I first saw this book in my cousin's stack of comics when I was 8, and my mind was absolutely blown by the appearance of two Green Lanterns and two Flashes, and who were all those other guys!? This was the second chapter of the very first JLA/JSA team-up and it was years before I ever got to see the first chapter. The cover still gives me chills.
During the 60's, the Blackhawks had fallen into an era of campy silliness and were forced to wear terrible, gimmicky costumes. All fallout from the success of the Batman TV show. With this issue, Dick Giordano took over as editor and attempted to steer the team back to their former greatness, with help from writer Bob Haney and artist Pat Boyette. (Love this cover by Boyette.)
Alas, it was too little, too late; the book went one more issue before being canceled, and the 'hawks weren't seen again for most of a decade.
This was a reprint comic from the late 60's/ early 70's that pulled stories from earlier issues of Mystery Into Space and Strange Adventures. I was mesmerized by this cover by Neal Adams -- the whole visual idea of the earth turning into a comet... I later learned that the earth actually does have a 'comet's tail' of sorts, of debris brushed away by solar winds, though nothing as dramatic as this image.
Adam's cover, incidentally, is a kind of reworking of the cover where the reprinted story first appeared, so, as a kind of double-feature, here's that original cover by Murphy Anderson.
Romona Fradon is another member of the "Doesn't Get Enough Love" club. I have to admit that I'm not quite sure about this cover. The credits I found say it's Gil Kane. However, there's a lot of Fradon going on. Especially in the faces. I had to add this because it's FRIGGIN ADORABLE!
I have to admit that I'm not quite sure about this cover. The credits I found say it's Gil Kane. However, there's a lot of Fradon going on. Especially in the faces.
Most definitely a Gil Kane cover; looks to be one of the few, rare times that he inked his own art during that period. Ramona Fradon drew the interior story, however, and it was likely she designed the Time Commander, so maybe that's where you're seeing her style emerge.
Incidentally, it should be noted that this was Batman's first appearance in a Brave & Bold story.
The Avengers! Warlock! Captain Marvel! Thanos! Jim Starlin brings them all together! How could you not lay down sixty cents for this!? And this was only the first part of a two part story!
One of the most unusual comic characters of all time. Not to mention one of the most unusual concepts, basically being Pinocchio living in Haight-Ashbury. A cult classic that never got further than its second issue, when a horrified Mort Weisinger campaigned and succeeded in having it cancelled. The cover is Joe Simon, though I've also heard that it was ghosted by Al Bain.
One of the more unusual characters of the 90's: Paul Chadwick's Concrete, here thinking like a mountain. Concrete was published as a number of mini-series, and sometimes Chadwick would do a series of covers that were similar in composition but with changing elements, rather like an animation storyboard.
Finally, just so I can toot my own horn a little, a cover I did for MU Press' RHUDIPRRT. Written by Dwight Decker and drawn by Teri S Wood, this was a John Carter Of Mars inspired tale of a man who died and whose soul awoke on a world inhabited by humanoid cats, in the body of a recently murdered, undersized prince. His fate was to save the felinoid race, but all he was interested in was being reunited with the soul of his dead pet cat.
Sure, it was a fantasy, but a charming one, I always thought.
One of the great comic joys when I was a kid was the 100 Page/Super Spectacular specials that DC would put out. I became a fan of characters like Viking Prince and Silent Knight because of them. Seeing these covers brings to mind of couple of things that have disappointed me. First, I don't think these early Brave and the Bold stories have ever been collected. Second, after all the hard work Johns did bringing Hawkman back and setting up such a compelling back story. DC pissed it all away without thinking twice.
Seeing these covers brings to mind of couple of things that have disappointed me. First, I don't think these early Brave and the Bold stories have ever been collected. Second, after all the hard work Johns did bringing Hawkman back and setting up such a compelling back story. DC pissed it all away without thinking twice.
I don't think either the Silent Knight or the Golden Gladiator has ever been reprinted, beyond an odd story or two here or there, but the Viking Prince was collected in a very nice hardcover edition. (There may be a trade version as well.)
I have to admit that I'm not quite sure about this cover. The credits I found say it's Gil Kane. However, there's a lot of Fradon going on. Especially in the faces. Yes, definitely Kane. I found my copy of this about 15 years ago at a flea market for only $2. Granted, it wasn’t in great shape, but it was in much better than $2 shape.
Comments
Jack Cole
Ramona Fradon
Tenny Henson
Allen Jamison
Gil Kane
Jim Mooney
Been a huge Plastic Man since I was a kid. Thanks to seeing him on Superfriends,then his early 80s syndicated cartoon.
Jack Cole
Jordi Bernet
I first saw this book in my cousin's stack of comics when I was 8, and my mind was absolutely blown by the appearance of two Green Lanterns and two Flashes, and who were all those other guys!? This was the second chapter of the very first JLA/JSA team-up and it was years before I ever got to see the first chapter. The cover still gives me chills.
Art by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson.
Whatever can be said about Dave Sim, the man knows how to design a cover.
During the 60's, the Blackhawks had fallen into an era of campy silliness and were forced to wear terrible, gimmicky costumes. All fallout from the success of the Batman TV show. With this issue, Dick Giordano took over as editor and attempted to steer the team back to their former greatness, with help from writer Bob Haney and artist Pat Boyette. (Love this cover by Boyette.)
Alas, it was too little, too late; the book went one more issue before being canceled, and the 'hawks weren't seen again for most of a decade.
This was a reprint comic from the late 60's/ early 70's that pulled stories from earlier issues of Mystery Into Space and Strange Adventures. I was mesmerized by this cover by Neal Adams -- the whole visual idea of the earth turning into a comet... I later learned that the earth actually does have a 'comet's tail' of sorts, of debris brushed away by solar winds, though nothing as dramatic as this image.
Adam's cover, incidentally, is a kind of reworking of the cover where the reprinted story first appeared, so, as a kind of double-feature, here's that original cover by Murphy Anderson.
A classic 80s indy comic. With a great iconic cover by Jaime Hernandez.
A classic indy trade. This collects the story that was serialized in Eightball. Cover by Daniel Clowes
Ed the Happy Clown was serialized in Yummy Fur in the late 80s. Cover by Chester Brown.
A collection of Charles Burn's work from Raw and other anthologies. Something about Burns artwork always creeps me out.
Geez, some great covers being posted.
Continuing on my random journey through 1973, here's two for a Friday...
Nick Cardy
Jim Steranko
Was Roy Thomas blurbing the covers at this point?
I have to admit that I'm not quite sure about this cover. The credits I found say it's Gil Kane. However, there's a lot of Fradon going on. Especially in the faces.
I had to add this because it's FRIGGIN ADORABLE!
Incidentally, it should be noted that this was Batman's first appearance in a Brave & Bold story.
The Avengers! Warlock! Captain Marvel! Thanos! Jim Starlin brings them all together! How could you not lay down sixty cents for this!? And this was only the first part of a two part story!
One of the most unusual comic characters of all time. Not to mention one of the most unusual concepts, basically being Pinocchio living in Haight-Ashbury. A cult classic that never got further than its second issue, when a horrified Mort Weisinger campaigned and succeeded in having it cancelled. The cover is Joe Simon, though I've also heard that it was ghosted by Al Bain.
Just because I love 'em so much, here's another Detective cover by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella, early on in Batman's 'new look' era.
One of the more unusual characters of the 90's: Paul Chadwick's Concrete, here thinking like a mountain. Concrete was published as a number of mini-series, and sometimes Chadwick would do a series of covers that were similar in composition but with changing elements, rather like an animation storyboard.
Finally, just so I can toot my own horn a little, a cover I did for MU Press' RHUDIPRRT. Written by Dwight Decker and drawn by Teri S Wood, this was a John Carter Of Mars inspired tale of a man who died and whose soul awoke on a world inhabited by humanoid cats, in the body of a recently murdered, undersized prince. His fate was to save the felinoid race, but all he was interested in was being reunited with the soul of his dead pet cat.
Sure, it was a fantasy, but a charming one, I always thought.
Seeing these covers brings to mind of couple of things that have disappointed me. First, I don't think these early Brave and the Bold stories have ever been collected. Second, after all the hard work Johns did bringing Hawkman back and setting up such a compelling back story. DC pissed it all away without thinking twice.
I have to admit that I'm not quite sure about this cover. The credits I found say it's Gil Kane. However, there's a lot of Fradon going on. Especially in the faces.
Yes, definitely Kane. I found my copy of this about 15 years ago at a flea market for only $2. Granted, it wasn’t in great shape, but it was in much better than $2 shape.