Thanksgiving Feast 2011: "Death-Kiss" by Maggin and Chua

Time to wrap-up Groove City's Thanksgiving Feast 2011, Groove-ophiles! Lots of folks feel that the left-overs are the best part of a Thanksgiving meal--but "Death-Kiss" by Elliot S! Maggin and Ernie Chua (Chan) is anything but left-over! Hey, DC--that "hairy-chested love god" Batman you're after? Right here he is! Not only that, but this Batman is mentally stable and the World's Greatest Detective. Thanks for Detective Comics #456 (Thanksgiving 1975), Groovy Age!

Can't get enough of the Groovy Age, baby? Well, okay--don't start going into withdrawal or something. Be back here at two minutes past midnight for our first annual Black (and White) Friday! Who loves ya?

Thanksgiving Feast 2011: "The Shadow from the Stars!" by Mantlo, Byrne, and Layton

Welcome back to Groove City's Thanksgiving Feast 2011, Groove-ophiles! Time to chow down on some primo super-heroics courtesy writer Bill Mantlo and artists John Byrne and Bob Layton. Champions #11 was one of Teen Groove's fave comics. I always dug the Champions (wotta ka-razee collection of super-heroes!), but when you add new penciler Byrne to the mix (Mantlo had been regular writer for a while and Layton had inked the mag a time or two) and toss in Hawkeye, the Marksman (who spent a long time atop Young Groove's favorite heroes list), well, I'm a had lad! I still dig this Thanksgiving 1976 masterpiece. Fun story, great character moments, and superior art always stand the test of time. Hope you agree!

Cover by Gil Kane and Bob Layton

Be sure to come back at 6:02 for our post-meal snack, Groove-ophiles. Yer gonna dig it!

Thanksgiving Feast 2011: "The Ice Age Cometh!" by Englehart, Dillin, and McLaughlin

Welcome back to Groove City's Thanksgiving Feast 2011, Groove-ophiles! Next on our menu is Steve Englehart's post-Avengers JLA debut from Justice League of America #139 (Thanksgiving 1976). Weird that Stainless Steve's legendary run would begin as the second feature in that fateful ish, but hey, ya gotta start somewhere. DC was gung-ho on "Marvel-izing" their heroes, and Mr. Englehart was the man with the plan--but first--and naturally--he had to get a bit of nostalgia off his chest...but not without giving us a few tantalizing glimpses into characterizations yet-to-come! Dig on "The Ice Age Cometh!" with art by (who else?) Dick Dillin and Frank McLaughlin!

See ya back here at noon-ish for the main course, Groove-ophiles!

Thanksgiving Feast 2011: "Where Bursts the Bomb!" by Wein and Kane

Happy Thanksgiving, Groove-ophiles! It's Groove City's Thanksgiving Feast 2011, and we are kicking it off with a bang. A Living Bomb-Burst, even! As I said yesterday, we Groovy Age fans have a lot to be thankful for. Gil Kane (inked by Mike Esposito and Frank Giacoia, yet!) art on Marvel Team-Up #18 (Thanksgiving 1973)--featuring the Human Torch and the Incredible Hulk! Wow! Not only is Gil's art appropriately fiery and smashing, but Len Wein's story is filled with mucho fun and action, to boot. I can remember laughing out loud the first time I read "Where Bursts the Bomb!" due to the hilarious repartee between Match-Head and Greenskin. Is it any wonder Live-It-Up Len would eventually become one of Lettuce-Lips' longest running authors?

Don'tcha just love it? But hey, don't glut yourself just yet--this party's just starting! Every six hours, Ol' Groove is gonna lay another titanic tale from Groovy Age Thanksgiving Past upon ya. See ya at six in the a.m.!