Groovy Age Gold: "The Origin of Dr. Mid-Nite"

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Seems most of us love the JSA here in Groove City, so how 'bout we truck back to the Golden Age (via the Groovy Age, natch) to dig on the origin of a fave JSA-er, Dr. Mid-Nite? Yeah, Ol' Groove thought you'd dig that. "The Origin of Dr. Mid-Nite" really grabbed Young Groove for some reason. I s'pose 'cause Dr. Charles McNider was heroic before he even became a super-hero, and it was really wild that his becoming blind is what led him to become a "mystery man." (Remember, I was 8 years old and still processing the fact that this hero pre-dated Marvel's Daredevil by a couple decades. These Golden Age reprints challenged my growing understanding of what all went on in those four color fantasies I was growing to love so much.) I dug his pet owl (shades of Batman's origin!) Hooty, too. Though author Charles Reizenstein's story is rough, it's fun and definitely grabbed my developing imagination. Stanley Josephs Aschmeier's (better known as Stan Asch) art was crude, but energetic, moody, and fun. Need Ol' Groove say he LOVED finding these Golden Age first appearances and origin stories in the back of those big, beautiful twenty-five cent, 52 page issues of Justice League (this one was #95, October 1971)? Originally from All-American Comics #25 (February 1941) here comes..."The Origin of Dr. Mid-Nite!"

Groovy Age Gold: "Mystery of the Black Cat!" by Frank Borth

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! Young Groove's introduction to the legendary Phantom Lady came in the form of a coverless copy of Adventure Comics #416 (aka DC 100-Page Super Spectacular # DC-10, January 1972) found in one of those cellophane-wrapped "comic packs" of three comics for a quarter. I chanced upon that particular ish in the spring of 72. I don't remember what the other two comics were in that pack, but a whole 100 pages of super-heroines definitely made an impression on Young Groove, 'cause I still have that tattered edition in my possession. Anyway, as I was saying, I don't know if I'd even heard of Phantom Lady before that time, and honestly, from reading Frank Borth's (Frank's the artist, the author is unknown) "Mystery of the Black Cat!" (originally presented in Police Comics #17, cover-dated March 1943), I'd never guessed she was famous for being on the front line of the "good girl comics" craze of the Golden Age. Borth's Phantom Lady was slim, svelte, and kinda put me in mind of Cher. I thought her story was kinda cool and creepy, but that's all.

I do wonder if this (and the Super-Spec appearances of The Ray and the Black Condor) was to prepare us for the coming of The Freedom Fighters (the Quality heroes teaming up a la the JSA) that would turn up in the Justice League mag during summer of 73; the same debut that would lead to the short-lived FF mag that came out in 1976.

Groovy Age Gold: "The Stormy Menace of Goblin Head Rock!" by H.G. Peter

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Here's a really cool, if not totally forgotten treasure from Wonder Woman #196 (July 1971): "The Stormy Menace of Goblin Head Rock!" According to the blurb on the first page, this H.G. Peter illustrated (and possibly H.G. Peter authored) Golden Age tale is not a reprint, but an unpublished story that had been sitting in a file somewhere for a couple decades. (During DC's twenty-five cent/52 page era, lots of cool Golden Age stories and art were excavated and published--another reason to love that time-period!) A never-before-seen Golden Age Wonder Woman tale by her original artist/co-creator--Groovy Age Gold for sure, baby!

Groovy Age Gold: "The Riddle of the Clown" by Kanigher and Kubert

If you're a regular reader of DotGK, then this piece of Groovy Age Gold won't need an introduction. If this is your introduction to the Golden Age Greats (writer, artist, and/or characters) we're about to enjoy...you're welcome. From Detective Comics #439 (November 1974, originally published in Flash Comics #92, cover-dated February 1948), here are Hawkman and Hawkgirl in "The Riddle of the Clown" by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert!

Groovy Age Gold: "The Count That Never Ended!" by Kanigher and Kane

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! How 'bout some early Bob Kanigher and Gil Kane on Wildcat? It's a match made in heaven when Wilcat meets The Huntress in "The Count That Never Ended!" This one originally appeared in Sensation Comics #71 (November 1947), but we got to read it in 100-Page Super Spectacular #DC-20 (June 1973). Check it out!

Groovy Age Gold: "The Flying Horse Swindle!" by Samachson and Frazetta

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! How'd ya like to gaze 'pon the greatness of the Golden Age Frank Frazetta? Thought ya would! As luck would have it, "The Flying Horse Swindle!" (written by Joe Samachson) was reprinted in Adventure Comics #417 (February 1972)--Groovy Age Gold, fer sure!

For those with enquiring minds, this Shining Knight classic was originally presented in Adventure Comics #161 (February 1951)!

Groovy Age Gold: "The Return of the Nautilus!" by Bill Everett

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! While we were digging brand-new Bill Everett art on Marvel's Sub-Mariner back in '72, we were also getting a taste of Wild Bill's Subby of the 1950s (Sub-Mariner #41, August 1955 to be precise). While both versions were quite different, Everett's slick inks and lovely ladies kept things constant. From Sub-Mariner #53 (July 1972) check out "The Return of the Nautilus!"