Mike Ploog…and the Frankenstein Monster!

Posted on September 8, 2021 by thecuratedcomic_rqoaqt

I don’t always understand why I like the artwork I am looking at. Art is personal and we all have personal tastes. Usually, a work appeals to me for reasons that are not readily explained. I see the work…and “it speaks”. And this is how it has been with the work of Mike Ploog. For years, I have known his name and purchased his books when I see them. And for years, I have to confess, I have done little more than that. I really knew very little about the extent of his work prior to crating this post.

Ploog had well respected runs on the Monster of Frankenstein, Werewolf by Night, Man Thing and a few other titles. But he did not, however, produce a tremendous amount of work in his comic career. That aside, his work sort of stops you in your tracks – you know, when you are flipping through the back issue stock at your LCS or at a a con. Flip-flip-flip-flip….wait, what’s this?!?! His covers usually have a dynamism to them that is hard to pass up. And that is very much the case on this Monster of Frankenstein #5 book from 1973.

The interior work on this book also shows the evidence of his skill. The splash is well done, and sets the mood for the book. As the pages get turned, the work may not reach the level of a Gene Colan/Tom Palmer Dracula book, but that’s ok! That could just be a function of the Vanpoorten inks. Either way…it is still serviceable work and well worth the cost of entry.

So all this points to an interesting possibility. With a grand total of about 28 total coversto his name, and not that many more comic interiors to his credit…putting together a complete collection of his work would be a great way to spend some time at a convention. It could probably be accomplished in one afternoon and you would leave the show with a fantastic set of books at a really reasonable price!

For a semi decent checklist of Ploog’s work, check out the Grand Comics Database. Or check out thisinterview of Ploogin Comic Book Artist.

As always, if you want to support this blog, check out comics by Ploog available on eBay!

Cheers!

Four Color Comics #1134 – Alex Toth and the Real McCoys

Posted on August 29, 2021 by thecuratedcomic_rqoaqt

When I first started collecting comics, I used to get annoyed by the big swath of pages in the Overstreet Price Guide that seemed to list page after page of unrelated titles, all under the caption “Four Color” by Dell. What were these books? Why were they all different? Who the *&^%$ is Barney Baxter and why is he listed right next to Oswald the Rabbit?

Well, time passed. And while I don’t remember the exact scenario, eventually I purchased my first four color book (probably an early Tarzan, or maybe a Donald Duck book). I started doing a little more research and it wasn’t long before I realized that Four Color comics was practically it’s own universe of comic goodness, all under one roof! Titles that catered to many tastes with a lot of great story telling and art work. Four Color 1134 - Aerial View

One such title, humble on the outside but boasting a brilliant interior, is Four
Color 1134 from 1960. The Real McCoys was a TV show running on ABC at the time, starring three time Oscar winner Walter Brennan (who appears on this cover). The art in this book is by the great Alex Toth. The story is about Amos McCoy who receives a race horse as a gift from a friend. His family encourages him to enter the horse into a race…and craziness ensues. While the story is fairly pedestrian (good, but nothing special) it’s the art that really makes this book stand out.

Alex Toth had a gift – one that is on full display in this book. Perspectives that are so cinematic, that the reader can almost see the panels moving. Manipulation of light, shadow and texture that make the action jump off the page. The art offers an interpretation of story that is dynamic and focused on the action. Three pages in the book demonstrate these characteristics of Toth’s work in spades! The aerial view of the fairgrounds, the horses parading to the post and the horse, Birthday Boy, racing ’round the last turn to the stretch.

I’m not going to spoil all the fun. If you want to see the third page, go out and get a copy of this fabulous book at your local comic shop, on eBay (search for Four Color 1134 Toth), or here, on the Curated Comic! I have several copies of this book to chose from. Just message me here or on Instagram @thecuratedcomic and I can set you up!

Thanks for your participation on the blog…

Cheers!

The Curated Comic – Comic Books Found!

Posted on August 12, 2021 by thecuratedcomic_rqoaqt

Hello! My name is Todd Kvamme and I have been collecting comics for about 35 years or so. I came up with this idea, the Curated Comic, to talk about some of the hidden gems out there that the comic family might not have heard of – books that deserve a second look as premiere examples of the graphical story telling medium we call the comic book.

In a day and age when new comic books are regularly “speculated” on due to a potential upcoming movie or TV show, I want to use this space to highlight these lesser known books that probably won’t make it to the big or small screen. Many of these books can frequently be found for a very reasonable price online or at your local comic shop. Some of the titles and books I will talk about might be unknown to a newer collector, while some of them will be very familiar. We will talk about artists and storytellers from every era…pre-platinum to present day. Creators as varied as Windsor Mckay and Peach Momoko. But suffice it to say that we won’t be talking about Fantastic Four #5 here, or Amazing Spider-Man #1…even though, those are fantastic reads to be sure! The goal of The Curated Comic will be to discuss the art form in all its brilliance, and provide entry points for any collector on any budget to build a collection that represents the best the hobby has to offer.

Four Color Comics #1134 – The Real McCoys. Featuring art by the great Alex Toth. This book is an example of the type of book that will be featured in this blog. Interested in finding a copy? There are plenty of copies on eBay at very reasonable prices!

So, stay tuned and let’s see where this goes! You might find yourself headed down to your local comic shop to see if you can find some of these books floating around in the back issue bins!

Cheers!