I would like this: Rocky Jones, Space Ranger Tunic, 1954

Space Ranger Shoulder Patch

This jacket represents one of the only known pieces to have survived from Rocky Jones, Space Ranger, an important early TV program that aired April-July, 1954. The jacket's militaristic design was a huge influence on uniforms in later sci-fi series like Star Trek and Lost In Space.  (images via Hake's)

Rocky Jones, Space Ranger Tunic

Buck Rogers v. The Fiend From Space, 1940

Artwork by Lt. Dick Calkins, Story by Phil Nowlan - Whitman #1409, Little Big Book ©1940 John F. Dille Co. (via Hake's)

Cover Artwork: Lt. Dick Calkins

Back Cover Artwork: Lt. Dick Calkins

Flash Gordon - In the Water World of Mongo, 1937

Artwork by Alex Raymond, Story by Don Moore - Whitman #1407, A Big Little Book, ©1937 King Features Syndicate, Inc.  (via Hake's)

Cover Art: Alex Raymond

Back Cover Art: Alex Raymond

Before There Was BATMAN there was BATSOWL

Richard Boucher posted this piece about an early bat-man character, Batsowl, from 1918. The conversation following the post is pretty interesting too. If you want check it out click here.

The notion of costumed 'bat-men' didn't originate with Bob Kane's creation. One such earlier character was Batsowl, who starred in a series of prose stories in the British comic Illustrated Chips in 1918.

I'm not suggesting for a moment that there was any connection of course. Bob Kane was born in 1915, so it's highly unlikely he'd have seen a British comic when he was three years old. However, there are some interesting similarities between the two characters, not least being the costume.

Like Batman, Batsowl's other identity was a wealthy figure. In this case, an Earl, Desmond Devance...He also had a secret underground laboratory, not dissimilar to the Batcave...and his appearance struck terror into people...

Sadly, like most British comics of the time, Batsowl is uncredited. I don't know how long the serial ran as I only have one episode, which is the one I'm showing here. It's from Illustrated Chips No.1477, dated December 21st 1918. This was one of the comics presented as a facsimile in 1972 in the Six Comics of World War One collection...It's highly likely that both Batman and Batsowl were both partially influenced by The Phantom of the Opera, written in 1909, and The Scarlet Pimpernel (which was adapted as a very popular London play in 1905).

Stardust The Super Wizard: He's Just That Kinda Guy

Yes, that's Stardust on the left - he's a big guy. On the right is De Structo - the image is a preview of what's to come. Meet De Structo - a man with a plan...

So, the megalomaniac sets off his plot to exterminate everyone who holds any power: congress leaders and cabinet members, publishers of newspapers and magazines, members of the FBI, the Secret Service and military intelligence, big bankers, industrial leaders everywhere, the army and navy officers and the enlisted men as well, city and state police. Basically, De Structo's list is pretty much a who's-who of persons who are quite unpopular with numerous folks today.

Things go pretty much according to plan until Stardust 'bursts out of space,' destroys De Structo's tech with his supersolar disintegrating ray, and restores order with his powerful counter-acting ray.  There's just one more detail to work out...

And now comes the strange...

Stardust is harsh...he's a karma man...

Wait for it...

THE END...

Comic can be found at Comic Books Plus: Big 3 #2, Winter 1941

The Seemingly Impossible Mission For Space Cadets In 1953

In 1953 Ralston foods began distribution of Space Patrol premium trading cards inspired by the popular 1950's TV and radio outer-space drama - one random card was included in every box of Wheat and Rice Chex. The complete set consists of 40 separate cards - needless to say, the collectors probably had to buy a whole lot of Chex cereals to get them all. But what good space cadet could resist trying? The collection came in three sub-sets - Space Heroes/Stars, Rockets/Jets and Weapons (it really should have been Rockets/Jets and Tech), and Planets. The three sub-sets are shown below - the full color illustrations are way cool. This full set auctioned at Hake's in May 2007 - the final winning bid was $4,437.62. It was the first complete set ever sold in Hake's 40 year history.  (Click on the images to enlarge)

Space Heroes/Stars

Rockets/Jets and 'Weapons'

Planets

The T. Cohn Captain Video Superior Space Port - A Museum Quality Quasi-Spaceage Toy

A complete 75 piece Captain Video Superior Space Port by T. Cohn, Inc.!

This might seem like advertising, but it's not. It's really just a big Neato!

Captain Video and His Video Rangers was a ground breaking sci-fi space adventure television series that aired between June 1949 and April 1955 on the American DuMont Television Network. The Captain was the first action hero specifically invented for TV and the show was the first regularly scheduled space drama on television. As with all things popular in pop culture, Captain Video was soon popping up in media outside the box. Fawcett Comics published a six issue comic book series in 1951, and Columbia Pictures produced a movie serial, Captain Video: Master of the Stratosphere, the same year. Admirers of the show could join the Video Rangers Club and buy stuffs like games, records, rockets, and helmets. Sponsors of the show offered mail-in premiums or free items in cereal boxes like rings, decoders, and small flashlights - all the items had cool special functions. And they are all treasures in today's collectors market.

This Captain Video Secret Seal Ring has a Buy Now price of $249.99 at eBay

This Captain Video Mysto-Coder decoder has a 36% markdown Buy Now price of $95.97 on eBay

The seller claims that this is the highest graded copy - A 9.0 Very Fine/Near Mint Fawcett Comics Feb. 1941 Captain Video issue #1. The Buy Now price is $1,385.00 on eBay.

Now, getting back to the T. Cohn Captain Video Superior Space Port. In her 2012 book, 1950s "Rocketman" TV Series and Their Fans, Cynthia J. Miller wrote this:

The set now up for grabs at eBay is listed at the heavy duty fun shop. It's run by Tom Frey - the author of the highly acclaimed 1994 book, Toy Bop: Kid Classics of the 50's & 60's.

As Toy Bop was coming together, one of its two largest sections became, space toys. In it, I wanted to include the most exciting and dazzling toys I could beg, borrow or buy. The Superior Space Port by T. Cohn was a toy that became a welcomed photo included in the book. Since then the playset has been safely tucked away over 20 years until now...This is a complete 75 piece set in near mint unused condition except for setting up for photos. First Toy Bop, then for this eBay ad.

Helmets, Rangers, Rockets, and Launcher

Robots and Interplanetary Space Men

Atomic Space Cannon

Captain Video Stamped Space Vehicles

Tin Lithographed Ground Level Space Drome

Nine spectacularly lithographed tin walls depicting a futuristic city...

The Mechanical Features: The Rotating Radar Screen and Controls in the Upper Tower, The Wind-Up Space Alarm, The Atomic Cannon, The Space Ship Launcher and Two Burgundy Space Ships, and a Rocket Launcher with Three Rockets

Back in the day, the complete T. Cohn Superior Space Port sold for $5.39. This particular set's Buy Now price is $1,250.00. Tom Frey: This dazzling Superior Space Port is recommended for adult collectors to display rather than any age children to play with. Museum Quality indeed - you can even find one in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum on display in the James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, Chantilly, VA.

So yeah, Neato!