InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "WRY!!!!!!"

peur_evol (peur_evol) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-05-03 11:43:00

Entry tags:

creator: jerry siegel, creator: john buscema, publisher: charlton, status: public domain

NATURE BOY

Charlton comics was notorious for being the lowest of the low-budget publishers, but they were never afraid to take risks that other companies wouldn't dare to. While other companies were eliminating their superhero titles in the mid-1950s to produce more popular western and horror titles, Charlton was actually pushing for creators to come up with new heroic titles to fill the void at the end of comics' golden age. Nature Boy was one of these short-lived characters.
Created by what would seem to be a "dream team" of talent, veteran writer Jerry Siegel and talented illustrator John Buscema, the series just never took off, ending after just three issues.
Charlton went out of the comics business in 1986, and Nature Boy has now fallen into the public domain.

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	icon_uk 2009-05-03 11:51 am UTC (link)
	I understand Queen Eartha did a wonderful cover of "Santa Baby" (Reply to this) (Thread)

	perletwo 2009-05-03 01:29 pm UTC (link)
	This calls for a link, methinks! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-03 01:49 pm UTC (link)
	Any excuse for Eartha is fine by me! This remains my favourite! (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	arilou_skiff 2009-05-03 03:20 pm UTC (link)
	Eartha Kitt is made out of awesome. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-03 03:27 pm UTC (link)
	Well, was, God rest her soul. :( Wherever she is now though, I'm sure the awesomeness remains. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	zegas 2009-05-03 12:30 pm UTC (link)
	Wow, I didn't know Buscema drew this! It's kind of great... looks as if Curt Swan inked some of those panels. (Reply to this)

	darklorelei 2009-05-03 12:48 pm UTC (link)
	Ah, the beautiful lettering of A. Computer. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	icon_uk 2009-05-03 01:05 pm UTC (link)
	Given the age of this, that seems very unlikely, no? (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	RE: Fonts peur_evol 2009-05-03 01:10 pm UTC (link)
	Doubting that it was a computer, also... but this was a popular font in the 1950s. Almost the same one you see in most EC stories. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Fonts dr_hermes 2009-05-03 02:19 pm UTC (link)
	Later Charlton comics had the brass to give credit for lettering to "A. Machine", at least they were honest. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	jkcarrier 2009-05-03 03:15 pm UTC (link)
	I believe they were using something like the Leroy system that used to be popular for drafting and blueprints. Seems like a really laborious way to letter an entire comic, but I suppose it was cheaper than hiring a skilled hand-letterer. (Reply to this) (Parent)

(Anonymous)
2009-05-03 01:13 pm UTC (link)

I actually doubt this is in the public domain, as it was published after January 1, 1923 - Charlton may have gone out of business, but a corporate successor (Roger Broughton, most likely, I don't think DC would've spent money on buying these rights) or Seigel's/Buscema's heirs could probably make a strong case that _they_ own Nature Boy. Not that they ever would LOL

Chris

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	RE: Public Domain peur_evol 2009-05-03 06:04 pm UTC (link)
	1956 + 28 years = 1984. Charlton never republished this before going out of business. If they had reprinted even a one page pinup prior to 1985, the rights to this character would've went to either DC or ACG when properties were being sold. It's legally public domain right now; but the Siegel or Buscema family could contest it if they felt so inclined. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	fromtheaether 2009-05-03 01:08 pm UTC (link)
	Woo!!! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	crinosg 2009-05-03 02:48 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you, I was afraid that I was the only one who saw this and thought "Rick flair? In my Charleston comics?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	fromtheaether 2009-05-03 02:50 pm UTC (link)
	De nada :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

dr_hermes
2009-05-03 02:23 pm UTC (link)

I wonder if the name was inspired by the song "Nature Boy"? This was a huge hit for Nat King Cole in 1948 and was recorded successfully by several other artists for years afterwards. In fact, it still turns up from time to time in new versions (which puzzles me, as I don't see how it's anything special.)

Interesting art from a young John Buscema. I particularly like the way he handles rough seas and water effects, something a lot of artists gloss over.

Another interesting comic rescued from obscurity, thanks for posting it.

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	besamim 2009-05-03 03:39 pm UTC (link)
	A lost Charlton superhero, eh? I wonder what Moore would've done with Nature Boy if he'd chosen to adapt him for Watchmen? Maybe Veidt would've conned him into unleashing a tsunami... (Reply to this) (Thread)

	RE: Moore peur_evol 2009-05-03 05:36 pm UTC (link)
	BESAMIM:I wonder what Moore would've done with Nature Boy.... Made him into a jazz-addicted heroin critic probably... (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Moore besamim 2009-05-03 06:26 pm UTC (link)
	...who didn't have nature-powers. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Moore icon_uk 2009-05-03 07:36 pm UTC (link)
	But WAS a naturist (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: ICON_UK 4 THA' WIN !!!!! peur_evol 2009-05-03 08:00 pm UTC (link)
	But WAS a naturist (Reply to this) (Parent)

	"Then I take my clothes off, dance around the house like Nature Boy" freeman333 2009-05-03 03:58 pm UTC (link)
	Nat King Cole wasn't the only one. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: "Then I take my clothes off, dance around the house like Nature Boy" dr_hermes 2009-05-03 06:58 pm UTC (link)
	That doesn't sound EXACTLY like Nat's song. The lyrics and the tune are completely different, for one thing. Although you could probably work up an interesting super-hero whose pecs aren't all he wants them to be. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: "Then I take my clothes off, dance around the house like Nature Boy" freeman333 2009-05-04 02:17 pm UTC (link)
	A Green Arrow imitator named Bowflex Man? (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Re: "Then I take my clothes off, dance around the house like Nature Boy" l_arlesienne 2009-05-04 12:46 am UTC (link)
	And here I was thinking of a entirley different Nature Boy. Of course, I don't think this one's gonna be a super hero. The lady in the song however, just maybe... (Reply to this) (Parent)

	volksjager 2009-05-03 04:04 pm UTC (link)
	Atrwork is very clean, I like it. (Reply to this)

	rab62 2009-05-03 05:44 pm UTC (link)
	It's not a bad premise for a character, either, except for that costume. Could there be any less appropriate garb for a "nature boy" than flourescent yellow spandex? Ugh! (Reply to this)

	meatwhichdreams 2009-05-03 11:30 pm UTC (link)
	This is so sad, in such a strange way. So much effort and drama put into an origin issue that never had a chance to go anywhere! His neon-yella suit at the end surprised me because by that point I had almost forgotten this was supposed to be a superhero comic...it'd started to turn into it's own weird sort of mythology. (Reply to this)

psychop_rex
2009-05-04 02:48 am UTC (link)

I'm not terribly surprised that he got cancelled so quickly - I mean, has 'Nature Boy' EVER been anything but a mildly pejorative term? In my mind, it generally equals something like 'sissy' - the sort of thing that a redneck school bully would call a kid with glasses who liked to catch butterflies. It just doesn't sound heroic. (I'm reminded specifically of 'Ravishing Ronald, the denatured boy', from that one Bugs Bunny cartoon where he's a wrestler - 'Bunny Hugged', I think it was called.)
That being said, this IS an interesting origin - a guy who can control the forces of nature would be pretty damn powerful, and being granted those powers through the mercy and compassion of the various monarchs of natural forces is an idea with some oomph to it - it somewhat reminds me of a scene from 'The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus' where the leaders of the various fairies and nature spirits gather together and decide to give SC the gift of immortality. Shame about the name and the nondescript outfit - this guy could've really gone places.

(Reply to this)

	silverzeo 2009-05-04 10:28 pm UTC (link)
	If he fought Captain Planet, it would be called the Battle of the Eco-Nuaghts. (Reply to this)