Let's get December rollin' with a mad science monsterama from the January 1954 issue of Adventures into the Unknown #51. Ken Landau can certainly cook-up a wonderfully disgusting slime-ball of a creature, but fans of cute bunny rabbits may want to skip this one. Also, you don't have to announce it to the entire neighborhood if you're planning to transform your mad lab into a bar room. I mean, seriously...
I always like this class of mad scientist stories where it's not really their hubris but that their victims end up teaming up or becoming their monster/killer.
ReplyDeleteSome of this looks Wally Wood-ish in parts.
It's a fun monster, I like more in it's slime form than it's eventual human form.
Page 2, panel 6 is my favorite, I don't think the shadows quite work but it's a fun piece of horror art.
I may have posted this before, and if so I apologize for repeating myself, but science fiction has become science fact-
ReplyDeleteFrom NHK Tokyo, back in May 5, 2012
The Leading Edge: Artificial Cells: Revealing the Secrets of Life.
I can't find the video from so long ago, but there are many other references of artificial cellular life. Fortunately, these "Frankencells" don't do anything but "live" in petri dishes.
Its pretty eerie how sci fi back then prophesized what would occur in 2000 and beyond, though I'm still waiting for a cheap jet pack and flying car.
Ralph's pretty damn creepy looking even when he's not going into "killer mad scientist" mode. I am indeed a bunny lover, but I do love that panel of Ralph dangling that poor bunny out to his creation on the first panel of the third page. Also love panel 6 of page 5 of Ralph watching with maniacal glee as his creation devours Stan.
ReplyDeleteI was just hoping for more of a horrified reaction to that from Liz.
ReplyDeleteOr from Stan, for that matter.
Just want to say I may not comment all the time but still greatly appreciate your posts. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteYeah, It feels a lot like Ralph was doing pretty well at his science job when all his friends just up and decided for everybody that he'd crossed some ethical line. I mean, maybe we should have actually seen a little more of what might have scared them into plotting this intervention of theirs? As it stands, the siblings pretty much decide to blow the man's house up over a bunny rabbit. Then, even though their plot fails, Stan goes on to infect Ralph's creature with the desire to go ahead blow the house up, anyway. It's almost like Stan Monster has to kill Ralph just to win the bet. See, we told you he'd be dangerous. Jeeze, with friends like these....
ReplyDeleteI really love the first page; both the splash and the driving panels. I agree that Landau gives good shoggoth, but I also love all that wispy eyelash shade hatching in the backgrounds. It almost looks like brush practice, right? Like he drew the comic on his own blotter, or maybe one of those scratch pads they set out in the ink pen aisle of the office supply store.
I may dig up a few more mad science posts for later this month, stick around for that... and as long as everyone keeps coming back and commenting, I'll keep on deliverin' the gruesome goods! Thank you as well! We're going hunting next though, so see ya in a few...
ReplyDeleteVery enjoyable offering here. Loved the art and story pacing. I do think the last panel was not needed. It felt tacked on by me. Thank you Karswell for posting.
ReplyDelete