Random Reads: "The Plague!" by Warner and Bolle

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Here's a fun sci-fi shocker from young John Warner (who'd go on to co-create Bloodstone and edit for Marvel's magazine line) and seasoned vet Frank Bolle from Twilight Zone #59 (July 1974). Look out! Here comes..."The Plague!"

Black and White Wednesday: "The Other Side of Night!" by Starlin, Warner, and Nino

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! Some of the absolute greatest comics of the Groovy Age could be found in the pages of Marvel's black and white mags! Just take for instance "The Other Side of Night!" from Rampaging Hulk #4 (May 1977). Believe it or not, almost six years ago, Ol' Groove did a write up on this outrageously outstanding mag (which you can read here) and shared some of the awesome art by the titanic team of Jim Starlin and Alex Nino, but today you're gonna get the whole magilla, plotted by Starlin and scripted by John Warner. This is an all-time fave, baby! Hope you dig it as much as Ol' Groove does!

Random Reads: "The Lurker Within" by Warner and Boyette

What it is, Groove-ophiles! No, it's not "cavemen week", just a coincidence that Bloodstone is showing up the day after Kong the Untamed. It's been a looooooooong time since we looked at the color incarnation of John Warner's immortal hero, Ulysses Bloodstone, so Ol' Groove thought today would be the perfect day to read the second part of Bloodstone's debut from Marvel Presents #1 (July 1975--another coincidence--it's not July 1975 week, either). Oh, and you can read part one here and Bloodstone's history here. We'll wait...

You're back? Okay, then, here's "The Lurker Within" by John Warner and Pat Boyette!

Random Reads: "Night Moves!" by Warner, Kraft, Slifer, Giffen, and Janson

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! One of the things I loved most about the Groovy Age of Comics was the freewheeling fun that flowed from the four colored pages of my fave mags. Take Defenders #47 (February 1977) f'rinstance. Now, this ish could have been just filler--a place-holder, and admittedly some of it is...but it's done with such panache ya just don't even notice once you crack the covers. "Night Moves!" was plotted by regular Defenders scribes David Kraft and Roger Slifer, scripted by John Warner, and illustrated by the sorta-regular art-team of Keith Giffen and Klaus Janson. How many folks does it take to make a 17 page comic? That many, baby! But when you look at all they've managed to jam into the ish--and still tell an coherent-yet-action-packed story--well, I dunno about you, but my mind boggles even 35 years later! I mean, for for three measly dimes you got: guest stars (Moon Knight and Wonder Man), a new costume for Valkyrie, downtime for Nighthawk and the Hulk, a sub-plot that ties directly to the action and main plot by the time you get to the end of the story, hero-on-hero action (in the Mighty Marvel Mixed-up Misunderstanding Manner), and some awesome art. Factor in the fact that your coming in on the second part of a multi-part epic, but you're provided with enough info that you don't feel lost, and you've got your typical Groovy Age comic. Those were indeed the days!