MIDDLE-AGE DRUG SLAVES

Born Salvatore Albert Lombino (October 15, 1926 – July 6, 2005) in East Harlem, New York City, the author known as Evan Hunter used yet another pen name, Ed McBain, to write his best-selling crime novels, many of them touchstones for the police procedural sub-genre. It was no surprise then, when NBC picked up his 87th PRECINCT books for a TV series. Thirty episodes were produced and aired for one season from September 25, 1961 – April 30, 1962.

After having published an earlier issue of an 87th PRECINCT adaptation dated April-June 1962), Dell published a second issue with a July-September 1962 cover date. Even though the first issue featured art by ex-EC artist Bernie Krigstein, the second issue is more notable for its realistic (at the time) treatment of the drug trade and the addicts that were suffering (and dying) from it.

A scene from 87th Precinct (Dell Comics), art by Ed Ashe.

The cast was identified on the cover by their character names on the show rather than their real names, uncommon for TV/movie titles such as this. Robert Lansing plays Det. Steve Carella, best known for his role in another TV series, the war drama 12 O'CLOCK HIGH. Norman Fell is Det. Meyer Meyer, and is most recognizable in his role as Mr. Roper on the sitcom THREE'S COMPANY. Gregory Walcott plays Det. Roger Havilland and if he looks familiar to fans of Ed Wood, he played the lead in PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. Det. Bert Kling is played by Ron Harper, who would later appear in the PLANET OF THE APES and LAND OF THE LOST TV shows. The great actress Gena Rowlands played Det. Carella's wife in several episodes

It wasn't the first time that comics covered the emerging modern drug problem, including juvenile delinquency and wayward youth. Harvey Comics published the legendary and highly-collectible TEEN-AGE DOPE SLAVES "As Exposed by Rex Morgan, M.D." (COMICS LIBRARY #1, April 1952). Morgan was the main character in a soapy newspaper comic strip written by Dal Curtis (aka psychiatrist Dr. Nicholas P. Dallis) and drawn by Marvin Bradley, Frank Springer, et al. 

Cover art by Marvin Bradley and Frank Edgington.

Avon Comics published REFORM SCHOOL GIRL! (1951), a series of tough female delinquent stories based on THE HOUSE OF FURY, a 1950 novel by Felice Swados. It was reprinted numerous times, with one of the editions using the same photo cover as the comic book. Also of note was the play, WEST SIDE STORY (Music by Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics by Steven Sondheim) produced later in the 1950's, which glamorized youth gangs.

In the 87th PRECINCT comic, this time drugs were addressed as an adult issue and the underlying theme of whether or not drug use was best treated as a criminal offense or as a medical condition that could be treated without criminal penalties, including incarceration. The story was scripted by an unknown writer and illustrated by Ed Ashe.

An antiquated description of an addict, but the basic message hasn't changed.

In any event, this seemingly insignificant, one-off comic foreshadowed these exact same issues over 50 years later which are still being debated today, with any solutions unfortunately being overwhelmed by the incredibly wide use of more powerful and dangerous drugs, a quicker path to addiction and the associated alarming rate of fatality.