Golden Age comic question

[ctc]

So;

I've been loookin' up a lot of stuff on the Digital Comics Museum and I started wondering: what's the deal with all the jungle comics? Seriously! How many Sheena ripoffs do you really need?

Don C.

[Brazoo]

It's not a bad point, but hot babe with out a lot of clothes and a dagger in the jungle - what's not to like?!

[bobws]

Just like today, someone comes up with an idea and everyone else rips them off.

[kingdom warrior]

That was the MO for most low rent comic companies of the day. Whatever was Hot go with it. Hire a top notch cover artist and then give the art chores to whatever kid they could find......actually a great time to break into the business. One of my idols Matt Baker an african-American Artist of the time and highly underrated Great did many of these.

[Earth 2 Chris]

TwoMorrows has a book on Matt Baker coming out. Sounds interesting!

Matt Baker: The Art of Glamour [Ships April 27, 2011] : TwoMorrows Publishing, Celebrating The Art History Of Comics.

Jungle heroes were HUGE back in the 30s thru the 50s. Not only in comics, but movie serials too.

Chris

[Brazoo]

Matt Baker draws hot women like nobody's business! And his compositions rule.

[kingdom warrior]

Matt Baker draws hot women like nobody's business! And his compositions rule.

HELL YEAH!!!!!!!! I love Baker's work as you know....amazing illustrator who died very young.....

[ctc]

>someone comes up with an idea and everyone else rips them off.

It's weird to see SO MANY though, considering the genre is all but dead nowadays. Although I guess back in the day WE had them too.... mostly from Gold Key, although I think both Marvel and DC took a kick at the Tarzan can back in the 60's. (Occasionally official, occasionally Ka-Zar.)

Don C.

[kingdom warrior]

TwoMorrows has a book on Matt Baker coming out. Sounds interesting!

Matt Baker: The Art of Glamour [Ships April 27, 2011] : TwoMorrows Publishing, Celebrating The Art History Of Comics.

Jungle heroes were HUGE back in the 30s thru the 50s. Not only in comics, but movie serials too.

Chris

WOW Chris I didn't notice you posted this!!!! Baker is one of my Idols adore the man's work and have paid him Homage in my work. This is a must have for my collection can't wait for it....

[kingdom warrior]

>someone comes up with an idea and everyone else rips them off.

It's weird to see SO MANY though, considering the genre is all but dead nowadays. Although I guess back in the day WE had them too.... mostly from Gold Key, although I think both Marvel and DC took a kick at the Tarzan can back in the 60's. (Occasionally official, occasionally Ka-Zar.)

Don C.

That and Westerns and Romance were big Genres that no one does anymore.....

[ctc]

>Westerns and Romance were big Genres that no one does anymore

Although most of the Japanese girl's comics could be considered romance books, and they seem to have done well with the kids; so maybe we'll see a resurgence in the next 5-10 years? Westerns kinda fade in and out every so oftenbuy yeah; they never make the big hit they used to. Weird that they still seem to have a following in Europe.

Jungle stories seem to have had something of a resurgence in the late 50's/early 60's in general. I know they were popular during the 20's, since exploration of the continent was actively going on. Maybe the 50's resurgence was nostalgia-based?

Don C.

[kingdom warrior]

>Westerns and Romance were big Genres that no one does anymore

Although most of the Japanese girl's comics could be considered romance books, and they seem to have done well with the kids; so maybe we'll see a resurgence in the next 5-10 years? Westerns kinda fade in and out every so oftenbuy yeah; they never make the big hit they used to. Weird that they still seem to have a following in Europe.

Jungle stories seem to have had something of a resurgence in the late 50's/early 60's in general. I know they were popular during the 20's, since exploration of the continent was actively going on. Maybe the 50's resurgence was nostalgia-based?

Don C.

I've always liked Japanese manga because you can find basically anything on any topic and there's a comic about it.....unlike the superhero driven comics here in America.

[ctc]

>unlike the superhero driven comics here in America

I dunno.... I don’t consider superheroes to be the be-all end-all of comicbookishness, but we had variety too. Up until the 90's, and then our books became insanely inbred. For a while. I’ve seen some different stuff in the last couple of years, and thanks to the compilations boom a lot of the old stuff that didn’t have Batman or the X-Men in it is readily available.

Funny thing; the Japanese stuff has been HUGELY inbred for the last few years. The insane volume of books they produce ensures some variety, but you can see a few types of story becoming dominant. The passing of their recent censorship laws points to the idea that a certain ideal is becoming part of the national consciousness, further exacerbating the problem. (If you get the chance, I can’t recommend “Bakuman” enough.)

Don C.