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Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2019 16:25:35 GMT -5
Farrar ... What is your thoughts on this issue that you read here. Superman 223? Sorry, Mecha, but I've never read it. I posted its cover--along with the other Superman-related comics on sale that month--to illustrate what the Superman line was still doing in terms of covers at that time. It looks like a fun story though.  The only Superman-family book I read/had that month was Adventure #388, as I noted in a later post. I was hoping for a response ... but, I'm going to lose any sleep on it and thanks for this timely response here. |
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Post by Farrar on Dec 7, 2019 16:55:50 GMT -5
December 1969My off-the-racks/in-the-mail DCs that month--just these two:  Adventure #389: part of my subscription. Two unmemorable stories. Well, at least one of the stories had Schaffenberger art, always a plus IMO. Detective #396: bought for the Batgirl feature. The story was slight, but there was that masterful, vivid Gil Kane-Murphy Anderson art (with a great splash page inked by Kane himself).
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Post by beccabear67 on Dec 8, 2019 14:49:54 GMT -5
Is it just me, or does that Gil Kane JLA cover look a lot like Walt Simonson in places? It's as if he inked it at the very least. I didn't think he did anything in comics (outside a fan page drawing in Magnus, Robot-Fighter) before Manhunter started in Detective Comics? I guess it could possibly be Joe Kubert though, but the Vigilante and his motorcycle and Black Canary seem very Simonson somehow.  |
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Post by Farrar on Dec 12, 2019 19:58:16 GMT -5
Is it just me, or does that Gil Kane JLA cover look a lot like Walt Simonson in places? It's as if he inked it at the very least. I didn't think he did anything in comics (outside a fan page drawing in Magnus, Robot-Fighter) before Manhunter started in Detective Comics? I guess it could possibly be Joe Kubert though, but the Vigilante and his motorcycle and Black Canary seem very Simonson somehow. Hmm, I don't see that. It's quite Kane-sian, what with that anatomy; Vigilante's rubbery legs around that cycle; and the trademark up-the-nose shot. Kane all the way (excluding the M. Anderson JLA heads on the side of course). Fwiw, in interviews Simonson has noted that Kane was one his influences, so there's that... |
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Post by beccabear67 on Dec 13, 2019 0:31:01 GMT -5
Is it just me, or does that Gil Kane JLA cover look a lot like Walt Simonson in places? It's as if he inked it at the very least. I didn't think he did anything in comics (outside a fan page drawing in Magnus, Robot-Fighter) before Manhunter started in Detective Comics? I guess it could possibly be Joe Kubert though, but the Vigilante and his motorcycle and Black Canary seem very Simonson somehow. Hmm, I don't see that. It's quite Kane-sian, what with that anatomy; Vigilante's rubbery legs around that cycle; and the trademark up-the-nose shot. Kane all the way (excluding the M. Anderson JLA heads on the side of course). Fwiw, in interviews Simonson has noted that Kane was one his influences, so there's that... Interesting. I see Batman, GL, and the figures on the ground as totally Gil Kane anyway. I could believe either Simonson or Kubert had a hand in there inking at least, but I can't see why either would be, can't remember such a combination coming up. |
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Post by Farrar on Dec 26, 2019 12:14:21 GMT -5
And here are the Marvels I bought back in December 1969 Avengers #73: By this time I had a lot of old Avengers issues so I was familiar with the Sons of the Serpent. Monica Lynne was introduced. The art was a surprise, pencils were by Frank Giacoia; I'd only seen his inking work previously. There was also a page by Herb Trimpe (confirmed in a later letter column). The story was interesting but was not served at all by the uneven, less-than-stellar art. I was still not crazy about the line-up: Clint as Goliath, Vision, Panther, Hank as Yellowjacket, Wasp. But at least there was something to look forward to: in this issue's letter column it was announced that Big John Buscema was returning as the book's artist next month! I remember how excited I was when I read that news! Fantastic Four #96: Awful issue, something about the Mad Thinker. Stan and Jack were very uninspired here. And the inker here was--yes, you guessed it, Frank Giacoia! I've since read that Sinnott was on vacation, which is understandable, but wow. I'd liked his inks on Kirby back in FF Annual #5 but that was a couple of years earlier. By this time the Kirby-Sinnott FF had been established as THE definitive FF, and seeing Giacoia's more delicate inks was jarring. The art just looked so simplistic and Stan's dialogue followed suit. Marvel Super-Heroes #25: Bought for the X-Men #6 reprint. There had been mention of this story in an earlier Avengers letter column, specifically about the attraction between Wanda and Namor (the story's guest-star). Wanda was one of my favorite characters so I was eager to read this. The story didn't disappoint; as anticipated, I liked the interaction between Wanda and Namor. Vintage Kirby-Stone art.  X-Men #65: By far the best of the Marvel monthly mags I was reading. I loved this issue largely because my favorites Lorna and Alex had big roles in the story. After sitting out the action for several issues here it seemed like they were finally going to become a part of the team. The Adams-Palmer art was, as usual, on a high level. And hey, guess who's back, 25 issues (two years) after his demise? Professor X. Since I'd never been heavily invested in him, this was a ho-hum moment for me; but I took his return coupled with the superior art as signs that the book was firing on all cylinders, hitting its stride, etc. Too bad I'd get the shock of my young comic-book reading life next month. |
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Post by brutalis on Dec 26, 2019 15:33:37 GMT -5
And here are the Marvels I bought back in December 1969What a splendid array of covers! Those were the days when a cover actually managed to convince a young reader they MUST GET this issue to find out what happens. None of these dagnabbit new fangled bunch of poser covers got nothing to do with the interior comic. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Jan 2, 2020 23:02:53 GMT -5
January, 1970Action 386 Superannuated heroes? I'm there!  Aquaman 50 An un-Cardyish cover and Deadman?! Of course I'm buying it! 
Batman 220 Adams cover, Robbins interiors. What could go wrong?  Detective 397 Nice. Batman meets Charles Foster Kane, aka Orson Payne. The Batman renaissance continues.  Green Lantern 75 The Silver Age comes to an end for GL. Green Arrow climbs into the driver's seat in #76.  Justice League of America 79 Cool-looking villain, cool cover. Well, except for the Super-sermon. But in 1970, perfectly cool.  Our Fighting Forces 124 (First Losers) Where have I seen this cover before? Hmmmm. Bizarre "logo," that giant block there. But I was darn glad to see some old favorites return.  Strange Adventures 223 Who cares if they're reprints!? That is one bad-ass cover. MARS Patrol meets the Atomic Knights. (But did Murph have to draw that particular damage to Lincoln's head? Bordering on tasteless.)  Teen Titans 26 Off with the costumes and onto Mr. Jupiter era. Which lasted about ten minutes. Good artistic instincts shown by Nicholas Peter Cardy to focus on Wonder Girl here.  Nine comics. $1.35.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jan 3, 2020 3:50:57 GMT -5
You know, you keep putting the total you spent at the bottom of your posts, but we all know that say, a buck thirty-five from back then is like $40 in today's money...  |
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Post by Prince Hal on Jan 3, 2020 5:45:46 GMT -5
You know, you keep putting the total you spent at the bottom of your posts, but we all know that say, a buck thirty-five from back then is like $40 in today's money... Not exactly. A few months after these comics came out, I was making minimum wage working as a clerk at Shoe-Town at one of my summer jobs. An hour’s work bought me nine comics. I could have bought four gallons of gas for an hour’s work at .36 a gallon. Today the minimum wage is $7.25. Can you buy nine comics or four gallons of gas for $7.25 today? just trying to give a sense of perspective. |
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jan 3, 2020 6:33:26 GMT -5
You know, you keep putting the total you spent at the bottom of your posts, but we all know that say, a buck thirty-five from back then is like $40 in today's money... Not exactly. A few months after these comics came out, I was making minimum wage working as a clerk at Shoe-Town at one of my summer jobs. An hour’s work bought me nine comics. I could have bought four gallons of gas for an hour’s work at .36 a gallon. Today the minimum wage is $7.25. Can you buy nine comics or four gallons of gas for $7.25 today? just trying to give a sense of perspective. ... I hope you realize I was not at all being serious... |
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Post by brutalis on Jan 3, 2020 7:21:42 GMT -5
January 1970 and my back issue scavenging years down the line is down to just:
Avengers 74 and Fantastic Four 97
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Post by Prince Hal on Jan 3, 2020 8:51:01 GMT -5
Not exactly. A few months after these comics came out, I was making minimum wage working as a clerk at Shoe-Town at one of my summer jobs. An hour’s work bought me nine comics. I could have bought four gallons of gas for an hour’s work at .36 a gallon. Today the minimum wage is $7.25. Can you buy nine comics or four gallons of gas for $7.25 today? just trying to give a sense of perspective. ... I hope you realize I was not at all being serious... Oops. 🤣 Stay off my lawn! |
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Post by berkley on Jan 6, 2020 2:05:00 GMT -5
... I hope you realize I was not at all being serious... Oops. 🤣 Stay off my lawn! Regardless, the point about the difference in purchasing power vis a vis the minimum wage cannot be made often enough. I saw something similar recently regarding how apartment rents in most North American cities have increased over just the last 25 years or so compared to the minimum wage.
I'm sure it's all for the best, though, somehow or other ... I mean, otherwise, we'd have to think our leaders and decision-makers aren't acting in our best interests, and that would just be crazy!
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Post by berkley on Jan 6, 2020 2:21:08 GMT -5
Ahem.
I didn't buy any comics in January 1970 that I remember from looking at Mike's cover gallery, but looking ahead a few months, I think this must be the year I started getting an allowance, because I recognise several comics as things I bought myself and slightly more consistent comics reading in general compared to the more or less haphazard reading I'd been doing previously. Not this month, though.
The comics I wish I'd read at the time would be my favourites from the era, the Avengers, the FF, Thor, and Daredevil, but also Tower of Secrets and House of Mystery, which I see featured stories by artists like Al Williamson and Barry Smith this month.
I'd add Creepy and Eerie, but I don't know if I'd have appreciated them at the time: I really don't remember looking at any black and white mags until a few years later, around 1973 or so.
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