Witching Hour #17

Witching Hour #17 (On Sale: August 10, 1971), has a cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with a framing sequence drawn by Geroge Tuska. The witches move into a new house in the city. At first, they miss their old house, but the smog and view of the polluted river raise their spirits, inspiring them to tell stories.

Our first tale is "This Little Witch Went to College" by George Kashdan and Don Heck. When a college coed goes missing, the campus coven attempts to get a new initiate, Claire, to stop Frederick Stokes from investigating a death that will lead him straight to the witches.

Next up is "Fingers of Fear" by Gardner Fox, Carmine Infantino, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Sensation Comics #109 (1952). Albert Tisdale kills the other members of his expedition, but then their faces begin to appear on his fingers and try to take their revenge.

Our next reprint is "The Second Life of Simon Steele" drawn by Howard Sherman and reprinted from House of Secrets #46 (1961). The ghost of a lawyer who relied on sorcery returns after 150 years to take revenge on the descendant of the person who stopped him originally.

That takes us to "The Corpse Who Carried Cash" by Murray Boltinoff, John Calnan, and Vince Colletta. A funeral home employee embezzles from his boss and decides to hide the money in the casket of a recently dead person overnight. He realizes the error of his ways when his boss informs him the following morning that the man had been cremated.

We end with "The Man in the Cellar" by Carl Wessler and Jerry Grandenetti. Miser Ephraim Dark meets a kind stranger through a mirror that he keeps in his cellar. The stranger pulls Ephraim through the mirror and offers him a meal but Ephraim can only think he's being spied on so the stranger can steal his money. When Ephraim notices a painting ajar, he knows that he's located the man's safe. He steals the money and flees back through the mirror, but he panics that they might be able to follow him through the mirror so he burns the money. 

Still not satisfied that he is safe, he breaks the mirror. When he checks his own money hiding place he is shocked to discover his money is gone. The face of the stranger appears and Ephraim realizes the stranger is himself living another life if he had not been a miser. Ephraim realizes that the money he stole and destroyed was his own.

All new material reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Witching Hour Vol. 1 TPB (2011).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #127

Unexpected #127 (On Sale: July 22, 1971), has a very nice cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with  "Follow the Piper to Your Grave" by Robert Kanigher and George Tuska. A man leaves his girlfriend at a house in the swamp which turns out to be haunted by a killer. Once he realizes this, he rushes back into his car even though he has been warned that the bridge is out. Meanwhile, strange pipe music wakes the girl and compels her to follow it into the bog where she will drown. 

She prays for her man to save her and suddenly he appears to pull her from the bog. She wonders why the music doesn't affect him and, abruptly, he fades away. She is puzzled until the man who warned her boyfriend about the bridge being out appears. She learns that he died in attempting to jump the collapsed bridge in order to save her.

Next, we have "The Cats Who Knew Too Much" by Jack Kirby and reprinted from House of Secrets #8 (1958). Butler Michael Renner kills his employer but soon finds out that her will stipulates he must take care of her cats or he will receive no money. Soon he begins to imagine that the cats are out to get him.

That brings us to "The Ferry Was Waiting" drawn by John Giunta and reprinted from Sensation Comics #109 (1952). Doctor Rawlings is transported on a night ferry whose captain died shortly ago. This way the deceased captain pays off a debt to the doctor.

That is followed by "The 30,000 Corpses" by Murray Boltinoff, John Calnan, and Vince Colletta. A criminal is released from prison but he gets an unexpected surprise when he goes to retrieve the stolen money he hid before he was caught.

Next up is Johnny Peril in "Queen of the Snows" by Robert Kanigher,  Alex Toth, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Sensation Comics #107 (1952). Johnny Peril finds his friend Lee Allen, who just before he dies swears he has seen Subara the Ice Queen, who the natives believe lives on frozen Mt. Subara. Johnny returns to the mountain with two more friends, but only he encounters Subara. They refuse to believe he met the mythical woman until he produces her crown of roses.

That brings us to "Frightened to Death" by Murray Boltinoff and George Tuska. A man in a raft floating on the ocean finally finds land. 

We end with "Till Death Us Do Unite" by George Kashdan and Jim Aparo. Truman Wilkes kills and disposes of his wife, but with no physical body, he must wait seven years until she is ruled legally dead to inherit her money.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

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.

Ghosts #1

Ghosts #1 (On Sale: July 1, 1971), has a cover by Nick Cardy.

I guess I was one of the few readers who were bored by just about every book Murray Boltioff was editor of except the Brave and the Bold. Since it was mainstream DC, I bought this series but never cared for it at all, and the gimmick of "true" stories just made it even worse. Despite how I felt about it, this title would last for over eleven years.

Interesting tidbit: The indicia reads just Ghost, with a lot of white space on both sides of the word. The cover and later issues read as Ghosts. It appears that the book was at first to be titled True Ghost Stories, thus the white space in the indicia, but then it was changed to just Ghosts. When they updated the indicia they whited out "True" and "Stories," but they forgot to add the "s."

We begin with a one-page introduction to ghosts drawn by Tony DeZuniga.

Our first take is "Death's Bridegroom" by Leo Dorfman and Jim Aparo. The police discover the body of a young woman who committed suicide, with a note saying she took her own life because the man she was engaged to only courted her to steal her life savings and leave her penniless in a tenement. The swindler who stole from her ends up lost in a fog as he skips town, and comes across a mansion owned by a strange beautiful woman who claims to be waiting for her long-lost fiance. She seems the perfect new target to him, but little does he know she and her home have long rotted away and with his proposal, he joins her in the fog. Reprinted in Limited Collectors' Edition C-32 (1974).

That is followed by "Ghost in the Iron Coffin" by Leo Dorfman and Sam Glanzman. A resistance fighter is caught and executed while trying to sabotage a Nazi U-Boat but haunts the vessel killing its crew until he's able to use his spiritual powers to turn the U-Boat's own torpedoes against it and destroy it.

Next up is our first reprint: "The Tattooed Terror" by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Sensation Mystery #112 (1952).

We have another reprint up next in "The Last Dream" by John Broome, Carmine Infantino, and Frank Giacoia and reprinted from Sensation Comics #107 (1952). Tybalt Fletcher, the last of his line, dies in a feud with the Beaumont clan. His ghost then spends the next 400 years killing Beaumonts with the pistol he requested to be buried with.

We end with "The Spectral Coachman" by Leo Dorfman and Tony DeZuniga. Tombstone, Arizona, draws its name from the town graveyard where the greatest badmen of the west are buried. But tonight one of them lives again when a young modern prospector is rescued from a pack of wolves by the ghost of a long-dead stagecoach driver. Reprinted in Limited Collectors' Edition C-32 (1974).

All of the new material was reprinted in Showcase Presents Ghosts Vol. 1 TPB (2012).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #126

Unexpected #126 (On Sale: June 24, 1971), has a cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin this issue with our cover story, "You Are Cordially Invited... to Die" by George Kashdan, Dick Dillin, and Vince Colletta. While on his deathbed, Hiram makes a deal with a mysterious figure for one more hour of life. He ends up having to become the Devil's go-between for others wishing to make the same bargain.

Next up is "Cat Tale" by Murray Boltinoff and Rich Buckler. Mrs. McDougal, an old cat lady, has a disagreement with your landlord.

Next, we have "The Doomsday Drum" by Dave Wood, Joe Maneely, and Joe Sinnott and reprinted from House of Secrets #9 (1958). 

Joe Maneely was mainly thought of as an Atlas (Marvel) artist, but the year before his death in 1958, he started working for DC as well, where he penciled 10 stories in all, half for the House of Mystery. Modern comic fans know little to nothing regarding Joe, who was a master of all genres of comic art and best known as the co-creator of the Black Knight, the Ringo Kid, the Yellow Claw, and Jimmy Woo. Had he not died in a commuter-train accident at 32, Maneely would have been one of the greats at Marvel. Stan Lee said, "Joe Maneely to me would have been the next Jack Kirby. He also could draw anything, make anything look exciting, and I actually think he was even faster than Jack."

Our next story is "Please Let Me Die" by Dave Wood and Bruno Premiani. Charlie Kimble hears the voices of his dead cellmates.

Bruno Premiani started his career at Prize Comics with Young Love #4 in 1949 and his first work for DC was that same year in World Finest Comics #42. By 1950, Bruno was working almost exclusively for DC, starting out as a western artist with Tomahawk #1. He stayed with that book for 36 issues. Bruno's real claim to fame came along in 1963 in My Greatest Adventure #80 where he and Arnold Drake created the Doom Patrol. He would stay with the Doom Patrol till the original series ended in 1968. After that series ended Bruno would only draw two more stories, this being his final comic work. All told, Bruno Premiani drew 175 stories for DC.

This story is followed by "The Town That Buried Me Alive" drawn by Alex Toth and reprinted from House of Mystery #149 (1965). A twin is having memory problems, uncertain which one he is.

We end this issue with "Seek Your Own Grave" by George Kashdan and Jerry Grandenetti. Three criminals kill an old prospector hoping to find his cache of gold.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Brave & the Bold #97

Brave & the Bold #97 (On Sale: June 15, 1971), has a Batman/Wildcat cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with Batman and Wildcat in "The Smile of Choclotan" by Bob Haney, Bob Brown, and Nick Cardy. While Bruce Wayne is vacationing in South America, as Batman, he saves a young boy named Luis Mercado from a sniper's bullet. Following the boy into town, he learns that his old friend Wildcat is also in the area, resuming his career as a boxer. Observing Wildcat's match and spotting somebody putting a chemical in his drinking water, Batman strikes and helps Wildcat and Luis escape.

He learns that Wildcat has amnesia and that Luis is being targeted by a crime boss named El Grande. He explains that Ted was friends with his father, and both were looking for the Choclotan, a priceless archeological find if it exists. Ted had learned its location and since an attack left him amnesiac, he and Luis have been a target ever since.

Working with Batman, Wildcat's memory is restored, they defeat El Grande and his men, and find the Choclotan idol for Luis, which they agree to turn over to a Mexican museum. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 2 TPB (2008), Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2017), Batman/Wildcat TPB (2017), and Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Vol. 2 TPB (2019).

The backup is a classic, "Who Has Been Lying in My Grave?" by Arnold Drake, Carmine Infantino, and George Roussos, reprinted from Strange Adventures #205 (1967) and featuring the origin of Deadman. Boston Brand, a trapeze artist and minority owner of a circus, walks the circus grounds before his nightly performance as the aerialist Deadman. He discovers a local constable poking around the grounds and chases him away. He then discovers that Leary the barker is stealing from the box office. He also catches Heldrich the animal trainer getting drunk. He fires Heldrich, then heads to the big top.

After reaching the top of the trapeze, Boston is shot by a sniper with a hook for a right hand. He falls to his death. Then his astral form is met by Rama Kushna, a Hindu spirit goddess. Rama allows Boston to walk the Earth as a spirit until his killer is caught.

Boston, now truly a Deadman, begins the search for his killer by checking up on the circus performers. He discovers that he is invisible, but can temporarily take control of human bodies. While inhabiting the body of Tiny the strongman, Deadman discovers Heldrich and Ramsey, the constable, making a drug deal. Deadman stops the crooks, then resumes the search for the killer, Hook. This story was also reprinted in DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #5 (1980), Deadman #1 (1985), Deadman Collection HC (2002), DC Comics Presents: Brightest Day #1 (2010), and Deadman Vol. 1 TPB (2011).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Witching Hour #16

Witching Hour #16 (On Sale: June 10, 1971), has a cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with a framing sequence drawn by George Tuska, and that leads us to "Never Kill a Witch" by Carl Wessler, John Calnan, and Bernie Case. Harry and Stella approach an old house that Harry believes has money hidden away inside but Stella is frightened as she has heard a witch lived there. Harry tries to reassure the frightened Stella that they can make money for their wedding by robbing the old woman who lives in the house, but Stella is still frightened. 

Harry and Stella are confronted by the old woman who lives in the house, accusing them of being thieves. Harry attacks the old woman and Stella thinks that he has killed her, but she appears again and warns them to leave her house. Harry makes sure the old woman is dead this time. Stella wants to leave, but Harry refuses to leave without the money and finds its hiding place. The witch refuses to stay dead and when Harry confronts her, a fire breaks out. Harry gets the burned Stella out of the house and asks a passerby to call an ambulance. 

The old woman burns up in the house and Harry and Stella are brought to the hospital where they have an extended stay. When the bandages from their faces are removed, Stella screams when she sees that Harry's face now resembles that of the old witch. This is the only credit for Bernie Case at DC, though there are three issues of Black Diamond Western by Lev Gleason from 1949 that has Case listed as a penciler and inker.

Next up is "The Spell of Sinner Ella" by Murray Boltinoff and Gray Morrow. The Cinderella story retold where Cinderella pushes one of the stepsisters off a cliff for attempting to rival the prince's affection and the prince tracks her down with the glass slipper and has her hung. A stupid story with great artwork.

That is followed by "You Can't Hide from Death" by Murray Boltinoff and Tony DeZuniga. One man fires a shot in a duel and misses and the other refuses to fire saying that he will pick the time and place. The story leads the reader to believe that the first man in the duel spends years fleeing the pursuit of the other, but the end of the story reveals that the pursued man is the one who refused to take the shot. At the end of the story, the pursuer catches up with the pursued and hands over his gun, demanding that he take the shot. The man fires into the ground.

Next up is "The Wondrous Witch's Cauldron" drawn by Lee Elias and reprinted from House of Secrets #58 (1963). A witch's cauldron that brings its owner fame, fortune, and long life passes from owner to owner.

We end with  "The Curse of the Cat" by Howie Post and Bill Draut and reprinted from House of Mystery #177 (1968). A beggar tells Mr. Fleming of a fortune buried in a cat's grave.

The entire issue was reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Witching Hour Vol. 1 TPB (2011).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

House of Secrets #93

House of Secrets #93 (On Sale: June 1, 1971), has a nice cover by Bernie Wrightson.

We begin this issue with "Lonely in Death" by Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo. At first circumstances in an old house lead a young woman to believe her recently deceased mother is attempting to kill her in order to have company in the afterlife, but then the resentful brother is revealed as the cause of the near-fatal mishaps. He attempts to stab his sister with a spear but falls out a window to his death when startled by something the woman takes to be her mother's ghost protecting her, not attempting to kill her as she mistakenly previously believed.

Next up is our first reprint, "The Curse of the Cat's Cradle" drawn by Alex Toth and reprinted from My Greatest Adventure #85 (1964).

That is followed by "Nightmare" by Gerry Conway and Jack Abel. A man being paid to sabotage a construction project has a nightmare about falling into a dark area and then being seized by a giant hand. After he wakes up and heads to the construction site he finds that his nightmare was a premonition.

Next, we have our second reprint, "The Beast from the Box" drawn by Nick Cardy and reprinted from House of Secrets #24 (1959). Charles Sanders releases and eventually kills a thing from a box.

We end this issue with "Never Kill a Witch's Son" by John Albano and Tony DeZuniga. A niece and her husband plot to kill her uncle for insurance money, but since the uncle's mother fancies herself a witch, the husband hatches a scheme to drive his wife to suicide so that he can get all the money. He fakes the uncle's appearances after they push him to his death off the balcony claiming that he had a fainting spell, but does too good a job and while his wife has been sedated, she sees her husband at the balcony and mistakes him for her uncle and shoves him to his death. All this time, the uncle's mother has been tending her son's grave, believing herself to be responsible through black magic for what happens to the niece and her husband.

Edited by Joe Orlando.

Teen Titans #34

Teen Titans #34 (On Sale: May 20, 1971), has a cover by Nick Cardy. 

This issue features "The Demon of Dog Island" by Bob Haney, George Tuska, and Nick Cardy. The Titans investigate spooky goings-on on Dog Island, where Donna (Wonder Girl) Troy has been looking after an elderly lady, Miss Wickersham. Through Lilith's mental powers, they learn that Miss Wickersham is actually an ancient witch whose spirit is slowly possessing Donna, who resembles the witch as she looked in her youth. The Titans must deal with the Jukes brothers, superstitious inhabitants of the island who believe Wonder Girl is a demoness due to her super-strength and must prevent the unwitting Wonder Girl's total possession before Miss Wickersham finally dies and is reunited with the spirit of her murdered lover. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007) and Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus HC (2017).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Falling in Love #124

Falling in Love #124 (On Sale: May 6, 1971), has a cover by maybe Bob Oksner. Not sure, he may be inking someone else.

We begin with "Anybody's Girl!" drawn by Werner Roth and Vince Colletta. Barbara works as an exotic dancer, tossing her garter to the men at the end of her act. Tired of being groped, Barbara quits her job and becomes a waitress in a diner. There she meets Cliff and falls in love. After Cliff proposes, she meets his brother, Jonah, who does not approve of her racy clothes and makeup. Barbara takes Jonah's criticism to heart as she knows she is just a dancer at heart. She feels that Jonah so disapproves of her that she hides from Cliff during the day and asks him to meet her in the barn one night to explain her feelings, but Jonah catches them, and accusations fly. 

Barbara decides to leave Cliff as Jonah requests and writes Jonah a note saying how she knows he is right about her, but when she goes to put it in one of his drawers she sees something that changes her mind. She runs to Cliff and demands that they be married today. When Jonah reacts she tells him she knows all about him. Jonah does not say a word, just walks off and Barbara's memories reveal that Jonah had one of her garters in his drawer.

Next is "Moonlight Madness!" by persons unknown and reprinted from Falling in Love #1 (1955). Linda is bored with her life and a boyfriend she doesn't love until she meets Paul late at night on the beach. She immediately falls in love with him but as time passes and he never contacts her again she fears that that night didn't mean anything to him. Days go by but one day Paul shows up and tells her that when they met he was in a relationship, but that ended after meeting her.

We end with "Puppy Love!" drawn by John Celardo and Nick Cardy. Sheila and her roommates are all interested in Quentin Reardon, but he only seems interested in his dog. Sheila buys herself a dog so that she can "accidentally" run into him while walking the dog, and her plan works perfectly.

Edited by Dorothy Woolfolk.

Unexpected #125

Unexpected #125 (On Sale: April 22, 1971), has an underwhelming cover by Nick Cardy. The unimaginative color is what truly ruins this cover.

This issue starts off with "Screech of Guilt" by George Kashdan and Artie Saaf. Though I am not a huge fan of Saaf, he did some nice work here and there in this story. Nicholas murders his business partner, Clinton, after Clinton discovered he was embezzling money from their company. Afterward, he hears Clinton's last words, daring Nicholas to kill him, repeated over and over, only to discover Clinton's pet parrot who continually repeats the murdered man's last conversation. 

Nicholas attempts to silence the bird, but it eludes him. Weeks later Clinton's widow calls Nicholas to her house and gives him the returned parrot. He grabs the bird and attempts to drive it somewhere private where he can shoot it, but notices a cop tailing him and panics, releasing the bird from its cage. When the cop bypasses him, he realizes that he still has a chance to track the parrot on foot. The bird leads him into a parrot jungle where his buddies peck the man to death.

Next is  "Escape into the Unknown" by Carl Wessler and Sid Greene. Convicted kidnapper Lefty, escapes from prison and hides out inside a rocket at a launch facility. While there, scientists arrive and load the rocket up with food capsules and water. Lefty wants to get off the rocket but is unable to do so. The next night he is awakened by the rumble of this ship then the weightlessness of space. Alone in the ship, Lefty goes mad, seeing people from his past. Time goes on and then one day the rocket returns to earth and when men open the capsule they find Lefty, an old man, having been in orbit for 48 years, his life sentence having not really been avoided.

We end with  "Know No Evil" by George Kashdan and Jerry Grandenetti. Ferghol has discovered a strange creature created by an ancient wizard. Using a special formula derived from rare flowers, Ferghol is able to transfer the evil from a man to a creature, named Amram, for 24 hours. The man may then commit any crime without being caught. Amram, however, is disfigured for each crime committed.

When one of Ferghol's clients confesses, Amram's disfigurement is reversed. Hoping to regain his normal body, Amram escapes in an effort to elicit more confessions. Ferghol pursues and is accidentally killed. Amram is caught. His case comes to the court of Judge Gallows, who believes the story and acquits Amram. Gallows is then forced off the bench by colleagues believing him to be senile.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Brave & the Bold #96

Brave & the Bold #96 (On Sale: April 15, 1971), has a Batman and Sgt. Rock cover by Nick Cardy. 

Batman and Sgt. Rock indeed star in "The Striped Pants War" by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy. When Ambassador Adams, the ambassador to a South American nation, is kidnapped, Bruce Wayne is contacted by the Secretary of State to assume the role. The Adams was kidnapped by the Companeros De La Muerte, a terrorist group that is holding him for ransom. Bruce accepts the appointment when he is introduced to his guardian for the trip, Batman. We later learn that Batman was actually Alfred in disguise. 

Arriving in South America, Bruce is greeted by Abbot Carlyle, the First Secretary to the Embassy, who later introduces Bruce to Sgt. Rock at the embassy. Of course, they know one another from their adventure in Brave and Bold #84. Rock was overseeing security when Ambassador Adams was kidnapped.

While Bruce handles diplomatic matters, Batman begins the search for Adams. He is targeted by assassins twice and both times Sgt. Rock is nearby. When a bug is found in Bruce's rooms, the bug's receiver is found in Rock's room, pointing even more fingers to Rock as a traitor.

Meanwhile, a young boy delivers a lead to the whereabouts of the ambassador, pointing out the truck used to kidnap him. Batman jumps to the roof of the truck and lets the kidnappers take him to the U.S. Embassy and a secret room inside. Rock has followed and together they rescue Adams and Rock clears his name. The actual traitor is revealed to be Abbot Carlyle, the ambassador's secretary. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 2 TPB (2008), Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2017), and Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Vol. 2 TPB (2019).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Witching Hour #15

Witching Hour #15 (On Sale: April 8, 1971), has a cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with a framing sequence featuring the three witches drawn by George Tuska. Cynthia prepares a witch's brew. Mordred insults her, but Cynthia insists on doing her own thing claiming it to be Witch's Lib. A guest then arrives, so the witches sit down to tell stories.

Our first story is "Freddy Is Another Name for Fear" by George Kashdan and Wally Wood. Two rival psychologists plot to manipulate Freddy, a strong halfwit, into murdering the other, but the halfwit ends up killing both of them. 

Next up is "Bayou Witch" by Phil Seuling and Gray Morrow. A local Heck Belleau stirs up the populace against Old Yeller Maggie, claiming she was a swamp witch and that she was casting spells against him. Maggie was known for selling "Love Potions" and doctoring the sick. Still, Heck Helleau turned the town against her and she declares that she will no longer help the people and that, yes, in case they were wondering, she was a witch.

The luck of the people turned at that time: their boats leaked, the taxmen found their stills, storms tore off roofs, chickens stopped laying eggs, the measles ran rampant, and worse of all, the rain stopped falling. The people knew it was Maggie's doing and a group of men went into the swamp to find her and end their run of bad luck. Someone was responsible for the bad luck they were suffering through and they all knew who it was.    

They formed a lynch mob and strung up old Heck Belleau, the man who started all the trouble with Maggie, but she intercedes and saves his life, telling them that they'll have their good luck spells back. They release Heck and when he runs off they never see him again.

Phil Seuling is known for staging the First International Convention of Comic Art in 1968 and the first New York Comic Art Convention in 1969. In 1971 he wrote three comic book stories: one for Skywald, one for Warren, and this one for DC. In 1972, Seuling founded Sea Gate Distributors and created the direct market for comic book sales. Of Seuling's contribution of comics, Mark Evanier wrote that

. . . it became apparent that the old method was being destroyed, with or without selling books the Seuling way, so DC, Marvel, and other companies tried it. Within a year, around 25% of all comic books were being sold via 'direct' distribution, through Seuling's company and about a dozen others, with 75% still on conventional newsstands. Within ten years, those percentages were reversed. Today, the 'direct market' is the primary market.

Phil Seuling died on August 21, 1984, and the following year, Sea Gate closed down.

We end with "I Married a Ghost" by Murray Boltinoff and Artie Saaf. A man and his intended bride are in an auto accident which results in the woman's death. The groom still can see her ghost so he tells his best man that they are going to be married tonight. His friend humors him until he can make an appointment with a doctor. 

The ghost tries to kill her husband so that they can be together in death and so the man releases her from her vow after his friend rescues him. The friend gets a therapist to take him to an asylum, but the friend is disturbed because he thinks that he is beginning to perceive the dead woman's presence as well.

The entire issue was reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Witching Hour Vol. 1 TPB (2011).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Teen Titans #33

Teen Titans #33 (On Sale: March 18, 1971), has a cover by Nick Cardy.

This issue features "Less Than Human?" by Bob Haney, George Tuska, and Nick Cardy. Continuing from the last issue, Kid Flash and Mal remain trapped in an alternate timeline. The sorcerer Jupiterius has offered to help if the Titans can pass two tests, Kid Flash successfully passes the first. Mal then must overcome his own fears to pass the second. When he successfully completes the test, Jupiterius sends the Titans back in time to the moment they changed history.

Mal and Kid Flash once again face an attack by an angry caveman. This time, they don't accidentally kill him. The Titans are then returned to their own time period, but the caveman comes with them. The Titans cage the caveman, dubbed Gnarrk, the only word he speaks. The team then works tirelessly to civilize the caveman and teach him to trust and communicate.

Lilith forms a special bond with Gnarrk. During a trip into the city, Gnarrk becomes separated from the Titans. Lilith finds him and brings him back, but while on his own, Gnarrk witnessed a criminal deal involving a city councilman. The Titans then work with Gnarrk to ensure his testimony will stand up in court. Gnarrk successfully testifies, and the councilman is convicted. This is not a great issue of TT. The story is lame, really lame and the artwork by Tuska and Cardy is a step below the pure Cardy of recent issues. The removal of Dick Giordano as editor is really taking its toll.  Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Brave & the Bold #95

Brave & the Bold #95 (On Sale: February 16, 1971), has a cover by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano.

This issue features "C.O.D. Corpse on Delivery" by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy. The team-up, only hinted at on the cover, is Batman and Plastic Man of Earth-1, someone who did not really exist up till now. Batman is hired by Ruby Ryder Inc. owner, Ruby Ryder to find her fiance Kyle Morgan, whom she claims went missing in South America. However, when Batman finds Morgan and brings him back to Ryder, she shoots him dead. Batman then goes on the trail to find Ryder when she escapes. Aided by a mysterious benefactor, Batman finds her in Morocco and takes her back to the States, where she is sentenced to death for the murder of Morgan.

However, Batman stops the execution when he reveals that Kyle Morgan isn't dead, but in the room and Morgan then reveals himself to be alive. He explains that he was once the hero known as Plastic Man, but he took on the guise of Kyle Morgan to try and live a normal life and had a relationship with Ruby Ryder. After learning that she was a power-seeking person, he left her and faked his death, which only fueled her revenge. With the mystery sorted out, Ruby's charges were lessened to attempted murder, however, she leaves the room scoffing at the concept of marrying a freak and tells the authorities to get in touch with her lawyers, while Plastic Man considers his future. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 2 TPB (2008), Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2017), and Batman in the Brave and the Bold:The Bronze Age Vol. 2 TPB (2019).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff. I complain a lot about Boltioff as an editor, but B&B was one book I always loved and looked forward to, and he was the guy who let Neal Adams run wild with Batman, turning him from camp TV guy to the Dark Knight.

Super DC Giant S-23

Super DC Giant S-23 (On Sale: January 26, 1971), has an Unexpected cover by Bob Brown, a cover that would not make anyone want to buy this book.

This reprint fest begins with Johnny Peril in "The Demon in the Mirror" by Robert Kanigher, Alex Toth, and Sy Barry and reprinted from Sensation Comics #109 (1952).

Our next story is "The Man Who Walked Like a Mummy" drawn by Bill Ely and reprinted from House of Mystery #48 (1956).

Following that is "The Thing from the Skies" drawn by Mort Meskin and reprinted from Tales of the Unexpected #13 (1957).

Next, we have "The Face in the Clock" drawn by Nick Cardy and reprinted from Tales of the Unexpected #7 (1956)

We next have "The Forbidden Game" which is also drawn by Mort Meskin and is reprinted from Tales of the Unexpected #14 (1957).

The next story is "Captives of Creature Castle" drawn by Ruben Moreira and reprinted from House of Mystery #104 (1960).

"The Secret of the Little Black Bag" is next and another tale drawn by Ruben Moreira and reprinted from House of Mystery #9 (1952)

We end this with "The Girl in the Iron Mask" drawn by Mort Meskin and George Roussos and reprinted from House of Mystery #66 (1957).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Teen Titans #32

Teen Titans #32 (On Sale: January 19, 1971), has a nice cover by Nick Cardy.

The Teen Titans star in "A Mystical Realm, a World Gone Mad" by Steve Skeates and Nick Cardy. New editor Murray Boltinoff's attempt to add horror to the Titans was a huge mistake in my view. Mal is thrown back in time by an experiment conducted by Mr. Jupiter. Kid Flash uses the Cosmic Treadmill to rescue his teammate. While in the distant past, Mal encounters a tribe of neanderthals. One of the tribesmen attacks Mal. Kid Flash arrives in time to save his friend, but the caveman falls to his death. When Kid Flash and Mal try to return to their own time, they discover an alternate timeline.

Kid Flash hypothesizes that the timeline was created by the death of the caveman. The Titans seek help from a sorcerer who resembles Mr. Jupiter. Jupiterius puts the Titans through a test to earn his help. In the first test, Kid Flash must compete in archery against Trueshot, a doppelganger of Speedy. Kid Flash wins, but the test is not over. Continues next issue. This story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Aquaman #56

Aquaman #56  (On Sale: January 5, 1971), has a classic cover by Nick Cardy. Rarely were the covers of Aquaman symbolic, but the whole concept of "The Creature the Devoured Detroit" was symbolic as the "creature" was hypergrowth of algae from Lake Erie, not a sentient monster.

This was indeed a sad issue for me as a teenager, not at the time it was published, but two months later when Aquaman #57 did not arrive and we learned that the book had been canceled. I've said a few times here that growing up, this was my favorite comic book series and my favorite creators, and I have to give the credit to Dick Giordano's editing of the book. He brought in from Charlton a creative team that was young and developing (Steve Skeates and Jim Aparo) and let them and cover-artist Nick Cardy just run wild. And over the two and a half years they all worked together, Skeates became as innovative and skilled an author as any in the field, and Jim Aparo transformed from this bulky, blocky style, to a master story-teller, propelling thinly muscled characters from panel to panel, page to page. 

We begin this last issue of Aquaman for six years with "The Creature that Devoured Detroit!" by the creative team of S.A.G., Steve Skeates, Jim Aparo, and editor Dick Giordano. It begins with a guy arguing with his wife about the quality of her beef stroganoff when all he wants to do is watch the Warren Savin Show on TV. This show is a thinly veiled Tonight Show with Ed McMahan and Johnny Carson, drawn beautifully by Aparo. The show is interrupted by a news bulletin about an emergency in Detroit, where the city is being overrun by algae from Lake Erie, which has been growing at an alarming rate ever since Detroit has been experiencing 24 hours of daylight for the past week. It is believed to be caused by a satellite in orbit using mirrors to keep Detroit lit at all times. Aquaman was supposed to appear on the show but disappeared during the news bulletin. 

Aquaman swims to Detroit and finds the city streets clogged with algae and decides to see an old friend in the police department, Don Powers. Cut to the Crusader, Detroit's own hometown hero where he goes at it with some goons repainting stolen cars. Meanwhile, Aquaman finds a cop and asks about Don, only to learn that he left the force and runs his own Private Investigation Lab. 

Aquaman tracks Don down and while talking to his old friend learns that the crime rate in Detroit is down 38% in the last week. Don lets Aquaman know that he put the satellite up there and it is working great at decreasing the crime rate. Aquaman cannot believe his old friend is actually the cause of the problems and when he explains that the city is being evacuated, Don sluffs it off as left-wind conservationist hysterics.  When Aquaman looks for a way to destroy the satellite, Don and his men knock him out and Don tells his men to dump him on a park bench,

Don then goes into his office and changes into his Crusader costume. We learn that he put the satellite up to lower the crime rate, but also because his eyesight is failing and he can no longer see well enough at night to fight as the Crusader. He is after a ring of car thieves and plans on destroying the satellite and retiring from crime-fighting as soon as he captures the ringleaders. 

Aquaman wakes up on the bench and saves a young girl from the clutches of the ever-increasing algae. In a typical Skeates moment, a senior woman blames the algae on the "younger generation" and laments that this happened to Detroit instead of Cleveland. 

On his way back to Don's offices, Aquaman sees a crowd up the street and investigates. They are surrounding the dead body of the Crusader. One witness says he doesn't understand what happened; the Crusader was running along the rooftops then tripped and fell over some wires that were in plain sight. Someone pulls off his mask and Aquaman recognizes his old friend Don. He rushes back to Don's lab, beats his way past the guards, and pushes a button that destroys the satellite. 

This should be the end of the story, but four years later, Steve Skeates is now working for Marvel writing their undersea hero, the Submariner. In Submariner #72,  "From the Void It Came..." the story begins with a hand pushing a button that destroys a satellite that has just been boarded by the Slime-Thing. The narrator makes the odd remark that the identity of the person destroying the satellite is not of the reader's concern. This may have been the first crossover between Marvel and DC that was not a joke.

The back-up is a one-page Aquagirl story "The Cave of Death" also produced by S.A.G. Aquagirl watches a group of children playing ball on the outskirts of Atlantis. She sees one chase the ball near a cave. She races to pull the boy away from the cave entrance. She explains that no one who has entered the Cave of Death has ever returned.

The entire issue was reprinted in Aquaman: Deadly Waters The Deluxe Edition (2020).

Edited by the master, Dick Giordano.

Brave & the Bold #94

Brave & the Bold #94 (On Sale: December 24, 1970), has a fine cover by Nick Cardy featuring Batman and the Teen Titans.

Batman and the Teen Titans star in "Rebels in the Streets" by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy. The ghettos of Gotham City have been barricaded off by a group called Stopp (The Society to Outlaw Parent Power), a group of disenfranchised teenagers who want parents to bow to their demands and fix up the ghettos. Using Batman as their mouthpiece, the Caped Crusader does everything in his power to try and maintain peace between Stopp and the Gotham police. However, things escalate when Stopp informs Batman that they have a bomb which they plan to use to blow up part of the city.

Batman enlists the aid of the Teen Titans to infiltrate the ghetto in order to find the location of that bomb either in their civilian guises or their costumed identities, while Batman and the rest of the city try to keep Stopp from detonating the bombs by allowing themselves to be locked up in the Gotham jail.

However, the situation gets defused when Batman locates Stopp leader Linda's mother and reunites the two. Having forgiven her mother for giving her up for adoption as a child, she informs Batman where the bomb is located, and Commissioner Gordon has it disarmed and flown away. Afterward, Gordon realizes that he should never lose faith in the youth. Reprinted in The Best of the Brave and the Bold #6 (1988), Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB (2007), Showcase Presents: The Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 2 TPB (2008), Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Omnibus Vol. 1 HC (2017), Teen Titans: The Bronze Age Omnibus (2017), and Batman in the Brave and the Bold: The Bronze Age Vol. 2 TPB (2019).

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Heart Throbs #130

Heart Throbs #130 (On Sale: December 17, 1970), has a cover by Tony DeZuniga.

We begin this issue with "Like Father, Like Daughter!" drawn by John Rosenberger. Cindy's mother is constantly worried that people will learn that her father is in a mental institution. Cindy's secretiveness makes her unpopular at school, but she eventually meets Ted and confides in him. He assures her that his parents will not care, but they are secretly plotting to break up the young romance. Reprinted in Heart Throbs: The Best of DC Romance Comics HC (1979) and Heart Throbs: The Best of DC Romance Comics SC (1979).

Next, we have "Guilty Heart" drawn by John Forte and Bernard Sachs. When Pam's cousin Roy dies in a diving accident she blames herself. She meets Charles and falls in love with him, but steps aside when Roy's girlfriend Enid says she's interested in Charles. Reprinted from Heart Throbs #60 (1957 series).

That is followed by "My Heart -- My Enemy!" drawn by Nick Cardy. Nina's bad experiences with boys cause her to give bad advice to her younger sister Phyllis.

Next is a Beauty on a Budget text page by Liz Berube.

A half-page story, "Uptight" drawn by Winslow Mortimer is next. A lesson in being nice.

We end with "Made for Each Other!" drawn by Don Heck. Jean works for a computer dating service, and when a new client, Paul, comes in, she contrives to be matched up with him.

Edited by Joe Orlando.