Thrill-O-Rama Monday #3--Pirana!!

After languishing in limbo for a full year, Harvey Comics line of "non-kiddie" comics, "Harvey Thrillers," made sudden return in the fall of 1966.

Why? No doubt the success of former partner Jack Kirby's work at Marvel inspired Joe Simon to try again in the genre. And, of course, the nation's descent into Batmania from the television show convinced Harvey that the iron was hot. So...

Oh, of all the heroes to try and rip off, we've got to do the lame underwater ones?

Still, the logo is pretty cool:

There are enough alternate spellings out there that I think we can cut them a break, right? Because that's a cool logo.

Ah, and the cover copy...let's try to combine Stan's successful hucksterism and Batman '66's camp. The result?

Oh, dear.

There was a second issue...

Yes, he had pet barracudas named..Bara and Cuda. Yes, he fought some guy called The Human Anchor.

Well, for two months, at least, there was a hero lamer than either Aquaman or Namor...

Despite the pedigree--most of the stories were by Otto Binder and Jack Sparling, there was a back-up Clawfang The Barbarian story by Wally Wood and Al Williamson--Pirana and Thrill-O-Rama sank to the briny depths after issue #3, setting the model that Atlas would follow a decade later.

Oh, but there was more to Harvey Thriller...stay tuned...