Diggin' Ditko: "His Own Little World"

Psst. Hey, Groove-ophile. Wanna rule your own world? Okay, but ya better be careful of what you--or your pals--wish for! This far-out sci-fi tale features Sterling Steve Ditko at his best.  Originally published in Outer Space number one-and-only (August 1968), this version of "His Own Little World" comes from its reprinting in Space Adventures #13 (December 1978). Enjoy!

The Boys from Derby: "An Explosive Tale about Time!" by O'Neil, Aparo, Ditko, and Boyette

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Here's a rare treat--a book-length sci-fi shocker teaming a young Denny O'Neil (using his nom de plume "Sergius O'Shaugnessey") with Charlton's top trio of artists...Jim Aparo, Steve Ditko, and Pat Boyette. Space Adventures (volume 2) was Charlton's sci-fi anthology, natch, so fans were used to a mix of stories and art-styles in each issue. Issue #2's (April 1968) feature-length tale looked like three different stories due to the work of the above-mentioned trio of artists, but each "story" was actually a chapter in O'Neil's sci-fi spectacular. Nowadays such things are old hat, but in 1968 (especially in a Charlton mag) this little experiment was quite daring. Editor Sal Gentile knew he wasn't taking any real risks, though--after all, in the hands of O'Neil, Aparo, Ditko, and Boyette how could Space Adventures #2 miss?

The Boys from Derby: "If You Love Me, Beep Twice!" by Gill and Boyette

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Way back in Space Adventures #7 (February 1969), writer Joe Gill and artist Pat Boyette created a sci-fi shocker called "If You Love Me, Beep Twice!" It's reminiscent of the Henry (Goliath) Pym/Ultron school of nice guy builds a robot (or computer, as they're wont to call it in this story) that can think on its own--so naturally it turns out to be a stinker! Nothing groundbreaking, but it is a fun li'l diversion--and that's what it's all about today, right?

Diggin' Ditko: "The Magnet of Magento" by Gill and Ditko!

Hoo-hah! What better way to cap off a week than with some classic Steve Ditko sci-fi, Groove-ophiles? This Joe Gill scripted shocker is from Charlton's Space Adventures #5 (October 1968). Are you ready, baby? We're gettin' ready to blast off, but before we go remember the immortal words of the late, great Jim Croce: "You don't tug on Superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind, you don't pull the mask off the ol' Lone Ranger and you don't mess with 'The Magnet of Magento'!" ...Or somethin' like that!

Wonder if Sturdy Steve got paid double for that splash-page-that-became-a-cover? Or was it a cover-that-became-a-splash-page? Hmmmmmmm...