Falling In Love With John Romita

A quick look at some romance comics, here, Falling In Love, which lasted for 143 issues (from September-October 1955 to October-November, 1973).  Here, two covers by John Romita (#49 from March, 1962 and #62 from October, 1963) summing up the romantic angst so common amongst the title.

World Of Krypton Romance

Odd to think of a love story when talking about the origins of Superman, but, even though their saga started with their death and the end of their world, Krypton...it showed their love as well, as they loved each other so much that they couldn't live without each other.

Here is the story of Superman's parents...Jor-El and Lara (though in brief style, through the World Of Krypton mini-series, originally intended for Showcase #104-#106, then #110-#112) with covers by Ross Andru and Dick Giordano.

World Of Krypton #1 (July, 1979)

First up is "The Jor-El Story" by Paul Kupperberg, Alan Kupperberg, Howard Chaykin and Murphy Anderson, with Superman reviewing a recently discovered diary of his father, Jor-El, which starts when his father (Jor-El I) took him and his brother, Nim-El, to see the Jewel Mountains of Krypton...continuing with his education, ending up in Kryptonopolis, working on their space program with General Dru-Zod and Professor Ken-Dal.  

There, he met a young astronaut, named Lara Lor-Van, and fell in love.  Jor-El continued to work, discovering an anti-gravity particle, which helped to reduce the cost of his ship (making it out of the heavy, but, for Krypton, cheap, metal of gold), all while Lara professed a love for him (and a desire to be the rocket's first pilot).  Jor-El's Golden Folly was supposed to be an unmanned flight, but Lara snuck aboard, ending up on Krypton's moon of Wegthor.  A rescue ship was sent, with Jor-El sneaking aboard using his anti-gravity...rescuing Lara.  Then, Jor-El presented a plan to Krypton's science council, of putting criminals in suspended animation and reforming them while they slept (all while in orbit).  At this time, with a possible promotion, Lara took Jor-El to the Matricomp (a Kryptonian computer) to ask for the right to marry.  

While Jor-El worked with rocked scientist Jax-Ur, Lara got the answer from the Matricomp, denying marriage, but instead proposing marriage to Anr-Mu, Matricomp's messenger.  The first test of the rocket suspension idea came, with Nali-Ilv crashing back on Krypton, demonstrating new super powers.  This seemed fishy to Jor-El, who figured it out.  It wasn't Nali-Ilv, but his twin, Ed-Ilv, using Jor-El's anti-gravity metal to fake super powers.  Nali's ship was disintegrated and the substitution made, to make Jor-El's project a failure, so criminals would instead be executed, to hide the crimes of the police chief, Tron-Et (who would be revealed if criminals reformed).  Flush with success, Jor-El headed home, to find Lara entranced with Anr-Mu who fought Jor-El with super strength.  Jor-El figured out Anr-Mu looked like the Matricomp's creator, and that Matricomp fell in love with Lara, creating an android to marry her.  Jor-El destroyed Matricomp, ending Anr-Mu and freeing Lara from hypnosis, clearing the way for them to marry...with Superman attending?   

More on the last in the next issue...and the stories here are adapted from Superman #233 (Jor-El's Golden Folly), Superman #234 (Prison In The Sky) and Superman #246 (Marriage, Kryptonian Style). 

World Of Krypton #2 (August, 1979)

Continuing on, with "This Planet Is Doomed!" by Paul Kupperberg, Alan Kupperberg, Howard Chaykin and Murphy Anderson, with the wedding of Jor-El meeting his father and fighting an ice bird outside Kryptonopolis, with Jor-El I being injured.  Jor-El and Lara were at the hospital, checking on Jor-El I (with Jor-El's assistant, Kal-El, a time tossed Superman who ended up on Krypton), with Jor-El discovering one of his father's ideas...that Krypton was doomed.  Presenting these facts to the science council, Jor-El had a plan of space arks to save the Kryptonians, working on that in Kandor with his supports as his father died.  

But, as Jor-El and Superman went to try to convince his other brother, Zor-El to join in from Argo City, they watched helplessly as Kandor was shrunk and stolen (by Brainiac), ending the space ark plan.  Jor-El lost one of his last supporters as Kal-El was accidentally launched into space, disappearing (free of Krypton's gravity and red sun, Superman was able to time travel home).  Yet, Jor-El did get some good news, as Lara told him she was expecting. During a rocket test, the rocket nearly killed them both, but they were saved by space traveler, Rol-Nac, who became godfather to Jor-El and Lara's son, Kal-El (the Star Child, also named after Jor-El assistant). 

Here, Jor-El discovered the Phantom Zone, a realm where people could exist and bodiless phantoms (which would save even more money than the prison rockets they were already using).  Showing this to the science council in competition with Gra-Mo, who was in competition with Jor-El for a seat on the science council, it was the winning competition as Gra-Mo's green androids failed (and he blamed Jor-El).  Rioting against Kryptonopolis' robot police, Gra-Mo and his gang ended up being the last criminals sent into orbit.  Jor-El got elected to the science council, and his father's assistant found the Krull spaceship (an advanced ship from an ancient race that ended up on Krypton).  Jor-El, Lara and Dr. Mar-Ko tested the ship, but, collided with a rocked secretly launched by Jax-Ur (who was testing illegal explosives in rockets), destroying the Krull ship and sending Jax-Ur's rocket into Wegthor, destroying the moon.  Jax-Ur was sentenced to eternity in the Phantom Zone, and the destruction of the Krull rocket (which would have given Jor-El advanced science for his own rockets) and Wegthor (a launching base, inhabited by many Kryptonians) foreshadowed doom for Krypton.

Superman originally attended his parents wedding in Superman #141, Brainiac steals Kandor in Superman #134, Rol-Nac saves Jor-El and Lara in Action Comics #378, Jor-El invents the Phantom Zone ray projector and deals with Gra-Mo in Superboy #104 and Jax-Ur is exiled into the Phantom Zone in Superboy #117. 

World Of Krypton #3 (September, 1979)

Concluding the saga, here with "The Last Days Of Krypton" by Paul Kupperberg, Alan Kupperberg, Howard Chaykin and Frank Chiaramonte, with Jor-El putting Jax-Ur in the Phantom Zone, and lecturing the science council of Krypton's approaching doom, Jor-El loses the vote to continue space exploration research.  Jor-El tracks a surviving piece of the Krull ship into the scarlet jungle (as he plans to continue to work on space rocket research in secret), while continuing to sentence other villains into the Phantom Zone like Faora Hu-Ul, General Zod and his cousin, Kru-El (see Phantom Zone).  

Jor-El tests a rocket with his sons dog, Krypto, but that is knocked off course, sending Krypto into space.  Jor-El heads to the scarlet jungle to get Krull rocket fragment, pursued by an agent of the science council.   Jor-El retrieves the rocket engine (using his anti-gravity device) and fights off the agent.  At home, exhausted and getting the jungle fever, Lara worries for her husband's health.  The Phantom Zone villains try to mentally enslave Jor-El to use the Phantom Zone projector to release them, but Lara stops Jor-El in time.  Free from the fever, Jor-El sneaks the Phantom Zone projector into Krypton's last rocket launch (sending Kru-El's weapons into space).  

Jor-El plans to test his new rocket engine with Beppo, and meets Lar Gand from Daxam, whom he gives a star chart to Earth.  Here, the last tremors of Krypton start, with Jor-El planning to send his son, Kal-El, to Earth.  Lara chooses to stay, knowing without her weight, the rocket has a better chance of reaching Earth, and she could not bear to live without her love, Jor-El.  Kal-El leaves Krypton in the rocket as Krypton explodes...a fiery star to equal the love of Jor-El and Lara.

Jor-El sent Krypto into space in Adventure Comics #210, Jor-El fights the Phantom Zoners and launches the projector into space in Superboy #104, Lar Gand gets directions to Earth in Superboy #88, Jor-El tapes a message for Kal-El in Superboy #89 and Beppo sneaks aboard the rocket Kal-El takes to Earth as Krypton explodes in Superboy #76, ending the saga of Jor-El and how his love for Lara started and ended.  

Celebrating Artist Steve Leialoha

Celebrating the birthday of artist Steve Leialoha, born on this date (January 27, 1952).

Here, he covered two covers, the first crossover between the Justice League International and Suicide Squad, resolving a storyline of Batman being at war with Rick Flagg's Suicide Squad that had started in the Legends mini-series in Justice League International #13 (May, 1988) and Suicide Squad #13 (May, 1988).

Superman Vs The Thing From 40,000 AD

Superman, being from Krypton, was an alien himself, but more often enough found himself protecting Earth from other alien invaders...

...but, there were times he also protected Earth from invaders from other times, as he did when he faced the Thing from 40,000 A.D. (covers by Wayne Boring/Stan Kaye and Denys Cowan/Bob Smith.

The Thing From 40,000 A.D.!

In Superman #87 (February, 1954) by Bill Woolfolk, Wayne Boring and Stan Kaye, Superman found himself in a jam, as a strange protoplasmic creature landed outside of Metropolis.  The Thing quickly adapted to the land, copying what it found.  Clark Kent went to investigate as the U.S. Army was as well, and, as Superman, stopped a truck full of explosives from going off (as the Thing set it on fire to distract the army from his impersonation of one of its members).

As the Thing pillaged scientific labs the area around Metropolis, Superman was following, finding it and its lair (where it was building a time machine to go back to where he came from to conquer Earth).  Superman confronted The Thing, first as Clark Kent, then as Superman, tricking it into an area where a H-Bomb test was to happen...and, leaving it there when the H-Bomb went off.  

Finding no trace of the Thing, Superman assumed it was dead. 

Metropolis Wasn't Build In A Day...Or Was It?

Starting off on the planet Kuraq, as a meteor with a familiar looking red and blue figure crashes on the planet is DC Comics Presents #89 (January, 1986) by Bob Rozakis, Todd Klein, Alex Saviuk and Ricardo Villagran.  On that planet were members of the Omega Men (an alliance of various species from the Vegan System, here...cat like Tigorr, bird like Harpis and newcomer Oho-Besh), who were enjoying the success in finding a home from refugees, when they were interrupted by the crashing meteor and a whirlwind of activity, building a stone replica of Metropolis!

Here, the aliens found themselves facing what they thought was Superman, as he oddly went through the motions he did as he faced the Thing, with the Omega Men taking the place of the villains.  This continued all the way to the site of the H-Bomb test....where Superman was incinerated.  Or was he?  The real Superman showed up (as the Omega Men had called for him) and revealed that was the Thing (whom Superman thought was dead) living Superman's life at the time.  Superman and the Omega Men left this planet as it was too strange (and didn't know that only the Thing's body was destroyed, and its essence stayed with the energy beings who populated this planet).

Celebrating Artist Klaus Janson

Celebrating the work of Klaus Janson on his birthday (January 23, 1952).  

Usually known for his powerful inking work, occasionally Klaus would do full art on some stories, as he did for the four issue mini-series, Batman: Gordon's Law.

Batman: Gordon's Law #1 and #2 (December, 1996 and January, 1997)

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Batman: Gordon's Law #3 and #4 (February and March, 1997)

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Celebrating Artist Joe Chiodo

Celebrating the birthday of artist Joe Chiodo (January 22, 1958) with his covers featuring Shanna the She-Devil for Marvel Fanfare #56 to #59.

Sadly, Joe didn't do any of the interior art.

Marvel Fanfare #56 and #57 (April and June, 1991)

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Marvel Fanfare #58 and #59 (August and October, 1991)

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Celebrating Artist Joe Staton

Celebrating the birthday of artist Joe Staton (January 19, 1948) with a look at Year One of one of the characters Joe was most associated with...Guy Gardner.

In Guy Gardner #11 (August, 1993), Guy is kidnapped by the alien Draal, who want to make use of his talents, so they replicate him (forcing Guy to relive memories of his family....dad, Rolly; mom, Peg and brother, Mace) as they make a replicant of him.  

Guy works with other former Green Lanterns the Draal have kidnapped (including Graf, Bivvix, RRU-9-2 and Voz) to escape.  Eventually they do, and Guy gets back to Earth to confront his clone....who has made a mess of the Justice League America (in issues of their title running concurrently with this saga).

Guy Gardner #11 and #12 (August and September, 1993)

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Guy Gardner #13 and #14 (October and, November 1993)

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Guy Gardner #15 (December, 1993)

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Celebrating Artist Ron Wagner

Celebrating the birthday of artist Ron Wagner (January 17, 1961)...

...with his covers for Daredevil, the man without fear, as lawyer Matt Murdock struggles to find himself!

Daredevil #344 and #345 (September and October, 1995)

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Daredevil #346 and #347 (November and December, 1995)

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Daredevil #350 (March, 1996)

Strange Adventures With Apes

Just monkeying around today with Strange Adventures, and a couple of tales where simians take over humans...or so it seems.

Long before there was a planet of the apes, here are these little stories....both with covers by Gil Kane!

Gorillas In Space!

With Strange Adventures #64 (January, 1956) with story by Bill Finger, Carmine Infantino and Bernard Sachs, we find ourselves in the height of the space race, with Dr. Owens trying to complete an orbiting satellite to prepare for a space station...when he and the Professor are confronted with a space station, manned by apes!  They presented themselves as Earthmen who made the satellite and, while in space, mutated into apes thanks to the cosmic rays.  

Warned, the scientists said the would halt their work, but Dr. Owens hit on the space station and went into orbit with them.  There, he found out they were really aliens disguised as gorillas, trying to halt Earth's advancement.  Tricking one of the aliens, he took his gorilla suit, wrecked their cyclotron, and brought the space station to Earth, to be taken in by the authorities.

The Gorilla Conquest Of Earth

Now, Strange Adventures #69 (June, 1956) with story by John Broome, Gil Kane and Bernard Sachs takes a different approach with its gorillas.  Edward Smith had invented a time machine, and planned to travel back to 5,000,000 BC....but, found out he devolved as he went back in time.  Stopping instead in 1,500,000 BC, he found a society where apes ruled, and men were docile slaves.  

Finding this unbearable, he worked with the humans to lead a revolt, and used science to combat the apes advanced weapons.  He then headed back to his own time...but lost his time machine in the water, after crashlanding in the ocean.

National Quitter's Day

Happy National Quitter's Day!  

If you are going to give up your New Year's resolutions...today is the day!

You end up in good company...Hal Jordan quit the Green Lantern Corps on Oa in Green Lantern #181 (October, 1984, cover by Dave Gibbons), and Guy Gardner quit the Justice League America on Almerac in Justice League America #63 (June, 1992, cover by Dan Jurgens and Rick Burchett).

Celebrating Artist Karl Kesel

Celebrating the birthday of artist Karl Kesel (January 7, 1959) with two covers he did full art for (as he inked many many covers)...

...here, featuring the Legion of Super-Heroes, with the LSH facing Starfinger in the Best Of DC #67 (December, 1985) and a generic shot of the early Legion, from the Legion of Super-Heroes Archive #3 (October, 1993).

Batman In The Interplanetary Olympics

Batman, as a boxer in the interplanetary Olympics?

What an odd thing, but just one of many stories of Batman in space, here from Detective Comics #260 (October, 1958), with a cover by Curt Swan and Stan Kaye.

The Mystery Of The Space Olympics

In a story drawn by Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris (writer unidentified), Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson were startled awake by an alarm in the Batcave.  Gearing up as Batman and Robin, the Dynamic Duo went down there to find two Venusians, Xeo and Tog, who have been watching the duo from their planet, and want to recruit them to play in their own version of the Olympics representing Earth.  Batman and Robin agree, and are taken to a prepared asteroid by photonic light ray where they can compete.

Batman worries about how well he will do, but seems to have an easy time in the rocket race and meteor shoots.  Then, during the boxing match against a man from Jupiter a problem arises.  It is found Batman has magnetic gloves, and was cheating.  The officials check his previous games, to find foul play there as well.  Starting a near riot, Batman and Robin are forced to flee, aided in escape by the Plutoians.  Batman and Robin don't taking hiding out well, and head back to the compound of the Venusians, where they figure out someone else must have been cheating to frame the Earthlings and Venusians.  Going back in public, the Dynamic Duo are chased down by the mob, where they trick the Plutoians into revealing they were the ones behind the nefarious deeds, trying to frame the Venusians.  After, Batman and Robin realize it is time they return to Earth.

Remembering Artist Don Heck

Remembering artist Don Heck on his birthday (January 2, 1929 - February 23, 1995) with a couple of his lesser seen covers...

...his two covers for Marvel's Space-Born Superhero! Captain Marvel #5 and #6 (September and October, 1968).

A fine example of Marvel's interstellar heroes, the Kree Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), who came to Earth to spy on humanity, but ended up trying to save them, here, from the Metazoid and the Solam.

Hope For The New Year With The Comico Christmas Special

 

A happy New Year to all!  Still feeling a little of the Christmas spirit as well, so a special treat, with the Comico Christmas Special #1 (December, 1988) with a cover by Dave Stevens.

All stories written by Doug Wheeler, with "Living For Christmas" art by Ken Holewczynski (where a man uses suspended animation to sleep through non-Christmas months), "Too Many Santas" with art by Bernie Mireault (with a boy trying to find out why there are Santas on every corner), "The Stiflemix Diaries" with art by Tim Sale (with the adventurers of the Noel Liberation Brigade, fighting to stop Christmas references when it isn't Christmas), "One Winter Day" with art by Bill Willingham and Chris Warner (dealing with snow shoveling during a heavy snowfall) and, referencing the cover, "Traditions Everlasting" with art by Steve Rude and Al Williamson (with aliens finding Christmas artifacts in a nuclear devastated world).

Living For Christmas and Too Many Santas

The Stiflemix Diaries and One Winter Day

Traditions Everlasting with the back cover