OF GORILLAS AND HULKS by Dave Goode

OF GORILLAS AND HULKS BY DAVE GOODE

 When you talk about gorilla artists in the Silver Age of Comics the conversation usually begins with Carmine Infantino. And rightfully so. But for my money the best ape artist of the era was Steve Ditko. Nobody drew a gorilla quite like Ditko. Ditko's best known gorilla was the giant ape Konga. Charlton's KONGA comic book was a sequel of sorts to the British horror movie KONGA (1961) distributed by AIP. Oddly enough the comic book adaptation appeared in June 1960, nearly a year before the movie was released. The second issue cover dated August 1961, written by Joe Gill and illustrated by Ditko more or less took up where the movie ended. And the series has become something of a cult favorite. Fondly remembered by Silver Age readers.

Ditko would team up with another titan of the era, Jack Kirby, inking the pencils of the man known to comic book readers as the "King" on THE INCREDIBLE HULK No.2 (July 1962). Page one of that story has one of my favorite illustrations of the Hulk. In it the green Goliath looks like nothing so much as the personification of brute force. And reminds one that in his first appearance the Hulk was mistaken for both a bear and a gorilla. 

 

Kirby and Ditko would team again on FANTASTIC FOUR No.13 (April 1963). This was the issue that introduced readers to the menace of the Red Ghost and his Super-Apes. For the record the communist villain's anthropoid minions were a baboon, an orangutan and a gorilla. This was a really fun story that I wish the art chores had been switched with Ditko doing the pencils. 

And when the character Kraven the Hunter was introduced in THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN No. 15 (Aug. 1964) Ditko had him battling a pair of escaped gorillas as only Ditko could. Nobody drew a fight scene quite like Ditko either.

My favorite issue on the original run of the Hulk's comic book came in the sixth and final issue cover dated March 1963. In this story the Hulk faces the Metal Master. With Dick Ayers inking Ditko pencils the Hulk in his purple trunks resembles a professional wrestler. The massive Bruno Sammartino or Dick the Bruiser come to mind. On further examination Ditko gave this Hulk the same physique he gave to his gorillas. But with much thicker legs. It gave the Hulk the look of being shorter. Except for when he was standing next to something or someone to give him scale. By the way gorillas generally measure about 5' 8" inches in height and weigh in at about 450 pounds. Seven foot tall, 800 pound gorillas can only be found in movies and sometimes comic books.

New AWESOME item!!! The Phantom Gorilla t-shirt!!! Get yours today!

https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/5207056-phantom-gorilla

DEVIL IN THE BLUE MASK by Dave Goode

There are two types of stories that fan-boys live for. Origins and cross-overs. El Santo was given a silver screen origin that combined elements of Lee Falk's Phantom and the original Golden Age Captain Marvel. And of course fans of the Mexiluchahero movie genre know that Mil Mascaras' movie origin owes a bit to the back story of pulp superman Doc Savage. But as far as I know the third member of the " Holy Trinity of Mexiluchahero Movies ", the Blue Demon, had no such cinematic origin tale. And now I'm sure that someone is going to respond with the title of a movie that gives Blue Demon a comic book type origin. But until then let me share with you my idea for his back story.

His origin would be similar to that of Marvel Comics' Daredevil. He's the
studious bookworm who gets picked on by the neighborhood kids who works out in secret to keep in shape. Maybe even following a Charles Atlas type training course that includes self-defense program. And of course his father would be a luchador and not a pugilist. The major change is that as a high school student he takes on the leader of the " Blue Demon " biker gang after being picked on one too many times. After whooping the leader and his second-in-command our hero is recruited by the gang as their enforcer. Deciding gang wars in singles combat. After his father is killed by crooked gamblers he becomes the Blue Demon to bring the
criminals to justice.

If you're new to the Mexiluchahero genre the Blue Demon movie you want to watch is La Sombra del Murcielago. Known in English as Shadow Of The Bat , this 1966 flick is considered to be Blue Demon's best. Produced by Luis Enrique Vergara and directed by Federico Curiel this flick written by Jesus Velezquez is a psychotronic classic. The idea that came from Vergara was a reworking of the Phantom of the Opera with Fernando Oses going over the top as a physically and mentally scarred former wrestling star. He even plays the organ. Blue plays the hero who eventually defeats the mad man who also takes an unhealthy interest in a nightclub singer played by Marta Romero. Blue comes across like a Mike Hammer type. But one who wears luchador gear. This one is great fun. It even has a Spanish language version of the sixties pop hit Wooly Bully. If you haven't seen it search it out.

For more information on the Blue Demon, both films and wrestling, visit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Demon 

Now for another great Dr. Judo comic: 

 Support the fun by buying cool swag! Here's the latest:

https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/2830210-dr-judo-yin-yang

More designs available!

https://www.teepublic.com/user/vancecapleyart1972

Grab Judo Comics and other fine publications here:

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/VanceCapley

GORILLA MY DREAMS by Dave Goode

Growing up in the Silver Age of Comic Books no doubt played some part in my becoming a fan of "ape-suit cinema". I even have a theory that all the intelligent gorillas that appeared in the comic books of the 50s and 60s were the results of those brain transplant experiments by mad scientists in the horror movies of the 30s and 40s. One of my favorites from the ape-suit genre was the fab 50s 3-D flick GORILLA AT LARGE.

I never considered it a horror flick. More like a murder mystery with the chief suspect a gorilla. A major reason I like this flick so much is that it features Anne Bancroft in what would be her sexiest role until she portrayed Mrs.Robinson in THE GRADUATE. In GORILLA AT LARGE she plays a nymphomaniacal aerialist who spends most of her time dressed in leotards. Another plus,for me at least,was that judo plays an integral part in the movie's plot. No there's no fight between the hero and Goliath,the eponymous gorilla at large.But the hero played by Cameron Mitchell is an ex-Marine with a working knowledge of judo. This makes him a prime suspect when characters start turning up with broken necks. You're left to guess who the real killer is...Goliath or someone in a gorilla costume?

Another favorite of mine is THE APE-MAN. Directed by the legendary William "One-Shot" Beaudine from a screenplay from Barney Sarecky this psychotronic movie isn't great art. But it's a heck of a lot of fun. It stars iconic horror movie star Bela Lugosi with Louise Currie  and Wallace Ford.And in a nod to equal opportunity it features Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison as a newspaper copy boy.Think about it. They could have cast any of the East Side Kids in the role. But they cast "Scruno". It's one of those movies where a scientist breaks the laws of the nature and pays a price for it.Emil Van Horn portrays Bela's pet gorilla. And as usual he's great. One of my favorite ape-suit actors Van Horn also worked in a few Gorilla & Girl nightclub acts.

Retro art by Vance Capley