Remembering Artist Murphy Anderson

Remembering artist Murphy Anderson on his birthday (July 9, 1926 - October 22, 2015) with a pair of Hawkman covers....#9 (August-September, 1965), featuring a team up with the Atom, and #18 (February-March, 1967), featuring a team up with Adam Strange.

Remembering Artist Irwin Hasen

Remembering artist Irwin Hasen on his birthday (July 8, 1918 - March 13, 2015) with a couple of his covers for All-American Comics (#41 and #45, August and December, 1942), featuring the original Green Lantern working with Doiby Dickles (who happened to have a Green Lantern costume of his own...).

Celebrating Artist John Byrne

Celebrating the birthday of artist/writer John Byrne (July 6, 1950), here with two of his more famous covers featuring Doctor Doom....from Super-Villain Team-Up #14 (October, 1977) and Fantastic Four #238 (January, 1982).

If there was one thing that John Byrne could do, it was make Doctor Doom a regal villain!

National Bikini Day 2026

Celebrating National Bikini Day with Betty and Me (#15 and #17, August and October, 1968), as Betty Cooper deals with Archie, and then Archie and Veronica...and skipping the infamous cover that fits between these two!

Happy 4th Of July 250

A happy 4th Of July to everyone, and a happy 250th to the United States of America.  

Here, to celebrate....Superman, from the Limited Collectors' Edition #C-47 (August-September, 1976; though the book features Tomahawk) and Captain America, from the Marvel Treasury Special Featuring Captain America's Bicentennial Battles #1 (September, 1976).

 

All-Star Western Madame .44

As sales of Western titles at DC started to fade, DC started to punch up the titles...

...and, with the Johnny Thunder feature in All-Star Western, added a femme fatale for him to face...

...Madame .44!

Six-Gun Showdown With Madame .44

Introduced in All-Star Western #117 (February-March, 1961) by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Joe Giella, Madame .44 rode into Mesa City looking for trouble, and found Johnny Thunder.  John Tane (the teacher alter ego of Johnny Thunder) learned a little about her, and set out after her.  He caught up with her in a small, empty town set upon by Arapho Indians, where she explained she only went after Hardin as he had stolen from others, like how her father lost his mine to his partner (and died brokenhearted because of it).  They allied and stopped the problems, but Johnny vowed to find her true identity.

The Eyes Of Johnny Thunder

Next up is All-Star Western #118 (April-May, 1961) by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Joe Giella. where John Tane goes into action as Johnny Thunder due to gunfire in Mesa City, but it was only women competing in a shooting contest to win a date with Johnny Thunder.  There, he gets a hint of her whereabouts, and goes off in pursuit.  Meanwhile, Madame .44 is tracking down Joe Hendricks, but is betrayed and shot.  Johnny Thunder shows up in time to rescue her, but is blinded in the effort.  Working together the two fend off the villains, and make it to Mesa City.  Johnny Thunder's blindness was temporary, and as John Tane settles back to normal life, meets a new photographer for the city, Jeanne Walker.

Ghost-Town Gun Fight!

Last, but not least, All-Star Western #119 (June-July, 1961) by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Joe Giella features the last of the original Madame .44 trilogy, where John Tane is acting on his suspicions about Jeanne Walker, at least until she leaves town with a Cheyenne woman.  Suiting up as Johnny Thunder, he finds a trail of Madame .44, as she robs a man (AB Jones), and they meet up in the ghost town of Blackwater Gulch.  There, the two are set upon by Jones and the Green Hat Gang.  Jones is the Indian agent of the Cheyenne reservation, but he steals the government money for them, and gives them bad goods in exchange.  

He also runs the Green Hat Gang, whom Johnny and the local sheriff have been chasing.  The two capture AB Jones, and Johnny tries to bring him to justice, but the local judge won't prosecute.  

Dejected, John Tane wonders what to do next, as does Jeanne...and the two set off after the gang, bringing them to justice (and giving each other clues to the other's identity).   How will this fare in the next issue?

Well, there was no next issue, but the story does get resolved in DC Comics Presents #28 (December, 1980), with John and Jeanne telling the story to their children (Becky and Charles) of how they found each others identities fighting Silk Black (and Johnny Thunder and Madame .44 go into action with a time displaced Super-Chief, among others, fighting to save Swamp Thing in Swamp Thing #85 from April, 1989).

Celebrating Artist Mike McKone

Celebrating artist Mike McKone on his birthday (June 30, 1969) with his L.E.G.I.O.N. Annual covers (#2 from October, 1991 and #3 from October, 1992) where Lobo got involved in the Armageddon 2001 and Eclipso: The Darkness Within crossovers....much to the chagrin of his teammates.

Celebrating Artist Bo Hampton

Celebrating artist Bo Hampton on his birthday (June 29, 1954) with the Book of Shadows, a two issue mini-series from Image from April and May, 2006, featuring a frightened girl named Annie, who has to work with the goddess of blood and death to prevent an army of shape-shifting devils, dragons and other mythological creatures from plunging the Earth back into the dark ages....

Celebrating Artist Dan Jurgens

Celebrating the birthday of writer/artist Dan Jurgens (June 27, 1959) with the Teen Titans, but with a Then and Now twist...

...or rather, the grown up version of the Teen Titans (Nightwing/Robin, Kid Flash/Flash, Tempest/Aqualad and Arsenal/Speedy) as featured in a run in the 1990s (and Wonder Girl/Troia was busy at this time in Wonder Woman).

Teen Titans #12 and #13 (September and October, 1997)

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Teen Titans #14 and #15 (November, 1997 and Early January, 1998)

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Supergirl Homage

Two homages of the classic debut of Supergirl from Action Comics #252...here, from Supergirl #1 (October, 2005) by Ian Churchill and Supergirl #58 (January, 2011) by Amanda Conner.

But, does anything beat the classic by Curt Swan and Al Plastino?

Celebrating Artist Jerry Bingham

Celebrating the birthday of artist Jerry Bingham (June 25, 1953) as a legend, with his covers to the two Legends crossover issues of Warlord (#114 and #115, February and March of 1987) as Travis Morgan and Tara faced Desaad and the forces of Apokolips in Skartaris!

Remembering Artist Mike Wieringo

Remembering artist Mike Wieringo on his birthday (June 24, 1963 - August 12, 2007) with his covers for Adventures of Superman #598 and Superman: The Man of Steel #120 (January, 2002)...featuring Clark Kent and Superman using a phone booth.

Remembering Artist Jack Sparling

Remembering artist Jack Sparling on his birthday (June 21, 1916-February 15, 1997) with a couple of his Strange Adventures (#185, February, 1966 and #198, March 1967), with two of the four appearances of Immortal Man, the man who wouldn't die!

Guide To Golden Age Manhunter Reprints

Paul Kirk was the Manhunter, hunting the ultimate game...criminals!

His journey began in Adventure Comics #73 (April, 1942) by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon (even getting a cover), and continued through Adventure Comics #92 (June-July, 1944) (though Kirby did less on the series as time progressed....).

Still, worth a look to see where you can find the Golden Age tales of this character!

First up, from Adventure Comics #73 (April, 1942) by Kirby and Simon, was "The Secret Of The Buzzard's Revenge".  The Buzzard kills Empire City's Police Inspector Donovan, inspiring big game hunter Paul Kirk to put on a costume himself, and takes down the Buzzard as the costumed crusader, Manhunter.  

This tale was reprinted in New Gods #4 (August-September, 1971) (that has a few Kirby tales on its own.).

Next up is Adventure Comics #74 (May, 1942), by Kirby and Simon, with a "Scavenger Hunt", where Paul Kirk gets involved in a dispute between Henry and Big Droop, leading Manhunter to help Henry hunt down wanted felon Crusher Burns, (Henry's target in the scavenger hunt), helping him win, and get a date with party goer Patty.

This tale was reprinted in New Gods #5 (October-November, 1971), with Orion fighting the Deep Six!

Adventure Comics #75 (June, 1942) is the next Manhunter tale by Kirby and Simon, where Paul learns to "Beware Of Mr. Meek".  Jewel thief, Panama Parker slips her stolen jewels on Paul Kirk, drawing Manhunter into a confrontation with her and Myron Meek (whom she was fleeing, and she stole the jewels to keep Meek from doing that).  Manhunter captures Meek, with help from Panama...and turns them both over to the police, but with a good word for her for her help.

This was reprinted in New Gods #6 (December-January, 1971/1972), where Orion finishes his battle with the Deep Six.

The next Manhunter tale is "The Legend Of The Silent Bear" from Adventure Comics #76 (July, 1942) by Kirby and Simon, with Paul Kirk being drawn into a murder during a weekend retreat.  Confronting the killers, Manhunter is blinded and, with the help of a boy scout, captures the killers.

This story was reprinted in New Gods #7 (February-March, 1972), wherein the reading world is introduced to the Pact which defines the truce between New Genesis and Apokolips.

"The Stone Of Vengeance" from Adventure Comics #77 (August, 1942) is the next Kirby/Simon epic, with a priceless jewel stolen for the Rajah, who kills all the other thieves, but the jewel falls into the hands of a shoe shine boy.  Manhunter gets involved, saves the boy, captures the Rajah and returns the jewel to its rightful owner.

This was reprinted in New Gods #8 (April-May, 1972), with Terrible Turpin facing Kalibak.

More jewel theft for Manhunter to deal with in Adventure Comics #78 (September, 1942) by Kirby/Simon, with "The Lady And The Tiger", where the Tiger, a criminal, murders millionaire Thurston Drake, with his daughter Ellen trying to track him down, with Manhunter rescuing her and trying to take the Tiger to the police before Tiger died.

This story was reprinted in New Gods #9 (June-July, 1972), with the debut of the Forager.

The last reprinted Manhunter story is from Adventure Comics #79 (October, 1942) where Manhunter "Battles The Cobras Of The Deep"by Kirby and Simon.  Here, the Manhunter deals with Nazi spies led by Dr. Heinnig, where Manhunter stops them from trapping him, then follows them to their U-boat, capturing it and its crew, turning it over to the United States Navy.

This was reprinted in Detective Comics #440 (April-May, 1974), which also has a back up of Manhunter in the current day....

Kirby and Simon do one last tale together on Manhunter (not reprinted; Manhunter also makes a cover with Sandman and Sandy) and then the title falls into others hands until Adventure Comics #92 (June-July, 1944)...until Paul Kirk is revived to fight the Council in a Detective Comics back up series running from Detective Comics #437 to #443 (October-November, 1973 to October-November, 1974) by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson (which has been collected a few times, and well worth the read).

Kirby comes back to Manhunter as well, but this time, Mark Shaw...and more on him here!

Remembering Artist Wally Wood

Remembering artist Wally Wood on his birthday (June 17, 1927 - November 3, 1981) with a couple of his covers for Space Detective (#1 and #2, July and November, 1951), where #1 was drawn by Joe Orlando and inked by Wood, with #2 being drawn by Wood and inked by Orlando...the series featuring the Avenger (Rod Hathaway) and his assistant, Teena (Dot Kenny).

Remembering Artist Neal Adams

Remembering artist Neal Adams on his birthday (June 15, 1941 - April 28, 2022) with a pair of his covers from Adventure Comics (#365 and #366, February and March, 1968) featuring Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, where the team go to the homeworld of Shadow Lass (meeting her for the first time) and face the return of the Fatal Five!

Celebrating Flag Day

Celebrating Flag Day the United States army today, with a couple of Blackhawk covers by Howard Chaykin, from issues #258 and #259 (May and June, 1983).

How Hot Is It?

All in all, it is too hot to make a column.  

But you want it hotter?

Well, how about this cover to Vault Of Evil #13 (September, 1974) by Larry Lieber and Vince Colletta?

...and if you really want it hotter, you can go to...

Celebrating Artist Charles Vess

Celebrating the birthday of artist Charles Vess (June 10, 1951) with his Spectre covers, 3 from the 1980s, and one from the 1990s...

...a hint of the fantasy art he is much more famous for.

Spectre #13 and #14 (April and May, 1988)

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Spectre #15 and #5 (June, 1988 and April, 1993)

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Remembering Artist George Perez

Remembering artist George Perez on his birthday (June 9, 1954 - May 6, 2022) with a pair of his Justice League of America covers (#192 and #193, July and August, 1981) where in the JLA faces T. O. Morrow, and learn just a little extra about the Red Tornado (and his ties to the Tornado Tyrant and the Tornado Champion).

Justice League of America #192 (July, 1981)

In "Quest For Genesis" written by Gerry Conway, with art by George Perez and John Beatty, Red Tornado attacks the JLA in their satellite...forcing them to destroy him.  While debating this, Red Tornado attacks again...with the team stopping that Red Tornado as well.  This makes the team think of Reddy's android status, and his creator, T. O. Morrow and Red Tornado's origins.  

Meanwhile, Red Tornado is at home with Kathy Sutton and Traya, until his mind is attacked by....T. O. Morrow, who summons Reddy to his secret mountain base.  Red Tornado had told the JLA that Morrow was dead, but Morrow explains that, after his being thrown out of reality when Red Tornado joined the JLA, one version of him ended up on a planet, while another mutated into the Future Man (who was the one who died).  So, Morrow tried to recreate Red Tornado....but neither worked.  

Why?

Justice League of America #193 (July, 1981)

In "Secret Of Genesis" written by Gerry Conway, with art by George Perez and John Beatty, as T. O. Morrow attempted to deconstruct Red Tornado, he found so much more than he was looking for.  A being called the Tornado Tyrant came out of Red Tornado, and, thanks to the arrival of the JLA team, Firestorm had time to search around, and found the Tornado Champion (two beings from Rann, where faced Adam Strange, but then came to Earth to admire the JLA, and then, on its own created world, had to create a JLA to stop its evil side).  

Still, imitating the JLA wasn't enough for the Tornado Champion, so, ending up on Earth-2, found T. O. Morrow creating his android, and attempted to take control of it...he did, but at the cost of his memory.  So, Tornado Tyrant and Tornado Champion were hold up inside of Red Tornado, without Reddy's knowledge.  To contain the Tornado Tyrant, Firestorm recreated Red Tornado's android body, and with the help of the Tornado Champion, recreated Red Tornado (without memories of his two warring factions, a secret which Firestorm would keep....at least until the Crisis).

Celebrating Artist Darryl Banks

Celebrating the birthday of artist Darryl Banks (June 7, 1964) with a couple of his Green Lantern covers (#98 and #99, May and June, 1998), where Kyle Rayner ended up in the 30th century of the Legion of Super-Heroes.  

Remembering D-Day

Remembering the invasion of Normandy during World War II, which happened on June 6, 1944...called D-Day.  D-Day was also a war comic from Charlton, with 5 issues (no number three was published), and though they weren't entirely focused on that date, it did show our heroic armed forces in action, with the first two covers likely by Dick Giordano, cover four by Sam Glanzman, cover five by Rocco Mastroserio, and cover six by Carlos Cassala.

D-Day #1 and #2 (Summer, 1963 and Fall, 1964)

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D-Day #4 and #5 (September, 1966 and October, 1967)

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D-Day #6 (November, 1968)

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Tharn In Jungle Action

When is a hero debut not a hero debut?

When the hero is Tharn!   

Tharn, a jungle hero debuted in Jungle Action #1 (October, 1972, cover by John Buscema), but was a reprint of adventures of Lo-Zar, who debuted in Jungle Action #1 (October, 1954) by Don Rico and Joe Maneely, with Joe also providing that cover.  Tharn stories appeared in the first 4 issues of the new Jungle Action, with the name change to prevent confusion with Ka-Zar, sharing space with reprints of Lorna Queen of the Jungle and Jann of the Jungle.  Lo-Zar had 6 issues in his Jungle Action run as Lord of the Jungle.

Jungle Action #1 (October, 1972) and Jungle Action #1 (October, 1954)

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Covers by John Buscema and Joe Maneely

Jungle Action #2 (December, 1972) and Jungle Action #2 (December, 1954)

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Covers by Gil Kane and Joe Maneely

Jungle Action #3 (February, 1973) and Jungle Action #4 (April, 1955)

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Covers by Jim Starlin & Frank Giacoia and Carl Burgos

Jungle Action #4 (April, 1973) and Jungle Action #6 (August, 1955)

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Covers by Gil Kane & Frank Giacoia and Joe Maneely

Original Jungle Action #3 and #5 (February and June, 1955)

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Covers by Syd Shores & Frank Giacoia and Joe Maneely

Given time, maybe later we'll look into Lorna the Jungle Queen and Jann of the Jungle!

Lorna the Jungle Queen #1 (July, 1953) and Jann of the Jungle #14 (December, 1956)

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Covers by Carl Burgos