Great comic book runs: The Spectre (Adventure comics) Aparo & Fleisher

One of my all-time favourite comic book series of the 1970’s was the Michael Fleisher and Jim Aparo revival of the Spectre character that appeared in Adventure Comics issue 431 – 440 (1974/5). This 10 issue series took its lead from the original golden age version of the character (created by Jerry Siegel and Bernard Bailley in “More Fun Comics” issue 52 in 1940) who wasn’t averse to dispensing justice through acts of violence. However, the Fleisher/Aparo Spectre took his version of justice one step further through some excessive acts of brutality including turning a villain into glass before shattering him, turning another to wax and then melting him and in one particularly gruesome episode turning a bad guy into wood before feeding him through a band saw. In these circumstances it was perhaps understandable why this Spectre series was cut short as it was violent for a 1970's comic, but then again that was part of it's appeal at the time. Of course Jim Aparo’s excellent moody art and stunning covers didn’t hurt the comics lasting popularity.

Adventure Comics ~#431 – This issue also featured the classic back-up tale “Is a Snearl human?” by Sheldon Mayer and Alex Toth.

Adventure Comics ~#432 – This issue also featured a Captain Fear tale by Alex Nino and Steve Skates.

Adventure Comics ~#433 – This issue featured another Captain Fear tale by Alex Nino and Steve Skates.

Adventure Comics ~#434 – Not all issues were fully illustrated by Jim Aparo, this issue was pencilled by Frank Thorne with Aparo inking. This issue was the first in the series to feature a full length Spectre tale.

Adventure Comics ~#435 – This issue featured an Aquaman back-up tale by Steve Skates and Mike Grell. Additionally this was the notorious issue where the villain was turned to wood and then cut up in a saw. Brutal for an all colour comic at the time (perhaps even by today’s standards).

Adventure Comics ~#436 – This issue continues the Aquaman back-up tales by Steve Skates and Mike Grell

Adventure Comics ~#437 – This issue features Ernie Chan (Chua) on pencils with Jim Aparo inking. This issue also continues the Aquaman back-up tales by Steve Skates and Mike Grell

Adventure Comics ~#438 – This issue features Ernie Chua (officially using his real name) on pencils with Jim Aparo inking. This issue features part one of a pretty strange Seven Soldiers of Victory back–up tale by Joe Samachson and Dick Dillin and Howard Chaykin.

Adventure Comics ~#439 – This issue features part two of the Seven Soldiers of Victory back–up tale by Joe Samachson and Lee Elias.

Adventure Comics ~#440 – The final issue of Adventure Comics featuring the Spectre. This issue features part two of the Seven Soldiers of Victory back–up tale by Joe Samachson and Mike Grell.

The Michael Fleisher and Jim Aparo Spectre series has been reprinted several times over the years including a 4 issues series in 1988 (cover to issue 3 above) and the “Wrath of the Spectre” collection (cover at header) which are both worth seeking out. This series may not have any deep meaning as it was largely based on the premise of a criminal doing something evil and the Spectre showing up and killing him. But it was a well written and illustrated book that was a cross between the best of 1970’s superheroes and the EC horror comics of the 1950’s, what’s not to like?

Bring on the Back-ups: Black Canary: Adventure comics 418 & 419

As I noted in my first “Bring on the Back-Ups” post one of the good things about DC comics in the early -mid 1970’s were their back-up strips. Now not all of these were classics of comic book literature as is the case here with this two part story from Adventure Comics issues 418 and 419. The script is pretty basic although it has a nice little surprise in the last panel. The real reason this is for me, one of my favourite back up tales is down to the art of Alex Toth that elevated this average tale to a different level. The above illustration of Black Canary by Toth has nothing to do with this strip but it is a cracker and it shows just how good Toth was.

Adventure Comics at this time featured Supergirl who I found quite a bland character (and let’s face it in 1972 this was considered a girl's only comic) so it was never on my “must buy list” .But as DC published 48/52 page comics at this time that all featured reprints from the golden age to the 1960s, I would pick up any comic book for these reprint strips. In the case of “Adventure” they reprinted stories from the Phantom Stranger, Legion of Super-Heroes Dr Mid-Nite, Animal Man and the Enchantress along with (then) new strips like Zatanna (dawn by Gray Morrow and Dick Giordano) and of course Black Canary who I knew from reading the Justice League.

As mentioned above this is a pretty average story where Black Canary lands a new job teaching martial arts to members of the Women's Resistance League (WRL) , a feminist group (remember this was written in the early 1970’s when the Women’s Lib movement was at its peak) . Anyway in the story BC sees that the group is being held at gunpoint by masked terrorists which she swiftly defeats only to be knocked unconscious by one of the WRL students that she was teaching. The first part of the story ends when the WRL head, Bertha, for no seeming reason tells one of the group to kill Black Canary.

In part two Bertha elects not to kill Back Canary but instead to use her as a hostage. She then has BC bound and placed inside a van they are driving to a point where they intend to intercept and free their leader who is a prisoner being escorted from one prison to another and who turns out to be (da-da the surprise ending...of sorts!) Catwoman!

As can be seen from the illo below from 1980, Toth drawing Black Canary was a match made in heaven. Now calm down fanboy it's ony a drawing!