Why do comic books exist?
The one perfectly reasonable answer is that comic books exist to provide entertainment via a unique blend of writing and art. Comic books tell stories with words but driven by a strong visual element. Or, if you will, comic books tell stories with pictures supplemented by words.
But there are things in comic books, both currently produced as well as in the history of the medium, that are so unique, so weird, so defiant of expected norms that they can only exist as comic books. It's almost as if these strange deviations are the reasons that comic books exists.
For example, this:
Yes, that's a Nazi robot dinosaur fighting a mechanical giant invented by Nostradamus.
This visual comes from an obscure Golden Age series called The Boy King. It's about a kingdom overrun by Nazis and the young prince who must become a king to save his people with the aid of his giant friend.
The Boy King and his Giant lead his people out of Europe to America (specifically, Central Park) where Boy King starts a fast food franchise and that, my friends, is how Burger King got it's start.
No, not really. While in America, the Boy King and the Giant With No Name fought gangsters and Nazi spies.
And yes, they took on a Nazi robot dinosaur.
For a detailed write up on this most bizarre comic book series, click here for this entry from that most awesome blog, Slay, Monstrobot of the Deep.
But seriously? A Nazi robot dinosaur fighting a mechanical giant invented by Nostradamus?
Yes and that's one of the really excellent reasons that comic books exist.
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Thanks for dropping by today. There's a lot of strange things out there in the world of comic books, both past and present.
And speaking of strange things, I'm So Glad My Suffering Amuses You finally comes 'round to the cultural phenomenon that has taken the world by storm. Tomorrow, I take a look at the first two episodes of Stranger Things.Until next time, remember to be good to one another.
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