The next two comic books I recommend any collector worth their salt should own include the introduction of a soon to be top talent and the return of a veteran penciller.
Way back in the early 1970s former Marvel Comics owner Martin Goodman felt slighted (for various reasons) that Marvel Comics had become so popular and profitable.
In hopes that he could recapture Marvel Comics’ success he decided to start his own comic book company called Atlas Comics (Marvel Comics’ former name).
He offered pencillers and writers better page rates and targeted top talent.
Needless to say many creative types jumped at the chance (and money). One such penciller was former Spider-Man artist Steve Ditko.
Ditko had pretty much abandoned superhero comics after he left DC Comics. To snag him for a monthly title was a real boon.
Unfortunately Atlas Comics floundered after barely a year. For too short a period Ditko penciled The Destructor with scripts by Archie Goodwin.
Recently it was announced Atlas Comics might become the inspiration for a whole new series of big-budget movies.
Charlton Comics was not known for its quality products. It churned out huge amounts of books using the cheapest paper, second rate printing and lackluster covers.
However, one its strengths was that it introduced budding new talent to the comic book world.
While Charlton paid pitiful page rates it did offer creators to produce some unique titles with very little supervision.
In Charlton’s E-Man #6 a short back-up story about a smart-alecky robot premiered.
Drawn by a transplanted Canadian the wisecracking robot soon became a cult classic.
Penciling honors went to John Byrne-the same John Byrne who would go on to pencil some of Marvel’s top titles, including the X-Men, and over the following decades become one of the most famous and infamous comic book creators ever to write and draw a comic book,
Comic book collectors should search out and find his early Rog 2000 issues as they are sure to climb in value as well as the entire run of Atlas Comics.
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