Black and White Wednesday: Red Sonja in "Wizards of the Black Sun"

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Here's a little-seen black and white Red Sonja strip from Savage Sword of Conan #23 (cover-dated October 1977). This sensational story is written by the titanic team of Roy Thomas and Clara Noto. The art is provided for the man who defined the look of Red Sonja for the Groovy Age: far-out Frank Thorne! Enjoy!

Groovy Guest Post: Sharon K. on Cardy Covers

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! It's been a while since I was able to share a Groovy Guest Post with ya, but Swingin' Sharon K. (of Two Girls, a Guy, and Some Comics) has come through with a pulse-pounding post to lay on ya! In case you've been spending the last many moons in Lower Slobbovia, I'll tell ya that Sharon--aka the Silver Age Surfer--is a contributor to TwoMorrows' mildly magnificent Back Issue, and has had articles published in books like Tom Brevoot's Assembled! 2. Ol' Groove is sure you're gonna dig Sharon's post! Take it away, Sharon K.!

Cardy Covers, Part 1

Hey, wasn't Groove's recent panoply of 1969 Neal Adams covers scrumptiously mouth-watering?? And if you don't know what I'm talking about, what are you waiting for? Go here ...http://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/2009/07/admiring-adams-40-years-ago-this-month.html

You know, while it's true that starting in 1967 Adams basically became a one-man cover industry for DC—thanks to Art (and then Editorial) Director Carmine Infantino--there were many other striking covers created by the likes of Infantino himself, Joe Kubert, and the great cover king Gil Kane. But in the late '60s-early '70s, arguably the most imaginative and well, far out DC covers were created by the inimitable Nick Cardy. His command of genres was incredible: he was equally at home doing superheroes as well as such offbeat fare as Bat Lash, The Witching Hour, and House of Secrets. It was on covers, though, that he could really let loose and exercise his artistic muscles. And Infantino, who certainly knew a good thing when he saw it, encouraged this proclivity!

As an appetizer, take a look at some Cardy covers for that grooviest of all superhero titles--the 1960s Teen Titans, natch--and take note of the recurring motifs (there'll be a quiz later):

Downstage Speedy saves the day!


Easy Riders



Wonder Chick, torn between two covers...a mere issue apart, no less!


J'accuse! (Okay, we're cheating here, 'cause this is a (cover-dated) 1970 Cardy Titans and a (cover-dated) 1971 Adams Avengers, but look how they depict similar scenarios on their covers. Was Adams perhaps a wee bit inspired by the premise of the earlier Cardy cover?


 Cardy Covers, Part 2

Now it goes without saying (but I'll say it anyway since that's what a blog is for) it was Nick Cardy's Aquaman covers on which the artist was really able to go all out and strut his stuff. Cardy didn't just depict a scene from that month's story; he created tension and ambience. His use of design and pattern and his ability to make every inch of cover space interesting made Adams' "realism"--at times--look prosaic and boring (sorry, Neal!). And Cardy's covers were as inventive as Jim Steranko's, but never cold as Steranko's sometimes were. Why? Well, Cardy was a true draftsman and his gorgeous linework softened any hard edges, resulting in an almost hypnotic effect that drew the reader's eye to the whole--i.e., the drama--instead of just the pieces--the shapes, lines or colors. Gaze at Cardy's covers and you become a participant--not just an onlooker.

See for yourself--here's just a small sampling of Cardy's innovative Aquaman covers. Did this guy have a sense of design or what?!

Circles

Curves

X marks the spot

Diagonals

A couple of inverted Vs:
Stalagmites as the title. Genius.


Another classic. It's been reported an earlier (rejected) version of Cardy's illustration was even more harrowing.


Thanks again, Sharon! Ol' Groove is looking forward to what ya cook up next!

Random Reads: The Shadow #11 guest-starring the Avenger

What could have been cooler than the Shadow having his own comic? The Shadow teaming up with another pulse-pounding pulp hero like the Avenger (who also starred in his own comic, Justice, Inc. at the time)! In one of the few issues of the Shadow not written by Denny O'Neil, DC's pulp-heroes finally crossed paths courtesy writer Michael Uslan (yep, the movie producer) and artist E.R. Cruz (who was taking over from Mike Kaluta and Frank Robbins).

Lemme tell ya, Groove-ophile, The Shadow #11 (March 1975) was one beauty of a comicbook! Kaluta provided a stunning, moody, ya-gotta-buy-me cover, and Cruz's interior art was nearly as moody as Kaluta's had been, making him a perfect choice to take over the series' artistic reins (though, sadly, the mag would only last one more issue). Uslan's plot was strangely Marvel-like, with our two heroes (and their agents) mistaking each other for enemies before finally teaming up to battle their common foe, but it was fun, and quite a thrill to see he-who-"knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men" and the leader of Justice, Inc. in the same mag. See if ya don't get a kick out of "Night of the Avenger!" yourself, Groove-ophile!

Sunday Funnies: "The Origin of the Simple Surfer!"

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Prepare to get your giggles on! Presenting Roy Thomas and Marie Severin's side-splittng (okay, grin-inducing) "Origin of the Simple Surfer!" from Not Brand Echh #13 (February 1969)!!

Shades of Gray: "Cat!"

Check it out, Groove-ophiles! Here's a special treat from Red Circle's Chilling Adventures in Sorcery #3 (July 1973),--the debut story from the Gray Morrow-edited era of Archie Comics' one, true mystery/horror mag (well, at least until they converted Madhouse for a few issues...). Ol' Groove is sure you're gonna flip for the..."Cat!"