Unstable Molecules

Treasury Edition 01 – Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Comics

Sun, 03 Dec 2017 08:40:12 -0000

In this special Treasury Edition we take a break from looking at comics to review the first episode of Robert Kirkman’s new documentary series...

Panel Breakouts Episode 010: Jack Kirby & the end of war!

Fri, 14 Apr 2017 15:30:37 -0000

This episode briefly looks at war comics and Jack Kirby’s work for the final issues of Battle at the end of the fifties. We take a look at Kirby’s covers and stories in Battle issues 64-70 (June 1959 to June 1960). Accompanying information:

Panel Breakouts Episode 009: Love Romances #85

Sun, 15 Jan 2017 18:28:42 -0000

We take a quick peek at the type of Romance anthology comic that the Marvel team was producing just before they created the superhero universe.

Panel Breakouts Episode 008: Teen-age Crossovers

Mon, 02 Jan 2017 16:08:47 -0000

How the idea of the Marvel interconnected universe - where heroes would crossover or “guest star” in each other’s books - first occurred in the teen comics for girls - with characters like Patsy Walker, Millie the Model, Kathy Carter and others.

Panel Breakouts Episode 007: Young Romance #1 (1947)

Sun, 02 Oct 2016 17:56:49 -0000

Joe Simon and Jack Kirby's Young Romance #1 (1947) launched the genre of the Romance comic which, at one point in the 1950s, sold more than any other genre. It's influence was felt in the early Marvel superhero comics,

Panel Breakouts Episode 006: Miss America Magazine #2 (1944)

Wed, 27 Jul 2016 21:25:08 -0000

Patsy Walker's first appearance is in Miss America Magazine #2. Nov 1944 cover date in a seven page introductory story pencilled and inked by Ruth Atkinson.

Panel Breakouts Episode 005: Venus (1948)

Sun, 03 Jul 2016 21:21:14 -0000

In her excellent history of American Romance comics, Love on the Racks, Michelle Nolan describes Venus as Marvel's first attempt to match a character to whatever trend she seemed to fit at the time.

Panel Breakouts Episode 004: Crazy, Wild & Riot (1953-4)

Wed, 15 Jun 2016 09:59:36 -0000

Never to underestimate a trend, Atlas produced 3 imitations of MAD within months of the comic’s first issue - Crazy, Wild and Riot (3 titles) which saw 1st issues in December 1953, February 1954 and April 1954 - followed by Snafu later on. Atlas was the only company to produce more than 1 MAD imitation.

Panel Breakouts Episode 003: Dippy Duck (1957)

Sun, 05 Jun 2016 14:26:46 -0000

Dippy Duck was the last of Timely/Atlas' Animal Funnies with a cover date of October 1957. It's also the last comic to bear the Atlas Logo.

Panel Breakouts Episode 002: Homer the Happy Ghost (1955 to 1958)

Sun, 29 May 2016 17:37:06 -0000

Homer the Happy Ghost was a bi-monthly kids humour comic that ran for 22 issues between 1955 and 1958. It was clearly another of Goodman’s copycat titles, obviously ripping off Harvey Comics’ Casper the Friendly Ghost.