Alarming Tales no. 3 (Jan 1958) cover credited to Joe Simon. Only one story by Jack Kirby in this issue (a good one), but there are three stories illustrated by Doug Wildey (who would go on to create Jonny Quest a few years later). A pretty striking cover, the colors would have made it stand out.

Actual footage of Vince Guaraldi performing "Linus and Lucy". I'm gobsmacked that this exists, but utterly thrilled too. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EMf...

Here you go, Dave. Some very Ditko-looking art from Kirby. But from 5 or 6 years before Dr. Strange!

Splash page from the last story in Alarming Tales no. 2 (Nov 1957) by Jack Kirby. Patented Kirby machinery in robot form. Reminiscent of robots and machines Kirby would illustrate in Challengers Of The Unknown and some of his Atlas/Marvel monster stories.

Splash page from a story in Alarming Tales no. 2 (Nov 1957) by Jack Kirby. Possibly inked by Kirby himself and/or George “Inky” Roussos. Another story that could have fit in well with Kirby’s concurrent work at DC in titles like House of Mystery, House of Secrets, etc.

Splash page from a story in Alarming Tales no. 2 (Nov 1957) by Jack Kirby. This page looks like it would have fit in perfectly in one of the DC titles Kirby was doing work for concurrently, such as My Greatest Adventure. Also a vague foreshadowing of his Atlas monster stories from a year or 2 later.

Splash page from a story in Alarming Tales no. 2 (Nov 1957) by Jack Kirby. I love the colors in the main panel, that eerie green glow. Kirby’s art here is on par with what he was doing in DC’s mystery books at roughly the same time. Great stuff. He was probably the writer on this, too.

Alarming Tales no. 2 (Nov 1957). The GCD credits Joe Simon with this cover, which I’m a little dubious about. It has also been credited to Mort Meskin with George Roussos. Not sure about that either. Regardless, it’s a cool cover, with some nice, subtle grey shading. Interiors are mainly by Kirby.

The splash page from a story in Alarming Tales no. 1 (Sept 1957) by Jack Kirby. Seems to pretty obviously be a prototype for Metron’s Moebius Chair from Kirby’s New Gods book a decade+ later. Here’s it’s more of a humorous take on the concept, but it’s definitely there nevertheless.

The splash page from a story in Alarming Tales no. 1 (Sept 1957) by Jack Kirby. This one definitely seems like a prototype for Kirby’s beloved Kamandi series from 15 years later. A man travels through time to find a world ruled by animals.

The splash page from a story in Alarming Tales no. 1 (Sept 1957) by Jack Kirby. It appears Kirby arrived at psychedelia 10 years before the Beatles! Not a prototype per se, but many of the panels in this wild story could have easily fit into Ditko’s Dr. Strange comics from 6 or 7 years later.

The splash page from a story in Alarming Tales no. 1 (Sept 1957) cover by Jack Kirby. If you’ve ever seen Kirby’s Jimmy Olsen from the early 1970s, one of the central concepts was the DNA Project aka the Cadmus Project. He first explored those ideas, i.e. cloning, in this story. A prototype kinda.

Alarming Tales no. 1 (Sept 1957) cover by Jack Kirby. One of my favorite Kirby comics from this era, containing as it does a number of stories that could be seen as prototypes for themes and ideas he’d explore later in his career in titles like Jimmy Olsen, Kamandi, New Gods, etc. A special comic.

If anyone in Los Angeles has 1964 or earlier Marvel Comics, particularly anything Kirby, and they’d be willing to loan them to me this weekend, please let me know. It’s for a small film I’m directing. Reader copies. Nothing slabbed. Thanks!

Could Hell be run more efficiently? The Atlas Creator Collection No. 3: Bill Everett Vol. 1: "One Head Too Many!" and Other Weird Horror Stories is full of brilliantly illustrated, creepy horror stories--out 4/7! https://ow.ly/zkAC50Yc3Gu

Black Cat Mystic no. 59 (Sept 1957) cover by Jack Kirby. This issue appeared a full year after the previous issue, for some reason. This is a really interesting issue, especially the story featured on the cover, which is one of Kirby’s first depictions of a mutant, 6 years before the X-Men. 🧵 1/8

House ad from Black Cat Mystic no. 58 (Sept 1956) by Jack Kirby (possibly inked by Joe Simon). I’ll have a closer look at this issue in a few days.

Here’s the splash page from the fourth and final story in Black Cat Mystic no. 58 (Sept 1956) art (and probably written) by Jack Kirby

Here’s the splash page from the third story in Black Cat Mystic no. 58 (Sept 1956) art (and probably written) by Jack Kirby

Here’s the splash page from the second story in Black Cat Mystic no. 58 (Sept 1956) art (and probably written) by Jack Kirby

Here’s the splash page from the first story in Black Cat Mystic no. 58 (Sept 1956) art (and probably written) by Jack Kirby

Opening splash page from Black Cat Mystic no. 58 (Sept 1956) by Jack Kirby

Can anybody help Bill out?

Black Cat Mystic no. 58 (Sept 1956) cover by Jack Kirby. After Joe Simon and Kirby ended their partnership following the demise of their Mainline Publishing company, Kirby became somewhat of a journeyman, working for a variety of publishers. Simon became an editor at Harvey & gave Kirby work in ‘56.

G.I. Combat #89 (1961) Great grey tone cover! @notnearmint.bsky.social @big5army.bsky.social @spyvinyl.bsky.social @realmarkrez.bsky.social @edcooknj.bsky.social

BLUE NOTE STORE BEST SELLER OF THE WEEK: Frank Sinatra “Songs For Swingin’ Lovers!” (Tone Poet Vinyl Edition) store.bluenote.com/products/fra...

Look at this weirdo.

Teen Titans no. 53 (Feb 1978) cover by Rich Buckler and Jack Abel. The end of the line, the final issue of this volume of the series. It’s a flashback tale that tells the never before revealed origin of the Titans. Within a couple years, they’d be back with a new lineup and a new lease on life.

Top Shelf Friday time What's a comic in your collection that you love? ❤️ Another cool Silver Age Batman from my last shipment from @mediummic.bsky.social #TopShelfFriday #comicbooks #comics

Did a comic swap with @spyvinyl.bsky.social and got this bumper crop of goodies!

Relistening to this album that I “discovered” last week for the first time. It was released in 1974, but is a compilation of tracks recorded 1969 to 1972. It’s great and makes a cohesive electric period album. Love it. The song “Go Ahead John” features a particularly scorching John McLaughlin solo.

Teen Titans no. 52 (Dec 1977) cover by Rich Buckler and Jack Abel. The Titans East and West come together to defeat… Captain Calamity? I guess all the good villain names were taken by that point. Penultimate issue of the series.

Mail call from Mark! (I like how that sounds.) Did a semi unseen, grab box trade with @realmarkrez.bsky.social . Here is my lot. Not going to lie. I’m having trouble deciding if my favorite is the Olsen that reprints his Turtle-Boy🐢rampage or Superboy being mummified. Love these, Mark!🙏

These were pretty darn enjoyable.

First listened to this album last week. Listening again today. I really love it, and I’m not sure why I never listened before. It’s made up of sessions from 1970-74, yet it seems it seems to hold together like a pretty cohesive album. Mostly, though not entirely, pretty mellow and laid back. Nice.

Happy Thor’s Day!

Teen Titans no. 51 (Nov 1977) cover by Rich Buckler and Vince Colletta. “Not enough heroes”?? You’ve got two separate teams of Titans, just how many heroes do you need?

Treat yourself to volumes 1-16 of The Compete Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz--our hardcovers are back in stock! And stay tuned: more volumes and the box sets are on the way 👀 https://ow.ly/4EEn50Y94l7

Go back to where it all began with Love And Rockets Vol. I #1 - Facsimile Edition by Gilbert and Jaime Hernandez--out 2/25! https://ow.ly/86cx50Y8YmJ

Still on my Miles Davis shit. Listening to this one now. Compilation of outtakes from 1960 thru 1970. Mostly new to me.

Love - “Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale” youtu.be/hwnyoH5DpNE?...

Teen Titans no. 50 (Oct 1977) cover by Rich Buckler and Jack Abel. The debut of the Teen Titans West, a group of characters, mostly created during the 1960s, that hadn’t been seen in a number of years.

I’m more excited for a couple comic book releases tomorrow than I have been in quite some time. Hope they live up to my expectations. 🤞

Teen Titans no. 49 (Aug 1977) cover by Rich Buckler and Jack Abel. A busy cover for a busy issue. Bumblebee’s identity revealed, Harlequin in costume for the first time, Mal gets a new (terrible) costume for a few pages before reverting to the Guardian outfit, plus the Rocket-Rollers menace the team

This arrived in the mail over the weekend, the last issue I needed from this run. There’s some early Berni Wrightson art inside, too.

Teen Titans no. 48 (June 1977) cover by Rich Buckler and Jack Abel. Lots going on in this issue. The Joker’s Daughter, a character who had been appearing in the Batman Family comic, was revealed to be Two-Face’s daughter actually, and changes name to Harlequin. Plus first appearance of Bumblebee.

Another month, another calendar. Here’s the Vintage Horror Comics Calendar for this month.

New month, new calendar. Here’s the weird and wonderful Jim Woodring calendar for this month.

It’s February! Here’s the Classic Marvel Blacklight Posters calendar for this month, with out of this world art by Gene Colan.