Friday, December 21, 2012
12 Days of Christmas 2012! The Grooviest Covers of All Time: DC Comics 40 Years Ago this Month
Merry Christmas, Groove-ophiles! Since so many of ya dug trucking through the flashback spinner rack to check out Marvel's wares for Christmas '72, Ol' Santa Groove thought ya might dig doing the same thing with DC's magnificent mags from the very same Yuletide of Yesteryear! Hope ya had a biiiig Christmas stocking!
I loves me some 1970s DC funnybooks.
ReplyDeleteI had a few of these - I see Wildcat featured on the BATMAN 100 Pager and WANTED. Pity DC didn't put him in his own Haney/Aparo book as I think he loads of potential.
ReplyDeleteI had quite a few myself: Shazam, Jimmy Olsen, Superman, Batman, Justice League, and Kamandi. Some of those are still up in my attic, the unfiled DC remnants among my Marvels. It was a fun era, and a time in which the two companies were doing utterly different things. CD was really making children's books.
ReplyDeleteThat Wrightson House of Mystery cover is a real standout.
Hm. I didn't have as many DC's that month as I did Marvels, looks like- Batman Super-Spec (LOVED those things, many of them served as my introduction to a lot of golden age greats), Secret Origins, Shazam, Swamp Thing, SWORD OF SORCERY (one of my all time favorite comics series, featuring two of my favorite characters, Fafhrd and the Mouser), the Demon, House of Mystery (for that awesome cover), and Justice League. Many of these I got off the spinner rack at the Ben Franklin 5 & 10 cent store, which had only been carrying DCs for a few months (previously it was Dell/Gold Key).
ReplyDeleteSwamp Thing #3. One of the best ever :)
ReplyDeleteI could never "warm up" to DC. They always left me... scratching my head. Some good creators were working at the company But...
ReplyDeleteAnd to Mr. Groove while I enjoy looking at some of these 70's stories, and I can understand why they bring back memories of yesterday... I've always preferred the early to mid-80s comics. The 70s comics while they can be enjoyable... all sort of have a darkness to them. Maybe darkness isn't the right word. Whatever it may be I definitely prefer the 80s.
I, too, had some of these books way back in the day. In fact, I've created banners out of some of the covers for the message boards I moderate. :) I loved that 100 Page Batman Giant with the 1950 Batmobile story in it, as well as the JLA's second battle with The Shaggy Man in THEIR book.
ReplyDeleteMakes me kind'a sad, about what we've lost, as far as comic publishing goes nowadays. We'll never see reprint or FUNNY books again, I'm afraid. :(
Thank you,Mr Groove!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas and a biiiig
THANK YOU for all the groovy
goodiness 2012.
Cheers!
/Mr Anonymous
p.s.Keep on truckin' 2013!
Yes, SWAMP THING #3 is the standout cover (by Berni Wrightson): great composition, lighting, etc. Anyone who thinks Wrightson couldn't draw pretty girls should check out SWAMP THING #3 and #5. Matter of fact, I'd say for sheer intensity of vision that SWAMP THING #1 - 10 were the best drawn comics of the 1970s, period. And Len Wein did his level best to make the writing of a high calibre. Wrightson's HOUSE OF MYSTERY cover is well drawn, but the colors kill it: too garish and ill-chosen (except for the earth hues of the leafy ground).
ReplyDeleteMike Kaluta's SWORD OF SORCERY #1 cover, on the other hand, has beautiful colors which perfectly suit the tone of the art. The interior of the book, scripted by Denny O'Neil (adapted from Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd the Barbarian & the Grey Mouser stories), pencilled by Howard Chaykin, and inked by the Crusty Bunkers (Neal Adams' studio, Continuity Associates, including Wrightson in a few spots) is likewise superb, and worthy of being shown in its entirety on this site (hint hint). Best issue of this short-lived series (5 issues, not including a prior and somewhat unlikely appearance in WONDER WOMAN #202 in 1972).
The romance covers are well done, looking like a cross between Stan Drake and Neal Adams. Will have to check the artist credits on those.
Yes, comics were suitable for all ages then, even if some were intended for older readers they wouldn't "scar" the youngsters. That's not at all true today. Great stuff then, great price point, ubiquitous distribution, EASY ACCESS FOR OLD & NEW FANS, fine creators....so much fun! Great memories.
Chris A.