Panel Discussion: Looking for Adventure at DC...

 

Redartz:  It occurred to me recently that most of our comics discussions have focused on Marvel. With some reason, actually- I was always a Marvel Zuvembie first and foremost, so I write what I know. That said, there has been a great deal of DC in my collecting and reading as well. Going waaaaaaaay back to the beginnings, Superman was my first superhero title. Which I enjoyed, but the first DC book that really drew my interest was Adventure Comics. And it remained a favorite even into my college years. 

Adventure 369, an early favorite

 

 

 What was it about "Adventure" that grabbed me?  At first it was Superboy and the Legion of Superheroes. At the time, about 1967, Jim Shooter was writing it and Curt Swan was drawing it. Swan's art was familiar, as I'd seen it on the Man of  Steel. And Shooter was learning the ropes of scripting, developing talents I'd come to appreciate years later in the Avengers. Which of course I didn't know at the time, it just seemed that the stories with these super powered teens were more...convincing, more real, more dramatic. Compared, that is, to what was offered in "Superman" and "Action Comics". Superboy was familiar, but it took awhile to get used to so many other characters. Mon-El, Shadow Lass, Braniac 5; they even had cool names. Perhaps it was the combination of these factors that made "Adventure" an early read for me.  And I'll always be grateful to 'Adventure" for introducing me to the Legion, a group which would become one of my top picks, under Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen.

 

 

 

 

 

A few years later, upon returning to comics in a serious way, "Adventure" again piqued the interest. Michael Fleisher and Jim Aparo's Spectre tales were solid reading, and obviously the art was fine. I also got a kick out of "Black Orchid" (created by Sheldon Mayer, when he wasn't giving voice and life to
Sugar and Spike). Not being a fan of Aquaman, his takeover of hte book didn't excite me. Still later Superboy took over as the lead feature, which kind of had a Silver Age feel despite being published deep in the Bronze. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But my favorite incarnation of "Adventure Comics" appeared in the later 70's, when Superboy moved into his own book: "New Adventures of Superboy".  Meanwhile, the original "Adventure" became a Dollar comic; no ads and a great lineup of features. Deadman, the JLA, Wonder Woman, Flash; a pretty  good deal for your dollar. Personally, I most relished Deadman by Len Wein and Jim Aparo, and the Justice Society by Paul Levitz and Joe Staton ( one highlight of that feature was the impressive death of Earth 2 Batman). . Sadly the book soon shrank back to 'normal' size, but it still featured a nifty cast: the new Starman , by Paul Levitz and Steve Ditko (!), and the wonderful Plastic Man by Martin Pasko and Joe Staton. Great book, one of the best of the era and often overlooked. 

Eventually I dropped "Adventure Comics" when it converted to an all-reprint digest format. But the title (and it's distinctive, original curvy logo) always stayed close to my heart.  Next up: a selection of Bronze Age Adventure Comics covers, showing the range of headliners it carried. Any fellow 'Adventurers' out there?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riding the Retro Metro: Friday June 21, 1974!

Redartz:  Hello again, fellow time travelers! We are off on another journey to the Bronze age, courtesy of the Retro Metro. Today's destination is one very close to my heart:: June of 1974. I only recently started collecting comics, and my interest is skyrocketing. And although the topic on everyone's mind these days is the Watergate tapes, the tapes I'm most interested in are the ones I've recorded off Casey Kasem's American  Top 40. And speaking of the top forty, let's check out the apex:

On top of the US 'Billboard Pop Chart:  Bo Donaldsen and the Heywoods, "Billy, Don't Be a Hero"

Apparently this song has been used in a recent "Billy Jack" movie, but it was actually written about an soldier in the U.S. Civil War.

Rounding out the top five:
2.  The Stylistics, "You Make Me Feel Brand New"
3.  Gordon Lightfoot, "Sundown"
4.  Ray Stevens, "The Streak"
5.  William DeVaughn, "Be Thankful For What You Got"  

Man, I'm really loving the pop charts right now! Gordon Lightfoot's "Sundown" is my favorite song right now: "Sometimes, I think it's a shame, when I get feelin' better when I'm feeling no pain". Great. Then there's Ray Stevens and "The Streak": the king of novelty/comedy tunes strikes again. Everyone on the school bus just goes nuts for that song. And there are tons of ther cool hits:  Wings, "Band on the Run"- an amazing song with three distinct sections; Paul still has it.  The Hues Corporation, "Rock the Boat"- an incredibly catchy tune. Steely Dan, "Rikki Don't Lose that Number"-just getting to know these guys, and really like this tune. I'm planning to pick up their album "Pretzel Logic" (great name).  ABBA, "Waterloo" (debuting this week on the top forty)- a new group from Sweden; this song is a prime piece of pop. May have to pick up their lp as well.

 Tops in the UK:   Gary Glitter, "Always Yours"

As it's Friday, chances are the tv viewing tonight will be good. Checking out the listings:

US Television Schedule:


 
ABC:  The Brady Bunch, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Odd Couple, Toma

Our family is still following the Brady family. Personally, I'm more excited about the show following them: Lee  Majors in "The Six Million Dollar Man". Kind of a superhero without a costume, but with appealing action and a great theme.
And after that, "The Odd Couple" is still going strong. Thanks to a perfect cast led by the incomparable Jack Klugman and Tony Randall, this show always promises laughs. 

CBS:   Dirty Sally, Good Times, The CBS Friday Night Movies

Afraid "Dirty Sally" is unknown to me. Many friends watch "Good Times", but as I'm pretty much tied into ABC's schedule, I never catch these shows.

NBC:  Sanford and Son, Lotsa Luck, The Girl With Something Extra, The Brian Keith Show, The Dean Martin Comedy Hour

Same situation here; although my parents will sometimes tune in Dean Martin.

BBC1:  The Friday Western: The Younger Brothers, Skywatch, The Nine O Clock News, A Man Called Ironside, The World of Stan Smith

BBC2:   Gardener's World, The Money Programme, World Cinema: Detruire Dit-Elle, All the Buildings Fit to Print

But hey, what a month it's been on the Spinner racks! It's an embarrassment of riches; this new comics fan has waaaay too much to choose from. Just take a look:

Wow, where to begin? That Amazing Spider-Man issue is the first thing I grab. What a cover, what a villain, what a book. Andru's Goblin looks just fine. Then I also have to grab that great Spectre book. Not getting many DC's at this point, but that looks fantastic. And speaking of fantastic, I'm getting that Avengers issue- my first Avengers comic, and picking it due to the Fantastic Four appearance. 

Then there's that Doctor Strange issue: have to get that, continuing the excellent Silver Dagger story. And now there's all these Giants and magazines to consider. Definitely need to get the Savage Sword of Conan; a beautiful Red Sonja story awaits within by Esteban Maroto and Neal Adams. Plus how can I resist the first issue of Planet of the Apes? Well, I can't. Could you? 

And capping it all off, the first Marvel Treasury Edition; with Spidey no less! All the great Spider-man artists represented. And that cover just hypnotized me; I stared at it all the way home on the city bus the other day when I picked it up. I'm scrounging everywhere I can to gather the needed funds for this month's goodies.  

Well, since we've probably spent our limits at the newsstand, guess it's time to head back on the Retro return trip. Hope you enjoyed this brief visit to the stellar year 1974; I sure did! And even if you're not old enough to fully remember that year's attractions, let us all know what you think of them...

 




closing

Two Questions: The Fan of Hercules and the Dark of DC!

Martinex1:  Let's kick off our manic Monday with a couple of comic book questions.   They are not necessarily related (unless you can draw some of your own connections) so feel free to answer one or both.  

QUESTION 1:   Why wasn't Hercules a more popular character in the Marvel mythos?   What do or don't you like about Marvel's Hercules?

 

QUESTION 2:  We talk about the impact darker characters like the vengeance driven Punisher and the violent Wolverine had to comics approaching the modern age, but did Deadman, the Spectre, and the Phantom Stranger have a similar impact on DC much earlier as they appeared throughout the Bronze Age?   If not who were DC's harbingers of a darker age?