Witching Hour #12

Witching Hour #12 (On Sale: October 22, 1970), has another great cover by Nick Cardy. 

Steve Skeates was one of my favorite writers after coming over to DC from Charlton with Dick Giordano, and editor Giordano let Steve own this issue of the Witching Hour. From top to bottom, stem to stern, this is Skeates' issue dealing entirely with the duality of man.

It begins with a one-page framing sequence by Skeates and Alex Toth and it is just wonderful. Toth's smooth exaggeration of the three witches' faces is just priceless as Cynthia tries on a new hat. Just lovely work. 

The framing sequence blends right into our first tale, "Double Edge" by Steve Skeates and Alex Toth. which delves into the double-nature of man. The good, the evil and the ability of talismans of power to amplify each of these. When a teenage boy finds a talisman in an old junk shop, he is sure it has real powers, but one day his step-mother sends him out to do his chores and throws away all of his "junk." A few days later he decides to run away from home and he never returns. He goes to the dump, but is unable to locate his talisman, figuring that some tramp must have found it. 

He spends the next years in search of the talisman or one just like it, which eventually brings him to Los Angeles and the old Pryor Mansion and the old bag who lives there that many say is a witch. He figures that she must have a talisman and he intends to take it and use it for good. One night, as he approaches the old house he is attacked by a bolt of pure energy and the old witch is upon him. Realizing that the man only has the powers of a neophyte, she tows with him as his strength slowly dissipates.

The witch decides she is tired of the game and throws one last high energy bold at the man, only he holds up a charm that reflects the bolt back at the witch, killing her.  As he approaches her body he sees that it is his step-mother and her talisman is the one she said she threw away all those years ago. The three witches watch as he sits in shock and wonder if he will use the talisman for good or follow in his step-mother's footsteps.

Next is "Double Take" by Steve Skeates and George Tuska with an assist on the witches by Alex Toth. An actor is being blackmailed so he decides to end his problems by killing the blackmailer. After shooting him in his apartment, he is confronted by a director and film crew in the room who tell him he has to do it over as he did not follow the script. When the director says they need to do it again, the blackmailer gets up and the actor shoots him again then makes a break for the door. The director tells him to wait, that he needs to go over to the mantel and wipe off his fingerprints. Protesting that he never touched the candlestick, the actor does as he is told, and then starts to leave the apartment. When he opens the door he is confronted by the police and as they arrest him he yells at the director that it is all his fault, but of course, the police don't see anyone else in the room. This story was reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #24 (1982).

We end with "Double Cross!" by Steve Skeates, Gil Kane and Dan Adkins. A young woman joins a yoga class where, unknown to her, the instructor is a Satanist. He teaches her to see the normally unseen forces of good and evil struggling her possession of her soul and this frightens her to the point of wishing to discontinue her studies. He gives her a charm in order to dissuade her from quitting, telling her that it will ward away evil spirits. What she doesn't know is that the charm is supposed to ward away good spirits. When the evil creatures that only she can see accost her, she accidentally drops the charm down a grate. 

She goes to the yoga instructor in order to procure a stronger charm, but the Satanist assumes that she has been possessed and invites her to join their black mass. When he sees that she is upset and confused, he realizes that her soul has not yet been claimed for evil and has his demons pursue her. She breaks the glass of a department store window in order to seize a cross to ward them off. She explains all this to police who tell her she will have to wait in a cell to see if the department store owner wishes to press charges. They remove the cross from the hysterical woman as evidence and leave her terrified waiting in the cell for the demons to find her, unsure if she will be strong enough to fight them off without the cross.

The entire issue was reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Witching Hour Vol. 1 TPB (2011) and was edited by Dick Giordano.

Superman #231

Superman #231 (On Sale: September 17, 1970) has another nice cover by Neal Adams.

This marked the end of an era. Mort Weisinger had been an editor at DC comics since More Fun Comics #71 in 1941, which he not only edited but in which he wrote "The Riddle of the Crying Clown," creating along with artist Chad Grothkopf the character Johnny Quick. He also co-created Aquaman, Green Arrow, and the original Vigilante, served as story editor for the Adventures of Superman television series, and compiled the often-revised paperback 1001 Valuable Things You Can Get Free.  In 1948 Mort would take over the editorial reigns of Superman, guiding the character for the next 22 years. This was the last book to bare his editorial stamp and marked the end of his 29-year career at DC. Mort died after suffering a heart attack on May 7, 1978.

We begin with  "The Wheel of Super-Fortune" by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and Dan Adkins. It is maybe appropriate that Mort Weisinger's last book be an "Imaginary Story" that he seemed to love so much. Continuing from last issue, Superman (Lex Luthor) tries to convince Lois Lane that Clark Kent is a criminal. Despite this, Lois still defends Clark. Meanwhile, Clark visits a mystic who reveals Luthor's origin. Using Lois as a hostage, Clark forces Luthor to let him get away with his crimes.

Eventually, one of Luthor's robots acts against Clark. Kent gets his revenge by kidnapping Lois. Believing Lois dead, Luthor tries to stop Clark when he strikes again. This time Clark destroys a large section of Metropolis, but Luthor evacuated the people. Finally Clark attempts to steal Luthor's powers. He fails and is killed as a result.

I have to say that maybe the most clever thing about this issue is on the cover where the impact from Superman's head hitting the wall, obscures the fact that he is actually bald-headed Lex Luthor.

We end with "Superman's Fatal Costume" by Jerry Coleman and Al Plastino and reprinted from Superman #112. Luthor uses a spectroscope to study Superman’s costume and learn about its special properties. Using a device he created, Luthor causes the costume to give off heat, change metal into wood, and explode. Superman manages to uncover the plot, apprehend Luthor and some escaped prisoners, and take measures to ensure his costume can’t be used against him again.

Edited for the very last time by Mort Weisinger.

Superman #230

Superman #230 (On Sale: August 6, 1970) has a fairly nice cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson depicting yet another an imaginary tale from the editorial reigns of Mort Weisinger. This issue also introduces the little DC Superman logo in the upper left corner that I actually liked. I thought these were a good idea on DCs part and was sad to see them abandoned a few years later.

"Killer Kent vs. Super Luthor" is a 22-page imaginary tale from the pen of Cary Bates, the pencil of Curt Swan and the inkwell of Dan Adkins. This is Adkins second story for DC and his first time inking Swan or Superman.  In another world, parallel universe or whatever, Lex Luthor was the son of Jor-El and Lara, and came to Earth to grow up to be the Man of Steel. Clark Kent on the other hand was a real bad guy. 

I'm not sure what you say about a story like this. It wasn't bad it was just meaningless. I was never a fan of the "imaginary" story and this is the second one in a week that Mort Weisinger has foisted upon us. For the record, I also didn't like them when Marvel started doing them as What If?. 

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Green Lantern #79

Green Lantern #79 (On Sale: July 14, 1970) has a cover by Neal Adams.

The "Search for America" continues in one of the more forgettable issue of the Green Lantern/Green Arrow in "Ulysses Star is Still Alive!" by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Dan Adkins. Some of lackluster feelings this issue brings forth has to be Adkins' fault. Though Dan was a fine, and sometimes exceptional, inker, he seemed pretty lost in what to do with Neal's dynamic pencils. This might be the reason this is, I think, the only time Adkins inked Adams.

This is also Dan Adkins' first artwork for DC, which makes me think Neal maybe got him the gig, as he was always trying to get new blood established at DC. Dan would only ink a few stories at DC at this time, he was very busy at Marvel, where around the time this story came out Dan was inking a little thing called Conan the Barbarian #1 over Barry Smith's pencils. It would be seven years before Dan would really start to work at DC in earnest when he would come back to ink his good friend Don Newton's DC premiere on an Aquaman story in DC Special #28.

We begin with Green Lantern, Green Arrow and the Guardian resting by their campfire when they hear a noise. Rushing to investigate they discover two men ready to execute a native American. The two heroes disarm the men and asses the situation. They learn that the two would be assassins, Theodore Pudd and Pierre O'Rourke, claim to own the local land and trees. However, the native American states that his tribe's ancient chief brokered a deal with the government for exclusive rights to the lumber a hundred years prior. But, the government and local records all conveniently disappeared.

Feeling that there is not much case with out the contract, the two heroes learn that one more copy is reputed to exist and it resides with a man no one has seen for twenty years, Abraham Star. Green Arrow decides that they must stay and fight. Green Lantern disagrees and decides to help by trying to find Abraham Star. Hal heads to Evergreen City, where he used to work as an insurance investigator, and searches records until he finds a lead to Abraham's location. Hal arrives on the scene to find the building burning. He rushes in to save Abe and the two escape just in time.

Abe, a victim of smoke-inhalation, is taken off to the hospital, but not before he reveals to Green Lantern that all the legal records he had were just destroyed by the fire. Hal won't give up and flies off, trying to think of another way to help the tribe and deciding to go to Washington, D.C.

Meanwhile, Green Arrow has headed back to the nearby native American town where he finds Black Canary trying to help the local townspeople. Black Canary tells Ollie that she has noticed the townspeople are very dejected. A few hours later, a couple of white-men try to steal some food from the reservation. They are scared off by the spirit of Ulysses Star! The two men rush to a nearby lumberjack bar and report their story. No one belives it until the spirit shows up in person, with arrows flying! Theodore Pudd convinces the lumberjacks that it is just a hoax though, and the men agree to continue cutting down trees.

Ulysses then appears to the tribes-people and convinces them that they must fight to protect what is theirs. A few hours later, dawn breaks and the lumberjacks arrive. The tribes-men stand ready to fight though, alongside Black Canary.

A fight breaks out, and the spirit of Ulysses joins in as well, but it is quickly ended when Green Lantern arrives with U.S. Representative Sullivan. Sullivan has promised to look into the matter, so Lantern suggests that everyone goes home until then. The spirit of Ulysses takes offense to this suggestion of inaction and calls-out Green Lantern.

Ulysses, now clearly Green Arrow in costume (with a facemask straight out of Deadman), points out that his costume is yellow and that they should duke it out without ring or bow. The two duke it out until an errant log hits them and knocks them both out cold.

Later, at the reservation cafe, they discuss their opposing tactics, as do the locals, who have lost hope. Luckily, Sullivan arrives just in time to break the news that a man has confessed to the arson in Evergreen City and has implicated Pudd and O'Rourke.

Later, at a campfire, the two reflect on their dispute and its lack of a resolution. The Guardian points out that although it was not resolved, they at least learned that hitting and killing leads to bloodshed and humanity must stop doing this before it is too late.

I don't know if it is the lack of a resolution, or the over-the-top heavy-handedness of this issue that makes it so forgettable. Or, like I first suggested, maybe it is Adkin's inks. Still, 15 cents for 22 pages of Neal Adams is worth the money every time.

This story was reprinted in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #2, Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 1 TPB, Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC, Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1 TPB, Showcase Presents:Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB and Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB (2012).

Edited by Julius Swartz.

Green Lantern #79

Green Lantern #79 (On Sale: July 14, 1970) has a cover by Neal Adams.

This issue features the book-length  "Ulysses Star Is Still Alive" by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Dan Adkins. This is the first word Adkins did for DC. Green Lantern and Green Arrow are resting by their campfire when they hear a noise. They rush to investigate and discover two men ready to execute a native American. The two heroes disarm the men and asses the situation. They learn that the two would be assassins, Theodore Pudd and Pierre O'Rourke, claim to own the local land and trees. However, the native American states that his tribe's ancient chief brokered a deal with the government for exclusive rights to the lumber a hundred years prior. But, the government and local records all conveniently disappeared. 

Feeling that there is not much case with out the contract, the two heroes learn that one more copy is reputed to exist and it resides with a man no one has seen for twenty years: Abraham Star.

Green Arrow decides that they must stay and fight, but Green Lantern does not feel that breaking the law is the right thing, so he decides to help by trying to find Abraham Star. Hal heads to Evergreen City, where he used to work as an insurance investigator, and searches records until he finds a lead to Abraham's location. Hal arrives on the scene to find the building burning. He rushes in to save Abe and the two escape just in time. Abe, a victim of smoke-inhalation, is taken off to the hospital, but not before he reveals to Green Lantern that all the legal records he had just went up in flames. Hal does not give up and flies off, trying to think of another way to help the tribe and decides to go to Washington D.C. 

Meanwhile, Green Arrow has headed back to the nearby native American town where he finds Black Canary trying to help the local townspeople. Black Canary tells Ollie that she has noticed the townspeople are very dejected. A few hours later, a couple of white-men try to steal some food from the reservation. They are scared off by the spirit of Ulysses Star, a yellow figure with a bow. The two men rush to a nearby lumberjack bar and report their story. No one believes it until the spirit shows up in person, with arrows flying!

Theodore Pudd convinces the lumberjacks that it is just a hoax though, and the men agree to continue cutting down trees. Back in town, Ulysses appears to the tribes-people and convinces them that they must fight to protect what is theirs.

A few hours later, dawn breaks and the lumberjacks arrive. The tribes-men stand ready to fight though, alongside Black Canary. A fight breaks out, and the spirit of Ulysses joins in as well, but it is quickly ended when Green Lantern arrives with U.S. Representative Sullivan. Sullivan has promised to look into the matter, so Lantern suggests that everyone goes home until then.

The spirit of Ulysses takes offense to this suggestion of inaction and calls-out Green Lantern. Ulysses, now clearly Green Arrow, points out that his costume is yellow and that they should duke it out without ring or bow. The two fight until an errant log hits them and knocks them both out cold. Later, at the reservation café, they discuss their opposing tactics, as do the locals, who have lost hope. Luckily, Sullivan arrives just in time to break the news that a man has confessed to the arson in Evergreen City and has implicated Pudd and O'Rourke.

Later, at a campfire, the two reflect on their dispute and its lack of a resolution. The guardian points out that although it was not resolved, they at least learned that hitting and killing leads to bloodshed and humanity must stop doing this before it is too late. This story was reprinted in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #2, Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 1 TPB, Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC, Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1 TPB, Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB, Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB and Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow HC.

In 1964, West Virginian born Dan Adkins joined the Wally Wood Studio as Wood's assistant. Wood and Adkins collaborated on a series of stories for Warren Publishing's black-and-white horror-comics magazines Creepy and Eerie. Adkins was among the original artists of Wood's T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, for Tower Comics, drawing many Dynamo stories during his 16 months in the Wood Studio.

Adkins recalled in Alter Ego how his work on his fanzine turned into a career in comics:

"I met him (Wally Wood) through Bill Pearson. I saw a letter of Pearson's in Amazing Stories [sf magazine]. His address was Phoenix, Arizona, and I was stationed at Luke Field outside Phoenix, so I thought he might know some girls there! I was nineteen at the time. He didn't really want to meet anybody; he was sort of a shy guy. But I went out and talked to him that night, and showed him my collection of fanzines.

Later, up in New York, I was doing art for the science-fiction magazines, but I couldn't make enough money at it, so I worked in advertising while I was also drawing for Amazing and Fantastic and Infinity and Science-Fiction Adventures. Half of these were put out by Larry Shaw, who also published one of the first monster magazines, Monster Parade, 'way before Famous Monsters of Filmland. Part of Monster Parade was stories, for which we did illustrations. While I was doing all this, Pearson had moved to New York, too, and I guess he wanted to get into writing. He had this big apartment in the '70s over near the river, and he got to meet Wally through (Roy) Krenkel or somebody.

I went up to Wally's with Pearson to get a full-page drawing from Wally for my fanzine Outlet. But Wally was too busy to do a drawing for me, unless-[laughs] Well, he offered me work to help him out! I had drawn nine pages of a war story, but I didn't show him my science-fiction illustrations. Later on, I showed him my sf drawings, and he said that if I'd shown him those, he wouldn't have hired me, because they weren't as good as the war story, which was my latest work! [laughs] So anyway, I started working as Wally's assistant, helping him on the first "Iron Maiden" story in the first issue of T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents. That was around June or July of 1965."

He joined Marvel Comics in 1967. working primarily as an inker but also penciling several stories for Doctor Strange and other titles. Adkins additionally worked for a variety of comics publishers, including Charlton Comics, DC Comics (Aquaman, Batman), Dell Comics/Western Publishing, Eclipse Comics, Harvey Comics, Marvel, and Pacific Comics.

In addition to penciling and inking, Adkins also did cover paintings, including for Amazing Stories, Eerie (issue 12) and Famous Monsters of Filmland (issues 42, 44). His magazine illustrations were published in Argosy (with Wood), Amazing Stories, Fantastic, Galaxy Science Fiction, Infinity, Monster Parade, Science-Fiction Adventures, Spectrum, Worlds of If and other magazines.

In the 2000s, he illustrated Parker Brothers products, and his artwork for Xero was reprinted in the hardback The Best of Xero. Dan died on May 3, 2013 at the age of 76.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.