In this American comic there are four science fiction stories.
The first 'The End' is about a radioactive comet that approaches the earth. Fortunately, the comet burns into the atmosphere, but radioactivity has caused all mammals to become infertile. Can humanity still be saved?
In 'The Trip!' Doctor Masterson falls in love with his assistant, Miss Fuller. Love is mutual, but Masterson's wife does not want to divorce the doctor. If Masterson goes to the space colonies, he decides to take his lover with him. But this is not so simple because unmarried women may not go to the colonies. But soon he knows a solution for this. Will they finally be happy?
'Home to stay' is about astronaut Dan Fawcett. He is happily married and has a nice son. But he follows his heart and goes away for space travel for long times on end. As his son Jimmy sees a falling star he makes a wish. He does not know that his wish will be cruelly granted.
The last story 'Do not count your chickens ...' is about a boy who finds a strange colored egg at Easter. When it is hatched, a strange creature comes out who gives assignments to the boy. Could the world ever be the same again?
The original of this comic appeared in 1951, but I read the reprint from 1973. Apart from Doctor Who, I'm not that into science fiction, but this comic featured such fun stories that I had a great time reading it. The stories have a strange kind of dark humor that I love.
The artist of the issue is Al Feldstein. In addition to his work for EC comics, this publishing company of this comic, he was also editor of the satirical magazine Mad. Usually he wrote and drew one story per comic. But probably for this comic he only wrote the scenarios. It’s almost certain that he has made the cover.
'The End!' And 'Home to stay' are drawn by Wallace Wood, of course we all know of his ‘Sally Ford' comics. Wood later distinguished himself by drawing strange aliens in his comics. But regrettably there are none of those in this comic. The drawing for this comic is, understandably, still very studio-like.
'The Trip' is drawn by Jack Kamen. He started his career as an assistant sculptor. After the Second World War, he began to draw comics for Fiction House and the Eisner & Iger studio. Feldstein, who also worked for the Eisner & Iger studio, brought Kamen to EC comics.
'Do not count your chickens' was drawn by Joe Orlando. In the early 50's he was Wallace Wood's assistant. His first story under his own name appeared in 1951. In the 1960s he went to work for DC Comics.
Although I'm not very focused on American comics, I think this is a very nice comic. The quality of the stories rises far above the average Superman comic. Although the drawing is very studio-like, in which there is little freedom for self-interpretation by the draftsman, I think it is well-drawn.
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Genre: Science Fiction
Links:
Al Feldstein on the Comiclopedia
Wallace Wood on the Comiclopedia
Jack Kamen on the Comiclopedia
Joe Orlando on the Comiclopedia
Joe Orlando on Wikipedia
Jack Kamen on Wikipedia
Wallace Wood on Wikipedia
Al Feldstein on Wikipedia
Weird Fantasy on Catawiki
