Number 661


Romance can be risky


A few weeks ago I showed you an ACG love story that was a crime story. Now I have a love story that is a fantasy.

I'd say all love stories are fantasies, but this love story takes it a step further by taking place in a mountain valley where "cosmic rays" allow people to live forever. Another fantasy is from Gloria, our heroine, who is in love with her boss. She tries various ploys to win his love, but usually incurs his wrath. He calls her things like "lame-brained psychopathic," "idiot," and "blackmailing moron." Undeterred by his insults she continues her efforts to win his love. For the love of this insensitive clod she tosses over the immortal chieftain, hunky Regnor, who loves her.

I have a message for Gloria, and for all the Glorias out there...if a guy is verbally abusive he won't change once you marry him. He'll only get worse.

From Lovelorn #4, 1950. Nice art, but sorry, I don't know the artist(s).

Number 660


Origin of Ibis


Ibis the Invincible ran as a backup in Whiz Comics from issue #2 in 1940 to #155, the last issue in 1953. He had his own book which appeared intermittently for a total of six issues from 1943 to 1948.

This is the origin of Ibis (Prince Amentep) from Ibis #1. The Grand Comics Database says Otto Binder was the writer but they have a question mark behind Pete Costanza's name as artist. It looks like it could be very early Costanza. Pete was an assistant to Captain Marvel's main artist C. C. Beck. Costanza's distinctive style became more prominent as time went on.

There's magic afoot in ancient Egypt. Princess Taia is struck by an arrow and appears to die, until Ibis is reassured his girlfriend was only "put to sleep for 4,000 years." Uh, is that 4,000 years exactly we're looking at, or is there sort of a span in there, a few decades to play with? Guess not. Ibis puts himself to sleep and after 4,000 years wakes up. Then all he has to do is wave his magic Ibistick and revive the sleeping princess.

Speaking of which, Ibis has been revived as a comic book character in the past few years.

Number 659


Herbie New Year!



We're kicking off 2010 in style with the first issue of Herbie, one of my favorite comic books of all time. It's from 1964, a good year for me. Herbie is kind of a time capsule of what was going on in the world when I was in high school, so read on, put yourself in my size 10 1/2 shoes, travel back in time to Pappy's favorite year...

Herbie #1, April-May 1964. Written by Richard E. Hughes as Shane O'Shea, drawn by Ogden Whitney.