Friday, October 25, 2013

Entry #42

Issue #32
Rating: 5

 photo flash10118_zpsb29018aa.jpg Not an easy issue to find.
If the cover had a WWII theme, this would be a classic issue through out.
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Gardner Fox gets self-reflective in this issue as he creates a writer that dreams up a script where the bad guys come to life and do his bidding. The surreal moment comes when the creation, the Flash, meets his creator on equal terms before battling the writer’s imaginary bad guys. Fox sense for balancing comedy with action is at its finest in this issue.

 photo flash10121_zpsf4c3fe63.jpg  photo flash10122_zps0109c99b.jpg  photo d01b3124-f562-4ecc-a8cb-1ca103af9254_zps311b0462.jpg This issue also goes to war in a big way. Johnny Thunder joins the Navy. The Ghost Patrol battle Hitler. Even the Whip and the King have encounters with subversive Nazis.  photo d74a90a9-aae0-4f54-a68d-b816121cc180_zps30bd2af1.jpg The Hawkman story features the first time he and the Hawkgirl are captured and put in a gilded cage by a villain named, the Coin.

Once again, I am drawn to the ‘King’ story. I can not think of another golden age anti-hero character that is as ambivalent about the Law as the King.

‘Keep’em Flying’ issue – The Flash story asks kids to buy U. S. Savings Bonds rather than saying the ‘Keep’em Flying’ slogan.

Saturday, October 19, 2013

Entry #41

Issue #31
Rating: 5

 photo c119e151-d605-4647-87a7-8f29a4ad3af8_zps5910c24a.jpg
Shelly Moldoff is the first to create a Hawkman vs. Dragon cover – in this case a Sea Orm. A theme that inspired Joe Kubert for the Silver Age revival.

The Hawkman story is the feature story of this issue. Gardner Fox takes 3D realism to the limit when he created the mysteries Sea Orm. 22 years later, he wouldn’t have any difficulty forgoing the realism in favor of the pure fantastic.

Keep’em Flying Issue – except for the Whip and Minute Movies

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Entry#40

Issue #30
Rating: 5

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The Flash story is a variation on the mad-scientist invention theme with better development from the previous issue. The Flash is exposed to a ray that has a similar effect to being possessed by wikipedia.
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The Ghost Patrol meets Hitler for the first time as they do their duty in preventing the Nazis from invading England.
 photo flash30c_zps9bde03ed.png The ‘Minute Movie’ strip is one of the best of the series.
 photo flash30e_zpscc72430d.png This issue features the first time a character mixes nursery rhyme characters into the story. The Hawkman and Hawkgirl enter a world of mind altered characters that drive the idle rich late night partiers crazy.

‘Keep’em Flying’ issue – The editing of this phrase into each story is starting to become sparser. – No King, Minute Movie.