Vengeance Squad #1
Published and © by Charlton, July 1975
Title: “Tycoon for the Taking”
Synopsis: A team of heroes for hire led by former Treasury agent Eric Redd rescue their wealthy, new next-door neighbors.
Writer: Uncredited
Artist: Frank Bolle
Review: This series screams “BAD ’70s TV TIE-IN!” Surprisingly, it turns out to be an original Charlton property. It’s uncertain who wrote this debut issue, with no credits listed and no documented consensus on the Internet. The concept is OK and the story just so-so, but the art isn’t half bad.
•••
Title: “The Inheritance”
Synopsis: A woman supposedly in line for $50,000 inherits a storm of bullets instead – much to the chagrin of Mike Mauser.
Writer: Nicola Cuti
Artist: Joe Staton
Review: Nicola Cuti’s script is more hardboiled than expected, and it’s well served by Joe Staton’s cartoony-but-gritty art.
Grade (for the entire issue): B
Second opinion: “The book is only interesting for its backup feature.” – David W. Cutler, FantaCo’s Chronicle’s Series Annual #1, 1983 … “Any of the six issues are worth searching out for the Mauser stories alone.” – The Slings & Arrows Comic Guide (second edition)
Cool factor: Love that Mike Mauser backup story.
Not-so-cool factor: There is toilet paper with better print-production quality than 1970s Charlton comics.
Notable: First appearance of Vengeance Squad.
Character quotable: “I’m not exactly helpless. In certain situations, I’m deadlier than you!” – Candy Orr, Vengeance Squad agen
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Comics Bronze Age on Feb. 18, 2010.
