Decent Comics: "Twelve Million Years to Twilight" by Conway, Giffen, and Celardo

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! All good things must come to an end, and so it goes with DC's Groovy Age revival of Challengers of the Unknown. Yep, Challs #87 (March 1978) is the grand finale of the massive cosmic epic featuring not only the Challs, but also Deadman, Swamp Thing, and Rip Hunter. Tons of wild stuff going on in this ish, with penciler Keith Giffen really strutting his artistic stuff (dig that full page diagram of Challenger Mountain, f'rinstance). Husband/wife writer team Gerry and Carla Conway work hard to tie up soooo many loose plot threads, and though it would have been nice to have had at least one more ish to let things breathe, it's a pretty satisfying (if kinda rushed) ending to the whole shebang. And dig the JLA and Demon cameos! Are you ready for one last Challs journey as we travel..."Twelve Million Years to Twilight"?

Cover art by Alex Saviuk and Dick Giordano

Black and White Wednesday: "The Bleeding Time" by Conway, V. Redondo, Alcala, and DeZuniga

HowOOO's it shakin', Groove-ophiles! Here's a Vampire Tale(s) (from ish #9, December 1974) by Gerry and Carla Conway, Virgilio Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, and Tony DeZuniga! "The Bleeding Time" doesn't just involve vampires, though, it has both sci fi and historical twists. Intrigued? Read on, baby, read on...

Black and White Wednesday: "Satana" by Thomas and Romita and "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Satana*" (*But Were Too Awestruck to Ask) by C. Conway

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Hey, it's almost Halloween! The Devil you say? Nay, the Devil's Daughter I say! Satana, the Devil's Daughter, to be exact! Created by Roy Thomas and John Romita, Satana made here debut in Vampire Tales #2 (July 1973). Vampire Tales? Why, she was a succubus, ya know--and a soul-eater is even creepier than a blood-sucker if ya ask moi!

Now, Ol' Groove could write a big ol' post about the creation of Satana, but Marvel already did that way back in Vampire Tales #3 (September 1973). So, to satisfy your curiosity, here's Carla Conway's article, "Everything You Always Wanted to Know about Satana* (*But Were Too Awestruck to Ask)"!

Black and White Wednesday: "The Vendetta" by Conway and Staton

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Get out the flashlight and pull the covers up over your head, 'cause it's time for a Vampire Tale (from ish 8, October 1974, to be exact)! "The Vendetta" was written by the husband-wife team of Carla and Gerry Conway with art by the great Joe (Dick Tracy, E-Man) Staton! And hey, it may be a vampire tale--but it doesn't suck! (Ouch!)