Giant #1

The 80-page giant-sized comic- that was a thing of beauty and sheer joy! A 100-page comic was even better but regardless, when you got one of these you knew you were in for a treat. They were affordable anywhere from a buck to $1.25. You’d always get at least 4 stories, maybe more per issue. One or two stories would star a A-lister superhero (like Superman or Batman), one tale would be from a middle-tier character (maybe Green Arrow or Aquaman) and another tale would be from a more obscure character that was pretty weird but a cult favorite (like Metamorpho or Deadman.) I absolutely loved them and you usually could find these in bargain bins for dirt cheap.Since Legends of the DC Universe is trying to evoke some of the nostalgia with these untold tales of the DC superhero elite, it seemed natural that their first special would be a Giant. If you read the letters page in issue 3, the editors revealed that they had tons of responses for characters that fans wanted to see highlighted. Some were perfect for a multi-story arc while some just were A-list material to carry this series all by their lonesome. So, this special was created to give the people what they wanted without sending LOTDCU into the economic crapper.

The premise follows a time-travelling hero called Chronos. I am pretty sure, he’s not the yellow and green masked arch-villain of the Atom but I am not sure. A mysterious time-travelling alien approaches Chronos in hopes of keeping him from robbing a sacred tomb. To try to dissuade Chronos into doing the right thing and not sell the tomb’s artifacts to Vandal Savage, the pair goes through-out time and space viewing the adventures of some of the most classic DC characters around.

With Chronos, prepare to see the Spectre ease the conscious of a guilt-ridden survivor of the Titanic, thrill with Adam Strange as he teleports from earth to across the stars to save the planet Rann. Learn the secrets of Hawkman and Hawkgirl’s ability to speak with birds while discovering how Rip Hunter keeps surviving his dangerous trips through time. Lastly, grieve with Beast Boy over the loss of his teammates, the Doom Patrol while you experience the first ‘unofficial’ team-up of the New Teen Titans.

This issue is a who’s who of talent, including Steve Ditko, Dave Gibbons, Joe Kubert, and  Marv Wolfman, and George Perez. It’s loaded with some of the greats.

I really enjoyed this special. It’s a shame that DC didn’t make more of these but there’s always nostalgic comic collectors and hope. So, who knows, maybe it will come back again.

Oh, and the revelation as to who Chronos’ mystery traveler is- brilliant. Just absolutely bloody brilliant and it was the icing on the cake!

Worth Consuming.

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.