THE SHADOW "Night of the Killers" Part 1

Along with Frank Robbins, whom we saw last week...

...E R Cruz, one of the numerous Filippino artists who entered into American comics during the Bronze Age, took over the illustration duties from Mike Kaluta.

To Be Concluded...

TOMORROW!

Written by Denny O'Neil, this never-reprinted tale from DC's The Shadow #10 (1975) allows new artist Cruz to "strut his stuff", combining both action and moodiness to take an average mystery story and elevate it with effective storytelling utilizing  "camera angles" and shadows (pun intended) to give the story a 1930s gangster movie vibe.

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Shadow Scrapbook

by Walter B Gibson

THE SHADOW "Night of the Beast!" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

Gangster Joey Lyce wants acclaimed Broadway actress Morag Mayne (who once was his arm candy, but now wants nothing to do within the crook) dead, because she learned a lot about his operations while they were involved!
But, Lyce's incredibly-strong, hunchbacked enforcer, Pile, became enamored of the actress and now defends her from everyone, even those who would aid her, like The Shadow...

Morag Mayne is based on legendary actress Katherine Hepburn...

...who was noted for "compartmentalizing" her personal and performing lives!

Joey Lyce, OTOH, is an amalgamation of various gangster stereotypes popularized, in particular, by Warner Bros movies of the era.

Bonus: the original art for this issue's cover...

...note that The Shadow is facing away from Pile.

Maybe the intention was to show both of Morag's "protectors" looking at the menace (Joey Lyce or his henchmen) she saw?

The editor had the production staff do a "flop" photostat of the hero, so that he's now facing Pile on the printed cover...though we do lose the other gun as a result!

Next Monday, Visit...

Hero Histories

for another camp classic starring the blue/purple tights-clad "superhero" Shadow from the Swinging Sixties!

After that tale concludes, return here for another tale of the "classic" version of He Who Knows What Evil...!

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Shadow Scrapbook

by Walter B Gibson

THE SHADOW "Night of the Beast!" Part 1

In 1973, DC revived this character for an acclaimed two-year run...

...over half of which has never been reprinted and hasn't been seen in half a century!

We're going to correct that oversight!

To Be Concluded...

TOMORROW!

Written by Denny O'Neil and illustrated by Frank Robbins, the tale from DC's The Shadow #7 (1974) has a serious film noir/pulp "feel" to it.

Both O'Neil and Robbins had scripted Detective Comics and Batman tales featuring the Caped Crusader during his return to "Dark Knight/Creature of the Night" status after the end of the 1960s TV series.
(In fact, Robbins wrote the issue where Batman returned to being The Batman as shown HERE!)
In addition, Frank illustrated some of those Bat-stories, having done both writing and illustrating for newspaper comic strips including his own series, Johnny Hazard, since the 1940s!
But The Shadow comics' audience found the change of artist from Mike Kaluta (who was wonderfully-detailed, but sloooow) to the looser style of Robbins extremely-jarring.
Ironically, Robbins had begun working in comics during the era the comic was set in, and his first-hand knowledge of clothing and settings of the era added to the atmosphere of the strip!
Frank illustrated #5 (which we presented HERE and HERE), #7 (this issue), #8 and #9.
E R Cruz rendered the remaining three issues.
We'll be alternating between Robbins and Cruz-illustrated issues during this blogathon.

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Shadow Scrapbook

by Walter B Gibson

The Russkies are Coming! ATOMIC SPY CASES "Operation H.M."

Think we're paranoid about the (unnamed, but obvious) enemy discovering our atomic secrets?

Look at how nutso we were back in the 1950s!

(BTW, the "Based on TRUE Stories" caption is a total lie!)

The lead story from this Avon Comics 1950 one-shot with a Norman (Mars Attacks) Saunders cover exemplifies the "Russkies/Chinese under the bed" paranoia of the era!
With imperialist running dog Putin going Don da Con-level bonkers, perhaps it was, in fact, justified!
Regrettably, neither the writer nor artist(s) are known.

Donald Trump's Role Model...AL CAPONE!

Perhaps the most notorious gangster of all time is Al Capone...

...who was so ruthless and cunning that the only crime The Law could ever prove he committed was income tax fraud!

No wonder disgraced, twice-impeached, ex-President Don "The Con" Trump admires him so!

Bet Don da Con wishes he could deal with problems like this, eh?

In the Days of the Mob #1 (1971) was a b/w "true crime" magazine, featuring graphic dramatizations of real-life criminals' stories...as you've just seen.

Regrettably, it only ran one issue, though the complete second edition was prepared and ready to go to the printer when the ax fell.
The title was edited/written/illustrated by Jack Kirby, inked by Vince Colletta.

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In the Days of the Mob

Hardcover featuring both the published first issue and the unpublished second issue!