Grooviest Covers of All Time: Nick Cardy's JLA, Round 1

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! In the early 1970s, the great Nick Cardy became DC's go-to cover artist in much the same manner as Gil Kane had done over at Marvel. This meant DC had some awesomely classy covers populating the spinner-racks of the day. Some of Young Groove's faves came during a long run on Justice League of America from the end of the twenty-five cent/fifty-two page era to the 100 page/sixty cent era; issues 99-104 and 106-109 (March 1972-October 1973). Tons of heroes handled with grace and power. Yeah, Cardy rocked!

Thanx, Grand Comics Database for the scintillating scans!

Bring on the Back-ups Week! Seven Soldiers of Victory by Samachson, Chua, Garcia Lopez, and Dillin

We're back with the final three chapters of the Golden Age written (by Joe Samachson) and Groovy Age drawn Seven Soldiers of Victory back-up strip from Adventure Comics #'s 438-443! Chapter 5 features the Star-Spangled Kid and Stripesy and sports art by Ernie Chua (Chan) paying homage to SSK co-creator Hal Sherman; chapter 6 stars Vigilante with superior art by J.L. Garcia-Lopez and Mike Royer; and chapter 7, the wrap-up, features the whole Law's Legionnaires gang and is drawn by JLA artist supreme Dick Dillin with inks by Tex Blaisdell. Enjoy!

Bring on the Back-ups Week! Seven Soldiers of Victory by Samachson, Dillin, Chaykin, Elias, and Grell

What it is, Groove-ophiles! As Ol' Groove mentioned last week, Adventure Comics editor Joe Orlando had a knack for rescuing unpublished Golden Age comics from the dust-bins. With Adventure Comics issues 438-443 (December-October 1975), Orlando went even further: he took an unused Golden Age Seven Soldiers of Victory script by long-timer Joe Samachson and assigned six different Groovy Age artists to draw each chapter. Simple. Elegant. GENIUS. Way to go, Joe!

Today we're gonna dig on the first four chapters: Chapter 1 featuring the whole team (Green Arrow and Speedy, Shining Knight, Crimson Avenger, Wing, Star-Spangled Kid, Stripesy, and Vigilante--yeah, I know, the math is bad, but don't blame me!) with art by definitive JLA penciler Dick Dillin and Tex Blaisdell; Chapter 2 starring the Shining Knight with Howard Chaykin providing some beautiful Frank Frazetta-style art; Chapter 3 featuring Green Arrow and Speedy by their very own Golden Age artist Lee Elias (who was still turning out classics for just about every comicbook company during the Groovy Age); and Chapter 4 starring the Crimson Avenger and Wing with art by "Iron" Mike Grell!

I think now would be a good time to mention our old pal Booksteve's latest blog, Days of Adventure, spotlighting--what else?--every single issue of Adventure Comics! Go dig on that for a while, then be back tomorrow for chapters five through seven of this Seven Soldiers of Victory Golden Age/Groovy Age mash-up, baby. Don'tcha just love it?