Tuesday, December 9, 2014

THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE FORCE IN THE UNIVERSE WHITMAN'S THE BLACK HOLE !!!

 

A U.S. space probe teeters on the brink of the most destructive force in the universe!

The U.S.S. Cygnus is perched precariously at the edge of a black hole – the vast, empty nothingness where space and time end. Anything that crosses its border enters a universe of the complete unknown. A story of robots and humanoids, human genius and madness, and a spectacular descent into nature's ultimate mystery – The Black Hole.  


Gold Key & Whitman Comics' The Black Hole adapted the Walt Disney Productions motion picture of the same name. The comic book adaptation was written by Mary (Island at the Top of the World) Carey & drawn by Dan (Space Family Robinson) Spiegle. I must confess, I love Dan Spiegle's work!


Golden Press The Black Hole 11295  The Illustrated Adaptation of the Exciting Film!
THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE!
A space probe meets a legend - an explorer ship that had set out decades earlier... and mysteriously vanished. But it is the legend alive or dead - good or evil? And how has it managed to escape being sucked into the savage maelstrom of THE BLACK HOLE.

This edition was not (although I'm not sure why) a reprint of Walt Disney Showcase #54.
This edition was square-bound & magazine sized with a movie photo cover.
Written by Mary Carey & drawn by Dan Spiegle. 


Gold Key Comics' Walt Disney Showcase #54  A U.S. space probe teeters on the brink of the most destructive force in the universe!
"The Black Hole" 
Movie photo cover.
Written by Mary Carey & drawn by Dan Spiegle. 



Whitman Comics began a 4 issue series of The Black Hole. The first two issues reprinted the adaptation of the movie, with the other two issues featuring further adventures from Beyond The Black Hole!


 

Walt Disney's The Black Hole #1  Part 1 of the Movie--The search for life on other worlds plunges the U.S.S. Palomino toward the furthest edge of outer space!
"Part 1"
Reprints first half of Walt Disney Showcase #54.
Movie photo cover.
Written by Mary (Clash of the Titans) Carey & drawn by Dan (The Invaders) Spiegle. 


Walt Disney's The Black Hole #2  The Conclusion of the Movie--Into the awesome void where space and time collide!
"Part 2"
Reprints second half of Walt Disney Showcase #54. 
Movie photo cover.
Written by Mary Carey & drawn by Dan Spiegle. 


 Beyond the Black Hole #3  What shocking discoveries await the crew on the other side of the abyss -- where the laws of nature do not apply!
"Beyond the Black Hole"
Introducing a race of people called Virlights, whom the crew of the Palomino end up aiding against a rising tyrant.
Movie photo cover.

Written by Michael (Buck Rogers in the 25th Century) Teitelbaum with art by Al (Girl from U.N.C.L.E., Star Trek) McWilliams. 



Beyond the Black Hole #4  Another Earth -- Another Universe!
"The Virlights" 
Concludes the story of the Virlights, with the promise of a fifth issue, which was planned, but never published. It seems that #5 & #6 were also produced and distributed, but only in Spanish. There are no known Whitman copies of these two issues in English.
Dynamic painted cover by Chuck Liese
Written by Michael Teitelbaum with art by Al McWilliams. 
This is another of the well documented, rare Whitman comics only available in pre-packs in North America and possibly in limited numbers elsewhere (unverified).
 

Other comic adaptations of The Black Hole, released in Europe, have the crew emerging into another galaxy, thus confirming Reinhardt's theories. While wondering if they will ever return to Earth, they decide to explore this new universe.


Walt Disney's Treasury of Classic Tales newspaper strip (September 2, 1979-February 24, 1980) carried The Black Hole drawn by the one and only -- Jack "King" Kirby! 



The Black Hole novelization was written by Alan Dean Foster, who also wrote Alien, Aliens, The Thing & Outland, among a slew of other fine adaptations. 
In his book, as the probe ship crosses the event horizon, all matter ceases to exist. Kate's ESP links the minds of the Palomino's crew and allows them to survive (in a fashion) while the atoms of their bodies diffuse and are scattered throughout the Universe. 
 

Live Large My Friends!

Thank You!


Netherlands Edition with painted cover by Don Lawrence!
It still amazes me the various projects Kirby worked on!



1 comment:

  1. Thank you for posting all these fascinating images from vintage Black Hole comics! I love them all! ^_^

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