Following on from my last post featuring some of my favourite Marvel comic book covers from 1973, I thought I would show some of DC's best. While Marvel may have been causing a major stir in the UK at this time with their expanding weekly UK comic line and their innovative monthly US titles, DC were also producing some great comics and covers including the above issue of Superman number 263 by the legendary Neal Adams. Below are a selection of some of the other great DC comics I picked up in 1973:
"Secret Origins" Issue 5 (Cover by Nick Cardy) - At this time DC were producing quite a few top quality all reprint comics including "Wanted", Black Magic" , "Strange Adventures", and "Challengers of the Unknown". This issue of "Secret Origins" reprinting the Spectres (rather dark for the time) origin by Bernard Baily is a stonewall classic wrapped up in one of Cardy's best ever covers.
"Justice League of America" issue 108 (cover by Nick Cardy). Following on from
JLA issue 100 (and 101-102) which featured the Seven Soldiers of Victory and the JSA, Len Wein, Dick Dillin, and Dick Giordano treat us here to another tale (starting in issue 107 - which I have never read) featuring more old school heroes. This time we are introduced to the heroes of Earth X (the old Quality comics characters) most of whom were new to me at this time.
"Swamp Thing" issue 8 (cover by Bernie Wrightson) - This was my first "Swamp Thing" comic. I can still recall seeing this issue in my local newsagent and the excitement of reading this tale by Len Wein’s beautifully illustrated by Bernie Wrightson. Wonderful stuff!
"Superboy starring the Legion of Super-Heroes" issue 200. (Cover by Nick Cardy ) - I loved the Legion of Super-Heroes at this time and this issue by Cary Bates and Dave Cockrum featuring the wedding of Bouncing Boy and Duo Damsel was a bronze age classic featuring cameos by what seemed like 100s of characters.
"Brave and the Bold" issue 109 (Cover by Jim Aparo) - Brave and the Bold was another of my favourite titles. As good as the stories were, I mostly looked forward to seeing Jim Aparo's version of various DC characters each month. Here he draws Jack Kirby's "Demon" character with aplomb.
"Phantom Stranger" issue 26 (cover by Mike Kaluta). I didn't actually buy this copy in 1973 but my pal gave me his copy to read so it (kinda) counts.
Plop! issue 2 (Cover by Basil Wolverton) - One of DC's most underrated books. As a 13 year old I found this genuinely fun (maybe not funny) featuring some wonderful cartooning by the likes of Steve Ditko, Alex Toth, Sergio Aragones and Wally Wood.
"Strange Adventures" issue 241 (cover by Nick Cardy); By this time Strange Adventures was all reprint but as Adam Strange was new to me I had to buy this issue when I saw it. The Stories by Gardner Fox and Carmine infantino were interesting, but it was Nick Cardy's cover that really sold this comic to me.
Superboy issues 195 (Cover by Nick Cardy) -I have rambled on about this comic before, not for the main Superboy tale but for the back up story
"The One Shot Hero" by Cary Bates and Dave Cockrum / Murphy Anderson.
Detective Comics issues 435 (cover by Dick Giordano and Gaspar Saladino). This was another comic where the back up tale "Jason Bard" by Frank Robbins stuck in my memory more than the main story. At the time I found Robbins art crude but intriguing. Today I find Robbins art full of action and a total joy.
"Sword of Sorcery" issue 2 (cover by Howard Chaykin and Bernie Wrghtson). As far as I am aware this was DC's first real attempt and a sword and sorcery comic and whilst it wasn't up to the standards of Marvels "Conan" it had its merits. Sadly, the title only lasted 5 issues.
"Superman" issue 265 (Cover by Nick Cardy).
"Challengers of the Unknown" issue 79 (Cover by Joe Kubert) - This was another of DC's all reprint titles reprinting Jack Kirby's classic Challengers tales.
I was probably about seven years old when I walked into my local newsagents in Cambuslang (near Glasgow) with my pocket money firmly he...
Following on from my last post featuring some of my favourite Marvel comic book covers from 1973, I thought I would show some of DC's ...
Nearly a half-century on I still consider 1973 to be the year that cemented my destiny in becoming a lifetime comic book fan. It was a yea...
That Secret Origins issue is dynamite and perfectly timed to support the revival of the Spectre in those ghastly stories by Mike Fleisher and Jim Aparo. Awesome stuff! And that issue of Justice League of America in my top five all time, a beautiful issue of the comic by Len Wein, Dick Dillin, and Dick Giordano with that creamy Cardy cover. Oustanding stuff!
ReplyDeleteI meant to add a copy of the Fleisher/Aparo Spectre run in Adventure comics but I stored them away in my loft and it slipped my mind. Glad to hear you also liked that Secret Origins issue, it's a real comic book classic to me. The JLA was such a fun comic to read at this time the creators never missed a beat in keeping their readers interested and wanting to pick up the next issue. Marvel rightly get a the plaudits for their output at this time, but DC weren't far behind.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Duo Damsel and Bouncing Boy. What great names!
ReplyDeleteThe Legion had a few names like that Colin including Matter Eater Lad and Arm Fall Off Boy ( seriously ) although the latter started out as a joke he is a character.
ReplyDeleteOf the books above, I had Superboy #195, Phantom Stranger #26, Superboy #200 and Secret Origins #5 and I loved them all. My favourite was probably the Spectre one, with Superboy #200 in second place.
ReplyDeleteGreat to see Crusher Creel showing up on that Brave and the Bold cover.
Hi Steve, Secret Origins is probably my favourite as well with Superboy 200 and JLA 110 close behind. That cover "demon" Jack Dobbs does indeed look like Crusher Creel the Absorbing Man.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great choice of comics we had 50 years ago, McScotty! You must have had a lot more pocket money than me!
ReplyDeleteI had never read that Superman #263 until you posted this - I absolutely love the cover. Adams was always experimenting, and he did a number of collages - both for covers and interiors - which were always exciting.
I had the Secret Origins #5 - will go and see if I can get #5 again. I loved all of those reprint comics because it was the only chance we in the UK had to peer back into the mythical Golden Age in those days when local second-hand shops to find old comics.
and the JLA - I have just re-read it as you’re a Dillin fan, and Giordano was inking this one. I think I do prefer Giordano inking Dillin over Giella, but these things are always personal preference.
Swamp Thing #8 - l absolutely loved that initial Swamp Thing run by Len Wein and Berni Wrightson. I picked those first 24 up from various newsagents in Portsmouth. I went right back to the long box to pick #8 out to read again.
Brave & Bold #109 - remember getting this one. I’ve just re-read it. Bob Haney is so underrated as a Batman storyteller, yet pretty much everything he wrote was a gem. And Jim Aparo was so good at that time when his work was so fine and detailed.
Phantom Stranger #26 - what a great cover! Had all the Phantom Stranger issues back then.
PLOP #2 - another one I bought. I loved the Sergio Aragones strips - still do.
Detective #435 - the only time Frank Robbins drew his creation Jason Bard. Loved this short back-up. I was always dismissive of Jason Bard because Don Heck was the regular artist; I’m going to make the effort to re-visit those tales.
I’m pretty sure that I bought all of those Sword & Sorcery issues, as well.
It really was a great time for comics baggsey. These comics were bought over a year and although I did buy lots of comics, they were pretty much my total entertainment\outlet at this time, I had no vices lol....and comics were pretty cheap in 1973 . I bought anything at this time by Adams, but this was an especially good one. I would have loved to have seen Adams draw Superman at this time instead of just covers (the Ali v Superman special aside).
ReplyDeleteI love that Robbins "Jason Bard" strip and like yourself I didn't care for the Don Heck issues . The great thing about Haney's writing was his total disregard for comic story continuity he just told a good story. Aparo was good at everything he drew I can't think of anything he did that was average. Sergio, Aragones is another comic book legend. Issue 1 was the only Sword of Sorcery comic I bought at the time, but I picked up the other 4 issues over the years. I loved the Wein\Wrightson and the Redondo Nestor Redondo Swamp Thing comics .
Apropos of Swamp Thing....I see that colourist Scott Dutton has coloured a version of the cover of the unpublished Swamp Thing #25 and posted on his site. Worth a look. https://catspawdynamics.com/swamp-thing-no-25-unpublished-cover-by-ernie-chan/
DeleteI would have loved to have read that issue ( was it ever published baggsey?). Hawkman is one of my favourite characters and thats a great cover , thanks for the link
ReplyDeleteI afraid don't know where the completed pages of Swamp Thing #25 were published, McScotty. I found a note on "goodreads.com" that reads "The remaining pages have been republished in some collections, or can be found online".
DeleteI then found this blog which discusses the lost issue and contains some of the interior artwork https://www.progressiveruin.com/2012/01/31/so-lets-take-another-look-at-those-unpublished-swamp-thing-pages/
The Phantom Stranger #26 cover reminds me a little of the cover to Swamp Thing #2. Not exactly the same, but similar.
ReplyDelete