My Rating
“Fall Far… Fall Deep”
Now trapped on an alien planet covered in oceans, Captain Rex Venture and Lieutenant Scotty McKay are forced to scour the surface looking for any available landmass. With their starship completely destroyed, the two men have deployed the emergency escape module for their trek. All systems are a go until the heat shielding begins to fail.
Luckily a mountainous peak rises out from the ocean depths just ahead. Land ho! But not so fast, the Earthers have just sat down on an ancient volcano rim. Was this a wise decision on the part of Captain Venture? Rex has little time to Investigate as the high pressure winds blow the two Air Force pilots over the edge and into a bottomless canyon.
What mysteries awaits Rex and Scotty at the bottom of a volcano twice the size of Mauna Lou? Have the telepathic humans of this world developed the power to control other lifeforms with their minds? Will Captain Venture let Scotty McKay eat the fruit offered so willingly by their hosts? Collect the series to find out!
“Keys Of Knowledge – Porpoise”
Gold Key brings us another informational tidbit about the Porpoise; better known as the Bottlenose Dolphin. According to one panel, some Scientists believe Dolphins learned their whistle talk from listening to Indians. The writer doesn’t elaborate if this was Native Americans or Hindu Indians.
“Prehistoria – The Marsh Dwellers”
What was life like for man after the glaciers melted? Gold Key presents a short essay on food preparation and clothing advancement. Fun stuff.
“Picture Dictionary – Post”
The visual learning center has returned with another word. This issue contains the word “post”. Let the children’s Imagination run wild!
Reviewer Notes
We arrive at the second and final issue in the “Captain Venture and the Land Beneath the Sea” series. I was unable to find a reason behind this very short run. I could be completely wrong, but I’m assuming either sales numbers did not meet expectations, or Gold Key had extra money at the end of the year so they used it to publish a two book story arc. In any case, I think both comic books were well written by Gaylord Du Bois – a man who wrote on many titles, including Tarzan and Bonanza.
The art of Plantis was an interesting mix of elements inspired by Alice In Wonderland, the Space Family Robinson, and Planet of the Apes. Dan Spiegle’s animal and alien concepts could easily be dropped into a Star Wars movie with little effort. The sea creatures alone looked like something straight out of Phantom Menace.
I’m giving issue two, as well as the series in general, a four out of five stars. If you are looking for a low-cost romp into a 1960’s science fiction comic, definitely check this one out. Besides, you will learn some interesting facts from the Keys of Knowledge. Learning is fundamental.
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