(P)Raising Kane: "And a Child Shall Lead You!" by Thomas, Kane, and Adkins

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Yesterday we dug on DC's Captain Marvel (well, at least his junior side-kick), so today let's marvel at Marvel's Mar-Vell! Y'know, a lot of folks think Marv got his awesome red-and-blue uniform when Roy Thomas and Gil Kane took over with this ish (Captain Marvel #17, July 1969), but the truth is, our Kree captain got his new threads the issue before. Roy and Gil's masterstroke was merging Marv with Rick Jones in a sort of homage to Fawcett's original Captain Marvel (whom DC would later publish as Shazam! as we just saw yesterday. Oh, and check out the colors Rick wears starting with this ish and compare 'em to Billy Batson's duds if ya don't believe me!) As great as Roy is, Gil Kane (aided and abetted by inker Dan Adkins) is the real draw here. Kane's long, lanky, powerful figures are in constant motion, and his action sequences are mind-boggling (to say the least). Plus, he gets to draw Captain America (okay, so it's rarely really Cap, but still...), some Avengers, and the Hulk for a few panels, so, ya know, this is one special mag!

Random Reads: "Til Death Do Us Part!" by Edelman, Milgrom, and Austin

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Here's the fabulous follow-up to Marvel's Captain Marvel #50 (which you can read here), "Til Death Do Us Part!" from Captain Marvel #51 (April 1977). Marv's battle with Thor-villain Mercurio, the 4-D Man is kinda cool, but the really neat stuff are the "minor" bits with Marv and his "side-kick" Rick Jones trying to figure out how to have real lives on earth. Scott and Al also put the Marvel Universe to good use with a quickie Avengers appearance, a funny J. Jonah Jameson cameo and the return of the Teen Brigade (from the Silver Age Hulk and Avengers series). Milgrom provides some cool action sequences and Austin's inks make it all look properly science fictiony (whaddya mean that ain't a word?).

Making a Splash: Gil Kane's Captain Marvel

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Y'know, just thinking about Gil Kane's all-too-short run on Marvel's Captain Marvel (issues 17-21, July 1969-May 1970) makes Ol' Groove's mind boggle. Kane was in top form and his drawings were filled with energy, passion, and majesty, rivaling the best work of, well, anybody! Yers trooly believes Gil was inspired 'cause he was working with his best (in my humble opinion) Marvel writer and inker combo, namely Roy Thomas and Dan Adkins, but that's just me guessin'. What does all'a this winsome wordage boil down to, you ask? Simple. DAGGONE, LOOKIT THESE AWESOME PICTURES! Ahem. Later, gator!

This-n-That Tuesday: Housecleaning, New Blogs to Explore, a Plug, and...Captain Avenger!

What it is, Groove-ophiles! Ol' Groove's got a lot to hit ya with today, so let's get it on!

ITEM! You might notice that the Mind-blowing Blogs list looks a bit slimmer, now. Ol' Groove has decided to exorcise all the blogs that haven't updated since March, so if you're blog is missing, that's why. There are so many active blogs out there, I hate for them to get lost in the mix, so I hadda make a tough call. If you're blog is gone but you update it in the future, drop Ol' Groove a line and I'll put ya back in the list. Fair 'nuff?

ITEM! You might also notice a different list of blogs, "Gone but Too Groovy to be Forgotten". Those blogs either have shut down or haven't updated in quite some time, but are too full of important info and/or just too doggone great to get rid of. I thought giving their own little space would help cut back on confusion while allowing us to still access our old, never-to-be-forgotten faves.

ITEM! Ol' Groove has also kept adding blogs, as you no doubt notice. I mentioned Mike Vosburg's vozwords yesterday, and would like to point out a few more brain-blasting blogs today, if ya don't mind.

• First up, you've gotta be reading the Jim Shooter blog. No matter your feelings about the man, he's got some stories to tell, and the blog is open to comments, so there's plenty of discussion and in-depth info being shared there. Jim's done it all--writer (at age 13!), artist, editor, publisher--and he's still going strong. It's the ultimate "insider's take" on the last half-decade of the comics industry, and it's must-read material for the true comics fanatic!

• Assistant Editor's Month Online is a new blog that covers a specific, but extremely important event: Marvel's Assistant Editor's Month of 1983. That wild and wacky month saw all kinds of ka-razee stuff happen in all of Marvel's mags--from creators guest-starring in the very mags they wrote/drew/edited to pages of solid white comics (with word balloons and sound effects) of battles in blizzards to Aunt May becoming a herald of Galactus. Blogger J.A. Morris will cover it all on his awesomely entertaining blog.

• When I first started the Diversions, I had originally planned to cover all things pop-culture 70s: TV, movies, games, music, and comics. I should'a known I'd have gotten stuck on comics. Thankfully, Darryll Sherman has graced us with his All About the 1970s blog, so all the stuff I don't cover (especially the cool cars!) are taken care either on Darryll's blog or on one of the far-out blogs he's linked to. If you love the 70s, visit Darryll!

• Ol' Groove couldn't believe he hadn't mentioned or linked out pal Booksteve's awesomely original A Geek's Journal 1976! I've followed, and loved, that blog since day one! I guess the daily visits and all had me thinking I'd added it to the list (I know I'd meant to!), but better late than never. AGJ76 is one of those amazingly simple "Why didn't I think of that?" premises: Steve dug up the actual journal he'd kept back in 76 and shares it with the world via the Internet. Is that cool or what? He also adds graphics and updated info to supplement his teen-aged thoughts. If you've never seen it, go there now!

ITEM! You might notice that the sidebar sports the cover for Red Leaf Comics Daring Adventures #2 featuring my cosmic hero, Ultimus. Right now it's available as a digital copy for only ninety-nine cents. As soon as the link is up for the paper copy (which is at the printers and due out in about 30 days), I'll add that link as well. The link will also take you to a page where you can buy Daring Adventures #1, if ya haven't done so yet. Ol' Groove would certainly appreciate your support for Ultimus, and I'd love to hear what ya think of 'im!

ITEM! And now, how 'bout some comics! This little-seen gem is from the back of Captain America #221 (February 1978) and was part of Marvel's program to help beat deadlines. It's a cool little "untold tales" story that stars perennial side-kick Rick Jones getting his shot at being a super-hero way back in 1964 (the story is set between issues 14 and 15 of the Avengers). Here's what author Scott Edelman had to say about "The Coming of Captain Avenger!"

We were encouraged, when writing brief stories to fit in the back of Marvel comics, to find cracks and crevices between storylines that could be filled in. Which is how “The Comic of Captain Avenger,” meant to take place between The Avengers #14 and #15, came about. So I was writing in 1978 about an event which supposedly took place back in 1965.

The five-page story, which starred Rick Jones and all of the mid-’60s Avengers fighting against Baron Zemo, was drawn by Steve Leialoha (penciller) and Al Gordon (inker).

(You can follow the link to the page Ol' Groove quoted here.) The tale is drawn by Steve Leialoha, best known for his inking skills on Warlock and Howard the Duck and inked by the underrated Al Gordon. Dig it, baby!