The Charlton Companions!

In addition to my year-long reading of the many, many works of the late, great Steve Ditko, I will be rekindling my longtime love of Charlton Comics, the company which welcomed and to some degree nurtured the work Ditko. He loved the artistic freedom he enjoyed at the company which paid such low page rates that they didn't dare tell him what to do. But the company was the home to more than a few wonderful talents such as Dick Giordano, Pat Boyette, Jim Aparo, Denny O'Neil, Steve Skeates, Sam Glanzman, Frank McLaughlin, Pete Morisi, John Byrne, Joe Staton, Mike Zeck, Wayne Howard, William Sattler, Joe Gill, Nick Cuti, and many more. 

To assist my long look at the Derby, Connecticut publisher I'll be using The Charlton Companion from the friendly folks at Twomorrows. This is a great history of the company, giving proper attention to the company from before its birth in a jail cell in the 1940's until its demise in the 1980's. 

There's also Charlton Neo to consider, a small outfit which reprinted some choice material as well as produced some new adventures of long forgotten heroes. Many of Charlton's best have appeared under the labels of other companies such as DC and AC among others. There's a lot to explore. 

The Charlton Companion is a derived and expanded upon from two seminal Comic Book Artist magazines from years ago. The first focused on the early years and the explosion of the "Action Heroes" line in the 1960's. The second looked at the rollicking 1970's spurt of horror titles and brand-new heroes such as E-Man among others. I've long loved Charlton Comics, so expect to see lots of covers as more of my vintage "Charlton Reports" posts. Charlton was a company eager to license characters, and I'll be looking into anything tied into such as that including the creations of Hanna-Barbera, Jay Ward and others. You might well be surprised how far that can be expanded. 

I will also revisit the delightful Charlton Spotlight fanzines from Charlton super-fan Michael Ambrose. This little magazine entertained me off and on during its intermittent but relentless run. Sadly, Ambrose has passed away, and I dedicated this year to him, arguably Charlton's finest fan. 

So, hang in there this year. I hope to take it a bit easier, but at the same time I want to deliver some fun. Look for Charlton-related reviews on Saturdays throughout the year. 

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Another Spotlight On Charlton!

As a diehard Charlton Comics fan (I'm not sure we come in any other variety) I eagerly anticipate the next issue of Mike Ambrose's singular Charlton Spotlight. The Spotlight has been shining off and on since the beginning of this century and has now reached its ninth issue. And the good news is this is the first one I was able to get through my comic book shop, which suggests good things going forward.

This one has its focus squarely on Will Franz, the man who as a mere teenager was crafting for the Derby company some of the most potent war yarns ever delivered to the comic book page. His epic tales for "The Lonely War of Captain Willy Schultz" is about a German-American soldier who gets stranded by circumstance between the dual loyalties of his heritage and his civil responsibility. The extended series which ran in the pages Fightin' Army is most often interpreted as a commentary on the unpopular Vietnam War.

Franz was also instrumental in delivering the adventures of "The Iron Corporal", an American fighting in the Australian army against the enemies of freedom in the Pacific.  In both instances, the regular artist was the great and indefatigable Sam Glanzman. The issue gives us a detailed interview with Franz.

Artistically this issue gives the reader a full page (inside cover) of Nick Cuti's offbeat "The Weird Kids". Atomic Rabbit hops aboard thanks to writer Donnie Pitchford and artist extraordinaire George Wildman (the great unsung talent who made me love Popeye). Also we have a real treat for us hillbillies as John Rose gives us a new Snuffy Smith comic starring his number one son Jughaid.

There is also an article by Ron Frantz offering up a detailed look at Charlton's peculiar cross-genre classic Space Western Comics with Spurs Jackson.

There is a lovely art gallery of sundry pieces from conventions and elsewhere by John Byrne, Nick Cuti, Hy Eisman, Tony Tallarico, Tom Sutton, Terry Austin, and Frank McLaughlin.

1 of the 3 Rarest Charlton Comics

Also on hand is a listing of "Charlton's Rarest Comic Books" by John Korfel. I have none of them...sigh.

2 of the 3 Rarest Charlton Comics

 The issue closes out with a great letters section. I already hanker for the next one. Thanks Mike.

3 of the 3 Rarest Charlton Comics

If you don't get Charlton Spotlight you should. Check out this link for more. 

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Return To Doomsday!

Doomsday +1 was a most memorable comic book from the friendly folks at Charlton. Produced by the combo of wily veteran Joe Gill and upstart John Byrne, this comic told the tale of three astronauts who find themselves in orbit when society is largely destroyed by nuclear attack. They return to a ruined world and find an ally in a giant ancient Goth released after centuries from his icy tomb and together these four stalwarts battle against aliens, mutants, robots, and more for six ferocious issues. For more detail go here.

The book was cancelled with a seventh story finally seeing publication in a few issues of The Charlton Bullseye. Then Charlton decided to reprint the six original comics and sales early on suggested it might be time to try a new installment, but with John Byrne unavailable editor George Wildman turned to Tom Sutton to whip up a new chapter. But then final sales reports were less impressive and the new material was tucked away for decades until Mike Ambrose, publisher of Charlton Spotlight got hold of it through auction and just this month has  published this time-lost gem for all true-blue Charlton fans.

The artwork needed a script so Mike contacted Nick Cuti to do the honors along with Bill Pearson on letters and  Donnie Pitchford on colors. What we have is a four-color blast from the past as the Doomsday +1 team set out to solve one more mystery on the devastated Earth. The threat this time comes from what was once Southern Europe and the team finds mysterious high-tech warriors in the garb of the Roman legions awaiting them, but that's just one of many secrets in this story's raucous fifteen pages. No decompressed storytelling here.

Here's a glimpse of the complete Tom Sutton cover from the back of Charlton Spotlight. After hearing about this lost story for years, it's exceedingly sweet to finally get a chance to enjoy it.

And one more time here is the front cover. To order your own copy go here, and tell Mike that I sent you.

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Spotlight On Charlton!

Charlton Spotlight #8 was just announced and is ready for shipment. For a detailed list of the contents check out this link. Mike Ambrose, a Charlton super-fan of the first rank has managed over the last decade or more to put out eight outstanding issues of this wonderful magazine. Truly labors of love, these highly affordable gems offer riches galore for any fan of the long defunct but still fondly remembered Charlton Comics Group, the little publisher from Derby, Connecticut who for many decades gave the fans an alternative to the big New York houses.

There's no hiding my love for this little company, which was always about the bottom line, but was still able to corral and make good use of talents like Steve Ditko, Pat Boyette, Jim Aparo, Rocke Mastroserio, Joe Gill, Pete Morisi, Dick Giordano, Tom Sutton, George Wildman, and more. Charlton was a training ground for many in the industry, a place to hone those comic book skills for small money, but big opportunity. John Byrne, Joe Staton, Mike Vosburg, Mike Zeck, Wayne Howard, Don Newton, Denny O'Neil, and many others found their way through to greater success by way of Charlton.

This latest issue of Charlton Spotlight focuses on Nicola "Nick" Cuti, one of the great editors and writers of Charlton in its Bronze Age heyday and the guy who along with Joe Staton dreamed up my all-time favorite superhero, the totally awesome E-Man. On top of that this issue features the debut of Tom Sutton's unpublished Doomsday +1 story, a long-hidden Charlton gem.

Get yourself a copy. And while you're at it, check out the awesome back issues, all of which are still available. Below is a cover gallery of those past issues. And say hi to Mike, tell him I sent you.

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