Tony Isabella | Magazines and Monsters!

Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction 4, 1975

Posted on May 31, 2021 by billyd75

Back once again to keep plowing forward through this great sci-fi magazine run from Marvel Comics. Names on the cover are a big thing with these mags, as they wanted to pull in not only comic book readers, but the science fiction crowd as well. A spectacular cover by Frank Brunner certainly raises the chances of people buying this one as well!

In this issue, we get an awesome interview with A.E. Van Vogt! The interview was conducted by none other than future Batman scribe, Alan Brennert! This is followed by a short one-pager (by David Anthony Kraft) talking about Otis Adelbert Kline, and his stories set on Venus (see the link about his feud with ERB). Lastly, there is a column titled “Fantastic Worlds” by Don and Maggie Thompson, that talks about all elements of sci-fi (books, shows, etc.). Now onto the stories!

First up is the final entry in the “Slow Glass” story that has been the bookends for the magazine so far. In this one, the final chapter does not disappoint, as Mr. Tyme must answer to a board of aliens as to where and how he obtained slow glass! Tony Isabella script, Don Heck and Frank Chiaramonte on art duties.

The A.E. van Vogt adaptation is up next, and “The Enchanted Village” is probably the best story of the book. The script is by Don and Maggie Thompson, with art by Dick Giordano!

“A Vision of Venus” brings a tale of space travelers that have been captured by aliens! As mentioned above, the source material is from Otis Adelbert Kline, the script and art by Tim Conrad.

The following tale is not intended to be humorous (I think), but “Good News from the Vatican” comes off that way to me. It’s a story about a robot Pope (somewhere, my friend Herman is laughing)! Written by Gerry Conway, art by Adrian Gonzales.

The penultimate tales is “Encounter at War.” There is a bit of a forward on the previous page stating that this one is the conclusion to a story that was started in an underground comic. It’s a good one but not anything that hasn’t been seen before. A little bit of aliens, and a little bit of treachery! Written by Jan Strnad, with art by Richard Corben!

Finally, “Kick the Can” brings us to a close. The story revolves around a guy that is desperately trying to get off an alien planet, and back home. Some really neat flashback scenes and a giant Tarantula to boot! Written and drawn by Bruce Jones!

A solid issue overall, but I can’t escape the feeling that it took a slight dip versus the previous three. Not sure why, but it could possibly be the Slow Glass story didn’t end that great or the art wasn’t as good as the previous installments (Gene Colan). Which of course, might just be my bias.

Unknown World’s of Science Fiction 2, 1975 “All-New! War Toy”

Posted on April 26, 2021 by billyd75

In this second week of my blog’s revival, I wanted to continue looking at this incredible sci-fi magazine series by Marvel Comics. Like the previous issue, this one has bookends featuring “Slow Glass” and it has an excellent lead story, along with more chapters of Day of the Triffids! Two very good articles are also included in this one, so strap yourself in, as this rocket ship is blasting off!

Another introduction to Slow Glass leads off, and this one is very intriguing. We see Mr Tyme heading into a lavish apartment complex (a deluxe apartment in the sky, you might even say). Once inside, he meets up with a rich man named Mr. Wilder. the two did some business in the past, but the consequences of that visit, are about to come home to roost! Written by Tony Isabella, with art by Frank Brunner and Klaus Janson!

After a peek into the Slow Glass, we see “War Toy!” A group of scientists/doctors are gathered around an operating table, but there patient isn’t a man, but a robot! He’s trained to be the perfect soldier, but what happens when the war is over? Written by Tony Isabella, art by George Pérez and Rico Rival!

An interview with author Alfred Bester (Demolished Man) is up next, and was conducted by Denny O’Neil! It’s accompanied by two illustrations by Rick Bryant, and a sample page from an Australian comic strip adaptation of The Stars my Destination (by Bester). The adaptation is by Steve Harper and Stanley Pitt.

The third installment is a story called “Adam…and No Eve.” An adaptation from Bester, this revolves around a man that creates a rocket fuel to get to space, but the mathematician he’s hired informs him that the fuel is deadly, and if even a single drop hits the Earth, it will kill billions. Written by Denny O’Neil, with art by Frank Robbins and Jim Mooney!

“The Hunter and the Hunted” is up next, and the story and art are by Mike Kaluta (he created the awesome cover for this issue as well!). Full disclosure, I have no idea what he was going for here. Very minimalist story/art, but fascinating anyway.

The following addition shows an article by Don Thompson about the Hugo awards. There are photos and mentions of sci-fi stalwarts like Harlan Ellison, Frank Kelly Freas, and so forth.

Writer/artist Bruce Jones then gives us a tale called “Specimen.” This is a cool story that has a twist ending I definitely didn’t see coming! Kudos to Jones for this one, as it’s probably my favorite story of his I’ve ever read.

Two more chapters finish off “The Day of the Triffids” adaptation, and it was really a fun ride. Gerry Conway (John Wyndham novel) and Rico Rival do an excellent job!

The magazine is finished off by two more pages of the Slow Glass story by Isabella, Brunner, and Janson. Again, great work by these creators on this premise by Bob Shaw.

Ghost Rider 8, 1974 “The Devil’s Disciple!”

Posted on October 23, 2018 by billyd75

Back in the Bronze Age, the Ghost Rider was packed full of devilish ideas, and it was certainly a sign of the times. Many books featured cults, devils, and all sorts of satanic shenanigans. From the beginning of Ghost Rider’s days in comics, he was wrapped in these themes, and for the most part still is now. There have been different iterations but in the end, the character can’t get away from that aspect of his origin.

This particular issue features not only the flame-headed, motorcycle riding man/ghost himself, Johnny Blaze, but a new villain named Inferno, and the coup de grâce, Satan himself! For a very long time there was an unwritten rule at Marvel that God and Satan (post Comics Code Authority) were off-limits to comic books. On a few different occasions, Marvel tried to explain away any appearances by Satan, in saying it wasn’t really “Satan” but some other lesser demon masquerading as the infernal devil. Why they felt the need to back-peddle or avoid the situation totally, I can’t be certain (because nothing makes sense since we’re talking about fictitious characters in comic books, but again, probably the Code), but certainly in years to come things would change. There is a story that the writer (Tony Isabella) tells about how he wanted to eventually name a character he created in this series as being God/Jesus, but an editor changed the story before it was printed. Not the first time we’ve heard of this going on, and I’m sure not the last.

The story was written by Tony Isabella, who went on to create characters like Black Goliath, and Black Lightning (for DC comics). The art team consisted of Jim Mooney (pencils), and Sal Trapani (inks), both of whom were seasoned artists by this time period. Since the Golden Age, Mooney and Trapani worked steadily in comics. Mooney most notably for DC comics on Supergirl, and Trapani for his inking during this very time period (plus his work for Dell comics earlier). Phil Rachelson was the colorist, and John Costanza the letterer. Again , two names most know from their consistent work in this time period. The book was edited by Roy Thomas. The magnificent cover is by the legendary Gil Kane (pencils) and (long time inker/artist) Dan Adkins!

Tales of the Zombie 9, 1974 “Simon Garth Lives Again!”

Posted on October 6, 2018 by billyd75

What is this…? Back to back posts about Simon Garth, A.K.A. The Zombie? YES! Yes it is! And another look at Simon Garth is definitely in order during the month of October! The covers, the content, the amazement, these mags are wondrous. Even the advertisements are special (and I’ll post some pics along with my usual story images).

In this particular book, Marvel gives us three chapters of a story about the zombie, and one extra story without him tucked in at the end (plus a little one-pager by Isabella and Win Mortimer). The three-part story about the Zombie has with one exception a different creative team on every chapter. There is one constant, as Tony Isabella (writer/plotter), is there throughout. We do get one chapter scripted by Chris Claremont, but Isabella plots that one and writes the others. This story has a very interesting angle in that we get to see Simon Garth in human form once again! No spoilers other than that from me though!

The artists in these chapters include – Virgilio Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, Yong Montano, Ron Wilson, Pablo Marcos, and that last little story I mentioned (“Herbie the Liar said it wouldn’t Hurt“) is written by Doug Moench! Lastly, the incredible painted cover is by the late, great Earl Norem! Check out his work online as he did some fantastic covers just like this one, plus interiors too!

Tales of the Zombie 5, 1974 “The Palace of Black Magic!”

Posted on October 5, 2018 by billyd75

Another day, and another look at a classic horror comic during October! There are a few more black and white mags to look at, and those are a favorite of mine and quite a few other fans of the medium. These mags are an excellent example of something from the past that will never be duplicated. Right place right time scenario. All the key words are visible- “voodoo”, “magic”, “walking dead”, etc. A more Bronze Age book cannot be found, just look at the cover and the clothes the girl is wearing! The stories in this one are fantastic, and all are about zombies!

The first story is a continuation (as far as the creative team) from the previous issue. “Palace of Black Magic” by Steve Gerber (writer), and Pablo Marcos (art), is another installment of beauty from this series. Both of these men have had great careers in comics, but these issues have to be considered to be right up there with their best. The next story (“Who Walks with a Zombie?”) is a reprint from the Atom Age, and stars the incredibly talented Russ Heath on art (not sure of the credits for writer on this one). Then there is “Voodoo War” by Tony Isabella (writer), Syd Shores, Dick Ayers, and Mike Esposito (inks) on art! Two men using voodoo against each other in an old west tale of terror. Finally, “Death’s Bleak Birth” shows a dead man rise from his grave, and after that the killing spree begins! Doug Moench (writer), and Frank Springer (art), are on point with this one for sure.

There are a couple of other tidbits in this one as well. A three pager by Doug Moench (writer) describing Brother Voodoo and his lore (illustrations look like they are from a story with Gene Colan art). Also by Moench, we get a look into the excellent film White Zombie (Bela Lugosi). Lastly, there is a prose story by Chris Claremont, continuing from the previous issue. And this is all kicked off with a great cover by Earl Norem!

Monsters Unleashed Annual 1, 1975 “Super Annual Issue”

Posted on October 4, 2018 by billyd75

Annuals can be tough as far as finding good material. A lot of the time they’re just reprints, so if you own the content in another form, it’s kind of a waste of money. This mag gives you no new content, but does have a cool cover and a couple of new stories to make it worth the dough. And of course, if you’re a completest, you must buy it anyway!

Of course you get all top-notch creators from Marvel at the time in this one. Seeing some of these creators that aren’t known for their horror work turn out such great material is just more proof that this was an incredible time for comics. Each one brings their own personality to the stories, and even though some might say these quick little stories are an afterthought, they are very good and stand the test of time.

The cover is absolutely fantastic, and artist Ken Bald really brought his best to this one. He’s a guy that had worked since the Golden Age, and some of his covers are absolutely gorgeous (look them up!). The first full story (The Cold of the Uncaring Moon) is by Steve Skeates (writer), George Tuska (pencils) and Klaus Janson (inks). There’s nothing like a good werewolf story to get the mag started! Next, we get World of Warlocks! This one is brought to us by Roy Thomas and Gardner Fox (story/writers), and Gene ‘The Dean’ Colan (artist)! This incredible tale of fantasy is a great one! “Lifeboat” follows, and Spidey-scribe Gerry Conway (writer), and Jesus Blasco (art) shows us what terror really is! The writer of the next story, Don McGregor, is one of my favorites, and doesn’t really get credit for much other than his Black Panther work. The guy wrote some really good horror stories, and “Demon of Slaughter Mansion” with art by Juan Boix is no exception! “Birthright,” has a giant serpent-type creature terrorizing a jungle that inhabits most;y peaceful people. Roy Thomas (writer), Gil Kane (pencils) and The Crusty Bunkers (inks) bring us this tale of fantasy! What does Jack the Ripper and a werewolf have in common? Chris Claremont (writer) and Don Perlin (art) know, and they weave a tale to show us. Finally (almost), we see the notorious muck monster, Man-Thing, and he must face not only vicious alligators, but vampire bats as well! Story by Tony Isabella and art by Vicente Alcalzar. There are also three one-pagers “Thunderbird” “They Might be Monsters” and “Monsters from the Sea” by Tony Isabella and Ernie Chan (Pablo Marcos) on art for the They Might be Monsters story)!

Supernatural Thrillers Featuring The Living Mummy!

Posted on October 2, 2018 by billyd75

As I sit here watching The Mummy’s Shroud (1967, Hammer Studios), The Living Mummy (N’Kantu) seemed like a good subject to present during my month-long look at horror comics. As the title Supernatural Thrillers switched from new characters every in issue to an ongoing monster of its own in the mummy.

In the first few issues, we see N’Kantu being disoriented, then fighting thieves and hoodlums. Later though, he would be pitted up against other supernatural beings, and that was a spectacle. It’s a natural progression of course, and sufficed to say it gave the readers some good entertainment. These “Elementals” (Hydron, Magnum, Hellfire) showed some real persistence and continually attacked N’Kantu and his friends (once the mummy became more lucid, he became a hero).

From a standpoint of creativity, these books had some of Marvel’s best talents during this era at the helm (and I’ll list them all below). You had some that had been around for a few years and some that were early in their careers (especially with Marvel). This mix led to so much excellent content not only in horror stories but every genre. It’s also worth to note that N’Kantu is the second supernatural character of color in Marvel (he predates Brother Voodoo by a month, but Blade was the month just before his first appearance). This was all part of a change in the business to include more characters and creators that were minorities.

Make no mistake, this title was Val Mayerik’s coming out party. Not only did he provide pencils (and inks for some issues), for most of these issues, but also plot assists for a few as well! He’ already had great success with Howard the Duck, and Man-Thing, but this really solidified him as an all around creator.

Issue 5 – cover by Rich Buckler and Frank Giacoia; written by Steve Gerber, art by Rich Buckler and Frank Chiaramonte, colors by Petra Goldberg, and letters by Jean Izzo.

Issue 7 – cover by Ron Wilson and John Romita; written by Steve Gerber, art by Val Mayerik, colors by Linda Lessman, letters by John Costanza.

Issue 8 – cover by Larry Lieber and Tom Palmer; written by Tony Isabella, art by Val Mayerik, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Tom Orzechowski.

Issue 9 – cover by Gil Kane and Al Milgrom; written by Tony Isabella, art by Val Mayerik and Dan Adkins, colors by Linda Lessman, letters by Tom Orzechowski.

Issue 10 – cover by Gil Kane and Al Milgrom; scripted by Len Wein (plot by Isabella and Mayerik), art by Val Mayerik and Dan Adkins, colors by Glynis Wein, letters by Artie Simek.

Issue 11 – cover by Frank Brunner; written by Tony Isabella, art by Val Mayerik (plot assist as well), colors by Bill Mantlo, and letters by Alan Kupperberg.

Issue 12 – cover by Gil Kane and Klaus Janson; written by Tony Isabella, art by Val Mayerik (plot assist as well), and Klaus Janson, colors by Bill Mantlo, letters by Karen Mantlo.

Issue 13 – cover by Gil Kane and Mike Esposito; written by Tony Isabella, art by Val Mayerik (plot assist as well) and Dan Green, colors by Janice Cohen, letters by Karen Mantlo.

Issue 14 – cover by Gil Kane and Tom Palmer; written by John Warner, art by Val Mayerik (plot as well) and Al McWilliams, colors by Phil Rachelson, and letters by John Costanza.

Issue 15 – cover by Gil Kane and Tom Palmer; written by John Warner, art by Tom Sutton, colors by Phil Rachelson, and letters by John Costanza.

Monsters Unleashed 4, 1973

Posted on March 26, 2018 by billyd75

Slowly but surely I’m making the effort to collect all of Marvel’s magazines from the 1970s. They’re getting steep in price overall, but if you look closely, you can usually find them here or there in decent shape for a bargain. When I saw the chance to pick up this issue for a reasonable price, I grabbed it immediately. A cover with a werewolf, and advertising the Frankenstein Monster is awesome, and high on my buy list for sure.

In this awesome mag, you get a great little one page story inside the front cover by Tony “The Tiger” Isabella and Pablo Marcos! Next we switch gears and see the ongoing story (chapter two) of a tale involving the Frankenstein Monster, by “Groovy” Gary Friedrich and “Big” John Buscema! The story and artwork are absolutely incredible in that one! Next, the book provides a reprint of a story called “The Hands (Adventures into Terror 14, 1951).” The writer is unknown, but the artwork is by Gene “The Dean” Colan! An interesting little 4 page story that has a twist ending. A prose story called “Our Martian Heritage” by Chris (Mr. X-Men) Claremont that has some photos accompanying it (most notably from Invasion of the Saucer Men- 1957). A new tale about Gullivar Jones Warrior of Mars (continuing from the pages of Creatures on the Loose), is nothing short of short of awesome. Brought to you by Tony Isabella and “Dynamic” Dave Cockrum! A zombified story by Steve “Baby” Gerber and Pablo Marcos keeps the book rolling, and then we get another Atlas Age reprint (The Killers- Adventures into Weird Worlds 10, 1952), artist unknown and art by Bernie Krigstein! And finally, we see a gorgeous story by “Dapper” Don Perlin and Chris Claremont! A werewolf story that is one of the most (if not the most) beautifully penciled stories by Perlin I’ve ever seen! Cover by Albert Pujolar!

Creatures On The Loose 31, 32, 33 “Man-Wolf”

Posted on December 2, 2017 by billyd75

In the July 1974 issue of Creatures on the Loose, we saw a switch from the Sword and Sandal genre, starring “Thongor, Warrior of Lost Lemuria” to the horror genre starring the Man-Wolf! After the death of Gwen Stacey (and Norman Osborn), John Jameson was brought back into the Spider-realm. Marvel put him in Marvel Premiere as well for a short story-line, but once the horror craze finally died off, so did Wolfy’s career for quite some time. In these issues, we see him battling Simon Stroud, the police, Kraven the Hunter, and his own father, J. Jonah Jameson! Covers by Gil Kane, John Romita, and Rich Buckler (inks by Klaus Janson), respectively.

Doc Savage 8, 1973 “Werewolf’s Lair!”

Posted on September 7, 2015 by billyd75

Just for the record, I know virtually nothing about Doc Savage. That said, anytime you throw a classic monster in a comic book, I’m in! This wacky story reminds me of an episode of Johnny Quest (Werewolf of the Timberland) for several reasons. I wont get into them because it would spoil the issue, but you do get some good action, and some werewolf face-time as well. It’s part two of a story, so the circumstances leading up to this is lost on me, but that aside, it’s still very enjoyable. As the last issue in the series, you get the distinct impression it was cancelled abruptly because there’s no reference to cancellation at all.

As a whole, I like the work of Tony “The Tiger” Isabella (writer). He did some really cool horror stuff back in the early Bronze Age that’s worth looking up. The art team, led by “Riotous” Rich Buckler (cover pencils and interior layouts), are very solid. You get finishes and inks by “Terrific” Tom Palmer (Tomb of Dracula, The Avengers) and Jack Abel (GI Combat, Our Army at War) . Both men have had extensive careers in the industry, and proven themselves to be top-notch at their craft. Once again, the duo of “Titanic” Tom Orzechowski (letters) and “Genuine” George Roussos (colors), complete this list of comic book legends!