You guys have been killing it lately. This especially has got to be one of my favorite episodes in a while. The seaboard books have a very special place in my heart, and I think Im one of the few people who sincerely loves these goofy titles. Morlock 2001 is probably one of my top three next to Ditko and Wood's "Destructor" (whom I sincerely hope you cover, he's pretty much seaboard's spiderman) and the Brute (their purple prehistoric pastiche of the hulk). Btw Morlock is actually the name of the white haired guy in the blue jumpsuit (He's actually a living plant-man!). I think is should be noted that the few seaboard titles that made it to either a third or fourth issue were quick to kind of "soft retcon" themselves to be more paletable to the audience. Morlock did this (or tried to?) with the introduction of the midnight men, but some other notable books that followed suit are Targitt/Target (a psuedo-punisher/deathwish clone who ends up in long underwear by his last issue) and the Phoenix (a surprisingly early attempt at superhero deconstruction which ends up going nowhere as the title character just gets zapped to an alien planet to fight an alien cyclops after dawning his new thematic super-suit). By far the weirdest aspect of all this is the fact that the entire library of characters got bought up wholesale by some random hollywood mogul just a few years ago. Last I heard he was looking to adapt the characters to film but little else has been said since. As far as Im concerned I just desperately want some kind of trade collecting the entirety of the seaboard slew of titles.
Howard Nostrand threw a birthday party for me in the 1970's... Wrightson showed up with an envelope that contained the latest pages he was working on. He showed me the Ditko pencil pages that he was inking. I asked him why was he inking Steve Ditko and he said he could ink several pages a day and needed to pay his rent. He also said he liked Steve Ditko's work . I also asked what kind of music he liked and he said whatever was on the radio. I loved Wrighrson's work and I introduced him to Nostrand and Howard was a friend of Graham Ingles... Howard then called up Howard on the phone and wrightson told Ingles how much he loved his work... Wrightson later mentioned this is an interview but did not remember that he was at Nostrand's Studio .. He just said he had talked with Ingles on the phone.
There was an interview in which Wrightson revealed that some Atlas bobblehead had expected him to do more finishing in his style on the Ditko pages. Nostrand must've been doing some of his last comics work there. He was quite a figure in comics history, having worked in Bob Powell's studio and all. It must've been cool to know him and, for him, it must've been cool to know you.
AT 11:13 top right panel, left page you see a watchful eye car. I just saw a Google earth car that essentially jus drives around taking photos and it looked EXACTLY like that car.
Rich Buckler also drew the cover of this book and Russ Heath inked him, I was Buckler's assistant and Rich told me this. Heath inked Buckler several times on Atlas covers
This was a reboot, which was happening to several titles as an outsized panic set in at the end of Atlas' run and staff were instructed to Marvel everything up. The Morlock character was originated by Michael Fleisher and Al Milgrom. In the previous issue he's befriended and helped by a cute little girl who he, as the monster, devours at the end.
Howard Chaykin's contribution to Atlas was a character known as "The Scorpion", who is very much a proto-Dominic Fortune. The funniest part of which being the fact that Chaykin's Scorpion outright dies in the 3rd issue, in kind of a brutal scene, and the fourth issue opens up like 20 years later to unveil their newest superhero of the same name who happens to be a descendant of the Chaykin character somehow. The second scorpion being a daredevil esc hero who flings discs from his wrists in a manner very reminiscent of 1963's the fury. He also fights this golden nazi doctor doom swipe? its a fun read if you can find it
Atlas Comics seem to be stuck in a permanent status of "It's complicated." However, it's one of those dramas that when you research and dissect it, it's a simple tale of revenge. Goodman was pissed that Chip was shown the door. For that he decided to start a comic book company to "rob" Marvel of newsstand space. After all, he started Marvel so he can start another right? Uh...no.
I'm 45 so these were the comics I loved as a kid.Going to the pharmacy/store and finding the weirdest comics. E-man,The sentinels,Peter Canon-Thunderbolt(My fav).
I was hoping to see more Wrightson in there but, still, pretty cool and weird. I thing Wrightson being Wrightson over some Ditko pencils would look pretty great.
I have all three of those Morlock 2001 issues. Michael Fleisher, who I think of as a quintessential 70s comic writer (esp. for Jonah Hex, Spectre, and the Atlas/Seaboard Grim Ghost) wrote the first two. The splash page of issue two is quite demented, but delightfully so, much like Fleisher's best writing tended to be. Midnight Men was not added to the title until issue three. I dig what you're saying in this episode, too, though...I have a fair share of isolated issues of series due to dollar bins and the like. And wouldn't change that. Great video and channel. When I started collecting, in the early 80s, Terry Austin was a star inker.
You guys have been killing it lately. This especially has got to be one of my favorite episodes in a while. The seaboard books have a very special place in my heart, and I think Im one of the few people who sincerely loves these goofy titles. Morlock 2001 is probably one of my top three next to Ditko and Wood's "Destructor" (whom I sincerely hope you cover, he's pretty much seaboard's spiderman) and the Brute (their purple prehistoric pastiche of the hulk). Btw Morlock is actually the name of the white haired guy in the blue jumpsuit (He's actually a living plant-man!). I think is should be noted that the few seaboard titles that made it to either a third or fourth issue were quick to kind of "soft retcon" themselves to be more paletable to the audience. Morlock did this (or tried to?) with the introduction of the midnight men, but some other notable books that followed suit are Targitt/Target (a psuedo-punisher/deathwish clone who ends up in long underwear by his last issue) and the Phoenix (a surprisingly early attempt at superhero deconstruction which ends up going nowhere as the title character just gets zapped to an alien planet to fight an alien cyclops after dawning his new thematic super-suit). By far the weirdest aspect of all this is the fact that the entire library of characters got bought up wholesale by some random hollywood mogul just a few years ago. Last I heard he was looking to adapt the characters to film but little else has been said since. As far as Im concerned I just desperately want some kind of trade collecting the entirety of the seaboard slew of titles.
Howard Nostrand threw a birthday party for me in the 1970's... Wrightson showed up with an envelope that contained the latest pages he was working on. He showed me the Ditko pencil pages that he was inking. I asked him why was he inking Steve Ditko and he said he could ink several pages a day and needed to pay his rent. He also said he liked Steve Ditko's work . I also asked what kind of music he liked and he said whatever was on the radio. I loved Wrighrson's work and I introduced him to Nostrand and Howard was a friend of Graham Ingles... Howard then called up Howard on the phone and wrightson told Ingles how much he loved his work... Wrightson later mentioned this is an interview but did not remember that he was at Nostrand's Studio .. He just said he had talked with Ingles on the phone.
There was an interview in which Wrightson revealed that some Atlas bobblehead had expected him to do more finishing in his style on the Ditko pages. Nostrand must've been doing some of his last comics work there. He was quite a figure in comics history, having worked in Bob Powell's studio and all. It must've been cool to know him and, for him, it must've been cool to know you.
I think Alfredo Alcala was the first inker I recall to really push his style past the pencils when Alcala inked Big John Buscema on Savage Sword.
AT 11:13 top right panel, left page you see a watchful eye car. I just saw a Google earth car that essentially jus drives around taking photos and it looked EXACTLY like that car.
Rich Buckler also drew the cover of this book and Russ Heath inked him, I was Buckler's assistant and Rich told me this. Heath inked Buckler several times on Atlas covers
This was a reboot, which was happening to several titles as an outsized panic set in at the end of Atlas' run and staff were instructed to Marvel everything up. The Morlock character was originated by Michael Fleisher and Al Milgrom. In the previous issue he's befriended and helped by a cute little girl who he, as the monster, devours at the end.
Howard Chaykin's contribution to Atlas was a character known as "The Scorpion", who is very much a proto-Dominic Fortune. The funniest part of which being the fact that Chaykin's Scorpion outright dies in the 3rd issue, in kind of a brutal scene, and the fourth issue opens up like 20 years later to unveil their newest superhero of the same name who happens to be a descendant of the Chaykin character somehow. The second scorpion being a daredevil esc hero who flings discs from his wrists in a manner very reminiscent of 1963's the fury. He also fights this golden nazi doctor doom swipe? its a fun read if you can find it
Atlas/Seaboard is such a weird footnote in comics history. Definitely some oddities worth looking over
I was hoping that the kayfabe effect wouldn't get to Atlas books until I finished my run. Ah well
Atlas Comics seem to be stuck in a permanent status of "It's complicated." However, it's one of those dramas that when you research and dissect it, it's a simple tale of revenge.
Goodman was pissed that Chip was shown the door. For that he decided to start a comic book company to "rob" Marvel of newsstand space. After all, he started Marvel so he can start another right?
Uh...no.
I'm 45 so these were the comics I loved as a kid.Going to the pharmacy/store and finding the weirdest comics. E-man,The sentinels,Peter Canon-Thunderbolt(My fav).
I was hoping to see more Wrightson in there but, still, pretty cool and weird. I thing Wrightson being Wrightson over some Ditko pencils would look pretty great.
I had Destructor by Archie Goodwin,Ditko,Wood! Keep reading and making comix!
A cliche as it may be I literally laughed out loud when Ed said “you got a meatball” 😂
How is the Midnight Man walking with ease after that fire?
Nice find!!!
The inker I think of where the inker made it his/her own, is Wally Wood.
10:30 that’s straight out of V for vendetta
I have all three of those Morlock 2001 issues. Michael Fleisher, who I think of as a quintessential 70s comic writer (esp. for Jonah Hex, Spectre, and the Atlas/Seaboard Grim Ghost) wrote the first two. The splash page of issue two is quite demented, but delightfully so, much like Fleisher's best writing tended to be. Midnight Men was not added to the title until issue three. I dig what you're saying in this episode, too, though...I have a fair share of isolated issues of series due to dollar bins and the like. And wouldn't change that. Great video and channel. When I started collecting, in the early 80s, Terry Austin was a star inker.
I would say Terry Austin was the first inker that I could tell when he inked a comic.
Keep 'em comin'!
Let's get a Steve Ditko Hawk & Dove episode!
🔥💙🔥