COVER STORIES for 06/18/2006
COVER STORIES INSTALLMENT #58
Welcome to the 58th edition of "Cover Stories," in which I look at a number of comics covers with a common theme!
This week's theme is called "Cartoon Stuff," and features images on comics covers one would expect to see in a cartoon, but not in a "serious" comic book! Specifically, we're looking at covers where otherwise inanimate objects seem to have come to life, like in some of the old Warner Brothers cartoons.
Yeah, you knew I couldn't go two weeks in a row without a Superman-related cover, didn't you? This cover is from Action 109, and as you can see, it features the Prankster menaced by coins that have not only come to life, and are giant-sized, but they also have the Man of Steel's face! I wonder what denomination those coins are?
The cover for this issue was by Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye. The cover feature, "The Man Who Robbed The Mint," featured art by John Sikela. Also in this issue were Zatara in "Elevator to Excitement" by W.F. White, a Witty Willy filler by Phil Berube, Congo Bill in "The Elephant's Graveyard" by Ed Smalle, Hayfoot Henry in "The Theft of a Very Loud Noise" by Al Schwartz and Stan Kaye, the Vigilante in "Popp Gunn Rides Again" by Don Cameron and George Roussos.
Also from the golden age of comics, here's All-American Comics 49, featuring "The Saga of Doiby Dickles' Cab!" Goitrude, as she was named, certainly looks like she could be a relative of "Who Frame Roger Rabbit"s Benny the Cab, doesn't she? Especially with those headlight eyes of hers!
This amusing cover was by Irwin Hasen. The cover feature "Goitrude" was by Bill Finger, Hasen and Jon Chester Kozlak. Also in this issue was a Mutt and Jeff filler by Al Smith (reprinted from newspaper strips), the Atom in "The Cowboy and the Atom" by Ted Udall and Joe Gallagher, Hop Harrigan by Jon L. Blummer, a "How to Spot the Planes in the Skies" filler by Falcon Mathieu, Dr. Mid-Nite in "The Clock Strikes Twice" by Charles Reizenstein and Stan Aschmeir, Jimmy Stone in "Little Red Menace," a text feature by Evelyn Gaines, Scribbly and the Red Tornado by Sheldon Mayer, more Mutt and Jeff, and Sargon the Sorcerer by John Wentworth, and Red, White and Blue in "China," by Udall and Joe Gallagher.
So, after living coins and a living cab, we go to the world of living furniture - yep, it's Captain Marvel, Jr. 70, cover-featuring the Terrible Topsy-Turvy Table! I can only presume the winged dude accompanying the table is a gremlin of some kind.
The Grand Comics Database tentatively credits the cover art for this issue to Joe Certa. Within this book, there was a contents page by Mac Raboy, "Captain Marvel, Jr. Battles Worry" by Otto Binder and Certa, a Judge Smudge filler by Howard Boughner and a Rubbernose Randolph filler by Art Helfant, Captain Kid in "the Fighting Fiasco" by Al Liederman, Captain Marvel, Jr. in "The Lure of Crime," art tentatively credited to Joe Certa, another set of Judge Smudge and Rubbernose Randolph fillers, Junior in "The Meerschaum Murders" with art tentatively credited to Bud Thompson, a Dopey Danny Dee filler by George Marko, Kanvasback in "The Sick Gladiator," the text piece "The Square Man" by Rod Reed, and finally, the cover feature, with art probably by Certa.
Oh, and the winged guy? Turns out he's Mite the Sprite. Nope, I never heard of him before, either.
Lest you think I've forgotten, over on the DC History list (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dchistory) we have a truism that for any possible cover theme, you're bound to find at least one Wonder Woman one... and here it is, with Diana surrounded by living clocks! I mean, I know the front of a clock is referred to as a face, but this is ridiculous! (at least the hands aren't actual hands, eh?)
The cover art for this issue is by Irv Novick. "The Trail of the Lost Hours" was by Robert Kanigher and Harry G. Peter, "The Moon of Peril" was by Kanigher and Peter, there was also a filler, "Ma Nature's Curiosity Shop" by Martin Naydel, "Wonder Women of History" featuring Harriet Quimby was by Julius Schwartz and Frank Harry, the text story "A Hunter Retires" (uncredited), an activity page by Naydel, "Wonder Woman's Twin" by Kanigher and Peter, and finally, a Buzzy PSA by Jack Schiff and Win Mortimer.
Join me next time for another installment of "Cover Stories," featuring another world-premiere "Comics They Never Made," and in the meantime, you can check out my blog at http://waffyjon.blogspot.com for other musings and ramblings by me, or email me with comments about this column at !
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