Sci-Friday/Addicted to Alex Nino: "The Time Machine" by Wells, Binder, and Nino

Part of Marvel Comics' ever-growing expansion of the Groovy Age was Marvel Classics Comics which ran for two years (1976-78) and 36 issues. The majority of the stories published in that series were new, but several, like today's The Time Machine,  presented in Marvel Classics Comics #2 (1976), was reprinted from Pendulum Press' Now Age Books imprint (circa 1973), which was a series of "miniature graphic novels"; upscale black and white comicbooks with color cardstock covers. (I've seen a few of them still floating around in various schools in my area as part of a remedial reading program for high schoolers.)

Today's is a particular fave. H.G. Wells deserves to be called a master, as he created and/or innovated so many sci fi concepts we take for granted these days. The adaptation was written by the great Otto Binder, one of comics' greatest writers, best known for his work on the Golden Age Captain Marvel and Superman, as well as for creating such concepts as DC's "Imaginary Stories", Brainiac, the Phantom Zone, Krypto, and so much more. But best of all is the incredible art of our main man, Alex Nino. Who but Alex Nino could make a so-called "educational comic" look so trippy and cool? Wordy as Binder's adaptation was (and had to be), Nino provided some breathtaking flourishes that special-effects artists of the day would have loved to have been able to replicate. Enough talk! Enjoy!!

Groove's Faves: War of the Worlds by Claremont, Montano, and Castrillo

Happy Halloween, Groove-ophiles! Before you head to the parties, or start handing out candy, or settle down with your horror flick of choice, c'mon in to Groove City where we're gonna do a bit o'time-traveling--and we don't even need a TARDIS. Ready? Let's boogie!

Some call it history some call it myth, but Orson Welles' adaptation of H.G. Wells' WAR OF THE WORLDS scared the holy hoo-hah out of hundreds (at least) of folks back on October 30, 1938. Orson Welles, martians, alien invasions, and Wells' War of the Worlds itself became both comicbook staples...and Halloween legend. So today we're tying it all together with a Groovy Age bow. Or should that be "boo"?

In 1976, Marvel's Classics Comics series got around to publishing their own adaptation of H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds with Marvel Classics Comics #14. The novel-length (48 page) adaptation is top-notch, written by Chris Claremont (by then a cult fave with the All-New, All-Different--but not yet sales champ--X-Men) with art by Yong Montano and Dino Castrillo. Keeping the X-Men connection going, the martians and their tripods were designed by Chris' X-Men co-conspirator Dave Cockrum--who also inked the fab-a-mundo Gil Kane penciled cover.

It's all treat with no tricks, baby! Here's Marvel's War of the Worlds!

For more War of the Worlds wonderment in all its forms, you must visit the far-out War of the Worlds site--and tell 'em Ol' Groove sent ya!