From the November 1947 issue of Crack Comics #51.
And how about that for an ending? Haha...
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
Captain Triumph vs. The Werewolf
It's Werewolf Wednesday time, and in my never ending attempt to give you all something dynamically different, I found myself stalking the supernatural superhero alleyways again and unearthing an oddly exciting terror tale featuring Captain Triumph and his wonderfully unique, weird ability: to touch his wrist and conjure up the spirit of his dead brother and then-- ohhhh, just read the hairy thing already! Today's post is also me fulfilling a request from someone last month who wanted to see some more Reed Crandall. Always aimin' to please, that's my motto! And yeah, this may look rather long at 15 pages, but trust me, the "crack" in the series title clearly stands for "whip-crackin' pace" as this story moves like a freight train full of bonkers moments and alt-universe werewolf "facts." Werewolves can fly?!! Hmmm, maybe someone was ON crack back then too...
From the November 1947 issue of Crack Comics #51.
And how about that for an ending? Haha...
From the November 1947 issue of Crack Comics #51.
And how about that for an ending? Haha...
Crandall hands in a great piece of comic art here.
ReplyDeleteThe story is pretty predictable (there's only one person to be the werewolf) and pretty rote, but the pacing and Crandall's art saves it. Every time a dust up happens, it's dynamic and action packed.
Crandall is really laying thick on the clothing wrinkles on this one, and there isn't a panel that features Kim where he's not spending extra time on her shadows :)
I think of the 3 werewolf fights the one on page 7 is the best. The panels really flow well, and it's condensed into three tight panels. The werewolf gets a little comic-y at the end (especially that face shot) which is an interesting change.
I suspect this is what Superman would be like if he had a dissociative disorder that prevented him from knowing he was also Clark Kent. Well, except for the ghost clothing superpower that Lance enjoys here. More than just a quick change, he is also apparently able to heal his own duds. Wolverine can't even do that!
ReplyDeleteI do have some trouble with invulnerable comics characters who murder their opponents. Imperviousness is kind of the ultimate asymmetrical response, so really any throwdown the Captain takes part in represents an overwhelming, and unethical, escalation of force.
I love the three-panel wolf-man attack at the bottom of page six, and that Hulky werewolf striptease on lucky page thirteen. Good stuff! But the villain looks kind of like a pig up on its hind legs at the top of page seven.
>where he's not spending extra time on her shadows
ReplyDeleteYou could definitely get out of the sun under there for some shade!
>I do have some trouble with invulnerable comics characters who murder their opponents
I actually love that ending... 3rd panel last page, the look on their faces in that low angle shot, watching him change back as he dies, and then Cap deciding uh oh, better blow town before the village wakes up, haha. It feels refreshingly nihilistic, even noir to me.
>werewolf striptease
LOL... As he turns into a wolf he has to physically remove his clothes with wolf paws 'n nails, but when he changes back to human, his clothes mystically reappear!
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ReplyDeleteJumpin' colors here. That ending? Off the charts. Let's get the eff out of town before anybody.... This is a hero? Wonderful wonderful! Thank you Mr. K.
ReplyDelete"It feels refreshingly nihilistic, even noir to me."
ReplyDeleteI know! In panel four he's actually reverently cradling his murder fist, his face darkened by an inner void. Like some gunslinger at high noon fifteen, blowing the smoke outta his rod and stowing it somewhere he can get to it quick--cause there's always a next time.
"We never saw a Superman story end like this..."
Well, there's a movie....
Okay, that was a lot of fun. I love how as Captain Triumph,Lance is basically just wearing men's casual wear. There's nothing that really screams "superhero" in that ensemble. At least it's practical.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the minute Raffrey first appeared, he wasn't fooling me. I was half hoping for a red herring here--no such luck I'm afraid.
"...And I'll make out on the sofa here!" Please don't!
I just love the fifth panel of page 6 with the werewolf's shadow on the armchair.
I also love the panel of the werewolf carefully stripping out of his suit rather then tearing it to shreds. I would have laughed if he carefully put it back on every time he changed back to human form too.
I also have no clue why but part where Captain Triumph states that he's going to put the werewolf on the sofa made me laugh.
Also,seriously, Captain Triumph? You don't believe in werewolves yet you can summon the ghost of your twin brother and merge with him to become a superhero!