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!

Marvel Adventure Featuring Daredevil

It was a time of adventure, but not particularly new ones....

...back in the 1970s, Marvel was reprinting many of their main characters (usually in large anthologies like Marvel Tales and Marvel's Greatest Comics), but the page counts kept shrinking, so characters got spun off in their own series of reprints, such as Marvel Adventure (though for the first two issues, it was Marvel Adventures in the indicia) featuring Daredevil.

Picking up from where Marvel was reprinting Daredevil in Giant-Size Marvel Triple Action #2, these issues feature two less pages of the story than the original, and covers that look like they were colored by a blind man (appropriate, considering Matt Murdock, the star of the series was blind).  Mostly, battles with the Gladiator, Leap-Frog, Stilt-Man and the Masked Marauder, as well as Ka-Zar, all for some New York City adventures, with original covers by Gene Colan!

Marvel Adventure #1 (December, 1975) and Daredevil #22 (November, 1966)

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Marvel Adventure #2 (February, 1976) and Daredevil #23 (December , 1966)

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Marvel Adventure #3 (April, 1976) and Daredevil #24 (January, 1967)

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Marvel Adventure #4 (June, 1976) and Daredevil #25 (February, 1967)

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Marvel Adventure #5 (August, 1976) and Daredevil #26 (March, 1967)

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Marvel Adventure #6 (October , 1976) and Daredevil #27 (April , 1967)

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Happy Anniversary Super Friends

50 years ago, on this date, the Super Friends cartoon premiered on ABC, introducing the world to Marvin, Wendy and the Wonder Dog, who worked alongside the World's Greatest Super Heroes....Superman, Batman, Robin, Wonder Woman and Aquaman, who had been in animation before (but not paired as the Super Friends).

Meanwhile, at the Hall of Justice (or, DC Comics), always on the lookout for more comics to produce, decided to make comics based on the Super Friends animated series, with the first issue of Super Friends cover dated November, 1976, and the title lasting 47 issues to August, 1981.

Along the way, the comics gave some back story to the animated series (Marvin White was the son of Daniel and Diana White, Diana being the lady who gave Wonder Woman her Diana Prince identity, while Wendy Harris was the niece of detective Harvey Harris, who helped train Batman).  The comics even facilitated the change from Marvin/Wendy to the Wonder Twins (Zan and Jayna from Exor, with their monkey, Gleek).  

The comic also had the Super Friends operating as a subset of the Justice League of America, though the whole team did appear (at least up to Hawkgirl), as well as other heroes like Plastic Man, Supergirl and Black Orchid, as well as new international heroes like Green Fury, Ice Maiden, Rising Sun, Jack O'Lantern, Tasmanian Devil and more (who became the Global Guardians).

They also faced established DC villains not in the cartoon (like the original Toyman, Poison Ivy, Human Flying Fish, Grax, Time Trapper, Chronos, Hector Hammond and Queen Bee), a few solo villains who made it into the cartoon (like Penguin and Mirror Master) and even some of the members of the Legion Of Doom (though not together...individually, Cheetah, Riddler, Scarecrow, Bizarro, Solomon Grundy, Grodd, Giganta and Sinestro), as well as villains only for the comic, like Menagerie Man and the Overlord.

Here's a few places that Super Friends tales were reprinted in....

Best Of DC #3 (January-February, 1980) 

This Digest, with cover by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez and Bob Smith, reprints Super Friends #3, #4 and #10...

...as well as Justice League of America #57 and Teen Titans #18.

Super Friends (July, 2001)

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This trade, with cover by Alex Ross, reprints Super Friends #1, #6, #7, #8, #9, #14, #21, #27 and the Toth stuff from the Limited Collector's Edition.

...and, in two volumes, all 47 issues were reprinted here, along with the Alex Toth Limited Collectors' Edition wraparound for two JLA tales!

Johnny Thunder Reprints

Did you know the classic Western version of Johnny Thunder (with secret identity of John Tane) had his own title in the 1970s?

True, it only featured reprints of his stories (as well as some from Nighthawk/Hannibal Hawkes, the Trigger Twins/Walt and Wayne Trigger) with cover art by Alex Toth....but they did exist!

Johnny Thunder #1 (February-March, 1973)

Johnny Thunder reprints from All-American Western #103 (November, 1948) with The City Without Guns and #125 (April-May, 1952) with Johnny Thunder's Last Roundup and Nighthawk reprint from Western Comics #42 (November-December, 1953) with The Gun-Fighting Statue.

All this and a little on the history of Johnny Thunder by editor E. Nelson Bridwell.

Johnny Thunder #2 (April-May, 1973)

Johnny Thunder reprints from All-Star Western #73 and #74 (October-November, 1953 and December-January 1953/1954) with Battle Of The War Bonnet and Decoy At Canyon Pass, Trigger Twins reprint from All-Star Western #96 (August-September, 1957) with Ambush At Arrow Hill and Nighthawk reprint from Western Comics #71 (September-October, 1958) with The Amazing Quest For Nighthawk's Identity.

Johnny Thunder #3 (July-August, 1973)

Johnny Thunder reprints from All-American Western #122 (October-November, 1951) and All-Star Western #71 (June-July, 1953) with The Real Johnny Thunder and Battle For Mesa City, and Nighthawk reprint from Western Comics #75 (May-June, 1959) with Secret Of The Outlaw Timepiece.

 

Say, you need a little history of all the people named Johnny Thunder....read more here!

Batman's Strangest Cases

What better way to celebrate Batman Day than by looking at some of Batman's Strangest Cases, which happens to be the title of the Limited Collectors' Edition #C-59 of July, 1978....with this stunning cover by Neal Adams and Bernie Wrightson!

The stories reprinted inside this oversized issue from the past, feature art by both those gentlemen, and a few more!

Red Water Crimson Death

First up, Brave and the Bold #93 (December-January, 1970/1971) by Denny O'Neil and Neal Adams, a team-up (of sorts), as House of Mystery horror host, Cain, narrates this tale.

Here, an overtired Batman nearly is shot by a criminal, but the gun misfires.  Commissioner Gordon suggests Batman take a vacation.  Bruce Wayne heads out to Ireland via ship.  During the voyage, Bruce saves a young boy who fell overboard.  In Ireland, the boy's uncle gives him a place to stay.  Bruce learns the boys parents were killed during a red tide which also killed the fish in the area.  Investigating as Batman, he finds the culprit behind the poisoned water to be Aloysius Cabot, a local fishery owner, using a haunted castle to scare away locals.  Cabot is able to poison Batman, but is aided by the spirit of King Hugh, who also prevents Cabot from getting away with it by causing King Hugh's portrait to fall off the wall, killing Cabot.

Night of the Bat

Next up, a rate appearance (at the time) of Batman outside his titles, with the first meeting of Batman and Swamp Thing from Swamp Thing #7 (November-December, 1973) by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson.  

Swamp Thing (Alec Holland) follows Abigail Arcane and Matt Cable to Gotham, where he is spotted by the police,  Gordon calls on Batman, who goes searching for Swamp Thing.  Abby and Matt are found by Swamp Thing, who is then found by Batman.  Batman starts a fight, but, Swamp Thing flees, as he is unable to communicate to Batman his good intentions.  Swamp Thing is able to track down Nathan Ellery, the head of the Conclave (who murdered Alec's wife, Linda), but stops short of killing him.  Ellery falls, with Batman arriving too late to save him, with Swamp Thing taking the time to get away.

 

The Batman Nobody Knows!

Batman #250 (July, 1973) gives an odd little tale around the campfire by Frank Robbins and Dick Giordano.

Bruce Wayne takes a group of kids out camping, who regale each other with fantastic (if incredible and untrue) tales of the Batman.  Bruce decides to give the kids a thrill, showing up as Batman, but the kids are unimpressed, as they don't think Batman can just be a guy in a suit, proving that while Batman might strike fear in the hearts of criminals...

...the innocent have nothing to fear from the Darknight Detective.

The Demon Of Gothos Mansion!

Neal Adams is echoing a cover from Batman's golden age, Batman #227 (December, 1970) by Denny O'Neil, Irv Novick and Dick Giordano.

Here, Alfred's niece, Daphne, writes to Alfred about two children she has the job of teaching. Trouble is a foot, so Batman goes to investigate, finding Daphne's boss, Clifton Heathrow, is a warlock, planning to sacrifice her to raise a demon.  In trying to rescue, Batman is captured, but he is rescued by the ghost of a girl who was previously sacrificed.  This allows Batman to save Daphne, foiling the resurrection ritual.

A Vow From The Grave!

Last but not least, a little tale from Detective Comics #410 (April, 1971) by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano.

Here, Batman chases Kano Wiggins, an escaped convict.  Along the way, Batman encounters four ex-sideshow workers, one of whom is later killed.  The remaining members think Wiggins did it, but Batman investigates and finds it was Goliath, the strongman who did it, because he wanted to eliminate Charley Bones (the thin man) because Maud, the fat lady, loved Bones and not Goliath.  

Just an incredible collection!

Wanted Prankster Nightshade Catwoman Black Canary Mars

Here it is, the end of the run for E. Nelson Bridwell's Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains, with villains for Superman, Sandman (these two under a Nick Cardy cover), Batman, Johnny Thunder and Wonder Woman in Prankster, Nightshade, Catwoman, Black Canary and Mars.

The series that ended in the 1970s because no one wanted Wanted (a line attributed to publisher Carmine Infantino at the time)  The last issue of #9, and the tenth issue....

...wait, what?

Well, read on!

Crime's Comedy King

First up for the last issue of Wanted, is a Superman reprint from Action Comics #57 (February, 1943) by Jerry Siegel and John Sikela (with original cover by Sikela), featuring the return of the Prankster...

...who had debuted all of 6 issues ago!



The Prankster returns by punking crime boss King Ruggles on his birthday, tormenting him with bad puns and even worse gimmick gags, but getting the King to give him $100,000 for the promise of over a million in a month.  The Prankster goes to withdraw $50,000 and promptly goes to the police station, and gives himself and the money up!  This gets a call in to Clark Kent and Lois Lane, with Clark changing to Superman to confront King Ruggles, then returning to police HQ to see Prankster leaving....where he stops the villain.

But, Prankster had been released, as he was donating the money to the preservation of ostriches, gaining favor with their supporters, who bailed him out (and turned on Clark Kent....and Superman!).  King Ruggles pulled the bailed Prankster in again, planning to rough him up, but gave him another $25,000.  Clark's editor assigned him to cover Prankster's new endeavor, Appreciation, Inc., that would show people gratitude that had made large donations to charity.  Prankster then got to meet and go to the homes of these wealthy individuals.  Oddly, these people then all saw major thefts.

Prankster reported back to King Ruggles with his million (his scheme fulfilled, as he got to be around the rich, he found ways to rob them).  Of course, Prankster only showed Ruggles the money, as he planned on taking it from him as well.  Superman shows up to stop all of them, but, a quick maneuver takes out Superman (!!!).  The King then plans to dispose of Superman and the Prankster, but Superman wakes up, saves himself, and captures Ruggles (but, the Prankster gets away....).

Prankster would return, with many more gimmicks to make fun of the Man of Steel!

The Adventure Of The Magic Forest

The last story reprinted in Wanted is from World's Finest Comics #6 (Summer, 1942) by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon, featuring Sandman and Sandy (though the issue has a Fred Ray Superman/Batman/Robin cover), featuring the debut of a new villain, Nightshade!


A married couple called the Tuckers and an unlucky explorer have problems in a forest, all observed by a lonely mobster.  This mobster goes back to the home of the Nightshade, who, now that someone knows his value, readies his plan to make criminals wealthy.  Meanwhile, back at young Toby Tucker's birthday party, the lad misses his parents who were suppose to be coming home, and tells his friend, Sandy Hawkins (ward to Wes Dodds, the Sandman).  Sandman and Sandy go off in search of the Tuckers, finding Nightshade's deadly forest, and are attacked by the plants there.  They also find some natural illusions, that lead people (like the Tuckers) to drive off the road.  Thankfully, the Tuckers survived, and the heroes have the police take them home.

Sandman and Sandy go further into the jungle, facing more menaces, as well as mobsters, who were bringing Nightshade money (as he offered his home as a sanctuary to criminals, as the police wouldn't follow them in).  Sandman and Sandy fight the thugs in Nightshade's home, barely escaping with their lives....then the house blows up!  Nightshade planned to kill the thugs for their cash, and now plans to kill the heroes....until his forest seems to turn on him and kill him!  The heroes return to the Tucker party in their alter egos as the forest burns down.

Oddly, Nightshade survived, and returning during World War II during the Crisis, in a few issues of All-Star Squadron (though he got a name change when he joined the Monster Society of Evil to face Dr. Fate and Hourman and more!  Even worked with a fellow Wanted alumni in Mr. Who!).



Thus ended the original run of Wanted, the World's Most Dangerous Villains....but previous issues had promised stories with Catwoman and Wonder Woman....so, as DC collected the original issues, they included a few "newer" reprints as well, including a mock-up cover as well (sadly, Nick Cardy is no longer with us, as he drew Black Canary, Wonder Woman and Catwoman all too rarely....).

The Sleeping Beauties Of Gotham City

First up is a Catwoman story from Batman #84 (June, 1954) by David V. Reed, Sheldon Moldoff and Stan Kaye (under an original cover by Win Mortimer)...

...as Selina Kyle returns to face the dynamic duo of Gotham City.



In Gotham, it just rains cats....as Catwoman lets Batman and Robin know she has a new crime scheme.  Batman reviews Catwoman's career with the police (thinking that she has abandoned her good life as Selina Kyle).  But, Bruce and Dick find Selina entered into a five woman beauty pageant sponsored by the W. Ross Cosmetic Company.  Finding Selina's address their, Batman and Robin go to confront her, to find Selina ready for them (planning to sue for false arrest, as the duo have no proof she is Catwoman).

Catwoman tries a violin heist that night, and thwarts Batman and Robin's attempt to capture her working through the giant instruments.  Then, the duo discover Selina Kyle is now a "modern sleeping beauty",  having gotten a virus, that leaves her comatose (with the cosmetic company putting her in a glass case to use the suffering woman as a marketing ploy).  Catwoman goes to rob two more contestants (who then also fall to the sleeping sickness), all the while with Selina Kyle on full view (and faces Batman one more time), then only Selina remains for the beauty pageant....as she awakens. 

As Batman smells the perfume she is to get as a prize, he realizes her plan....that she had European agents place valuables in the exotic perfume (which got past customs) so she could get her prize (and her ill-gotten booty).  She created a film duplicate of herself to fool the guards watching her sleeping body (having only dosed herself with a bit of the sleeping sickness)

Catwoman would return to face Batman again and again (and she even faced the next villain a few times as well....)

The Black Canary

Next up, a Johnny Thunder tale from Flash Comics #86 (August, 1947) by Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella (under an original Flash cover by Lee Elias and Joe Kubert) that introduced the villainess (yes, that's right) Black Canary!

Say, you wouldn't think Johnny Thunder would be dumb enough to climb a ladder and rob a thug's apartment for a pretty lady, wouldn't you?  (You'd be wrong).  Johnny does, getting a special mask for the pretty lady (who steals the ladder as Johnny throws her the mask).  Johnny calls his Thunderbolt, but is pulled inside by the thugs whose mask he took.  Black Canary needed the mask to get into a special party thrown by Socks Slade (where special masks are the identification for admission).  There, she takes a jewel Socks stole, as Johnny and the T-Bolt wipe up the gangsters.  Black Canary escapes in the confusion (having also stolen Johnny's heart.....).


Black Canary would return, team up with Johnny, eventually replacing his thunderbolt, then Johnny himself in these comic pages, as well as taking his membership in the JSA!

The Girl Who Saved Paradise Island

Last, but certainly not least, a story featuring Mars, the god of war, from Wonder Woman #36 (July-August, 1949) by Robert Kanigher and H. G. Peter (with original cover by Irwin Hasen and Bernard Sachs), adding to Wonder Woman's mythology.



Wonder Woman starts this tale with her mother and tales from ancient Sparta, where soldiers would leave baby girls to be eaten by wolves...yet Diana's mother, Hippolyte, and her amazons were there to rescue the girls, including Astra (who, even as a baby could defend herself).  The Queen took the babies to Infanta, the child planet, where the girls could grow up (a little, retaining eternal youth, yet also having powers as well, with Astra becoming Infanta's child Queen). 

Mars, tired of the amazons, took the young boys of Sparta as his troops on the planet Duxo, and with the help of Lord Conquest, training them to hate the amazons.  Mars then launched his forces from Duxo, which Steve Trevor detected, seeing an invasion fleet coming to Earth (and notifying Wonder Woman), but that their target was harmless...in the middle of the ocean (but Wonder Woman knew that to be the home of Paradise Island, so she went to defend it).  Mars' boys were able to defeat Hippolyte and her amazons, but Wonder Woman, Queen Astra and her girls were able to turn the tables on the boys of Duxo....freeing them from Mars, and taking them to learn the ways of peace on Infanta.

Astra, Conquest and Mars would return (in fact, all of them did in Sensation Comics #92!).

While the collection did not include the two DC Specials which led to the Wanted series, DC's Wanted the World's Most Dangerous Super-Villains recent collection did include the nine issues of that series (including the Trickster, Solomon Grundy, Dr. Light and Captain Cold (and more).

A wonderful tribute to lasting villainy.....and the love of comics had by E. Nelson Bridwell.