Nyoka the Jungle Girl in "The Voodoo Drums of Death" (Fawcett;1945)

Chapter  I: "Death Is The Pilot

Chapter II: "Shark Island"

Chapter III: "Voodoo Hoodoo"

Chapter IV: "Dinner Music--for Cannibals"

Nyoka the Jungle Girl #2 was the first issue of her ongoing Fawcett Comics series, after her long and successful run in Master Comics. Her self-titled series ran until #76 (June 1953). There was a previously published #1 issue featuring Nyoka, but it was a 1942 Fawcett Comics one-shot simply called "Jungle Girl". The artwork for this terrific full-issue tale called "The Voodoo Drums of Death" is by the team of Rod Reed and Harry Anderson. Nyoka's comic book adventures tended to follow a specific pattern, always broken up into chapters like the cliffhanger serials that were popular at the movies during the golden age of Hollywood; not surprising since the character got her start in the cinema, too. The four parts of this exciting story are "Death is the Pilot"; "Shark Island"; "Voodoo Hoodoo"; and "Dinner Music--for Cannibals". The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

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Tony Trent in "The Most Wicked Genius" (Columbia;1949)

We are closing in on the Christmas holiday, and you folks have earned a bonus today (plus I've had this story floating around for far too long), so hope you like it. In the days following the closing of World War II and the onset of the Cold War, Tony Trent gave up his long-running masked role as "The Face" and returned to his duties as a foreign correspondent. Note: I watched “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol” on the big IMAX screen last night, (highly recommended, by the way) and was inspired to dig up this untitled story that I've decided to call “The Most Wicked Genius” from Big Shot #103 (Jul.1949); originally published by Columbia and illustrated by Mart Bailey. Enjoy!

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"Gal" Friday! Paula Patton

After graduating magna cum laude from the USC Film School, Paula Patton scored her first acting role with a small part in 2005's Hitch, which starred Will Smith. She’s also appeared in Déjà Vu, Mirrors, Swing Vote, Precious, Just Wright, and in limited IMAX release today alongside Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.

In fall 2010, Patton was announced as succeeding Sharon Stone as the new full-time assistant district attorney on the NBC legal drama and one of my favorite shows, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. However, after she landed the lead female role in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, her role on SVU was reduced to one episode. This makes me sad, but I’m still looking forward to seeing her on the big IMAX screen later today, and inducting her as an official “gal” Friday for posterity.

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In Memorium: Joe Simon & Eduardo Barreto

Eduardo Barreto (top; left) and Joe Simon (bottom; right).

As a writer, artist, editor and publisher, Joe Simon either created or co-created many important golden age comic book characters in the 1930s-1940s. He served as the first editor of Timely Comics, the company that would evolve into Marvel Comics. With his partner, artist Jack Kirby, he co-created Captain America, one of comics' most enduring superheroes, and the team also worked extensively on such features at DC Comics as the 1940s Sandman and Sandy the Golden Boy, and co-created the Newsboy Legion, the Boy Commandos, and Manhunter. Simon & Kirby creations for other publishers included Boys' Ranch, Fighting American, and the Fly. In the late 1940s, the duo created the genre of romance comics, and they were among the earliest pioneers of horror comics. Simon went on to work in advertising and commercial art, also founding the satirical magazine "Sick" in 1960, remaining with it for a decade. He briefly returned to DC Comics in the 1970s. He was inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 1999. Mr. Simon passed away on December 14, 2011 at the age of ninety-eight.

Born in Uruguay, artist Eduardo Barreto made his name on DC Comics series like The New Teen Titans, Atari Force, The Shadow Strikes, and on specialty issues such as DC Comics Presents Annual #4 (1985). He drew Elvira, Mistress of the Dark for Claypool Comics; and The Long Haul for OniPress; and for Marvel he drew Marvel Knights. In 2006, Barreto took on artist duties for the syndicated comic strip Judge Parker from Harold Ledoux. Shortly afterward, he was involved in a serious car accident and was in the hospital for a few weeks, which left him unable to draw Judge Parker; others took on the responsibilities. He resumed his work, but in 2010, Barreto contracted meningitis, which finally forced him to stop drawing the strip, although he continued working on other projects such as a recent Captain Action Special and on July 31, 2011, Baretto became the artist for the Sunday comic strip, The Phantom. He passed away today at the age of fifty-seven.

The Catacombs extends its sincerest condolences to the families, friends and fans of these two fine gentlemen.

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Jun-Gal in "The Curse of the Seven Straws" (Rural Home;1944)

Jun-Gal received special powers from an exposed radium pit after she was abducted as an infant by tribesmen who had slaughtered her family. Why the tribesmen never received equal powers from living in such close proximity to the radium goes conveniently unexplained. Fortunately the natives brought "Mammy" along to care for the little girl. That being the case, there is no explanation as to why Joan (aka "Jun-Gal") wasn't raised speaking pigeon English too? Jungle comic books regularly featured insensitive, racist elements back in the day and all too often, for that reason alone, modern readers prefer to forget about them. This Jun-Gal adventure called "The Curse of the Seven Straws" is from Blazing Comics #3 (Sept. 1944); originally released by minor golden age publisher Rural Home Publications. Like the earlier Jun-Gal stories that I've posted, this tale is rife with racist stereotypes. The native Africans are depicted in standard black-face for that era. The artwork is credited to Harold De Lay. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: The copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

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Og, Son of Fire ... ever more adventures (Dell;1937)

Two for Tuesday! The serialized adventures of creator/writer/editor Irving Crump's "Og, Son of Fire", continues this week with back-to-back strips from The Funnies #10 and #11 (Jul/Aug.1937); originally published by Dell. Artist Stephen Slesinger provides illustrations that are re-purposed in color from an original black & white 1936 Big Little Book version copyrighted to Slesinger. Dell serialized "Og, Son of Fire" in issues of "The Funnies" from January to November of 1937 (comprising issues 4-14 in two page snippets). I'll be presenting all of them in pairs on subsequent Tuesdays until I run out.

The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: the copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

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Ty-Gor, Son of the Tiger in "Hold That Tiger!" (MLJ;1940)

Taken as a baby, Tyrone Gorman was offered as a living sacrifice to tigers in the jungles of Malaysia. Instead, the tigress Malma raised him. "Ty-Gor" was unknowingly an heir to a vast fortune back home while he roamed the jungle accompanied by Malma. In this story from Blue Ribbon Comics #7 (Nov.1940); originally published by MLJ/Archie Comics, Ty-Gor is brought on board the river trawler “Junglier” by Joan Davis & her father; travelers who had previously been rescued by Ty-Gor. Their efforts to civilize the wild boy result in less than favorable results, particularly after Malma is locked away in the ships hold. The writer of "Hold That Tiger!" is Joe Blair and the artist is Mort Meskin. The Catacombs is grateful to Don "Zu-Gogo" Falkos for providing the scans for this story. Note: the copyright for this issue, its contents and artwork belong to the original publisher and/or creators and is reproduced here solely for entertainment purposes. Enjoy!

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