Marvel-ous Monday: "Enter the Stilt-Man--Exit Black Goliath!" by Claremont, Buckler, and Heck

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! We're up to ish #4 of Black Goliath--the penultimate ish--as well as one that would pave the way to the best ish of the series (#5, natch--which you can read here). Writer Chris Claremont came up with a seemingly crazy idea of using an old (and greatly disparaged) Daredevil villain, the Stilt-Man to touch off what could have been the best storyline of BG's short run. Sales were poor, though, so the mag was cancelled before it came to fruition. The BG/Stilt-Man storyline would be carried out to a cool and cosmic conclusion later--in the pages of the Champions mag, and we'll get to those later (if ya don't let Ol' Groove forget!). Right now, let's truck on back to May 1976 for "Enter the Stilt-Man--Exit Black Goliath!" with art by the unlikely art team of Rich Buckler and Don Heck!

Cover art by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott

Marvel-ous Monday: "Dance to the Murder!" by Claremont, Tuska, and Colletta

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Here's the third action-packed issue of Black Goliath (from March 1976)! Chris Claremont, George Tuska, and Vinnie Colletta turn out an action-packed yarn that not only gives our lead hero plenty to do, but gets those cool sidekicks of his, the Whiz Kids into the action in a big way as well! And don't miss the Tony Stark cameo! Put on your disco suit and platform shoes! We're gonna "Dance to the Murder!"

Cover art by Larry Lieber, Frank Giacoia, and John Romita

Marvel-ous Monday: "White Fire, Atomic Death!" by Claremont, Tuska, and Colletta

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! With Black Goliath #2 (January 1976), co-developer/writer Tony Isabella was gone and in his place was Chris Claremont (who'd been turning heads with X-Men and Iron Fist). Besides a liberal dose of action courtesy artists George Tuska and Vinnie Colletta, we also get more of BG's side-kicks, the Whiz Kids and some mysterious, behind-the-scenes baddies who seem to be manipulating this issues bad-guy, Atom Smasher. (Claremont loved those secret behind-the-scenes-villain type villains back then, didn't he?) Okay, baby! Are prepare for..."White Fire, Atomic Death!"

Cover art by Keith Pollard and Frank Giacoia