Monday, July 25, 2011
Captain Marvel Jr #76 (Sivana Jr's Lightning Rod) Aug. 1949
Coincidence plays such a big role in CMJ stories. Freddy Freeman seems to always be at the right place at the right time to rescue imperiled people or stop crimes. In the beginning of this story we have this caption, "But the fates always conspire to put a certain nemesis in Sivana Jr's path!" So it is not mere coincidence but fate that steers the course of CMJ's adventures. Sivana Jr's father used a somewhat similar gimmick to deflect CMJ to different parts of the world when Freddy called for the Blue Boy in Master Comics #54 (September 1944). The artwork on this yarn is by Bud Thompson.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Captain Marvel Jr #76 (The Terror in Treetop Town) Aug. 1949
The Terror in Treetop Town
This is one of the fairly rare "lost civilizations" stories in the CMJ corpus.The tree top townspeople are similarly clothed (colonial attire) as the ones in CMJ #60 (April 1948) "The Legend Beyond the Mist." Otto Binder is credited (GCD) with writing this tale. He may have give a "tip of the hat" to fellow science fiction writer and comics scripter, John Broome by naming the museum the "Osgood Museum". John Osgood was one of Broome's pseudonyms. The artwork may have been done by Bill Ward (or Sheldon Moldoff).
This is one of the fairly rare "lost civilizations" stories in the CMJ corpus.The tree top townspeople are similarly clothed (colonial attire) as the ones in CMJ #60 (April 1948) "The Legend Beyond the Mist." Otto Binder is credited (GCD) with writing this tale. He may have give a "tip of the hat" to fellow science fiction writer and comics scripter, John Broome by naming the museum the "Osgood Museum". John Osgood was one of Broome's pseudonyms. The artwork may have been done by Bill Ward (or Sheldon Moldoff).
Monday, July 11, 2011
Captain Marvel Jr #76 (The Circe Lamp) Aug. 1949
The Circe Lamp
This "magic lamp" story based on the Greek myth of Circe has one of Freddy's more plausible escapes. At the end of the story when the newsboy is turned into a dog the canine attacks Pete the Burglar and in the process the magic lamp is smashed releasing Freddy from the spell. There is also a magic lamp story in CMJ #94 (February 1951). This story is written by Otto Binder (GCD) with art by Joe Certa.
This "magic lamp" story based on the Greek myth of Circe has one of Freddy's more plausible escapes. At the end of the story when the newsboy is turned into a dog the canine attacks Pete the Burglar and in the process the magic lamp is smashed releasing Freddy from the spell. There is also a magic lamp story in CMJ #94 (February 1951). This story is written by Otto Binder (GCD) with art by Joe Certa.
Monday, July 4, 2011
Captain Marvel Jr #76 (The Sun War) Aug. 1949
Happy Independence Day! Hope you have a great day celebrating the birthday of the United States. We are back again with another vintage CMJ story. This time we are starting with CMJ #76 (August 1949).
Housekeeping Item: I've noted that copies of the books I've been posting are showing up on the Golden Age comics websites. This is fine. Since this site is about CMJ I've not included the filler strips, text pieces or ads contained in each issue. I had planned at some future time uploading the complete issues to the websites (and still may) but thanks for doing the work for me.
The Sun War
This story seems oddly timely with its emphasis on global warming. We find that climate change is not the work on humans on Earth but are caused by warring races inside(!) the sun. Otto Binder using the voice of CMJ is at his moralizing best. CMJ preaches, "Just remember! All people, anywhere, have a responsibility toward all other people! In carrying on your war, you endangered Earth--and yourselves! Don't forget this ever---War does not pay!" The leaders of the Sun people rely, "You are right, Blue Boy! Hereafter, we will be known as the United Sun!" It seems as if the United Sun (read United Nations) is the answer to international problems. This longer than normal story (12 pages) gives the writer and artist more room to craft a very good story. The art by Bud Thompson is some of his best and the Sun peoples' costumes are similar to those worn by the Legion of Super Heroes in the early 1960s.
Housekeeping Item: I've noted that copies of the books I've been posting are showing up on the Golden Age comics websites. This is fine. Since this site is about CMJ I've not included the filler strips, text pieces or ads contained in each issue. I had planned at some future time uploading the complete issues to the websites (and still may) but thanks for doing the work for me.
This story seems oddly timely with its emphasis on global warming. We find that climate change is not the work on humans on Earth but are caused by warring races inside(!) the sun. Otto Binder using the voice of CMJ is at his moralizing best. CMJ preaches, "Just remember! All people, anywhere, have a responsibility toward all other people! In carrying on your war, you endangered Earth--and yourselves! Don't forget this ever---War does not pay!" The leaders of the Sun people rely, "You are right, Blue Boy! Hereafter, we will be known as the United Sun!" It seems as if the United Sun (read United Nations) is the answer to international problems. This longer than normal story (12 pages) gives the writer and artist more room to craft a very good story. The art by Bud Thompson is some of his best and the Sun peoples' costumes are similar to those worn by the Legion of Super Heroes in the early 1960s.
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