Covers Of The RBCC

A few days ago i made mention that we should run another batch of covers from the Rocket's Blast Comic Collector at some time soon to follow. But, once again, my wicked brain was playing with my perceptions...  we've never run a batch of RBCC covers, merely had a few included in previous posts on the topic.

Well, seems like a good time while i'm sorting through other bits. I thinned out the batch i'd pulled by eliminating duplications of artists. Some did quite a few for the zine; we could do a post of nothing but Don Newton covers (and we just might, but not today).

Presented here we've got 21 covers - just about 15% representation with a mix of established and soon-to-be professionals, semi-pros, and talented fans. They're stacked in chronological order, and we'll label each with the artist's name.


John Fantucchio-

 Robert Kline-

John Adkins Richardson-

Mason-

Juanillo-

Richard Corben-

Gil Kane-

R.C. Harvey-

Don Rosa-

Berni Wrightson-

Bob Susor-

Tom Sutton-

Mike Zeck-

Frank Brunner-

Steve Fabian-

Ralph Fowler- 

Kerry Gammill-

Wendy Pini-

Marc Hempel-

Lonny Fawcett-

Ron Wilber-

As we've seen and will continue to explore, there were many treasures tucked away behind the covers of the RBCC, like well wrapped presents.

cover art by indicated artists from RBCC #s 55-152 (1967-1982)

A Gen-u-ine Pin-Up Duck

Despite that title, there'll be nary a sign of Howard The Duck in this post. He's busy with the Guardians Of The Galaxy this season; also he doesn't fit our Old Friends Week theme.

Today we'll be talking about another duck, one from Howie Post. We've got a question leading into this one...

When is a Funny Animal not a Funny Animal?

Doodles Duck may be listed in the 1940s Funny Animalphabet, but he and his friends are a grey area. A brightly coloured grey area, but nonetheless...  Are they really Funny Animals if they're toys? 

Folks have been doing toys-come-alive stories long before the Toy Story movies, and Howie was doing it back in 1947 with a series he launched in Leading Comics, starting in #23. They were short, just 5 pages each, so here are the first three stories to introduce Doodles and his Toyland Playmates to you...

A couple issues later, Post decided he could take things further. If toys can come to life for the stories, why not pictures in books?
 

Howie had fun in Toyland for a few years with Doodles, and when he headed off to other strips, Sheldon Mayer took over for for several more years. But, if you go looking, it can be a bit tricky to follow. The strip bounced around between different comics. Besides Leading Comics (and Leading Screen Comics), Doodles also appeared in Comic Cavalcade, Funny Folks (and Hollywood Funny Folks), Funny Stuff, Movietown's Animal Antics, The Raccoon Kids, Nutsy Squirrel, Real Screen Comics, Peter Porkchops, and The Dodo and The Frog.

So...  Happy Hunting!

page art by Howie Post from Leading Comics #s 23-25 & 27 (1947)

Death Ain't Supposed To Hurt!

Well, damn - this one's way behind. 

Between February and May of last year we ran four out of the five tales of Joe Guy - America's Foremost Hero! I kind of thought we'd run them all, but discovered that was pure delusion. So today, at long last, we have the final tale. If you don't want to go back and read those above links and don't know who Joe Guy is, here's the short version: He's the illegitimate son of Superboy and Amelia Earhardt, now marketing himself as America's Foremost Hero!™. Beyond that, just know that it's a weird world. I mean, different weird from how this one's gotten. And not a particularly enlightened one, though that may well be intentional. Partly, at least.

First up, here's the spread from the top of the first two pages, since you can't see the image when the pages are stacked vertically...

Now on with Jim Stenstrum & Abel Laxamana's twisted tale...
 

That whale splat rates somewhere between Oregon and Magrathea. But don't bet on this one making it to video.

page art by Abel Laxamana for The Rook #13 (1982)