12/17/2014 -- Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, the Comic Book

Usually when I think of Dell Comics' movie adaptations of the 50s & 60s, I think there was a lot of potential, but the comics are fairly dull takes on the subjects at hand.

Dell also presented the kinds of films kids were most likely wanting to see. I don't recall any romance movies. I do remember lots of action films, sci fi, horror (Dell did the first horror comics based on the Universal Monsters without Comics Code approval). They never placed the Code seal on their covers. Marvel and DC never could have done that.

Having said that, the comic I'm here to show you doesn't need a Seal. It does need a good script and acting. Before Santa Claus Conquers the Martians became tht one of two Christmas movies shown on Mystery Science Theatre 3000, it was a film in the 60s that was released every year in November through December (as was K Gordon Murray's weirdo masterpiece, Santa Claus). This allowed parents to drop their kids off while they went out shopping for their yompers. This plan worked so well that even dogs like this movie could become box office hits every year.

So, turn down your lights, except the one you read by.. and pray that your parents aren't just trying to sneak in a nooner... even though you're too young to know what a nooner is. For your entertainment pleasure, here's Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. Click on the images to see the larger legible vertsions.