kelso
Goldcomics Reviewer!
Reged: Jan 30 2003
Posts: 939
Loc: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA
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After being blown away by TOP-NOTCH #7, I've been finding it a bit hard to review TOP-NOTCH #8. But then again, I'm able to write a good review of what I read.
THE WIZARD; The strip was really starting to come into its own around this time. After donning a new costume in the previous issue, he then acquires a kid sidekick (Roy the Super Boy), and (as Blaine Whitney) he starts a new career as a newspaper publisher. And with all this going for him, he still finds time to smash a corrupt politician and the gangsters backing him in this story.
THE FIREFLY; I couldn't help but notice the similarities between the Firefly and the later Fly. Both were insect powered heroes but while the Fly's powers were magic based, the Firefly's were more science based in nature. But that didn't stop Harley Hudson from making the most of his powers in this story and in the rest of the strip's run.
BOB PHANTOM; Another intriguing little mystery from the typewriter of Harry Shorten. and Jerry Thorpe's artwork on this story reminds me a lot of Jack Burnley's SUPERMAN work around this time.
As for the rest of the strips, it's a bit hard for me to do so after feasting on the 3 superhero strips. And it was made even more difficult by the fact that there are pages missing from the SHANGHAI SHERMAN and STREAK CHANDLER stories. I wonder if those pages were missing from the copy of TOP-NOTCH you posted. But all of them were quite good regardless(my favorite being the DICK STORM story, helped by Mort Meskin's atmospheric artwork).
Hopefully you'll be able to get the issue that set the tone for the title for the rest of its run prior to it becoming TOP-NOTCH LAUGH with issue #28. I'm refering to the next issue which would introduce THE BLACK HOOD to the world. Until then, keep up the good work and KEEP 'EM FLYING!!!
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kelso
Goldcomics Reviewer!
Reged: Jan 30 2003
Posts: 939
Loc: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA
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It's been a while since I've read Top-Notch #8 and since my original review of the book was posted, some pages have been added to two of the stories in that book. Here is my review of the other I failed to mention in my earlier review of Top-Notch #8:
GALAHAD; Lin Streeter and Harry Shorten tell the story of how Galahad aided King Arthur in repelling an onslought by the armies of the Danish and Irish kings with the help of the army of a neighboring kingdom.
SHANGHAI SHERIDAN; For his final Top-Notch appearance, Shanghai Sheridan aids a Chinese guerilla leader named Ma Ma Mosquito by helping her deliver weapons to her fighters and repel an attack by Japanese soldiers. Although this story wasn't as good as the stories that preceded it, some major kudos would go to the atmospheric art of Irving Novick for making it interesting.
Looking at the strip as a whole, it seemed that Irv Novick did some of his best early work on this strip. His work on Shanghai Sheridan managed to really capture the feel that Milt Caniff caught in his Terry and the Pirates pages. His work on this strip was good enough to turn it into a minor masterpiece.
STREAK CHANDLER; In his final appearance, Streak Chandler helps bring an end to the reign of terror of Quantus, onley to find he may have to face a new menace in Luna. Sadly this strip ended in an unresolved cliffhanger.
WINGS JOHNSON; Joe Blair and Ed Smalle once again send Wings Johnson and his partner Henry Higgins off on another adventure, this time trying to locate a hidden Nazi airbase. Love how Smalle drew those planes.
DICK STORM; In a continuation of the previous issues tale, DIck Storm and his allies find themselves fighting off a band of Chinese pirates and a tribe of canibals. Mort Meskin did the honors on the atmospheric artwork.
KARDAK; In a continuation of the Master Brahmin storyline, Kardak and his associates find themselves in the Valley of death in an imaginative story. Harry Shorten and Bernie Klein did the honors for this story.
Although these stories were overshadowed by the two debuts in this issue (those of Roy the Super Boy and the Firefly), they managed to make Top-Notch #8 a more-than-worthwhile read. And with the next issue, it was only to get better.
Shawn, keep up the good work. And KEEP 'EM FLYING!!!!
Edited by Shield (Tue Jan 24 2006 10:53 PM)
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pokey oakey
I was adored once too!
Reged: Aug 17 2003
Posts: 541
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Thank's for another great review Kelso, you're a valuable resource to this site. TN8 is my favorite pre-Hood TN story wise. TN2 being my favorite pr-hood cover, and 10 being my favorite post -hood cover. I've found that Top Notch had the best stories overall.
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If it's not disclosed.....you're being hosed.
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Shield
Administrator
Reged: Jan 27 2003
Posts: 1523
Loc: Worthington, Ohio
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Best stories overall? Perhaps for the first 27 issues. Dunno, I really enjoyed Pep 1-12 too.
Vince, you never write, you never call...
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pokey oakey
I was adored once too!
Reged: Aug 17 2003
Posts: 541
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Well, obviously I'm talking 1-27 with the TN's. Pep 1-12 in some ways even surpass Top Notch, but in my opinion TN had the most consistant run.
As far as never calling and never writing, I could say the same thing.
Are you really a little old italian lady masquerading as a golden age fan? You sound like my old italian mama.
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If it's not disclosed.....you're being hosed.
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