Planet Comics
Encyclopedia
Planet Comics was a science fiction
comic book
title produced by Fiction House
and ran for 73 issues from January 1940 to Winter 1953. Like many of Fiction House's early comics titles, Planet Comics was a spinoff of a pulp magazine
, in this case Planet Stories
, which featured space operatic
tales of muscular, heroic space adventurers who were quick with their "ray pistols" and always running into gorgeous females who needed rescuing from bug-eyed space aliens or fiendish interstellar bad guys.
Planet Comics was considered by noted fan Raymond Miller to be "perhaps the best of the Fiction House
group," as well as "most collected and most valued." In Miller's opinion, it "wasn't really featuring good art or stories... in the first dozen or so issues," not gaining most of "its better known characters" until "about the 10th issue." "Only 3 of [its] long running strips started with the first issue... Flint Baker, Auro - Lord of Jupiter, and the Red Comet."
in the comics, and is considered highly collectible by modern fans of comics' Golden Age
. Each page of each story featured at least one large image of a very lovely female, attired in very little in the way of costume, and in particular displaying long, bare legs.
However, as with many other Fiction House comics, a number of the series developed by Planet Comics upped the ante by providing female heroines who handily defeated the space aliens and interplanetary bad guys, while needing no or little assistance from males. Cynics might have noted that this proto-feminist strategy in effect simply multiplied the number of lovely girls shown per panel, and insured that each and every panel featured at least one smashing spacegirl.
and Hames Ware's Who's Who of American Comic Books mentions Herman Bolstein and Dick Briefer
.
Bails and Ware also list writers including Walter Gibson
(The Shadow
) and Frank Belknap Long
, as working on "various features" for Planet Comics throughout the 1940s.
, Marcia Snyder
, Ruth Atkinson
, and Fran(ces) Hopper
(née Dietrick), whose art for "Mysta of the Moon" was often stunning. In addition, many artists who would become well-known names worked on Planet Comics stories over its 13-year history. These included the likes of Murphy Anderson
, Matt Baker, Nick Cardy
, Joe Doolin, Graham Ingels
, George Evans, Ruben Moreira
, John Cullen Murphy
, George Tuska
, and Maurice Whitman. The early covers were drawn by industry legend Will Eisner
.
Other extra features included "Spurt Hammond", human defender of the Planet Venus, who appeared c. issues #1-12 (or #8-13), created and drawn by Henry Kiefer. "Captain Nelson Cole", later an officer in the Space Patrol, appeared in solo adventures c. issues #1-14 (or #8-14) and was originated by Alex Blum
. "Crash Barker" (also "P"arker) was one of several space heroes, drawn — and possibly written — by Charles Quinlan for issue #6 (or #8), running until #16 by other artists. Another space hero, "Buzz Crandall", also had adventures around this time, drawn by artists including Gene Fawcette. "Cosmo Corrigan" and "Don Granval" also appeared in three to four issues around #8/9-11.
Other less notable short-lived strips included "Quorak, Super Pirate", "Amazona the Mighty Woman", "Tiger Hart" (whose one adventure was drawn by Fletcher Hanks
), "Space Admiral Curry", and "Planet Payson".
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
comic book
Comic book
A comic book or comicbook is a magazine made up of comics, narrative artwork in the form of separate panels that represent individual scenes, often accompanied by dialog as well as including...
title produced by Fiction House
Fiction House
Fiction House is an American publisher of pulp magazines and comic books that existed from the 1920s to the 1950s. Its comics division was best known for its pinup-style good girl art, as epitomized by the company's most popular character, Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.-History:-Jumbo and Jack...
and ran for 73 issues from January 1940 to Winter 1953. Like many of Fiction House's early comics titles, Planet Comics was a spinoff of a pulp magazine
Pulp magazine
Pulp magazines , also collectively known as pulp fiction, refers to inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was seven inches wide by ten inches high, half an inch thick, and 128 pages long...
, in this case Planet Stories
Planet Stories
Planet Stories was an American pulp science fiction magazine, published by Fiction House between 1939 and 1955. It featured interplanetary adventures, both in space and on other planets, and was initially focused on a young readership. Malcolm Reiss was editor or editor-in-chief for all of its 71...
, which featured space operatic
Space opera
Space opera is a subgenre of science fiction that emphasizes romantic, often melodramatic adventure, set mainly or entirely in outer space, generally involving conflict between opponents possessing advanced technologies and abilities. The term has no relation to music and it is analogous to "soap...
tales of muscular, heroic space adventurers who were quick with their "ray pistols" and always running into gorgeous females who needed rescuing from bug-eyed space aliens or fiendish interstellar bad guys.
Overview
Fiction House
Fiction House is an American publisher of pulp magazines and comic books that existed from the 1920s to the 1950s. Its comics division was best known for its pinup-style good girl art, as epitomized by the company's most popular character, Sheena, Queen of the Jungle.-History:-Jumbo and Jack...
group," as well as "most collected and most valued." In Miller's opinion, it "wasn't really featuring good art or stories... in the first dozen or so issues," not gaining most of "its better known characters" until "about the 10th issue." "Only 3 of [its] long running strips started with the first issue... Flint Baker, Auro - Lord of Jupiter, and the Red Comet."
Release schedule
Planet Comics #1 was released with a cover-date of January 1940, and ran for 73 issues until Winter 1953. Initially produced on a monthly schedule, issue #8 (Sept. 1940) saw it slip to a bimonthly title, which it held until the end of 1949. From issue #26 (Sept. 1943), "Planet Comics was cut to 60 pages," resulting in the merging of two strips: Flint Baker and Reef Ryan. Issue #63 (Winter 1949) began a quarterly release schedule, but #64, #65, and #66 were ultimately released annually, dated Spring 1950, 1951, and 1952, respectively. Issue #67 (Summer 1952) got the comic back on its quarterly release schedule, but the title only lasted a further seven issues, with its last (#73) again delayed for over a year, following issue #72 (Fall 1952).Style
As a comic book, Planet Comics was the foremost purveyor of good girl artGood girl art
Good girl art is found in drawings or paintings which feature a strong emphasis on attractive women no matter what the subject or situation. GGA was most commonly featured in comic books, pulp magazines and crime fiction...
in the comics, and is considered highly collectible by modern fans of comics' Golden Age
Golden Age of Comic Books
The Golden Age of Comic Books was a period in the history of American comic books, generally thought of as lasting from the late 1930s until the late 1940s or early 1950s...
. Each page of each story featured at least one large image of a very lovely female, attired in very little in the way of costume, and in particular displaying long, bare legs.
However, as with many other Fiction House comics, a number of the series developed by Planet Comics upped the ante by providing female heroines who handily defeated the space aliens and interplanetary bad guys, while needing no or little assistance from males. Cynics might have noted that this proto-feminist strategy in effect simply multiplied the number of lovely girls shown per panel, and insured that each and every panel featured at least one smashing spacegirl.
Writers
The Flint Baker/Space Ranger stories, according to Raymond Miller, "featured such writers as Al Schmidt and Huxley Haldane." Jerry BailsJerry Bails
Jerry Gwin Bails was an American popular culturist. Known as the "Father of Comic Book Fandom", he was one of the first to approach the comic book field as a subject worthy of academic study, and was a primary force in establishing 1960s comics fandom.- Early life :Jerry G. Bails was born June...
and Hames Ware's Who's Who of American Comic Books mentions Herman Bolstein and Dick Briefer
Dick Briefer
Richard "Dick" Briefer was an American comic-book artist best known for his various adaptations, including humorous ones, of the Frankenstein monster...
.
Bails and Ware also list writers including Walter Gibson
Walter Gibson
Walter Gibson may refer to:*Walter B. Gibson , American author and magician*Walter M. Gibson , English adventurer, Mormon missionary, and government official in the Kingdom of Hawaii...
(The Shadow
The Shadow
The Shadow is a collection of serialized dramas, originally in pulp magazines, then on 1930s radio and then in a wide variety of media, that follow the exploits of the title character, a crime-fighting vigilante in the pulps, which carried over to the airwaves as a "wealthy, young man about town"...
) and Frank Belknap Long
Frank Belknap Long
Frank Belknap Long was a prolific American writer of horror fiction, fantasy, science fiction, poetry, gothic romance, comic books, and non-fiction. Though his writing career spanned seven decades, he is best known for his horror and science fiction short stories, including early contributions to...
, as working on "various features" for Planet Comics throughout the 1940s.
Artists
The strong female heroines of Planet Comics were complemented by Fiction House's employing several female artists to work on such tales, particularly Lily RenéeLily Renée
Lily Renée Wilheim Peters Phillips, , often credited as L. Renée, Lily Renée, or Reney, is an Austrian-American artist, writer, and playwright...
, Marcia Snyder
Marcia Snyder
Marcia Snyder was a comic book artist and newspaper cartoonist who worked for the Binder Studio, Timely Comics, Fawcett Comics, and Fiction House during the Golden Age of Comic Books....
, Ruth Atkinson
Ruth Atkinson
Ruth Atkinson Ford née Ruth Atkinson and a.k.a. R. Atkinson Ruth Atkinson Ford née Ruth Atkinson and a.k.a. R. Atkinson Ruth Atkinson Ford née Ruth Atkinson and a.k.a. R. Atkinson (June 2, 1918 - June 1, 1997 was an American cartoonist and pioneering female comic book artist who helped create the...
, and Fran(ces) Hopper
Fran Hopper
Fran Hopper, née Frances Deitrick, also credited as France, was an American comic book artists active during the Golden Age of Comic Books. She was one of the comic artists working for publisher Fiction House, drawing many of their prominent titles, including Jane Martin, Glory Forbes, Camilla,...
(née Dietrick), whose art for "Mysta of the Moon" was often stunning. In addition, many artists who would become well-known names worked on Planet Comics stories over its 13-year history. These included the likes of Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson
Murphy Anderson is an American comic book artist, known as one of the premier inkers of his era, who has worked for companies such as DC Comics for over fifty years, starting in the 1930s-'40s Golden Age of Comic Books...
, Matt Baker, Nick Cardy
Nick Cardy
Nick Cardy , a.k.a. Nick Cardi, is an American comic book artist best known for his DC Comics work on Aquaman, the Teen Titans and other major characters....
, Joe Doolin, Graham Ingels
Graham Ingels
Graham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...
, George Evans, Ruben Moreira
Ruben Moreira
Ruben Moreira was a Puerto Rican comic book artist and writer best known for his work on Tarzan and as a DC Comics artist.-Biography:...
, John Cullen Murphy
John Cullen Murphy
John Cullen Murphy was an American illustrator best known for his three decades of work on the Prince Valiant comic strip....
, George Tuska
George Tuska
George Tuska , who early in his career used a variety of pen names including Carl Larson, was an American comic book and newspaper comic strip artist best known for his 1940s work on various Captain Marvel titles and the crime fiction series Crime Does Not Pay, for and his 1960s work illustrating...
, and Maurice Whitman. The early covers were drawn by industry legend Will Eisner
Will Eisner
William Erwin "Will" Eisner was an American comics writer, artist and entrepreneur. He is considered one of the most important contributors to the development of the medium and is known for the cartooning studio he founded; for his highly influential series The Spirit; for his use of comics as an...
.
Covers
The eye-catching Planet Comics covers were predominantly the work of two men — Dan Zolnerowich (later Dan Zolne) and Joe Doolin. Zolne is believed to have produced covers for issues #10-25 (Jan. 1941 – July 1943), and Doolin is thought to have illustrated all-bar-three of #26-65 (Sept. 1943 – Spring 1951).Character listing
- Flint Baker – One of the longest-running strips, Flint Baker was another athletic space hero, who became part of the Space Rangers. Baker's debut story, "The One-Eyed Monster Men From Mars", was also the first story in Planet Comics #1, illustrated by Dick BrieferDick BrieferRichard "Dick" Briefer was an American comic-book artist best known for his various adaptations, including humorous ones, of the Frankenstein monster...
. Flint Baker was the "main hero" and "cover feature" of most of the first 13 issues, and after 25 issues he "team[ed] up with Reef Ryan to form the Space Rangers" when Planet Comics dropped its page count. Appearances between issues #2 and #60 (initially as "Flint Baker," later as "Space Rangers") were illustrated by a full range of artists, including Nick Viscardi, Joe Doolin and Artie Saff, Arthur Peddy, Lee Elias, Frank DoyleFrank Doyle (writer)Frank Doyle was the head writer for Archie Comics for over thirty years. He wrote over 10,000 stories featuring the Archie characters...
, and Joe Cavallo. The Space Rangers "were drawn by Lee Elias, Bob Lubbers," and others. - Auro, Lord of Jupiter – Two different characters of this name appeared in Planet Comics. The first incarnation was the son of Professor Hardwich, and appeared in most issues between #1-29. He was essentially an outer space version of TarzanTarzanTarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
, where Auro was "befriended by a saber tooth tiger," stranded on Jupiter with "muscles... as strong as steel" thanks to the higher gravitational pull of the planet. The best artwork on the first series of Auro stories was, wrote Miller, "by Raphael Astarita," whose name Jerry Bails and Hames Ware spell "Rafael". Auro's second incarnation started 11 issues after his first ended, in issue #41, when a young scientist named Chester Edson "crashes on Jupiter," and his "spirit is transferred into the body of [the original] Auro," who is thus resurrected as a Flash GordonFlash GordonFlash Gordon is the hero of a science fiction adventure comic strip originally drawn by Alex Raymond. First published January 7, 1934, the strip was inspired by and created to compete with the already established Buck Rogers adventure strip. Also inspired by these series were comics such as Dash...
-esque hero. Miller names Dick Charles as the main writer of both series; Bails and Ware list only Richard Case and Herman Bolstein. Auro was illustrated by a number of different artists, among them Doolin, Graham IngelsGraham IngelsGraham Ingels was a comic book and magazine illustrator best known for his work in EC Comics during the 1950s, notably on The Haunt of Fear and Tales from the Crypt, horror titles written and edited by Al Feldstein, and The Vault of Horror, written and edited by Feldstein and Johnny Craig...
, and Astarita. Miller suggests that August Froelich drew the appearance in issue #41, and says that Ingels "was the last artist." - The Red Comet – A "costumed heroSuperheroA superhero is a type of stock character, possessing "extraordinary or superhuman powers", dedicated to protecting the public. Since the debut of the prototypical superhero Superman in 1938, stories of superheroes — ranging from brief episodic adventures to continuing years-long sagas —...
who fought crime all over the universe," the Comet sometimes "grew to giant-size, like the SpectreSpectre (comics)The Spectre is a fictional character and superhero who has appeared in numerous comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a next issue ad in More Fun Comics #51 and received his first story the following month, #52...
." The feature was written (according to Miller) by Cy Thatcher and appeared in issues #1, #3-20, and #37. Accompanied by a "girl, Dolores, and a boy, Rusty," his adventures were illustrated for odd adventures by Rudy Palais and a host of artists, with only Alex Blum (#6-10) and Saul Rosen (#17-19) thought to have drawn more than two episodes. - The Lost World - The Red Comet was replaced by "The Lost World," which appeared in issues #21-69, as the lead feature (becoming one of the longest-running strips) featuring Hunt BowmanHunt bowmanHunt Bowman is a fictional character who appeared in Fiction House Publication's Planet Comics series in issues #21-69. His series was called "The Lost World."-Fictional history:...
. The first episode was drawn by Palais, with Viscardi taking over for issue #22. Set in the 33rd century, Bowman was a guerrilla-fighter (alongside Lyssa, Queen of the Lost World) against the reptilian Voltamen, conquerors of Earth. (Miller notes that "[i]n #24 Hunt and Lyssa returned to Earth... [and] never returned to the Lost World.") In issue #36, the duo were joined by "3 more Earth people," named Bruce, Robin, and Bonnie. Later episodes were drawn by Ingels (c. #24-31), Lily Renée (#32-49), and George Evans (#50-64). - Reef Ryan – A heroic space captain, "[not] much different from... Flint Baker," Ryan also became part of the Space Rangers, after appearing solo in issues #13-25. Miller names the writer of Reef Ryan (and then Space Rangers) as "Hugh Fitzhugh". Ryan was soon dropped from the newly-named strip, however, in favor of a boy named Hero (issue #42). Initially drawn by Al Gabriele, later issues featured inks by George TuskaGeorge TuskaGeorge Tuska , who early in his career used a variety of pen names including Carl Larson, was an American comic book and newspaper comic strip artist best known for his 1940s work on various Captain Marvel titles and the crime fiction series Crime Does Not Pay, for and his 1960s work illustrating...
. - The Space Rangers – From issue #26, with Planet Comics
' page count dropped, "instead of dropping any characters, the Ryan and Baker strips were combined to form the Space Rangers." The Space Rangers' uniforms were echoed by those seen on TV's Rocky Jones Space Ranger (1954). - Gale Allen – A voluptuous female space adventurer who led her all girl "girl squadron" on wild outings, Gale appeared in almost every issue between #4 and #42. Written by Douglas McKee, Gale and her Girl Squadron were illustrated by Bob PowellBob Powell (comics)Bob Powell né Stanislav Robert Pawlowski was an American comic book artist known for his work during the 1930-40s Golden Age of comic books, including on the features "Sheena, Queen of the Jungle" and "Mr. Mystic". He received a belated credit in 1999 for co-writing the debut of the popular...
in issues #4-10 and Fran Deitrick/Hopper in #28-40. In or around issue #34, the squadron were dropped. - Futura – Gale's replacement feature was, according to Miller, "a good series with fine art," a smashingly lovely crusader for interplanetary justice, and she appeared in issues #43-64. The first six issues were drawn by Astarita in the style of Mac RaboyMac RaboyEmmanuel "Mac" Raboy was an American cartoonist whose comic books and strips remain collectibles more than 40 years after his death. He was known for his work on Fawcett Comics' Captain Marvel Jr...
, while Joseph Cavallo is thought to have inked/drawn many of the later issues. Futura began "with a scantily-clad girl... abducted by her invisible pursuer" and taken to "the city of Cymradia in space." The strip was drawn in a manner similar to Prince ValiantPrince ValiantPrince Valiant in the Days of King Arthur, or simply Prince Valiant, is a long-run comic strip created by Hal Foster in 1937. It is an epic adventure that has told a continuous story during its entire history, and the full stretch of that story now totals more than 3700 Sunday strips...
, with "no word balloons in the panels." - Star Pirate – The "Robin HoodRobin HoodRobin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
of the space lanes" looked very much like the DC ComicsDC ComicsDC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
hero StarmanStarman (comics)Starman is a name used by several different fictional DC Comics superheroes, most prominently Ted Knight and his sons David and Jack.Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Jack Burnley, the original Starman, Ted Knight, first appeared in Adventure Comics #61...
, and appeared between issues #12 and #64. Among several artists, George Appel produced a dozen early issues, while the bulk of issues #33-51 were drawn by Murphy AndersonMurphy AndersonMurphy Anderson is an American comic book artist, known as one of the premier inkers of his era, who has worked for companies such as DC Comics for over fifty years, starting in the 1930s-'40s Golden Age of Comic Books...
, whose additions transformed the Pirate into "an almost completely new strip." Three late issues (#59-61) are credited to newspaper comic strip artist Leonard StarrLeonard StarrLeonard Starr is a Golden Age comic book artist, an advertising artist and award-winning cartoonist, notable for creating the newspaper strip On Stage and reviving Little Orphan Annie.-Early life:...
. - Mars, God of War – Named by Miller as "one of the most famous" strips, the adventures of the ancient Roman GodMars (mythology)Mars was the Roman god of war and also an agricultural guardian, a combination characteristic of early Rome. He was second in importance only to Jupiter, and he was the most prominent of the military gods worshipped by the Roman legions...
causing violent mischief on other planets appeared between issues #15 and #35. They were credited to writer Ross Gallen, and all drawn by Doolin. The embodiment of evil, the spirit of Mars would "single out a man or woman who had evil in them," possess them, and run rampant until "the end of each story [when] good always triumphed." - Mysta of the Moon – In the "Mars" feature in Planet Comics #35, the god discovers "a young boy and girl" taken to the moon by one Dr. Kort, who has "placed all the culture and knowledge known to man into their brains." In the events that follow, Mars possesses the boy's robot, and is ultimately defeated by the girl, although the boy and his robot are killed. The girl was Mysta, a gorgeous female version of Captain FutureCaptain FutureCaptain Future is a science fictional hero pulp character originally published in self-titled American pulp magazines during the 1940s and early 50s.-Origins:...
with a robot sidekick, and she took over from "Mars" in title as well as spirit in issue #36. Appearing in issues #36-52 and #55-62, after Doolin, the strip was most notably illustrated by Fran Hopper (#37-42, #48-49). - Norge Benson - Between issues #12-32, comedy relief was provided by Norge Benson, written by "Olaf Bjorn," whom Miller identifies as Kip Beales. Benson was accompanied by a girl (Jolie), a white bear (Frosting), and a reindeerReindeerThe reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
(Hatrack). Al Walker drew issues #12-22, with Renée, Jim MooneyJim MooneyJames Noel "Jim" Mooney was an American comic book artist best known as a Marvel Comics inker and Spider-Man artist, and as the signature artist of DC Comics' Supergirl, both during what comics historians and fans call the Silver Age of comic books...
, and Fran Hopper drawing later episodes.
Other extra features included "Spurt Hammond", human defender of the Planet Venus, who appeared c. issues #1-12 (or #8-13), created and drawn by Henry Kiefer. "Captain Nelson Cole", later an officer in the Space Patrol, appeared in solo adventures c. issues #1-14 (or #8-14) and was originated by Alex Blum
Alex Blum
Alexander Anthony Blum was a comic book artist best remembered for his contributions to the long-running comic book series Classics Illustrated . Born in Hungary, Blum studied at the National Academy of Design in New York before signing-on with the Eisner & Iger shop...
. "Crash Barker" (also "P"arker) was one of several space heroes, drawn — and possibly written — by Charles Quinlan for issue #6 (or #8), running until #16 by other artists. Another space hero, "Buzz Crandall", also had adventures around this time, drawn by artists including Gene Fawcette. "Cosmo Corrigan" and "Don Granval" also appeared in three to four issues around #8/9-11.
Other less notable short-lived strips included "Quorak, Super Pirate", "Amazona the Mighty Woman", "Tiger Hart" (whose one adventure was drawn by Fletcher Hanks
Fletcher Hanks
Fletcher Hanks, Sr. was a cartoonist from the Golden Age of Comic Books, who wrote and drew stories detailing the adventures of all-powerful, supernatural heroes and their elaborate punishments of transgressors...
), "Space Admiral Curry", and "Planet Payson".