Jack Kirby and the Flying Chair: Seldom Seen 1950's Comics from Alarming Tales #1

    Here is another great Jack Kirby story from that amazing comic from 1957: Alarming Tales #1 from Harvey Features Syndicate. Please say "hello" to hapless Timothy Donnegan and Donnegan's Daffy Chair.

    Splash panel from Alarming Tales #1 by Jack Kirby Man in flying chair zooms past air force jets to soar through the upper atmosphere This is one of four Kirby tales in this classic science-fiction comic, and it's the one that made the cover (shown below)

    Click on the cover thumbnail below to see it nice and big.

    Alarming Tales #1 by Jack Kirby cover shows terrified man zooming across Manhattan in a rocket powered chair
    So it seems that sad-sack janitor Timothy Donnegan is cleaning up the patent attorney's office when an impatient inventor leaves his invention behind. It's one crazy-lookin' chair. Naturally our hero has to set down for a spell...
    1957 Alarming Tales comic scans Janitor promises to look after funny looking chair in a comic book story by Jack Kirby
    Janitor sits down in flying chair in a comic book story by Jack Kirby 1957 scans
    "No harm in that."
    Famous last words. Donnegan pushed a button, and BEGORRA---
    Famous last words. DonneganDonnegan pushed a button, and BEGORRA--- he was OFF! Jack Kirby
    kirby-chair-3-2
    janitor gets a joyride in a runaway rocket chair drawn in a 1957 comic book story by Jack Kirby
    Flying chair rockets past air force jet drawn by Jack Kirby for Alarming Tales #1
    Talk about Unidentifiable Flying Objects--!
    Jack Kirby Donnegan rockets out of the solar system in Donnegan's Daffy Chair comic book scans Jack Kirby drawings
    Busting out of Earth's atmosphere, he breaks the sound barrier, The heat barrier, and the speed of light!
    Jack Kirby Donnegan rockets out of the solar system in Donnegan's Daffy Chair comic book scans Donnegan returns from outer space five years later.
    ...and five years later...
    Jack Kirby Cop and crowd
    Looks like Donnegan spent some time hanging out with Moebius's Arzach!
    Donnegan back from beyond the stars in Kirby's Alarming Tales #1
    Check out the crazy headgear, man!
    Arzach Moebius conehead hat
    Look familiar?

    Anyway, here's the entire four-page story below. Just click on any of the thumbnail pages below to open up a new window with nice BIG high-resolution comic book scans!
    kirby-chair-001 kirby-chair-002
    kirby-chair-003 kirby-chair-004
    ...and if you missed the other stories from this issue, you'll find them here >>>>
    The Fourth Dimension is a Many-Splattered Thing by Jack Kirby
    The Fourth Dimension is a Many-Splattered Thing
    (Jack Kirby's Ditko-esque take on Matheson's Little Girl Lost)
    Click on the splash page above for the whole story.

    and HERE >>>>
    Jack Kirby's  proto-Kamandi post apocalyptic story The Last Enemy
    The Last Enemy --Jack Kirby's proto-Kamandi post apocalyptic story. Click on the splash page above for the whole story.
    ---and there's still one story left to come from this alarming comic book! Stay tuned!


    Source URL: https://aminefairy.blogspot.com/2008/04/
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Jack Kirby and the Flying Chair: Seldom Seen 1950's Comics from Alarming Tales #1

    Here is another great Jack Kirby story from that amazing comic from 1957: Alarming Tales #1 from Harvey Features Syndicate. Please say "hello" to hapless Timothy Donnegan and Donnegan's Daffy Chair.

    Splash panel from Alarming Tales #1 by Jack Kirby Man in flying chair zooms past air force jets to soar through the upper atmosphere This is one of four Kirby tales in this classic science-fiction comic, and it's the one that made the cover (shown below)

    Click on the cover thumbnail below to see it nice and big.

    Alarming Tales #1 by Jack Kirby cover shows terrified man zooming across Manhattan in a rocket powered chair
    So it seems that sad-sack janitor Timothy Donnegan is cleaning up the patent attorney's office when an impatient inventor leaves his invention behind. It's one crazy-lookin' chair. Naturally our hero has to set down for a spell...
    1957 Alarming Tales comic scans Janitor promises to look after funny looking chair in a comic book story by Jack Kirby
    Janitor sits down in flying chair in a comic book story by Jack Kirby 1957 scans
    "No harm in that."
    Famous last words. Donnegan pushed a button, and BEGORRA---
    Famous last words. DonneganDonnegan pushed a button, and BEGORRA--- he was OFF! Jack Kirby
    kirby-chair-3-2
    janitor gets a joyride in a runaway rocket chair drawn in a 1957 comic book story by Jack Kirby
    Flying chair rockets past air force jet drawn by Jack Kirby for Alarming Tales #1
    Talk about Unidentifiable Flying Objects--!
    Jack Kirby Donnegan rockets out of the solar system in Donnegan's Daffy Chair comic book scans Jack Kirby drawings
    Busting out of Earth's atmosphere, he breaks the sound barrier, The heat barrier, and the speed of light!
    Jack Kirby Donnegan rockets out of the solar system in Donnegan's Daffy Chair comic book scans Donnegan returns from outer space five years later.
    ...and five years later...
    Jack Kirby Cop and crowd
    Looks like Donnegan spent some time hanging out with Moebius's Arzach!
    Donnegan back from beyond the stars in Kirby's Alarming Tales #1
    Check out the crazy headgear, man!
    Arzach Moebius conehead hat
    Look familiar?

    Anyway, here's the entire four-page story below. Just click on any of the thumbnail pages below to open up a new window with nice BIG high-resolution comic book scans!
    kirby-chair-001 kirby-chair-002
    kirby-chair-003 kirby-chair-004
    ...and if you missed the other stories from this issue, you'll find them here >>>>
    The Fourth Dimension is a Many-Splattered Thing by Jack Kirby
    The Fourth Dimension is a Many-Splattered Thing
    (Jack Kirby's Ditko-esque take on Matheson's Little Girl Lost)
    Click on the splash page above for the whole story.

    and HERE >>>>
    Jack Kirby's  proto-Kamandi post apocalyptic story The Last Enemy
    The Last Enemy --Jack Kirby's proto-Kamandi post apocalyptic story. Click on the splash page above for the whole story.
    ---and there's still one story left to come from this alarming comic book! Stay tuned!


    Source URL: https://aminefairy.blogspot.com/2008/04/
    Visit Anime Fairy Blog for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Summary: Arakure (Wild Ones), Vol 4, Chp 16

    Wow! I made it to volume 4! There's high drama in this volume as Igarashi needlessly worries about the intentions of a little kid towards Sachie. He definitely loses way too much cool in the next couple of chapters. So here it goes ...

    The chapter starts with the words (Sachie's thoughts I guess) "If I wish to (with myself) extend my hand". Sachie is putting on an apron and Kou is happily offering to feed her a very big strawberry. While making the "Say-aah" face, Kou explains that the strawberry is a rare peach-strawberry that he has brought with him all the way from Oosaka especially for her because she will become his bride. Sachie blanches at the thought and thinks that she has no intention of becoming that brat's wife. Meanwhile, Kou is holding the strawberry on the end of a fork looking like a big eyed and innocent little kitten.

    Flashback to one hour earlier to the situation that led to Sachie becoming Kou's prospective bride and Kou's invitation to Sachie to spend time in Oasaka with him as his guest and traveling companion. Sachie looks overwhelmed with shock as this is all happening too quickly. She does not give an answer while Igarashi looks on with a serious expression.

    Back to the present, in which now Igarashi, doing his handsome-devil best, is offering to hand feed a cherry to Sachie. Sachie is now happily eating cherries from Igarashi and strawberries from Kou. Apparently both fruits are delicious. Later, Sachie is lying on the ground with a tummy ache from eating too many fruits. Igarashi enters the room to give her some stomach medicine. He asks her if she's okay and then begins to apologize for his earlier behavior only to be interrupted by a phone call from Kou. Igarashi, jealous again, has picked up the bowl of cherries, ready to defend his territory. Kou is at the grocery store with his bodyguards/handlers and is calling Sachie to inquire about the ingredients for hamburgers. Sachie is very pleased and says that she coming to the store to help him shop. As she is leaving Igarashi asks where she is going and why she has to help Kou. Sachie explains that Kou is impractical and will buy very expensive meat. Sachie then turns to leave, but is stopped when Igarashi grabs her hand. "I will go with you," he says. His eyes are obscured by his bangs.

    At the grocery store, Sachie's fears are confirmed. Kou has already made his purchases and he's bought some very expensive meat. Sachie is highly displeased, makes a very ugly face, and then scolds Kou for his decision. Instead of getting mad himself, Kou is very pleased to be scolded and says, "Onee-chan is unexpectedly loving" as he snuggles up to her with the other women at the store looking on. Igarashi is unimpressed and grabs Kou by the back of his shirt collar, lifting him high as though lifting a kitten. Igarashi seems to be insulting Kou. ( I don't know what a "Sekuseku" is, but Igarashi says "With that Sekuseku shopping, sekuseku cooked, and after that sekuseku eating, can sekuseku return home?") He says something to the effect of "after shopping cooking, and then eating, won't it be time to return home?" To which Kou counters that yes he will leave, and when it's time to go, he will be taking Sachie with him. Which sets off a ball a lightening between Kou and Igarashi as they angrily glare at each other. Sachie then innocently asks, "Go to where? Are you serious?" Kou is infuriated and says that he's always serious. Kou then calms down and with a serious expression says, "Nee-chan said 'if you wish for my extended hand.' I am serious, I wish to take Onee-chan's hand." Igarashi then says that it's kidnapping to take somebody against their will and that Kou cannot use his childish desires forever. Kou says he understands and tells Igarashi that if Sachie consents, then Igarashi has no right to complain. Confidently Kou says, "I will get what I want with my own power. Surely the response I will get is that we will return to Oosaka together." Sachie thinks back. She did say something like that earlier, but ... flashback to an earlier conversation with Kou's father. He is inviting Sachie to go sightseeing on a 2-night, 3-day visit . Sachie questions whether this counts as Kou using his own power. Igarashi has no reply to give and is looking a bit strained.

    Later on Sachie is back in her room, face down on a pillow wondering what to do about the trip to Oosaka. It's troublesome to her. Igarashi approaches her door and asks SUPER politely if he may enter her room. She lets him in while asking herself why Igarashi is being so polite. Igarashi explains that while he was cleaning/organizing the shed he found a kimono that belonged to Sachie's mother. He then asks Sachie to wear it tomorrow during the fireworks display that they promised to see together if Igarashi won the kendo tournament. Sachie is surprised at first and then very happy. She answers back that she would be happy to wear the kimono and go see the fireworks with him. Igarashi is very happy and smiles very sweetly. Kou overhears their conversation is looks saddened. Afterwards, Sachie is walking down a hall. She has a very determined look on her face and is thinking about how she will reject Kou's offer.

    Next we see a conversation between Kou's father and Sachie's grandfather, Raizo. Kou's father explains that Kou never knew his mother and asks Raizo if he will do the favor of letting the Sachie spoil Kou for a little while. Sachie overhears the conversation and then realizes that she can't say no to Kou, even though she was really happy about going to the fireworks with Igarashi. Kou then approaches her and expresses how happy he is that Sachie is going to make hamburgers and that he's okay not knowing his mother because he has Sachie to look after after him. He then says that sometimes Sachie feels like a mother. While all this is going on, Sachie is feeling sorry for Kou and giving him loving hugs. Kou accepts the hugs, sinking into her bosom with closed eyes. He asks if Sachie will go with him to the fireworks festival in Oosaka. Sachie then remembers Igarashi's invitation and tells Kou that she will think about it.

    A little bit later, Kou is on the phone ordering an additional train ticket for the return trip to Oosaka. Igarashi approached with a cold blank look in his eyes (very SCARY). "So this is your power?" he asks Kou. Kou explains that he used his credit card, but he doesn't have to say that to Igarashi. Kou rubs it in by continuing, "Indeed, even with that keepsake kimono you can't do anything. You can't go against me (implying the difference in their rank)." Then Kou asks, "When you aren't allowed to go, will you ask her not to go?" Kou looks quite serious. Igarashi is frozen in shock -- the kid has read the situation well. Kou then goes and grabs Sachie to tell his father that she is coming with them to Oosaka. Igarashi excuses himself from dinner to get away from the scene. Sachie follows. She wants to explain the circumstances, but Igarashi is looking at her with cold eyes. She stammers a little as she tries to explain and then Igarashi turns, grabs her by the wrist with one hand and corners her against a wall, blocking her escape with his other arm. He's taken a very agressive stance. He then says, "But it remains that you that you don't want to go, but ..." "Igarashi-san" Sachie says. "But what if I said 'don't go,' would you stay here?" Igarashi asks. The narration reads, overlayed in three parts over the scene, "If I wish to extend my hand."

    End of Chapter
    Source URL: https://aminefairy.blogspot.com/2008/04/
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Harvey Kurtzman's "Hey Look" Appreciation over at John K's Blog

     

    Harvey Kurtzman character design and line-of-actionThere's some great analysis about Harvey Kurtzman's Hey Look pages at John K's blog today. I could start a huge loving rant about Kurtzman, but instead, I'll just beg you to go over to John's place and read what he has to say.

     

    Harvey kurtzman jungle_bookSuffice to say that it was reading Harvey Kurtzman's Jungle Book hardcover back in 1986 that got me back into drawing after a nasty period of burn-out. Kurtzman got me excited about funny comics at a time when there wasn't much to get excited about.  I found out about his brilliant Hey Look comics later that year when I found a beat-up copy of Kurtzman Comics at Hi-De-Ho comics in Santa Monica. That little 32-page underground comic included Pot-Shot Pete and a variety of Hey Look pages.

     

    Kurtzman-Hey-Look-pageA few years later, Denis Kitchen put out the complete collection of Hey Look and Pot-Shot Pete in the now-hard-to-find Hey Look hardcover and paperback. Since it's long out of print, that book's quite expensive these days, but if you're a cartoonist, it's literally worth ten times what they're asking. There's a link to used copies at John's post.

    ...and for those of you that have never seen these pages, there are a few nice Hey Look scans at John's post, too!

    Source URL: https://aminefairy.blogspot.com/2008/04/
    Visit Anime Fairy Blog for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Harvey Kurtzman's "Hey Look" Appreciation over at John K's Blog

     

    Harvey Kurtzman character design and line-of-actionThere's some great analysis about Harvey Kurtzman's Hey Look pages at John K's blog today. I could start a huge loving rant about Kurtzman, but instead, I'll just beg you to go over to John's place and read what he has to say.

     

    Harvey kurtzman jungle_bookSuffice to say that it was reading Harvey Kurtzman's Jungle Book hardcover back in 1986 that got me back into drawing after a nasty period of burn-out. Kurtzman got me excited about funny comics at a time when there wasn't much to get excited about.  I found out about his brilliant Hey Look comics later that year when I found a beat-up copy of Kurtzman Comics at Hi-De-Ho comics in Santa Monica. That little 32-page underground comic included Pot-Shot Pete and a variety of Hey Look pages.

     

    Kurtzman-Hey-Look-pageA few years later, Denis Kitchen put out the complete collection of Hey Look and Pot-Shot Pete in the now-hard-to-find Hey Look hardcover and paperback. Since it's long out of print, that book's quite expensive these days, but if you're a cartoonist, it's literally worth ten times what they're asking. There's a link to used copies at John's post.

    ...and for those of you that have never seen these pages, there are a few nice Hey Look scans at John's post, too!

    Source URL: https://aminefairy.blogspot.com/2008/04/
    Visit Anime Fairy Blog for Daily Updated Hairstyles Collection

Fizzies Vintage Cartoon TV Commercial - Brilliantly Simple Story and Design Work!

    Fizzies are...efferVEScent!

    (Click on the arrow in the player above to watch)


    The character designs in this vintage Fizzies cartoon TV commercial are so appealing and the little song is so catchy I just had to share this one. Man! They really knew how to make commercials in the fifties! Kid-vid commercials today are so overly-amped it's ridiculous...but what kid wouldn't want to kick back and make a fizzy after watching this delicious animated spot?

    Just listen to the crazy syncopated rhythm in this jazzy jingle:

    • They sparkle, they bubble, and quick as a ..wink...
    • You've got yourself a DEE-liciously tasty ... effervescent drink!

    The story structure of this little cartoon opera is a joy to observe too;

    Fizzies boy showing off cartoon canary in cage
    The know-it-all big brother shows off his musical skills and haughtily demonstrates his fizzy-making prowess.

    Kids making Fizzies vintage cartoon TV advertiisemnt

    Notice the conflict: little sis is trying to grab the Fizzies package away, but the boy wants to show how cool he is.

    girl grabs fizzies while boy is drinking Fizzies vintage animated TV commercial

    While he selfishly guzzles the Fizzie he just made, the little girl snatches the Fizzies packet away and shows that she's just as smart and can make her own darn fizzie! She even gives us a wink to say to all the downtrodden younger siblings in the audience that Fizzies is the friend of the underdog.

    girl winks as she makes Fizzies vintage animated TV commercial
    After the boy chases his sister off-screen, the announcer comes in with the pitch!

    Fizzies vintage animated TV commercial  boy chases girl

    You've got to pay attention because the conflict is still unresolved. The pitch itself is a model of CLARITY. He tells you and shows you exactly what the product is, and why you must have it now. There's no color, so they SHOW all the fruit flavors with delicious cartoon illustrations of the grape, orange, cherry, lemon-lime, strawberry and root-beer flavors!
    Fizzies flavors grape orange cherry lemon-lime strawberry and root beer
    Finally, now that the sales pitch is finished, the whole family comes in to screen happily drinking Fizzies.

    Happy Family drinking Fizzies vintage animated TV commercial

    This is especially for the moms in the audience, demonstrating that Fizzies are the answer to all domestic strife. Brilliant.

    "Get Fizzies...the new HAPPY drink!" Just GET 'em. I love the boldness of old commercials. They just tell you what to do.

    There are TONS more like this at www.tvdays.com

    Source URL: https://aminefairy.blogspot.com/2008/04/
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