Something cool to notice about this Bama cover: the gun he has is not a ray gun or phaser or anything similar, but a flare gun. This story was partially set at sea and Doc used a flare to signal. It led to a widespread misconception Doc used high tech energy weapons, when in reality, Doc Savage hated using any kind of gun, and his stories were not that high tech.
This is what 1930s-40s flare guns looked like. Easy to see how they could be mistaken for Flash Gordon rayguns:
This was the date that the first Doc Savage magazine came out on November 7, 1933. The stoic, emotionless Man of Bronze, a gadget-using hero who inspired Spock, James Bond, and the Fantastic Four.
Grab your coat buttons that are disguised thermite bombs, and your machine pistol, and take the Flea Run elevator from the 85th Floor of the Empire State Building down to the Hidalgo Trading Company warehouse on the East River…one last time. Only watch out for the Murder Melody, the Thousand Headed Man, the Czar of Fear, Kukulkan the Winged Serpent, and the terrifying John Sunlight, a super-nemesis so awe inspiring he was known as the Devil Genghis.
Doc Savage: Man of Bronze. James Bama. 1964. His first cover illustration for the Bantam rerelease series.
High above the skyscrapers of New York, Doc Savage engages in deadly combat with the red-fingered survivors of an ancient, lost civilization. Then, with his amazing crew, he journeys to the mysterious “lost valley” to search for a fabulous treasure and to destroy the mysterious Red Death.
Just wanted to point out that if you enjoy the subject matter here, you’re almost certain to love the work author Will Murray puts out, particularly his crossover novels like TARZAN: CONQUEROR OF MARS, DOC SAVAGE: THE SINISTER SHADOW, and THE SPIDER: THE DOOM LEGION. All top notch works!
The legendary James Bama passed away yesterday. I’m most familiar with his extensive cover work on Doc Savage, but his vast career touched several other icons of science fiction and horror as well.
It’s the late Gil Kane’s birthday! This comics titan had lots of opportunities to work on many pre-superhero icons and they are always worth showcasing!
