AtlasFan

A Detective I still need ahem.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280201861628&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=018

These are really nice issues - inspite of the hole-punches. Wonderful covers. Strange Tales 79 is a fantastic cover. I originally purchased this in the early 80s becuase I heard that it had a "Dr Strange" prototype (and it does). But it was the cover that tuned me on to obtaining these (at the time) forgotten little gems. Bill

KUDOs right back at you Tom! A real gentleman. It took me an hour to get through that buttlet-proof packaging! That issue has a nice home in my Ditko collection. Thanks again. Bill

Tell me about it! It took quite a while to get a nice set of JIM from 50-59 together. I will say that the thing I like best about the early days of the pre-hero books are the Ditko covers. Dont get me wrong, I love a Kirby cover, but after 1959, Ditko covers are almost non existent (except for Amazing Adult Fantasy). I also wish there were more Heck covers as well. That TOS #1 posted earlier is just so dynamic. I always wondered why Heck didnt re-create some of those when these storied were reprinted in Creatures On the Loose, etc. I believe he was still at Marvel in the early seventies. Bill

I would love to see a cover with the Malachi Brothers!

How about a little Journey Into Mystery? These early fantasy entries don't get much press, but they do have some great covers! This issue has a nifty cover by Joe Sinnott. A rare Heath cover - the feature story is by Ditko. Wonderful Viking/Alien warriror cover by Kirby. Another great giant robot, with a Ditko time-travel story inside. And another Kong inspired cover. The cover story is by Ditko - about the capture, and consequences of capturing a Yeti.

Glad you all like em! As I am home with the flu again today {cough, cough} I will see if I can spend some quality time scanning some more stuff!

Thanks a bunch Blind Owl. It took the better part of 15 years to put together my pre-hero collection.. As for Amazing Adventures...Its a shame that good ol' Doctor Droom never made it, at least once, to the cover.

Next Round.... AMAZING ADVENTURES! Another one of those great yellow covers: Ok, so he's pink. Big deal..MANOO is still scary! Great Kirby dino cover - not a monster, just a typical T-Rex, but ohboy! "I AM X" is one of the greatest fantasy stories ever done - right up there with your favorite Twilight Zone episode. Why dosent someone make a movie from this story? Monsteroso expresses his opinion about the coming New World Order..(I think Gorgo had a similar opinion) SSerpo must have been the biggest mosnter of them all...If you have ever seen the American Godzilla film, they rip-off the origin of the American Godzilla from this story! (He looks a lot like The Thing from FF1 - w/o pants!)

There's nothing like a classic black background cover - especially by Mr. Ditko. Bill

It is truly one of my favorite covers. Not only are the descending aliens seem endless and go on beyond the horizon, but Kirby gave a lot of detail to the masses in the crowd.

Here is my 2nd wave of TTA. Great Steve Ditko cover: One of my favorite covers, Gorgilla: a fanother fantastic Kirby/Ditko collaboration: Love this cover. It would have made a wonderful Sci-Fi movie poster: This is another White Mountian. I really like the brown backgrounds - they are not as colorful as some of the DC Sci-Fi, but they sure do catch the eye. Remarkable stuff. Bill

Its a shame that Buscema didnt do more pre-hero sci-fi covers. This is one of my favorite covers by Big John.

So the ladies tell me! Sweet...Check out my Gorgo.

Here are a few more. I just love the deep dark greens, blues and purples used in the background -- they just make the characters pop right out at ya!

Here is a parade of great early HOUSE OF SECRETS.

Hey, NO CHARLTONS!!!!!!!!!! How dare you profane this thread with one of those.. I have tried to get THECHARLTONGUY to start a scif-fi Charlton thread, but if he dosent do it soon, we may have to take matters into our own hands. Nice Konga! Bill

PRE-HERO ALTAS THROW-DOWN!!!! I will start things off with a smattering of TTA... Great homage to King Kong! Again, who dosent love a giant robot cover? THORR - the aliens that settled on Easter Island... Vandoom - he's big, he's bad, he's ...wax? Rommbu - my favorite orange monster.. X - he runs with the rats...

Could this be a GGA cover? (Good Grandma Art, that is)

Time to kick this thread back to life again... Here are a couple of White Mountain copies of Tales to Astonish. I just love Easter Island motif covers....

Who dosent love a giant robot cover? The orange and purple sky is just breath-taking. Just when you think that Z has shown you everything, he pulls out one of these babies! TOTU #23 is also a great book! I am a big fan of canary yellow covers. Bill

Does anyone recall the issue where Donald and the boys explore caves and find an underground civilization, monsters, etc - ala Journey to the Center of the Earth? thanks, Bill

Those high grade Unexpecteds are so...unexpected.

Thats a great site! It gives you an idea of what kids would see on the racks of he local candy store on any given month and year! I would love to see a Marvel verison of that! Bill

Well, I did enjoy the Kirby Green Arrow issues - all too fleeting. This was some of Kirby's best work.. I often wonder where he could have taken GA had he the chance to develop the character.. Bill