Marvel-ous Monday: Three Weird Wonder Tales with art by Powell, Wildey, and Torres

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Doing something wild, weird, and (hopefully) wonderful on this first Monday of September 2018 (Labor Day to those of us in the U.S.): focusing on three specific reprints from Marvel's Weird Wonder Tales #7 (September 1974). While the venerable Grand Comics Database doesn't list the author(s) for this trio of shockers, Ol' Groove can't help but wonder if Stan Lee didn't write some or all of 'em. (He did edit them.) "It Walks Erect!" was drawn (again, as per the info on GCD) by Bob Powell, "The Wrath of Chondu!" was drawn by Doug Wildey (though a certain Wikipedia entry credits George Evans--Ol' Groove sides with GCD), and "Prisoner of the Fantastic Fog" was illustrated by Angelo Torres. Why did Ol' Groove choose these three seemingly random tales from a seemingly random ish of a reprint mag focused on pre-Marvel Age sci fi? To separate the MEN from the boys? Literally? 'Cause, for those of you who were around during the Groovy Age, you probably already know, especially when you realize that the stories feature Arthur Nagan, Jerry Morgan, and Chondu. For those of you still scratching your HEADs, you can cheat and google search, or follow the above links, or...you can wait 'til next Monday to learn...the big secret!

Cover art by Larry Lieber and Vinnie Colletta

Black and White Wednesday: "Within the Torture Chamber!" by Pagan and Wildey

Greetings, my Groovy Ghoulies! Who'd'a thunkit? While Doug Wildey was conjuring up cartoon masterpieces like Johnny Quest and The Herculoids, he was hiding a decidedly darker side. A side that writer Kevin Pagan (a horror-writer's name if ever there was one!) could tap into in order to create monster-pieces like "Within the Torture Chamber!" for Nightmare #5 (cover-dated August 1971). Dig it--if you dare...

Black and White Wednesday: "Corpse by Computer!" by Kanigher and Wildey

From Skywald's Nightmare #21 (Summer 1974), here's a reprint (from Nightmare #6) of a Robert Kanigher and Doug Wildey macabre minor masterpiece that simultaneously hits and wildly misses the computer dating scene of both the 70s and today. Once you read "Corpse by Computer!" you might wanna re-think that visit to e-harmony dot com!

Black and White Wednesday: "Power of the Pen!" by Moench and Wildey

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Here's a dreadful doozie from a double-Doug bunch--Dougs Moench and Wildey, that is! What's especially cool about this Horror-Mood masterpiece is that it stars none other than Stan Lee and Archie Goodwin--sorta. This'un's from Skywald's Nightmare Yearbook 1974 (reprinted from Psycho #5). Turn down the lights and pull up the covers as you learn..."The Power of the Pen!"

Random Reads: "Moonlight and Mayhem!" by Wessler and Wildey

Ya know, Groove-ophiles, the great Doug Wildey (Jonny Quest and Rio creator, don'tcha know) didn't do nearly enough comicbook work during the Groovy Age. A few issues of a DC war mag here, an ish of Jonah Hex there. But when he did draw a story...WOW! Here's some Wildey magic on a forgotten fear-fable written by Carl Wessler from DC's Unexpected #193 (June 1979) called "Moonlight and Mayhem!" Dig it, baby!

Jonah Hex Weekend! The Many (UGLY) Faces of Jonah Hex

Salutations, Groove-o-sabes! Today we're gonna take a look at the many, well, there's no other word for it, ugly faces of Jonah Hex. During the Groovy Age, a virtual army of artists took turns depicting our hideous hero of the Old West. Starting with co-creator Tony DeZuniga, the tradition of u.g.l.y.-you-ain't-got-no-alibi kept on truckin'. From "kinda ugly" to "repulsively ugly" to "my eyes! oh lord my eyes!" ugly, Jonah is always recognizable--yet unique to each pencil-pusher. Now, I haven't gotten pics from every artist to bring Hex to four-color life, but I do have a whole passel of 'em! From Weird Western Tales to Jonah's own mag, we're covering the whole first decade of Hex-dom! Enjoy!