Stan, Jack, and Steve - The 1950's. (1954) 4 4

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS APRIL 1954

There's no My Friend Irma for the month, so Stan's main contribution is Millie the Model #53. Again, these aren't stories as much as placeholders for DeCarlo's art, but then that's the actual point - they're to look at, and for Stan to somehow take credit for. 

[Prince Namor]

One other story he did was for Crazy #7. 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS APRIL 1954

Joe Maneely's big book for the month was the first appearance of the Ringo Kid. No writer is listed, so it would be assumed that he possibly wrote it as well. I'm a fan of Maeely's art, but when it comes to action, he's no Kirby, which is what much of the Marvel Silver Age was built around. And Maneely's work is very heavily genre-driven, whereas Kirby tended to pull in outside ideas and configure them into a comic book format.

Sure, Kirby had a head start within the business,  but even in 1954, we're seeing elements of this within Ditko's work as well, and he started 7 years after Maneely.

To think, Maneely would've had an impact on the creation of the Marvel Universe... I just haven't seen it. Unless people mean impact, as in the same way as Gene Colan and Don Heck did. 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS APRIL 1954

One of his other stories for the month I wanted to highlight was 'The Ragged Army' in Battlefront #21. This is the other genre that Maneely was exceptional in. Paul Newman was the writer and he liked to use Maneely for some of these semi-historical stories in Battlefront. 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS APRIL 1954

As the Senate Hearings were going on this very month, the comic publishers of course had no idea (that I know of) that it would be taking place, as they prepared covers, at least two months in advance.... it's obvious, they either didn't know or didn't care!

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Stan released no material to the newsstand this month .... not sure if that means anything, because anything he would've done would've been prepared two to three months earlier. 

Edited June 9, 2022 by Prince Namor

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Jack Kirby & Joe Simon debut their own Comic Publication - Mainline Comics, starting off with Bulls Eye #1. This is a superhero/western hybrid, and a favorite of Kirby fans over the years, though it isn't as well known as some of his other work. But it IS an important one. It's great example of how Kirby can take genre work, turn it on it's head, and create something new and innovative - rather than just repeat the same old themes. 

[Prince Namor]

Part 2

Kirby does the splash and provides some layouts, as we see the 'Youth' part of Bulls Eyes origin.

[Prince Namor]

Part 3

The same here as Kirby doe most of the splash page and then some layouts and touch ups through the rest of the story. This is the completion of Bulls Eyes origin, as he has grown into a man.

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Also out in May from Simon & Kirby was Fighting American #3, where Kirby really starts to ramp up the fun in this comic....

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Steve Ditko is especially busy this month as he again has the entirety of The Thing #15 to himself, including the cover. This first story is another that the writer is unknown and could've been Ditko himself... story is certainly macabre enough...

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Another story from the Thing #15, writer unknown, could very well BE from the Marvel pre-hero pages... classic Ditko!

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Ditko also did the cover for Strange Suspense Stories #19, as well as a creepy little 6 page story... he was already becoming a go to guy for Charlton and making a name for himself.  

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

And lastly, he did the cover and a 6 page tale for This Magazine is Haunted #18. Another story that could just have easily been in a pre-hero Marvel comic!

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Don Rico and John Romita would give us the final issue of Captain America in the month of May... Human Torch would end that month as well...

 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS MAY 1954

Bill Everett's Sub-Mariner would last another year though...

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS JUNE 1954

Stan was back for the books released on the newsstand in June, with Millie The Model #56 and My Friend Irma #46.

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS JUNE 1954

Millie was upping the... sex appeal. But nothing really new. 

Edited June 10, 2022 by Prince Namor

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS JUNE 1954

Jack Kirby & Joe Simon's Mainline Comics released two new number #1's for June, with In Love #1, continuing the romance genre they had successfully brought to comics, and Police Trap #1 to cover the crime comics angle. 

[Prince Namor]

ON NEWSSTANDS JUNE 1954

Jack also did a story to help Joe & his commitment to Crestwood... again, these are the same sort of stories he'd do for Marvel in a few years. It's easy to see that Jack had a full command of writing and drawing these stories...