Judomaster - This One's For Pop!

Judomaster #97 is dated October 1967. Story and art are credited to Frank McLaughlin. 

The lead story is titled "This One's For Pop!" and begins with Rip Jagger and Tiger heading back to the U.S. and Rip returning to his college alma mater an ivy league school named Bridgeport. Rip takes Tiger into the gym area where he meets up with his old boxing coach Pop McKeon. Soon after a former classmate and now professional boxer Rocky Vars shows up. Rip notices that Pop seems agitated at Rocky's arrival as he and Tiger leave. They later attend a series of matches between Bridgeport and New Haven and it comes down to the final bout featuring Pop's new star Johnny. But after doing very well in the match, Johnny takes a dive to lose the match. Rip goes to see Pop about it but he denies it, and so does Johnny when Rip confronts him. Rip sends Tiger to follow Pop then heads to Pop's home where he meets Joanne McKeon, Pop's daughter who has grown up since Rip left. She leaves to go on a date with Rocky Vars. 

Then Tiger shows up and reports what he has seen following Pop, specifically a meeting with a shadowed figure which confirms that something illicit is going on. Pop shows up at his house and Rip confronts him again and he finally admits that Rocky Vars has been behind the scheme and has threatened Joanne's life. Rip then becomes Judomaster and confronts Rocky and the two put on gloves and have a boxing bout, which goes well enough for Judomaster until Rocky kicks him then Judomater beings to use his other skills and finally knocks out Rocky. Then one of Rocky's henchmen pulls a gun, but Tiger and Johnny appear and soon enough the gang is subdued. Johnny then admits he loves Joanne and the story ends with the lovers kissing and Judomaster and Tiger slipping away out the door. 

Sarge Steel returns in a story written by Steve Skeates, drawn by Dick Giordano and again with A.Machine on letters. The story is title "Case of the Widow's Revenge" and it is File 114. The story begins with a car trying to run down Sarge at a local newsstand but missing and demolishing the newsstand killing the proprietor a blind man we only see in profile named Old Charlie. Sarge then runs down an alley when he hears footsteps and is soon shot at, but he returns fire and kills his attacker. Returning to his car he finds a beautiful woman wrapped in a fur stole waiting for him. She claims to be the niece of Donald Reynolds a man Sarge sent to prison and who died there. His wife is the one behind the attempts on Sarge's life along with his old partner a man named Ralph Gonner. Sarge then goes to Gonner's house and confronts him becomes convinced he's not involved. Returning home he finds a figure in the dark waiting for him, but quickly turning on the lights blinds the person and after a quick exchange of gunfire he finds the girl who turns to be the daughter of Reynolds and not his niece and she is the one behind the plot. She dies in Sarge's arms and he reminds us all what a rotten world it is. 

"Flips and Counters with Judomaster" offers up four letters. There is some discussion of Charlton's cover design specifically the image of Judomater breaking a board which has been an emblem since early in the series. Giordano say he's phasing that out with the next issue. Also of some question is the Japanese characters which are part of the decoration on the top banner of the comic alongside Judomaster's head. Giordano says he's been told by McLaughlin they have something to do with Judo, but he's not sure what exactly. Giordano also speaks to the question of credits and says flat out that Frank McLaughlin has "written and drawn every issue of JM to date". This seems consistent save for the debut which lists Joe Gill as the scripter. Doubtless McLaughlin plotted that issue also. 

This is a neat little issue. The story gets Judomaster stateside again and if the series had continued, I'm curious how much of his past life we would've eventually have seen. There is the neat notion here that his training as a boxer helped him master his judo skills more quickly perhaps. Because he is the scripter of the debut Joe Gill is almost always mentioned as the co-creator of Judomaster. But it seems pretty obvious that Frank McLaughlin is the guy behind the character through and through. Gill as great as he was, seems to get a bit of glory he doesn't quite deserved in this instance. Below are some original art images from this story. These are the last five pages of the tale.

To read the complete comic book go to this link. 

One more Judomaster to come. 

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Sarge Steel - The Third Hand!

Secret Agent Volume 2 #10 is dated October 1967. This is full year after the previous issue. Since that last issue Sarge Steel became a back-up feature in Judomaster, and also guest-starred in a few Thunderbolt issues. I've covered the Judomaster appearances, and I've reviewed his crossover in The Sentinels in Thunderbolt. The cover is by Dick Giordano and the sub-title is "The Iron Man with Steel Fist - Sarge Steel". The story is drawn by Dick Giordano, scripted by Steve Skeates, and lettered by D. Brazycki. Note that the number of this file fits in between the appearances in Judomaster. 

Part I of File #113 "The Case of the Third Hand" begins right in the middle of the action as bullets are fired at Sarge and his date a lovely lady named Linda Velvet. Sarge orders her to stay down as he tries to get at the shooter which he does, wounding the fellow but not before Linda is shot and seriously hurt. Sarge rushes her to the hospital and after seeing to her and making a report returns to the crime scene but is unable to identify the sniper. Filled with guilt he uses all his resources both official and unofficial to uncover the culprit, but he is shocked when his secretary Bessie tells him he has a visitor, an old friend name Lowell Wade from the C.I.A. Wade tells Sarge that Velvet was actually an informant for the spy ring "The Third Hand" and that was why she was shot. Sarge doesn't believe him, but then news comes that the hospital where Velvet is staying is under attack. Sarge and Wade rush to the site, but are too late as Velvet has been killed by a gas grenade attack. Sarge vows to bring the villains to justice.

Part II "Photo Finish" begins with Sarge going to Velvet's apartment to investigate but he finds two thugs there already. After a struggle he is caught in a powerful bearhug by one of the thugs, a giant of a man and knocked out. When he comes to, he finds a beautiful woman kneeling over him. She is Sarah "Sally" Tempest and she claims to be a friend of Velvet's. The apartment has been ransacked. As they talk another man appears, a friend of Tempest's named Hobart Jeffries. All three chat but then Sarge finds a clue a picture of a two-bit gunsel named Johnny Vance. Sarge goes to his own apartment to find it too has been ransacked but the interlopers are still there. The take him at gunpoint to meet with Johnny Vance at his fancy home. After a few questions which Sarge refuses to answer Vance orders his men to attack.

Part III "Blues for Linda" begins with Sarge getting punched around by Vance's thugs, but he turns the tables and using his superior skills defeats the thugs, even getting to Vance who winces from a shoulder wound. Now Sarge knows that Vance was the man who shot Linda and is the man he had wounded. He knocks Vance out and heads back to his office having fully unlocked the secrets. He finds Sally Tempest in his office going through his desk and tells her that he knows the whole story. She is the one involved with The Third Hand and used Linda, playing on their friendship. She had used blackmail to keep Johnny Vance at bay when he wanted her position in the organization and there were documents she had that he wanted. Linda had them and when Vance had learned of her betrayal he had tried to shoot her. The documents were still missing though. While Sarge is relating this tale a hand appears from nowhere and knocks him out. When he recovers he finds Hobart Jefferies has arrived and it was Hobart who had killed Linda with the grenade at the hospital. But Sarge is able get Sally to think that Hobart has betrayed her and when she shoots him, Sarge is able to disarm her and turns her over to the authorities. Later he talks to Wade and shows him a Coney Island plush bunny which had been in his car and had belonged to Linda. The documents were inside all the time. The story closes as Sarge somberly reflects on the romance that might have been.

The back-up feature is Tiffany Sinn. Tiffany Sinn had two previous appearances in Career Girl Romances #38 and #39. 

The story is titled "Muscle Beach Style!". It's written by David A. Kaler and drawn by Jim Aparo. The tale begins with the beautiful Tiffany preparing for a new case while reflecting on her previous ones. As she finishes her make-up, she is anxious to see what the latest C.I.A. caper will bring. She flies to California and on the flight is given her briefing papers by the stewardess and later is given more information by a cabbie. She is to uncover how vital fuel formulas are being stolen and transmitted to foreign agents. After a night's sleep and a shower, she begins her new job at the laboratory and meets Aldo Bateman a handsome fellow who immediately begins to woo Tiffany. They begin to date, and he takes her to the beach where she gets some sun while he goes through a meticulous and rigorous exercise regimen. They date a few more times, each date the same. The agency decides to plant some bait and announces a new formula. Tiffany notices that Aldo is very interested in this new information and on their next date, again at the beach she notes that his exercise regimen, to that time very rigid, was extremely different. She takes note that some men with binoculars are closely watching Aldo as he goes through his moves. Aldo notices her keen interest and suspicious as she attempts to report grabs her up and attempts to carry her out to the surf where he plans to drown her. Others at the beach think they are just two playful lovers and ignore Tiffany's struggles. At last she uses her judo skills to defeat Aldo and drags him back to the beach. It seems his exercises were a complex code he used to transmit the secret information. He is arrested and Tiffany tries to dry off and rest on the beach. Her bosses want her to come back in report, but she says she can't with hair such a mess.

And that completes the run of Sarge Steel/Secret Agent comics. This is a solid issue with a return of the series to a more detective/noir feel. The first-person narration adds to that feel as does the real emotion Sarge seems to feel for Linda. While he is doubtless a cad, Sarge does seem to have some feelings for the women in his life and that has been missing in some of the previous issues. Steve Skeates is pretty wordy in this one, the explanation requiring a lot of exposition. The twists are here, but they are a bit difficult to follow if you don't read carefully. The maguffin, is discovered at the end, but there was not really any real foreshadowing of its ultimate location as there might've been in a tighter mystery story. The Tiffany Sinn story was a lot of fun. Jim Aparo was a dang fine artist and his skills as a storyteller are well on display here. 

Dick Giordano was an amazing talent, tucked away at Charlton Comics, he trudged along for years producing outstanding artwork. In time he'd replace Pat Masulli as editor at Charlton and under his tenure flourished the "Action Hero" line, in all probability the brightest era in the company's long history. He was scouted by DC and became an editor there and eventually a key part of their transformation in the 1980's. DC eventually bought the Action Heroes from DC including Sarge Steel who has gone onto become an integral part of the DCU.  He also became the longtime partner with Neal Adams in Continuity Associates, the premiere stable of artists in the field. 

To read the complete comic book go to this link. 

More Sarge Steel to come.

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Judomaster - The Acrobat Returns!

Judomaster #96 is dated August 1967. This issue again bears only the single credit for Frank McLaughlin so I assume he's the one doing the scripting, art, and lettering as in previous issues. 

The story titled "The Final Phase of the Plot to Destroy Judomaster" picks up right where the previous issue left off with The Acrobat getting away in a Japanese submarine while Judomaster and the Acrobat exchange threats. Bushiri and Judomaster talk and they agree that the Acrobat got access to the island too easily and that there must be a spy among them. Bushiri mentions a new man to the island, a fisherman who washed up on the beach some weeks before. They've been keeping an eye on him, but he might be the spy. Judomaster then follows this new man and quickly finds him using a hidden radio to call his Japanese masters. But the spy reveals that his information is from Suzikawa, Rip Jagger's love, which drives Judomaster into a rage and he proceeds to beat up the spy. Then after a thorough drubbing the spy repeats his claim that Suzi is the spy. Judomaster confronts Suzi and she confirms that she is the traitor bit claims she had no choice but assist. The scene shifts to the sub where the Acrobat gets his orders to return to the beach and continue his battle with Judomaster. Suzi tells Judomaster that the Japanese have her brother captive and that the information she's been giving them is useless. Judomaster realizes that what they want is him, so he heads off to face the Acrobat and engages the raft before it lands on the beach, using a specific karate blow to sink the raft. Then Judomaster and the Acrobat continue their battle in the ocean each trying to gain the upper hand. Meanwhile the others who came across with the Acrobat are met by Bushiri and his men and soundly defeated. Then Judomaster and the Acrobat come onto the beach where the Acrobat attempts to use his wire-gun again, but prepared for the weapon Judomaster drags the Acrobat to him and knocks him down for the count. Tearing off his mask Judomaster discovers that the Acrobat is in fact Suzikawa's brother and that his kidnapping was a ruse. He declares his loyalty to Japan and is hauled away while Judomaster takes Suzi in his arms to comfort her. 

Sarge Steel returns in Part II of File 112 "Case of the Village Moneyman" written by Steve Skeates, drawn by Dick Giordano with lettering by A.Machine. The installment begins with Sarge dodging a gunshot from the window of Bebe Summin's apartment and returning fire killing the gunman. Steel finds a typed note from Bebe asking him to meet her at the Cafe Long Spoon. Sarge playing a hunch goes to the newspaper morgue and does some research before meeting Bebe at the cafe. He finds her and a brief conversation in which she tries to get him to stop looking for her dad he says he won't give up the search prompting an attack which he fends off but then guns convince Sarge to follow the men to a a printshop where the mastermind of the operation is waiting. The villain is a guy named Jackson who Steel is familiar with and Sarge reveals that Bebe's dad is in fact already dead, which Jackson confirms. Bebe runs from the building in tears while Sarge beats down the thugs with his steel hand. Apparently making Bebe think her dad was alive was an attempt to create confusion among the federal authorities while the counterfeiting was underway. Sarge comforts Bebe as the story closes. 

"Flips and Counters with Judomaster" is a two-page offering with a eight letters. This is a lively feature this time. Much is made comparing Charlton's heroes to Marvel's heroes. Judomaster's top-knot comes in for criticism again as does Tiger. Sarge Steel's back-up is criticized but Giordano responds that 2nd-class mail regulations require a back-up feature in the book. The Smiling Skull is compared to The Red Skull, but Giordano indicates that when the Smiling Skull was created in Sarge Steel #3 that he didn't know anything about the Red Skull. And finally, there is the announcement of the arrival of "The Big Red C", Charlton's own distinctive corner design which graces this very issue. 

All in all, a very solid issue of entertainment. The character development reaches a high with the revelation that Suzi's brother is now set up as Judomaster's arch-enemy. It's certainly something that would come into play later if the series had run longer. Tiger has very little to do in these issues and it's evident that he's being put on a back burner a bit, perhaps in response to letters, but more likely simply a lack of space and lots of characters to use. The appearance of the Big Red C along with the banner at the top of the cover with Judomaster's head and symbol really gives this comic a distinctive look that will really pop on a spinner rack.

 

This issue was reprinted in the late 70's under the Modern imprint. 

To read the complete comic book go to this link. 

More Judomaster to come. 

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Judomaster - The Acrobat!

Judomaster #95 is dated June 1967. The credits list Frank McLaughlin as the scripter, artist, and letterer. This story almost seems to have two titles. 

Above a splash-page image of Judomaster being ensnared by The Acrobat is "Judomaster Meets The Acrobat" and below the image "The Plot to Destroy Judomaster". Both titles work well. The action begins in Japan where in a tournament among Japan's mightiest warriors is underway under the eyes of the Japanese leadership. Among the many warriors are Mountain Storm and The Cat. 

But despite The Commander's suggestion that Mountain Storm is the mightiest, his Excellency does not agree. Then suddenly Nazi troops appear, and The Smiling Skull enters the fray. So all of Judomaster's past enemies vie for the chance to attack him again. Then at the last moment another contestant appears, a small man who says he is a circus performer. He is permitted to join the fight which has been reduced to the three previously named and he defeats them all with superior acrobatic skills. Then he demonstrates a wire-gun that attaches to distant surfaces and gives him a line which he is quite able to walk across and more. Cut to the island where Judomaster and Tiger and Bushiri's warriors are headquartered. A Japanese sub appears, and a dark figure disembarks and heads into the jungle. The figure invades the group including Judomater, Tiger, Bushiri, and Suzi and offers up a challenge. He now wears a distinctive yellow costume and mask. Judomaster charges off to answer the challenge and a lengthy battle between the two begins. After many moves and counter moves Judomaster begins to gain a small advantage, but the Acrobat then uses his wire-gun to entangle Judomaster and defeats him. Then he heads out to sea and the submarine and escapes. Aboard the sub the Captain remarks that Judomaster will be most surprised to learn that Suzi, his love is in fact a spy for the Japanese. The stage is set for a rematch with The Acrobat. 

"The Art of Stealth (Ninjutsu)" is a two-page feature by McLaughlin detailing the myth and facts fo the Ninja and identifying some of their tools. 

Sarge Steel returns for Part I of File 112 "Case of the Village Moneyman". The script is by Steve Skeates, the art by Dick Giordano, and the lettering is by A. Machine. The story begins with Sarge on the ground having been attacked by a couple of thugs, but then he gets up and uses his steel fist to repel his attackers. The thugs did drop a name though, "Eric Summins" a name of a counterfeiter that Steel is familiar with. When he gets to his "pad" Sarge finds a beautiful young girl inside who turns out to be the Bebe Summins the daughter of the aforementioned criminal. Her dad has disappeared, and she is being followed. Sarge becomes aware that someone else is in his apartment then a man attacks from the bedroom. Sarge defeats him and then drops Bebe off at the apartment of his secretary Bessie. He then begins the search for Summins checking out leads and various bars and dives. The next day he arrives in the office and Bessie is there saying Bebe slept in. Two CIA men show up and we learn that Sarge no longer works for the Agency full time. They tell him about new counterfeit bills that are surfacing, and all agree that it is the work of Summins. When Sarge returns to his apartment, he finds a note from Bebe saying "bugged out" and she will meet him at the Silver Spoon in the Village that evening. But Sarge finds evidence of a struggle and suspects foul play. What he doesn't seem to realize is that someone is pointing a gun at him through the window as the story comes to a close. 

"Flips and Counters with Judomaster" offers up two letters this time, but lengthy ones. Tiger is seen as something of a problem by both writers and one brings up something Giordano has said in previous letter columns about not needing sidekicks. The sidekick dilemma is then discussed a bit and having someone for Judomaster to talk to solved several dramatic problems for the writers. Also, there is an indication that the short martial arts pieces by McLaughlin will be phased out to make for longer stories.

And that wraps another issue of Judomaster. One really gets the sense of a rogues gallery in this issue with all of The Crimson Crusher's enemies on hand. I assume The Acrobat is set up to be Judomaster's opposite number, a common enough idea in these superhero tales. There does seem to be a larger scheme in play though, as the Acrobat's trip to the island didn't mean much save to antagonize Judomaster. I did like that the Japanese are concerned with the public relations problems the defeats by Judomaster have caused. As a practical matter a single man is of little consequence in a war of this scale, but a colorful hero succeeding against such great odds does make the whole appear feckless and 

weak. Nice touch on McLaughlin's part to add this element front and center. 

To read the complete comic book go to this link. 

More Judomaster to come. 

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Judomaster - Tiger Hunt!

Judomaster #94 is dated April 1967. The only credit is "McLaughlin" so I assume that Frank McLaughlin is again responsible for both story and artwork. 

The story titled "Tiger Hunt" begins with a symbolic splash page featuring mirror panels one showing a real tiger closing in on a tethered deer while hunters wait in ambush and the other shows Judomaster tied to a post while his young partner Tiger comes to his aid and Japanese soldiers wait in ambush. The story begins where it ended with Tiger being picked up out of the ocean by Japanese troops led by Mountain Storm a massive Sumo wrestler who once before battled Judomaster. He is taken back to shore, meanwhile Judomaster leaves Bushiri and his men to swim back to look for Tiger. Tiger is tied to a tree, but using a Ninja trick he slips his bonds and escapes into the jungle much to Mountain Storm's chagrin. Tiger looks for a cache of equipment he and Judomaster has hidden on the beach previously and finds a camouflaged poncho and some other Ninjutsu tricks of the trade. He throws powder into the face of a soldier and escapes again into the jungle. The Japanese led by Mountain Storm and Commander Suzi look for Tiger but are unsuccessful and begin to imagine him to be almost magical. Judomaster meanwhile searches for his lost partner and falls into a pit trap set for Tiger. Judomaster is tied to a post by the Commander and set up as bait. 

Tiger shows up to help but gets himself snared in a rope and ends up dangling from a tree. The two are thrown into a pit and a real tiger is brought out and released from its cage into the pit but Judomaster using techniques of Karate striking demonstrated in a later text piece in this very issue knocks out the big cat. He and Tiger then use their nimbleness to escape the pit and knock the Mountain Storm and the Japanese soldiers into it. The reunited team then find a raft and paddle away from the dangerous island. 

"Karate Man vs. The Bulls!" is a two-page piece by McLaughlin with Dick Giordano inks which talks about the power of the Karate hand strike and how endurance training in harsh weather. A particular master of Karate Mas Oyama is shown hewing off the horn of a bull which is charging at him. 

Sarge Steel is back in Part II of File 111 "Case of the Devil's Wife" by the team of Joe Gill on script, Bill Montes on pencils and Dick Giordano on inks. Sarge and the kidnapped ambassador find themselves on an island, prisoners of Satana the Devils Bride. She unleashes her hounds to attack Sarge but he throws the dog into the shark-infested waters. The Ambassador awakes and decries the cruelty of the act and Sarge uses his gun to save the dog which comes out of the water shaken. Then Satana rides up on horseback with a lance and begins to chase the pair along with her men and more dogs. Sarge uses his jacket to confuse the horse long to escape momentarily. The Ambassador indicates his attache has a bomb inside as they run from the henchmen. They head inside the house on the island where Sarge is at last able to call for assistance and gain the upper hand by dropping a rope over Satana. Holding her captive, the pair shoot thier way out of the house as a helicopter comes to rescue them and carry them to safety along with the captured Satana. 

 "Flips and Counters with Judomaster" is back to one page this issue offering up three letters. There is some debate about the continued use of cliffhanger endings, some liking them some not. Also Judomaster's "top-knot" as Giordano prefers to call it is again criticized. The Peacemaker's name is mentioned with a plug given to the Pat Boyette series. There is a small boxed blurb at the bottom of the page announcing that fans should watch for the "All-new Adventures of Blue Beetle". The house ad does not yet show him, but only the other four Action-Heroes. 

This is another really good issue. Tiger gets the bulk of the attention, though it is Judomaster who saves the day in the end. Tiger really comes across as very capable and confident even cocky in this story. He and Judomaster are a team of course similar to Captain America and Bucky in many respects. I have little doubt that the Timely team inspired the Charlton pairing. There is small evidence in this issue that Tiger is seen as a little boy anymore by Judomaster. This issue and the previous one were my first two Judomaster issues, and among the very first Charlton books I ever read. They then have a special place in my memory, but I'm happy to see that it's not only my nostalgia for these that make me remember them so fondly. These are really good comic book stories.

This issue was reprinted in the late 70's under the Modern imprint. 

To read the complete comic book go to this link. 

More Judomaster to come. 

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Judomaster - Meet The Tiger!

Judomaster #93 is dated February 1967. The story and art are credited to Frank McLaughlin and Dick Giordano is credited as the editor. 

The story "Meet The Tiger" picks right up where the last issue ended. Judomaster and the young Japanese-American boy Rip Jagger has dubbed "Tiger" are on in the middle of a bombing raid scheduled by the Allies six hours after Judomaster entered the lair of The Smiling Skull, a Nazi spymaster. During a hand-to-hand battle with the Skull, Judomaster has been blinded by intense light. The scene shifts to a military hospital where Rip Jagger is in bed with his eyes bandaged. Around him stand Bushiri his trainer, Suzi his beloved, General Hawkings his commander, and the boy "Tiger". Rip is understandably depressed by his apparent blindness and requests solitude. Everyone leaves save the boy who overhears his hero bemoan his fate and confess he is of no use in the war effort anymore. The boy is heartbroken and confronts Rip calling him a coward then running away. He then goes to General Hawkins and volunteers to take Judomaster's place despite his age. Hawkins at first rejects him, but then thinks that making Rip think that Tiger is in fact going to replace him might snap Judomaster out of his depression. So Hawkins arranges with Bushiri for Tiger to go the island and begin training. Rip awaits the day the bandages come off and he is informed of Tiger's new role. The scene shifts to Tiger's training which lasts many weeks. Suddenly Judomaster appears and announces that he is back, his eyes have healed and he has a mission to take out an enemy gun site. 

Tiger having finished his training is given a costume similar to Judomaster's by the Sensei and the team of Judomaster and Tiger is born. They head to the island where the enemy gun is located accompanied by Bushiri and his marauders. They stealthily prowl the enemy lines, climb a great cliff and while Bushiri's men provide a distraction they attack the giant gun with Judomaster fighting the troops and Tiger placing the explosives. The gun explodes and both Judomaster and Tiger dive from the high cliff into the sea. Judomaster is picked by Bushiri but Tiger is picked up by a different boat, one containing Judomaster's old enemy The Mountain Storm. At this point the story ends. 

 Another feature is "The Kiai Shout" a two-page piece by McLauglin detailing the value of the shout during combat not only in judo but other forms such as fencing. 

 The Sarge Steel story by Joe Gill and artists Bill Montes and Dick Giordano in this issue is File 111 "Case of the Devil's Wife". Sarge Steel is driving through town and comes under gunfire by a pursuing car. He shoots back with special explosive ammunition and disables the enemy's car. He heads to the airport to meet Ambassador Bruyden but is met by a beautiful redhead who gives him a kiss which paralyzes Sarge. Meanwhile the woman and her accomplice take the ambassador away in a wheelchair. When Sarge recovers he and another agent Lowell Cade check into the woman and Sarge learns she is called "The Devil's Bride" and that she is an accomplished international blackmailer. Sarge threatens some other enemy agents with rough treatment if they do not give him the Devil's Bride's location but when he returns to his own apartment she is waiting. They struggle but her perfume paralyzes him again and he is taken by helicopter to an island estate where he finds Ambassador Bruyden who is carrying an explosive attache case. Sarge takes the Bride hostage but the guards prepare to release guard dogs on him as the story abruptly ends. 

"Flips and Counters with Judomaster" features two pages and five lengthy letters. There is another by famous fan Bill Schelly and several that applaud the development of Judomaster and the addition of a letters page to the Charlton comics. And the idea of "Action-Heroes" is specifically referenced by Giordano as he talks about how Charlton wants heroes without powers (save for Captain Atom who has at this time been de-powered quite a bit) with an emphasis on training and equipment. This according to Giordano gives the line a great logic across the board, and a great realism. Giordano also talks about the advantage an artist has when he also writes a comic such as McLaughlin or Pete Morisi (PAM) and how much of Marvel's success was due to Jack Kirby. 

This is a really outstanding issue of Judomaster. After several issues of preparation Tiger is at least unleashed on the reader and the series finally arrives at its mature state. McLaughlin's artwork is in top form at this point and Giordano's work on Sarge Steel is excellent. The sense of Judomaster being part of a larger Charlton Universe is enhanced by a wonderful house ad featuring the "Action Heroes". This is certainly one of Charlton's peak periods.

This comic was reprinted under the Modern imprint in the 1970's. 

To read the complete comic book go to this link. 

More Judomaster  to come. 

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Captain Action - Classic Collection!

I was the ideal age (pardon the pun) to be attracted to Captain Action when he first dropped onto the scene. I never got the doll (I resist the convention to call him an "action figure") but I always wanted one and have come close to pulling the trigger on some of the modern releases of the toy by others than the original Ideal company. 

So being so enticed by the doll, I was certainly interested in the comic book which came out from DC Comics in late summer of 1968. I was just beginning my life-long career as a comic reader and wasn't at that moment as tuned into DC so I missed these issues when they first dropped for whatever reason. But I've made up for in the intervening years, collecting up all five of the originals some decades ago. But that said I still quite excited when finally a handy dandy reprint volume was announced earlier this year. I now have it, have read and here's a full report. 

Captain Action is brought to life by boy writer Jim Shooter and veteran artist Wally Wood. Under a potent Irv Novick cover these two talents combine to give us the story of Clive Arno and his son Carl. Along with his associate Krellik unearth a trove of magic coins. They are told by the god Odin that the coins can give the powers of the gods to those who possess them. Krellik is immediately interested in getting hold of the coins for his own purposes but fails and instead comes into possession of another coin which gives him evil powers. Arno for his part returns home and becomes Captain Action with Carl becoming Action Boy. They confront Krellik who also is faced with Superman. Arno gets Superman to stand down and he takes the battle to Krellik but is seemingly defeated at the end of the story. 

Gil Kane steps in to pencil with Wally Wood on inks. This is now a superior team as Kane's dynamic style is perfect for the title. Krellik allows Arno to survive but his desire for all of the coins remains. They battle and battle for possession but eventually Arno tricks Krellik with fake coins. Still he slips away as his threat is ended for the time being. As it turns out that's the last time we ever see Krellik. In the next issue we will meet Dr. Evil. 

Dr. Evil makes his debut in issue three. Also making a debut is Gil Kane...a the writer. He takes over both the scripting and the art chores with Wally Wood's help on inks. The story is wacky one indeed with psychedelic overtones. Dr. Evil is in fact one Dr.Tracy (Arno's father-in-law in fact) but he gets transformed when an earthquake triggers a massive explosion which throws him into a strange dimension. He loses his humanity but gains vast intelligence along with desire to destroy mankind. It's all Captain Action and Action Boy can do to fend off the bizarre attacks which use the very forces of nature as weapons. He is though fended off with a classic Gil Kane punch. 

But Dr. Evil turns up in the next issue which sees Gil Kane on writing and full chores. Dr. Evil with deadly race (which looks what he's turned into) and uses that knowledge to bring deadly menaces to the planet Earth. It should be noted that when Kane took over the writing he made Captain Action less omnipotent and gave limited powers such a great sight, ability to throw lightning and possessed of great strength. For his part Action Boy is reduced to mere super speed. Dr. Evil lives up to his name when he uses the ghost of his own daughter to haunt both Captain Action and Action Boy. She had been wife to Arno and mother to Carl. The attacks stop when the aliens step in to stop their former agent. 

The fifth and final issue of the brief run sees Wally Wood back on inks. The story by Kane this time features a wannabe despot named Blackwell who uses hate to whip the populace into a frenzy to support him. (Sounds too close to reality for me these days.) He's actually a split personality and his other self is the father to a son who protests against the Blackwell forces. Captain Action and Action Boy fight these authoritarian forces but alas the tale ends quite tragically. Of all the very excellent Captain Action covers this one is my favorite. 

Chic Stone is tapped to create art for a mini-comic for the Ideal Toy folks. It's mostly an excuse to shill Captain Action toys. 

This comic book package is handsome and durable. It also features a lot of Captain Action extras like the ads which permeated the comics of the time as well as original artwork by Kane. This was Kane at his finest, with pages that never stop moving and at times burst off the page into the readers face. The stories are wild and imaginative if not always logical. We also get some of letter pages as well some of the text pieces which appeared in the comics at the time. Great package and highly recommendation. 

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