The Golden Derby - September 1967!

Fifty years ago this month, the loyal fan doesn't know it yet, but a change is coming as the Silver Age superhero boom is about to bust big time. At the little Derby publisher there is a shift in visuals as new discovery Pat Boyette makes his mark in a big way and has three comics featuring his work this month. The most significant is the second issue of Charlton Premiere which features the memorable apocalyptic tale of "The Children of Doom". This story by Denny O'Neil with art by Boyette was reputedly done in a big hurry but  that doesn't impact the final impression as we have here a truly strange story of the future with desperate humans and peculiar and possibly deadly mutants. It's a grabber and has found its way into the lore of comics as one of Charlton's highlights. Boyette also stepped in on Thunderbolt, taking the reins from its creator Pete Morisi, again with an O'Neil script . The wacky Prankster makes a one and only appearance in the back up position. (Noted that O'Neil is writing under the name "Sergius O'Shaugnessy"). And Boyette makes a third bow with his own hero Peacemaker who once again struggles to save a war-weary world from itself. On the other side of things, we have a new feature written by Willie Franz, when Sam Glanzman illustrates the adventures of The Iron Corporal, an Australian fighting the good fight in the Pacific theater in Army War Heroes. Though I'm sure his Confederate dress would not get him much love these days, one of my favorite western heroes is the one-armed Captain Doom who does the right thing in the pages of Outlaws of the West. Rocke Mastroerio's cover is a dandy indeed.

More to come next month as Charlton continues to wind down its superhero line up.

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