InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Hey who turned out the lights?"

dr_hermes (dr_hermes) wrote in scans_daily,
@ 2009-05-31 20:05:00

Entry tags:

publisher: warren

Vampires on talk shows. What is the world coming to?
I haven't been following scans_daily much lately. Interest seems mostly on current super-hero comics, mostly Wonder Woman, Spider-Man and the Batman colony. But I thought some here might like a look at one of the odder strips of the past.

Warren's CREEPY and EERIE started out like gangbusters, black & white horror comics illustrated by hall of fame artists. Some CREEPY and EERIE stories were better than some EC (which had their share of duds, like anyone). But after Archie Goodwin left, Warren magazines ran to the edge of the quality cliff and jumped off. By the time 1984 was started (imitating HEAVY METAL, I suppose), things were dire. The magazine had lots of decent art, but the stories were gross-outs aiming at being offensive rather than provocative, crass rather than thought-provoking. There was almost nothing in 1984 (which changed to 1994 after the George Orwell estate had something to say) worth saving. But I did like REX HAVOC (AND THE ASS-KICKERS OF THE FANTASTIC).

There were four Rex tales in 1979 and 1980, written by Jim Stenstrum with art by Abel Laxamana. Ghosbusters before there was GHOSTBUSTERS, the Ass-Kickers defended humanity against supernatural threats. There was Major Lars Wurlitzer (who would fit right in at Gizmonic Institute), Bruno (level-headed but unable to keep her blouse completely buttoned) and Springer (kind of a regular Joe who drove the van). Then there was their leader, the appropriately named Rex Havoc. He had been an heroic monster-fighter until an ambush left him with diminished mental capacity but an increasing fighting ability. Sort of like a lot of comics characters.

Never one to let integrity get in the way, Jim Warren came out with a one-shot in 1981, REX HAVOC - RAIDERS OF THE FANTASTIC, with a cover showing Rex with a fedora and captions playing up any chance a casual fan of Indiana Jones might snatch this up. The inside text substituted "Raiders" for "Ass-Kickers" and toned down the liberal use of profanity in the original storiers. Stenstrum was credited as "Alabaster Redzone," for some reason. And there the demented saga ends. There was talk of a Rex Havoc movie, but that evolved into the recent MONSTERS AND ALIENS, with few if any remaining traces of Warren's profance and violent hero. Still, you never know. More obscure characters have been revived and gone on to success.

(Post a new comment)

	sistermagpie 2009-05-31 08:39 pm UTC (link)
	Wow. I had no idea whatsoever these existed. It's weird. I like it! (Reply to this)

	brandiweed.livejournal.com 2009-05-31 09:55 pm UTC (link)
	Scans 2 and 3 are dupes of each other. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	dr_hermes 2009-06-01 03:11 am UTC (link)
	Thank you, it should be fixed now. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	rab62 2009-05-31 11:45 pm UTC (link)
	I've gotta say, if those pages had been written about twenty years later by a UK writer, it'd be hailed now as a work of postmodern genius. Ah, the tragedy of being just a bit ahead of your time and not being British... Anyway, I'd like to see more pages! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	dr_hermes 2009-06-01 03:13 am UTC (link)
	It does have some of that disillusioned, deconstructed feel. I'll find some more. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	tavella 2009-06-01 03:15 pm UTC (link)
	I am oddly reminded of Flex Mentallo. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	rab62 2009-06-01 04:00 pm UTC (link)
	Well, I suppose I do have a pretty remarkable physique, but I don't usually wear leopard-skin tights and the words "Hero of the Beach" don't appear above me when I flex my muscles -- Oh, wait, that's not what you meant, is it. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	icon_uk 2009-06-01 03:11 pm UTC (link)
	There IS a nice 2000AD feel to this isn't there? :) (Reply to this)

	tavella 2009-06-01 03:12 pm UTC (link)
	"ambushed at a golf course by a number of monsters posing as travelling golf pros" ... There's an origin for ya :) (Reply to this)