As we've spoken about before, the super hero fad of the mid-1960s was a juggernaut across popular culture. Reaching its peak during the frenzy surrounding the network premiere of the twice-a-week full color BATMAN television program, this hunger for all things super-heroic compelled publishers to make entries into the field of comic book publishing with … Continue reading Brand Echh: The Spirit #1
We've talked a bit here about CHARLTON BULLSEYE, Charlton's last gasp attempt at producing new content by soliciting work gratis from fans and would-be creators. Publication would be the only compensation that such hopefuls would receive--but undaunted, and sensing an opportunity to have their work distributed from coast to coast, the response was overwhelming. Honestly, … Continue reading Brand Echh: Charlton Bullseye #7
AC/Americomics (occasionally known as Paragon Publications) is a long running independent comic book publisher, one that is still releasing new issues even today. Their main stock-in-trade has become reprints of Golden Age characters whose work had lapsed into the public domain, but they do occasionally release wholly original comic book properties. Probably the thing they … Continue reading Brand Echh: Americomics Special #1
As super heroes began to take hold of the comic book marketplace at the beginning of the 1960s, all sorts of different publishers stepped up to provide their own take on series featuring costumed do-gooders. One of the best-remembered was MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER (though today most readers may be more familiar with the character in … Continue reading Brand Echh: Magnus, Robot Fighter #1
One of the most spectacular misfires in the history of comics, NEUTRO lasted only a single issue, released by Dell at the tail end of the super hero fad and attempting like so many others did to cash in on the sudden heat of that genre. It's debatable whether this colossal shaggy dog story even … Continue reading Brand Echh: Neutro #1
We've covered this point many times in this feature, but just to set the stage once more: by the mid-1960s, the super hero fad in comic book publishing had grown into a nationwide obsession thanks to the appeal of the BATMAN live action television series, which premiered on January 12, 1966. Super heroes as a … Continue reading Brand Echh: Werewolf #1
We've gone over the history a couple of times in teh past, and yet I feel a need to recap it again here for any newcomers to this page who haven't yet read about THE DESTRUCTOR or DEMON HUNTER or THE SCORPION. Atlas Comics (also known as Seaboard) was a short-lived company set up by … Continue reading Brand Echh: Phoenix #3
The backstory here is something that we've covered in the past, but just to summarize events again: in the mid-1960s, the comic book field was seeing a bit of a resurgence. A fad for costumed super heroes had sprung up, exploding to massive life in the wake of the premiere of the live action BATMAN … Continue reading Brand Echh: Double-Dare Adventures #1
The 1960s was a time of social change, as the fight for Civil Rights for black Americans was constantly in the headlines of the era. Marvel gets (and takes) big props for their progressiveness in introducing the Black Panther, a dark-skinned super hero, in FANTASTIC FOUR in 1966--and in fairness, that was still an accomplishment … Continue reading Brand Echh: Lobo #1
E-MAN was a short-lived but well-remembered (and often revived) Charlton title of the early 1970s, representing a last gasp on the part of that firm to establish a presence in the super hero marketplace. E-Man was a bit of a throwback character, crafted in the mold of Plastic Man or Captain Marvel. A super hero … Continue reading Brand Echh: E-Man #6
The Tom Brevoort Experience 