Altron-Boy, Pt. 5

(Continued from Altron-Boy, Pt. 4)

Larry Ivie's MONSTERS & HEROES 5
"ALTRON-BOY TRAPPED"

This was the 2nd of the 3 issues (#4, 5 & 7) that I ordered from Mile High Comics back in 2006.

As I said last time, I can't believe that Larry Ivie ended the previous episode by having the Altron-Belt DAMAGED and inoperable.   The ONLY "super-power" this young hero had, and suddenly he was stuck in the villain's lair without it.  What was he thinking?

I can only speculate, but it seems to me, as a writer, this is the sort of thing one might do as a reflection of behind-the-scenes problems with the production of the series, and the magazine in general.  There had been an entire year between issues #3 & 4, and that had to hurt any kind of "momentum" he was hoping to build up with sales.  Knowing as I do now, that the last issue was #7 make it all the more unfortunate, as we never got to see the thing repaired and back in use again.

On top of all that, this installment had to be the strangest yet in what was already an unusual series.  Ivie took several  pages to focus on a philsophical discussion about the generation conflict, in which the older one was obsessed with uniformity of thought and behavior, while the younger was obsessed with individuality... or, WAS it?  An interesting question posed by the villain.

I think it may have been a mistake to have 2 "brown" cover paintings back-to-back.  I have a feeling the painting of Altron-Boy holding the sword-- reproduced in B&W-- might have made a better cover for either this issue, or the previous one.  Of course, this one does reflect the bleakness of the current situation.  Oh well!

This blog page finished on 3-16-2021.

ENJOY!

Larry Ivie's MONSTERS & HEROES  5
cover by LARRY IVIE   (M & H Publications  /  July 1969)

Page 1

"ALTRON-BOY TRAPPED"
Story & Art by LARRY IVIE  /  Page 30

Page 31

Page 32

Page 33

Page 34

Back Cover  /  At The Earth's Core

MONSTERS & HEROES  Copyright (C) LARRY IVIE.

Scans from MY collection!
     with special thanks to Mile High Star Comics.

Restorations by Henry R. Kujawa.

For more:
See more Larry Ivie art at the ERBzine site.
See the Gods Of Mars gallery at the ERBzine site.
Read the obituary/tribute to Larry Ivie at Buzz Dixon's site.
Read Sandy Plunkett's article about Larry Ivie in ALTER EGO 152.

See the Larry Ivie Gallery of Illustrations!
Read CAPTIVE BRIDE OF THE APE MEN!
Read THE LAST WAR!
Read SKY BOY!   (Coming soon!)
Read the entire ALTRON-BOY series!

(Continued in Altron-Boy, Pt. 6)