Warren magazines are not comic books, and that's official, because
that's how the publisher circumnavigated the Comics Code Authority
restrictions at the time and was able to produce a series of highly
influential and adult themed comic strips. The most famous is probably
Vampirella, whose titular character (there's a pun in there) has
outlasted the demise of the Warren Magazine business, which was at
its height in the 1970s.
Creepy magazine ran for 145 issues and featured a wide range of horror
themed stories. Its 87th issue was a "Planet Mars Special" and featured
a cover which included an excellent depiction of a Martian Tripod and
Martians. Alas those expecting a War of the Worlds comic strip inside
would be disappointed. The closest it comes is a rather strained parody
of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars. Original stories The 'Orrible
Passions and The Last have a flavour reminiscent of Bradbury's Martian
Chronicles. The Last, telling of a human built robot and a Martian eking
out their days as the only "living" things remaining on Mars could
fit right in.
The rest of the issue is of variable quality, and most certainly the
gratuitous nature of the nudity does nothing to enhance or advance the
stories. I am basing this opinion on a single issue, but if it is
representative of the whole, then the veneer of sophistication in
the art and stories only thinly disguises the truth that these
magazines were primarily in the business of catering to pubescent
teenage boys. Personally, I find the adverts of most interest, a
huge variety of pre internet science fiction memorabilia and old
Super 8 films, largely of the B movie variety, makes for fascinating browsing.
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