(Early) Thanksgiving Feast 2020!

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Since Ol' Groove posts on Fridays now, that means that we're going to do an early Thanksgiving Feast this year! Hey, it's 2020, so why do anything normal now, right? So, you can pig out all at once, or nibble throughout the week. The choice is yours--just enjoy! And Happy Thanksgiving (or last full week of November, for those of you who don't celebrate Thanksgiving!)

We'll start off with something light--how about one of Li'l Groove's favorite Saturday morning cartoons in comicbook form--Wacky Races! Check it out! From Hanna-Barbera Wacky Races #2, November 1970, it's "Wide Open Races" by Carl Fallberg and Jack Manning!

Next, also from November 1970,  it's the third Rose & Thorn adventure, "My Executioner Loves Me!" from Superman's Girlfriend Lois Lane #107! Story by Robert Kanigher and art by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito!

Here's a little sci-fi snack from by Arnold Drake and Steve Ditko from Mystery In Space #116 (November 1980)..."With His Head In the Stars!"

And now for the main course! The Savage Sub-Mariner and Spider-Man vs Force courtesy Steve Gerber, George Tuska, and Vinnie Colletta from Sub-Mariner #69 (November 1973)! (Note, Ol' Groove snipped the sub-plot--which ties into the title but not this particular story; sorry purists, but we just wanna focus on the action!)

Cover art by John Romita Sr.

Finally, we'll chillax to a fun Li'l Jinx short from Laugh #274 (also from November 1973), "Book Squirm" by the brilliant Joe Edwards!

There ya go, Groove-ophiles! From our house to yours--Happy Holidays! Pax!

Merry Christmas 2018 with Roy Thomas, Sal Buscema, Jim Mooney, Len Wein, Walt Simonson, Jim Aparo

Merry Christmas, Groove-ophiles! Not only do we have (as promised) part two of the awesome Roy Thomas/Sal Buscema/Jim Mooney Titans Three Saga, but we have some little-seen classic tales from the amazing Detective Comics #500! Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a trio of barely-clad outcast heroes and detective-themed superheroes, right? When it's happening in Groove City--RIGHT ON!

When Young Groove got his hands on  Sub-Mariner #35 (December 1970), second grade me was just starting to become enraptured by Mighty Marvel. This was the warm-up for Avengers #88, the mag that hooked me forever. Why is Ol' Groove rappin' about this mag in a Christmas post? 'Cause this is another of those (for me) legendary comics I picked up on the way home from Christmas play practice, baby! I read and re-read this mag pretty much every day leading up to Christmas--and many, many times after. Check it out...

Detective Comics #500 (December 1980) is a milestone, natch. An 84 page, square bound cornucopia of comicbook treasures. I have great memories of discovering the last copy on the spinner rack at my grandmother's local Piggly Wiggly (in Rose Hill Virginia). Man, I'm so glad she sent us to pick up an extra can of yams for our Christmas Feast! Anywho, I've shared the Walter (The Shadow) Gibson-penned prose-piece in the past (read it here), so I thought we'd share a couple more faves from that magnificent mag for this Christmas--both of 'em written by the late, great Len Wein. First is the legendary, Snoopy-inspired "Once Upon a Time..."

And finally, this cool tale teaming some of The Batman's non-super-hero back-up pals from the first five hundred issues of 'Tec, starring Slam Bradley with art by one of the all-time greatest Batman artists, Jim Aparo…"The 'Too Many Cooks' Caper!"

 And here's an extra Christmas surprise--the gorgeous wrap-around cover and the story-behind-the-story of Detective Comics #500!

I hope you've enjoyed this visit to Christmas' past with moi, Groove-ophiles! Better to spend time with Subby, Hulk, Silver Surfer, Batman, and Slam Bradley than those spooky ghosts that keep tracking Ebenezer Scrooge down year after year, right?

Oh, and it's not a Christmas post without a look at some presents from Ol' Groove's Christmas Present...

Hope you enjoy your day! Spend quality time with the ones you love, remember the Reason for the Season, and share the love all year long! Meeeeeeeerry Christmas! (See ya New Years Eve!)