'ALIAS WOOD & JONES' DEPT: THE MUMMY...

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You're right!  The title of this post makes absolutely no sense at all.  It's a forced wordplay on 'ALIAS SMITH & JONES', the '70s TV show.  Not to worry though, as I'm about to redeem myself with this superbly-drawn comic strip adaptation of the 1931 UNIVERSAL movie - 'The MUMMY'.  Drawn by RUSS JONES (not RUSS HEATH, as I absentmindedly typed in a previous post) and WALLY WOOD, it's a feast for the eyes.  Curiously, only WW gets a mention in the credits, but later sources cite Jones as well, though I'm not sure in what capacity.  Did he pencil and Woody ink, or was it a bit of both?  If anyone knows for sure, let me know, willya?

I've got a coloured version of this strip, which I'd originally intended to post, but I'll save that for another time.  Here's the black and white first printing of the tale from MONSTER WORLD #1, and I've included the cover at the end so that you'll know what you're looking for when you scurry over to eBay to look for a copy.  Enjoy.

KLASSIC KIRBY KOMIC KOVERS: FOREVER PEOPLE #8...

Image copyright DC COMICS

The FOREVER PEOPLE provided some interesting stories in its 11-issue, almost two-year run - as well as some intriguing covers.  The above one in particular jumped out at me from the spinner-rack in a far neighbourhood newsagent's one evening back  in 1972, mainly because of the comely charms of BEAUTIFUL DREAMER.  JACK KIRBY drew some good-looking women in the course of his cosmic comics career, and as a youth, I think I fancied most of them.  (Hey, who wouldn't?)  Have you got a favourite Kirby Kracker?  Tell all in our confessional comments section.

SHRIIIEEEEEK!!! The MUMMY'S HAND...

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Here's a nicely drawn adaptation of The MUMMY'S HAND, which appeared in MONSTER WORLD #2, 1965.  Illustrated by RUSS JONES & JOE ORLANDO, it's a follow-up to the previous issue's Jones & WALLY WOOD version of The MUMMY.  I'll get around to posting that strip one day.

******

(Oops!  Typed 'Heath' when I meant 'Jones'.  Now fixed.)

And below is the cover for all you completists out there.

BABE Of The DAY - LYNDA CARTER...

Wondrous LYNDA CARTER

has me hog-tied on the other end of

her lasso.  You can see by the pull on the

rope that I'm not putting up any kind of

 resistance.  Well, would you?

BONUS: SECRET ORIGINS COVER GALLERY EXTRA...

Images copyright DC COMICS

Let's take a little detour from our regular SECRET ORIGINS series and cop a gander at the covers of the original mags from the '60s that started the ball rolling.  First up (above) is the SPECIAL GIANT ISSUE from 1961, followed by the 80 PG. GIANT #8 (below) which, despite its numbering, was the second issue in the 'Origins' series and which was released in 1965.

A new series appeared in 1973 and lasted seven issues, and you can see the covers by clicking this link.  At the foot of this post are the replica editions of the two comics shown above and below, the first from 1998 and the second from '99.  DC COMICS issued a follow-up issue in the style of the two '60s mags in 2003, and I've included that for good measure so that you've got all three.  I'm not one to do things by halves, as you can see.

Anyway, have fun comparing the two original covers with their replicas, and leave a comment if you have any interesting thoughts, theories, or observations you'd like to share.

   

This might look like a '60s mag, but it was first published in 2003

OOPS! I DID IT AGAIN...

MOONMANDO tipped me off about this group/

band/orchestra - or whatever they are.  Get a load of

this BRITNEY song, sung in the style of MARILYN

MONROE.  It ain't bad at all.  Give it a listen.

PART TWO Of SECRET ORIGINS COVER & IMAGE GALLERY...

Images copyright DC COMICS

One thing that struck me as I looked through my issues of SECRET ORIGINS in preparation for scanning, is how few of them I've bothered to read past the first handful. However, my 'collector's compulsion' meant I had to buy them all as they came out, whether or not I was interested in each issue's featured character(s).  One day, when I have time and energy, I must sit down, start at #1, and work my way through them all right to the end.

And that's the purpose of this current series - to give all you cavortin' Criv-ites the opportunity of having a taste of this 50 ish run if you missed it back in the day.  Or to remind you of what you once had if you were a regular reader of this titanic title at the time.  So buckle-up, get yourselves comfy, and let's begin the next stage of the tour.  And if you'd like to share your reminiscences of any of the comics on display before you, the comments section awaits your interesting input - so get typing.

BABE Of The DAY - ABI TITMUS...

Here's lovely ABI TITMUS to remind

you that it's great to be alive.  Of course, life

is so much better if you have someone like Abi

waiting for you at home.  (And I don't mean

locked away in your cellar, Melvin.)

FAVOURITE COMICS Of The PAST - PART FORTY-FIVE: SUPERMAN #296-299 - "WHO TOOK The SUPER OUT Of SUPERMAN?"

Images copyright DC COMICS

Hell's bells!  Has it really been 40 years since I first read these DC comics as a mere callow teenager?  Someone tell me I'm wrong - even if it's an obvious lie.  I obtained replacements of the first two issues a good number of years ago now, but I received the second two mags only this morning.  You may be wondering why it took me so long to get around to it, and the answer is that all four stories are reprinted in The GREAT SUPERMAN COMIC BOOK COLLECTION, a book which was published back in 1981, and which I own.

However, it's great to read through the original comics and see not only the story-pages, but also ads for other mags and various items which reflect the heady days of the '70s.  The story itself is an intriguing if slightly convoluted one (with an obvious plot-hole), and the fourth episode seems to have shoe-horned in a number of classic Superman foes under the guise of being intrinsic to the story's resolution (but is clearly nothing more than an blatant sales ploy).  Would aliens out to destroy Earth really be prepared to wait 30 years to do it, and wouldn't the bad guy have a better plan to ensure his escape?  It all seems rather unnecessary on reflection.

But, as I said, it is intriguing - and, more importantly, thoroughly entertaining.  Written by CARY BATES & ELLIOT S! MAGGIN, and drawn by CURT SWAN & BOB OKSNER, it's an instant classic that every true Superman fan should have in their comics collection.  See CLARK KENT punch STEVE LOMBARD in the mouth!  See Clark snatch MORGAN EDGE's stogie from his gob and extinguish it in his drink while telling him where to get off!  And, what we've all been waiting for, see Clarkie-boy have LOIS LANE swoon with desire for him in a way that she never did for the mighty Superman.

Take it from me - if you don't have these four-issues, you need to get onto eBay right away and track them down!  You shouldn't have to live the rest of your life without them!

SECRET ORIGINS COVER & IMAGE GALLERY - PART ONE...

Images copyright DC COMICS

First, there was a SECRET ORIGINS 80 page one-shot in 1961.  Then, there was a MORE SECRET ORIGINS follow-up ish in 1965.  Eight years later, in 1973, the title was given an ongoing series, but ran for a mere seven issues.  In 1986, DC COMICS had another stab at the concept, and this time it lasted a whole 50 issues, three Annuals and one Special.  There was yet another attempt in 2014, which lasted 11 issues, so you've gotta hand it to DC - they're certainly persistent in pushing an idea for a mag.

Anyway, it's the '86-'90 series we're looking at in the first part of this cover and image gallery, and hopefully you'll all come back for future instalments as they appear.  Now let's go!  And feel free to leave a comment if you so desire.