The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set

I bought this beat up copy for $10

It's something I had never owned before, or even held in my hands, so I was excited to see it at the local comic book shop - and with that John Romita cover and $10 price, I had to have it.

Of course, I wondered how I'd listen to it, but... it's 2020 and You Tube has everything:

The Invasion of the Dragon Men Recording

Mark of the Man-Wolf Recording

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with cover art by John Romita)

The back cover uses art from two sources - bot the stories inside. The first, 'The Invasion of the Dragon Men', looks like a hodge podge of artists - Romita, Buckler, Adams - most likely very much Giordano inks. Comics.org has it as Buckler? art and Giordano? inks.

The bottom part is from Amazing Spider-man #124 - from September 1973 (on newsstands June 12, 1973) and we know is Gil Kane with inks by John Romita and Tony Mortellaro.

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with art by unknown on the top and Gil Kane on the bottom from Amazing Spider-man #124 - from September 1973 on newsstands June 12, 1973)

The record is in ok shape!

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with art on the 33 1/3 LP by Gil Kane on the bottom)

The inside front cover and inside back cover features art from some of the other records and it definitely looks like Neal Adams with Dick Giordano.

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with art by unknown, but it looks like Neal Adams to me with Dick Giordano inks)

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with art by unknown, but it looks like Neal Adams to me with Dick Giordano inks)

The Dragon Men story is pretty lame, but at times it has some pretty cool artwork. Parts of this make me think Neal Adams, but I'm so unfamiliar with if he'd ever done Spider-man, so I'm hesitant to make that complete claim. 

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with art by unknown. Comics.org has it listed as Rich Buckler? with inks by Dick Giordano?)

Throughout you can definitely see signs of cut and paste. And swipes. It's interesting to me now, because this is one Spider-man story from the 70's I had never read! I wasn't missing much, but I'm sure glad I found this. It's a pretty cool piece of memorabilia! 

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with art by unknown. Comics.org has it listed as Rich Buckler? with inks by Dick Giordano?)

I'm not going to go into much detail on the Man-Wolf story, as I'm sure I'll find a beat-up copy of ASM #124 sometime and do a full posting on it. But man, did Gil Kane's art look a LOT better with Romita's inks and then Motellaro's inks on top of that.

(The AMAZING SPIDER-MAN Book and Record Set - 1977 - with art by Gil Kane and inks by John Romita and Tony Motellaro from Amazing Spider-man #124 - from September 1973 on newsstands June 12, 1973)

Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - Odd Jobs!

I bought this beat up copy for $1

One month after I was born (25 days actually), this hit the newsstands and buying it for $1 in this condition is perfect to me. Not the greatest Bob White cover ever done, but it brings a smile to my face when I read the corny joke.

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with cover art by Bob White)

By 1963 Betty and Veronica was Dan DeCarlo's book and for US, that's a great thing. Years and years of issues to pick up that are filled with DeCarlo art! I love this splash page - it tells us everything we need to know without a single word necessary! Veronica is mowing the lawn and is annoyed with Betty being bored and Archie enjoying himself in the pool. All three facial expressions are classic!

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Dan DeCarlo)

Of course, Veronica is having none of it...

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Dan DeCarlo)

I know Jamie Hernandez has always stated his Archie influence, and in particular, pointed out his great love of Harry Lucey's work - but every once in awhile I'll see some DEFINATE Dan DeCarlo influence in his work )especially the inking). This could be a Love and Rockets panel...

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Dan DeCarlo)

Speaking of Harry Lucey, he was still the primary Archie artist and his artwork was a part of most of the ads...

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Harry Lucey)

This issue features an early 'variant' appearance of Big Ethel - in this one she actually is BIG - rather than tall and gangly. It's well-known enough it's even referenced in her (Ethel Muggs) Wikipedia entry!

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Dan DeCarlo)

And naturally, Betty and Veronica make her over into a fabulous looking woman! That clothing she was wearing earlier must've been EXTRA baggy I guess...

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Dan DeCarlo)

But as in all things Archie, one little sneeze undoes the whole thing! Gotta love Jughead's reaction...

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Dan DeCarlo)

The last story is a clever and interesting take on Veronica thinking everyone is wallowing in their 'poverty', because SHE is wealthy! If this were released TODAY, it might be seen as a sly commentary on how the wealthy look down on the have-nots.

(Archie's Girls BETTY and VERONICA #95 - cover-dated November 1963, on newsstands September 1st, 1963 with art by Dan DeCarlo)

A great issue! 

TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - Can't create? Imitate!

I bought this beat up copy for $8

This is one of those issues that are sort of well-loved... I mean, the idea of it and that cover are certainly well-loved. It IS a great Marie Severin cover (inks by Frank Giacoia), the kind of thing where someone (probably Stan) said, "What if the Hulk ran into the Silver Surfer?"

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with cover art by Marie Severin)


We start off with the Sub-Mariner's story though, who had been sharing the Tales to Astonish title with the Hulk since #70 (May 1965) and would through #101 when the book was canceled so he and the Hulk could start their own series.

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Dan Adkins)


This was Roy Thomas' first issue writing Subby and he starts it off by... imitating the scene from Amazing Spider-man #33 where Spidey is trapped under the building wreckage and it's too heavy for him and he somehow finds the strength to lift it and save himself.

Except here... instead of the hero, it's the android who does it. It's kind of weird...

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Dan Adkins)


It even has the payoff panel as a splash... it's a direct homage!

I'm actually a fan of Dan Adkins - he's a bit stiff compared to Kirby, but he's still better than Swan or some of those DC artists. And his inks on this are nice as well.

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Dan Adkins)


I wasn't old enough to see this stuff when it first came out, but man, I would have loved to have ordered these shirts and sweatshirts and posters and buttons! I would've ordered all of it!

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by various - mainly Kirby and Ditko)


Speaking of stiff, I love Marie Severin's work as well, but she too lacks the flair of a Kirby or Ditko in her action scenes. She also has a bit of a problem trying to come up with a story here, as Stan's plot synopsis was most likely (again), "What if the Hulk ran into the Silver Surfer?"

Great idea, but not much of a story.

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Marie Severin)


Always thought it was funny though, towards the end of it, the Hulk punches the Surfer square in the face! Not sure who's idea it was, but I thought it was pretty humorous...

(TALES TO ASTONISH #93 - cover dated July 1967, on newsstands April 11th, 1967 with art by Marie Severin)