Number 1054


The smiley-face in the atom bomb cloud!


Despite the goofiness of that face in the mushroom cloud, this is an otherwise dramatic cover. The coloring and gray tones were done by DC's Jack Adler. Adler had developed that tone process, which gave the line drawings on selected issues of DC Comics a modeled effect, making them stand out on the comic book rack. I really love those covers.

The story, drawn by Murphy Anderson, and written by Gardner Fox for Strange Adventures #143, 1962, is a fairly typical and gimmicky DC, but I have a fondness for typical and gimmicky from DC.

This is the second Gardner Fox-scripted story I've shown this month.* Murphy Anderson is an artist I admire. If I saw his artwork I bought the comic.

I have an atom bomb story coming up next Thursday as my Thanksgiving Turkey Award winner for 2011. Be sure to check in to see it.









*See Pappy's #1045 for an original script by Fox.