Sunday, July 12, 2020
Lots of New Content
Friday, August 12, 2016
Young Romance #175
We begin with "The Wall Between Us" drawn by Artie Saaf and Vince Colletta. A social worker becomes infatuated with one of her out-of-work clients.
Next up is "Man's View" by Robert Kanigher and John Romita and reprinted from Girls' Love Stories #92 (1963). Jim has a girl in every port and doesn't want to get tied down, but when he meets Nina he can't get her out of his mind. Reprinted in Heart Throbs: The Best of DC Romance Comics HC (1979) and Heart Throbs: The Best of DC Romance Comics SC (1979).
That leads us to "A Girl Without Love" drawn by Artie Saaf and Vince Colletta. Gloria's family is affluent and her parents force her to go out with wealthy escorts, but she finds them boring. Then she meets a musician who works in a gas station to make ends meet.
Next, we have "My Summer Romance" drawn by Gil Kane and Bernard Sachs and reprinted from Secret Hearts #25 (1954). Vivian returns to Lighthouse Island to reminisce about a summer romance that had ended badly.
We end with "The Love Game" drawn by John Rosenberger and reprinted from Young Love #42 (1964). Phyllis' glamorous older sister teaches her that all fellows should be treated coldly and ruthlessly to avoid getting hurt by them.
Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.
Superman #243
We begin with "The Starry-Eyed Siren of Space" by Cary Bates, Curt Swan, and Murphy Anderson. A female alien intelligence creates a body for herself and is endangered by menaces of her own subconscious creation. Her mate asks Superman to help save her, and then, when she falls for Superman, builds a duplicate Superman body for himself, and attacks him. Eventually, the misunderstanding is cleared and Superman is able to return to Earth via the Timestream. Reprinted in Best of DC #12 (1981).
Next is a World of Krypton tale, "The Death-Trails of Krypton" by Cary Bates, Bob Brown, and Murphy Anderson. 2000 years ago, a Kryptonian chemo-engineer named Dol-Nd discovered that he could create flying wings for himself by using a crystalline element he named Trolium, after Trolius, the mythological lord of Krypton's red skies. However, the Trolium created permanent green death-trails in the sky after his flight, which disintegrated any object that flew into them. After defeating a criminal who tried to steal the wings, Dol-Nd destroyed his invention, but the death trails remained in the sky until Krypton's destruction. Reprinted in Best of DC #40 (1983).
Our reprint is "The Battle of the Atoms" by Don Cameron, Sam Citron, and George Roussos and reprinted from Superman #38 (1946). Clark and Lois follow up on a tip outside of Metropolis. They discover rocks, trees, and metal bent into odd shapes as if melted. Lois is attacked by three men, but Superman fights them off. The reporters then return to the Daily Planet to file stories.
At the office, the Daily Planet building begins melting as well. Luthor is behind the attack using a newly developed molecular impulsion beam. Superman repairs the building, then stops Luthor's henchmen from robbing a bank.
Superman then pursues Luthor. Luthor's weapon temporarily knocks Superman from the sky, but he is revived by a local power plant. Superman then apprehends Luthor, who tries in vain to kill Superman using a miniature atomic bomb.
Edited by Julius Schwartz.
New Gods #5
We begin with "Spawn" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Mike Royer. Orion is captured by Slig of the Deep Six, but manages to break free and kills Slig in battle. Meanwhile, Sgt. "Terrible" Turpin of the Metropolis police force starts investigating the mystery of Inter-Gang's actions in the city and Kalibak arrives on Earth looking for Orion. Reprinted in New Gods #3 (1984), Jack Kirby's New Gods TPB (1998), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 TPB (2012), and New Gods by Jack Kirby TPB (2018).
Our first backup is Manhunter in "Scavenger Hunt" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Joe Simon and reprinted from Adventure Comics #74 (1942). While attending a costume party, Paul Kirk interrupts a dispute between two guests, Henry and Big Droop. Kirk suggests settling the dispute by competing in a scavenger hunt. Then as the Manhunter, Kirk assists Henry in tracking down and capturing Crusher Burns, a wanted felon, that is Henry’s target for the hunt. As a result, Henry successfully completes his mission and wins a date with Patty, another party guest.
We end with "Introducing Fastbak" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta. Fastbak, a young god of New Genesis, is surpassed in speed only by Lightray, but his races are usually cut short for singing practice. Reprinted in Jack Kirby's New Gods TPB (1998), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 TPB (2012), and Black Racer and Shilo Norman Special #1 (2017).
edited by Jack Kirby.
Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Witching Hour #17
We begin with a framing sequence drawn by Geroge Tuska. The witches move into a new house in the city. At first, they miss their old house, but the smog and view of the polluted river raise their spirits, inspiring them to tell stories.
Our first tale is "This Little Witch Went to College" by George Kashdan and Don Heck. When a college coed goes missing, the campus coven attempts to get a new initiate, Claire, to stop Frederick Stokes from investigating a death that will lead him straight to the witches.
Next up is "Fingers of Fear" by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Sensation Comics #109 (1952). Albert Tisdale kills the other members of his expedition, but then their faces begin to appear on his fingers and try to take their revenge.
Our next reprint is "The Second Life of Simon Steele" drawn by Howard Sherman and reprinted from House of Secrets #46 (1961). The ghost of a lawyer who relied on sorcery returns after 150 years to take revenge on the descendant of the person who stopped him originally.
That takes us to "The Corpse Who Carried Cash" by Murray Boltinoff, John Calnan, and Vince Colletta. A funeral home employee embezzles from his boss and decides to hide the money in the casket of a recently dead person overnight. He realizes the error of his ways when his boss informs him the following morning that the man had been cremated.
We end with "The Man in the Cellar" by Carl Wessler and Jerry Grandenetti. Miser Ephraim Dark meets a kind stranger through a mirror that he keeps in his cellar. The stranger pulls Ephraim through the mirror and offers him a meal but Ephraim can only think he's being spied on so the stranger can steal his money. When Ephraim notices a painting ajar, he knows that he's located the man's safe. He steals the money and flees back through the mirror, but he panics that they might be able to follow him through the mirror so he burns the money.
Still not satisfied that he is safe, he breaks the mirror. When he checks his own money hiding place he is shocked to discover his money is gone. The face of the stranger appears and Ephraim realizes the stranger is himself living another life if he had not been a miser. Ephraim realizes that the money he stole and destroyed was his own.
All new material reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Witching Hour Vol. 1 TPB (2011).
Edited by Murray Boltinoff.
G.I. Combat #150
We begin with "The Death of the Haunted Tank" by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath. Reprinted in G.I. Combat #169 (1974) and Showcase Presents: Haunted Tank Vol. 2 TPB (2008).
Next up is "The Two-Legged Mine" by Bob Haney and Russ Heath and reprinted from All American Men of War #66 (1959).
That brings us to the U.S.S. Stevens in "Hip Shot" by Sam Glanzman. "Wild Bill" Rogers, a simple deck-hand, jumps into action firing a spread of torpedoes that saves the U.S.S. Stevens from a Japanese warship.Reprinted in U.S.S. Stevens: The Collected Stories (2016).
We end with Sgt. Rock in "Ice Cream Soldier" by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Our Army at War #85 (1959). Phil Mason, a new replacement, joins Easy Company. Phil is just a kid and has no combat experience. When he melts under pressure, the other members of Easy name him the Ice Cream Soldier.
Easy falls under fire. Phil freezes up forcing Sgt. Rock to protect him. Rock is wounded by enemy fire. Phil blames himself for the incident. The rest of Easy continues to tease Phil, calling him Ice Cream Soldier.
Rock reassigns Phil to be the bazookaman's assistant. When tanks attack Easy during a snowstorm, Phil is cut off from the others. Despite a severe case of frostbite, Phil takes out the tanks with the bazooka. Phil survives the experience, keeping the Ice Cream Soldier nickname.
Edited by Joe Kubert.
Brave & the Bold #98
We begin with a signpost for the future in "Mansion of the Misbegotten" featuring Batman and the Phantom Stranger by Bob Haney and Jim Aparo. This is Aparo's first Brave and Bold and though he does not draw the next issue, with #100 he becomes the defacto B&B artist. This is one of my favorite Aparo styles and I was so happy to see Jim get a prestigious book like B&B. When Batman goes to visit his old friend Roger Birnam, who is dying, he promises to watch over Birnam's wife Clorinda, and his son Enoch. After the funeral, when a man who posed as Birnam's doctor and as a religious articles salesman turns out at the Gotham morgue, a victim of ritual murder, Batman rushes to Birnam Towers to check on Birnam's family.
Batman soon finds himself caught in a Satanic cult ritual, with the little Enoch as the leader. Batman is easily captured, but he is saved by the arrival of the Phantom Stranger. Together, Batman and Phantom Stranger try to find a way to stop the cultists, but Batman is captured and offered as a sacrifice to Enoch, the warlock leader of the cult.
During the ritual, Lucifer appears and takes Batman away, claiming his soul as the ultimate prize. However, it was all a charade staged by the Phantom Stranger to save Batman, and once again, they start working to bring down the evil worshippers. Taking Enoch and bringing him to a psychiatric ward, Batman is shocked to find the boy has no knowledge of the occult and deduces that the Birnams had two children, not just one.
Returning to the Birnam residence, Batman is forced to battle Clorinda and the evil Enoch with the help of the Phantom Stranger. However, the appearance of Roger's ghost scares Clorinda so badly she falls over the railing of a stairwell to her death along with her evil son, Enoch. Afterward, the Phantom Stranger moves away to find the next mystery and Batman makes a promise to take care of Roger's good son, Roger, Jr. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 2 TPB (2008), Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger Vol. 2 TPB (2008), Legends of the Dark Knight: Jim Aparo Vol. 1 HC (2012), Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2017), and Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Vol. 2 TPB (2019)
Our first reprint is the Phantom Stranger in "The Killer Shadow" by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Phantom Stranger #2 (1952). Heiress Myra Hunter attends a party thrown by her uncle John. During the party which celebrates the construction of his new summer house, John performs a ritual to capture Myra's shadow. Later, Myra really believes her shadow was taken. The Phantom Stranger then appears to show Myra that it was only a series of tricks that led her to be missing a shadow. He then proves that she still has one.
Myra then attends another party where it seems her shadow has been removed. The Phantom Stranger returns and exposes the tricks. Myra's uncle is responsible. He hoped to drive Myra mad or kill her in order to steal her fortune.
We end with the Challengers of the Unknown in "One Challenger Must Die" by Arnold Drake and Bob Brown and reprinted from Challengers of the Unknown #32 (1963). The Volcano Men are appearing on an island, multiplying by splitting, growing large by merging. The Challengers can't agree on an attack. Ace wants to use LOX, Professor Haley CO2 foam. The team splits to pursue their own methods, but both sides fear "one Challenger might die". Separate attacks fail, and the boys stop Rocky from making a suicidal rush. Finally, they work together. Ace Morgan's LOX cools the Professor, who wields super-CO2. Smothered, the Volcano Man crumbles to ash. The Challengers agree to work together from now on.
Edited by Murray Boltinoff.
Binky #81
We begin this issue of the doomed with Binky in "A Hairy Business" by who the hell knows? Angel P66 helps Binky get even with Sherwood.
Next is "Binky's Secret Admirer" by Ida No and reprinted from Binky's Buddies #6 (1969). At summer camp, Eloise tries to get Binky's attention.
That is followed by Li'l Leroy in "The Problem Child" by eh? Leroy gets in charge of his entire class.
That brings us to Benny in "Tell Me No Lies" by Sum Won. Benny goes to visit Sherwood in the hospital.
We now get to six 1/3 page untitled Cross-Eyed Pussycat gags by Henry Scarpelli.
We end with Benny in "Monkey Business" John Albano, Winslow Mortimer, and Henry Scarpelli and reprinted from Binky's Buddies #9 (1970). By mistake, Benny babysits a monkey.
Edited by Joe Orlando.
Friday, August 5, 2016
World's Finest Comics #206
We begin with "The Secret of the Captive Caveman" by Bill Finger and Jim Mooney and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #138 (1963). Batman and Robin attempt to capture an alien being spotted in Gotham City. When the alien realizes his Z-Beam weapon doesn't affect humans he rushes to the Gotham Library to learn why. There Batman and Robin overhear the alien tell its superiors that their weapons cannot affect modern man. Before the two heroes can capture the alien he swallows a pill and dies and his comrades in a ship outside breach the time barrier to escape.
Seeing a history book opened to the time of pre-historic man, Batman and Robin deduce that the aliens have traveled back in time to try and conquer the human race in the past. Calling Clark Kent at the Daily Planet to tell them of this plot, Clark tells them that he will meet them in the past. Batman and Robin then use Carter Nichols' time machine to travel to the stone age in the hopes of thwarting the alien invasion of the past.
They all arrive in the past before the aliens do and after saving a tribe of cavemen from a sabretooth tiger, Batman, Robin and Superman disguise themselves as cavemen and wait for the aliens to arrive. When the aliens arrive their Z-Rays work at making the early humans their slaves. The three heroes pretend to be enslaved as well so that they can learn of the alien plot. They have the cavemen mine for a rare metal called Drakkium, an ore that -- unrefined -- is harmful to the aliens. The aliens intend to use the unrefined ore to take over the leadership of their race and then refine the ore, which ironically is deadly to humans, and use it to wipe humanity off the face of the Earth and take over the planet.
Batman, Robin, and Superman then free the cavemen and stage a revolt against the alien would-be dictatorship by incapacitating them with chunks of unrefined Drakkium The alien force unconscious, Superman, Batman and Robin then turn the insurgent force over to the alien authorities and launch the remaining unrefined Drakkium ore into space with an alien ship. With the threat over, Batman, Robin, and Superman return to the present.
Next up is "The Creature That Was Exchanged for Superman" by Jerry Coleman, Dick Sprang, and Sheldon Moldoff and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #118 (1961). While on a charity drive for the Heart Fund, Batman, Robin and Superman spot a strange energy beam outside the city and decide to go and investigate. Superman is teleported away and replaced by some strange creature. Concerned about this creature's sudden arrival, Batman and Robin attempt to rope it up, but it breaks free and begins to tunnel into the ground. Batman, spotting a boulder at the top of the hill it's boring into, comes up with an idea of how to attack the creature.
Meanwhile, Superman finds himself transported to the planet Xeron by an alien named Vathgar. Vathgar explains that he transported the creature to Earth, but one drawback to the device was that the transported creature has to swap places with something at its destination. Not wanting Superman, the aliens attack him but he is impervious to their weapons. However, when he uses his heat vision he finds that it freezes things instead of melting them, and his flying powers are wonky and Vathgar manages to get away.
Flying to a nearby city, Superman sees a runaway vehicle and attempts to stop it by using his super-breath only to find that he has flame breath instead. When the people of Xeron attack him, Superman convinces them to stop to compare notes. He learns that Vathgar is a criminal on this world and that he had captured two Skrans, and the inter-temporal transport device for some unknown purpose. Superman agrees to track down Vathgar to learn his purpose.
While back on Earth, the Skran sent there comes out of its tunnel and no matter what Batman and Robin attempt to do to stop it, some impenetrable force keeps them from stopping the creature. While back on Xeron, Superman tracks down Vathgar and learns that he sent the Skran to Earth because there is an element there that is rare on Xeron that makes the Skran invincible and he intended to use the creatures to overthrow the government and take over his world. Superman is forced to battle the Skran that Vathgar has and realizes that extreme cold renders the creature harmless when he uses his freeze vision on the creature.
Back on Earth, the military fires all their artillery at the Skarn there causing it to split in two. One of the creatures passes through the returning teleportation beam, returning Superman to Earth as well. Superman flies off and comes back with a large chunk of ice to drop on the Skarn to render it harmless. With the beast quelled, the heroes bring it off to the Gotham Zoo to resume the remainder of its docile life.
That brings us to "Riddle of the Four Planets" by Jerry Coleman and Jim Mooney and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #130 (1962). An alien starfish creature lands near Wayne Manor and Batman and Robin go to investigate the creature. An alien ship lands and the aliens explain that the creature is a Zelaphod which they accidentally unleashed. They also explain that the creature grows in strength and size and gains the ability to fire explosive bursts of energy by sapping minerals deep below the surface of a planet and is seemingly indestructible. When Superman arrives, they find that the creature proves impervious to Superman's strength and x-ray vision. The alien tells them of an old poem that itemizes ingredients to a chemical compound that can help them defeat the monster.
Telling them the title of the poem -- Sauk -- contains the first letters in the names of different planets that supposedly have the key ingredients. With this information, they alert Commissioner Gordon of the creature and fly off to the various worlds to collect the ingredients they need.
Superman travels to the planet Sinzar to find "sand from the beach of a waterless sea", and upon freeing a trapped archeologist finds exactly what the poem is talking about: a dried-out beach in front of an ancient city buried underground. On Antella, Superman seeks out "moss from a barking tree", which he finds on that worlds "forbidden forest" region after destroying hallucination inducing plants and finding that the poem verse is not quite literal: He finds the moss in a tree that is defended by a small dog-like creature.
While elsewhere in the universe Batman and Robin arrive with the traveling band of aliens to the planet Unxor. There they agree to put on an acrobatics show when the alien cast comes down with space measles. After putting on the show, the aliens gladly tell them where to find "Ears that hear the music of the morning knell" which turn out to be ear-shaped plants that are around giant singing boulders. When traveling to the planet Karos to collect a "tuft of hair from the mystic Krell" they have to battle a giant reptilian creature - a Krell. Although they are overpowered Superman arrives and lends them a helping hand by taking a tuft of hair from the creature. In the aftermath of the battle, Batman notes that a strange gem is shining energy on a hole in the ground shaped like the Zelaphod creature and deduces that it is the source that makes the creatures a threat to the universe.
Destroying the gem to prevent any more Zelaphod threats in the future, Batman, Robin, and Superman return to Earth with the mixture of items and use it to destroy the Zelaphod that is threatening Gotham City.
We end with "The Mirror Batman" by Jerry Coleman and Jim Mooney and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #121 (1961). While attempting to stop some crooks from robbing a warehouse, Batman accidentally falls into a mirror which transports him to another dimension. Robin is unable to bring Batman back, so he contacts Superman for help. Batman emerges from the mirror, altered by it and given bizarre powers.
While Superman and Robin try to corral Batman, the thieves return to steal the mirror, locking in their hide-out safe. Batman is brought down by Superman, but can only be returned to normal by returning to the mirror’s dimension. Finding the mirror missing, Superman and Robin track down the thieves and recover the mirror.
The trio then enters the mirror and meets a strange being responsible for Batman’s transformation. Superman agrees to defeat Xanu, the being's enemy in return for returning the Caped Crusader to normal. Once the task is done, the trio return home, and Superman smashes the mirror.
Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.
Girls' Love Stories #162
We begin with "Honeymoon for Three" drawn by Jay Scott Pike and Vince Colletta. Chuck agrees to marry Sally but he is not happy that he also has to raise Billy, her orphaned nephew.
Next up is "Which Girl Am I?" drawn by both Gene Colan and Dick Giordano and reprinted from Young Love #52 (1965). Tomboy Judi gets a makeover, but now she looks just like movie star Didi Taylor and thinks that everyone just wants to meet her because of the resemblance.
That brings us to "The Hard Way" drawn by Winslow Mortimer and Vince Colletta. After Jay breaks up with Liza she has a hard time moving on and treats her next boyfriend badly.
Next, we have "Castle of Love" drawn by Bill Draut and reprinted from Falling in Love #86 (1966). Nolan Grant tries to solve the mystery of "Sleeping Beauty," a girl named Eileen who has cut herself off from the world because of a past heartbreak.
We end with "This Is Our Moment" drawn by John Romita and reprinted from Secret Hearts #109 (1966). Katie always takes advantage of her younger sister Jane but Jane ends up getting the guy they both want.
Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.
All-Star Western #8
We begin with Outlaw: Billy the Kid in "The Scavenger" by John Albano and Tony DeZuniga. Billy the Kid gets arrested for gunning down two men and is locked up with a one-eyed scavenger who tries to take her boots. However, when the Sheriff gets mixed up, the one-eyed man stabs the Sheriff and takes his boots instead. Billy and the scavenger then decide to escape jail together.
However, when making their escape, they are stopped by robbers who want to know the location of where the scavenger hid their loot. When they find out that Billy is a girl, the scavenger talks them into drawing against her, Billy, with the scavenger's help, gets the draw on them and shoots them all dead. The scavenger then tells Billy to leave without him as he's going to occupy himself with the pickings of the dead, but in reality, the scavenger was only making an excuse to stay behind and hold the law that is after Billy occupied while she got away. Reprinted in Showcase Presents Jonah Hex Vol. 1 TPB (2006).
Next up is Buffalo Bill in "The Magic Thunderstick" by Dave Wood and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Frontier Fighters #3 (1956).
Our next reprint is Pow-Wow Smith in "The Sheriff's Birthday Party" by Gardner Fox and Carmine Infantino and reprinted from Western Comics #78 (1959).
Next, we have "Timber Wolf" drawn by Gil Kane and Tony DeZuniga. Ben Armstrong is herding a steer and a cow to his ranch when a timber wolf starts hunting them.
We end this El Diablo-less issue with Davy Crockett in "The Renegade Fur-Traders" drawn by John Prentice and reprinted from Frontier Fighters #6 (1956).
Edited by Joe Orlando.
Wednesday, August 3, 2016
Our Army at War #237
We begin with Sgt. Rock in "Nobody Cares" by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath.
Next up is a Medal of Honor story "Assault on the Hermit Kingdom" drawn by Norman Maurer.
Our next story is a reprint, "Battle Sun" by Bob Haney and Russ Heath and reprinted from Our Army at War #61 (1957).
Our next reprint is "The Wall Around the War" by Bob Haney and Joe Kubert and reprinted from Our Fighting Forces #24 (1957).
We end with our final story "The Bloody Star" by Bob Haney and Fred Ray.
Edited by Joe Kubert.
House of Secrets #94
We begin with "The Man with My Face" by Gerry Conway and Jack Sparling. A gambler agrees to switch bodies with a mysterious stranger in exchange for a lucky silver dollar which allows him to never lose a bet.
That is followed by "Hyde -- and Go Seek" by Len Wein and Tony DeZuniga. A henpecked police officer is shocked to find out his best friend was searching for a cure for drug addiction and developed a serum that transformed him into a strangler that chooses his victims among girls who reminded him of his wife who left him. After the police manage to shoot him at last the dying man tells his friend where the vial of serum is located and begs him to destroy it.
After he returns to his shrew wife who is telling him about how she's already spent his bonus for solving the case, he withdraws the serum from his coat pocket and drinks it down. Reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #24 (1982).
Next up we have "The Day Nobody Died" drawn by George Roussos and reprinted from Tales of the Unexpected #9 (1957). A man is certain no one will die today because he is Death and it's his day off.
That brings us to "Track of the Invisible Beast" drawn by Alex Toth and reprinted from House of Mystery #109 (1961).
We end this issue with "A Bottle of Incense.. a Whiff of the Past" by Gerry Conway, Alan Weiss, and Berni Wrightson. An old woman who lost a man she fancied in an auto accident fifty years ago uses an occult ritual to return him to her, but he returns as a hungry zombie who devours her. Reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #17 (1982).
Entire issue reprinted in Showcase Presents: The House of Secrets Vol. 1 TPB (2008).
Edited by Joe Orlando.
Forever People #5
We begin this issue with "Sonny Sumo" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta. Mother Box helps heal Sonny Sumo of burn wounds after he fights a robot. Then it transports Sonny to Happyland, where he helps break the Forever People free of Desaad's traps. When Desaad's guards attack them, Sonny takes the advice of Mark Moonrider and unites his will with that of the Mother Box, putting their enemies to sleep.
Darkseid, watching from afar, realizes that Sumo possesses the Anti-Life Equation. He decides that the Forever People must be killed, and Sumo captured. Reprinted in Jack Kirby's Forever People TPB (1999), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 TPB (2012), and Forever People by Jack Kirby TPB (2021).
Next, we have the Sandman in "Crime Carnival" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Joe Simon and reprinted from Adventure Comics #84 (1943). Four men begin a robbery spree, using carnival talents in their crimes. Sandman investigates, but the criminals give him the slip using a convertible van. Sandman deduces that they are members of a carnival and catches up to them again. This time he sees through their ruse of the trick van and captures them.
We end with "Lonar" written and penciled by Jack Kirby and inked by Vince Colletta. Lunar, poking amidst the ruins of an "old gods'" battlefield, liberates a great white horse, Thunderer from suspended animation. Reprinted in Jack Kirby's Forever People TPB (1999), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 HC (2007), Jack Kirby's Fourth World Omnibus Vol. 2 TPB (2012), and New Gods Special #1 (2017).
Edited by Jack Kirby.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Detective Comics #415
We begin with Batman in "Challenge of the Consumer Crusader" by Frank Robbins, Bob Brown, and Dick Giordano. Batman saves a consumer advocate from murder and discovers the extortionist who is shielding herself behind his front by tricking one of his criminal allies into revealing the truth. Batman uses make-up to resemble the man that was marked for murder and he pretends to be his ghost in order to force a confession out of the thug.
After listening to the plan and learning about the master criminal behind it, Batman confronts the woman and his large gang before finally capturing her. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Batman Vol. 6 TPB (2016).
The backup is Batgirl in "Death Shares the Spotlight" by Frank Robbins and Don Heck. When taken out on a date by Jason Bard to see the play "Invitation to Murder", the couple soon finds themselves entangled in an attempted murder of Hollywood's "Royal Couple" Robbie and Tiz Marlow. Leaving Jason behind to guard the starlets, Barbara goes off to call the police.
After the crime is reported, both Jason and Barbara begin their own investigations. This leads Batgirl to Gotham Arena, which is currently putting on a western exhibition that features Big Chuck Walla, who is responsible for the attempt on the Marlows lives.
Battling Walla, Batgirl and Jason learn that Tiz was secretly going to marry Walla, but left him instead for Barlow and that it was out of jealousy that he attempted to murder the couple. After learning the truth, and that Walla's exhibition gun is loaded with blanks, Jason knocks Walla out with one punch and he and Batgirl turn Walla over to the police. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Batgirl Vol. 1 TPB (2007) and Batgirl: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2018).
Our first reprint features Mysto, Magician Detective in "The Forbidden Trick" by William Woolfolk and Leonard Starr and reprinted from Detective Comics #211 (1954).
We end with "The Case of the Finders Keepers" drawn by John Prentice and reprinted from Gangbusters #54 (1956).
Edited by Julius Schwartz.
Adventure Comics #410
We begin with Supergirl in "The Nature of the Beast" by John Albano, Bob Oksner, and Vince Colletta. Linda Danvers is visiting Nasthalthia (Nasty) at her apartment. Nasty is hopeful that Linda will agree to move in with her so that she can keep her under surveillance and prove she is Supergirl. While touring the apartment Linda spots a horrifying scene in the apartment next door, quickly changes into Supergirl, and bursts in next door where a man is being attacked by strange manbird creatures.
She subdues the creatures and pursues them as they fly out the window but she loses her superpowers. Her powers have been coming in and out since swallowing a drug in issue 404. Supergirl falls from the apartment to the street but manages to catch herself. She returns back to the man's apartment dressed as Linda and finds Nasty coddling the handsome young man, Mike Merrick, that had been attacked. Mike thinks that it was Nasty who saved him from the bird creatures. He invites both girls out to dinner and they dine at the Club 500 where Mike devotes most of his attention to Linda instead of Nasty. Mike and Linda spend most of their time on the dance floor and find that Nasty has left apparently out of jealousy and boredom. Mike and Linda leave the club where they are both abducted once again by the bird creatures.
The bird creatures fly them to their island where they are brought before the leader who accuses Mike of stealing jewels. The chief bird explains that they used to be villagers with normal human appearances until a professor came accompanied by Mike and performed bizarre experiments on them. The injections they received from the Professor and Mike altered their appearance into bird-like creatures. The Professor and Mike also stole a jewel from a sacred idol as they prepared to leave the island. The Professor was later found dead on the beach, supposedly murdered by Mike.
Mike denies the accusations so the bird creatures threaten to drop Linda into a volcano to make Mike confess. At that point, Mike reveals that the jewel is back at his apartment. He and Linda are imprisoned in a cage until the jewel is recovered, but Mike tries to escape by setting a fire. As they escape, Mike is attacked by the bird creatures once more. Linda changes into Supergirl and flies Mike to safety off the island. As she is flying, Supergirls powers fade away yet again.
She is rescued by Mike who swims her back to the beach. He lays Supergirls unconscious body down and confesses that he knows that Supergirl and Linda are one and the same. He also reveals that he lied about the location of the jewel and admits that Supergirl will eventually have to hunt him down as he walks away from Supergirls unconscious body on the beach.
The reprint backup is the Legion of Super-Heroes in "The Revolt of the Girl Legionnaires" by Jerry Siegel and John Forte and reprinted from Adventure Comics #326 (1964). Saturn Girl summons all the female Legionnaires to the Super-Hero Clubhouse to begin laying plans to destroy the male members. Ultra Boy, Mon-El, Sun Boy, Lightning Lad, Colossal Boy, and Matter-Eater Lad, returning from a mission are diverted elsewhere by Saturn Girl. The remaining male Legionnaires are selected as victims by the various girls, who plan to pair off romantically with each and kill them at the Interplanetary Fair.
The next day at the fair, Light Lass causes Element Lad to be stranded on a mountain peak, while Triplicate Girl, assisted by Shrinking Violet, splits into three girls who use ring devices to reduce Invisible Kid, Cosmic Boy, and Brainiac 5 to a tiny size, and entombs them inside a matchbox. Saturn Girl lures Superboy into fighting a robot lead creature, which bursts open to reveal deadly Kryptonite. Supergirl teases Chameleon Boy into becoming phantom-like, then uses a cancellite spray to keep him from changing back, and Phantom Girl tricks Star Boy into making himself super-heavy so that he sinks into the ground.
Back at the Clubhouse, the girls celebrate their success with a wild party. Queen Azura of the planet Femnaz, a world controlled by man-hating women, suddenly appears on their space monitor and releases them from the super-hypnotic command she'd put them under. She explains that the other male Legionnaires, while on their mission, had saved her people from disaster, and thus changed her attitude toward all males.
Normal once again, the girls release the boys from their traps, and all is explained and forgiven.
We end with Supergirl in "The Ruler Without a Planet" by John Albano, Bob Oksner, and Vince Colletta. Supergirl is on patrol in search of Mike Merrick from the first story. She encounters a huge ape creature causing havoc on the city block below. She notices that the beast is clutching a small boy in its hand. Supergirl quickly subdues the creature and rescues the boy. As she is setting the boy down, Supergirl notices flames coming from a nearby storage room. She tries to blow the flames out using her super-breath but finds that her superpowers have disappeared again.
Suddenly a young girl appears out of nowhere and seemingly blows out the flames with a super breath of her own. Supergirl is amazed at the little girl's power. The girl explains that she does not have any parents, only a stepfather and that she had accidentally traveled to earth on a spaceship. The craft exploded once she landed and now she is trapped on earth. She demonstrates her powers of flight and offers to help Supergirl fight crime on earth. She also reveals that she knows Supergirls secret identity. The girl's name is Judy and Supergirl allows her to assist in crime-fighting adventures.
One night Judy receives a telepathic message from her stepfather telling her that she was sent to earth to destroy all superheroes starting with Supergirl. The stepfather encourages Judy to shoot Supergirl with a green death ray gun but she refuses. Enraged, the stepfather attempts to shoot the girl with a death ray of his own but Supergirl blocks it from hitting Judy. In the meantime, the United States Air Force has detected the stepfather's ship hovering in the sky. They shoot it down with their weapons as Supergirl and Judy view the night sky. Judy points to the trailing flames of the craft and remarks that it is a falling star. Supergirl responds by saying it was a falling star that climbed too high and burned itself out.
Edited by Joe Orlando.
Action Comics #404
We begin with Superman in "Kneel to Your Conqueror, Superman" by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan, and Murphy Anderson. Superman is tricked into the clutches of Rufus Caesar, a "human computer" who uses an apparatus of his own devising to drain the Man of Steel's superpowers and infuse them into his own body.
Our first reprint is the Atom in "The Specter of 3000-Moons Lake" by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane, and Murphy Anderson and reprinted from Atom #5 (1963). Ray Palmer and Jean Loring accompany millionaire Don Morgan to where he keeps his cottage at 3000-Moons Lake. There, a series of strange thefts and supernatural activities have become the subject of debate. Since the grounds are the location of an ancient Indian curse, the people of 3000-Moons Lake are torn between believing in the curse or summing up all the strange happenings as unrelated pranks by local children.
Ray decides to investigate as the Atom, and when another subject of strange supernatural events occurs, the Atom learns that they are really being caused by resident Fred Harris, who is using the old curse to get away with the thefts. However, the Atom tricks him into confessing by pretending to be an ancient Indian spirit (really shrunk down in size and hiding in Harris's ear) and incapacitating him by throwing off his center of balance.
Next, we have Aquaman in "The Coward and the Hero" by Jack Miller and Ramona Fradon and reprinted from Adventure Comics #220 (1956). Aquaman meets Johnny Blake, a former war hero who is now scared of the water. Johnny is humiliated when he won't dive into the water to save his own girlfriend. Aquaman saves her, then doubles as Johnny to save the man's reputation.
His hoax is soon discovered. Aquaman explains that Johnny crashed into the water during the war and barely survived which has led to his fear. Aquaman then stages an accident where Johnny must enter the water to save him. Johnny unknowingly dives in to save Aquaman and regains his courage.
We end this issue with Superman in "The Day They Killed Clark Kent" by Leo Dorfman, Curt Swan, and Murphy Anderson. Clark Kent teaches a lesson to a group of fraternity brothers who like to haze new pledges.
Edited by Murray Boltinoff.
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
World's Finest Comics #205
Our cover story is Superman and the Teen Titans in "The Computer That Captured a Town" by Steve Skeates, Dick Dillin, and Joe Giella. A town is controlled by an alien computer which programs them all according to the wishes of a man whose memories it took and then killed. The computer makes the Teen Titans act like racists until Superman gets a subconscious message from Lilith and arrives to stop the computer from controlling the titans and the townspeople. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007), Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus HC (2017), and World's Finest: Guardians of Earth HC (2020).
Next is "Secret of the Last Earth-Man" by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky, and Murphy Anderson and reprinted from Strange Adventures #111 (1959).
We end with a real artistic treat, the Shining Knight in "The Duel of the Flying Knights" by Joe Samachson and Frank Frazetta and reprinted from Adventure Comics #153 (1950). In the days of Camelot, Mordred meets a Greek warrior displaced in time by a magical mist. Mordred pits the warrior and his flying steed Pegasus against the Shining Knight. Mordred using trickery to aid the Greek warrior, but the Knight prevails with the aid of Merlin.
Edited by Julius Schwartz.
Strange Adventures #232
We begin with "Hollywood in Space" by John Broome, Mort Drucker, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Mystery in Space #14 (1953). Though mostly known as a penciler/inker, many of \Mort Drucker's assignments before 1955 were pencils only.
Next is The Star Rovers in "Who Caught the Loborilla?" by Gardner Fox and Sid Greene and reprinted from Mystery in Space #66 (1961). Three adventurers answer the challenge of capturing the Loborilla, an animal with features resembling both lobster and gorilla. The first adventurer, Karel Sorensen, travels to Zaddara, the planet where the beast was spotted. She relates her experience to the others, explaining that she captured the creature.
Her story is heard by Rick Purvis, another adventurer. He tells her that he witnessed her capture of the Loborilla, but the beast tricked her using a special form of camouflage to disguise a tree as itself. When Karel checks her cage again, she discovers only a tree, not the Loborilla. Purvis then claims to have captured the beast.
Homer Glint informs Purvis that his own story was flawed because he witnessed the creature create a mental illusion to trick Purvis. When Purvis checks his cage, the illusion vanishes. Glint makes a final claim of the prize creature and shows his own cage.
The creature breaks free and telepathically explains that even Glint failed. The Loborilla is intelligent and also a hunter. He actually captured Glintand returned with him. Proof of his tale is recorded on a special camera. He then disappears, thanking the adventurers for a unique experience.
That is followed by Adam Strange in "The Multiple Menace Weapon" by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino, and Murphy Anderson and reprinted from Mystery in Space #72 (1961). Adam Strange has resumed his profession as an archaeologist on Earth because the Zeta Beam will not return for nearly a year. He is surprised when a purple beam strikes him while in New York, which teleports him into the future. Then, upon his arrival, the Zeta Beam strikes him, bringing him to Rann 100,000 years in the future.
Julan, a future Ranagaran, explains that they are menaced by aliens from the planet Klannf. They have brought Adam, Rann’s legendary hero, here to combat them. Adam indeed finds a way to beat the aliens using a magnetized boomerang.
Adam is then sent back to present-day Rann to defeat a cone menace that threatens Alanna and her people. The future Zeta Beam lasts longer, allowing Adam to spend months with Alanna before he is returned to Earth. There, he awaits the next Zeta Beam to reunite him with his lover again.
We end with "The Magnetic Duel" by John Broome and Murphy Anderson and reprinted from Mystery in Space #17 (1953).
Edited by Julius Schwartz.
Date with Debbi #17
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