Mountain Comics #18 – Empire Encounters Comix

MOUNTAIN COMICS #18 – EMPIRE ENCOUNTERS COMIX

For the second season finale of Mountain Comics, Rob welcomes back Gene Hendricks to talk about the black and white magazine WARREN PRESENTS: EMPIRE ENCOUNTERS COMIX, from one of their favorite publishers, Warren Publishing! Plus Listener Feedback!

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9 responses to “Mountain Comics #18 – Empire Encounters Comix

  1. I have two older brothers and both were semi-into comics but not as into them as I was. But, as both were older and had disposable cash earlier than me, both would feed my habit now and then.

    The older brother would occasionally get me stuff outside of the norm when he saw it. So, yes, at a tender age I was given an issue of Creepy and Eerie. And like you, I was a bit thrilled and a bit guilty for seeing what was inside.

    The only story I remember vividly is about a young boy who is significantly bullied. He finds an odd Kirby-like device which opens a portal where a monstrous 10foot tall but seemingly gentle alien comes out. The two become friends. One of the bully’s stumbles on the two, tries to use the device, and has his hand blown off completely. The alien eats the hand and seems pleased. Suddenly, it is clear … humans are food for this thing. Now the bullied boy has an instrument of vengeance as well as a food supply for his friend. The story’s implied ending is that the boy will feed his tormentors to the gentle monster.

    As a kid, my mind was blown. Sure, there were dark endings to DC horror anthologies I read. But seeing the hand blown off, seeing the alien eat the kid, and seeing that *really* dark ending was crazy. This was one I kept in my closet covered by other stuff so the parental units wouldn’t discover.

    Thanks for covering this. I can also remember the need to read anything Star Wars. I remember buying Dynamite!, Pizzazz!, and Starlog for any news or rumors.

  2. I was not familiar with the Warren magazines, and I appreciate the two of you shining a spotlight on this corner of comic history. In general, the time period you cover in this podcast predates my comic book collecting days. So, I enjoy tuning in to learn about the stories I missed out on as a kid.

    Now, your discussion of the Star Wars ads was a total nostalgia trip for me. Between my brother, my best friend, and myself, I think we had all of the figures, vehicles, and playsets that the two of you mentioned. Like Gene, I remember hauling my Empire Strikes Back figures out into the snow during the winter. To this day, I have a one-armed Hoth Han Solo figure, who lost his limb in a snow pile somewhere in our front yard. I believe I explained the loss as an injury sustained during a wampa ice creature attack.

    Thanks for a great season, and I look forward to the next one.

    1. My Han figure was fine, but being out in the cold caused my AT-ST to lose it’s leg. Being afraid of retribution for breaking my toys, I buried it in the snow that was shoveled off of the driveway. Needless to say, this just delayed the discovery, but I didn’t get in nearly the trouble I thought I would, so it was all for nothing.

  3. Fun episode, fellas. I think Warrens are more appreciated outside our circles. The straight horror guys are always raving about them, partially fueled by their connection to Famous Monsters, but yeah, they get glossed over in the general comic fandom.

    By the time I was going to the newsstand by myself, they had pretty much dried up, and I feel like I really missed out. Those Captain Company ads are outstanding!!!

    Chris

  4. Great childhood memories from Gene there, though I thought he would have recognized the whole Chariot of the Gods thing that was rampant in ’70s pop culture. Battlestar Galactica being the most lasting example, but everyone back then was talking about how aliens OBVIOUSLY affected out destiny, visited the Aztecs and Egyptians, and were responsible for every angel/god sighting. That first story obviously tapped into that.

      1. Chariot was the kind of book my parents’ generation all had, and I did read it some time in the 80s. You can hear Leonard Nimoy’s voice in your head when you do.

        1. I’ve never gotten around to reading Chariots of the Gods, but knowing that I’ll get to hear Leonard Nimoy’s voice in my head, when I do, has definitely bumped it up higher on my reading list. Well, that and being reminded of the cultural significance of the book itself.

  5. I remember that Empire Strikes Back article! One of the few Famous Monsters bought at the time. It was rumors and guesses at the story. They reprinted it in the summer of 1980? Well, it was paid for, I guess.

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