Groove's Faves: "The Warrior in a Wheel-Chair" by Haney and Aparo

Nick Cardy's far-out cover!

Today's my birthday! Nah, nah, nah, nah nah! Gonna have a good time! Okay, I'm sure all of Groove-dom has been on needles and pins(ah) wondering what far-out comic Ol' Groove is gonna spotlight in the Faves Finale for this week. Well, I'll level with ya. This isn't the best Batman tale ever written. Brave and the Bold #100's (November 1971) "The Warrior in a Wheel-Chair" is, though, my all-time fave B&B Batman tale. Why? Many are the reasons, Groove-ophiles, but I'll just lay a few on ya.

First of all, consider the art. It's only Jim Aparo's second (of nearly 100) issue, and already he owns The Batman. Even though the Dark Knight spends 99% of the ish in a wheel-chair, Aparo still makes him look cool. (And I know, we look back at it now and wonder "Why is Batman in costume--even wearing his cowl and gloves while undergoing surgery? That's not realistic!". Put on your "good time glasses" kiddies--this is the Groovy Age--it's about fun and clarity. Realism is ever only a plot device!) Aparo has no problem making GL, GA, and the Canary look cool, but hey, they look cool no matter what. But (boy) wonder of wonders, J.A. even makes Robin look cool. Very few artists could do that! But it was Aparo's opening page, fight scenes, and best of all that dream sequence on pages 20-21 that really blew my mind, baby!

Next on the list of reasons I really dig this ish is Bob Haney's story. My fave Batman stories are either really moody/creepy or showcase the Darknight Detective's superior intellect. The way Haney used the spider and its web as a metaphor for Batman using his 4 FAMOUS GUEST-STARS to spin a web to catch a fat-cat drug dealer was inspired. He also nailed what made Batman so cool: he ain't crazy, he's persistent, baby. The Batman doesn't quit, no matter what.

Finally, I was one of those fans who thought Green Lantern/Green Arrow was one of the grooviest mags going, so bringing them in (along with Black Canary, natch) as guest-stars was fanboy heaven for Young Groove.

I'd like to say I read this mag 'til the cover fell off, but my copy came in one'a those cellophane-wrapped "comics packs" (three for a quarter)--so it didn't have a cover to begin with. But I read it a lot. Still do. Hope you dig it, Groove-ophiles!

Groove's Faves: "Heaven Is a Very Small Place!" by Thomas and Trimpe

Can't have a "faves" week and not represent Roy Thomas, can we Groove-ophiles! I've rapped mucho about Roy and how much I love his work. Some of his best work in the early 1970s (like his Avengers and Conan weren't enough!) was in the Incredible Hulk. During his tenure, Roy came up with such characters as Doc Samson, the Valkyrie, and Jarella, and most every ish was top-notch fun. His Hulk was the child-like, "I just want to be left alone" Jade Jaws us denizens of Groove City grew up with and love. Of course, it didn't hurt one iota that the art was being supplied by Herb Trimpe, who spent half the 1970s as Ol' Greenskin's definitive artist.

Probably my fave Thomas/Trimpe Hulk tale was this little back-up, "Heaven Is a Very Small Place!" It captured all of the reasons I dug the Hulk, boiled down all the reasons I understood and often empathized with him, plus, it seemed kinda like a Twilight Zone episode, and Young Groove was really into that show starting in '71. Lots of reasons to love this short-but-sweet stunner, not the least of which are John Severin's awesome inks. "Heaven Is a Very Small Place!" first appeared in Incredible Hulk #147 (October 1971) and was reprinted (and re-colored) in The Hulk! #19 (December 1979). Enjoy!

Groove's Faves: "Duel" by Jim Starlin

There's no way we can have a week of Groove's Faves without including some Jim Starlin. For almost 40 years Ol' Groove has remained awestruck by his awesome artistry and ka-razee kosmik trippiness. (And oh, yeah, by the way, BREED III rocks! You are still the man, Jim!)  We've visited his Darklon the Mystic before, digging on the gut-wrenching, in-your-face, deeper than the ocean mix of sci-fi, fantasy, and semi-autobiographical comix here and here. Now it's time for Starlin's grand finale, the shocking end of Darklon from Eerie #100 (cover-dated March 1979). It's Judo Jim undergoing public therapy, dealing with his father-issues in a way only he can. Besides all of the expected Starlinesque flourishes like the cosmic setting, the face-to-face close-up/longshot, philosophical debate (complete with finger-pointing), a psychedelic battle, robed death, and the total destruction of an entire world, we also get lush wash/graytones, three-dimensional cross-hatching, Alex Nino-influenced inks, and even ties to his Warlock series (Barry Bauman, aka the Star-Thief and his "home", Wildwood Hospital in New England on the planet Tellus). Not to mention the ending. Oh, that ending!

Groove's Faves: "Film Freak" by Cuti and Staton

Ol' Groove has made no bones about the fact that he's a huge (I'm talkin' GI-NORMOUS) fan of the team of writer Nick Cuti and artist Joe Staton. If all they'd ever done was E-Man, that would have been enough to endear them to me as Charlton's answer to Lee/Kirby or O'Neil Adams. But no, they had to do those great horror and sci-fi stories for Charlton's mystery mags. And of all of 'em, "Film Freak" from Haunted #18 (July 1974) just might be my all-time fave...