Number 906


Smalle world


I like this story from Strange Adventures #4, 1950; it's fairly typical of Julius Schwartz-edited science fiction comics. Edmond Hamilton wrote it, and the title describes it: "The Crime Chase Through Time."

Ed Smalle drew it. He's another comic book journeyman. I haul out guys like Smalle to present to you because after all, these were the guys who were the backbone of the industry. Smalle was one of the early comic book artists, working for the Harry "A" Chesler shop in the 1930s, and continuing in the comics field until the mid-'50s. Information I have on Smalle says he died in 1957.

My favorite is the splash page, with the symbolic climbing from century to century. Schwartz used these types of symbolic splashes occasionally, because of their strong graphic images.