Wednesday, September 24, 2008

It Floats in Space / Unharmed

Midweek slump got you down? How about a double shot of more Atlas sci-fi horrors from the April ‘54 issue of Journey into Unknown Worlds #26 then?






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23 comments:

Ger Apeldoorn said...

The first looks like Bill Savage to me. TRhe second is typical Bob McCarty stuff. Cool, I didn't know these yet.

Mr. Cavin said...

These are both awesome. I love the steering wheels and the futuristic yellow monkey hands on the first page of the first story. I love the old "look at the expression of horror on his face!" trope every time it's used. Especially in this one, where we then learn the guy made that face all the time no matter what. The story needs a Crypt Keeper-type coda, though:

AIRLOCK of HORROR TECHNICIAN: "Well, BOYS and GHOULS, it's just like your MUMMY always told you--BE CAREFUL OR YOUR FACE WILL FREEZE LIKE THAT! Heh heh heh!"

In story two, I love how the scientist man "tests" the Martian man. I'm never going to the doctor again: "Mr. Cavin, we need to test your eyesight. Please put your head in the crusher." If I wasn't already scared of scientists at this point, I'd still be more frightened of this guy than the invaders. An atomic blast couldn't even knock that Martian man over, but the scientist man easily flung it to the ground in a prissy fit. How many megatons is that guy's suplex?

silvano said...

Great stuff , especially "it floats in space" the close up of the corpse with the "X" on its forehead is one of the best panels appeared on this blog lately ( and it's no little feat ! )...
The song Science Fiction ( double feature ) from the Rocky Horror is an apt soundtrack for today's post ...
Thanks for sharing !

AndyDecker said...

I love the little absurd touches of both stories. From Mars to Earth in a suit with a tie. And next to the solar system is another galaxy.

Quite fascinating is the plot of the second story. The whole set-up - the parcel, the next to impossible blue-prints - just seems lifted out of the movie THIS ISLAND EARTH, but the story actually predates the film 1 year. Hmmm.

Mr. Cavin said...

andydecker: I took the suit that spaceship driver is wearing as a subtle dig at comics conventions, like the steering wheels. Both of these stories were really playful: the soliloquized self-banter from the beginning of "Unharmed", as the scientist kvetches about his social isolation, is priceless (and also a dig at neckties). My favorite panel along these lines is the second on page three, when the scientist finally has to add the special clothing to his finished Martian: a belt. Now it's finished! Now it's properly accessorized! It made me think of thousands upon thousands of superheroes drawn naked except for lines at their waists and neck and hips (and wrists and ankles) to indicate where their tight yellow-and-blue suits stop. And, of course, all those giant ornate heroic belts.

Anonymous said...

I liked the first one up until the end - the second one rocked though! Just give it to a stupid scientist to assemble the test subject.

Anonymous said...

FANTASTIC DOUBLE HEADER KARSWELL!! I THINK I LIKED THE FIRST STORY BETTER, SO MANY GREAT PANELS. AND I TOO WAS REMINDED OF THIS ISLAND EARTH WITH THE SECOND TALE. WILD.

Emby Quinn said...

First story: The end makes me wonder if Convict Guy wasn't actually an animated corpse from the time he thawed out.

Second story: Too bad the Martians were susceptible to earth infections...or am I getting my Martian-invasion stories muddled? ;)

Good stuff, anyhow.

Anonymous said...

"Unharmed" looks a lot more like John Prentice's work than Bob McCarty's to me. A couple of panels have some suspiciously atypical inking, but still, Prentice comes to mind more than anybody else.

Mr. Karswell said...

Fans of new horror comics (and Bruce Campell) might be interested to know that the My Name Is Bruce one-shot from Dark Horse Comics comes out today. The movie I guess finally gets a release in November? Anyone know for sure?

Also in stores today is the Vincent Price Presents #1 comic book. You can read it for FREE online here:
http://www.wowio.com/users/product.asp?BookId=5413

Too bad about the artwork though... ugh!

AndyDecker said...

Re: Price comics

Thanks for the link. And for saving me 3.99. I read the usual dumb hype on Newsrama some times back, but still didn´t imagined it would be that godawful.

Even as a comicbook host Vincent deserved better.

The Vicar of VHS said...

Oooh, I love a good "ghost ship" story--It's good on water, it's good in space. It just WORKS for me.

There's some great art, esp. in the first story. I love the POV from inside the ship at the bottom of p1, and then the reveal at the top of p2. Also, in p2-panel 2, the spaceman is working the "crotch-forward" stance. That's how you let the rest of the crew know who's in command.

The Business Suit in Space and the rocket having a steering wheel from a '49 Packard have already been mentioned. I rrreeeallly like the frozen-convict face at the bottom of pg. 2--looks like he should be played by Rondo Hatton. But then at the bottom of p3 he looks more like Dick Cheney. I don't know which is more horrifying. :)

The ending is totally nonsensical, but in the super-cool Pieces-ending kinda way. Don't ask WHY there's an x-carved skeleton grabbing the crew, just GO with it!

The second one didn't grab me as much--the monster he builds doesn't look too startling to me. I also had to wonder why Eric had an engagement ring on him if he felt buried in the reactor, or whatever.

But it did inspire this:

"Mr. Cavin, we need to test your eyesight. Please put your head in the crusher."

which I'm still LMAO at, so it can't be all bad! ;)

Anonymous said...

that first one is the winner today hands down, but the other one has a cool robot so its all good

Patrick said...

A double dose of great stories today!

How can you go wrong with an intergalactic escaped prisoner zombie?

And those darn martians...what a great way to verify that the earth isn't going to stand a chance against their attack!

Nothing better than vintage horror!!

Maurizio Ercole said...

Fantastic double bill!!! I Hope to see more sci-fi horror like these stories.

Prof. Grewbeard said...

i certainly do have some catching up to do, and thank nebulous deities for that!

Dane said...

Fun stuff! The frozen-in-an-expression-of-horror face made me think of the girl in the closet in "The Ring."

Anonymous said...

I made the same face as the frozen pilot when i saw the topless-scene with Hazel Court in THE MAN WHO COULD CHEAT DEATH,as for the second story,yeah the THIS ISLAND EARTH similarity is kinda strange.

Kitty LeClaw said...

We’re lost in space
Will time remember me?
We’re lost in space
Will time remember?
Time remember me?


-- Platinum Blonde, "Lost in Space"

The Vicar of VHS said...

Great--looks like the Martians finally got Karswell! 8-O

Mr. Karswell said...

Sorry peeps, technical difficulties with my brain today... I will have today's post up in a little bit. It's only quater to nine pm!

Anonymous said...

The martian robot story was ok but whats up with the changing perspective of the martian? It goes from standing on a table top to being almost as tall as the human.

Bill the Butcher said...

As a story, the second is infinitely better than the first. I really can't think of anything to say about it more than that. It's uncriticisable. As for the first, others have already talked about the suit and tie, not to speak of which I'm *almost* certain that we didn't get to Mars in 2005. Actually my gripe is about a different thing: the idea that a ship would "drift in space" if the fuel ended. No, it sodding well won't; it'll just keep going the way it's pointed. Newton's First Law, yo.