Of course, years later the Super-Sons would be explained away as computer-generated "Imaginary Tales", but that's the way it goes, innit?
Thursday, December 13, 2012
12 Days of Christmas 2012! "Little Town with a Big Secret!" by Haney, Dillin, and Anderson
Ho-ho-how's it goin', Groove-ophiles! Today we're gonna trip down memory lane to those ka-razee days when writer Bob Haney and editor Murray Boltinoff thought it would be cool to reveal that Superman and Batman actually had wives and college-aged sons. Yeah, according to Haney, the "real" Batman and Superman had such full lives that all their comics couldn't cover 'em all, and part of those full lives included them being family men. Continuity? We don't need no steenkeeng continuity! Still, Ol' Groove has to admit, those adventures (which ran on-and-off from 1972-75) attributed to the Super-Sons could be kinda far-out. Take f'rinstance "Little Town with a Big Secret!" from World's Finest #216 (December 1972). From the creepy Nick Cardy cover to the awesome art by Dick Dillin and Murphy Anderson, Haney and company had Young Groove hooked on this sci-fi fable about the tiny little town with its nightmarish bedtime story about the Ice Man (and I ain't talkin' Bobby Drake!). Yeah, it borrows pinches and dashes from 50s sci-fi flicks and the "corrupt small town government" drive-in grinders from the 70s, but it kept the nine-year-old me spellbound in front of the fireplace until bedtime on Christmas Eve of '73!
Of course, years later the Super-Sons would be explained away as computer-generated "Imaginary Tales", but that's the way it goes, innit?
Of course, years later the Super-Sons would be explained away as computer-generated "Imaginary Tales", but that's the way it goes, innit?
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I remember this comic well! It was one if the first comics I bought for myself--I was about 7 1/2. Recently re-read it, having bought the "saga of the super sons" TPB. it was definitely groovy!!
ReplyDeleteThere can't be too many Dillin/Anderson artjobs around.
ReplyDeleteNice tone.
That's my favourite comic of all time!
ReplyDeleteThe cover is great... but when Batman asks," Have you seen our missing sons?" He should have continued, "They look just like us !"
ReplyDeleteLoved the concept of the Super-Sons; I have the tpb that came out a few years ago.
I'm with Philbo, probably my 2nd favourite comic of all time. The finest hour of all concerned, and easily the best of the super sons stories. There should've been a whole series of Bruce Jr. & Clark Jr. biking across america- would've been like Green Lantern / Green Arrow but much more fun!
ReplyDeleteWow .... that was wonderful! Merry Xmas!
ReplyDeleteWhy was Bat Lash lying to our heroes on that cover?
ReplyDeleteSeriously, nice to see Cardy drawing someone that kinda looked like Bat, anyway...