Born on this day in 1894, so you just know he's out of touch: Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev, head of Communist Russia, shoe-banger, subject of a song by Elton John!
from "This Godless Communism" in Treasure Chest of Fact and Fun v.17 #16/322 (Pflaum, April 12, 1962), creators unknown
#1 Commie Menace for 11 years running, Khrushchev made a heck of a lot of comic book appearances, second only to Wolverine. Let's take a four-color look at Khrushchev in Khromics!
from "Sub-Mariner Versus the Human Race!" in Fantastic Four Annual (1963 series) #1 (Marvel, September 1963), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Artie Simek
This Leader of the Red Menace was an early foe of Marvel heroes fighting against the nasty communism, especially Iron Man! (No, not that Dr. Strange.)
from "The Stronghold of Dr. Strange!" in Tales of Suspense #41 (Marvel, May 1963), plot by Stan Lee, script by Robert Bernstein, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg (?), letters by Marty Epp
Khrushchev here is suitably wary of the Crimson Dynamo, mainly because Khrushchev predicted that Paul McCartney would write a song about him.
from "Iron Man Faces the Crimson Dynamo!" in Tales of Suspense #46 (Marvel, October 1963), plot by Stan Lee, script by Robert Bernstein, pencils and inks by Don Heck, letters by Artie Simek
On his birthday, no less, Khrushchev asserts his hatred of dogs!
from "Log of the Snorkel Wolf Pack" in Atomic War! #3 (Ace, February 1953), pencils and inks by Sol Brodsky (?), with Keuffel & Esser Leroy lettering
He even menaced teams long before his heyday, like WWII's All-Star Squadron! Huh?!? How'd that work?
from All-Star Squadron #14 (DC, October 1982), script by Roy Thomas, pencils by Adrian Gonzales, inks by Jerry Ordway, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Ben Oda
Well, it worked about as well as having him fight the Justice League of 1982 in the second part of this story. I suspect time travel, or hypnotism, or Roy Thomas were involved.
from "The Bomb-Blast Heard 'Round the World!" in Justice League of America (1960 series) #208 (DC, November 1982), script by Gerry Conway, plot consultations by Roy Thomas, pencils by Don Heck, inks by Sal Trapani, colors by Carl Gafford, letters by Phil Felix
Not that contemporary comics didn't target that wily, corpulent Russian. Here's a two-page spread from Dell's attempt at imitating MAD magazine, Yak Yak! Sadly, it wasn't a success: not enough yaks buying comic books.
"A Yak Yak Prediction" in Four Color #1348 [Yak Yak] (Dell, March 1962), script and art by Jack Davis
But give the wily Khrushchev a little bit of credit: he alone behind the Iron Curtain knew that you don't trust Dr. Doom. That's why he's on top, comrades!
from Fantastic Four (1961 series) #17 (Marvel, August 1963), script by Stan Lee, pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Dick Ayers, colors by Stan Goldberg, letters by Artie Simek
Man, Kirby loved to draw Khrushchev, didn't he?
from Spirit World #1 one-shot (DC, Fall 1971), script and pencils by Jack Kirby, inks by Vince Colletta, letters by John Costanza
Even those who followed in Kirby's footsteps loved to draw Khrushchev!
from Kamandi, the Last Boy on Earth #49 (DC, February 1977), script by Elliot S! Maggin, pencils by Dick Ayers, inks by Ernie Chan and Alfredo Alcala, letters by Ben Oda
Of course, Khrushchev had a lot of connections. Here, he's clearly an admirer of a First Family-style record comedian who bedevils Lois Lane.
from "The 'Superman-Lois' Hit Record!" from Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane (1958 series) #45 (DC, November 1963), script by Jerry Siegel, pencils by Curt Swan, inks by George Klein, inks on Lois Lane heads by Kurt Schaffenberger
And of course he knows Herbie. Everybody knows and respects Herbie. Or else.
from "Herbie and the Dragon's Tears!" in Herbie #1 (ACG, April 1964), script by Richard Hughes as Shane O'Shea, pencils and inks by Ogden Whitney, letters by Ed Hamilton
Here, he's clearly upset at the political change in the balance of power by the public debut of Supergirl. Aw, go bang a shoe about it, Nikita.
from "The World's Greatest Heroine!" in Action Comics #285 (DC, February 1962), script by Jerry Siegel, pencils by Jim Mooney
An early comic by R. Crumb spotlights that rare vehicle whose Hot Wheels repro goes for up to $6,000 on eBay, the Khrushchevmobile!
"Khrushchev Visits U.S.!!" from Foo #3 (Crumb, November 1958); script, art, and letters by Robert Crumb
Not many people know that Khrushchev once attempted to blow up the peaceful planet Karonia. That nogoodnik! (You may remember these panels from March 16! Bonus: completely different alt-text for these same panels over there!)
from "Return to Karonia!" in Adventures into the Unknown #122 (ACG, December 1961), script by Richard Hughes as Shane O'Shea, pencils and inks by Ogden Whitney
Well, it's a good thing he didn't blow up those quiet, peace-loving aliens and oh what the heck, aliens?!?
Ten issues later, Khrushchev waged war against the leprechauns, who I presume did not support Hitler. Except those evil leprechauns.
from "Why the Leprechauns Left Ireland!" in Adventures into the Unknown #132 (ACG, April 1962), script by Richard Hughes as Shane O'Shea, pencils and inks by Ogden Whitney, letters by Ed Hamilton
Yes, Nikita Khrushchev has been in a whole long boxes fulla comics, including the ones that put an mature spin on (checks notes) Hanna-Barbera cartoon animals.
from Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles #5 (DC, July 2018), script by Mark Russell, pencils by Mike Feehan, inks by Sean Parsons and Jose Marzan Jr., colors by Paul Mounts, letters by Dave Sharpe
Here is is spying through a window at Richard Burton cheating on Liz with Claire Bloom, along with Lenin and a couple other spies.
from "The Spy That Came in for the Gold" in MAD #105 (September 1966), script by Arnie Kogen, pencils and inks by Mort Drucker
Hey look, Khrushchev invented the Chicken of Tomorrow!
from Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles #6 (DC, August 2018), script by Mark Russell, pencils by Mike Feehan, inks by Sean Parsons, colors by Paul Mounts, letters by Dave Sharps
Rubbery science fictiony Khrushchev!
from The Manhattan Projects #22-23 (Image, July-August 2014), script by Jonathan Hickman, pencils and inks by Nick Pitarram, colors by Jordie Bellaire, letters by Rus Wooton
Khrushchev: now available to appear at your wedding, bar mitzvah, or other party event!
from "Yanka" in Womanthology: Space #2 (IDW, October 2012); script by Blair Butler; pencils, inks, and colors by Alicia Fernandez; letters by Rachel Deering
So what do you think of Nikita Khrushchev, official comic book of the Roman Catholic Church?:
from "This Godless Communism" in Treasure Chest of Fact and Fun v.17 #16/322 (Pflaum, April 12, 1962), creators unknown
So…"happy birthday," I guess, Khrushchev, ya crazy, mass-murdering nutball, you! Roast in hell, m'kay?
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQenrY-T9_-EUVG2XBTW-ZiSnvw_V3JFU-8tiFlhrdgKCUBaE56ekbiILucymY9gA-xa4zdGy_z1Njojw78Z-YnlUiN4PIRRurK7GzqoEg3B-PmXl2RJaS1ZaVKVCEHP-m-WVr2xjqailLu1jlzylysiBGc3sVXLXNMFDzAURyrHhKBfcqyO4/s1600/button-libertybellmarch.jpg" "It's...")
2 comments:
Hey, Bully: There's another panel repeated by accident in the image space for Mad #105. (Maybe hackers are to blame. "In Russia, Google searches you!")
Fixed, Blam!, and thank for your eagle eye. (Give it back to the eagle!)
Personally, I blame the Usual Gang of Idiots, but you've given me the perfect time to include what wouldn't fit into the post: that You ain't nobody 'til you've been drawn by Mort Drucker! It's the Second Law of Comics Oughta be Fun!
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