I first read Captain Atom's earliest adventures in these four issues of
Space Adventures published by Charlton Comics in 1978. I still have fond memories of finding these issues on the newsstand, back in those days when grocery stores were still a primary location for getting hold of comics. Charlton was raiding its backlog to keep afloat during a grim time in the comic book marketplace. I fell in love with the charming Joe Gill and Steve Ditko stories and have never looked back. I've since purchased these stories in the original as well as copious reprintings since.
These were great wee comics. I only picked these up in the 1990s for pennies (£1 each) but I had read Cap Atom before that in the early 1970s when the Ditko tales were reprinted in UK Alan Class comics but you can't beat the full colour versions.
ReplyDeleteMy paternal grandparents had a caravan in Wales, and one of the joys of staying there was rummaging through the boxes of Alan Class reprints in the village shop. He's still around, by the way; there was a Creepy Worlds annual last year, published in association with Nick Neocleous' Moonage Books.
DeleteThe beauty of Ditko is that he looks pretty good in black and white when he inked himself, even in his earliest days. But having them in color is a treat.
DeleteThe shift to direct sales via specialist shops has proven disastrous for any hope of maintaining a succession of comic-buying generations.
ReplyDeleteI've started watching a few comic-themed videos on YouTube and the number of greybeards is remarkable. We have to admit that with the advent of the superhero movies, the comics such as they are serve to keep the trademarks active more than present new adventures. With the recent movies at Disney, it seems it's even more the case.
DeleteWell, it's not always been grey (to be frank, it's largely white now), but I've sported a beard since the early 1980s.
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