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Wednesday, May 21, 2014

POST # 66 - "THE DUEL OF THE MONSTERS!" by Angelo Torres


Greetings, Comics Fan!

I am

THE APOCOLYTE!


It's my privilege to present you with a horror tale featuring the astoundingly talented Angelo Torres!

Now, imagine this...
In a little Spanish village there appears to be a monster on the prowl killing people! 

Alright, Skully! What do you think happens when a village is attacked by not just one, but two different monsters?


You are right about that, Skully!
This story originally appeared in CREEPY #7, in 1966, and it was written by Archie Goodwin.



"The Fleagle Gang" was a group of friends that consisted of artists Al Williamson, Frank Frazetta, Angelo Torres, Roy Krenkel, George Woodbridge, and writer Nick Meglin. They began to make there respective marks essentially at the start of the 1950's. When Williamson was doing work for EC Comics early in his career, often his "Fleagle" buddies Torres, Frazetta, and Krenkel would help out with the artwork, producing astonishing results. Torres also began working for EC, usually inking over Williamson's pencils. In 1955 Torres began doing solo work for Atlas/Marvel Comics, producing stories for their science fiction, suspense, western, and war titles. Torres was soon drawing for Charlton and Harvey Comics, and also doing historical stories for Gilberton's THE WORLD AROUND US and CLASSIC'S ILLUSTRATED titles.

When Warren Publishing began it's black and white magazine line in 1964, Angelo Torres was a natural fit, and starting with CREEPY #1 Torres was featured prominently in many of Warren's magazines over the next few years. In 1970 Torres returned to EC, becoming one of MAD magazines most popular satirical artists, with Torres transforming his realistic rendering for a more Mort Drucker-ish cartoon style. Throughout the 70's Drucker and Torres anchored MAD's issues with amazing spot-on TV and movie parodies, portraying celebrities and stars with their incredible humorous and accurate depictions. Torres art continued appearing throughout the pages of MAD into the new millennium. 

Regarding our featured story today, Torres exhibits his masterful abilities to create artistic realities in the palette of chiaroscuroesque imagery.

 One monster? That's pretty bad.
Two monsters?
That's enough to make you soil your garments. Twice.

Skully, you had something else to add?




"THE DUEL OF THE MONSTERS!"


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Here's the awesome Frank Frazetta cover that goes with this story!
(Another "Fleagle"!)



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I have another horror tale over at
Click the image to go see it!


________________

THE APOCOLYTE
(and Skully)



will return with more fantastic black and white comic artwork!

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Friday, May 16, 2014

POST # 65 - "FEARS OF A GO-GO GIRL!" by Kirby/Colletta (original art)


Hello, Comics Fan!

I am 

THE APOCOLYTE!


I am pleased to bring you today's artwork!

It is an unpublished story from an unpublished black and white magazine that Jack Kirby was going to produce for DC Comics. In 1971,  Kirby got the greenlight from DC to produce a line of mature-themed black and white magazines, two of which saw print and two of which were never published. IN THE DAYS OF THE MOB, with stories about infamous gangsters like Ma Barker and Al Capone (which can be viewed in it's entirety here), and SPIRIT WORLD, with stories of supernatural mysteries, each managed to get one issue each published. In addition to these two B & W magazines, Kirby was working on two mature romance-themed books, TRUE DIVORCE CASES, about the other side of romance, and SOUL LOVE, an African-American romance comic. For whatever reasons, the publisher pulled the plug before these two romance mags could see print.

Today's story, "FEARS OF A GO-GO GIRL!" was one of the tales to be included in the first issue of SOUL LOVE.  It is a shame these books never got to be produced, since Kirby at this time was at the top of his form, and who knows what great work was never realized. Kirby's pencils were inked by Vince Colletta, and in the original artwork shown here (which was found online at the Heritage Auction website) you will see quite a bit of white out and re-work done, specifically for the female protagonist's face. Colletta is now infamous in comic book circles for often erasing and allegedly decimating Kirby's detailed pencil art, and whether you are a fan or a detractor, I leave those critical judgments for you, the viewer, to decide here.

I welcome your comments, opinions, and insights below. 


So, for better or worse,
Here is Jack Kirby's

"FEARS OF A GO-GO GIRL!"






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-click on images to enlarge-













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Here is the proposed cover to SOUL LOVE #1, ink wash artwork by Jack Kirby.


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What did you think of this story and artwork, friend?

Leave a comment below and let me know...


I'll be back soon with more great black and white artwork and stories!








Thursday, May 15, 2014

POST # 64 - FRANK FRAZETTA, The Living Legend - Part 2



Hello!

I am

THE APOCOLYTE!


I bring you more amazing fantasy artwork by the masterful Frank Frazetta.

Continuing from my last post (here), these black and white works were found in the volume 
FRANK FRAZETTA, The Living Legend.




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More great artwork to come!