Another lengthy horror actioneer from the March 1953 issue of Strange Terrors #7 (see previous post), and this time joltin' Joe Kubert is on hand to lead you through the perilous jungle, showing you all just exactly why he has a goddamn art school. Dynamic visual work as always, and though the evil, great white hunter story typically contains the usual assortment of deadly deja vus, there are still a few weird and worthy surprises along the way.
There's some striking composition in this. Page 2, panel 4 with that high camera angle and the figures framing the panther head -- the colorist keeping the floor white (and the head gray) -- it's great work all around.
ReplyDeleteThe monkey panel on page 4 is equally good, but I love the witch doctor getting eaten/crushed on page 5. His mouth surrounded by the panther mouth, that's a really neat image.
The art isn't as dynamic once we are back to "civilization" and then smashes you in the end with some great panels. Kubert really puts his best into what is a pretty standard jungle curse story.
Oh, top of page 6. The panther framed by the rocks. BTW, Kubert could really draw a scared guy!
That splash on the first page- it looks like X-men's Wolverine on steroids!
ReplyDeleteGreat find again, Karswell, it was a horrific delight!
Like I'm gonna rent a zoo on the one-year anniversary of that time I killed a witch doctor who was wearing a hat made out of a jungle cat. What am I, some kinda moron? In some general way it's likely all greedy colonialists deserve some special kind of African comeuppance, but within the diegesis here, Grant Patton's act of murder feels a little like self-defense what with the locals were definitely trying to off him first. Sure, that murder was in the service of ripping off a cat-shaped mountain (catamount?), but you can't tell me that mess of Spanish doubloons was actually cultural heritage. I know pirate booty when I see it.
ReplyDeleteI like the look of Kubert's rockabilly protagonist. Nice pompadour, feller. I kind of want to see a buffed-up Dr. McCoy in the role. Or Frazetta.
The long, straight haired "African" natives and the other "African" natives with bones through their noses like Papuans were funny enough; but Patton hiring a zoo of all things for his party was the icing on the unintentionally comedic cake.
ReplyDeleteCat-shaped mountain, Catskills?
ReplyDeletePurrfect Karswell!! I think Kubert's art is incredable and I thank you very much for posting this treasure.
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