Stylin' With Dick & Rex

So... yesterday i was lamenting how we only saw one episode of Flint Baker drawn by Dick Briefer, and how nice it would have been to see that visual style continue for a while.

But, as it turns out - we did get more; two years' worth -

It just wasn't on Flint Baker.

Four months before Planet Comics #1 hit the stands with Flint Baker, Mystery Men Comics #1 premiered another planetary adventurer from Briefer -

Rex Dexter ran in the first 24 issues of Mystery Men, plus one issue of his own title - though that was mostly reprints. (On the other hand, when dealing with comics from 1939, reprints can be a nice thing to have around)

As you can see here, the distinctive stylings of his Flint Baker work are very present in Rex's strip -

Well, now i guess you probably want to see Rex in action, hmm?
I suppose we can manage that. But this post is fairly lengthy already, so - another time.

Meanwhile, here's a build-your-own Briefer style rocket kit:

art by Dick Briefer for Mystery Men Comics, various #s from 1-24 and Rex Dexter #1 (1939, 1940, 1941)

Stylin' With Dick & Flint

Back in the beginning, Flint Baker was stylin' hard. Whether driving...

...or flying...

...and not just his vehicles. His world had style, from rocket fleets ...

...to architecture...

...his world looked pretty cool. In the beginning, that is.

His first tale in Planet Comics #1 was drawn by Dick Briefer, who gave it a vibrantly distinctive look. Sadly, it seems to be the only episode he drew. After that, it was written & drawn under the house name Starr Gayza and the look and feel of the strip shifted dramatically.

Briefer went on to create his own highly unique version of a famous classic character, with whom we'll be revisiting soon. For the moment, let's enjoy that first episode of The Planetary Adventures Of Flint Baker -

I would have liked to have seen an ongoing strip done with this style. Ah, well. If that had happened, then we might not have gotten to see Briefer's other creation...

page art by Dick Briefer for Planet Comics #1 (1940)

Leaving Wonderland

If you've been reading along, you know we've been looking at one of Howie Post's odd little delights - Alex In Wonderland. Alex had only 9 tales in which appeared in the 9 issues of Wonderland Comics, along with a few other series from Howie including M'sieu Macaw and Max The Magician. The book also featured another character we'll visit later - The Boy Pirate (with at least one drawn by Howie's old ...mentor? (no, that's not it) ... Ellis Chambers).

But, for now, let's finish up Alex's trips to Wonderland with his two final tales -

I guess Howie knew this was going to be the last Alex In Wonderland tale, because Alex gets run out of Wonderland!

Okay - maybe not.
Or, maybe. That last line from Macaw could be referring to the Wonderland in reader's imaginations since he didn't say anything about next issue or Wonderland Comics.

Whatever the case, 72 years later we still haven't seen them again on the printed page. (But if you're really dying for some more Alex, issues 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, & 9 featured Alex In Wonderland stories for the required two text pages.)

One thing i neglected to point out, though the credit was visible on page one - the first Alex In Wonderland story wasn't written by Howie Post. It was the work of Jerry Gale. Later stories are thought to have been written by Howie, but that may not be the case.

page art by Howie Post for Wonderland Comics #s 8 & 9 (1946, 1947)