The obscure character Rebo from “Saturn Against Earth” published in the U.S. in Future Comics was eventually used in Donald Duck adventures.
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The short-lived and obscure title Future Comics may be one of the weirdest comic book series of the Golden Age — and that’s saying something. Best known for its covers that include a strange-looking science fiction character named Rebo wearing bizarre headgear, the story behind that imagery may be even stranger than the covers implies. David McKay Publications often licensed comic strip material to publish in comic book form (Future Comics also contained a collection of the Lone Ranger comic strip, interestingly enough), but in this case, the publisher licensed material from another country. The lead feature of Future Comics, Saturno contro la Terra (Saturn against the Earth) is the first comic book material from Italy to be translated and published in the United States. An obscure series with a fascinating origin, there’s a complete run of Future Comics #1-4 up for auction in this week’s 2023 January 8-9 Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122302 from Heritage Auctions.
Saturno contro la Terra was created by Cesare Zavatinni, Federico Pedrocchi and Giovanni Scolari, and published by Mondadori beginning in 1937 in I tre porcellini (The Three Little Pigs) which was later merged into Topolino (also the Italian name for Mickey Mouse), and in the title Paperino e altre adventure (Donald Duck and Other Adventures). All of these titles also featured Disney material. The main character of the saga is Rebo, the dictator of Saturn whose forces mount an invasion of Earth, creating an interplanetary war. The original Saturno contro la Terra continued through 1946, and interestingly the character Rebo was revived in 1960 and again in 1995 to take part in Disney comics Donald Duck adventures published in Italy.
Heritage Auctions is hosting their weekly comics auction on January 8th and 9th, 2023, including a complete set of Future Comics issues #1-4 in their Sunday & Monday Comic Books Select Auction #122302. These comics have a fascinating and obscure history.
Future Comics #1 (David McKay Publications, 1940) CGC Apparent FR/GD 1.5 Slight (C-1) Slightly brittle pages. Origin of the Phantom. Lone Ranger begins. CGC notes, “Restoration includes: Cover re-attached with small amount of glue. (Tape on cover.)” Overstreet 2022 GD 2.0 value = $309.
Affiliates of Bleeding Cool buy from and/or consign to Heritage Auctions.
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