Sweet Christmas! The Civil Rights Movement comes to comics

Black Avengers Assemble!

Black Avengers mock cover by Jim Rugg. Colors by Thomas Morrison

In the 70's the comics, like the rest of America, began to become desegregated. but it didn't all happen at once. It took some time before blacks were integrated into the mainstream superhero books and even got books of their own.

Black Condor by Lou Fine

Lou Fine was one of the most impressive and influential artist to ever work in comics. His fluid figures were admired and copied by such greats as Joe Simon and Jack Kirby.

Reid Fleming, the Worlds Toughest Milkman by David Boswell

Reid Fleming came out of nowhere. In the 1986 world of comics this work had no piers and no other work to compare it too. It sure as heck didn't fit in with the superhero dominated market, and didn't resemble anything from the irreverent 1960's underground comics either. I remember seeing the add and thinking, "How much fun could a Milkman be?" Boy was I surprised at what I found.

 

Jack Kirby's Red Skull - a history

In 1941, when Joe Simon and Jack Kirby were young, enthusiastic comic creators they came up with Captain America and of all the colorful villains they pit him against, the Red Skull was the most enduring.


'An Ear for Music' from Captain America #7, Oct. 1941

Dr. Fate by Gardner Fox and Howard Sherman

The early years of the Golden Age were wondrous years. Many really innovative things came out of that time. After the huge success of Action Comics #1 DC Comics was turning all of their titles into superhero titles. More Fun Comics was no exception. The mystical Doctor Fate would join the phantasmal Spectre making More Fun Comics the supernatural title of their line.

Kim Deitch' "Hell to Pay" featuring Waldo the Cat NSFW

"I bring greetings from an admirer of yours, down below."
"You mean?"
"That's right pal, old Nicky himself."

Kim Deitch has been a part of the comics scene for a long time. He got his start in the late 60's as a part of the underground comics movement contributing to the East Village Other.

Women's Lib comes to Marvel!

 "Come on in, the revolution is fine!"
calls out Valkyrie to her Lady Liberators.




Art by John Buscema

Marvel was very progressive when it came to race as demonstrated by Black Panther's July 1966 appearance in the Fantastic Four and Bill Foster's September 1966 appearance in the Avengers but as good as they were with blacks, they were a little slow when it came to the women's liberation movement. The first we see of it is in Avengers #83, Dec. 1970. Valkyrie was created specially for it, an empowered woman warrior out of Norris mythology.

Atomic Robo

To continue out robotic theme I'd like to explore a popular contemporary independent comic, Atomic Robo. 

In 1923, Nikola Tesla created a robot with atomic intelligence called Atomic Robo. He has since become the core member of Tesladyne Industries, "a thinktank dedicated to exploring the fringes of scientific inquiry", whose Action Scientists often respond to paranormal and supernatural emergencies.