Beneath the cover art of Joe Simon Jack Sparling featuring the lead character Jack Q. Frost, there's a small inset with some Wally Wood characters named Miracles, Inc. More on them later. One finds a bevy of tales in Unearthly Spectaculars #2. These books were put together by Joe Simon and are host to many really excellent artistic outings, but you have to know to look.
Perhaps the finest is Earthman by Wally Wood. Earthman is an astronaut who has crashed on a distant world and overcome by amnesia who in short order becomes a hero to several populations because of his great strength and willingness to help. The story has that John Carter of Mars feel to it with a tinge of the modern dashed in for visual splendor.
The eponymous "Earthman" defeats the villain and rescues the damsel, but as you can see from this final page wanders off for more adventures. Those adventures were apparently pending a demand from the fans and either the demand or the opportunity or neither was found and we have only this nugget from Wood to enjoy. To read the story go here.
Also tucked between these covers is a little lightweight superhero farce called Miracles, Inc. As you can see Wood is using his slightly more cartoony style to tell the misadventure of a superteam eager to prove themselves, but exceedingly willing to enjoy the comforts of hearth and home. The team is made up of their leader Professor Who, Manlet, Thermo, Klank, Misfit, Reflex, and the lovely Una. They rate an appearance on the cover unlike Earthman. To read the story go here.
The Earthman story is collected up in Titan's Simon and Kirby Science Fiction tome from some years back. the Miracles, Inc. story is not included. Yet another story written by Wood but drawn wonderfully by Al Williamson is included, a piece dubbed Clawfang, a barbarian in the far future of a decimated world.
Note: This post originally appeared at Rip Jagger's Other Dojo. I will be transferring some of those posts over here as the month goes on.
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Worlds Laziest Villain!! That sounds entertaining. So 'of the era'.
ReplyDeleteAgain, Wood's work is just awesome. His sci-fi work is great and when he switches to a cartoon style it's just as good as his more 'realistic' illustrating just in a different way. So glad I discovered his work as a kid who grew up in the Image years.
I was lucky to find Wood during the late 60's and 70's when he was in some ways at the top of his game. Many think his early 50's work, with its lush backgrounds and dishy dames is his best and it's a good argument but I am very fond of his more spare style used on Daredevil and later on THUNDER Agents.
DeleteThat's a period of his work I have not personally sought out, I've only been exposed to it via the retrospective books on his work I have.
DeleteI'll have to give it a more thorough view, thanks.