The Fashionable Melnibonean!

Jack Gaughan
When Michael Moorcock's sorcerous albino hero Elric of Melnibone first appeared in American print, the covers to the paperbacks were illustrated by the late great Jack Gaughan. Gaughan has a style which is compelling, sleek, modern and beautiful. But it can be weird too.



These two paperback covers by Gaughan apparently were the only reference for the character that Barry (Not-Yet-Windsor) Smith could get hold of when it came time to render the Melnibonean for his guest-starring role in Conan the Barbarian. So it's understandable that Smith topped Elric with a rather tall peaked cap.



And while the cap looks okay in the Gaughan images, rendered by Smith, the hat looks somewhat silly to be honest. Moorcock apparently is not pleased with this look, neither in the Gaughan originals nor the Smith variations.


But for many years this became my image of Elric, because it was the only image I saw. Dave Sim reinforced this notion with the creation of Elrod in Cerebus, a spoof of Elric, or at least the Elric seen in the Conan comics.



It would be several years before I saw another interpretation of the hero. This time by Michael Whelan, who painted some outstanding covers for the DAW paperback series.


And it would be many years still before I got to see James Cawthorn's original interpretation of the Melnibonean, the classic look. It's certainly more flattering, but perhaps less memorable.


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Next Issue Finally Arrives!

October 2011
It's been nearly two years, but the next issue of Next Issue arrived a few months ago. I discussed the "Next Issue" program from Image here. This time it was the "next issue" of Crack Comics, specifically issue #63 after a lapse of seven decades. This is added to Fantastic Comics #24 (2008) and Silver Streak Comics #24 (2009).

The real charm in this package is a brand new war story by the great Herb Trimpe. It's work the price of the comic all by itself. In addition there is some lush work from Alan Lee Weiss. Throwback comics like this, I will buy from time to time.

September 1949
January 2008
October 1941
December 2009
November 1946
Who knows when we'll finally the next issue of Next Issue, perhaps next year maybe longer. But I hope it does arrive.

?????
February 1947
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Kim Jong Still Dead!

After a week or two of reading about the passings of talents which make me sad, the demise of tinhorn dictator King Jon Il actually cheered me up. Whenever one of these blowhard jackasses croaks it is cause for celebration. What will become of North Korea seems to be anyone's guess, but the chances are it might improve and that's not something which was liable to happen with this little cretin in charge. Good riddance!



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Blade The Vampire Slayer!

Perhaps Marvel's most satisfying film franchise is Blade. The hubbub about the current Avengers movies is a sight to behold, and something I only imagined I might get to see, but as much fun as they are, these movies fall short of the world realized by David Goyer in the three Blade movies.


When Blade first appeared in Tomb of Dracula #10 he was a heady blend of blaxploitation and horror, a rough and tumble hero who was not remotely afraid of the thing he pursued. Making him a vampire of sorts added a real panache to what could've been a throwaway character. Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan get high marks for this one.


One thing about Blade is that his ethnicity is only a minor part of what makes him tick. At a time when every black character in comics called attention to that fact by putting black in the name (Black Panther, Black Goliath, Black Lightning), Blade was a refreshing departure. Blade wedged his way onto the Dracula team and showed up with some regularity, even getting his own one-shots and eventually his own series.


The first Blade movie is a rock'em sock'em adventure giving the screen one of its best superheroes. That the movie doesn't call attention to that, but rather portrays itself as a vampire flick, part of that long horror tradition frees it from some of the audience expectation. It is able rise above its roots. Blade starring Wesley Snipes is a fun movie to watch and watch again. The fact that like most vampire movies, it makes little sense, is masked by the brisk pacing.


Blade II gives us the "Bloodpack". This might be my favorite Blade movie, with a great villain who is a match for Blade. There are some neat twists and turns and the Sgt. Rock and Easy Company feel of the middle section of the film really is an unexpected treat. Some really good actors make this work.


Blade Trinity is the weakest Blade outing, but still an entertaining flick. The failure is to create a compelling villain, though the movie tries mightily. It's realization of "Dracula" is less than convincing, and far from compelling. He has some moments, but they are too few and too far between. The finale is muddled, and despite some clever character pieces this one fall short of delivering like its predecessors.


One cool thing is that a vintage issue of Tomb of Dracula (issue #55 to be exact) does show up in the movie, and I always love it when that happens.



Blade is a great character, a fabulous hero trapped between two world and two natures.

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Ka-zar The Savage Gallery!

Jack Kirby & Chic Stone
Ka-zar the Savage debuted in X-Men #10.


This was perhaps Marvel's stealthiest revival.


It's hardly ever mentioned in connection with the revivals of the Torch, Cap, Subby, and other Golden Age greats, but it was a Marvel Age revision of a classic Timely character, shifted from deepest darkest Africa to the underworld Savage Land.


This was itself an adaptation of the pulp character also published under the Marvel auspices. For more see this link.

Jack Kirby & Chic Stone
Kirby had a few goes at the cover for the debut of Ka-zar, and this un-used classic image finally was published over a decade ago. Beautiful!


Jack Kirby & John Romita
Ka-zar then began a long period of guest-starring in various titles, notably alongside Daredevil for a few years.

Gene Colan & Frank Giacoia
John Romita
Then he tangled with Spidey.


Herb Trimpe & John Severin
And ran up against the Hulk.

Barry Smith & Herb Trimpe
Marvel tried him out in a one-shot story in Marvel Super-Heroes.

Neal Adams & Tom Palmer

Gil Kane & Frank Giacoia
After which he continued to show up here and there. Marvel even tried to promote Ka-zar with a unique trio of reprints of his early adventures.


Check out the infamous curse word on Zabu's back in the first Marie Severin cover.


Compare this revised reprint cover by Marie to the DD original. It has Zabu and lots more action.

Marie Severin
This was published intermittently while his first ongoing series was debuted in Astonishing Tales, which he shared with Doc Doom.

Marie Severin & Bill Everett
John Buscema
Marie Severin & Friends


John Buscema
Herb Trimpe
Marie Severin
Eventually Ka-zar took over the whole of Astonishing Tales and ran there successfully for a few years.



Gil Kane
Rich Buckler

Gil Kane
Jim Starlin
John Buscema
Dan Adkins


John Romita
At about this same time, Ka-zar was also starring in Savage Tales, after Conan shifted into his own black and white title. It was a proper shift because Ka-zar was in the very first issue of Savage Tales.


Neal Adams
Boris Vallejo
Gil Kane & Stephen Fabian
Mike Kaluta & John Romita
Boris Vallejo
Michael Whelan
Ken Barr
Finally though the powers that be gave Ka-zar his own on-going title, and it performed reasonably well for the time.

John Buscema
Later still he was given a direct-sales only title which got some distinctive critical attention, and off and on over the years we've seen several Ka-zar comics and series.

Brent Anderson
He's proven to be one of Marvel's most durable heroes.

Andy Kubert
There is no doubt that Ka-zar's early adventures from the broad landscape of the Marvel Universe are the ones most in dire need of a good Essentials volume, to gather them all under one or two covers for the first time.

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