The Editors Go To Africa!
Andy has stirred up two mighty hunters along with their pack of killer chipmunks. Kraven the Hunter is one of Spiderman's most dangerous and ridiculous foes. B'wana Beast, in helmet thing, can combine two animals into one for maximum performance. The helmet allows him to do that, a talking purple gorilla on top of Mount Kilimanjaro gave it to him after B'wana whupped his butt in a fight.
Synthesis!
Kraven is the world's mightiest hunter with just the latest in the way of fashion taste. Steve Ditko, artist. I don't care who drew B'wana.
Andrew the Bee, when not sweeping up in the Hybrid editorial offices, is fond of adventures of imagination. He is irrepressible and alive with curiosity, as can be seen in the introduction picture.
His fellow editor and enabler Billy D. is a rustic from the provinces, and always up for out of door fun. He is considered slow-witted even for a rabbit. Billy is scared of his own shadow so he let's Andy take the lead in unusual situations.
Killer chipmunks have been known to darken the land for miles as they seek their prey, driving herds of tigers and lions and yeti before them. This one has just devoured an African Sand Caribou.
This cover is on my shortlist for worst of all time. And which arm is the normal sized one, one might wonder. This is presumably the talking ape referred to in the story. 'Take that, monkey'! Mike Sekowsky, the artist, quit after the second issue saying that the whole thing was racist, and good for him. Oh, and that's an ancient helmet, in case you were wondering.
Whoa! I sorta knew that the Beast's helmet could do something special, but this really drives that point home!
ReplyDeleteEven in 1967 the name B'wana was inappropriate. Why not 'white master'? What gets me are the leopard skin boot tops that match his underwear. Did he make this or did that ape atop the mountain have a unique sense of style? And what is with the sunglasses? Elton John might get away with that, but not some guy beating up apes in Kenya.
ReplyDeleteI know that DC is trying to be politically correct here, but somehow the racism seems even worse. Then again, it's the white guy who looks like a clown, so perhaps it all works out.
DeleteSomething to offend everyone! Ki Ki Ki A hoo gah!
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