Gold Key Got It Right!

In 1964, Gold Key put out a one-shot TV tie-in for Jonny Quest. It's a straightforward adaptation of the first episode, "Mystery of the Lizard Men." The interior art is an interesting combination of good and ... eh ... OK.

Some panels appear to be almost tracings of film cels. Other are a lot looser "interpretations" of the characters.

Here's the interior front cover.

The script is not word-for-word, however. For example, in the final minutes when Dr. Quest's computer "Unis" suggests "Laser experiments by foreign powers," Dr. Quest responds, "In my primitive way, I arrived at the same answer, Unis!"

And the TV episode's final scene, the return to the beach, isn't present in the comic. Instead, in the last panel Race and Jonny lead into a text piece about the Sargasso Sea that appears inside the read cover, thusly:

There was never a second issue from Gold Key. Not until 1986 and Comico's brilliant run did Jonny Quest return to comics.

See you after the weekend!

Ha-Ha, Very Funny (not)

Did you know that, in April 1968, Superman met Jerry Lewis? The proof is right here!


One of the dumb things about this issue is that the cover features some Cagliostro-looking goon with an oversized Tommy gun has caught Jerry wearing a Superman costume. But it can't be Superman's real costume, because you can see an imitation -Boring Superman flying past in the background.





However, the story inside contains Jerry finding and wearing THE COSTUME. And the bad guy that finds Jerry wearing it is none other than the greatest criminal mind of our time, Lex Luthor.

Wouldn't have that made a better cover?

Of course, in the story that genius Luthor is so stupid that he thinks that Jerry Lewis REALLY IS Supes's identity. So much for that great criminal mind, huh!

The art is a creepy mix of Jim Mooney-meets-Al Plastino. And the writing is a quality that makes me think that it was written by somebody full of derision for anybody above a first-grader's critical faculties.

Anyway, as Carole King sang, you've got to take the bitter with the sweet. Or, in this case, the dumb with the daring!

It Was Thirty Years Ago Today ... Sort Of ...

Thirty years ago, America celebrated its Bicentennial! Woo-Hoo!

At DC, Superman "saluted" it with a big oversized reprint of old Tomahawk stories, "hosted" by Superman. Seeing as how Tomahawk was so influential in American Independence and all.

Ain't the cover art great? My first guess was Fred Ray as the artist, but I don't know.

The first couple of pages feature Superman in his fortress, tuning in his time viewer, through which he "watches" the Tomahawk tales.

The Superman art is by Saint Curt, but the inker (unnamed) wasn't *quite* in sync with catching the right line to ink.

Stay thankful for the privileges and responsibilities of American life! As they say, the American way is the worst system on Earth ...except for every other one.

Super Solutions

Here are the answers to all those *brainbusting* puzzles from last week. As I said earlier, they came from the 1981 magazine-style Daily Planet published in conjunction with the release of Superman II.

My dear friends, pray for me. In my viewing-in-order of the 14-disc Superman DVD set, next in line is Superman III. Pray that I emerge with a little consciousness intact.