Alan Class comics are to K.G. Murray comics as the K.G. Murray comics are to the US editions - - strange, unpredictable, distorted parallel/mirror universe bizarro variations. In other words, they’re exactly the same, except that they’re completely different. Or something like that.I like the Alan Class comics. They’re a great way to pick up cheap reprints of 1950’s and early 1960’s Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, whether it’s Atlas/Marvel or Charlton material.
For example, check out the contents of
Sinister Tales #20
Cover reprinted from Strange Tales #97, June 1962
When A Planet Dies!
Jack Kirby/Dick Ayers
(Strange Tales #97, June 1962)
Hunted
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
(Tales to Astonish #44, June 1963)
Inside the Fallout Shelter
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
(Tales of Suspense #30, June 1962)
The Crackpot
Don Heck
(Tales of Suspense #31, July 1962)
The Missing Link!
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
(Tales of Suspense #31, July 1962)
The Man Who Couldn't Grow Old!
Don Heck
(Tales of Suspense #30, June 1962)
The Comic
(2 pages, text only)
(Journey Into Unknown Worlds #45, May 1956)
The One Who Isn't Human
Don Heck
(Tales of Suspense #32, August 1962)
The Thing in the Sky!
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
(Tales of Suspense #32, August 1962)
The Man Who Wouldn't Die!
Stan Lee/Larry Lieber/Matt Fox
(Journey Into Mystery #93, June 1963)
The Secret of the Mirage
Don Heck
(Tales of Suspense #33, September 1962)
The Creature from Krangro
Jack Kirby/Dick Ayers
(Tales of Suspense #30, June 1962)
Where is the Wommelly?
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
(Tales of Suspense #33, September 1962)
Try getting these issues for under $6!
Based on the contents I’d say this issue was published 1963/1964.
I don’t think the quality of the average Alan Class edition matches that of the average K.G. Murray edition. The inks can often appear spottier, and the pages are smaller, and the glue in the spine has naturally dried and cracked over the years so they are prone to splitting.
For these reasons I avoid the Alan Class issues superhero reprints – they’re all available in other formats, whether it’s the Essential series of reprints, or Masterworks, or any other format in between.
But if I want a fix of Marvel Kirby monsters or creepy suspenseful Ditko stories, the Alan Class comics provide a pretty good fix, and are good companions to the K.G. Murrays.
(Journey Into Unknown Worlds #45, May 1956)
The One Who Isn't Human
Don Heck
(Tales of Suspense #32, August 1962)
The Thing in the Sky!
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
(Tales of Suspense #32, August 1962)
The Man Who Wouldn't Die!
Stan Lee/Larry Lieber/Matt Fox
(Journey Into Mystery #93, June 1963)
The Secret of the Mirage
Don Heck
(Tales of Suspense #33, September 1962)
The Creature from Krangro
Jack Kirby/Dick Ayers
(Tales of Suspense #30, June 1962)
Where is the Wommelly?
Stan Lee/Steve Ditko
(Tales of Suspense #33, September 1962)
Try getting these issues for under $6!
Based on the contents I’d say this issue was published 1963/1964.
I don’t think the quality of the average Alan Class edition matches that of the average K.G. Murray edition. The inks can often appear spottier, and the pages are smaller, and the glue in the spine has naturally dried and cracked over the years so they are prone to splitting.
For these reasons I avoid the Alan Class issues superhero reprints – they’re all available in other formats, whether it’s the Essential series of reprints, or Masterworks, or any other format in between.
But if I want a fix of Marvel Kirby monsters or creepy suspenseful Ditko stories, the Alan Class comics provide a pretty good fix, and are good companions to the K.G. Murrays.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment