My Rating
“Medusa the Gorgon”
Dell Comics gives us the elevator pitch for Medusa the Greek Gorgon. This is a fun overview of the temple maiden turn monster. Zeus was definitely a slimeball in this legend.
“Creature from the Amazon”
Paleontologist Scott Warden traveled one-hundred miles up the Amazon River to investigate a fossil discovered by the now deceased explorer Arriaga. The hand, or to be more precise in the classification, a webbed, pentadactyl (five-fingered) claw with specialized morphological traits, had been carbon dated to the Devonian-era. Did the fossil represent an evolutionary bridge between man and fish, or something much more sinister? Dr. Warden was determined to find out.
Now he stands on the deck of the river boat Lucia, a necessity paid for by his benefactor, Hollywood playboy, Dudley Gaustad. There is just one hitch. No local porter will travel up river to the Largo Del Muerte (Lake of Death). The boat captain had hired questionable men with German accents. They seem to be relics of the recent war in Europe. Gold is their motivation. Knowledge of the strange creature be damned.
Will Scott Warden find a missing link in the evolutionary chain before interlopers can ruin the archeological evidence? What are the true motivations of millionaire Dudley Gaustad? Is there a killer stalking the shores of Largo Del Muerte?
“Prehistoric Birds”
Dell provides a brief summary of the classic Pterodactyl dinosaur. So much more would become known about this animal. In 1962, however, this was cutting edge paleontology.
“Creatures from Other Worlds”
Does alien life exist on other planets? If so, are they visiting Earth? Maybe little green men are living amongst us, observing our every move. My, how things have changed since the 1960s. Disclosure is nigh!
Review
This isn’t the Creature from the Black Lagoon that I remember. The core story elements from the 1962 movie starring Julie Adams, Richard Denning, and Richard Carlson are present. However, someone from Western Publishing made the decision to add additional characters, plot points, and an ending somewhat removed from the original.
Heck, even the core character names were changed for some odd reason. In modern terms, I believe this comic book would fall into the Multiverse category – if Dell had such a thing. I guess we will never know who made the decision to rework this classic as the publisher’s records are nonexistent. My guess would be the editor, D. J. Arneson. The decision could have been left up to the writer. Unfortunately, their name is undocumented.
The artwork by Bob Jenney, the surprise ending, and the little extras bump this comic up to a four-star rating. If you are a fan of Gill-man, it may be something you will want for your collection. The nostalgia factor is enough for me.
Tag(s)
Character(s)
Writer(s)
Penciller(s)
Inker(s)
Colorist(s)
Letterer(s)
Cover Artist(s)
Editor(s)