AtlasFan

Very interesting that you mention those particular issues. It was around this time that there was a big shake-up in the DC editorial offices and DC's biggest "fellow traveler", Jack Schiff, fell out of power. Schiff would retire 2 years later. Its also about this time that the CAPTAIN HUNTER feature started to appear in OFF. By the way, the WW and CAPTAIN HUNTER series were both written by Kanigher. Schiff was also responsible for scripting DC's PSAs. Here is an interesting link to a blog with a regular feature about PSAs. http://www.politedissent.com/index.php?s=schiff&submit=search I'm not saying that these DC PSAs are pro-communist, but if you read them all at once, you do see a bit of a progressive pattern forming. Anyway, I love the Moreira artwork! Bill

I'm glad to see this topic revisited! I have read a number of recent interviews in ALTER_EGO conducted with DC editor George Kashdan. According to Kashdan, there was an unwritten rule that the Reds or Communists were not used as protagonists in not only the war stories, but in any DC books. He also said that there were plenty of "fellow travelers" in the DC editorial staff (with the exception of Kanigher). I could not find one instance of a Communist related story in any of the DC sci-fi fantasy titles of the 50s or early 60s. I don't know of any stories where the DC Big 3 (Superman, Batman or Wonder Woman) encountered the Reds either. Any time a story involved spies or sabotage, the "offending nation" was generally opaque as to who they represented in the real world. As to Mick's point, I (respectfully) disagree that just because Timley/Atlas was hard on the Nazis during WW2, does not necessarily mean they had a greater proclivity to lean to the left. This is evidenced by their non-stop Red-bashing that continued well into the Marvel hero age. However, I do think this may have been the case at DC, as the Nazi covers escalated in their war books during the 50's & 60's. Maybe DC editors subscribed to the mantra that "the enemy of my friend is also my enemy"?

I think I posted some Superman stuff last summer and didnt get much of a bite -- mostly some nice HG Actions. Let me know if you have any holes in your collection that you want me to fill (-- ouch, I think you know what I ment!

Is there a market for HG Superman family (Action, Superman, Superboy, Adventure, JO, LL) books from the mid-50s thu early 60s? I have been trying to sell some nice HG stuff last year, but there seems to be little interest.

The term "prototype", in its literal sense, is a bit of a misnomer when it comes to these books. I've heard it argued that a better term would probably be "precursor". With the exception of the "Man in the Ant-hill" story in TTA 27, there are no direct literal connections to the "prototypes" and the actual Marvel characters that they are associated with. However, I do think its important to the comic book historian to be able to link these pre-hero "precursors" to the later Marvel characters that would draw inspiration from them. These stories are a great insight to the early days of Marvel. I have always been a fan of the very early Silver Age Marvel stories and just when I thought I had read all of them, I discovered that there were earlier stories that were drawn by the same artists and written in the same style. When I sought these books out, I realized that there were more to these stories than just fantasy tales - they were a springboard of ideas that would be recycled and refined into some of Marvels most popular characters. Prototypes are fun to read and even more fun to find. There are prototypes to be found beyond the pre-hero books, my children...look for them in DC, Charlton, & Harvey fantasy titles (to name a few). Bill

Great book! I love that cover. Hmm. When will CGC start putting prototype information on the CGC label?

That looks great! Who is the recreation artist?

Psst. Hey, I reduced the prices on those nice BATTLE books I was selling last week. http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4547190#Post4547190

Psst...I just put up some nice Kirby/Ditko/Heck issues of BATTLE over in the Sales forum. http://boards.collectors-society.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=4547190#Post4547190

Nice Book. I love Amazing Adventures! I didnt will the Clink auction, but here is my copy of #4 Here is not only one of my favorite pre-hero robot covers, but stories as well! A great morality play about what it really means to be human -- and how a machine can show ... wait a minute. I posted this the other day...Nevermind.

It's really amazing...after almost 25+ years of collecting pre-hero monster books, hunting down the most obscure prototypes, etc. I had never knew that this Millie story existed. Just goes to show ya that there are still surprises and buried treasures out there! Bill

Here's what's inside. Nice going Adam...and here I thought my collection was complete. Now I must get this last scrap of pre-hero monster apocrypha!

So who said there were no Atlas pre-hero wash cover? This one also has a pretty cool Iron man prototype story to boot!

Lets start out the new year right! Here is not only one of my favorite pre-hero robot covers, but stories as well! A great morality play about what it really means to be human -- and how a machine can show more humanity than some people. Great stuff.

I dunno...Ive seen the preview for this new GL movie and I get that "Daredevil" feeling. Dont get me wrong, SC22 is a great issue and GL's origin is one of my favorites...but if the film is a flopperoo, I hope we wont be seeing any SC22 bonfires!

Love that cover! The only thing missing from it is Mr Henry Bemis...looking for his glasses. Bill

Thank goodness the UNKNOWN WORLDS took the brunt of the damage in that basement. Cool story. Thanks for sharing it! Bill

Cheetah, Were ALL these books from that Kentucky collection you recently scored??? Please, you just HAVE to tell us all the gory details about how you came upon these beauts! Bill

OOBA DOOBA! Wow. Those are a great bunch of books ya got there my fine feline friend. Strange Worlds is such an underappreciated title -- I am glad to see some of those books get some limelight. Is there an interesting story behind this collection? I love a good story. Bill

Ah, TTA #3 -- great Giant Robot cover! Actually its really more of a giant guy in a giant robot suit -- Iron man prototype anyone?

I just had to share this with my fellow Silver Age/Dennis fans. I was looking at my favorite SA cover..B&B #25 -- the first app. of Kanigher/Andru & Esposito's SUICIDE SQUAD and I was thinking how much Karin reminded me of a certian comic strip mom, so I contacted Ron Ferdinand (who currently does the Dennis Sunday strip) and wa-la...

Wow, nice books! Where did ya score those beauts? Those would look so great next to some nice copies of FIGHTING AMERICAN -- PRVT. STRONG is almost as rare at FA in that grade too! Bill

Wow, I really like those Frogman covers...its really a great sub-genre collecting nitch! I know some of you "war snobs" dont like the dino covers, but here are some dino / frogmen covers that should not be overlooked...

Jimbo, you are correct, sir...JIM #54 is a toughie. I love this Kirby homage to KING KONG!

Nice book, and a great story -- it was "inspired" by the Theodore Sturgeon short story -- KILLDOZER, where an alien life form takes over a giant steam-shovel and wrecks havoc! It was also a great 70s made-for-TV movie, by the way.