By Otto Binder, Gerry Boudreau, Jack Sparling, José Delbo, Jack Abel?, George Wilson & various (Dark Horse Books)
ISBN: 978-1-59582-705-0 (HB)
As we have elections in Britain at the moment here’s another classic compilation focusing on Dystopias and why fiction remains so much less implausible than grim reality
These days all the attention in comics circles goes to big-hitters and headline-grabbing groundbreakers, but once upon a time, when funnybooks were cheap as well as plentiful, a kid (whatever their age) could afford to follow the pack and still find time and room to enjoy quirky outliers: B through Z listers, oddly off-kilter concepts and champions falling far short of the accepted parameters of standard super-types…
A classic example of that exuberant freedom of expression was the relatively angst-free dystopian tomorrow of Mighty Samson, who had a sporadic yet extended comics career of 32 issues spanning 1964 to 1982. In this volume the unearthed treasure come from issues #15 – 24 cover-dated August 1968 to June 1974. At the latter end of this time mass entertainment was filled with a fascination in post-disaster scenarios and revival of dystopian fiction. Comic books responded, with the most successful entries being Jack Kirby’s Kamandi at DC and Marvel contemporaneous Planet of the Apes adaptations.
Although set in the aftermath of an atomic Armageddon, the story of the survivors was a blend of updated myth, pioneer adventure and superhero shtick, liberally leavened with variations of those incredible creatures and sci fi monsters the industry thrived on back then.
Comics colossus Dell/Gold Key/Whitman had one of the most complicated publishing set-ups in history, but that didn’t matter one iota to kids of all ages who consumed their vastly varied product. Based in Racine, Wisconsin, Whitman had been a crucial component of the monolithic Western Publishing and Lithography Company since 1915: drawing upon huge commercial resources and industry connections that came with editorial offices on both coasts. They even boasted a subsidiary printing plant in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Another connection was with fellow Western subsidiary K.K. Publications (named for licensing legend Kay Kamen who facilitated extremely lucrative “license to print money” merchandising deals for Walt Disney Studios between 1933 and 1949). From 1938, the affiliated companies’ comic book output was released under a partnership deal with a “pulps” periodical publisher under the umbrella imprint Dell Comics – and again those creative staff and commercial contacts fed into the line-up of the Big Little, Little Golden and Golden Press books for younger children. This partnership ended in 1962 and Western had to swiftly reinvent its comics division as Gold Key.
Western had been a major player since comics’ earliest days, blending a vast tranche of licensed titles – including newspaper strips (like Nancy and Sluggo, Tarzan and The Lone Ranger), TV tie-in and Disney titles with in-house originations such as Turok, Son of Stone, Brain Boy and Kona: Monarch of Monster Isle. Dell and Western split just as a comic book resurgence triggered a host of new titles and companies, and a superhero boom. Independent of Dell, new outfit Gold Key launched original adventure titles including Dr. Solar, Man of the Atom; Magnus – Robot Fighter; M.A.R.S. Patrol – Total War; Space Family Robinson and many more. As a publisher, Gold Key never really “got” the melodramatic, frequently mock-heroic Sturm und Drang of the Silver Age superhero boom – although for many of us, the understated functionality of classics like Magnus and Doctor Solar or crime-fighting iterations of classic movie monsters Dracula, Frankenstein and Werewolf were utterly irresistible. The sheer off-the-wall lunacy of features like Neutro or Dr. Spektor I shall reserve for a future occasion…
The post-dystopian wonder warrior had been anonymously created by industry giants Otto Binder & Frank Thorne in 1964. Binder was the quintessential jobbing writer: he and his brother Earl were early fans of science fiction, with their first professional sale to Amazing Stories in 1930. As “Eando Binder” their pulp-fiction and novels output continued well into the 1970s, with Otto rightly famed for his creation of primal robotic hero Adam Link. From 1939 onwards, Otto was also a prolific comic book scripter, most beloved and revered for the invention and perfection of a humorous blend of spectacular action, self-deprecating humour and gentle whimsy as characterised by the Fawcett Captain Marvel line of titles (and later in DC’s Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen). Binder was also constantly employed by many other publishers and amongst his most memorable inventions and innovations are Timely’s Young Allies, Mr. Mind, Brainiac, Super Dog Krypto and the Legion of Super-Heroes. In later life, he moved into editing, producing factual science books and writing for NASA.
This third splendid full-colour hardback compilation – printed on a reassuringly sturdy and comforting grainy old-school pulp stock rather than glossy paper – gathers Mighty Samson #15-24, spanning August 1968 to June 1974 and begins with a heady appreciation of the life and stellar career by author Dylan Williams in ‘Otto Binder: The Working Life of Comics’ Mightiest Dramatist’…
His art partner for the tales in this volume was another experienced comics veteran. John Edmond “Jack” Sparling (June 21st 1916 – February 15th 1997) was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba but migrated young to the USA. After studying in New Orleans and at the Corcoran School of Art, he left a cartooning gig at the New Orleans Item-Tribune to create the strip Hap Hopper, Washington Correspondent for United Features Syndicate (1940) which was followed in 1943 by Claire Voyant. That strip ended in 1948 and thereafter Sparling concentrated on comic books, becoming a wandering regular whose work appeared in Classics Illustrated, Dell/Gold Key, Marvel, DC, Charlton and others on strips like Robin Hood, Captain America, Tiger Girl, Space Man, Neuro, Secret Six, Eclipso, The Day after Doomsday, Challengers of The Unknown, Unknown Soldier and more.
Ideally suited for short story and humorous fare, he worked continuously for Gold Key’s horror anthologies and was a key contributor when DC revived its House of Secrets and House of Mystery titles (co-creating with Bob Haney undying horror-host Cain in HoM #175). Sparling was particularly adept on licensed properties, illustrating Bomba, Family Affair, Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Welcome Back, Kotter, Adam-12, Microbots, The Outer Limits ad nauseum…
What you need to know: Mighty Samson #1 (July 1964) had introduced the bombed-out metropolis of N’Yark: a dismal dangerous collection of enclaves and regions where human primitives clung to the ruins, scattered into rival tribes all striving daily against mutated plants and monsters as well as less easily identified blends somewhere in between…
One day when a toddler was grabbed by a predatory plant he casually tore the terror apart with his podgy little hands. Years passed and the child grew tall and clean-limbed, and it was clear that he too was a mutant: immensely strong, incredibly fast and improbably durable…
Impassioned by his mother’s dying words – “protect the weak from the powerful, the good from the evil” – Samson became the champion of his people; battling beasts and monsters imperilling the city. Sadly, those struggles were not without cost, and when he killed an immense Liobear, it cost the young hero his right eye…
The clash proved a turning point for Samson since his wounds were dressed by a stranger named Sharmaine. She and her father Mindor were voluntary outcasts in the city: shunning contact with superstitious tribes whilst gathering lost secrets of science. Already toiling constantly to bring humanity out of its second stone age and fired with inspiration, Samson joined their self-appointed mission: defending them from all manner of threat and menace as they carry out their work….
Now and here the Altered World odyssey resumes with Mighty Samson #15, cover-dated August 1968. Binder and Sparling were in top form for ‘The Plot of Gold’ and its sequel chapter ‘Danger in the Vaults’ as old enemy Queen Terra of Jerz attempts to seduce the tribes of N’Yark by reintroducing the concept of money. Of course she is the sole source of currency (gold from the buried US Mint) and tries to corner the market on the beguiling new means of expediting trade…
As confusion mounts and the primitives struggle to understand, Samson spends his precious time settling squabbles and battling rampaging beasts like the choke-foam monster and giant cave centipedes, before resolving to end the chaos by destroying Terra’s deadly booby-trapped repository. With Mindor and Sharmaine stubbornly beside him, that proves harder than expected…
With monsters so popular, the action is supplemented by another regular fact page in the Gold Key Club: enthusing readers with the lowdown on Dinosauria – Pterodactyl and an essay on ‘Lost Civilizations: Nomad Empire’, introducing kids to the lost tribe called Scythians…
Cover-dated November 1968, #16 brought new invaders to N’Yark. ‘The Smoky Realm’ saw fresh peril for the subterranean Undermen as brutal “Gnarly Men” attack the subway dwellers after being driven from their own realm deep below what was once the Radio City complex.
Eager to keep the peace, Samson and Co explore and find a fire breathing dragon has upset the status quo and determine that a concerted ‘The Call to Arms’ is the best way to proceed…
Sadly, the real problem is the ancient Radio City air conditioning system has malfunctioned, depriving the invaders of oxygen, forcing some quick thinking and patient re-engineering to solve the crisis.
The bonus material here offers Gold Key Club: Dinosauria – Plesiosaur and a Lost Civilizations tract on ‘Ur – Mother of Cities’ in advance of #17 (February 1969) seeing Terra sprinkling ‘Seeds of Disaster’ on Samson’s primal protectorate. Allied with roof dwelling hostile horticulturalists, the Queen almost destroys her enemies with deadly fast growing giant ‘Assassin Plants’ but yet again underestimates the power and determination of Mighty Samson. The issue closed Gold Key Club: Dinosauria – Triceratops and the lowdown on Hittites in prose expose ‘Forgotten Empire’.
On its quarterly schedule, the 18th tale was designated May and saw giant monster birds and mutant winged men blitz N’Yark, but King Zorr of ‘The Winged Raiders’ – although savage and cunning – was unprepared for the saviour strongman to confront the wingmen head on in ‘Battle in the Skies’ and helpless after his traitorous deputy Hawkarr became smitten with Sharmaine…
Flooding looked likely to inundate everyone in #19’s ‘Day of the Deluge’ as incessant rainfall triggers a human exodus and mass monster stampedes that reduce the relic metropolis to a enclave of canals. With the people trapped and starving on ramshackle rooftops whilst batwing pelicans, lightning eels and fire fish pick off stragglers, Samson looks for a way to transport stranded survivors out of N’Yark, only to discover the ungrateful mob have sold him out to the Queen of Jerz…
However, once Terra finds a whole new population too much to handle or feed, she drives them all back to the strongman and ‘The Drowning City’…
Bonus features return in this issue with a Gold Key Club Readers Page Monsters selection of their own creepy critters and another educational read in ‘Lost Civilizations: Carthage’ prior to Mighty Samson #20 (November 1969) picking up the watery saga as the exiled expats return to N’Yark just in time endure an undersea assault by expansionist amphibian King Nepthoon whose merciless ‘Attack of the Fishmen’ further reduces the human population. Wielding whirlpools, mermen and mutant monsters, his ‘Dam of Doom’ has turned Manhattan into a permanent water feature… but only until Samson pulls the colossal plug and drains the pool…
Issues #21 (August 1972) & 22 (December 1973) were reprints – MS #7 & #2 respectively – and are represented here by the painted covers from the miraculous George Wilson plus text essay ‘Lost Civilizations: Atlantis: Fable or Fact?’ and comics fact page ‘Space Station’.
The long hiatus was caused by a combination of dwindling sales, changing tastes and a personal tragedy Binder suffered: all leading to the series’ “soft” cancellation.
A revival came mere months after the second reprint issue, bringing a flashy new logo and new costume for the strongman star. Cover-dated March 1974, Mighty Samson #23 is credited here to Jack Abel as writer, although later research suggests Gerry Boudreau as the scribe. There’s no doubt about the art as limned by José Delbo.
Argentinean illustrator José María Del Bó was born December 9th 1933 and became a professional comics artist aged 16 when he began drawing serial Poncho Negro. As Argentina became politically unstable, he migrated to Brazil in 1963 and two years later settled in the USA as José Delbo. He worked for Charlton Comics (Billy the Kid and genre shorts) but found his niche at Dell/Gold Key/Western Publishing, specialising in licensed titles. Amongst many titles he illustrated in his clean, no-nonsense realistic style were The Brady Bunch, Hogan’s Heroes, Mod Squad, The Monkees, Twilight Zone, The Lone Ranger and prestige specials Dwight D. Eisenhower and Yellow Submarine.
His first DC work was in The Spectre #9 (May/June 1969) and after taking on the revived Mighty Samson at Gold Key in 1974, Delbo settled at the home of Superman, drawing an epic 10-year run on Wonder Woman (#222-286: March 1976-December 1986) as well as on Batman Family, Jimmy Olsen in Superman Family, DC Comics Presents, World’s Finest Comics, and Batgirl in Detective Comics. His greatest impact and visibility came after moving to Marvel in 1986, where he drew more licensed product including NFL SuperPro, Brute Force, Thundercats and The Transformers.
He taught at the Joe Kubert School (1990-2005) and set up his own version (Delbo Cartoon Camp) for school-aged kids in Boca Raton, Florida. He died aged 90 on February 5th 2024.
‘In the Country of the Blind’ parts 1 & 2 sees Sharmaine kidnapped by a tribe of sightless hyper sensitive souls led by a seeing chief soon to breathe his last. Kouran needs a replacement to serve as his people’s eyes as they pursue a war with the rival Pan’m people and face monsters invisible to human eyes. The war goes badly however until Samson finds them and ends the strife in his own unique way
Closing this book, MS #24 begins with text piece ‘Lost Civilizations: The Phoenicians’ before accessing the then-ubiquitous kung fu craze for ‘The Manchu of C’nal Street – The Challenge of Chang’ as the heroic trio stumble onto previously unexplored Chinatown and discover relative modernity in an ancient building called Martial Arts Training Academy. Soon Samson is clashing with its hereditary champion unaware that Chang is already sworn to the service of Queen Terra. However, her treacherous nature, Chang’s conscience and an inevitable duel of skill against strength soon proves the cost of ‘Death Before Dishonor’ before one final comics fact page – ‘Satellites of the Future’ – and fulsome Creator Biographies bring the future frolics to a halt.
Bizarre, brilliantly off-kilter and outrageously bombastic, these myths of a rationalist brute battling atom-spawned titans and human devils offer stunning spectacle and thrill-a-minute wonderment from start to finish. Captivatingly limned by Sparling and Delbo, these lost gems from an era when fun was paramount and entertainment a mandatory requirement are comics the way they were and perhaps might be again…
Mighty Samson ® Volume Three ™ & © 2010 Random House, Inc. Under license to Classic Media LCC. All rights reserved. All other material, unless otherwise specified, © 2010 Dark Horse Comics, Inc. All rights reserved.