Comic Book Creatures (The Planet Comics Edition)

Four years ago, your humble host presented two posts (here and here) describing beasts from public domain comic books.  Given the recent post on Adversaries in Space Opera, it's high time for another installment – one exclusive to creatures from science fiction.  To this end, all of the entries in this post are from Planet Comics, a Fiction House publication spanning the years 1940 to 1953.  Each issue contained various features with a roster of essentially interchangeable protagonists.  These heroes were manly men with nicknames like Buzz, Crash, and – for reasons perhaps best left unexplored – Spurt.

Trogolosaurus

Planet Comics #8 (Spurt Hammond feature);
1940, Fiction House, Art by Henry Kiefer

Speaking of Spurt, the adventurer tied the depicted Troglosaurus (also called 'Troglo') to his rocket ship and flew it from its native Venus to Mars.  Such a trip suggests that the creature is especially hardy and rugged; a suggestion corroborated by the fact that “the rays don't even hurt it!”

On Venus, “tamed fighting troglosauri” live in a valley.  Normally docile enough to follow a person around “like a puppy,” they can become furious (perhaps as a result of being flown through outer space unprotected and being struck by rays).

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Blost

Planet Comics #29 (Mars feature);
1944, Fiction House, Art by Joe Doolin

On Pan, “a minor moon of Saturn,” the Blost are nearly extinct.  The Blost pictured is old and decrepit.  One can scarcely imagine how fearsome a youthful, robust Blost would be.

Even this specimen can be riled into violent action by the forceful application of an electric whip.  However, the Blost tend to have a poor opinion of those who would inflict pain upon them and may aggressively display their opinion if given the opportunity.

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Elipticoon

Planet Comics #8 (Buzz Crandall feature);

1940, Fiction House, Art by Gene Fawcette (?)

In a story more reminiscent of a fever dream than a science fiction adventure, Buzz Crandall and Sandra West fly “in the remotest recesses of space and time.”  Somehow, “their space ship crashes through the walls of a crystal sphere...”  Sandra enters the Hall of the Elipticoon and faces “the giant time entity.”  Whatever its physiology may be, it has the “hum of a giant insect.”

The Elipticoon (at least this one) was destroyed when it attempted to consume the disembodied head of a “mad philosopher.”  But can a “giant time entity” ever really be destroyed?  If so, how?

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Mobile Fungus

Planet Comics #23 (Flint Baker feature);

1943, Fiction House, Art by Joe Doolin

On a “sinister little asteroid,” the mobile fungus lurks in a cave.  When visitors duck into the cave in an effort to escape the prevalent flying snakes, the “horrible phosphorescent mass rolls forward over ghastly remains” of its prior victims.

An effective way of deterring this thing is not yet known; even when pelted by rocks, it advances relentlessly.  Still, if you have enough time to throw rocks it, you likely have enough time to flee.

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Kloccial

Planet Comics #13 (Crash Parker feature);

1941, Fiction House, Art by Joe Doolin

The Kloccial, a “fiendish plant,” thrives in the twilight band of the planet Mercury.  It is evidently subterranean and sends tendrils above ground to grapple its prey.  On one occasion, Crash Parker inadvertently landed his rocket ship on top of one.  Of course, with a name like Crash, any landing that doesn't result in immolation is a good landing.

Coping with a Kloccial can be troublesome.  However, if you can manage to sever one of its tendrils, try blasting down the trunk of the tendril with a ray gun.  Acting as a conduit, the tendril carries the destructive energies to the heart of the Kloccial.

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 Vampire Birds

Planet Comics #12 (Crash Parker feature);
1941, Fiction House, Art by P. Rice & A. Cazeneuve

Crash Parker's adventures took him to various exotic locations, not the least of which is Uracius (or maybe Urania?), a “planet forbidden to Earth-men.”  True to his name, Crash wrecked his rocket ship there.  His excuse included the phrases “cosmic storm” and “vortex of the nebular maelstrom.”

In a cavern on that planet, Crash encountered the vampire birds, which possessed “heavy white fur and human-shaped talons!”  Apparently, “human-shaped talons” is supposed to mean “talons formed like human hands.”  Every vampire bird “has a queer crimson spot over the heart.”  It is this spot “through which the fiendish transfusions [of blood] take place.”

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Service Animals from Planetoid R

Planet Comics #61 (Lost World feature);

1949, Fiction House, Art by George Evans

These “fierce creatures” (affectionately called “hairy ones”) function as hunters and guides for “the blind mummy-men” of Planetoid R.  Their ability to burrow underground tunnels makes them particularly effective.

After the Voltamen conquered the Earth, they imported these “strange monsters” in their efforts to annihilate the last vestiges of human resistance.  These animals are very loyal to their mummy-men masters – a good reason not to antagonize the mummy-men.

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Dasta

Planet Comics #23 (Star Pirate feature);

1943, Fiction House, Art by Joe Doolin

Star Pirate (known informally as 'Star') encountered this beast on Zev.  However, we should not assume that the Dasta is native to that planetoid.  The Dasta is described as “three tons of armor-plated brute” and, as is shown, Star exclaimed, “Ten ray-guns wouldn't stop him!”

Star managed to blind the beast with a cloak and leaped atop “the bellowing bulk of a live torpedo.”  Star then felled the Dasta by employing the “bulldogger's twist,” a little trick that Star somehow “learned from an Earthman castaway.”

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Grok

Planet Comics #27 (Star Pirate feature);
1943, Fiction House, Art by George Appel

Years before Heinlein scribed Stranger in a Strange Land, the writers of Planet Comics used the word 'Grok' to name a space creature.  This is another animal that Star Pirate improbably killed without recourse to weapons.

While cruising the space-ways, Star's craft was surrounded by “a queer radiation,” precipitating a “space storm.”  After being “sucked into the swirling center...[of] a twisting space-whirlwind,” Star was adrift for days when hunger prompted him to attack the “bird-beast.”  How Star expected to dine through his space helmet is not explained.

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Dork

In another instance of a creature's name later acquiring a curious meaning, the Dork was a giant reptile from Neptune.  The Toags, a race of reptilian humanoids, kept the “slavering monstrosity” in their dungeon for purposes of entertainment.

It's so huggable!

Planet Comics #24 (Reef Ryan feature);
1943, Fiction House, Art by George Tuska

More Comic Book Creatures

In a previous post, I supplied several images of unusual creatures from comic books.  Here are more specimens for your delectation, just in time for Halloween.  All of the referenced comic books are now in the public domain.

Strange Worlds #7; 1952, Avon
Periodicals; Art by Gene Fawcette

 Xill-Monsters

The lavender being with the antennae and tentacles is a 'xill-monster' from Planetoid 50.  They tend to become a bit unruly during “the season of their growth.”  To keep them in check, one must construct barriers of 'alurium' which – fortunately – is plentiful on that planetoid.

The redhead is a 'space-goddess' (you know the type), but that's another story...

Baffling Mysteries #9; 1952,
Ace Comics; Art by Lin Streeter

Vulbat

This entity is the vile result of “cross-breeding a South American vampire bat and a vulture.”  For those of you considering adopting one, be warned that this “...ugly creation must be fed raw blood and cannot live on anything else!”

The person responsible for creating the vulbat states, “It will so startle and shock the Ornithological Society, they'll have to give me the prize!”

I can't help thinking there's a flaw in that logic.

Undersea Agent #3; 1966, Tower Comics;

Art by Mike Sekowsky/Frank Giacoia

Panther Whales

“They're three times the size of whales!”

“And as ferocious as panthers!”

“Obviously they're some Miocene bred species that's been disturbed by the bomb tests...”

Obviously.

Cyclone Comics #1 (King Anthony feature);

1940, Bilbara Publishing Co.; Art by George Papp

Tyros

Beneath the ice of the Arctic region, there is a land called Artica [spelled thus with one 'c'].  “Strange and savage animals roam its dense forests...”  The lord of Artica's jungles is the Beaked Tyros.

“Besides being a savage killer, the tyros has a hide that a sword cannot pierce...”

Note the four-sectioned claws.  Are those suckers on the 'palm'?

Weird Comics #9 (Blast Bennett feature);

1940, Fox Feature Syndicate; Art by ?

Tentacled Globes

Hailing from Planet Alpo, these beings are large enough to carry humans.

“The monster spits out huge tongues of flame!”  However, the most effective way to destroy them is to bury them beneath tons of lava.  Be certain to keep several tons handy.

Midnight Mystery #4; 1961, American

Comics Group; Art by Ogden Whitney

Rankars

From the dark vastness of outer space, “Rankars are a metallic from of life.”  Specifically, they “are made of duron, an incredibly powerful metal not even found in your galaxy!”

As can be seen in the image, they have “icy breath” and are so heavy that they sink several feet into the ground with each step.

Alarming Tales #4; 1957,

Harvey Comics; Art by Jack Kirby

Cat-Thing

One would hope that Martian colonists could come up with a better name than “Cat-Thing.”  Alas, one would hope in vain.

Its appearance suggests experimentation (or an accident) resulting in a genetic melange.

Ghostly Weird Stories #122; 1954,

Star Publications; Art by Jay Disbrow

Arcturan Horror

“One of the most horrible creatures imaginable,” this feisty fellow managed to kill three men before being felled.

There may be more efficient ways to despatch the thing, but a “space-ax” has been known to work (providing you have three expendable men).

If you don't have a “space-ax,” you could try a more prosaic ax; it probably doesn't know the difference.

Super-Mystery Comics vol. 1 no. 5 (Captain Gallant

and his Mini-Sub feature); 1940, Ace; Art by ?

Aqua-Scorpio

This scene takes place near “the South Sea island port of Maloa.”  Our hero – Captain Gallant – manages to kill it easily but is “sorry to have to spoil such a fine specimen.”

Upon first seeing this sea beast, Gallant thinks, “I've been wanting some of its eggs for years for an experiment.”

Slave Girl Comics #2; 1949, Avon Periodicals; Art by Howard Larsen

The Slimy Monster of the Black Mire of the Time before Time

Shown here in a life-or-death struggle with a giant, wild boar from the Isles beyond the Northern Seas, this monster was last seen in the Tower of Indecision (“built by those of the elder race”) in Zarkhana during the reign of Shala the Merciless.