An absolutely stunning 1980′s adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s THE EXILES by the late artist Tom Sutton from ALIEN ENCOUNTERS starts off the day today. Sutton’s later work often looked rushed to me but here it is intricately detailed and beautiful, showing just what a true talent he was in the field.

http://grantbridgestreet.blogspot.com/2009/10/tom-sutton-ray-bradburys-exiles.html

AGAIN WITH THE COMICS presents John Byrne’s HERBIE story from Dark Horse’s unsuccessful 1992 attempt at a revival of the Fat Fury. It turned out that HERBIE’s popularity really does depend on nostalgia and not just the weird humor. The public didn’t want new stories–just the old.

http://againwiththecomics.blogspot.com/2009/10/john-byrnes-herbie-story.html

Here’s Bill Ward’s bullet-breasted, stilleto-heeled TORCHY, inspired by Caniff’s MALE CALL and yet herself the obvious precursor to other blonde bimbo heroines such as LITTLE ANNIE FANNY and Wally Wood’s SALLY FORTH. Ward himself would spend the rest of his days attempting and failing to recreate the magic of TORCHY in ever more explicit and kinkier strips (whilst doing a tamer variation for CRACKED).

http://johnglenntaylor.blogspot.com/2009/10/im-back-and-i-brought-torchy.html

UNCLE ERNIE’S CREATURE LINK doesn’t identify the artist of the mad scientist tale they reprint from Harvey’s 1950′s CHAMBER OF CHILLS but it’s Howard Nostrand ripping off EC’s Jack Davis to beat the band. Nostrand was a chameleon artist whose own style–if he had one–was usually buried behind the styles of Davis, Wood or others.

http://barking-dogs.blogspot.com/2009/10/inside-man.html