Cover Cavalcade

 FEBRUARY IS TANKS vs DINOSAURS MONTH!

Even the Haunted Tank eventually got into dinosaur-related combat. This Joe Kubert cover is from 1975.

Cover Cavalcade

 FEBRUARY IS TANKS vs DINOSAURS MONTH!!

Another Ross Andru cover, this one from 1962.

Cover Cavalcade

 FEBRUARY IS TANKS vs DINOSAURS MONTH!

A Ross Andru cover from 1961.

Cover Cavalcade

 FEBRUARY IS TANKS vs DINOSAURS MONTH!!!

A Ross Andru cover from 1960.

Booktube: Dinosaur-themed fiction, Part 1

 

Every Respectable Lost World Includes Man-Eating Plants!

cover artist uncredited

Gee whiz, you would think that hungry dinosaurs and violent cavemen would be trouble enough for Turok and Andar! Now, they gotta deal with carnivorous plants?

Well, to be fair, carnivorous plants are a standard part of most prehistoric-themed Lost Worlds. So it would be expected the two Indians would run into some eventually.

This all takes place in Turok Son of Stone #26 (December 1961-January 1962), in a story written by the prolific Paul S. Newman and drawn by Giovanni Ticci. (Ticci worked in Alberto Giolitti's studio and Giolitti did the inks. Ticci always does an excellent job of emulating Giolitti's style--I can rarely tell them apart.)

Turok and Andar encounter the plants while dodging an angry styracosaurus. The dinosaur gets caught in the plant's tentacles. It seems that nothing can escape the tentacles.

Except the next day, they notice that the dinosaur is gone--no remains, no bones, no nothin'. They soon discover a nearby tribe that has a secret powder able to open up the plants. The cavemen used this to get the styracosaurus's meat. 

Though Turok considers the meat his, its not worth going to war over. Andar, though, thinks the secret powder would be useful. So that night, he sneaks back to the tribe to steal some. 

Andar, here, acts foolishly. But he's young and an occasional foolish decision is a legitmate part of his character. And when he's discovered, it's just bad luck and not another stupid mistake.

Andar makes a break for it, but gets caught by a plant. Okay, maybe he is a little too stupid in this story.

Turok finds him and realizes they now really need the secret powder. He negotiates the the cavemen and, after saving them from a charging herd of iganodons, they tell him where to find the powder. They don't, though, tell him about the safe path. 

The unsafe way involves scaling a cliff and dealing with a flock of hungry pterodactyls. Fortunately, poison arrows continue to be the rock that smashes dinosaur scissors.

Turok frees Andar and, for bonus points, lures a hungry carnosaur into the plants unaffected by the powder. 

It is a fun story. As was true of nearly all of Newman's best Turok stories, it involves Turok using his head as well as his bow to triumph. Perhaps Andar does act a little too dumb this time around. But he is indeed young. I, of course, was a perfect little angel growing up, but who among the rest of you didn't occasionally act foolishly when you were a kid?

Next week, we'll visit again with the Fantastic Four for the beginning of a 4-part story arc.
 

Friday's Favorite OTR

X Minus One: "A Gun for Dinosaur" 3/7/56

Stories of Ray Bradbury: "A Sound of Thunder"  9/6/2010

I've featured "A Gun for Dinosaur" before, but I thought it would be fun to pair it up with a BBC adaptation of Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder." Two classic short stories highlighting the various dangers of time travel. Dangers we would all ignore, of course, for a chance to see live dinosaurs. Same reason we'd go to a real-life Jurassic Park if we could. 

Click HERE for "A Gun for Dinosaur"

Click HERE for "A Sound of Thunder."

Dinosaurs, Space Battles and Fist Fights

 

Read/Watch 'em In Order #170

I don't care what NASA says! Venus is a jungle planet populated by dinosaurs. It's true! Everyone knows that!

By golly, Tom Corbett, Roger Manning and Astro know it. In Revolt on Venus (1954), the three space cadets are given thirty days leave. They decide to take a trip to Astro's home planet of Venus and hunt a tyrannosaurus. Astro has some experience in this, though the story he tells about it leaves no doubt that T-Rex hunting is dangerous.

But the poor cadets are soon involved in much more than a hunting trip. There is trouble afoot on Venus. A group called the Nationalists is pushing to secede from the Solar Alliance. They've stepped over a legal line in the sand by threatening farmers who don't join them and have several times burned down buildings.

A side-note: This book was written for young American readers. It's likely the author realized that our natural sympathies might lie with a colony wanting to break away from a distant government. So the point that Venus has equal representation in that government is quickly made--as well as gradually revealing the Nationalists to be brutal and hypocritical in their actions. This is an action-adventure novel, so the politics are dealt with very lightly, but the story quickly zeroes in on the Solar Alliance being the good guys and the Nationalists being the bad guys, with no grey zone inbetween.

Anyway, the cadets get involved in this even before they get to Venus, when they find a bomb planted on their spaceship during the trip there. Once on Venus, the cadets go hunting, while a Solar Guard officer named Connell begins to investigate the Nationalists.

Tom and his friends get involved after being chased out of the jungle by a T-Rex and stumbling onto a plantation being attacked by Nationalists, with Major Connell desperately trying to fight off the attackers. 

So the cadets find their vacation cut short. After they foil an attempt to kidnap them, the cadets and Connell pretend to go hunting while really searching for the secret Nationalist base. That leads to another encounter with the T-Rex that chased them earlier. Then they end up getting captured.

But getting captured is not necessarily a bad thing. If one of them can escape and bring back the Solar Guard fleet, while the others sabotage the Nationalists' early warning system, then the movement can be crushed.

This leads to more action, including a large-scale space battle, some brutal ground combat, a hostage situation, a double-crossing "friend" and a last-minute save. 

I've been enjoying the Corbett novels enormously, but this is my clear favorite so far. The action is varied--covering the gamut from hungry dinosaurs to fisticuffs to ray guns-- and often intense, with each of the cadets getting a few Moments of Awesome along the way. The plot twists are good ones and the overall atmosphere generates quite a bit of tension. Especially good are the scenes set in the Venusian jungle, with thick foilage and dangerous fauna keeping both the protagonists and the readers on edge.

And, by golly, the book describes Venus properly. It's a jungle planet full of dinosaurs. It really is. Why would we accept the existence of a universe that allowed anything else?

Turtles and Triceratops

 

cover art by George Wilson

Turok, Son of Stone #74 (July 1971) is yet another winner brought to us by the nigh-unbeatable team of writer Paul S. Newman and artist Alberto Giolitti, combining fast-paced, thematically balanced storytelling with wonderful art.

This one starts off with a bang--or rather the thud of a rock against a head. Turok and Andar are spotted by a lake tribe that rides big turtles. The tribesman immediately sling stones at the two Indians, knocking both of them out.

The tribe's medicine man, Laf, declares the two captives have to be sacrificed, so they are tied atop turtles. The turtles are escorted to the Island of Doom, which is surrounded by steep cliffs. The turtles are released,  who then drag Turok and Andar through an underwater tunnel to the interior of the island.

That interior consist of winding, confusing paths wrapped around a mountain. The two heroes meet Kag, the former medicine man who was displaced by Laf's "stronger magic." Turok immediately comes up with a plan for getting Kag back on top--using flint provided by Turok to "magically" make sparks. But that leaves the problem of getting off the island.

This problem is exasperated by the presence of an ill-tempered Triceratops. The three men dodge the dinosaur at first, before Turok and Andor take the dangerous option of killing it without the aid of poison arrows.

After this task is completed, they begin to search for a way back down the mountain, taking many wrong turns before finally reaching the water. Kag tames a turtle and the three make their way back out through the tunnel.

They re-join the tribe, where Kag shows his spark-making trick. When a carnivorous dinosaur attacks, Turok and Andar (who have recovered their bows and arrows) take it out, but then hide the arrows to Kag's "magic" gets the credit for killing it. Kag, now firmly back on top of the heap, then allows Turok and Andor to go free.

The thematic linchpin of the story is persistance. Turok and Andor had to be persistant in their pin prick attacks on the triceratops to kill it, then had to be persistant in finding a way off down the mountain despite taking a number of false trails. The usual strength of Turok having to use his brains instead of just his arrows is also at the forefront. All told, this is a great Turok tale, well-told and well-illustrated.

Next week, we'll return to see how Green Lantern is doing.

Cover Cavalcade

 NOVEMBER IS DINOSAURS IN THE PULPS MONTH!

A Harold V. Brown cover from 1940. 

Those Poor Moon People!

 NOVEMBER IS DINOSAURS IN THE PULPS MONTH!

cover art by Frank R. Paul

Well, I already knew that dinosaurs once saved Earth from the Martians. Today, I discovered a tale in Amazing Stories (February 1929) that tells us Earth was saved from the Insect People of Mars by the last living Tyrannosaurus Rex. "Death of the Moon" was written by Alexander Phillips. 

The poor Lunarians were running out of the resources they need to maintain a liveable atmosphere on the moon. Fortunately, they have a Jor-El-level genius among them who has a plan. Build a space ship; fly to Earth; make sure Earth is habitable; return to the moon; build a lot of space ships and move everyone to Earth.

It's not a bad plan, if only because it represents the only way the Lunarians can survive. If successful, it means mankind will never show up, because the Lunarians will be filling that ecological niche already. But--well, you can't really blame the Lunarians for not knowing about humanity before humanity existed.

The Lunarian scientist and his crew take off and arrive on Earth. They explore and like what they see. Well, at least until they see a hungry Tyrannosaur...

The story is a short, fun bit of science fantasy. Phillips, though, also manages to insert a bit of meloncholy at the story's end, as the last T-Rex, dying from raygun wounds after unknowingly saving mankind, passes on. The following quote is a spoiler, so jump to the link at the bottom of this post to read the story yourself before continuing:

The sinking sun bathed the saurian’s grim visage in a soft, warm light and as he gazed into the last sunset he would ever see, across far spaces into the mellow glory of the Life-giver, Tyranosaurus’ eyes softened and he was vested with a dim, far-away dignity as one whose purpose is accomplished. Gradually the harsh sobbing diminished and finally ceased and Tyranosaurus Rex, King of the Giant Lizards, most terrible of all carnivores, and most feared, had gone forever from earth.

The sun was gone. Far along the west stretched a streak of amber light, all else the night had claimed. High above the canyon, showing through a space in the leaves, sailed the round, full moon throwing her pure, white light, like a protecting mantle, over the broken, pathetic body of her perished son, the inventor, while deep below her surface she hid a race awaiting his triumphal return. Long would they wait — Long.

Poor Moon People. Poor T-Rex. -sigh-

The story is available to read online HERE. 

Cover Cavalcade

 NOVEMBER IS DINOSAURS IN THE PULPS MONTH!

This 1939 cover was painted by Harold V. Brown.

Cover Cavalcade

 NOVEMBER IS DINOSAURS IN THE PULPS MONTH!

The artist who painted this 1937 cover is uncredited.

Cover Cavalcade

 NOVEMBER IS DINOSAURS IN THE PULPS MONTH!

This 1934 cover is by Frank R. Paul

A review of the story "One Prehistoric Night" can be found HERE. 

Cops, Crooks and Frogmen

 

cover art by Ross Andru

Star Spangled War Stories #121 (June-July 1965) begins with a Navy frogman named Stoner hitching a ride on a PBY. But writer Bob Kanigher and artist Ross Andru soon make his life more interesting.

Partway through the story, we get a flashback giving Stoner's backstory. I'm going to cheat a little and give that information here before we get to the dinosaurs. 

Stoner was a cop before the war. His career took a downturn, though, when he arrested his own brother Manny for murder. Manny then escapes after a train wreck while Stoner is escorting him to prison. Rumors about Stoner allowing Manny to escape are rife, making the cop an outsider on the force.

Then the war happens and Stoner joins the high-risk commando team known as the Suicide Squad. And, when the PBY he's flying in gets a distress call from a submarine, he finds himself on what is definetely a high-risk mission.

The sub is being attacked by a monster. Stoner puts on his frogman suit, then bails out of the plane in an effort to help the sub. THEN the PBY is attacked by Japanese Zeroes. THEN the Zeroes are attacked by a pterodactyl, who goes after Stoner after destroying the planes. Yes, this is definitely high-risk.

Stoner uses a mini-torpedo launcher to kill the pterodactyl, then plummets into the ocean. He's then snatched up by the giant crab that was attacking the sub. Fortunately, a frogman from the sub grabs the mini-torpedo launcher and kills the crab.

You can see it coming, can't you? The two enter the sub and Stoner discovers the man who just saved him is his brother Manny, who joined the Navy under a false name. 

Soon after, the sub approaches an island, where they are attacked by a T-Rex.

After the T-Rex is killed with the sub's deck gun, Stoner and Manny scout the island. Manny decides to do away with his brother (who hasn't yet given Manny away), but can't bring himself to do it. 

The ending is predictable, but still carries some sincere emotional weight to it. They are attacked by another dinosaur. Stoner is trapped under a tree, but Manny gives his own life to save his brother. In the end, serving in the Navy had changed him from a crook to a hero.

The War That Time Forget is enormously entertaining almost purely because we get to see World War II soldiers, sailors and marines fighting dinosaurs. That only is epic and more than justifies the series' existence.

Often, the human characters are just ciphers, with no real personalities of their own. Here, even though the Stoner/Manny situation plays out in a predictable manner, it does succeed in giving them definable personalities. We don't see that often in this series, so it was nice to see it here.

Next week, we'll return to the Planet of the Apes.

Cover Cavalcade

 

February is George Wilson Month. This one is from 1967.

Aliens vs. Dinosaurs

 

cover art by George Wilson

Usually, the only science fiction element present in a Turok story are the dinosaurs existing in modern times. But occasionally, the stories would deal with dinosaur mutations or other mildly SF elements.

Turok, Son of Stone #58 (July 1967), though, goes full Sci Fi when aliens, riding an honest-to-goodness flying saucer, arrive in Lost Valley. 

With a script by Paul S. Newman and art by Giovanni Ticci, "The Things from the Sky" is a fun, clever and satisfying story.

It all begins with panicking dinosaurs. And panicking cavemen. In fact, it seems that everyone and everything around Turok and Andar has decided to panic.

The reason for the panic is a visit from aliens, who are buzzing the valley and checking out life on Earth.

The alien ship lands and Turok--being Turok--handles the situation with calmness and aplomb. The aliens are able to adapt to the local language just by hearing it, so they are soon communicating. It's interesting that the aliens essentially just say they come in peace without trying to explain their origin in detail. Did they realize Turok and Andar would not have the knowledge necessary to really grasp the concept of other planets?

I also love the design of the aliens. The multi-tentacled body encased in a space suit that keeps us from getting a really good look at them--that's a truly alien look that seperates them from earth people in appearance and thus makes them more interesting.

Well, the aliens may come in peace, but the local fauna isn't peaceful at all. Turok has to save an alien from a plesiosaur. After that, the aliens keep their ray guns handy, but still look to Turok for ideas about scaring off dinosaurs and still panicking cavemen.

But dispite everything, the saucer is damaged, forcing the aliens to perform make-shift repairs that largely consist of banging the hatch back into shape with a hammer. (The damage prevents them from getting into the ship to get better tools.)

When it looks like the ship is repaired, one of the aliens takes Andar up on a test-flight. This is the part that rises the story from good to awesome. The ship flies out of the village and Andar is able to see his home village once again. It's an event that makes the ensuing ending absolutely heart-breaking.

Because, naturally, something goes awry. The ship returns to pick up Turok and the rest of the alien crew. But when they take off again, they fly through a flock of pterodactyls. The ship's intake valves are clogged and the saucer crashes. Turok and Andar are thrown free, but the saucer and its crew are destroyed. No one is going home today.

The story is strong because of great art, imaginative design of the aliens and opportunities to show how Turok always thinks his way out of difficulties. But that heart-breaking glimpse of home--that's what makes it really stand out.

Next week, back over to the DC Universe for a visit with Adam Strange.

How Does a Pterodactyl Tell Time?

 

If anyone ever asks you to define the term "goofy fun," just show them a copy of Hawkman #23 (Dec 1967/Jan. 1968). Writer Richard Hughes and artist Dick Dillon provide us with a perfect definition.

Hawkman and Hawkgirl are on patrol when they see a bank being attacked by a combined force of dinosaurs and cavemen. It's such an odd sight that even Hawkman--who is like most superheroes in that he's seen some pretty weird stuff during his career--gives us a "Holy Hawks! It's impossible!"

But this is a Comic Book Universe, in which very little is impossible. The Hawks battle the dinos and cave men for a few pages, at which point their opponents are swept away and then disappear.

A mortally wounded pterodactyl is left behind. Guessing that a bird-reptile will speak bird language, the Hawks seek out a death-bed confession.

The dying ptero explains that he's been brought out of the past, but dies before saying who is responsible. 

I wonder, though, how the ptero was able to explain so precisely that he came from 1,000,000 BC. How does he know the year according to modern reckoning? Heck, how does he understand the concept of time or calenders at all? Apparently, Pterodactyl School in the prehistoric past was very efficient!

A radiation trail leads them to a mad scientist lare, where Dr. Malevolo is using his time machine to bring creatures from the past to steal money. Probably to pay off the loans he took out to fund building a time machine, but that's just a guess.

When the machine is activated, Hawkman tosses Hawkgirl to safety, but he himself is sucked into the past.

He soon finds himself fighting a dragon-like monster, then later befriends a tribe of cavemen, teaching them to use fire and weapons. But when Dr. Malevolo brings some more perspective minions into the 20th Century, Hawkman is brought along.

The radiation used by the time machine wipes Hawkman's memory and makes him susceptible to Dr. Malevolo's orders. The bad guy sends him off to kill Hawkgirl. This obligates Hawkgirl to first fake her own death and then to lure Hawkman into a decontamination chamber.

This snaps Hawkman back to normal. The Hawks then attack Malevolo's lair once again and this time defeat him. The destruction of the time machine sends everyone and everything back to their proper times. Dr. Malevolo gets sentenced to some hard time and, I believe, is never seen again. 

That's understandable. Malevolo was just a generic mad scientist, without any sort of strong personality or traits that would lead a writer to bring him back for more shenanigans.

Otherwise, the story truly is goofy fun. It jumps around in an uninhibited way, tossing in stuff like a prehistoric dragon, a pterodactyl that can tell time, or teaching cavemen how to use bows and arrows in a willy-nilly fashion, whether or not any one of these elements advance the plot. In fact, teaching the cavemen stuff doesn't affect the story at all.

But it doesn't matter. Dick Dillon makes it all look cool and I wouldn't have left out any part of it. I normally enjoy strong story structure and a writer's ability to tie everything together. But there are moments when story structure must give way to pure fun. This is one of those occasions.

I wish I knew how that darn pterodactyl could tell time, though.

Next week is my wedding anniversary/wife's birthday break. In two weeks, we will take one of our occasional ventures into comics of the 1980s to begin a look at the Legion of Superheroes' "Great Darkness Saga."