Shock Theater: A Ron Goulart, Jim Starlin, Gene Colan, and Rich Buckler Triple-Feature of Terror

One of Ol' Groove's all-time favorite authors, Ron Goulart, dabbled with writing comics for Marvel during the early-70s. The writer of sci-fi, horror, humor, mystery, adventure, fantasy, and comics history spent the better part of 1972 writing terrific tales for Journey Into Mystery, Supernatural Thrillers (you can find two of those tales here and here), and Warlock. Today's focus is on a trio of terrifying tales Mr. Goulart authored for Journey Into Mystery issues 3-5 (November 1972-March 1973). The first, "The Shambler from the Stars!"with art by Jim Starlin and Tom Palmer, adapted a 1934 Robert Bloch classic. The second, "The Haunter of the Dark!" with art by Gene Colan and Dan Adkins, adapted an H.P. Lovecraft shocker, and the third, "The Shadow from the Steeple!" with Rich Buckler/Frank Giacoia art, was an all-original sequel to "Haunter". Turn down the lights, pull the covers up to your chin, and prepare for some high-quality chills, Groove-ophiles!

Famous First Fridays: "Bikini Hawaiian Style" by Jim Aparo

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Today's edition of Famous First Fridays is extra special since it represents the dynamite debut of the late, great Jim Aparo. Mr. Aparo is best known as one of the premiere Groovy Age artists on Batman, Aquaman, the Spectre, the Phantom Stranger, and the Phantom--but believe it or not he got his start on this Bikini Luv strip from Go-Go #6 (January 1967). Not only is it a treat to see Aparo's earliest work, but his cartooning skills are also a joy to behold. How can you not love his Elvis Presley send-up? Kick back and flip out with "Bikini Hawaiian Style!", baby!

Thank you. Thank you, very much.

April Fool: The Scorpion Faces the "Night of the Golden Fuhrer!"

It's the first day of April, Groove-ophiles, but this is no laughing matter: Atlas/Seaboard tried to pull perhaps the ultimate April Fool's joke on fandom back in April 1975 when they turned Howard Chaykin's sensational Scorpion into a rip-off of Marvel's Spider-Man and Daredevil. Gabe Levy was a fine writer and Jim Craig (with uncredited inks by Jim Mooney) does a serviceable job with the art, but this incarnation of the Scorpion is nowhere near the level of fun, originality, or quality of Chaykin's first two issues. (I've never been able to figure out why they moved the Scorpion to 1975--only to have him fight neo-Nazis...and a Golem!?!) Thankfully, ish #3 would be the title's final issue.

Just goes to show that you couldn't fool Groovy Age comics fandom--not even in April!