Showing posts with label Alex Toth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alex Toth. Show all posts

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Captain's Library and Theatre FRONTIER DOCTOR "Storm Over King City" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

(No, you haven't missed a post.
The first part appeared at Western Comics Adventures!
Just click on the link above!)
Dr Bill Baxter is told that his elderly uncle David Sheldon has been murdered!
But he left a will with a lawyer mentioning an inheritance of a gold mine, of which Bill will receive half.
The other half is to go to an orphanage run by Miss Mary Fuller.
However, to locate the gold mine and fulfill the terms of the will, Baxter must journey to Canada, where his uncle lived and died, and meet with Miss Fuller since both he and the lady each have only 1/2 of the map that leads to the mine.
What he doesn't know is that the criminals who murdered his uncle lie in wait to ambush him, steal the map along with his identification and little black bag, and pretend to be him.
They waylay the sawbones, who barely survives, but manages to get to a nearby RCMP station.
The doctor and policeman confront the imposter, who manages to bluff the Mountie into thinking Baxter is the imposter!
But when a medical emergency happens to a child at the orphanage, the fake doctor is forced by his confederates to attend to the deathly-ill patient...

This adaptation of the episode "Storm Over King City" in Dell's Four Color Comics #877 (1958) was illustrated by Alex Toth, whom Old West comics fans remember as the artist on the comics based on Disney's Zorro TV series!
The writer, however, is unknown, 
As for the 1958-59 syndicated TV series' protagonist...

Though he did not carry a gun, Dr Bill Baxter was not a wimp by any measure.
The medical man used his wits, medical knowledge, his fists, and, occasionally, other people's shooting irons, to aid those who needed help.

Rex Allen, who played Baxter, performed as a rodeo rider while in high school.
After graduation, he took up singing, first in vaudeville, then on radio, becoming a popular country/Western singers.
Like most of his contemporaries, he soon was doing Western b-movies as a singing cowboy nicknamed "The Arizona Cowboy", teamed up with comedy-relief sidekicks including Buddy Ebsen and Slim Pickens.
After a couple of dozen films, Rex tried to make the transition to TV with Frontier Doctor, but the show was cancelled after a single season.
But Allen made yet another transition, and became a successful voice-over artist and narrator, primarily for Disney film and tv productions.
TRIVIA:
Besides Frontier Cowboy, Rex had his own self-titled comic book series from Dell Comics that ran for thirty-one issues!
Allen was a cousin of Gunsmoke cast member Glenn Strange, who played bartender Sam Noonan.
Rex's son, Rex Allen, Jr., is a successful singer.
There's a Rex Allen Museum in Willcox, Arizona!
BONUS!
Here's the TV episode which was adapted into the comic story!
Note that the comic is based on an early draft of the script, so there are differences!

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Friday, December 15, 2023

Captain's Holiday Library: HOT WHEELS "Humbug Run"

In the Economical Spirit of ReGifting...
Art by Neal Adams & Dick Giordano
...here's a never-reprinted Yuletide tale from over a half-century ago that we originally-presented over a decade ago, so it's likely most of the blog's current readers have never seen it!
The cover story for DC's Hot Wheels #6 (1971) was written by Len Wein, with art by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano, following Alex Toth's character designs from the 1969-1971 animated series based on the toy line.
Toth also illustrated most of the stories in the comic series!
Art by Alex Toth from Hot Wheels #1
Merry Christmas
&
Happy New Year!

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Captain's Library: HOT WHEELS "Stakeout" Conclusion

Art by Neal Adams
Robbers with high-performance getaway cars have evaded capture from police using standard-issue autos.
When Jack Wheeler, leader of the the Hot Wheels is inadvertently caught up in a chase, he witnesses the problem and proposes his father's garage re-fit several police vehicles to match performance of the criminals' autos...
In most jurisdictions, unless you're deputized, civilians can't ride with police (and certainly can't drive them in high-speed chases)!
Most of the Hot Wheels lead stories were 15-16 pages, but this one is only 13!
My impression is that the original page 13-14 were dropped, especially with the dialogue-heavy panels at the top of the last page telling the action instead of showing it.
It's possible the editor (or the Comics Code) wanted the pages redrawn.
But Alex Toth, who was doing this as a side-gig along with his primary work as an animation art director, didn't have time to rework the pages.
So the word balloons were added to explain what happened.

We hope you're enjoying our re-presention of the never-reprinted, very first, comic book series derived from an animated tv series based on a toy line.
Story by Joe Gill, illustrated by Alex Toth and Vince Colletta.

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Monday, June 4, 2012

Captain's Library: HOT WHEELS "Stakeout" Part 1

When the police can't catch bank robbers in high-powered "funnycars"...
...they utilize the talents of the Hot Wheels team to help them!
The cars are ready...but are the police...and the Hot Wheels?
Tune in tomorrow to find out!
This tale of money and motorized mayhem from Hot Wheels #3 (1970) was scripted by Joe Gill, penciled by Alex Toth, and inked by Vince Colletta.

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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Captain's Library: HOT WHEELS "Dragstrip Finals...Dragstrip Disaster!!!" Conclusion

Somewhat misleading cover art by Alex Toth, Neal Adams & Dick Giordano
Competing against the national champion, Jack Wheeler's drag racer explodes due to sabotage by rich snot Dexter Carter.
Confronted, Dexter denies the charge and challenges Jack to a "no holds barred" drag race one month later.
Unable to prove Dexter's guilt, Jack agrees, and he and the Hot Wheels spend the month preparing a super-dragster.
With only one day to the race, Dexter steals the car, replacing it with a barely-functioning wreck.
The Hot Wheels, short of time, work around the clock to make the clunker operational.
The next morning, before the race, a confident Dexter bets his expensive customized dragster that he can beat Jack.
And the races are ON...
This tale of jet power and just desserts from Hot Wheels #2 (1970) was scripted by Joe Gill, penciled by Alex Toth, and inked by Dick Giordano, who also edited the book.

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