Teen Titans #35

Teen Titans #35 (On Sale: July 15, 1971), has a  cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with "Intruders of the Forbidden Crypt" by Bob Haney, George Tuska, and Nick Cardy. The Titans and Mr. Jupiter are in Italy to see the beginning of construction of Jupiter's newest laboratory. Lilith believes she is the reincarnation of Shakespeare's Juliet, and the son of Jupiter's enemy appears to be the reincarnation of Romeo. Together they begin to act out the drama from the play Romeo and Juliet. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007) and Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus HC (2017).

Next up is a solo Mal story, "A Titan Is Born" by Bob Haney, George Tuska, and Nick Cardy. While the rest of the team is in Italy, Mal minds the store at Mr. Jupiter's American base. A dimensional monitoring experiment goes awry, and the Titans' old enemy, the Gargoyle, is released from his banishment in Limbo. Mal manages to deduce the villain's true identity, though he is disguised as a scientific colleague of Mr. Jupiter's, and causes the computer monitor to reverse its error, returning Gargoyle to his exile in Limbo. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007) and Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus HC (2017).

Our first reprint is Aquaman and Aqualad in "The Doom Hunters" by Jack Miller and Ramona Fradon and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #139 (1964). After Aquaman and Aqualad refuse to place prize markers for an undersea treasure hunt in dangerous areas, Wally Welky, head of the Daredevils' Club, goes ahead with it on his own. Aquaman has to rescue one of the contestants from a whirlpool, thus indicating the need for he and Aqualad to look after the others. 

When Tom Blake, another member, almost dies from a deliberately-set trap, Aquaman lures Welky into revealing his intentions to murder Blake, his cousin, and thus gain Blake's uncle's wealth by inheritance. The heroes capture Welky and his confederates.

We end this issue with Green Arrow and Speedy in "Have Arrow – Will Travel" by Robert Bernstein and Lee Elias and reprinted from Adventure Comics #263 (1959). Green Arrow’s partner Speedy wants to buy a sailboat. To make money, he places an ad in the paper to perform odd jobs using archery. Many requests for his services come in and Speedy begins saving money for his boat.

Some crooks hire Speedy to test out manufactured targets. Using the holes left in the target, they are able to create an arrow identical to Speedy’s with a time bomb inside. They switch arrows with one of Speedy’s in hopes that it will explode and kill him. However, Speedy is tipped off to the fake arrow by the color of the arrowhead and is able to catch the crooks.

During his jobs, Speedy’s wallet was lost. Without his money Speedy can’t buy his boat, but he saves the life of a boat manufacturer who happily gives Speedy a boat as reward.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Green Lantern #85

Green Lantern #85 (On Sale: June 24, 1971), has a classic Green Lantern/Green Arrow cover by Neal Adams. If you saw this on the stands and did not buy multiple copies, you needed to check your pulse as you may have been dead.

We begin this issue with the classic Green Lantern/Green Arrow tale "Snowbirds Don't Fly" by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams. Oliver Queen is attacked by thugs on the street, and despite beating them soundly, he is surprised when he is shot in the shoulder with one of his own arrows. Finding no help from strangers, he crawls to a hospital and collapses before anyone offers him help.

After being treated, Ollie calls up his friend Hal Jordan to discuss the significance of the arrow. Ollie suggests that he had been neglecting his ward Speedy, and worries that he may have been captured. They follow Ollie's lead to a basement, where they find a withdrawing junkie begging for a fix from a Mr. Browden. Green Arrow and Green Lantern force their way into Browden's apartment, capturing him and the junkie.

Elsewhere, the same thugs who attacked Oliver earlier are waiting for their friend, the same junkie that was caught by the heroes, to return with their fix. Roy Harper (Speedy) appears to be with them. Suddenly, Green Lantern and Green Arrow burst through the ceiling and subdue the junkies. Oliver assumes that Roy is undercover, and tells him to sit the remainder of the mission out, while he takes out the dealers.

The junkies lead Green Lantern and Green Arrow to the dealers' hideout, but they turn on the duo in order to get their fixes as a reward. With the heroes subdued, the dealers forcibly intoxicate them with their drugs and plan to discredit them by calling the police. Fortunately, before the police can arrive, Roy shows up gets them to safety, with some effort.

Back at Arrow's tenement, Roy explains that without a father figure, someone might look for comfort in drugs. Despite this, Oliver is horrified to discover that Roy has become a junkie himself, while he and Green Lantern were traveling cross-country. This classic tale has been reprinted in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #5 (1984), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 2 TPB (1993), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC (2001), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 2 TPB (2004), Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB (2011), Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB (2012), Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow HC (2016), Green Arrow: A Celebration of 75 Years HC (2016), Green Lantern (Facsimile Edition) #85 (2020), and Green Lantern:80 Years of the Emerald Knight the Deluxe Edition HC (2020).

The backup is "The Strange Trial of Green Lantern" by John Broome, Gil Kane, and Joe Giella and reprinted from Green Lantern #11 (1962). After a series of uncharacteristic episodes in which Green Lantern had almost committed various crimes, he is brought before his fellow Green Lanterns for sentencing. The court of his peers is told of each incident: How Hal entered a bank, used his power ring to stun the tellers but left without taking any money; Hal almost bullied himself into not paying a $100 entry fee for a gallery; and finally how he procrastinated in saving a young man who had fallen out of a window. Deciding not to punish Hal because he had not actually done anything illegal, Hal demands that the other Green Lanterns punish him because he feels he has lost control. Putting it to a vote, they agree to do so, devest Hal of his Green Lantern emblem and power ring, seal him in a capsule, and launch it into space.

While traveling through the void, the capsule is suddenly transported to the Antimatter Universe and to the planet Qward, where Hal is brought before Sinestro. Sinestro explains that he escaped his imprisonment in his last encounter because he had a spare power ring hidden in the heel of his boot and manage to escape to Qward to plan an act of new revenge against the Green Lantern. He then explains he used a device to alter Green Lantern's personality so that he became selfish but couldn't push him into doing anything illegal.

Suddenly the other Green Lanterns arrive to save Hal, having suspected Sinestro's involvement they played into his hands. However, Sinestro traps them all in a room made of yellow material. Giving Hal back his power ring, he comes up with the idea of using it to pull chemicals out of the air and make an acid strong enough to melt through the walls. Freeing themselves, they easily capture Sinestro and subject him to his own machine. Imprisoning him with the device which would tell him over and over that he cannot escape.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

World's Finest Comics #204

World's Finest Comics #204 (On Sale: June 3, 1971), has a stunning Superman/Wonder Woman cover by Neal Adams. Diana Prince never looked so sexy.

We begin with Superman and Wonder Woman in "Journey to the End of Hope" by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin, and Joe Giella. When Clark and Diana get matched by a computer dating service, their date takes an unexpected turn when they suddenly find themselves transported to the year 2171 by another computer, in hopes of averting Earth's future fate where Earth has become a desolate wasteland.

Our first backup tale is Captain Comet in "The Guardians of the Clockwork Universe" by John Broome, Murphy Anderson, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Strange Adventures #22 (1952). Captain Comet is enlisted by a race known as the Guardians of the Universe (not the same does that would appear later in Green Lantern, but where Broome may have gotten the idea for them). The Guardians are responsible for monitoring the planets and other celestial bodies to ensure they are kept in proper motion lest the entire universe stop. The rulers of the planet Lukan are seeking to move their planet closer to their sun which would throw off the cosmic balance.

Captain Comet is dispatched to Lukan to stop the evil rulers. Once on the planet, he discovers his old friend Radea was also sent by the Guardians and is now a captive. He rescues the girl and defeats the crystal beings of Lukan. Comet then drops Radea off on her own world before returning to Earth.

We end with Green Arrow in "The Rogue of 1,000 Ropes" drawn by George Papp and reprinted from Adventure Comics #176 (1952).

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Green Lantern #84

Green Lantern #84 (On Sale: April 27, 1971), has a cover by Neal Adams, featuring a photograph of of Kinney/Warner executive Marc Iglesias.

This is one of my favorite issues of Green Lantern. "Peril in Plastic" is by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams, and Bernie Wrightson and lord, are those Wrightson inks wonderful to see. The rich, silky smoothness it adds to Neal's pencils made me wish they had done a lot more work together than they did. Hal Jordan and Carol Ferris enjoy a romantic three weeks together, after revealing his secret identity to her. However, eventually, she explains that she plans to go to the company town of Piper's Dell by herself to see if Dr. Wilbur Palm, the mayor, can cure the paralysis of her legs. Later, Hal visits his friend Oliver Queen for some relationship advice, but they soon hear word that Piper's Dell is being threatened by floods caused by bombs around the town.

Green Lantern manages to save the town from destruction, but Dr. Palm insists that he stay, slapping a Kaluta (isn't that wonderful!) onto his breast, a small toy/conversation piece/personal decoration that sprays perfume into his face at intervals. As they walk about the ground shakes with the sound Ka-Looo'Ta!, created by the punch press that makes the devices. 

As Mayor, he gives Lantern the key to the city, which is plastic and breaks in his hands. When GL says he needs to leave and fly home he finds he can no longer concentrate enough to fly, and Palm sends a number of men in suits to attack him. Eventually he is defeated, falling though the cheap plastic wall of a house. With his last thoughts before falling unconscious, Green Lantern sends his Green Lantern Ring to Star City to find Oliver.

When Green Lantern comes to, he finds that Dr. Wilbur Palm is in fact his old nemesis the Black Hand in disguise. Black Hand reveals that he has used the town's manufacturing facilities to create a system of brainwashing the townspeople, and that his invitation to Carol Ferris was a ploy to bring Green Lantern there. He has Carol brought in in her wheelchair and allows a still powerless Green Lantern and Carol to escape, knowing that the brainwashed citizens will attack them.

However, in the meantime, Oliver and Black Canary have got into an argument and returning to his apartment Oliver finds the ring, and going to Hal's hotel room, he charges the ring. He then takes a boat to Piper's Dell and returns the ring to Hal with one of his arrows just in time for GL to defeat the citizens. Green Lantern detains the citizens in energy constructs, and then uses his ring to entrap the Black Hand within a case of molten plastic.

The heroes make good their escape, and later, while Christmas shopping, Carol wonders why the people in Piper's Dell would give up so much freedom so easily for a plastic world. Green Arrow seeing plastic Christmas trees for sale wonders if they were so different from everyone else. This classic tale has been reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #16 (1981), Green Lantern/Green Arrow #5 (1984), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 2 TPB (1993), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC (2001), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 2 TPB (2004), Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB (2011), Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB (2012), and Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow HC (2016).

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Green Lantern #83

Green Lantern #83 (On Sale: February 23, 1971), has a Green Lantern/Green Arrow cover by Neal Adams.

This issue features Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Black Canary in "...and a Child Shall Destroy Them" by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano. While walking down the street, Carol Ferris bumps into a stranger and is subsequently cursed by a young girl named Sybil, and she falls in a seizure.

A month later, Dinah Lance decides to take a job as a teacher at Meadowhill School, accompanied by her friends Oliver Queen and Hal Jordan. They are suddenly attacked by a flock of birds, requiring the men to put on their costumes to protect Dinah. When the birds are dealt with, they decide to see if her new boss knows anything about the occurrence.

They are greeted at the door by the man who Carol had bumped into earlier, who introduces himself as Grandy, the cook. He is accompanied by Sybil. The owner of the school, Jason Belmore, introduces himself, but expresses disapproval of the costumed heroes, prompting Green Arrow and Green Lantern to leave. Strangely, Mr. Belmore seems to have made them leave at Grandy's behest. Grandy directs Sybil to make the heroes sorry. 

We should probably mention that Grady bears more than a passing resemblance to disgraced Vice President Spiro Agnew.

Outside, Green Arrow and Green Lantern notice Carol hanging around their car in a wheelchair. Carol has them drive her away and explains her case. She reveals that Belmore is her fiancé, but that he seems changed. Suddenly, Green Arrow loses control of the vehicle, which crashes. If not for Green Lantern's ring they might all have died. They soon realize that they have left Dinah in danger.

After dismissing her final class early, Dinah realizes that the children are oddly quiet and inanimate. Grandy appears and chastises her, ominously promising punishment for the early dismissal. Dinah returns to her room and dons her costume as Black Canary. She easily defeats a reluctant Mr. Belmore and Grandy, but Sybil's powers cause her to collapse on the floor. She is dragged to the cellar by the children, where Grandy releases angry wasps to attack her.

Green Arrow and Green Lantern arrive to save her, but they are soon incapacitated by Sybil's powers. Green Arrow uses a trick arrow to distract her, allowing them to escape and find Dinah. Green Lantern deals with the wasps, and Dinah is alive, fortunately. Green Lantern angrily confronts Grandy, who once again calls upon Sybil to punish him. This time, though, Sybil refuses, saying she wants to be like a normal child. When Grandy angrily slaps Sybil across the face, she uses her powers again – not to punish Green Lantern, but instead to bring the wing of the building down around them. Green Lantern and Green Arrow manage to escape with Mr. Belmore, Dinah, and the children, but Grandy and Sybil are trapped inside and are presumed to have perished when the wing collapses.

Before leaving, Green Lantern reveals his identity to Carol and confesses his love for her. She is unsurprised and accepts his feelings, finally. As they walk away, Sybil appears to be seen standing over Hal's discarded domino mask. Has she somehow survived? This story has been reprinted in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #4 (1984), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 1 TPB (1992), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC (2001), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 2 TPB (2004), Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB (2011), Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB (2012), and Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow HC (2016).

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Superman #236

Superman #236 (On Sale: February 9, 1971), has a cover by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano.

We begin with Superman in "Planet of the Angels" by Denny O'Neil, Curt Swan, and Murphy Anderson. After teaming up with Batman to catch a gang of criminals, Superman returns to his Fortress where he begins work on a brain-wave scanner. During a test of the device, Superman suddenly finds himself surrounded by flames and attacked by devils. He easily beats them. He then meets three angels, Gabriel, Raphael, and Michael. They inform him that he has crossed into the afterlife.

The angels enlist Superman to kill the devils. However, Superman suspects something is fishy. When he meets the devils again, he snaps a hypnotic suggestion and sees them as they really are, law officers from an alien world. The angels are criminals. Superman then turns on the angels. One of them tries to attack Earth, but Superman stops him too. Reprinted in Best of DC #12 (1981) and Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore HC (2009).

The back-up is a World of Krypton story, "The Doomsayer" by Denny O'Neil and Dick Giordano. Superman joins Green Arrow and Black Canary for a picnic. When Green Arrow sees a factory dumping waste into the nearby river he begins preaching about saving the environment. Black Canary is skeptical regarding Ollie's view that the planet is in danger. Superman then tells them a story about Krypton.

Twenty years before the destruction of the planet in the city of Surrus, Dr. Mo-De discovered that Krypton's core was unstable. He developed a plan to save the planet. However, the Surrusans were reluctant to listen to his warnings for they were enchanted with beautiful flowers that produced music.

Determined to get his point across to the people Mo-De began destroying a field of flowers. When faced with the possible loss of their music, the townspeople beat Mo-De. When he asks why they won't listen, they tell him they only want to hear beautiful things. To punish Mo-De they lock him in a room surrounded by the flowers. Eventually, Mo-De becomes enchanted with them too. The Surrusans return to their happy ways until their planet explodes twenty years later.

Inspired by the story, Black Canary leaves the picnic to talk with the factory owner about handling the waste more responsibly. Reprinted in Best of DC #40 (1983) and Superman: The World of Krypton TPB (2008).

Edited by Julius Schwartz,

Green Lantern #82

Green Lantern #82 (On Sale: December 24, 1970), has a nice cover by Neal Adams. Julius Schwartz had been unable to work out the cover copy for this issue. Dick Giordano mentions in his introduction for the graphic novel Green Lantern/Green Arrow Volume Two that having seen the cover, he turned and started to walk away, chanting "The harpies are coming, the harpies are coming" (paraphrasing a popular movie of the time, The Russians are Coming! The Russians are Coming!). Schwartz liked this, and so THE HARPIES ARE COMING! became the cover copy – which really pleased Giordano.

We have Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Black Canary in "How Do You Fight a Nightmare?" by Denny O'Neil,  Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano, with an assist by Berni Wrightson. Green Arrow visits Black Canary, offering her a box of roses, but when the box is opened, two harpies fly out and attack. The harpies soon fly away, and Oliver sends a message to Green Lantern in hopes that his experience with the supernatural would be of use. Green Arrow and Black Canary go to the flower shop from whence the roses came, while Green Lantern follows the harpies' trail. Green Lantern is led by the Harpies to their leader, the Witch Queen, who entraps him in another reality at the behest of her unseen brother.

Green Arrow and Black Canary investigate the flower shop, but they are soon attacked by three Amazons who seem intent on killing only men. Black Canary defeats them, and they explain that a male wizard had betrayed and banished the Witch Queen and themselves to the same reality that Green Lantern has been trapped in, sparking their mission to kill all men. They promise to guide an unhurt Green Arrow and Black Canary to their leader.

The Witch Queen's ally is revealed to be Sinestro, whose Yellow Power Ring was embedded within the Witch Queen's scepter, allowing her to trap Green Lantern. Suddenly, Green Arrow bursts through the window, instantly firing an arrow and knocking the ring from Sinestro's hand. Together, he and Black Canary defeat the Witch Queen and Sinestro. Unfortunately, Green Arrow is unable to rescue the Lantern from the "Dimension of Furies", because he is a man; only one male may inhabit it at any one time. Black Canary volunteers to go in his stead.

Meanwhile, in the other dimension, Green Lantern is attacked by Medusa for being a man. Fortunately, Black Canary arrives with the Amazons and explains that Medusa is being used by Sinestro as a pawn to kill his enemy. Medusa releases him, and Black Canary and Green Lantern return to their own reality to tell Green Arrow their story. This story has been reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #16 (1981), Green Lantern/Green Arrow #4 (1984), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC (2001), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1 TPB (2004), Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB (2011), Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB (2012), and Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow HC (2016).

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Green Lantern #81

Green Lantern #81 (On Sale: October 15, 1970), has a cover by Neal Adams. For the first time, Black Canary is listed on the cover.

Continuing from last issue, we have "Death Be My Destiny" by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. Green Lantern, Green Arrow, and Black Canary are brought to Oa to act as character witnesses for the old-timer, the Guardian who has been traveling with the heroes on Earth. The other Guardians of the Universe blame the old-timer for choosing to save the life of Hal Jordan rather than act in the best interest of the greater good. Despite the objection of Hal and Ollie, the old-timer is stripped of his immortality by his fellow Guardians and exiled to the world Maltus, where the Guardians originated.

The old-timer is joined on the trip to Maltus by his three human friends. Although the planet was once sparsely populated, it now is host to an overpopulation problem. By consulting the archives, the heroes learn that when Maltus passed through a strange cloud of cosmic dust, the people lost the ability to have children. A scientist calling herself Mother Juna began cloning children from the cells of her fellow Maltusans. Although the people recovered their ability to reproduced, Mother Juna has not stopped creating more clones which has led to overpopulation.

While Green Arrow distracts the angry crowd of Maltusans, Green Lantern breaks into Mother Juna's laboratory. He and the others are then confronted by Juna's minions. As the battle between the two sides commences, the Maltusans enter the laboratory and begin destroying it. Mother Juna explains that she never recovered from the effects of the cosmic cloud and cloning was the only way for her to be a mother.  With her lab destroyed, she will no longer be able to create her clones and the overpopulation problem will no longer grow worse. The old-timer accepts his fate and remains on Maltus to help its residents. The heroes of Earth return home.

Not to suggest that these stories were popular, but this one was reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #16 (1981), Green Lantern/Green Arrow #3 (1983), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 1 TPB (1992), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC (2001), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1 TPB (2004), Showcase Presents: Green Lantern Vol. 5 TPB (2011), Green Lantern/Green Arrow TPB (2012) and Absolute Green Lantern/Green Arrow HC (2016).

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Green Lantern #80

Green Lantern #80 (On Sale: August 25, 1970) has an interesting duo-tone cover by Neal Adams, making a play on a planet's yellow journalism with its coloring.

In the 22-page tale "Even an Immortal Can Die" Denny O'Neil tackles more societal ills than you can shake a stick at. As such, the story gets sort of lost along the way. I've read that the story is meant to evoke the trials of the "Chicago Eight," particularly the binding and gagging of Bobby Seale.

After messing around with a number of inkers on the book, we pretty much settle down now to Neal Adams' pencils being handled by Dick Giordano (with an assist here and there this issue from Mike Peppe), which is a good thing I think.

After crashing their truck into the water, Green lantern, Green Arrow and the Guardian they call the Old-Timer are rescued by a passing ship carrying barrels of toxic waste. They arrive on board just in time for the ship's boiler to over-heat. Before the Lantern can do anything to stop it, it explodes and GL is seriously injured.

The Old-Timer has the same powers as Green Lantern, but being on Earth for so long has weakened them. He can either save Green Lantern's life or save the ship. He chooses to save the life of his friend.

In order to keep the toxic waste from igniting and blowing up the ship, the crew, with Green Arrow's assist, dump it into the water. This gives Green Arrow a chance to moralize on the greed of those who make such waste in the first place.
 
Green lantern, green Arrow and the Old-Timer are summoned to OA by the Guardians of the Universe. There they are told that for putting the welfare of Green Lantern ahead of the ecological welfare of the planet Earth, the Old-Timer will be sent to the planet Gallo to be judged by the Tribune. Green lantern says he and Arrow wish to accompany their friend as witnesses, and Lantern says how his respect for the Guardians is greatly diminished.

When they arrive on Gallo, they are all muzzled and the Old-Timer is judged guilty without trial. The heroes realize that something is terribly wrong. They discover that the real Tribune have been replaced by their mechanic who, with his robotic forces, has taken control.  The Green ones must then fight to restore the proper process of justice and save the life of the Old-Timer.

Not the best of stories, so many ills Denny is trying to hit on in a single story, but still, hell, it is 22 pages of Neal doing the Green ones. Why complain? This has been reprinted in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #3, 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.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

World's Finest Comics #197

World's Finest Comics #197 (On Sale: August 6, 1970) has a Superman/Batman cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.  This is the final issue of World's Finest to feature this team for a couple of years, well, as the regular team at least. Starting next issue, and I could never understand why they did not wait two months for issue #200 to do this, World's Finest will become Superman's Brave and the Bold. That is, starting next issue, they will team up Superman with another character, not just Batman.

This issue is a pile of reprints beginning with the Superman/Batman team in  "The Capture of Superman." This 13-page tale is by
Jerry Coleman, Jim Mooney and Sheldon Moldoff and is reprinted from World's Finest Comics #122. Batman and Robin are forced by an alien, Klor, to capture Superman for crimes committed on his world of Belvos. Superman feels betrayed by his friend, but Batman succeeds in making the capture.

Superman is returned to Belvos to stand trial. He is accused of causing destruction on the planet during a visit there. Superman does not recall ever having been to Belvos and claims he was searching for a strange asteroid at the time.

Klor is secretly behind the destruction. Having found special weapons, he disguised himself as Superman and caused the damage. He wants to get Superman out of the way so he can obtain treasure which will make him master of Belvos. However, the heroes realize that Klor had been to Earth before and was responsible for the crimes. They convince the Belvosian tribunal and capture Klor in the act of robbing a jeweler on Earth.

Next is another Superman/Batman tale, "The Feud Between Batman and Superman," an 18-pager by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan and George Klein. When Batman is accidentally shot while pursuing some crooks, he gets an inferiority complex. Superman tries to help Batman by staging a fake menace inside Kandor where he has no super powers. Batman discovers the hoax and becomes angry, challenging Superman to a duel. Batman wins, then storms off.

The fake menace turns out to be real, when Jhan-Ar, the brother of Superman's friend Thar-Ar, becomes a Metalloid. Superman is taken prisoner, forcing Batman and Robin to rescue him. They succeed and defeat Jhan-Ar. Batman's confidence is restored, so he resumes his crime fighting career. This is reprinted from World's Finest Comics #143.

That is followed by Green Arrow in "The Unmasked Archers." This six-page tale is by France Herron, Jack Kirby and Roz Kirby. Oliver Queen and Roy Harper awaken to find that the morning newspaper contains a story revealing their secret identities. Believing their careers are over, they stop a few crooks then return to police headquarters where they unmask in front of the police commissioner.

The commissioner doesn't believe Oliver is the real Green Arrow. When Oliver checks the other newspapers, he discovers that his morning paper was a fake. It was created as part of an initiation prank for his men's club. Oliver then proves to the commissioner that he is not Green Arrow using a specially prepared trick. This is reprinted from World's Finest Comics #98. Hmm, strange how they seem to be reprinting a lot of Jack Kirby this month.

We end with a final Superman/Batman team-up story,  "The Prison for Heroes" from World's Finest Comics #145. This 16-page tale is by Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan and George Klein. An alien race contacts Batman and brings him to an alien world under the pretense of aiding a great emergency. When he arrives on the alien world, Batman is hypnotized by the aliens into becoming a cruel prison warden. His prisoners are the innocent heroes of many worlds.

Batman then tricks Superman into coming to the planet. The aliens use a filter to cause the sun's rays to become red, removing nearly all of Superman's powers. Superman then becomes a prisoner.

With his last remaining bit of super powers, Superman manages to restore the powers of some of the other prisoners. They break free, help Superman fake his powers, and overthrow Batman. Superman then puts Batman to work as a prisoner.

The aliens discover Superman's escape and return to the planet to investigate. They discover that Superman does not have his powers. However, Superman has helped Batman break the hypnosis. While the aliens are investigating Superman, Batman destroys the red sun filter with the aliens' own ship. Superman's powers are restored. He frees the wrongly imprisoned heroes and ends the aliens' plans to conquer the galaxy.

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

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.

Green Lantern #78

Green Lantern #78 (On Sale: May 26, 1970) has another Green Lantern/Green Arrow cover by Neal Adams. The highlighting of the word "family" made you think of Charlie Manson.

The book-length "A Kind of Loving, a Way of Death" is by Denny O'Neil,  Neal Adams and Frank Giacoia. While biking through Washington state, Black Canary is attacked by a biker gang. She holds her own for a while till one of the bikers runs her over. They take her bike and leave her for dead on the side of the road. A man wearing buckskin shows up and takes her away. Two weeks later, Hal Oliver and the Guardian drive into a small town in a Washington Indian Reservation and stop by a café for a meal.
When a biker gang shows up and harasses the owner, Hal and Ollie act timid and leave, but return shortly as Green Lantern and Green Arrow. Let's just say, the bikers don't stand a chance, though one tried to make a getaway on his bike and is stopped by an Ollie arrow.

Oliver recognizes the bike s the one Superman made for Black Canary and beats information out of the biker that they took the bike from her weeks ago and left her to die. Hal has to stop him from killing the guy. The Guardian wants to talk to the owner about white harassment of natives, so he stays in the café as the green guys go out looking for Canary. They find her with little effort, but when Ollie tries to take her back she says she will not go with him, that she is home. The buckskinned guy shows up, says his name is Joshua and that Black Canary is now a member of his "family." Ollie is unable to convince Canary to come with them, so they leave her with her new family.

Joshua gives her a gift, a gun. When she says using a gun is wrong, Joshua pulls her deeper into his control, till she accepts the gift. When Hal says that Ollie just needs to realize that she just doesn't dig him anymore, Oliver punches him and storms off into the woods. There he hears gunfire in the distance and heads for it, finding the "family" doing shooting practice and overhears him ranting about going into town and killing everyone there. Realizing he needs help dealing with all of them, Arrow fires a flare arrow for Lantern, but in the glow of the flare he is seen and shot.

Green Lantern shows up and disarms the family and traps them in a pit. Joshua and Black Canary escape and find the wounded Green Arrow. Joshua orders her to kill Oliver, but she can't do it, she remembers their love for one another. When she drops the gun, Joshua picks it up to do the deed himself, but is punched by Green Lantern. As he falls to the ground, his gun discharges and he accidently kills himself.

I don't remember if Frank Giacoia ever inked Neal Adams again, and though he toned the artwork down a bit, he was not that bad. Now that might be that Neal was in his prime and no one could hurt his pencils that much, or it might be that Frans was not that bad of an inker for Adams. 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.

Green Lantern #77

Green Lantern #77 (On Sale: April 9, 1970) has a cover by Neal Adams as we hit the second issue of the "New" Green Lantern.

The 23-page "Journey to Desolation" by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Frank Giacoia begins  Green Lantern's and Green Arrow's Quest to find America. While traveling by pick-up truck across the country with one of the Guardians of the Universe in human guise, Green Lantern and Green Arrow pass through the small mining town of Desolation. Several miners shoot at their truck and the team immediately investigates the bizarre actions.

In a case of mistaken identity, the miners thought that team worked for Slapper Soames, the mine owner who runs the company town of Desolation with an iron fist. Slapper is planning to hang young Johnny Walden, a local folk singer, for stirring up revolt within the community. The miners are planning an actual revolt to free Johnny, behind their leader, Jacob. When Green Arrow sees how well-fortified and well-armed Slapper's men are, he advises them to call off their attack, but Jacob refuses to listen and charges into battle.

Green Lantern and Green Arrow both join the fight. During the melee, the Guardian accompanying them informs Green Lantern that since he has taken a leave of absence from his normal duties, his power ring will no longer protect him from mortal harm. This is new information to the Greens, and Lantern is injured during the fight, while Green Arrow is taken prisoner.

Unused cover by Neal Adams 

Green Arrow is taken to Slapper's office where he learns that the leader of the revolt, Jacob, was really working with Soames. Slapper liked that Johnny's songs were stirring up descent, as he wanted to start a futile revolt and crush it, so that the miners would never rise up again. He had to make Johnny the scapegoat as he was afraid that Johnny's songs might catch on, like Bob Dylan's did, and the last thing he wanted was eyes on Desolation. Green Lantern, who has recovered from his injuries, is able to arrive in time to save his friend.

Afterwards, Green Lantern admits that his recent confusion as to right and wrong has weaken his will power and thus, the power of his ring. This was an obvious change that was needed it Green Lantern was to talk on more realistic bad guys such as Slapper Soames.

Strange that this issue, like last issue, was originally supposed to have a different cover, one not too different from the cover actually used. Also, I don't know the story of how Frank Giacoia inked this issue, but I believe it would be the one and only time he inked Neal Adams's pencils. The results were a very watered down Adams, which I guess explains the lack of an encore for this artistic team.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Green Lantern #76

Green Lantern #76 (On Sale: February 24, 1970) is an obscure, little-known book of no real importance. Not! Neal Adams provides the cover to this ground-breaking comic with the new Green Lantern Co-Starring Green Arrow logo.

I remember seeing this book on the stands like it was yesterday. Having read the Green Arrow make-over issue of The Brave and the Bold and having been following his exploits in Justice League of America I was hankering for some more Green Arrow, and I was always ready for a new Neal Adams' series. This issue I got both and so, so much more. "No Evil Shall Escape My Sight" is the classic Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams revamping of the ailing Green Lantern franchise that changed the direction of comics for years to come and introduced the word "relevance" to comics.

This landmark issue almost went out with this cover instead, but editor Julius Schwartz passed on this one, perhaps because it looks like Green Arrow is about to shoot Green Lantern in the back. I've seen another version of this cover on-line somewhere which has the Green Lantern figure inked by Adams.

Stop me if you've heard this one before... or not. Green Lantern is in the area of Star City and decides to drop in on Green Arrow to see how he is doing. Once in town he sees a guy in a suit being accosted by "a punk" on the street. Lantern does a little green-ring razzle-dazzle and sends the "punk" off to police headquarters. He then picks the accosted man off the street and dusts him off accepting his gratitude. Then the crowd gives Lantern their opinion of his performance as they begin to pelt him with bottles, cans and other assorted garbage.

Green Lantern grabs the nearest punk and is about to work him over when Green Arrow arrives with the classic lines, "Touch him first, Green Lantern, and you'll have to touch me second...and I'll touch back!--Believe it chum!" "I was almost tempted to throw a can at you myself!" Arrow takes Lantern aside and explains that the accosted guy was Jubal Slade, the fat-cat landlord who owns these tenement slums, and who is now evicting everyone to turn the buildings into parking lots.

Up on the roof of the building, the straight-laced Green Lantern says he was only doing his job and Arrow accuses him of being a Nazi. Then in one of the more powerful moments in comic history an old black man asks Green Lantern a question, "I been readin' about you...How you work for the blue skins.. And how on a planet someplace you helped out the orange skins...And you done considerable for the purple skins! Only there's skins you never bothered with--! The black skins! I want to know... How come?! Answer me that, Mr. Green Lantern!"

This is one of two scenes that everyone seems to remember from this book and regard as its high point, but for me it is the first panel on the next page that makes this scene kill. More precisely, it is the caption of that first panel: " In the time it takes to draw a single breath...the span of a heartbeat--a man looks into his own soul, and his life changes..." What makes this story work and the whole concept of the book work, is that Denny O'Neil is able to give voice to two opposing views through the two main characters, but he is obviously slanted toward Arrow's more liberal views.

In a way, O'Neil turned this book into his own take on Steve Ditko's the Hawk and the Dove, only he is playing the favorite that Ditko never would ever have considered. Arrow gives a powerful voice and presence to the Dove and Lantern finds himself conflicted as the black and white Hawk. The country, certainly the youth of the country, was rejecting Ditko's black and white view of the world and embracing a more humanistic approach. Green Arrow was the perfect tool to bring that view to comics.

Back in our story, Green Lantern goes to Jubal Slade and tries to talk him out of razing the buildings. Slade calls him a "bleeding heart" and has his men attempt to throw him out. Lantern takes out Slade's thugs and is about to open a can of whoop-ass on Slade when the Guardians intervene, telling Lantern to report to Oa immediately. The Guardians are pissed that Hal attacked Slade, who in their eyes, had committed no crime. They send him out to save a moon of Saturn from a swarm of meteors and tell him to wait there for further orders. Tired of doing the work of the "blue skins" and thinking back on the words of the "black skin," Hal disobeys the Guardians and heads back to Earth.

At that moment Arrow is visiting Slade and convincing him that he needs to pay Arrow for "protection." They set up a meeting for later than night for a payoff. We watch the two guns heading for the rendezvous, silencers in place. Seeing a figure in a chair they pump it full of lead, only to find it is a dummy and Green Arrow is upon them! After handling the men, Arrow retrieves his hidden tape recorder, only to find that one of the gunsel's stray bullets has scored a direct hit on the tape and Ollie is back to square one.

When Arrow and Lantern get together, Ollie relates his failure and Hal comes up with a plan. One of the gunmen shows up at Slade's penthouse and Slade erupts, telling him never to come there and wanting to know if the "hit" on Green Arrow was a success, "Green Arrow! Did you finish him? I paid you to kill him...remember?" At which point the gunman turns into Green Lantern and Green Arrow shows up with the District Attorney in hand to arrest Slade.

All that is left is Slade's attempt to get away via a hand grenade he uses as a paperweight, but Green Lantern makes quick work of that and the D. A. takes Slade away. Happy ending, right? Not so fast bucko! There is the Epilogue and the other famous scene from this story.

The Guardians are pissed off at Hall for disobeying their orders and Green Arrow lays into them and Hal in some of the most amazing dialog ever written. For the time it was shocking. "Listen...Forget about chasing around the galaxy!...and remember America...It's a good country...beautiful...fertile...and terribly sick! There are children dying...honest people cowering in fear...disillustioned kids ripping up campuses...On the streets of Memphis a good black man died...and in Los Angeles a good white man fell...Something is wrong! Something is killing us all...! Some hideous moral cancer is rotting our very souls!"

And so Ollie tasks the Guardians to do something about it and after much deliberation they send down one of their own, disguised as a human and together, the three of them take off in a pick-up truck to find America. "Three set out together, moving through cities and villages and the majesty of the wilderness...searching for a special kind of truth...searching for themselves."

This classic tale has been reprinted in Green Lantern/Green Arrow #1, Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told HC, Greatest Team-Up Stories Ever Told TPB, DC Silver Age Classics Green Lantern 76 (#6), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection Vol. 1 TPB, Millennium Edition: Green Lantern 76 (#5), Green Lantern/Green Arrow Collection HC and Green Lantern/Green Arrow Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Teen Titans #25 (On Sale: November 18, 1969) has a powerful cover by Nick Cardy.

The Teen Titans take a dramatic turn in "The Titans Kill a Saint" by Robert Kanigher and Nick Cardy. In an absolute classic art job by Cardy we begin with the Titans and the Hawk and the Dove watching a surgery take place and blaming themselves. Later in the recovery room they attempt to talk to the patient, Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Arthur Swenson, but as they do so, he dies. In shock and tears the Titans are called to the morgue for a meeting of some sort. When the dejected Titans leave a short time later they run into Lilith, onto whom they try to foist some of the blame for Swenson's death, but she will have none of their nonsense and splits.

The Titans think back to how it all began a few hours earlier at the Canary Cottage Discotheque, where they met a dancer named Lilith, who knew who the Titans were even in their civilian identities and asked to join the team. She said her power is that she just knows things, like she knows the Titans will open the door to death tonight. They blow Lilith off and leave running into a peace rally, where Dr. Swenson is speaking. As the crowd begins to get heated, the Titans head for a back alley to change only to run into the Hawk and the Dove doing the same thing.

Back inside they all do what they can to control the crowd but when a man pulls a gun, Speedy, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash and the Hawk and the Dove all jump him and try to wrest the gun from his hands. It goes off and the single bullet strikes Dr. Swenson in the head. Speedy rushes them all to the hospital, where our story began. We also learn that when they went to the morgue, they were confronted by the Justice League who told them that they had violated their most sacred duty and that something must be done about it. Superman tells them that they must act as their own judge and jury and Batman warns that if they do not reach a decision by the day's end that the JLA will execute punishment on their own.

The Titans wander the streets, finding themselves eventually at the docks, where they are met by a small boat containing Lilith and Mr. Jupiter, the richest man in the world. Jupiter says he has an urgent government mission that he wants the Titans to undertake, but that the mission may change them forever and may even cost them their lives. Lilith leaves them, saying she knows she is a reminder to them of what has happened. The Titans go with Jupiter back to his estate to hear more.

Jupiter explains that he is in charge of a secret training project to prepare teens for the task of handling the world's problems and asks them if they will join. Robin bows out, saying that he has already committed to college. Though he leaves, the rest of the Titans and the Hawk and the Dove accept and are taken to Jupiter's secret headquarters on the 13th floor of his skyscraper complex, a floor run completely by computers.

There the Titans once again meet Lilith and give up their uniforms and fore go their powers to join Jupiter's secret project. This classic story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

World's Finest Comics #188

World's Finest Comics #188 (On Sale: August 7, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

We begin with Superman and Batman in "The Super-Rivals" by Ed Hamilton, Dick Sprang and Stan Kaye and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #85. Princess Varina visits the United States and meets her heroes Superman and Batman. The heroes begin competing for Varina’s affection because if she elopes with Stefan, her royal guard, a commoner, she must abdicate. Abdication would lead to civil war in Balkania.

The heroes continue their pursuit of Varina, but when Pete Kaney’s gang try to steal the royal jewels, the heroes make Stefan appear to be a hero. Stefan’s notoriety allows him to safely marry the princess without risk of war pleasing not only the princess but Lois Lane and Vicki Vale as well.

Next is Superman and Batman in "The Super-Newspaper of Gotham City" also by Ed Hamilton, Dick Sprang and Stan Kaye and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #80. Lois Lane and Clark Kent are asked to work for the Gotham Gazette temporarily to save it from ruin. Bruce Wayne also joins the staff as a reporter to help track down a large crime ring. Bruce and Clark compete for stories, while working on breaking up the crime ring as Batman and Superman. They eventually track down the ring with Robin’s help and deliver the story to the Gazette. The newspaper increases in circulation due to the story and is saved from bankruptcy.

That is followed by Superman and Batman in "The Negative Superman" by France Herron, Jim Mooney and Sheldon Moldoff and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #126. Luthor uses a new device to cause Superman to split in a positive and negative half. The Negative Superman begins helping Luthor and other criminals. The real Superman is unable to stop his duplicate because of an energy field.

Batman and Robin assist the Man of Steel in combating the super-powered menace. Batman uses Kryptonite, but the mineral causes the Negative Superman to grow more powerful. When Superman collides with his negative half, the increased power of the Negative Superman breaks the energy field and allows them to merge back into one being.

Next is Green Arrow in "The World's Worst Archer" by Robert Bernstein and Lee Elias and reprinted from Adventure Comics #262. Roy Harper, a promising athlete and archer, wants to become Green Arrow’s partner. His guardian is Brave Bow, an Indian chief whose life was saved by Roy’s late father. Brave Bow has trained Roy to master the bow and arrow, but is now too old to care for Roy.

Green Arrow gives the boy a chance to prove himself at the Greenville Fair. Roy’s arrow misses the target horribly. Roy doesn’t give up and follows Green Arrow after some crooks. Roy uses Brave Bow’s lucky flint arrow to catch the criminals. Green Arrow misses the action and believes the crooks were caught by a lucky accident.

G.A. gives Roy another chance after Roy wins a track meet. Again the boy’s arrow goes wide of the target. Roy is disappointed, but again trails Green Arrow after some crooks. His flint arrow punctures the tire of the getaway car, but the shaft breaks off leaving no evidence that Roy was responsible. Roy finally gives up, but Green Arrow returns later to explain to Roy that his arrowhead was in the tire. The shots he missed were metal arrows which had become magnetized at the fair, causing them to go wide of the targets. Green Arrow gives Roy the nickname Speedy and takes him as a partner.

We end with Superman and Batman in "The Batman Nobody Remembered" by Bill Finger and Jim Mooney and reprinted from World's Finest Comics #136. Batman is forced to crash land the Batplane during a lightning storm. When he returns to Gotham City no one remembers him. He also discovers that certain things are different. Bruce Wayne is really Superman and lives with Robin and Alfred; Vicki Vale looks like Lois Lane; and the Joker is a TV comic.

Batman’s behavior causes Superman and Commissioner Gordon to think he is a criminal, so he is hunted. He eventually proves himself by helping Superman rescue Robin. After relating his story to Superman, the Man of Steel reasons that Batman has been on a parallel Earth. Then he sends Batman to his own dimension, where he belongs.

Edited by E. Nelson Bridwell.

World's Finest Comics #187

World's Finest Comics #187 (On Sale: July 24, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson.

We begin with Superman and Batman in "The Demon Sin" by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. The back-up strip is Green Arrow in "The Green Arrow's First Case" a reprint from Adventure Comics #256. This telling of Green Arrow's origin is by France Herron, Jack Kirby and Roz Kirby. Green Arrow and his partner Speedy learn of a scientific expedition bound for Starfish Island. G.A. is worried that the expedition will uncover his secret identity because the island was where he became Green Arrow. As the two archers fly to the island to intercept the expedition, G.A. tells Speedy the story of how he became Green Arrow.

One night, Oliver Queen fell overboard on a ship. He was unable to be rescued, so he swam to a nearby island. He made a home in a cavern on the island and fashioned a bow and arrow for hunting. At first his aim was poor, but long hours of practice paid off and he improved.

While fishing with his arrows, the fish would swim away after being hit, so Queen attached a vine to the arrow so that he could reel in his catch. This became his first trick arrow; a rope arrow. He soon created net and drill arrows, as well as a green leaf outfit for camouflage while hunting.

One evening Queen spotted a ship offshore. He swam to the ship to discover that the crew was mutinying. Using grease to cover the reflection of light on his white face, The masked Queen defeated the pirates and acted for the first time as Green Arrow.

Green Arrow kept a diary of events on the cavern wall. He is worried the expedition will find it and learn his secret identity. Using a fake-uranium arrow, G.A. scares off the expedition who believes there is radiation on the island. G.A. then destroys the diary so no one will learn his secret.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Brave and the Bold #85

Brave and the Bold #85 (On Sale: June 24, 1969) has the classic Neal Adams' Batman and the new Green Arrow cover.

I can still smell the paper and the ink of this issue, I poured over it so much, digesting every panel over and over. This book was a revelation to me; I think it hooked me on comics more than any other book. After living through John, and Martin and Bobby, the opening assassination attempt gripped me because it felt so real. The 1960's were a decade of liberal politicians being gunned down in our streets and this book gave us a revised hero, a modern-day Robin Hood, who was there to help fight the corruption of our country. He had a mustache and a goatee and cool new threads and he was an obvious good man. It put Batman into this world too, and said that he was more than just a crime fighter. Both of these heroes were the "rich guys" of DC, but both of them show that they cannot be corrupted by their wealth, as some are. A classic issue for sure.

Batman and Green Arrow star in "The Senator's Been Shot!" by Bob Haney and Neal Adams. Election day and Senator Paul Cathcart wins the race only to be shot while making his acceptance speech, falling into the arms of friend Bruce Wayne. Bruce changes into Batman and chases down the assassins, but is foiled by a low overpass. Bruce Wayne visits Paul's room at Gothan State Hospital where Paul's son Edmond is by his father's side, Paul in a coma.

Bruce gets a call from the governor who discusses the importance of an anti-crime bill that Paul was going to vote for and the need to appoint someone else in Paul's place. Bruce suggests Paul's son, Edmond, but the governor says that Edmond's psychiatric practice keeps him too busy and he wants to appoint Bruce as Senator. The governor mentions how the bill is aimed at the biggest crime combine of all run by Miklos Minotaur, who may be behind the assassination attempt. Bruce says he will think about it.

Meanwhile Oliver Queen is finishing up plans for "New Island" a second Gotham that could save the state from bankruptcy. The only other bidder on the project is Argonaut Unlimited run by Miklos Minotaur. After his assistant locks up the plans and leaves, Oliver pulls out his new Green Arrow costume. He ponders if he should give up Green Arrow completely and devote his energies to helping humanity instead as plain old Oliver Queen. At the same time he notes that his assistant has stolen the plans for New Island a man on a window-washing rig throws a grenade into Oliver's office, but an arrow with a hook on it flings the grenade out the window where it explodes harmlessly. He pulls out a duplicate set of plans for New Island and can't figure out which identity is more important, Oliver Queen or Green Arrow.

The next day Bruce and Edmond are at the gym working out when Bruce tells Edmond that he is not sure he will take the governor's appointment. Edmond lashes out at him, that people's lives are at stake and "you won't even stand up and be counted." Bruce confesses that he can't because he has another job to do, Batman's job, "because I am Batman!" Bruce continues that he told Edmond because he knows that, as a psychiatrist, Edmond will never reveal his secret and because he needs his advice. Who is more important, Senator Bruce Wayne or Batman?

Later Edmond is looking over the New Island project with Oliver Queen when Oliver confides that he is Green Arrow and needs Edmond's help is figuring out which identity is more important. That night in his office, as Edmond ponders the two heroes coming to the same crisis in their lives, he is kidnapped by two of Minotaur's goons. Hours later Green Arrow pays Edmond a visit but finds Batman there instead. They listen to a secret recording that Edmond had running. Hearing that Minotaur is behind Edmond's capture both heroes silently think Minotaur is trying to get to their civilian identities through Edmond.

The next morning Bruce Wayne is sworn in as a US Senator, while Green Arrow parachutes onto a small Mediterranean island and plants a tracking device on Minotaur's yacht as it enters a hidden grotto. The tracking device is found and destroyed, leaving Green Arrow lost in the grotto. Minotaur releases his private hunting stock into the grotto and Green Arrow is attacked by a bear, a boar and a lion. He takes them out but is floored by the charging lion.

He is awakened later by Batman, who has tracked him through his Justice League locator transmitter. Batman uses a real bat and another locator device to find their way out of the grotto. Batman and Green Arrow crash into Minotaur's lair, only Minotaur puts a gun to Edmond's head and tells them to stop or he will kill Edmond. Green Arrow jams the trigger of Minotaur's gun with a trick arrow and while they are fighting his men, Minotaur escapes.

Bruce flies back to Washington for the crime bill vote while Oliver invites Minotaur to a lavish party on the island. When Minotaur arrives Oliver tries to have him arrested, but Minotaur notes that he cannot be arrested in a foreign country. Oliver then informs him that he should have noticed that the party was at the American Embassy. Oliver knocks him out and they take him away in a helicopter from the roof. Meanwhile back in Washington, Batman lands at the airport and makes it by Batrope and leg-power to the Senate, where he quickly changes into his civilian duds in time to vote for the crime bill.

Later Edmond meets both Oliver and Bruce separately. Oliver thinks that there is room in his life for both of his identities, while Bruce has resigned his Senate seat and has chosen the road of Batman. Later, alone in his office Paul begins sessions of self-hypnosis to wipe the knowledge of the secret identities from his mind. This classic story has been reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #23, Best of the Brave and the Bold #1, Millennium Edition: The Brave and the Bold 85 (#48), Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 1 HC, Showcase Presents Green Arrow Vol. 1 TPB and Showcase Presents the Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 1 TPB.

Some mention must be given to the loose artwork by Neal Adams. It has none of the stiffness that would creep into his work over the years as he labored to be "Neal Adams," rather than a great comic book artist. Just my opinion here, but Adams seemed to just be having fun in these days; he hadn't yet become the "it guy" of comics and with nothing to keep proving, he was free to just cut loose.

Lastly, there was always derisive talk in fandom about the liberties Bob Haney took with characters in The Brave and the Bold. There was often talk of the stories taking place on Earth-H, they were so far removed from the standard continuity. But here is a case where Haney looking outside the box and a fresh facelift, complements of Neal Adams, took a throwaway character that had pretty much been an afterthought for years, and turned him into something heroic and vital and needed at the time. Yeah, Neal and Denny would take the character and run with him, but Bob Haney got the ball rolling.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.