Monday, October 31, 2011

Groove's Faves: War of the Worlds by Claremont, Montano, and Castrillo

Happy Halloween, Groove-ophiles! Before you head to the parties, or start handing out candy, or settle down with your horror flick of choice, c'mon in to Groove City where we're gonna do a bit o'time-traveling--and we don't even need a TARDIS. Ready? Let's boogie!

Some call it history some call it myth, but Orson Welles' adaptation of H.G. Wells' WAR OF THE WORLDS scared the holy hoo-hah out of hundreds (at least) of folks back on October 30, 1938. Orson Welles, martians, alien invasions, and Wells' War of the Worlds itself became both comicbook staples...and Halloween legend. So today we're tying it all together with a Groovy Age bow. Or should that be "boo"?

In 1976, Marvel's Classics Comics series got around to publishing their own adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds with Marvel Classics Comics #14. The novel-length (48 page) adaptation is top-notch, written by Chris Claremont (by then a cult fave with the All-New, All-Different--but not yet sales champ--X-Men) with art by Yong Montano and Dino Castrillo. Keeping the X-Men connection going, the martians and their tripods were designed by Chris' X-Men co-conspirator Dave Cockrum--who also inked the fab-a-mundo Gil Kane penciled cover.

It's all treat with no tricks, baby! Here's Marvel's War of the Worlds!



















































For more War of the Worlds wonderment in all its forms, you must visit the far-out War of the Worlds site--and tell 'em Ol' Groove sent ya!