While the Phantom Stranger has so far steered clear of actual paranormal activity, we get much closer in Phantom Stranger #4 (December 1952). A man experimenting with a book of spells has apparently summoned hairy demons and then has disappeared. The Phantom Stranger investigates and discovers strange hairy creatures. He captures one and convinces it […]
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Continuing the tradition of Jor-El super-coincidences in which Jor-El was involved with nearly every entity that Superman meets from space… In Superman #80 (November 1952), Superman discovers an alien has crash-landed on Earth and carries with him instructions from Jor-El mentioning his son. Superman assumes this means “Halk-Kar” is Superman’s older brother. Of course Halk […]
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Apparently EC comics had a bad habit of plagiarizing Ray Bradbury‘s short stories for their comic books. This resulted in the writer sending a letter to EC comics, who decided to credit Ray Bradbury on nearly every cover starting in October 1952. Above is a panel from a 1948 short story called “The Long Years!” […]
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In October 1952, most of DC comics had a cross-promotion for a new TV show: The Adventures of Superman! Starring George Reeves as the titular character, this show would be a pretty big hit and was the first television show based on a comic book character. I remember watching some of these in rerun syndication […]
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In “Superman’s Blackout!”, a story in World’s Finest #61 (Sept 1952), a kryptonite meteor affects Earth’s sun, causing it to rob Superman of all his powers when exposed to direct sunlight. This eventually fades, but not before Superman has to cleverly use his powers to foil some bad guys and pull the wool over Lois […]
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In Wonder Woman #56 (Sept 1952), Steve Trevor takes Wonder Woman out on a date to see a movie. What movie? Superman and the Mole Men of course! Wonder Woman would not see a theatrical release for another 65 years!
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We have had speedster heroes and speedster villains, but Adventure Comics #181 (August 1952) marks the first appearance of a female speedster. While taking dictation for a college professor, Joanie Swift accidentally recites the formula that gives Johnny Quick his powers and the two team up to battle crime. The team-up does not last long, […]
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In July 1952, EC Comics debuted a new comic: Mad! Filled with anthological stories from multiple genres with a silly bent, it eventually morphed into a satire magazine, rather than comic book and became the only surviving EC comic in just a few more years. One story is horror, one is crime, one is western, […]
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As with Twilight Zone and Star Trek, the best EC stories had social consciousness as an under-pinning. Shock SuspenStories #5 (July 1952) features just such a tale, titled simply “Hate!”. Written (of course) by William Gaines Jr and Al Feldstein, it features a jew-hating neighborhood in America and focuses on John Smith, the “protagonist”. John […]
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Atlas (Marvel) Comics had quite a few publications (more than DC) throughout the Golden and Early Silver many of which were driven by Stan Lee. In the anthological Adventures Into Weird Worlds #11 (July 1952), a one-shot villain named “Swami Mordo” makes an appearance, who shares a name and some characteristics of one of Doctor […]
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