Remembering Artist Nick Cardy

Remembering artist Nick Cardy on his birthday (October 20, 1920 - November 3, 2013) with some of his rarely seen art...

..covers featuring the Spectre!

Spectre #8 and #9 (January-February and March-April, 1969)

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Spectre #10 and Secret Origins #5 (May-June, 1969 and November-December, 1973)

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....and read about Spectre's Secret Origins here!

Tales Of Terror Annuals

Horror from the 1950s!

Here, with covers by Al Feldstein, are the three EC annuals for Tales Of Terror...and, horror of horrors, each issue could be different, as they just contained bound volumes of 4 unsold EC issues from 1951, 1952 and 1953!

Happy Columbus Day

In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue....and in September, 1992, Dark Horse gave us this tome, Columbus, by Starlen Baxter and Jack Jackson...

...with a cover by Sam Yeates, covering the historical significance of Christopher Columbus' journey across the Atlantic Ocean to help introduce his generation to the Americas.

Celebrating Artist Jim Starlin

Celebrating the birthday of writer/artist Jim Starlin (October 9, 1949) with a special edition...of Warlock, that is.

Adam Warlock was a character that started as "Him" in the Fantastic Four and Thor, finding his way to his own series, with adventures on a Counter-Earth...at least for a bit.  Then, Jim Starlin worked on Warlock in Strange Tales and soon a revival series, making Warlock a little more cosmic, introducing allies such as Pip the Troll and Gamora, as well as facing foes like the Magus, Thanos, the In-Betweener, the Gardner, the Stranger...and cancellation.  This epic wrapped up (after a detour to Marvel Team-Up) in Avengers Annual and Marvel Two-In-One Annual in the 1970s.

In the 1980s, Marvel, cashing in on the high quality Baxter reprints, reprinted this saga, but with the wraparound covers. as seen below!

Warlock #1 (December, 1982)

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Warlock #2 (January, 1983)

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Warlock #3 (February, 1983)

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Warlock #4 (March, 1983)

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Warlock #5 (April, 1983)

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Warlock #6 (May, 1983)

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Marvel Masters Of Terror

From a time in the 1970s, when Marvel was making magazines, comes these two issues entitled Masters Of Terror, all under the editing of Tony Isabella, who usually gave a page on an original writer in the issue, taking classic tales of horror, and presenting them in comic style.

Masters Of Terror #1 (July, 1975)

In the first issue, with a cover by Gray Morrow, are stories of "It!" by Theordore Sturgeon (adapted by Roy Thomas), with art by Marie Severin and Frank Giacoia, "The Horror From The Mound!" by Robert E. Howard (adapted by Gardner Fox) with art by Frank Brunner, "The Terrible Old Man!" by Robert E. Howard (adapted by Roy Thomas) with art by Barry Windsor-Smith, Dan Adkins and John Verpoorten, "The Drifting Snow" by August Derleth (adapted by Tony Isabella) with art by Esteban Maroto, "The Shambler From The Stars" by Robert Bloch (adapted by Ron Goulart) with art by Jim Starlin and Tom Palmer and "Yours Truly, Jack the Ripper" by Robert Bloch (adapted by Roy Thomas and Ron Goulart) with art by Gil Kane and Ralph Reese, plus some cartoons and horror history!

Masters Of Terror #2 (September, 1975)

The second issue, with a cover by Dan Adkins, contained stories of "The Invisible Man" by H. G. Wells (adapted by Ron Goulart) with art by Dan Adkins and Val Mayerik, "The Man Who Cried Werewolf" by Robert Bloch (adapted by Gerry Conway), with art by Pablo Marcos, "Dig Me No Grave" by Robert E. Howard (adapted by Roy Thomas) with art by Gil Kane and Tom Palmer, "The Music Of Erich Zann" by H. P. Lovecraft (adapted by Roy Thomas) with art by Johnny Craig and Dan Adkins, "Pickman's Model" by H. P. Lovecraft (adapted by Roy Thomas) with art by Tom Palmer, and "The Roaches" by Thomas M. Disch (adapted by Gerry Conway) with art by Ralph Reese, with creepy cartoons and historical articles as well.

Dealing With The Joker

Back in the later 1960s, Joker had just become another clown that Batman faced.

But, he was due for a revival in a big way, and here is a look at two of the issues that established the new normal (if Joker could ever be considered normal) for the Clown Prince Of Crime well until the Crisis On Infinite Earths...

The Joker's Five-Way Revenge

Here, in Batman #251 (September, 1973), by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, this team did to the Joker what they had been doing with the Batman...took him back to his roots.  While still having the clown motif, Joker was also shown to be much more of a homicidal killer as he methodically worked his way through 5 of his ex-henchmen.

Also important here, is that the Joker establishes that he enjoys his battles with the Batman...

Death Has The Last Laugh

In Brave and the Bold #111 (February-March, 1974) by Bob Haney and Jim Aparo, the unlikely idea that Batman and Joker team up happens (especially with the new norm just established in the Joker's last appearance above).  Still, it happens, as Joker lets Batman know that he was innocent of murdering a family, and the two work together to find the killer.

Still, as always, the two spar and there's a twist at the end.

But these two appearances set a tone for the Joker, as well as giving him more comic exposure, leading to the introduction of Arkham Asylum in Batman #258 (October, 1974) where a Two-Face rivalry was established, as well as Joker's 9 issue series which kept the Joker in the public eye...but, sadly, the Joker series ended before its tenth issue could be published due to low sales, because the series missed one important fact...the Joker needs Batman to be successful, it was their epic battles fans wanted, not just the Joker's murderous mirth.

Remembering Artist Ramona Fradon

Remembering artist Ramona Fradon on her birthday (October 2, 1926 - February 24, 2024) with these two spooky covers to Super Friends...#10 (Febraury-March, 1978) where the Super Friends face off against a monstrous looking batch of characters and #28 (January, 1980) where the Super Friends face off against Bizarro, Swamp Thing, the Demon Solomon Grundy and Man-Bat...or so it seems.

Halloween Terror

Couldn't find much information on this issue from Malibu Comics in September, 1990...

,,.but what better way to start off October than with a little Halloween Terror?

Remembering Artist Russ Heath

Remembering the tremendously talented artist Russ Heath on his birthday (September 29, 1926 - August 23, 2018) with something not a war comic or a western, but instead a throwback to Batman's earliest days, as he and Catwoman fought a Cat-Man killing innocent women in Gotham in the four part Heat series featured in Legends Of The Dark Knight.

Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #46 and #47 (June and July, 1993)

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Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #48 and #49 (Early and Late August, 1993)

Celebrating Artist Bob Layton

Celebrating the birthday of editor, writer and artist, Bob Layton (September 25, 1953).

For a talent this big, time to go with some big issues...the four covers he drew for Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars, featuring the Hulk, the X-Men, Dr. Doom and Captain America!

Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #4 and #5 (August and September, 1984)

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Marvel Super-Heroes Secret Wars #6 and #7 (October and November, 1984)

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Celebrating Batman Artist David Mazzucchelli

Celebrating the birthday of artist David Mazzuchelli (September 21, 1960) with a look at some of his strongest (and most reprinted) work, Batman: Year One.

With writer Frank Miller, David gave us a down and dirty view of Gotham, and the origins of the Batman, with Bruce Wayne figuring out how he was going to save the city, dressed as a bat, while contending with an unjust police force (except for recent transfer, James Gordon), and encounters with Selina Kyle (who was headed on her way to be Catwoman).

Batman #404 and #405 (February and March, 1987)

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Batman #406 and #407 (April and May, 1987)

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Reprints

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While not all of the reprints, the red covered Batman: Year One was one of the earliest (from October, 1988), while DC Finest will be collecting Year One (and Two, plus Batman #401-#412, Detective Comics #568-#579 and Batman Annual #11).  Find our more information on DC Finest Collections here with Kurtis and the Finest DC Channel, and a list of upcoming volumes here!

Remembering Legendary Artist Joe Kubert

Remembering artistic legend, Joe Kubert, on his birthday (September 18, 1926 - August 12, 2012), with a very early cover in his career, from the Son Of Sinbad #1 (February, 1950) from St. John Publishing Company, which has been collected in the Joe Kubert Archives #1 - Weird Horrors & Daring Adventures (December, 2012), where he provided pencils and inks for two stories of the Son Of Sinbad...."Ransom Of The Shipwreck Shoals!" (freeing slave girl Elene from the evil Mytar) and "The Curse Of The Caliph's Dancer" (searching for a prize pearl to get the hand of Kina, the Pearl Of Baghdad), as well as likely inking the third story, "The Merchant Of Menace" (wherein he was working to recover items stolen by the Sultan).

One additional story appeared in Abbott and Costello Comics #10 (August, 1950), "The Princess Of Pirate Cove", where he rescued a woman and Princess Xenia from the island of Lahru.

Celebrating Super-Heroic Artist Mike Grell

Celebrating the birthday of writer/artist Mike Grell (September, 13, 1947).

Mike was a big talent, especially in the 1970s, making a name for himself drawing the Legion of Super-Heroes (as the LSH was taking over the Superboy title)...

...but two of his most iconic covers did not appear there.

Below, are the full covers and a little on what was inside these oversized treasury editions!

Limited Collectors' Edition #C-49 (October-November, 1976)

With this iconic cover, Mike Grell made sure he'd be remembered by Legion fans for decades to come.

But, Mike was only represented sporadically on the inside of book...

...with the main part of the issue containing reprints of debut of Mordru from Adventure Comics #369 and #370 (June and July, 1968), some fact pages about the Legion Headquarters, and the great Dave Cockrum had his two page diagram of the wedding of Duo Damsel and Bouncing Boy provided (with a guide to the characters in back!).

All-New Collectors' Edition #C-55 (March, 1978)

Here, Mike did the illustrations for the main story, where Lightning Lad and Saturn Girl finally get married (and he and writer Paul Levitz made it to the wedding as well, Paul on the far left, Mike on the far right), in an odd story influenced by the Time Trapper, who changed the past...and, there are some wonderful fact files on the Legion in the back (though they were drawn by Jim Sherman and Jack Abel).

Bits of wonderful Legion history, cementing Mike Grell's place as an artist in it!

Remembering Writer And Artist Frank Robbins

Remembering writer/artist Frank Robbins on his birthday (September 9, 1917 - November 28, 1994).  

Likely better remembered as an comic strip writer/artist for things like aviation strip Scorchy Smith and his own adventure strip Johnny Hazard, as well as writing Superboy and Batman/Detective Comics (where he co-created, among others, Man-Bat), his wonderfully moody art enhanced the DC comics adaptation of the Shadow in the 1970s, where he did the following covers.

The Shadow #5 and #7, (June-July and October-November, 1974)

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The Shadow #8, (December-January, 1974/1975)

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Star Trek 58th Anniversary

Celebrating the debut of the TV show, Star Trek, which was on September 8th, 1966...

...boldly going where no man has gone before..

...with two special issues featuring the original cast in adventures set during the original series.

Star Trek #58 (Gold Key, December, 1978)

Here, in a story by George Kashdan with art by Al McWilliams and painted cover by Chuck Liese, Dr. Leonard McCoy has to cure more than a cold...he has to help out a much larger patient, "The Brain Damaged Planet", as a virus was menacing a whole planet's population, via the brain at the core of the planet.

An incredible task for a man who considered himself at heart just a country doctor.

Star Trek #58 (DC Comics, March, 1994)

With this story, by Howard Weinstein, with Carlos Garzon on interior art and cover by Jerome Moore, this issue started a run with a flashback on Pavel Chekov (as Chekov visited Sulu in the present day), set during the time of original mission, wherein the Enterprise was dealing with a mysterious ship bombarding a colony with lethal radiation as an old flame came back into Chekov's life.

Chekov, looking back on his life, just as, on this anniversary, Star Trek fans celebrate the original show (and all that came after).

Remembering Artist Jay Scott Pike

Remembering artist Jay Scott Pike on his birthday (September 6, 1924 - September 13, 2015).  Likely better known for his work on the one and only Showcase featuring Dolphin or a very special Star Trek issue, Pike spent more time working on romance comics.

Here, a sample of covers, celebrating what would have been his 100th birthday.

Girls' Love Stories #100 and Girls' Romances #100 (January and April, 1964)

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Falling In Love #100 (July, 1968)

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