May 10, 2010

Race For the Moon

From Race For the Moon # 2 (1958). Jack Kirby pencils and Al Williamson inks. "Lunar Trap," a 5-page story. Exceptional work by Williamson on Kirby's pencils, bringing a high degree of photorealsim to the work without obscuring Jack's unique dynamics.

Beautiful splash page where Jack does a remarkable job of predicting what the earth will look like from the moon 10 years before the first moon landing in 1969.

Classic cold war story. The Russian military has claimed the moon as their territory; the American mineralogist just wants to gather some samples... and apparently is on the prowl for a new girlfriend. Not sure if the moon is the best place meet chicks (page 2, panel 2 and 3).
Of course, the cute, cold-hearted cold-warrior Russian female general gets attacked by a moon alien and the kind-hearted American hero rushes to the rescue (page 4, panel 4). Wonderful delineation by Williamson making Jack's composition really come to life.

Page 5, panel 5 and 6.
Funny how the guy just tucks the girl under his arm like a sack of bricks. Guess that's the best way to move something around in zero gravity. I'm not sure why the moon in these images is colored red, though.

page 7, panel 6.
Even when Russia and America have nukes pointed at each other on the earth, you gotta love the American guy trying to get a date with a Russian girl on the moon. Some things transcend even potential nuclear annihilation.