Making a Splash: Thirteen from Thirteens

 Back in the Groovy Age, a comic getting a thirteenth issue was definitely not bad luck! To celebrate Friday the 13th in a most groovy way, let's plant our peepers on thirteen of Ol' Groove's fave 13th issue splashes...

Champions #13

Marvel Premiere #13

Warlock #13

Warlord #13

Decent Comics: "Long Die N'hglthss!" by Michelinie, Giffen, and Layton

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! Here's the final issue of Claw the Unconquered's first run. How a mag this cool could go under right when things were really getting mind-blowing is beyond Ol' Groove--but that's the 70s for ya! The good part is that Claw does get another chance--but more about that next month. Meantime, just enjoy the cosmic craziness from Claw #9 (June 1976) as David Michelinie, Keith Giffen, and Bob Layton bring you..."Long Die N'hglthss!"

Cover art by Keith Giffen and Ernie Chan

Decent Comics: "Master of the Seventh Void" by Michelinie, Giffen, Villagran, and Novelle

Here we go, Groove-ophiles! Some of you have been waiting for Claw the Unconquered to get out of Conan's shadow for good. If "Master of the Seventh Void" doesn't fit the bill, then Ol' Groove doesn't know what will. Writer/co--creator David Micheline is joined by innovative penciler Keith Giffen (inked by Ricardo Villagran and Oscar Novelle) to take Claw much farther into Michael Moorcock territory and farther away from Robert E. Howard than we've seen yet. T'was a blistering, action-packed, and cosmic sword and sorcery tale (under a Giffen-inked-by-co-creator Ernie Chan cover) that leaped from the spinner rack back in April 1976--and it's comin' your way right now!

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