Time Tunnel Comics

One would think that a series about time travel might take more time on the comic book racks, but the Time Tunnel only lasted for two issues back in the 1960s.  

But, they and the series they were based on deserve a little love here.

Irwin Allen's time travel epic, the Time Tunnel, airing from September 9, 1966 to April 7, 1967 (with 30 episodes), featuring the bold adventure of the United States experiments in time, with a secret base in 1968 Arizona, where with scientists Tony Newman and Doug Phillips being lost in time, transitioning from era to era, all under the watchful eyes of the Project Tic-Toc base of Lt. General Heywood Kirk, Dr. Raymond Swain and Dr. Ann McGregor.

As this was going on, Gold Key released two comic books based on the series, both with multiple stories per issue, featuring Tony and Doug having more adventures, with painted covers by George Wilson, and interior stories by Paul S. Newman and art by Tom Gill.

Time Tunnel #1 (February, 1967)

The first issue, with three stories, have Tony and Doug trying to prevent Lincoln's assassination in "The Assassins", "The Lion Or The Volcano?" which find the duo dealing with the Vesuvius eruption in Pompeii, and "Mars Countdown", wherein the scientists are trapped on a rocket headed for Mars.

All stories that echo episodes of the series, but that are slightly different....still, a pretty impressive cover, even if the logo was a little generic!

Time Tunnel #2 (July, 1967)

The second issue, featuring two stories, expands the plot a little, as Tony and Doug end up in the future, dealing with time traveler there who were planning to go back in time to help the Nazis win World War II by interfering with D-Day (though they didn't meet Sgt. Rock or Fury), and then, in "The Captives", they end up in between a battle between General Custer and the Indians.

A little more for Tony and Doug to do, but, sadly, the comic, not unlike the TV series that inspired it, was doomed to too short a season, with readers still wondering if Tony and Doug got home.

Both of these stories were collected in the Hermes Press tradepaperback in 2009 (where they got the TV logo on it), along with articles about the series in general, and the pin ups of stars James Darren and Robert Colbert (Tony and Doug).

Remembering D-Day

Saluting the troops who stormed the beaches on D-Day (June 6, 1944), with this cover to Combat #11 (January-March, 1964) by Dell Comics.  

The cover was painted, and has a story on the the Normandy Invasion by Paul S. Newman and Sam Glanzman.  The issue also includes a biography page on General Omar Bradley's battles of World War II.

Sgt. Rock on D-Day 2

With Sgt. Rock #339 (April, 1980), Sgt. Rock proves "I Was Here Before", relating the tale (told by Robert Kanigher and Frank Redondo, under a Joe Kubert cover) of how Rock left Easy Company for a bit, working with British and Canadian commandos to storm the beaches of Normandy a year before June 6th, 1944.

Sgt. Rock On D-Day

Among other tales, Joe Kubert came back to Sgt. Rock briefly, working with writer Paul Levitz to tell the story of what Sgt. Rock was doing on D-Day in the story of "Farewell", as a teenager and his father retrace the steps of the boy's granddad on that day of June 6th, 1944 in Joe Kubert Presents #5 (April, 2013).

Remembering D-Day

Remembering the real heroes of D-Day (June 6, 1944) as the Allies invaded Normandy in World War II.

Here, the fictional hero Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos cover the duty in Sgt. Fury and his Howling Commandos Annual #2 from June, 1966, in a cover by Dick Ayers and Jack Kirby, and story by Roy Thomas, with pencils by Dick Ayers, Jack Kirby and Marie Severin.

Both Jack Kirby and Dick Ayers were veterans of World War II, Kirby having been in the U.S. Army (and landing on Omaha Beach in Normandy, though about 2 and a half months later), and Ayers serving in the Army Air Corps.

Sadly, neither artist is with us now, Jack having passed on February 6, 1994, and Dick on May 4th, 2014 (and, thankfully, Roy and Marie are still with us!).

Their work shall live on!