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Reviews and commentary by Tony Isabella
"America's Most Beloved Comic-Book Writer & Columnist"
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TONY'S ONLINE TIPS
for Thursday, September 8, 2005
REPTILICUS #2 [October, 1961] would be the final issue of the series under that title. Charlton changed the name to REPTISAURUS with the next issue and soon changed the look of the title creature as well. My best guesses - and that's all they are - are that the company either lost its license to publish comics based on the 1961 movie or that it decided to save the licensing fee by creating its own winged monster.
I'm not a fan of the original movie, which you could probably figure out from yesterday's TOT. Even so, this second issue was a pretty good comic book.
Dick Giordano's cover makes the creature look a lot more scary than it ever did in the movie. Inside, "Reptilicus in the African Jungle" is a modestly entertaining story.
The floating monster meat patty that was all that remained of the original Reptilicus floats to Africa and regenerates into a new creature. It makes its home near the digs of a reclusive American scientist and his beautiful man-hungry daughter. A handsome young representative of our State Department comes calling to enlist the professor's help in using nuclear power to end poverty. Oh, we had such dreams in the 1960s.
The young stud makes his pitch to the scientist's daughter on page four, they make some goo-goo eyes at each other, and then our monstrous title star makes his presence known. That's where this story really gets interesting.
The hero and the courageous tribesmen who have befriended the professor and his daughter go hunting for dinosaur. The professor is 100% behind killing Reptilicus, none of this "we must study it for science" crap. Smart man.
Best of all, the hero and his crew actually manage to take out Reptilicus, trapping the creature in sulphurous muck that drags it under to its alleged death. That's the kind of can-do attitude I like to see in my fellow man.
The story was likely written by Joe Gill. The art is signed by Bill Molno and Vince Alascia, so I'm reasonable confident they drew the issue.
The tale ends with the narrator asking:
"Meanwhile, what of Reptilicus? Had he at last found a grave that would hold him...was this death final, or would he rise again some day to terrify mankind?"
If I ever score an issue of REPTISAURUS #3, I'll let you know if he did rise again or if the star of the book was an entirely new creature who just, y'know, looked exactly like this creature. The cover seems to indicate the latter, but I can't be certain until I examine the interior story.
Since I am far from the only online columnists who digs giant monsters and/or goofy old comic books, I wasn't surprised to learn my pal Scott Shaw has also written about REPTILICUS #2 in his ever-so-spiffy ODDBALL COMICS. He did so in his October 3, 2001 column, which you can enjoy by going here...
www.comicbookresources.com/columns/oddball
...and then going to the archives. I recommend making ODDBALL COMICS a regular stop on your web-surfing adventures. It has long been one of my own favorites.
Following a compulsion I can't begin to fathom, I'm going to continue looking for the issues of REPTISAURUS that I don't already own. When and if I find them, I'll write about them here.
These things just happen.
Thanks for spending a part of your day with me. I'll be back tomorrow with more stuff.
Tony Isabella
<< 09/07/2005 | 09/08/2005 | 09/09/2005 >>
Discuss this column with me at my Message Board. Also, read Heroes and Villains: Real and Imagined.
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THE "TONY" SCALE
ZERO: Burn your money before buying any comic receiving this rating. It doesn't *necessarily* mean there's absolutely nothing of value here - though it *could* - but whatever value it might possess shrinks into insignificance before its overall awfulness.
ONE: Buy something else. Maybe I found something which wasn't completely dreadful in the item, but not enough for me to recommend it when there are better comics available. I only want what's best for you, my children.
TWO: Basic judgment call. I found some value, but not enough to recommend it. My review should give you enough info to decide if you want to take a chance on it. Are you feeling lucky today, punk? Well, are you?
THREE: This denotes something I find perfectly respectable. There are better books out there, but I wouldn't regret buying this item. Based on my review, you should be able to determine if it's of interest to you. Let the Force guide you.
FOUR: I recommend anything earning this rating. Unless you don't like the genre, subject matter, or past work of the creators, I believe you'll enjoy this item. Isn't it uncanny how I can look right into your soul that way?
FIVE: Anything getting this rating is among the best comicdom has to offer. You should buy/read this, even if the genre/subject matter doesn't appeal to you. It's for your own good. Me, I live for comics and books this good...but not in a pathetic "Comic-Book Guy" sort of way.
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