Wednesday, January 21, 2009

"Big-game hunter" was just behind "test pilot" and "millionaire layabout" for secret identities back then...

Even though I can remember when Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom was on TV, I'm not old enough to remember when "Big-game hunter" was an A-list dream occupation for little kids, but comics do. Even if said hunters rarely came to a good end. I mean, Kraven's probably the best known example, and he got bored with wrestling lions, became a super-villain, and killed himself. The Paul Kirk Manhunter as well: bored with hunting, trampled, cloned, killed some more. And then there's this guy, from "I Hunted the World's Wildest Animals!" I do this about once a year, but here's the full story, so click to enlarge! Pay attention, there will be a test!










If "Cage 'em Alive" Burke never had to shoot an animal, why did he carry a pistol?
A. Insurance
B. To shoot in the air as a distress signal
C. Poachers
D. Groupies

According to this story, what skills are mandatory for big-game hunters?
A. Woodwork
B. Archeology and translation
C. Asbestos handling
D. All of the above and then some

Why would a big-game hunter have, or need, a gas mask?
A. Because they're cool
B. Big Golden Age Sandman fan
C. Insert fart joke here
D. The question is, why wouldn't he need a gas mask?

All right then, smarty, what good would an asbestos suit do in a jungle fire? Unless you're also hauling an oxygen tank, you'd still die of smoke inhalation! How much crap are you going to haul on safari, anyway?
A. Closed-casket funeral; tons
B. Organ donor; more than you, nancy
C. Oxygen's for sissies; what aren't I going to take?
D. All of the above

Pretty sure I saw this story as the plot of a Sci-Fi Channel "Original" movie. Coincidence, theft, or homage?
A. Coincidence
B. Theft, but it was an old story before this
C. Sure as hell not a homage, no one read this
D. It's the plot of every Sci-Fi Channel original movie.

What the hell comic is this from?
A. My coverless copy of DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #4.
B. Or, it's originally from the May/June 1957 issue of My Greatest Adventure #15, with art by Nick Cardy.
C. It was also reprinted in something called "Big Boy #17" from Artima in 1958.
D. Not a question, but damn, the GCD is awesome.

3 comments:

Sea-of-Green said...

D. Groupies
D. All of the above and then some
B. Big Golden Age Sandman fan
D. All of the above
D. It's the plot of every Sci-Fi Channel original movie.
C. It was also reprinted in something called "Big Boy #17" from Artima in 1958.

Okay, so those aren't the right answers -- but wouldn't that make an AWESOME comic book story? ;-)

The artwork looks a lot like Gil Kane's.

SallyP said...

Obviously, the answer to every question if "D". And that was a heck of a griffon. I'm not too sure that a gorgon is supposed to look like a bison however.

CalvinPitt said...

1.A (By which I mean, he needs to have these excursions insured, and they require him to carry a gun to protect, um stuff).
2.D
3.B
4.D
5.B
6.D

Also, to add to the "big game hunters", Deathstroke did that for a while, got bored, and went into the soldier for hire business.