Thanks to Charlie Horse 47 and Killdumpster for their sponsorship of this post, via the magic of Patreon.
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As we saw last month, we've entered a period in which Atlas/Seaboard is visibly receding from every shop that sells comics.
However, Chip and Martin Goodman are clearly not men to go down without a fight.
And so, this month, the venture brings us four more books to feast our eyes and minds upon.
Not me.
To be honest, even as an eleven-year-old, I was sceptical of this claim.
However, now even she meets her doom, as her fourth and final issue hits our spinner racks and does so with a bunch of tales reprinted from late 1960s Tower Comics' Tippy Teen issues.
Inside this not-so-death-defying issue, Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson spin a yarn in which feuding samurais encounter trouble with giant spiders.
We also discover eight pages of The Kromag Saga which I'm struggling to recall the details of. I think it might be a Ka-Zar type thing.
Then there's action from Tough Cop. I think that might be a law-enforcement type thing.
Then there's an article about The Towering Inferno.
And we round the issue off with Town Tamer and A Job Well Done. Both of which stories, I have no recollection.
Doom is piled upon doom because the Destructor too has met his Waterloo.
His fourth and final outing sees Gerry Conway and Steve Ditko produce a thriller the world can only know as Doomsday -- Minus One. Exactly what it entails, I'm struggling to remember but it looks to involve cave action with someone called The Outcasts!
The Grand Comics Database informs me our hero gains energy powers in this story.
This is good.
Energy is useful.
Does anyone know where I might be able to read that Simonson / Goodwin story online?
ReplyDeleteI love early Walt Simonson.
Matthew:
DeleteIt’s at the “Diversions of the Groovy Age” site.
b.t.
Thanks BT - it looks great.
DeleteSteve:
ReplyDeleteTHRILLING ADVENTURE 2 is one of the best single issues published by Atlas, if only for the art.
Let’s start with that excellent painted cover by Neal Adams. It wouldn’t look out of place on Marvel’s Post-Conan SAVAGE TALES. Possibly, it’s why you’re reminded of Kay-Zarr. The story it illustrates is a Caveman thing with unappealing art by Jack Sparling.
“The Temple of the Spider” is a nifty sword-and-sorcery story set in feudal Japan by Archie Goodwin and Walter Simonson.
“Tough Cop” is about a retired cop vs. some crooks. It’s pretty basic but nicely drawn by Russ Heath.
“Town Tamer” is a WW2 story. I don’t remember much about it but the art is by John Severin, so I’m sure it looks good, at least.
“A Job Well Done” is about a tough-as-nails cop fighting drug dealers in
the (then) near-future. The art by the great Alex Toth is the highlight of the issue for me.
b.t.
Destructor was decent enough to survive.
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% with b.t., Thrilling Adventure Stories #2 is a wee comic book gem, and Destructor #3 isn't that bad either. We must be nearing the end of their run.
ReplyDelete