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 Duel of the Flying Knights!" by Samachson and Frazetta

What? Groovy Age Gold? Another department, Groove? YEP! I've been thinking (dangerous, I know)...one of the biggest turn-ons about DC Comics during the Groovy Age was their reprints of their Golden Age (and Silver Age--so yeah, the name and era can change in this ding-a-ling department) material. While Young Groove was totally diggin' the new stuff National Periodicals was producing, I couldn't help but fall head-over-heels for those ginchy Golden Age reprints that would find their way into the back of various mags (full time during the 52 page/25 cent era) or even into their own titles (Like Wanted and Secret Origins). So, thought I, why not dig on some'a those Golden Age classics I was introduced to during the Age that was so Groovy? And why not kick this new department off with something super-duper-cool--like a Shining Knight classic with awesome art by the incomparable Frank Frazetta. Oh, yeah, Joe Samachson's story is cool, too! "The Duel of the Flying Knights!" was originally published in Adventure Comics #155 (June 1950), but this particular representative of Groovy Age Gold comes to you via World's Finest Comics #205 (August 1971). Simple, no?

Bring on the Back-ups Week! Seven Soldiers of Victory by Samachson, Chua, Garcia Lopez, and Dillin

We're back with the final three chapters of the Golden Age written (by Joe Samachson) and Groovy Age drawn Seven Soldiers of Victory back-up strip from Adventure Comics #'s 438-443! Chapter 5 features the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy and sports art by Ernie Chua (Chan) paying homage to SSK co-creator Hal Sherman; chapter 6 stars Vigilante with superior art by J.L. Garcia-Lopez and Mike Royer; and chapter 7, the wrap-up, features the whole Law's Legionnaires gang and is drawn by JLA artist supreme Dick Dillin with inks by Tex Blaisdell. Enjoy!

Bring on the Back-ups Week! Seven Soldiers of Victory by Samachson, Dillin, Chaykin, Elias, and Grell

What it is, Groove-ophiles! As Ol' Groove mentioned last week, Adventure Comics editor Joe Orlando had a knack for rescuing unpublished Golden Age comics from the dust-bins. With Adventure Comics issues 438-443 (December-October 1975), Orlando went even further: he took an unused Golden Age Seven Soldiers of Victory script by long-timer Joe Samachson and assigned six different Groovy Age artists to draw each chapter. Simple. Elegant. GENIUS. Way to go, Joe!

Today we're gonna dig on the first four chapters: Chapter 1 featuring the whole team (Green Arrow and Speedy, Shining Knight, Crimson Avenger, Wing, Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, and Vigilante--yeah, I know, the math is bad, but don't blame me!) with art by definitive JLA penciler Dick Dillin and Tex Blaisdell; Chapter 2 starring the Shining Knight with Howard Chaykin providing some beautiful Frank Frazetta-style art; Chapter 3 featuring Green Arrow and Speedy by their very own Golden Age artist Lee Elias (who was still turning out classics for just about every comicbook company during the Groovy Age); and Chapter 4 starring the Crimson Avenger and Wing with art by "Iron" Mike Grell!

I think now would be a good time to mention our old pal Booksteve's latest blog, Days of Adventure, spotlighting--what else?--every single issue of Adventure Comics! Go dig on that for a while, then be back tomorrow for chapters five through seven of this Seven Soldiers of Victory Golden Age/Groovy Age mash-up, baby. Don'tcha just love it?