Post by benday-dot on Sept 4, 2014 16:22:56 GMT -5
If we do perchance look ahead to the Atlas output of the 50's, we are presented with a whole array of often overlooked or overshadowed gems.
I think the "the throw everything at the wall" approach that Phil talks about really paid off in the horror genre, in particular, that Atlas jumped upon following the notable EC success in the area.
Not as all out classy or brilliant as the EC stuff (and all these years later it is ironic indeed applying those adjectives to the once pilloried and degraded publisher), or even as well known or coveted as some of the second tier companies out there like Harvey, or even Key, Comic Media and the ilk, which made a name for themselves through their outrageous covers.
But look inside those early Strange Tales, Journey into Mystery, Menace and other titles and you get a rich array of the leading freelance talent of the day. Besides the great Bill Everett, there is Gene Colan, Russ Heath, Manny Stallman, John Severin, Bernie Krigstein, Al Williamson, Vic Carabotta, Joe Maneely, Bob Fujitani and many others. There was some truly terrific art in those 50's Atlas books.
I think the "the throw everything at the wall" approach that Phil talks about really paid off in the horror genre, in particular, that Atlas jumped upon following the notable EC success in the area.
Not as all out classy or brilliant as the EC stuff (and all these years later it is ironic indeed applying those adjectives to the once pilloried and degraded publisher), or even as well known or coveted as some of the second tier companies out there like Harvey, or even Key, Comic Media and the ilk, which made a name for themselves through their outrageous covers.
But look inside those early Strange Tales, Journey into Mystery, Menace and other titles and you get a rich array of the leading freelance talent of the day. Besides the great Bill Everett, there is Gene Colan, Russ Heath, Manny Stallman, John Severin, Bernie Krigstein, Al Williamson, Vic Carabotta, Joe Maneely, Bob Fujitani and many others. There was some truly terrific art in those 50's Atlas books.
). It's indisputable that history has been kinder to EC's horror output, but Bill Gaines' famous testimony taking credit for Horror comics and inventing the genre was largely the result of amphetamines and an empty stomach. It's demonstrably false, though Gaines himself probably believed it. Timely/Atlas entered the Horror game nearly two years before the "New Trend," and they didn't invent it either. It's disputed to this day, but Avon probably published the first true Horror comic. YMMV.
