Recently, we went to Saratoga Spring’s annual Chowder Fest. It’s a wild day where all the restaurants, bars and brewpubs offer up their own version of chowder. I don’t think anyone is obligated to conform to strict definition. There is a judging for the Best Chowder, but I never keep track of who wins. It’s corny to write, but everybody wins at this event. It’s kind of like a village-wide pub crawl, with music.

And the day after the pub crawl Chowder Fest, we stopped at wonderful comic shop: Excellent Adventures in Ballston Spa. It’s owned and operated by John Belskis. He’s a passionate comic fan, and it doesn’t hurt that he’s a big Captain Action collector too. His shop is stuffed to the gills with wonderful comics, superhero toys, paperbacks and rare collectibles. And to his credit, he always creates clever comic-themed window displays too.

John sold me some treasures this visit, including an issue of House of Secrets #74. I never really got into this series in any of its incarnations, but it seemed like a fun comic try. What could go wrong? The cover trumpets the fact that this issue has “Two of DC’s Greatest Characters”.

The first story features Eclipso. Although many of Eclipso’s adventures were illustrated by Alex Toth (elevating them to the “just about readable” category) this one was not. Sadly, Jack Sparling hacked his way through this adventure.

In the opening sequence, when every kid who ever read this story just knew something bad was about to happen, the hero, Bruce Gordon, poo-poo’s his girlfriend’s concerns. “Easy honey, there nothing to fear! Everything’s under control – – this will be just a routine change…” Then in the next panel, a speeding truck hits the telephone pole outside the house, disrupting the power and allowing chaos to ensue. We all just knew it would happen!

You know how Spider-Man often battles Venom? And what a hit that character has become? Well, this story features a Negative Eclipso, who is kind of like Eclipso’s Venom. It all gets very weird as the hero assumes the identity of the regular Eclipso. With these Jack Schiff-edited comics, sometimes you just have to roll with it.

The Other Greatest DC Hero (?)

The second story features Prince Ra-Man in his second appearance. The issue before, the long running Mark Merlin strip was totally rebooted. Mark Merlin was whisked to another dimension, and the only way to get back home was for him to occupy the body of Prince Ra-Man.

In the opening panels, Prince Ra-Man, secretly Mark Merlin, must explain (to readers) that he has to conceal these convoluted series of recent events to Mark Merlin’s girlfriend, Elsa. In fact, he told her Mark Merlin was dead!

And Prince Ra-Man has moved into Mark Merlin’s house and in on Mark Merlin’s girlfriend, since, as he explains it, he was Mark’s friend.

“Oh Prince Ra-Man”, says Elsa, “I can’t believe he’s dead. But you’ve been such a comfort.”
“As Mark’s friend…it’s the least I can do, Elsa,” says the creepy Prince.

To make matters worse, Prince Ra-Man/Mark Merlin secretly harbors feelings for a raven-haired beauty back in the other dimension. The old crush-on-a-hometown-honey-syndrome!
This adventure is bonkers too. Prince Ra-Man must battle a guy named Zandor Caldez (really!) and his Mazarine Metronome. There’s whole emotion machine thing going on here too, ala the Fantastic Four villain Psycho-Man.

At the end of the story, you just feel bad for the characters as you realize that NO kid ever said “Prince Ra-Man is my favorite superhero”.

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Wait a minute! This issue also has two Henry Boltinoff gag strips – one featuring Little Pete and the other featuring Moolah the Mystic! Could these two be the two greatest DC Character’s the cover was referencing?

Or …maybe it is the ad for The Brave and the Bold Issue featuring that Starman and Black Canary team-up. They are pretty great DC characters!

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Excellent Adventures is at 110 Milton Ave Ballston Spa, NY 12020. Go visit and behold their many treasures!