Making a Splash: R.I.P. Jesse Santos

Sad to report that Ol' Groove recently learned of Jesse Santos'  passing on April 27 at the age of 83. Santos was the artist/co-creator of Gold Key's Groovy Age hits Dagar the Invincible and Dr. Spektor, two books yers trooly totally digs. I thought admiring Santos' swingin' Dagar splash pages would make for a nice tribute, so here ya go, baby!

(Sorry I'm missing the splash for ish 14, but maybe the inclusion of Gold Key Spotlight #6's splash will make up for it?)

Random Reads: "The Red Ruby of Garloth" by Don Glut and Jesse Santos

What it is, Groove-ophiles! Here's a quick post to remind us that Don Glut and Jesse Santos rock and rolled on Gold Key's Dagar the Invincible! Dig "The Red Ruby of Garloth" from Dagar the Invincible #8 (April 1974)!

Random Reads: Dagar the Invincible #3

While Ol' Groove loves his Groovy Age Marvel and DC comics, I have'ta say that kids who grew up reading only the big two missed out on a lot. Take Gold Key's Dagar the Invincible, for example. Yeah, it might've been conceived as a kinda/sorta Conan rip-off, but writer Don Glut and artist Jesse Santos made the adventures of Dagar something truly original--not to mention loads of fun. Just dig issue #3 (January 1973). "Wrath of the Vampires" give us, not only vampires (duh!), but woolly mammoths, trolls, giant "bat mounts", and beautiful ladies (this issue introduces Dagar's lady-love Graylin). And for only fifteen cents! This is the stuff that put the "groovy" in the Groovy Age, baby!


(Many thanks to Conan II for the fine scans!)