Undercover Comics

Wednesday, August 8, 2018

MARVEL TALES #53/AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #70 - Wanted...Dead or Alive!

The Amazing Spider-man was the comic I liked the most growing up. Occasionally something would strike me as interesting, but it seemed whenever I read an issue of ASM it would just entertain me in a way that the others just couldn't compare.

Before I became a regular reader around 1975 or so, I remember having #43, #75, #80 and Spectacular Spider-man (Magazine) #2. Over time I would pick up an issue here and there and discovering Marvel Tales, really helped me find some classic reprinted stories.

Even now, as evidenced below, I can pick up certain issues of Marvel Tales because they'll feature an issue that I loved and want to read again. It's unfortunate that they felt the need to edit and recolor Jazzy John Romita's original cover (inked by him - which is always the best) because it captured the mood of the story perfectly in how it already was.

(MARVE TALES #53 cover-dated September 1974, on newsstands June 4th, 1974, with cover art by John Romita from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #70 cover-dated March 1969, on newsstands December 12th, 1968)

As much as I love Romita's own inks - I think he is the greatest inker of the Silver Age - because he's my favorite artist of the Silver Age - I sometimes forget that there was one inker who did a run on the books with him that really did an outstanding job. Jim Mooney.

More on that in a minute...

Below: I love when an artist is able to be creative with the whole 'let's get you caught up' angle that Marvel Comics used to use at the beginning of continued stories. And in this instance, it's a classic - Spidey wanted by the law, reminding us of the Clay Tablet and that he has been falsely 'partnered' with the Kingpin - while we see the Kingpin furious behind bars. Great opening.

(MARVE TALES #53 cover-dated September 1974, on newsstands June 4th, 1974, with art by John Romita (layouts) and Jim Mooney (Finishes) from AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #70 cover-dated March 1969, on newsstands December 12th, 1968)

Jim Mooney really captured a dark mood in the book during this run. I seem to remember it began around #67 (part 2 of the Mysterio arc, and through the Clay Tablet saga) which didn't actually end in #75 (though the basic plot did). This is classic Spider-man, that might've even made Ditko proud if he had cared about such things.

And of course, there was the romance! Whereas Clark Kent always gave a knowing wink to the comic reader, when Lois would say, "Oh Clark, if only you could be more like Superman", the weight of responsibility of being Spider-man would torture Peter Parker, and continuously isolate him from his friends and loved ones.

Understanding that... these scenes, meant to give the book a 'romance' angle - take on a much, much deeper, darker meaning. And NOW, knowing what eventually happens to Gwen... even more so. Has there ever been a mainstream superhero with more of a classic tragedy within his story?

How many of us could put up with being labeled a coward by the person we loved - seen as always running off when trouble showed up? When in reality we were risking our lives? The original run of the Amazing Spider-man, especially up through the first 150 issues was so great... so perfect... not sure there'll ever be anything like it again.

I find it peculiar that many of the people who talk in awe of Stan Lee are the same people who complain about politics in today's comics, and use words like 'snowflake' and 'liberal' and 'social justice warrior', etc. Stan was VERY much a liberal voice in comics (as were many of the creative types of the day) and very much a social justice thinker.

Even though much of it was written as a peaceful compromise (such as below), just giving a VOICE to students, especially black ones, back in 1968, would NOT have been seen as a MAINSTREAM idea, especially in the South.

Romita had such a great foundation in romance, so his men and women always looked All-American - his cities looked well done - his standard scenes of non-action efficient - but on top of that... when it came time to have action, he was as good as anyone Marvel ever had.

I was never a huge Kingpin fan, but the one on one fights between him and Spider-man were always good, and Spidey was usually twice as wise-cracking as usual during it...

I don't know if it was Stan's idea or Johnny's or what, but what a great ending to the issue here as Spider-man - hunted by the police, shunned by his girlfriend, and then interrupted from capturing the Kingpin by JJJ, confronts the loud mouth publisher...

...only to make things worse! It's weird to think that, despite very minimal use of a villain (and NOT a supervillain at that), or anything that would have a long term effect on the story or future of the comic... I'd rate this a 9/10 comic book. Just a fantastic issue!

Friday, August 3, 2018

ARCHIE COMICS #95 - Classic Artists of the Era

Whenever I find these early Archie Comics issues, especially pre-1960 in the $1 books, I HAVE to pick them up. Honestly, it's where they belong as there is only a handful of people who love and appreciate them. The Riverdale crowd isn't interested in this stuff and none of the artists are really 'hot' with the majority of collectors. Archie Comics is just kind of its own niche and I'm glad.

I mean... I look at this Harry Lucey cover and I'm so in awe of its perfection. Lucey was a smidge less cartoony than Dan DeCarlo, thus you get the attention to detail on Veronica's feet and sandals, Archie's feet, the stripes on Veronica's swimsuit (and Betty's) and the pattern on Archie's.

Even the radio and the lifeguard's chair. Man, I LOVE this cover.

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with cover art by Harry Lucey)

Inside, his art is more in the 'house style' that Archie Comics incorporated, first introduced by Bob Montana, updated and modernized by Harry Lucey, then streamlined and perfected by Dan DeCarlo. Either way, Lucey's Betty and Veronica had smaller waists than any of the other Archie artists gave them...

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Harry Lucey)

What more could you ask for in an Archie comic, than a Harry Lucey cover, a Harry Lucey story and then a Dan DeCarlo story? By this point, DeCarlo had been drawing at Archie Comics for 7 years, and even though he was still the 'new guy' in the bunch (Vigoda and Lucey had been there, at this point for over 15 years), he fits in perfectly with the look of the line of books.

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

It's rather amazing that really, in Archie Comics' long history with the characters, there's really only a handful of artists who worked on the book consistently. DeCarlo and Lucey were two of those legends. I'm not as big of a fan of Bill Vigoda's work, but he was there through the transformative years, and was the first to try and emulate Bob Montana's house style in the comic, so I'd include him (and of course Montana).

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

As sultry as Harry Lucey drew Betty and Veronica, Dan DeCarlo (who certainly had his past experience drawing bad girls) gave the two a more wholesome look, that was still sexy, but with a sweetness that fit the whole idea of Archie Comics and what they, especially post-Code wanted to portray.

Harry Lucey is my favorite, but man, DeCarlo is amazing.

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Dan DeCarlo)

In 1958, Harry Lucey was THE artist of Archie Comics as a brand in the Comic Books (Bob Montana had long since gone to 100% making the newspaper strip an iconic part of Americana), and here's a good example of one of his ads.

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Harry Lucey)

Every so often I'd see a panel by Bill Vigoda and think, "Now THAT is really good!" This is one of those panels.

You have to give the guy credit, he was like the energizer bunny who kept going and going and going, taking on anything the company would give him to do. He started with MLJ in 1943, did his first Archie story in 1944 (a Betty and Veronica story in Archie Comics #10) and worked all the way through until 1973.

I just realized, the guy doesn't even have a Wikipedia page... I need to do something about that...

(ARCHIE #95 cover-dated September 1958, on newsstands June 4th, 1958, with art by Bill Vigoda)

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

BATMAN ANNUAL #2 - Batman started out as Robin?

I found this beauty in $1 box. Like... when was I ever going to read a Batman Annual #2? I’m not a big Batman fan in the first place, but this is one that turned out to have a few surprises. It WAS, however, coverless, so... here's a reproduction...

(BATMAN ANNUAL #2 - Cover Dated Winter 1961 - on Newsstands November 16th, 1961 - cover art by Curt Swan, Sheldon Moldoff and Dick Sprang)

Ok... what's good about it? For one, most of these stories are drawn by Dick Sprang, who’s work in Batman I LOVE. It’s just so stylized in its own way, I almost love it as much as H.G. Peter, though I think Sprang probably has a better grasp of storytelling.

Of course, they’re all listed as Bob Kane work in the book - we just now know it was guys like Dick Sprang and Sheldon Moldoff that we’re actually doing the work.

What’s kind of a crock about this Annual - not that it matters now - but at the time, this was all reprints! If I was a regular Batman reader in 1961, I’d feel a little ripped off by that. At least give me ONE new story.

(BATMAN ANNUAL #2 - Cover Dated Winter 1961 - on Newsstands November 16th, 1961 - Reprinted from Batman #86 - Cover Dated September 1954 - on Newsstands July 14th, 1954 with art by Dick Sprang but listed as Bob Kane)

The first story is kind of a hoot as Batman faces death from “The Bends” when he ventures too far underwater and the bad guy, “Slant” Stacey takes advantage of it. Of course, Batman comes up with all kinds of improbable ways around it.

Sprang's art and style was hugely influential in the Batman TV show from the '60s and here you can practically see the into to the show where the host of bad guys are in line to get walloped by the Dynamic Duo.

Man, they must’ve run out of ideas for this strip by the mid-50’s, as the next couple of stories are Batman becomes a Scottish Lord, Batman becomes an Indian Chief, Batman and Robin become Jungle Adventurers, Batman the Magician, Super Power Batman ... ugh.

(BATMAN ANNUAL #2 - Cover Dated Winter 1961 - on Newsstands November 16th, 1961 - Reprinted from Batman #86 - Cover Dated August 1953 - on Newsstands July 1st, 1953, with art by Dick Sprang but listed as Bob Kane)

(BATMAN ANNUAL #2 - Cover Dated Winter 1961 - on Newsstands November 16th, 1961 - Reprinted from Batman #86 - Cover Dated September 1954 - on Newsstands July 14th, 1954 with art by Sheldon Moldoff but listed as Bob Kane)

There’s also a Batman Calendar for 1962, though how you’re supposed to put this together with destroying your comic is beyond me.

This DC Comic came out the same month as Amazing Adult Fantasy #9 featuring Tim Boo Ba! and in between Fantastic Four #2 and #3.

One that’s interesting is “When Batman was Robin”. It’s the obviously NOT canon story of how when Bruce Wayne was training to be a detective, his mentor gave him a Robin outfit and that’s how he got his start... though here it looks like the long lost mentor is coming back to reveal his secret identity. Not exactly canon at this point, but an interesting take for the time.

Unfortunately, the rest is a little too much of this:

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Wednesday, August 8, 2018

Friday, August 3, 2018

Wednesday, August 1, 2018