The Shadow Meets the Batman

Download The Shadow #1

Download Batman #253



Download Batman #259

A bit of trivia possibly for those old enough to recall hair metal in the 1980s, Danger Danger released their first CD with a Shadow look-a-like on the cover. I thought I'd throw this question out as I don't know the answer, but does anyone know the story behind why the band chose a Shadow clone for their album art? Are they big fans of the character? Please share this information if you know.

Download Danger Danger - Bang Bang MP3

Special surprise bonus download: Through Supergraphics, Jim Steranko published the magazine Comixscene (retitled Mediascene and finally Prevue), which began as a folded-tabloid periodical on stiff, non-glossy paper, reporting on the comics field. It evolved in stages into a general-interest, standard format, popular culture magazine, running from 1972 through 1994. In its later years, it was criticized for doing double duty as a catalog for Steranko's retailing business, particularly its erotica. There's an article in this issue of Mediascene #36 called "The Great Pulp Heroes and Villains," which ties in nicely with the Shadow.


Download Mediascene #36





Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Dept. In the mid-1970s, DC Comics published a critically acclaimed, 12-issue series (Nov. 1973 - Sept. 1975) written by Dennis O'Neil and initially drawn by Michael William Kaluta (#1-4 & 6). Faithful to the pulp-magazine and radio-drama character, the series guest-starred fellow pulp fiction hero The Avenger in issue #11. The Shadow appeared in DC's Batman #253 (Nov. 1973), in which Batman teams with an aging Shadow and reveals The Shadow as his "greatest inspiration". In Batman #259 (Dec. 1974), Batman again meets The Shadow, and we learn The Shadow saved Bruce Wayne's life when the future Batman was a boy.

Red Circle Comics Group Mad House #95-97

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Download Mad House #96














Download Mad House #97




Red Circle Comics was an imprint used by Archie Comics Publications, Inc. to publish non-Archie characters, such as their superheroes and horror comics, in the 1970s and '80s. This is along the same lines as Red Circle's Chilling Adventures In Sorcery, which means that you'll find Don Glut and Gray Morrow story and art here, too.

Eerie #27: "Journey Into Wonder"

Download Eerie #27






I know! I know! I am obsessed with sword and sorcery, but after this posting, I am going to upload some horror and science fiction. I will be uploading some old superhero comic books, too.

Eerie #27 isn't one of my favorites, but it does have a beautiful cover by Vaughn Bode and Jeff Jones. Writers this issue are Nicola Cuti, Gardner Fox, Bill Parente, R. Michael Rosen, Buddy Saunders and Bill Warren. The artists are Ken Barr, Ernie Colon, Miguel Fernandez, Dick Piscopo, Mike Royer, Jack Sparling and Tom Sutton.



Credits

Cover: Jeffrey Jones and Vaughn Bodé
Script: Bill Parente
Pencils: Ken Barr
Inks: Ken Barr

Remembering Pat Boyette: July 27, 1923 - January 14, 2000

Download Ghost Manor v2 #27





Former actor, TV anchorman, and low-budget movie director, Pat Boyette switched careers again in the middle 1960s. Also an artist, he went to work for Charlton Comics. An avowed Texan, he stayed home in San Antonio and worked through the mail for the Connecticut-based publisher. "Although Charlton was not known for paying big fees," he once admitted, "it gave me an opportunity that the other companies didn't offer and that was the freedom to experiment, to do as I wanted, to make changes, to be happy."

During his nearly two decades with the company, Boyette produced an impressive amount of work for such titles as Ghostly Tales, Billy the Kid, Flash Gordon, Fightin' Marines, The Phantom, and Peacemaker, whose description was "A Man Who Loves Peace So Much That He Is Willing TO FIGHT FOR IT!"

When Charlton editor Dick Giordano moved to DC, he invited Boyette to work for them. He drew two issues of Blackhawk before returning to Charlton—"DC at the time demanded a regimentation that I wasn't readily eager to adhere to."

Boyette, while he did now and then work in a cartoony style, usually drew in an attractive illustrative style. His favorites were Roy Crane, Milton Caniff, and his friend Alex Toth, whose work he felt was "a perfect marriage of the attitudes of Caniff and the attitudes of Roy Crane." Boyette, who drew also for the Warren black-and-white titles, even published a few comic books of his own. At one point he went so far as to draw a revived Spencer Spook.

Savage Tales #1-5

Download Savage Tales #1

















Download Savage Tales #2







Download Savage Tales #3







Download Savage Tales #4

Download Savage Tales #5





Here are some difficult to locate issues of the first volume of Savage Tales, which prominently featured Conan the Barbarian. Accept no substitutes as these rip-snortin' adventures also featured phenomenal art by the likes of Barry Windsor-Smith, Esteban Moroto, Al Williamson, Gray Morrow, John Buscema and Neal Adams. Aside from Conan, some noteworthy characters that Savage Tales brought to life were Ka-Zar, the jungle lord, and Man-Thing. The first issue adapts Robert E. Howard's classic "The Frost Giant's Daughter," which is drawn by the aforementioned Windsor-Smith.

Bonus download:


Download Neal Adams Savage Portfolio