UPDATE: For the original color version of this story from Menace #5 head over to Mr. Doortree's essential Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog and check his post from Friday, January 02, 2009!
NEXT: Simon Garth's ORIGIN!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Zombie!
In the July 1953 issue of Menace #5, Stan Lee and Bill Everett unleashed one of the absolute best living dead tales in the history of Atlas Comics-- "ZOMBIE!" which debuted the soon-to-be popular and re-resurrected Simon Garth character, shambling his way through his first far-out exploit. I say "re-resurrected" because fast forwarding exactly 20 years later, Tales of the Zombie #1 hit Silver Age magazine stands featuring not only Garth's continuing updated deadbeat adventures (and today's great black and white re-print of the classic Golden Era story), but also a brand new prologue revealing to the world how our loveably rotten hero came to be. Stayed tuned for more Simon Garth all this week!
Absolutely my fav B&W marvel hero! Looking forward to some of that peerless Earl Norem cover art.
ReplyDeleteThis comic had so much cool credential it was ridiculous. For my money, the greatest anti-hero Marvel ever had. And those painted covers! Moma Mia! Plus, was there ever a cooler tag line than - "The Man Without a Soul"? No, there wasn't! I remember seeing those panels of Garth being lashed in the face when I was a teenager and I have never forgotten them. Can't wait for more. -- Mykal
ReplyDeleteOH HELL YES I AM GOING TO BE LIKING THIS WEEKS THEME!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad I stumbled upon your blog, I thoroughly enjoyed looking around your blog!! I'm a Halloween folk artist and would be honored if you stopped by my blog some time as well. Take care
ReplyDeletewww.ravenfaescreations.blogspot.com
~ Brialee ~
This is Stan Lee's greatest achievement writing horror comics. Everything else he wrote was a climb to reach this pinnacle -- or a desperate attempt trying to recapture it afterwards. He never did.
ReplyDeleteThis is Everett's greatest moment drawing horror comics. He never did better.
This is 1950's horror comics perfection.
Yes it is.
Karswell: I have the "Essential Tales of the Zombie" collection and I have to say that, despite the fabulous art of the 70's mag, this 50's Bill Everett piece is absolutely my favorite part.
ReplyDeleteThe title kills me. "ZOMBIE!" with an excalamation mark. what could be better? that's a great looking zombie too.
ReplyDeleteOne of my all time favorites! I miss this style of comic story telling these days.
ReplyDeleteThis is great for its historical significance, but the sloppy addition of the poorly drawn (and regrettably obfuscatory) mop-top hair -- as well as the completely redrawn image of the daughter, do not quite show Everett off to full advantage. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot to love here seeing Everett's work in B&W, but if you look at the original, you'll see what I mean.
ReplyDeleteAnd again, as always, thank you, Kars, for your tireless scholarship.
> but if you look at the original, you'll see what I mean.
ReplyDeleteAnon makes a good point, and I had a feeling there were some changes made to some of the art in this re-print. It's been awhile since I've seen the actual original Menace #5 version (I do not own this issue), so if anyone has color scans they would care to submit I'd love to do a comparison. Just drop me a line. Thanks for the comments!
Okay, ignore my previous comment and head over to Mr. Doortree's essential Golden Age Comic Book Stories blog and check his post from Friday, January 02, 2009! I knew I had seen Everett's "Zombie!" tale posted somewhere online, I just couldn't remember until now where. There are some differences in the art, Garth's hair as mentioned, and also of course his daughter who was updated to look like the bombshell appearing in the Silver Age "Tales of Zombie" stories, (which you will see in the next THOIA post.)
ReplyDeleteAs I said, "your tireless scholarship!" Thanks for the link. So cool to see them side-by-side like this. Everett deserves all the exposure the web can offer.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant! I have never seen this before, ( I know... Ironic considering right? ) I have a few of the 70's mags, but seeing this Everett stuff in B&W is a real Gas!Rock on Kars!
ReplyDeletenothing original to say, but that was amazing, thanx!
ReplyDeletethis is great!
ReplyDeleteI have a scan of Menace #5, and in the original the daughter is a brunette with hair in a bun, and the policeman has an English-style (or Keystone Kops style) helmet. Both these changes go against the 19th Century setting of the story, so one can only wonder "What were they thinking?"
ReplyDelete