The 40 Years of Comics Project - Day 592: Comet Tales #3, August 1986

I always get a bit of a thrill reading a comic that doesn't have an entry in the GCD. It's like I've discovered a little bit of esoterica that hasn't been recognized by "official" bodies. This is yet another of the quarter bin finds from yesterday.

I tried to do a bit of research on Rocket Graphics, the publisher, and Jim Pack, who appears to be the mind behind this little indie gem, but I couldn't find much. I did find a review of issue #15 of this series, and a note saying that if you sent the publisher a dollar, you'd be on an almost perpetual list of recipients of the zine. I'm tempted.

The interior of the comic makes much of it being a place for amateur artists and writers to make comics, and I think that's amazing. The art is of a less-professional quality, but is by no means bad. The interior front cover features some cool panel composition in the framing sequence, and the second story, "Dangerous Smith," carries some lovely Kamandi-esque echoes. I despair of finding the follow-up issue, and thus being able to finish off that story, but, as I've noted many times, that's simply the nature of this project.

If you're interested in amateur science fiction comics (and who isn't?), see if you can get your hands on a copy or two of this publication. I comes out of, at least in the 80s, Loveland, Ohio, so perhaps that would be a good place to start looking. And if anyone comes across any other information about the comic or the publisher, I'd be grateful for the info. These kinds of cool little comics are one of the best parts of this hobby.

This life.

Onward.