Model Monsters: the 1971 Aurora Vampirella (and Friends) Monster Scenes Kit

Hehheh, welcome, Groovesters! Hehheh, come een, pleease, and joeen me, won't you? Hehheh...follow mee eento the Torture Chamber as wee conteenue...







A few weeks ago, Ol' Groove waxed eloquent on the Aurora Superhero Model Kits of 1974, and at the end of the post I warn--er--promised ya that I'd fill ya in on the Vampirella torture scene Aurora unleashed on us back in 1971. Well, you know the Groovester always keeps his threat--er--promises. Come a little closer and learn, Grasshopper...

Vampirella had been created by Forrest Ackerman and James Warren for Warren Magazine's Vampirella #1, back in the summer of 1969. Needless to say, Vampi became a cult hit, spawning posters, puzzles, paperback novels, and even a movie (in 1996). Needless to say, it came as no surprise to Ackerman, Warren, or anyone else that Vampi merchandise began catching fandom's attention. You don't put a chick like that (vampiress or not) in an outfit like that and not expect to get lots of attention, dig? Anyway, the folks at Aurora produced a Vampirella model kit, and even worked up (the first ever) model character crossover by producing a mad scientist (Dr. Deadly), a helpless victim, and even a la-BOR-atory and torture cage. They'd already been producing a Frankenstein's Monster model (as part of their Universal series in the late 60s), so he became part of the crossover, as well. Aurora called the new line Monster Scenes. They hoped the crossover with Vampi would resuscitate the flagging Monster model line. Here's what happened...

Aurora produced two (that I know of) ads featuring the new Monster Scenes kits. A tame one (found on many a comicbook back cover during the summer of 71) and the comicbook style ad that caught everyone's attention (found inside many a comicbook during that self-same summer). Click 'em if you dare...



How that second ad got past the comics code, I'll never know. I dunno if many parents saw those ads, but when they caught sight of the actual boxes and models...



...Outrage might be the best word to describe their reactions. (Remember, those Hammer horror flicks were still getting "X" ratings back then!) All kinds of groups (including very powerful and influential groups like Parents for Responsibility in the Toy Industry and National Organization for Women) began leaning on Aurora (and their parent company, Nabisco [!]) to force them to discontinue making the Monster Kits. Not only that, but Warren Magazines were uptight about their heroine, Vampi, being portrayed as a villainess. Was that the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back? The powers-that-were at Aurora quickly caved under all that pressure. Production of the kits stopped in May, with the last of the unsold kits being pulled from the shelves in November. But they'd made it through Halloween, baby!

Finally, for the curious among ya, here's a look at the completed scene (you can click it to enlarge it if you promise not to have nightmares...):

Seems kinda tame by today's standards, dunnit?

That's it for this time, Groovesters. Lemme leave ya with a Groovy Age Halloween riddle. How is a vampire like a lollipop? Neither sucker ever gets an even break. (Ya have'ta highlight the corny answer, Igor!)

Fear-Fraught First Fridays: the Swamp Thing

Welcome back, children of the night! It's time for more of our...


Throughout the history of comics, there have been plenty of swamp creatures climbing from the muck and mire to wreak havoc on the world at large (or at least on anyone dumb enough to come near their swamp). Only one swamp creature, however, has been the subject of about a half-dozen comicbook series, two feature films, a TV series, a TV cartoon series, and a line of toys. Only one was written by a young, British, mad genius named Alan Moore. And to think, the Swamp Thing began, ever so humbly, as a one-shot story in DC's House of Secrets.

Created by writer Len Wein (hey, what is this? Len Wein Fridays?), artist Bernie Wrightson, and editor Joe Orlando, the first version of the Swamp Thing made its debut in the House of Secrets #92 (March, 1971). (Two months later, Marvel unleashed their own swamp creature, the unfortunately monickered Man-Thing, written by Wein's then-roommate Gerry Conway. Both Conway and Wein say they really didn't know about what the other was working on. I believe 'em.) Orlando was wise enough to cover-feature Wein and Wrightson's muck-monster, and that magnificently creepy, Gothic-style cover must've grabbed more than just a few eyeballs, 'cause that issue became a stand-out seller. Of course, it wasn't just the cover that grabbed fandom and held on to their psyche's! Wein's story was simple, yet powerful, haunting and filled with pathos. Young Groove really dug his almost-poetic narrative style (still do!). And Wrightson's art! Lush and moody, like watching an old classic movie. Wrightson even cast his characters, using fellow artist Mike Kaluta as his villain, Louise (then Jones) Simonson as the heroine, and himself as the hero. Fandom made that ish a hit, baby! We thought it was dy-no-mite! The powers-that-were quickly decided that the Swamp Thing should have his own series, and viola! Swamp Thing #1, by Wein, Wrightson, and Orlando premiered in July, 1972. The boys had updated Swampy, or what we call today "re-imagined", setting him in "present day" 1972 with a new name and origin. Wrightson even upgraded the Swamp Things look, making him more muscular looking than the original shambling monster that had previously appeared. That first issue won a few SHAZAM awards (this was in the days before Eagle, Eisner, and Harvey awards, remember), and the rest is history.

Enough yakkin' from me! Let's take a look at the haunting Gothic romance/monster tale that started it all...



(Scanned from House of Secrets Silver Edition, Copyright 1971 and 1993 DC Comics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Monster Master: Gene Colan

Greetings ghouls and gargoyles! It's time for another trip into the tomb as we keep on truckin' with...











Nobody, but nobody mastered the Marvel's monster-ous mood like Gene (the Dean) Colan. From Dr. Strange to Brother Voodoo to Man-Thing to Son of Satan to the lord of evil, Dracula, himself, Gene's powerful, painterly pencils set the pace that all others could only follow. The only time Colan's work ever looked better than it did under the inks and colors of Tom Palmer was when Marvel published his work in black and white, allowing his gray pencil work, wash, and tones to come to the fore in a way color could never allow. Aw, I could rave and rave about the Dean's work, but why do that when there are pages of his art to be savored? Enter freely and of your own will...(and click 'em to enlarge 'em!)



Here's a rare look at Mr. Colan's painting skills, from Marvel Preview #16:

Last, but not least, here are some pages from the far-out feud between Drac and Marvel's hirsute horror, Jack Russell, Werewolf By Night, as rendered by Messrs. Colan and Palmer:



AaawOOOO! It's the supernatural smack-down of the ages. Can't get any more Halloween than Dracula vs. a Werewolf, can ya now, Groovesters?

One more thing: as many of you probably already know, Gene suffered some serious health problems back in the spring. Much of the comics world has come to Mr. Colan's aide to help out financially (through auctions, donations, and sales) and morally (cards, letters, and e-mails). While it looks like he's on the mend, I'm sure he'd appreciate all you Groove-ophiles and Monster Maniacs stopping by his site, dropping him a line or signing his guest book, and/or purchasing some goodies from his gift shop. Ol' Groove'd appreciate it, too!

Weird Adventure Comics: The Spectre

Good eeeee-vening, Groovesters! Ol' Groove is proud to participate in the Halloween Countdown, 2008, with the cool folks at Jon's Random Acts of Geekery, Wonderful Wonderblog, and all the other creature connoisseurs around the Internet! I'm shooting for a whole month of monster madness. Can the Groovy One pull it off? Betcha a bowl of Booberry Cereal I can!

I'm gonna start off with the ghost with the most, the Spirit of Vengeance, himself, the Spectre, as presented in Adventure Comics (issues 431-440). The Spectre was a Golden Age super-hero brought back during the Groovy Age, written by Michael Fleisher (with help from Russell Carley),drawn by Jim Aparo (with occasional help from stalwarts such as Ernie Chua/Chan and Frank Thorne), and edited by Joe Orlando (former EC superstar, editor of most of DC's horror/mystery titles). Legend has it that Orlando, who had recently inherited the editorial reins of Adventure Comics and was searching for the proper lead feature (Adventurer's Club and the Black Orchid hadn't worked out) was mugged. The mugging supposedly angered the (usually) mild-mannered editor so much that he was inspired to bring back the Spectre as an anti-heroic ghoul who wreaked sadistic vengeance on evildoers. Some say that story is all jive, but it sounds pretty cool, huh?

The indisputable facts are that Orlando hired newcomer Fleisher, who had been hanging out at the DC offices doing research for the superhero encyclopedias he was working on, and veteran Jim Aparo as the Spectre's creative team. I don't know if anyone knew what to expect when Adventure Comics #431 appeared on the stands back in late 1973, but it sure got comicdom's attention! Fleisher gave the Spectre, and his human host/alter-ego Jim Corrigan a Marvel-like cast complete with Marvel-style subplots, and the ever-present Marvel-style impossible romance (a dead guy can't have a real girlfriend, can he?). He also did some things fans like me had never seen (and older fans hadn't seen since the Golden Age). Y'see, the Spectre killed the bad guys. He didn't just kill 'em, he executed 'em. He didn't just execute 'em, he mutilated 'em. What I'm trying to say is...you don't mess with the Spectre. He made Wolverine and the Punisher (both of whom he pre-dated) look like wimps. Freddy and Jason? Pikers. Don't believe me? Ooookey dokey...

Adventure #431: Why just melt the rifle, when you can melt the bad guy, too?

Adventure #432: The Spectre shows the evil hairdresser (s'truth, I swear!) what a cut-up he is.


Adventure #434: The Spectre proves the crazed mannequin maker is a real dummy.


Adventure #435: The Spectre proves to be a real cut-up.


Adventure #436: The Spectre turns the table and serves the squid some sushi.


Adventure #439: The Ssssspectre turnsssss a group of kidnapperssssss' own massssscot againssssst them.


Adventure #440: Ducky McLaren and his gang have murdered the Spectre's alter-ego, Jim Corrigan. As retribution, the Spectre feeds Ducky to his good luck rubber ducky, then sends the rest of McLaren's gang on a trip that is truly out of this world.

Pretty gruesome stuff, huh? Remember this was the time when the movies were giving us anti-heroes like Clint Eastwood's Dirty Harry and Charles' Bronson's Paul (Death Wish) Kersey. Cops who take matters into their own hands was hot. Orlando's genius was to combine that tough cop genre with superheroes and horror to create something new and sensational. By giving us villains who were truly heartless and evil--true monsters in every sense--Orlando and company had us cheering for the Spectre, sitting on the edge of our seats to see what kind of punishment he would inflict upon each villain.

A lot of folks (fans and pros) were shaken up by the Spectre's grisly deeds, and the big question on everyone's mind was, "How is this stuff getting past the Comics Code Authority?" Well, all you have to do is take a look at how tastefully Jim Aparo handled the Spectre's brand of justice. Obviously from the Alfred Hitchock "your-imagination-sees-something-worse-than-I-can-show-you" school of art, Aparo kept the really gruesome stuff off panel--or at least hidden by the Spectre's flowing cape.

Sadly, as quickly as he'd returned, the Spectre was gone again. In fact, the decision was so speedily made to dump him from Adventure that there were a couple stories left unpublished. Those stories eventually saw the light of day in the Wrath of the Spectre mini-series back in the 80s. The whole series is now available as a a trade paperback. Check it out and let the chills and thrills begin!