DC Super Heroes Vs Monsters

It was "Super Heroes' War Against The Monsters" for DC Special #21 (April-May, 1976), featuring Superman, Green Lantern, the Marvel Family and even United States soldiers facing terrible monsters that menaced large populations....


...all under a cover by Ernie Chan.


Here's the story behind the original presentations of these tales.....

Action Comics #326

First up is a tale featuring Superman from Action Comics #326 (July, 1965), featuring the Man of Steel facing off against larger super-powered insects in "The Legion of Super-Creatures" by Otto Bender, Curt Swan and George Klein, all under a creepy crawly cover by Curt Swan and George Klein.


These alien insects descended on Earth, and even Superman was powerless to defeat this insect army and their assorted abilities.  Superman was able to track down the alien ship that deposited these creatures on Earth, and learning of the motivations of those who released them, figured out a way to stop the giant bugs.

Green Lantern #3

Hal Jordan literally created his own monster problem in the back-up tale of "The Leap-Year Menace" from Green Lantern #3 (November-December, 1960) by John Broome, Gil Kane and Joe Giella.

Green Lantern was meeting his fan club at charity event, then returned to his alter ego to meet his girlfriend, Carol Ferris, where Carol told Hal she plans to take advantage of the leap year tradition to ask Green Lantern to marry her at another charity event Green Lantern will be at.  Hal, to save his secret alter ego (so he can woo Carol as himself), creates a power ring monster to menace his heroic self...but, this plan goes awry as the menace becomes too menacing (and then GL has to not only face Carol's proposal, but that of his female fan club as well!).

Star Spangled War Stories #132

DC used to feature comics with war heroes as stars, as well as comics that featured monsters, but, it was the feature of "The War That Time Forgot" that regularly pitted United States Armed Forces against the dinosaurs of Monster Island, including this tale from Star Spangled War Stories #132 (April-May, 1967) by Robert Kanigher and Russ Heath, featuring "The Big House Of Monsters".

The story involves a cop and a criminal, who end up enlisting in the army together, getting captured by the Japanese, then, in escaping their POW camp, end up together on Dinosaur Island.  The two have to work together to get off the island (and fend off the beasts), yet, the criminal also plans to kill the former policeman.   This tale does not end well for either of them....with quite the pyhrric victory for the survivor of the human battle.

Marvel Family #7

Last, but not least, is a little love from old Fawcett comics, with a feature of the Marvel Family (Captain Marvel, Mary Marvel and Captain Marvel, Jr.) from Marvel Family #7 (December, 1946) with "The Marvel Family Reaches Eternity" by Otto Binder, C.C. Beck and Pete Costanza.

The Marvel Family faces off against The Three Faces of Evil, as they break free from their prison under the Rock of Eternity (home of the ancient wizard, Shazam, who powers the Marvel Family), and split up to cause mischief, which is thwarted by Cap, Mary and Junior, who split up to each take on one face of evil....then battle to reunite them, and return them to their prison under the Rock!


Holy Moley!  Enough monsters for you?