Wacky Old Comics…

Updated on October 22, 2013 By Ken Begg 25 Comments

There are a few sites like this, and they are gold.

Man, I wish SyFy had more of a sense of whimsey. Why not a series like Tales from the Crypt, adapting all these goofy old public domain comic books, only sans all the nudity and gore. It would be a fun show, and something kids could watch. Pair it with a goofy old sci-fi monster film, kind of a Saturday matinee thing.

But no. Is there a network that takes less chances? Not a lot of just FUN at Syfy.

Octopi seem to really bring out the silly in mad scientists. This guy is definitely the forefather of the one in Devil Fish. Here we also learn that when a test tube is tossed into water, the sound it makes is BA-LOOM!

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  • Ericb

    “Screw you pal. It’s not like I asked to be turned into an Octoman so what gives with all this obeying you crap? Now, if you don’t mind, I’m off to the Red Lobster for some tasty crabs’ legs.”

  • The Rev.

    Holy crap, that is fantastic.

    Since they talk about how ferocious it is, though, I thought it’d be a really short comic, with us leaping right to the, “No, I created you! I am your master!” moment and then the creature going on an unbridled rampage for the rest of the story.

    You know that moment is coming, though.

  • Wade Harrell

    It was nice that the formula also created a pair of trunks for him. For modesty!

  • Rock Baker

    When will people learn not to laugh at mad scientists? It’s just asking for trouble!

  • bgbear_rnh

    There need to be an anti-bullying program that recognizes the suffering that a young scientist “playing God” can go through at the hands of his insensitive colleagues.

  • Ken_Begg

    Again, I found his boasting quite Devil Fish-like. “I shall be be the most powerful scientist on Earth!”

    a) I’m not sure what that means, and b) I’m not sure I’m following his Underwear Gnome logic in any case.

    I really do urge people to check out the whole story though. It’s much weirder than this excerpt makes it look.

  • bgbear_rnh

    Forget it, he’s rolling.

  • Ken_Begg

    Like I always says, “You must obey me, I created you!” doesn’t work with teenagers, for Pete’s sake, so I’m not sure why they think it will work with monsters.

  • Ken_Begg

    You’ll NEVER guess how, though.

  • Ken_Begg

    Sandy remembers fondly the moment when he showed me Blackenstein for the first time. The transforming guy turns into the monster and is suddenly clad in Frankenstein Monster togs and the traditional big boots. “Where did those come from?” I asked, confused. “They appear when he changes,” Sandy replied, and began cackling when I immediately gave forth with a heartily aggrieved, “That’s RETARDED!!!”

    Dracula Prince of Darkness is probably the first film where a resurrected from dust vampire actually manifests in the nude.

  • bgbear_rnh

    he sucker punches him?

  • Ken_Begg

    I see what you did there!

  • bgbear_rnh

    I guess that depends on the nature of the transformation. If you are summoning a being across time and space to occupy a body in this world, why wouldn’t the clothes come along for the ride?

  • Flangepart

    Notice how in panel three when he throws the capsle in the water? BA-LOOM! Eh…what, It blew up? Just thought I’d mention it…

  • Wade Harrell

    In a supernatural fantasy context I can ALMOST buy the idea of spontaneously generating clothes. Sci-fi demands at least the pretense of logic before the appearance of octopants. If they had just made his whole body octopus textured and colored they could have gotten away with no clothes. Male octopus genitalia are located on one the arms so really he should be wearing a glove.

  • Gamera977

    Because it would be embarrassing for Octo-Man to be arrested for public nudity before he can start his murderous rampage…

  • Eric Hinkle

    I read the story at the link. Dear heavens, this has to be the dumbest mad scientist of all time. “My potion turned him into an octo-man! I wonder what will happen if I drink it?” I think the octopus had more brain cells.

  • Gamera977

    Yeah, I think we know now why he was laughed at:

    ‘Give your secret experimental formula to Kalder, he’s drink ANYTHING…’

  • Heli

    I think maybe the “ba-loom” was an attempt at capturing the sound of an object hitting the water. Calvin and Hobbes used “spelunk” for a rock being tossed into a pond (as a punchline, but still). Admittedly, it’d have to be a pretty big & heavy… uh, I guess test tube, but that’s my best guess.

  • Ericb

    Just thinking of the word “Blackenstein” makes me laugh. The fact that the movie actually lives up to that name is gravy.

  • Ericb

    Dr. Leopold’s upscale cousin.

  • Marsden

    It didn’t even work with Adam.

  • The Rev.

    You’re right. I would never have guessed that. How can anyone so brilliant be so stupid?

    That’s….yeah. It’s like Don Barton directed an episode of “The Hitchhiker.”

  • The Rev.

    I haven’t seen Blackenstein yet, but I remember you mentioning that reaction to something in the film. Now I know what it was that caused it, and yes, that does indeed sound retarded.

  • Marcus

    Reminds me of the Kim Possible scene where Kim’s dad describes the incident that sent Dr. Drakken down the Path Of Evil:

    Kim’s Dad: Drew dropped out and we never saw him again. I don’t think he ever forgave us, and in some small way, maybe
    we never forgave ourselves.
    Kim: For just a giggle fit?
    Kim’s Dad: No, no, Kimmie. We laughed for days. Long and loud, with youthful abandon.
    Kim: Oh. That was bad.