Blowing My Stack

Friday Comic Book Day.

After Mort Meskin did his two Wildcat stories for Sensation Comics, the next few issues the feature was taken over by Gil Stack. An unknown artist, whose style I really liked. Even a bit similar to Meskin. So I looked him up wand was surprised to see that it was in fact a pseudonym for Gil Kane. Just like Gil Kane was a pseudonym for Elia Katz, by the way. But we know him als Gil Kane, so let's stick with that.

Gil Kane was always an impressive artist, but he was never pleased with his own style. Like his name, he changed his image many times. But the graphic genius always came through.

Ace DC

Sturda Leftover Day.

I am not a huge fan of Gil Kane's work, but I van never resist a good selfportrait.

Old Comics Never Die, They Just Fade Away

Friday Comic Book Day.

Heroic was a curious comic book, filled with short stories (sometimes even one page)about normal people dping heroic stuff. Lots of stories about kids saving other kids from drowning or mom from a fire or a car accident or stuff falling from hifg buildings. Very repetative and very dull. The only saving grace for us collectors is the fact that certain name creators had their start there or filled some time doing a page or two or three. Best know is the earliest appearances of Alex Toth work and the short masterpieces Frank Frazetta threw off (especially in the later war issues). But going through a new batch of scans from John Vandeboncoeur's collection (available from the online Digital Comic Book Museum) I noticed many more familiar names than I had ever thought. Some of the regulars include later Judge Parker artist Harold LeDoux and early fifties stalward Bill Walton. But there are also pages by Alfonso Green, H. G. Peters and these guys...

How about Gil Kane?

Al Williamson in some of his earliest work.

More Al Williamson (signed on the last page with AW).

A cover by... looks familiar... let's look inside...

.. where there is a story that JVJ identifies as being by Prins Namor's daddy, Bill Everett. And look at those girl's face on the second page... I think he is right. He also identiefies the cover as Everett's.

More Williamson and this time John says ot is probably inked by Frazetta.

And this is what Frazetta looks like on his own.

Another Timely artist (or at that time, on his way to become one), Tony DiPreta.

Three by Harold LeDoux/

Frank Frazetta again.

And we'll end with LeDoux.

Pretty weird set, huh? These days it wouldn't evne pay to go round to get the script, but apparently that's what these guys did... you' almost call it heroic.