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| Amazing Spider-Man #198 |
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| FF #212 |
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| HTD Magazine #1 |
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| The Hulk! #17 |
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| Iron Man #129 |
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| Marvel Super-Special #12 |
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| Marvel Preview #19 |
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| Savage Sword of Conan #45 |
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| Thor #298 |
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| Warlord #27 |
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| X-Men #127 |
Friday, September 7, 2018
Making a Splash: August 1979
Why not hit the waybak machine and truck on back to August 1979 (I know, I know, it's September now, but what the hey), Groove-ophiles! We'll peel back the covers of every mag Teen Groove bought that month, then go gaga over the sensational splashes sequestered snugly beneath them! Splashes by some of the finest comicbook artists of the Groovy Age! Did we have any idea of how good we had it back then?
I was in my self-imposed exile from comics (1977 - 1986) when these titles came out. But one chance encounter with a 25 cent box of older comics in a combination comic book/newstand/porno mag store in Minneapolis reignited my comics collecting. Been 32 years nonstop since. I then began haunting cheap back issue stores in Kansas City, Missouri to get all I'd missed. So much had changed while I was away. X-Men was now Marvel's top seller. And superstars such as Byrne, Romita, Jr. and Golden were joining the already established Buscema brothers and Gene Colan to turn out new Marvel masterpieces. These splashes represent the cream of what I was encountering years after the fact. I think Marvel 1972 - 1979 was the best they ever were. Thanks for another trip down comic book heaven.
ReplyDeleteAh, 1979. Probably my personal favorite year for comics. I had most of these - thanks stirring up some pleasant memories, Groove.
ReplyDeleteWow. Byrne, Miller, Buscema, Golden, Newton, Nasser/Netzer - what a great month for some of the greats of the late 1970s/early 1980s - what a lineup! I have to go digging in my long boxes -- I think I still have everyone of those somewhere! Thanks, Groove!
ReplyDeleteMan, that was a great month in comics! Bronze them for posterity's sake! Just terrific stuff...sometimes it is hard to remember what books co-existed during the 70's...nice.
ReplyDeleteHi Groove ,
ReplyDeleteWhat comic is the Deadman story from ?
Adventure #466, same as the Flash, JSA, and Aquaman stories. It was the last Dollar Comic issue of Adventure.
DeleteI first read the Deadman story in DC's Top Ten stories of 1979 Digest. A great Len Wein script with amazing JL Garcia Lopez art, it is still as powerful today as it was then, and shows what potential Deadman has as a character. I definitely knew that what was coming out was exciting and special. I am reminded every month, they don't make'em like they use to. I would imagine that's why we all love and appreciate what you do here Groove. Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteI was 19 then and following most of the Marvel books.
ReplyDeleteIron Man and of course X Men were the big two at that point, but for sheer month-to-month continuing drama, my immediate first choices on comics days were Master of Kung Fu and the incredible early Micronauts issues.
Man I loved these. At the 7/11 or equivalent every month for X-Men, buying silver-age x-men and other SA stuff from flea-markets... the skill level in craftsmanship rising like the waves I used to love bodysurfing, guys organically making changes to approaches and techniques that would become staples in the decade to follow, that I myself would need (happily) to learn, and use. Little would web know how dazzling the inking here would be compared to the tumblr-barf of today...
ReplyDeleteGroove, these were all read and enjoyed by me during that year-ending middle school, beginning high school, and staying with reading comics, as I still do now. I remember the thrill with discovering Frank Miller's Daredevil, John Byrne's stuff, and just loved Moench and Broderick's Captain Marvel. Growing up pretty poor, I bought most of my stuff used from a book store in Hollywood (only charged about 15 cents apiece) which enabled me to discover so much over the years. I think I learned to "love the hunt" back then. I still do. Thanks, Groove.
ReplyDeleteYou know what's bad? I had my first steady girlfriend back in '79. I don't have any of these!! LOL
ReplyDeleteThere were many fine creators in comics in '79 (though most of my faves had moved on), but the muddy printing & continuous price hikes put me off.
ReplyDeleteIt was rare that I would pull anything off the spinner rack in '79. I was 14 at the time & already stocking up on golden, silver, & earlier bronze age titles, & buying the Warren mags & Heavy Metal. Even Mad magazine was getting a bit stale (though Sergio Aragones, Jack Davis, & Mort Drucker were always great). The following year I began to purchase Epic magazine, and shortly afterwards some indie titles from Pacific & First.
Best regards,
Chris A.