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ť Forum Category: PT Boats of WWII
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ť Forum Name: PT Boats - General
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ť Topic: PT Boat Comic Book Covers
http://www.ptboatforum.com/cgi-bin/MB2/netboardr.cgi?cid=101&fid=102&tid=2356

I thought you guys might enjoy my latest Comic Book covers pertaining to the PT BOATS. Just when I think I can't find anymore, they pop up. Who would have guessed that these little Midget Sluggers would have to fight it out with Dinosaurs . . . .

Frank

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/comic-01-1.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/COmic-06.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/comic-02-1.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/comic-03-1.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/comic-04.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/Comic-05.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/comic-07.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/Comic-10.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/Comic-09.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p249/ptboats/FrankAndruss/comic-08.jpg[/image]

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 6, 2011 - 12:19pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

You wouldn't think PT's would encounter dinosaurs quite so often.... Those covers are fantastic, thanks for sharing them.

Posted By: kgretter | Posted on: Nov 6, 2011 - 4:04pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Hah kgretter, good point. You wouldn't think land based lizards would be much of a threat. Usually only PTerosaurs and PTerodactyls were a problem... cool stuff Frank thanks for posting.

Posted By: Jeff D | Posted on: Nov 6, 2011 - 4:19pm
Total Posts: 2200 | Joined: Dec 21, 2006 - 1:30am

Great stuff, Frankie...

Will

Posted By: Will Day | Posted on: Nov 6, 2011 - 4:39pm
Total Posts: 1955 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 4:19pm

I actually found a few more yesterday. When I can I will post them as well. I think they are pretty cool too........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 1:43am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Those are fantastic Frank! I'm really impressed with the detail of the drawings on some of those covers.

Grandson of James J Stanton
RON 15 PT 209 and RON 23 PT 243
Check out: www.pistolpackinmama.net

Posted By: newsnerd99 | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 6:21am
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

I know Jimmy, the art work is really good on some of them. Wish I had the original Art Work from which the covers were produced. I love collecting this stuff, for the Exhibit, it is sometimes just as good as the big ticket items.........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 7:04am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank -- thanks for posting. The covers sure bring back memories.

I guess all the comic book artists of the period only had reference photos of Higgins PTs from which to work!

As I kid, I always wondered why the PTs in comic books looked so different from the PT 109-type boats we were so familiar with from the photos in the Robert Donovan bestseller, the movie based on it, and the green plastic Revell model kit.

My age group (at least the model-building kids I knew, which was pretty much all of us), was a little too young to remember Revell's earlier 78' Higgins PT model. We definitely would have made the Revell 78' Higgins kit into Captain Storm's "PT 47," had it been on the market at the time.

Posted By: Drew Cook | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 7:57am
Total Posts: 1306 | Joined: Oct 19, 2006 - 10:44am

Drew

Your right, I would guess that those who drew the boats knew little about the boats in general. I was impressed with the fact that several of the covers depicted the HIGGINS PT BOATS. Heck I didn't even know a Higgins PT Boat existed back in the day as a Kid. I thought all that was available was Revell's PT-109 model, so just that they took the time to draw a HIGGINS PT BOAT is pretty neat for the time period. I did get a chuckle, when I saw that lone PT BOAT slugging it out with an enemy Aircraft Carrier.............Still as a young boy, that cover was awesome and you really believed those boats could perform those feat's...........

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 8:10am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Great pictures Frank!
I think it is funny how on the cover of Fightin' Navy "Blam Klam" the Higgins PT Boat rendition must have copied almost exactly (even down to the mistakes on the model) Revells Horrendous PT212 model! You can see the clear "windshield" on top of the charthouse and the Incorrect "single pole" mast with a SOA Radar Dome on top, exactly the same mistakes as on the model. Also the pole radar mast is mounted atop a square pedistal that did not exist, (it was a misrepresentation of the gas tank removal access plate in the deck) the model made the same mistake. It is pretty funny how the artist just copied the model exactly! Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 11:51am
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Sorry guys but those aren't dinosaurs. It's Godzilla! (Remember, he was Japanese after all...)

Posted By: PT127 | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 1:14pm
Total Posts: 35 | Joined: Aug 21, 2011 - 1:32pm

You could be right, those so called Dinosaurs do look a bit like GODZILLA, who just happens to be my favorite SCI-FI Creature. Of course all he would have to do is shoot out that Radioactive Breath of his, and the boats would be History. Jerry, you are so right, in that the Artist probably did copy the boat from the box, although the cover showing PT-221 looks a bit better than the others. Wish I could draw, because I would copy some of those covers and replace those boats with what the boats should look like. Could be fun.................

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 7, 2011 - 1:48pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Frank,Have you got these ones of PT47

[image]http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll183/aust_yank/350px-Captain_Storm_7Copy.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll183/aust_yank/f_kpcmcCsto00011--01Copy.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll183/aust_yank/f_kpcmcCsto00003--01Copy.jpg[/image]

[image]http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll183/aust_yank/f_kpcmcCsto00014--01Copy.jpg[/image]

Cheers Michael

Michael

Posted By: Michael | Posted on: Nov 8, 2011 - 12:03am
Total Posts: 218 | Joined: Aug 6, 2007 - 7:25pm

Mike'

I have the complete set of them. The covers are great on those as well. Seems like PT BOATS were not forgotten after the War. I know there are more out there, and I am always on the hunt for them. I really enjoy any magazine with PT BOATS on them.

Cheers

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 8, 2011 - 1:35am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

Don't forget about these other Comic Book Covers Frank has posted in the past, I kept searching and finally found them.

[url]http://www.ptboats.org/cgi-local/sitenetbbs/netboardr.cgi?fid=102&cid=101&tid=1211&sc=20&pg=1&x=0[/url]

[url]http://www.ptboats.org/cgi-local/sitenetbbs/netboardr.cgi?fid=102&cid=101&tid=1221&sc=20&pg=1&x=0[/url]

SH

Posted By: Hadly | Posted on: Nov 8, 2011 - 10:35pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Frank, Michael and all,

These comic book covers with PT Boats are fantastic. I remember many of the 'war and action' comics when I was growing up in the 50's. I specifically recall one about 'Navy Frogmen' that I wonder what ever happened to. Mine got dog-eared over years of handling, so guess they were disposed of. Great that someone kept some for posterity and that you have them to share today.

I only vaguely recall the 'Captain Storm' comics, but never knew that his boat was the PT-47 until I saw Michael's group of scanned covers. It makes me wonder if my father-in-law, RMC Bill R. Tatroe (who died 3-yrs ago), knew about these comics, as the 47-boat of Ron-2 was what the one he was assigned to when he joined MTB's in Panama in Sep-1942.

He got into PT's by trading duty with another Radioman who wanted off. Bill had been on a seaplane tender in the North Atlantic on convoy duty before the U.S. got into the war. On their first trip south delivering cargo marked for 'Coco-Solo', the tender damaged a screw as it was departing Panama for the E. Coast and had to go into drydock. While there, Bill saw these fast little boats and said to himself: 'that's the kind of duty I've been looking for'.

Does anybody have a clue as to why the PT-47 was chosen to be Capt. Storm's boat? It really didn't have a lot of early history associated with it, since on the first patrol at Tulagi on 20 Nov 1942, it ran aground on a coral reef and tore it up badly enough to be in drydock until Mid-Jan 1943. A lot happened in the Solomon's during that time until Feb-43, but Bill was on other boats every other night due to his being out of action.

Several years ago, I communicated with Ens. George Wright who became the C.O. of the 47 near the time Bill left to return for the states in early Apr-1943. George told me that when John F. Kennedy came to Tulagi, he was his exec for a short while before Kennedy took up the 59 boat. Could that possibly be why the 47 boat was chosen to represent Capt. Storm's boat? Would welcome any thoughts on this - just out of curiosity...

Also, I am wondering if besides the covers themselves (that depict the PT-47), if any of the stories inside also show the boat?

I am continuing to write a history, or Memory Book as I call it, of Bill's time in the Navy with particular emphasis on PT's. I've done lots of research including communicating with crewmembers and veterans who were in the same squadron's and places as Bill (to add the personal first-hand accounts). I'm planning on sharing it with my two sons and my nephews, so they are aware what their grandfather did during WWII.

Best to all -

Randy Finfrock

Posted By: Randy Finfrock | Posted on: Nov 19, 2011 - 9:23pm
Total Posts: 97 | Joined: Nov 27, 2006 - 6:21pm

Randy.
I must apoligize if my post gave the impression that i owned these Comics.
I merely downloaded them from the net,in the interest of the thread.
But as Frank says he has the originals,so i hope he can answer your question on the contents of them.Your reasoning for the use of PT47 sure sounds feasible to me.
Cheers Mick

Michael

Posted By: Michael | Posted on: Nov 19, 2011 - 10:46pm
Total Posts: 218 | Joined: Aug 6, 2007 - 7:25pm

Randy

I think that is wonderful about you putting together the History of your Dad for your son's. It is something they can have for the rest of their lives, great job.

As to the reason behind using PT-47 for Capt. Storm Comics, I really have no idea. In those days, I think they just used a number that was in the artist's head, as only a small fraction of my comics depict a boat actually used in the title of the book. I do not open the comics, once I get them. They are sealed and protected, and I found out a while back, that messing with them can wreck and rip the cover or pages. Maybe someone else who has these comics, has seen the insides. I really have not..

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 20, 2011 - 4:18am
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am

It sure would be nice to look inside those comics and see if Captain Storm ever manages to actually get aboard the PT 47. He seems to spend most of his time in the water!

Keith

Posted By: kgretter | Posted on: Nov 20, 2011 - 1:53pm
Total Posts: | Joined: Unregistered

Randy, Frank and Keith,
I think Frank is right, the artist most likely just picked a number for Cap'n Storms boat randomly. Especially when you consider they chose to represent the PT47 as a HIGGINS PT BOAT and not a 77 foot Elco, so I dont think reality even came close to entering their mind as they drew the artwork for Cap'n Storm. This is a similar circumstance to pondering why McHales Navy boat was chosen to be PT73? I dont think there was any thought of making any kind of historical tribute, (especially since the real PT73 was a HIGGINS PT Boat and not a 70 foot Vosper! ) Just a bit to consider. Don't attribute too much historical thought process into the mind of a comic book artist. They were just marketing to their audience of pre-teenage kids, nothing more to it than that. Jerry

Jerry Gilmartin

Posted By: Jerry Gilmartin | Posted on: Nov 20, 2011 - 3:06pm
Total Posts: 1473 | Joined: Oct 8, 2006 - 11:16pm

Michael, no worries - thanks for posting so we all could enjoy them. Appreciate the input Keith, Frank & Jerry, that's kind of what I had initially thought too. The comic writers and illustrators did get my attention back then and they are fun to look at now.

IF Bill did ever see his PT-47 on the comic covers, then he would have certainly objected to it being depicted as a Higgins, since he liked his Elco the best of the two!

Frank, another subject but similar. I saw some old LIFE magazines from the 30's thru 50's at a local flea market. The seller said he got them from a hoarder's house that he purchased (very good condition, but a little musty). I was just killing time there so I looked thru a few and noticed several had ads related to PT's. One was 'Packard' . There was an ad for a children's WWII scooter (probably 8 or so mini-vehicles including a PT Boat). One was the famous PT Boat Skippers May 1943 magazine. So, I got a few.

I'll try to scan and e-mail some of the ads to you if you are interested Frank. Or, maybe you already know about these and have copies?

Randy Finfrock

Posted By: Randy Finfrock | Posted on: Nov 21, 2011 - 3:39pm
Total Posts: 97 | Joined: Nov 27, 2006 - 6:21pm

Randy

That would be great. I always enjoy seeing old ads, as I think I might now own at least 200 or so. By the way, this place online called University Products sells a product to use to rid these old books and magazines of that musty smell. It looks just like Cat Litter (more expensive) but does thr trick. I purchased several books from a flea market that were a bit musty and came from a smoke filled home. You just put the contents into a plastic bin with the cover. Put the books inside and after a few days, that musty and smoke smell is practically gone. Check it out. Thanks for the information on the ads.

Posted By: Frank J Andruss Sr | Posted on: Nov 21, 2011 - 4:40pm
Total Posts: 3497 | Joined: Oct 9, 2006 - 6:09am