Michael D Hamersky On Comics Reviews... Keith Tucker's Strange Alien Tales #1   Published by TuckerToons.com!     - Top Photo left column: The hostess of this comic book title, Rocketina! - Photo at top of this column:  The front cover to Keith Tucker's Strange Alien Tales #1!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3533:

This comic book came in the mail to me for possible review, from Keith Tucker. If that name sounds familiar to you, that's because Keith has been in the comics industry for a while, as seen by just some of his credits that are listed at the GCD.  Keith is also known for his storyboarding, as well as other works.

This comic book of his, "Keith Tucker's Strange Alien Tales" #1 caught my attention immediately upon opening the package.  That's because of the title, which reminded me of the late 1950s sci-fi comics I used to read, and that there appeared to be zombie like creatures in a spaceship on the cover, which would tie in the current zombie (walking dead) craze that is still going on today!

So what's this comic book about?  Here's what the creator / self-publisher posts on his web site and on the inside front cover of the comic book:

"Strange Out Of This World Tales Of Science Fiction!  Welcome aboard, space recruits! You are now on the flight deck of my latest venture into the world of creator owned comics! Science fiction anthology stories have always been amongst my favorite genres!  This book is my chance to revist those timeless tales of tomorrow! So haul your carcass to the launching pad, strap on your magnetic boots and get ready for some retro rocket, space happy fun!"

Well... That pretty much would entice me to check out this comic book!

So what's 'My Take' on this comic book?

Front Cover - As mentioned above, it is a mix of using a 1950s style name of a sci-fi comic book series, along with a modern zombies cover! The vivid colors and layout made me turn the cover page right away to see what was in store for me to read!

Inside front cover - The 'welcome page' from the comic book creator, plus an illustration of what appears to be a far-out space visitor.  The style looked familiar, and yes... It was a Jack Kirby penciled illustration with Keith Tucker inking it!   The connection?  Well, afterwards I found the connection here:  Keith Tucker & Jack Kirby at...!

Splash page -  Interesting choice to start a splash page!  Usually I'll find a host / hostess to a comic book title as an intro to a horror comic book.  So this got me on the edge of my seat as to what I would find next...!

First interior page -  What was next was a story titled:  'Dead Weight'!  Okay, after a gorgeous pin-up page of the hostess, 'Rocketina', we get this... So am I reading a horror or sci-fi tale here, or a mix of the two?

Additional pages -  What I'm reading is a finely crafted tale with great pencils and inks, which goes on for six pages, all black & white pages. The last page says 'END'. 

Turning that page, I find 'Epilogue!'  Not being one to give away stories without a 'spoiler warning', I found it interesting that the 'Epilogue!' page had to be turned to see that it was there after the 'END' panel from the previous page.

Directly across from it was another pin-up splash page, with the hostess, 'Rocketina', introducing the next story... So yeah, this would be an anthology comic book! 

The 2nd story '...It Was Just A Matter Of Time', was in a different style, and my eyes caught the fact that although Keith Tucker did the story & pencils, the story was inked by Dave Simons, who was a Facebook Friend of mine until his passing in June of 2009.  Dave was a great inker, and he is missed.

I also found when checking for Keith's credits in the industry, that this story had first been presented, in a 3-D format, back in June of 1986, in Eclipse's 3-D Alien Terror Comic Book!  Turned out that although I hadn't seen the original 3-D Process by Tony Alderson, which is not part of this presentation here... I still liked it here in this comic book. And it flowed with the previous story, not 'outdated' at all.

Following this story was another one page pin-up page, with Rocketina introducing the next story. BTW, although the interior pages are black & white, there is a color presentation of Rocketina on the back cover!

The last story, another 5-pager, was titled 'Lost Galaxy', and although familiar to me, because I'm so old...(LOL), I wouldn't think that most readers would be aware of the 'story twist' that was used in this storyline. Good job on it too, BTW!

Okay, we are down to the inside back cover... With another pin-up page with Rocketina saying farewell to the reader: "So Until Next Time, Happy Trails!"... A good way to end this comic book!

Except to mention the back cover... Which does have the before mentioned color illustration of Rocketina, and black & white panels from the inside pages plastered on the back cover!

So, with all that analysis of this issue before stated here... What did I think of it?

Well... I liked it! The 'feel' of the entire comic book was one that made me want to keep reading it from front cover to back. There were a few things that I would have suggested, like maybe less vibrant colors on the front cover which made me think that there would be color pages inside. However the black & white pages were fine in themselves. Plus they actually stand alone in presentation.  Maybe a little darker front cover would work better for a 2nd printing? 

There could have been a little more on the inside front cover, including a Table of Contents, but overall the entire presentation was one that I would recommend to others who like this anthology genre of sci-fi comic book stories.

My comic book grade for this first issue is a VERY FINE / NEAR MINT (VF/NM) 9.0 out of a possible 10.0 comic book grading scale.

You can find this comic book and other creations by Keith Tucker at his web site, where you can use PayPal to pay for your purchases. Here is the direct link to where you can do so. 

Plus be sure to check out Keith's other pages on the same web site to see what else he has done and is currently working on!

My thanks to Keith for bringing this comic book to my attention!

~Michael D Hamersky On Comics!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,587 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  As of Monday, June 27th, 2011, I'll be using my new laptop, where the default resolution is 'higher', so there may be some temporary glitches until I am used to the new resolution.

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Comments On... Paper & Ink  Issue One A New Fanzine From Steve Shipley With News & Reviews Of Small Press Comics - Top Left Photo:  A recent photo of Steve Shipley, Chairman of the UFO (United Fanzine Organization)! - Above Top Photo:  The front cover to the premiere issue of 'Paper & Ink' by Steve Shipley!

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3532:

I recently received an envelope in the mail from Facebook Friend Steve Shipley.

When I opened the envelope, I found that there was a twelve page fanzine enclosed in it.  The title was 'Paper & Ink', Issue One for $1.00.  With a blurb on the cover stating 'News & Reviews Of Small Press Comics'.

I didn't remember sending for this fanzine, but it had the UFO (United Fanzine Organization) logo at the bottom right of the front cover, which I am well aware of.

Since my interest in recent years has been mainly on 'small press comics', I immediately turned the cover page and started reading!

The inside front cover had a feature titled 'Notes From The Chief Bottle Washer...'.  It was a 'welcome' piece from Steve stating why I, among others, was receiving this premiere issue. 

You see, Steve, (like myself), is mainly interested in what is more and more being called 'hard copies' in this new digital age! He goes on to say that although he has "...nothing against 'digital comics' or as they are sometimes called, 'web-comics'.  They have their place and they have the entire internet to blossom and grow.  The purpose of this publication is to give center stage to those who still sell hard copy comics".

Steve goes on to explain further the purpose of his new fanzine, which reminds me of what I have been doing for a while via this blog you are reading, and at my own Facebook group and fan pages.

So with his stated purpose in mind... I continued to read on, going to page page three.

That page was a feature on 'The Comics of Larry Blake', a one page feature by Steve Shipley.  There I found out more about Larry, who has been drawing and publishing comics since the 1960s!   However, the odds are you haven't seen his stuff since they are not on the web!  Which is why Steve used one page of this twelve page fanzine to feature Larry.  Steve goes to give Larry's mailing address and suggest you send $5 for a sample of his comics and prepare to be entertained.

Page four started a six page feature titled 'Small Press Comics Listings And Reviews', where Steve reviews small press publications, and then gives a rating between 0 and 5.  

Some of the items that Steve reviews are also ones that I have review blogged on.  Others are publications that I know of the person(s) that are behind the creation of the publication, but haven't read the issue yet.  I found that Steve reviewed the publications fairly, and also gave the reader the mailing address to purchase the item from, if not found on a web site for sale.  Yes, even though this fanzine doesn't cover webcomics, selling the actual hard copy via an online web site presence is perfectly fine.

On the bottom half of pages six & seven, was a 'Spotlight On Matt Levin', a similar feature to what I have been doing here for several years.

Page ten was titled: "Important Stuff!", where Steve invited comics creators to send in their printed comics only for review.  He does not review webcomics or PDF comics.  There was also a 'house ad' at the bottom of the page for Steve's own comic book, 'The Peacemakers', which is a sci-fi series, now on its twelth issue!

Page eleven was 'The UFO Checklist', which is included to show you the reader, what else is available in small press publications by those publishers that are members of the UFO.

What is the UFO?  Here's what I found on one of their web sites:

The UFO is one of the longest-running co-ops (publishing clubs) on the small press scene, existing in one form or another since the 1960s! Like most small press co-ops, our mission is simple: members trade their comics or 'zines via the mail, and help to promote one another's books by including the UFO Checklist in each book they print, all in the interest of creating greater "buzz" for the hobby of small press comics. In addition, the club publishes a bi-monthly newsletter called Tetragrammaton Fragments, where the entire membership contributes reviews, editorials, and artwork. Once a year, the UFO releases its famed All-Comics Annual, a massive collection of new and classic material by everyone in the group.

The back cover was a color page, with another house ad by Steve; this one on his newest comic:  'Boondoggle!'.  Plus at the bottom was an UFO ad.  Steve is the current Chairman of this group.   Although I've found a few other websites for the UFO group... Steve shows the 'Official UFO' web site to be at this link.

Plus, the group has a Facebook Group Page at:  United Fanzine Organization.

There is also a 'community page' at Facebook, that takes the Wikipedia entry for the group and puts it online via Facebook.  Interesting reading on how the UFO came to be!

My comic book grade for this premiere issue of Steve's "Paper & Ink" is a NEAR MINT (NM) 9.4 out of a possible 10.0 comic book grading scale.  Steve presents the info in this publication in a 'hard copy' format, charges a very reasonable amount for it, $1.00 postpaid, and it contains reviews on the topic of small press publications.  It definitely 'hits' the mark it sets out for itself on the 'welcome' inside cover page.

Here is where YOU can purchase a copy from Steve:

Suscriptions are $2.00 for 4 issues!

Steve Shipley

1825 Eastgate Rd.

Toledo, OH 43614

My thanks to Steve for sending me the premiere issue!

~Michael D Hamersky On Comics!

Oh... And don't forget to make yourself eligible to win one of several prizes being given away at my 3rd Annual Black Friday / Cyber Monday Event!  See this link to do so.  It just takes two clicks... Click the 'Attending' link for this VIRTUAL ONLY event, and then click 'LIKE' on my Facebook Fan Page.  That's all there is to become eligible.  No Purchase Necessary!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,587 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer. 

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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Michael D Hamersky On Comics Comments On... A Video Interview of Milton Caniff by Shel Dorf with Tom French as Cameraman Filmed November of 1982* *Thanks to Greg Koudoulian of THE OFFICIAL SHEL DORF FAN CLUB and ENTOURAGE for the DVD! Top Photo this column: Courtesy of Milton Caniff Estate, Matt Lorentz, and the OSDFC and E. Photos to the Right:  Top) A photo from the DVD interview. Middle) Milton Caniff receiving his Inkpot Award from Shel Dorf at the 1982 SDCC (photo courtesy of Alan Light). Bottom) The masthead to the column in the Steve Canyon Magazine that Shel Dorf wrote!     - - -

TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3531:

This past weekend I played a few of the DVDs that Greg Koudoulian had sent me after joining his 'Shel Dorf Fan Club and Entourage' group, for my wife and youngest child to view.

The longest playing one was this interview with Milton Caniff by Shel Dorf, aided by cameraman, Tom French, who popped into view a couple of minutes during this very long interview.

I say 'very long interview' because it had at least 52 'chapters' total!  It went on for a long period of time, and would be a very good interview for Milt Caniff fans to see!

When I asked Greg if this was available for sale at either the Fan Club web site or his Facebook fan page, Planet El Cortez, he said no.

When looking for pics of Shel with Milt during this 1982 period, I found that this interview had been uploaded on YouTube within multiple videos, as it is so very long in playing time!  Here is the link to Mike Lynch's Cartoons blog, with the chapters broken up and then recombined into YouTube length videos.

Mike posts a bit of text with each segment, as to what the video covers.  Why Mike took the time to upload and post this video interview is a question that isn't answered, but I'm glad that he did, for those of you that have never seen it before.

Here are just a few of my thoughts while watching the full length video:

The video was filmed in November of 1982.  An undated Sunday morning at Milt's studio in Palm Springs, California.  Milt later mentioned that he had just finished the upcoming Christmas script for his Steve Canyon comic book strip. 

It was good to see Tom French pop in for a few minutes during this interview.  Tom had just started growing his beard, as Milt mentioned that Tom didn't have it at the 1982 SDCC, (Milt & Shel shown at the top middle photo of this blog post).  I had known Tom because he was in charge of the Dealers Room at the SDCC. As long time readers of this blog know... I first set up as a comic books dealer back in 1972 at the El Cortez Hotel where the San Diego Comic Con was then being held at.

Milt talked about his earlier comic book strip, 'Terry and the Pirates', which he did not own, but created.  He also talked about George, who continued the strip for the syndicate that owned it.

Milt also mentioned many others during the time this video played.  Bud Sickles had his respect, and he spent some time talking about Bud and his comic strip, 'Scorchy Smith'.

After a long time being interviewed... Milt showed how he inked, using a strip that would be dated January 16th of 1983.  He is shown inking the last panel of the strip.

Additionally, Milt is shown creating a commission of the 'Dragon Lady' for Joan and Charlie Roberts.  Milt mentions that he had told actress Joan Crawford that he patterned the 'Dragon Lady' after Joan.

There were at least 52 chapters in this video.  It is a very long one... But for fans of Milt Caniff, this is a 'MUST SEE' video.

Again, Greg does not have copies to sell, but you can see most of it at the link that I provided above taking you to where Mike Lynch uploaded it.

My thanks to Greg for sending me this video and other clips from the Shel Dorf Collection to view.

I urge those of you reading this to go 'Like' the Facebook fan page for Planet El Cortez, which Greg is starting to build up!

~Michael D Hamersky On Comics!

BTW, You can 'follow' this blog by clicking the 'Follow' Button at this NetworkedBlogs app link!  We currently have over 2,584 'Followers'!  Thanks to ALL of YOU that have already clicked that button! 

And for those of YOU that haven't yet... I would appreciate it if YOU would!!!

~ Michael D Hamersky

If I have it... You can find it 'Under The Big Top Of Comics' at:  

http://www.ComicBooksCircus.com/ 

Web Page Note:  This blog post is written for the IE Browser standards.  Chrome, Safari, Netscape, Firefox and the other browsers serve the page up differently, sorry about that!

The screen display resolution is best seen at the setting of 1024 x 768 on your laptop or desktop computer.  Note:  As of Monday, June 27th, 2011, I'll be using my new laptop, where the default resolution is 'higher', so there may be some temporary glitches until I am used to the new resolution.

NOTE: All images and characters within this blog post are copyright and trademark their respective owners.

Comics Creators: If you are breaking into, or already work in the comic book industry or other pop culture productions, you are welcome to email or mail us press releases, news items, and updates that you feel would be of interest to our blog readers. Including YOUR own works!

To mail printed items to us for possible review, send to:

Make It So Marketing Inc., PO Box 130653, Carlsbad, CA 92013

 Also, if you are a Facebook member, I would have liked you to send me a 'Friend Request'. However, I have reached the maximum limit of 5,000 Facebook Friends and Fan pages already, so I've added a New 'Facebook Fan Page' so that even more of YOU can 'Like' what I am doing, and be interactive with me and others there.  Here is the link to that 'Facebook Fan Page': Michael D Hamersky On Comics! Please click the 'Like' button on that page! 

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