Friday, January 31, 2025

CoronaVirus Comics REAL HEROES "Plague Vanquished"

Not all comic book heroes wear capes...
..as this tale of Edward Jenner, the doctor who saved us from smallpox, proves!
Who says comics ain't educational?
Not me, kiddo!
This never-reprinted story from Parent Magazines' Real Heroes #15 (1946) was one of several graphic dramatizations of Dr Jenner's achievement which has saved countless lives since its' introduction!
Depending on how long the Covid-19 lockdown continues, we may have time to run all of them!
Sadly, both writer and illustrator(s) are unknown!
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Friday, January 24, 2025

MODERN LOVE "They Wouldn't Let Me Love Him"

The "star-crossed lovers from different ethnic groups" trope applies...
 ...even when when one of the lovers is a medical student about to become an MD!
But, Hispanic girl-Anglo boy relationships seem to have a particular interest for comics writers and artists...going back to the 1950s!
Both this never-reprinted tale from EC Comics' Modern Love #7 (1950) and a similar 1970s story show the woman leaving the man to avoid prejudice against her from affecting his career!
In the 1950s, it was disturbing, but in the pre-civil rights era, it was, sadly, the status quo.
In the 1970s, it was disturbing, but far less common.
In the 2020s, the resurgence of this sort of prejudice is frightening, setting America back over 70 years!
The art is by Wally Wood and future sci-fi/fantasy author Harry (Stainless Steel Rat series and Make Room! Make Room!, the basis for the movie Soylent Green!)
The scripter is unknown, but believed to be the book's editor, Al Feldstein.
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The First Newsstand Comic Dedicated to the Medical Profession!
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Friday, January 17, 2025

Military Medicine OPERATION: PERIL "Mauling Medic"

If You're a Combat Medic...

...what do you do when a wounded enemy wants you to treat them?
Note: May be NSFW due to racist language common to the time period.
This never-reprinted Korean War tale from ACG's Operation: Peril #15 (1953) by editor/writer Richard Hughes, penciler Dick Beck, and inker Leo Morey shows the American medic does treat the Communist Chinese wounded...by taking them as prisoners back to his HQ, with as much medical supplies as he can steal!
I leave it to you to judge the levels of compassion and self-serving hypocrisy in the story.

Friday, January 10, 2025

PATSY WALKER "Great Idea!"

There used to be lots more to teen humor comics than just Archie and his friends...
...with every comics publisher from the late 1940s through the early 1970s doing them! 
Created by writer Stuart Little (no, he's not a talking mouse) and artist Ruth Atkinson, Patsy Walker first appeared in Timely's Miss America Magazine #2 (1944).
Redheaded Patsy Walker, parents Stanley and Betty, boyfriend Robert "Buzz" Baxter, and insanely-rich, raven-haired friendly rival Hedy Wolfe appeared from the 1944 through 1967 in various teen humor anthologies as well as several self-titled comics.
Trivia: Patsy Walker (along with Millie the Model and Kid Colt: Outlaw) were the only titles published continuously by Marvel from Timely in the Golden Age, through Atlas in the 1950s, to Marvel in the  Silver Age!
Patsy, Buzz and Hedy are all part of the Marvel Universe from Marvel's Fantastic Four Annual #3 (1965) when Patsy and Hedy attended the wedding of Reed Richards and Sue Storm!
Patsy later became the superheroine HellCat, and Buzz was revealed to be the supervillain Mad-Dog!
Patsy (and HellCat) appeared on the NetFlix series Jessica JonesLuke Cage, and Defenders, played (at various ages from child to adulthood) by Rachael Taylor, Catherine Blades, and Audrey Grace Marshall, making her part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe!
(Note: she's called "Trish", not "Patsy" in the MCU)
Written and illustrated by the versatile Al Jaffee (before he moved over to MAD Magazine), this never-reprinted story from Atlas' Patsy Walker #36 (1951) promoted contributing to the charity created in 1946 by newsman Walter Winchell (best known today as the narrator of the 1960s TV show Untouchables) to honor his friend, writer Damon Runyon, who died of cancer!
The charity, now called Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, still exists!

STOP PROJECT 2025: THE COMIC BOOK "Abortion"

Here's What Project 2025 is NOW Doing to Curb Reproductive Rights... ...as shown in this unique on-line comic!  It was a noble effort to...