Tuesday, August 22, 2017

The Classics - Jerry Lewis #84

   We're sad to note the passing of actor / comedian / charity champion Jerry Lewis this week.

   While I was never a huge fan (I did like "Visit to a Small Planet" and "The King of Comedy"), I do have fond memories of this comic book from 1964.

   Lewis was one of the few celebrities to merit his own comic (most others were short-lived, with the exception of his DC neighbor, Bob Hope), but I was never much of a fan of the comic (which is a bit surprising, considering what a fan I was of this issue).

   I have no idea how this issue landed in my hands, but I loved it.

   It features a wild tale cooked up by writer Arnold Drake that has the hapless Jerry being affected by a mad scientist's newly-invented Hypno-ray, which (though wacky circumstances) has Jerry spending his nights as a super-hero - the Terrible Tarantula!

   It manages to be a fun adventure, a funny spoof on super-heroes, and a heck of a lot of fun.

   One of the reasons I enjoyed this comic was, without a doubt, the wonderful artwork of Bob Oksner. One of DC's unsung heroes, he was an amazing artist - able to capture the look of a celebrity like Jerry, drawing some of the most beautiful, sexy "girl next door" women in comics, and telling the story clearly - and managing to amp up the comedy element at the same time.

   I held onto this issue over the years, and I revisit it from time to time - and it's just as fresh and funny today as the day it was published.

   Like Jerry Lewis - it's a classic for the ages!

Grade: A+

----------------

No comments: