Unknown Tales #2 (cover B) Now Available!

The Black Bat themed cover to this book was added to the Lucky Comics page above a couple of weeks ago when the book was first being promoted. That caused me to think I'd already mentioned it on the blog and therefore forget to announce its release. So...Here it is!

Lucky's issues are only eight pages long and this one features two four-page origin stories including, obviously, The Black Bat's.

This is the 1930s version of the character and as usual, Lou Mougin wrote the story and the art is by Lucky Comics regular contributor Eric Douthitt.

It's a fairly faithful origin with a couple of twists. 

Can't help but wonder what the future might bring for this series. We know that a current-day Bat book is coming. Will his origin be revealed in his own series or will it be featured in an issue of Unknown Tales down the road? Since the Black Bat character is popular for Lucky, I doubt it will be long until we find out.

Black Bat Tales #4 Available This Week!

Lucky Comics announced this morning that the fourth issue of their Black Bat Tales series would be available from Drive Thru Comics some time this week.

The $2 price tag is for the print version of the book. Digitally, they tend to be priced at all of $0.75.

If things are proceeding according to plan, I believe the character shooting at The Black Bat is actually Eliot Ness, who was introduced in an earlier issue of this same series. It seems the two are going to have a little rivalry.

The story is by Lou Mougin, the art by Brazilian Kaio Neves. Sample below.

And Still More Updates On Black Bat Projects From Lucky Comics

Only a few days after sharing posting news about upcoming Black Bat projects from Lucky Comics, additional update were posted on the publisher's own blog. I copy those below, with more than a little anticipation and giddiness.

Lou Mougin has ramped up his Black Bat scripting (to include) several 1932 adventures and has plans to continue his Eliot Ness/Black Bat trilogy as the two work through their tumultuous relationship.  

Lou has another Pulp Legends tales in mind as he continues to expands The Black Bat Golden Age Universe at Lucky Comics.

Publisher John  Michael Helmer has scripted three Black Bat stories: Black Bat vs. Houdini and Black Bat vs. the Pearl Thief are some of the notables. He's also produced "Fantom Face #1" and the "Masked Angel #1" which occur in the Black Bat universe of the 1930's.  

Look for a team-up book consisting of Black Bat, Miss Fury, Masked Angel and Fantom Face in the spring of 2018.

Lots to look forward to there. Miss Fury used to be a co-star on this blog but got bumped when her material dried up and, frankly, I became more interested in The Black Bat both past and current.  She's not new to Lucky Comics though. She appeared in an issue of Girl Commandos.

Fantom Face and Masked Angel, to the best of my knowledge, are new characters or based on public domain character but renamed. My guess is the former. Either way, the notion of a Black Bat "universe" with a set continuity, recurring villains and fellow crime fighters is welcomed.

Pulp Legends #1: The Black Bat

This short story had been in production for some time. I was nearing the point of wondering if it would ever be released and then it appeared out of nowhere last night.

Lucky Comics begins its PROSE series with old fashioned, high action pulp stories! 

This issue: The Black Bat strikes terror in a mobster who has information on the murder of a policeman!

The next issue is already scheduled to feature Secret Agent X but since The (Black) Bat is a key member of the Lucky Comics roster, a traditional version appearing in Black Bat Tales and a modern take guest-starring in Beetle Girl and Dixie Squad, let's not be surprised if he shows up in this series again down the road.

Edit: Black Bat Tales #3 was released on October 3rd and appears to include the same content.

 

IN THIS ISSUE: The Bat has captured a murderer whose evaded the long arm of the law and uses a most unusual technique to interrogate him--a deadly black widow spider!

Coming Later This Month: Black Bat Tales #2!

The first issue of Black Bat Tales from Lucky Comics came out late last summer and the second is now close enough to release that the publisher is comfortable with promoting it on social media.

The original plan was for this issue to feature a short story (prose) by Lou Mougin. That has since changed and we are getting another comics story while Mougin's tale is being saved for a book called Pulp Legends. Presumably we are getting the 1930s version as opposed to the current-day Bat character that guest-starred in Lucky's Beetle Girl title recently.

Speaking of Beetle Girl, some time back Lucky Comics announced a book called Girl Commandos which would team that character with Flame Girl and Miss Fury. That book should come out at around the same time as BBT2 and its cover was recently revealed as well. Looks sharp.

The Black Bat's appearance in Beetle Girl was drawn by one Saulo Silva. I stumbled into Mr. Silva's Facebook page this weekend and found the sketch below which teams The Bat and Beetle Girl with, I believe, a Brazilian superhero.

At first glance, I couldn't help but wonder if Lucky hadn't created its own "trinity" to match DC's Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman team. I guess we'll find out before too long if Lucky Comics has something along those lines brewing.

Digital and print versions of the Lucky line of comics are available from Indyplanet.

Coming Up Next From Lucky Comics...

Lucky Comics took us by surprise last month when they announced their Black Bat Tales series. The first issue, an 8-page comic book, was released a few days later and they then announced plan for the second issue on their blog.

Lucky Comics marches on with their new take on the old Bat! A prose story 2,300 words by legend Lou Mougin.

Who are you calling old? ;-)

Lucky gave us a look at a work-in-progress version of the cover as well, by Eric Douthitt.

Mougin has worked for Marvel (Avengers Spotlight, Inhumans) and Eclipse Comics (Icicle, Sparkplug, Champions) in the past and is currently writing the Flare book for Heroic Publishing.

In prose format, Mougin recently contributed a story called The Big Download for the Legends Of New Pulp Fiction anthology.