HOUSE OF SECRETS #50 - Ho Hum, Earth's Getting Destroyed Again...

This period in the history of DC Comics was NOT one of my favorites. There's probably a fair amount of GREAT work from this period I'm just not aware of, but... there's also so much bland junk, it's difficult for me to even begin to wade into these waters....

The Senate hearing on Comic Books in 1957 had allowed publishers like DC and others to put out a Comics Code, aimed directly at their biggest competitor (EC Comics) and put them out of business. But it came at the expense of talent and output, stripping the comic book story of any real danger.

Luckily though, we at least get this cover by Dick Dillin with inks by Sheldon Moldoff... which is actually pretty cool and maybe the best part of the whole package.

(HOUSE OF SECRETS #50 cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 26, 1961, with cover art by Dick Dillin and inks by Sheldon Moldoff)

Inside.... well, I'm not trying to talk down about the abilities of the people who did this work. It's not lazy, it's not sloppy, it's well crafted within the confines of what they were able to create in. The same as those pamphlets the religious nuts hand out in front of rock concerts.

With the same goal: Get the message across without being offensive or crude.

Here we start with a Twilight Zone story about a guy who causes people to lose their face. He's almost like a human face eraser, just by looking at them. Granted, it slowly faded away, nut he realizes he's the cause of it. A key clue is in the background early in the story if you're looking for it (I wasn't.)

(HOUSE OF SECRETS #50 cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 26, 1961, with art by Bill Ely)

It's not that the story is BAD... it's a bit hokey, as were a lot of these back in the day, but BACK in the day, this is what we had and it wasn't much different than network TV.  Which is the problem. Comics had lost its ability to go up and beyond what network TV could do. Why read comics if you could watch the same type of thing on TV?

The art was done by long-time artist Bill Ely, who was a sure draftsman. BY that I mean, he wasn't at all bad - at times, some of his work is actually quite good - but mostly he had the 'Curt Swan' style of functional blandness.

(HOUSE OF SECRETS #50 cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 26, 1961, with art by Bill Ely)


Was everything like this in the very late '50s, early 60's?
No, of course not - I probably haven't even read 1% of the stories from this period, but... Rip Hunter... Time Master might be the greatest thing ever. I mean... Nick Cardy drew it, so automatically that's a great start!

Hey! For a $1, there's a beat-up copy out there somewhere!

(HOUSE OF SECRETS #50 cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 26, 1961, with cover art by Nick Cardy)

We get some Count of Monte Cristo type of story next drawn by Howard Sherman (another long-time artist from the Golden Age who'd slowly fade out by mid-'70s for DC) and after that the latest Mark Mirken story. I say that like I know who Mark Mirkin is. I don't. 

But you have to admire anyone who watches the earth get blown up and as his girl cries out in horror, he says, "Steady Elsa". That was the standard American story. The girl is hysterical. The guy is an All-American rugged Marlboro Man who never loses his cool. 

Artist Mort Meskin created Mark Mirkin, and by this point his career was starting to run down. He'd been a big deal in the Golden Age (he was a big influence on Steve Ditko) but retired from comics 4 years later.

(HOUSE OF SECRETS #50 cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 26, 1961, with art by Mort Meskin)

Here's one I'm curious to check out though - Russ Heath's Sea Devils. Always liked these covers (with Jack Adler's color and wash effects).

(HOUSE OF SECRETS #50 cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 26, 1961, with cover art by Russ Heath)

SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 - The Most Perverted (Mainstream) Comic Ever?

You know it's interesting to me, but even as a young lad, caught up in the adolescent boy fantasies that comic books so feverishly slather us with, I still had no problems with GIRL POWER. It wasn't called that then, they used words like Women's Lib (as in Liberation) and eventually feminism, but I just never felt threatened by it.

I liked females. So seeing them as superheroes was ok to my 10-12-year-old mind. I found the differences interesting - and even though today I see the silliness in the writing and presentation - just the fact that they approached the subject and FEATURED it, makes me happy. A cover like this wouldn't have made me go, "Ewww... cooties", but rather, "This looks cool..."

The same thing I thought as I went through the dollar box I found this in...

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with cover art by Ernie Chan and inks by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez)


These ads have not aged a bit - they're still cheeky fun.

I realize Superman is the basis for this whole hobby - he's the start of it all - but I just never was a big fan. And the last panel o this, something you'd see in many DC Comics over the years, used to rub me the wrong way.

I'd always think, "How can these dunces NOT know he's Superman? I WISH they WOULD find out!"

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with art by... Mike Esposito inked Nick Cardy?)

More evidence that Curt Swan was the most boring comic book artist ever. It's bad enough I have to endure his work through this whole story, but with Vince Coletta inks??? Ah man...

This page... this is not the work of a genius. To me... it just looks lazy. I get a little torn between being critical of the guy or just moving on from it... he was obviously a well-loved workhorse for DC for decades... I just am not moved by this layout at all. It's the definition of bland.

It gets better, but...

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with art by Curt Swan and inks by Vince Coletta)

If you've ever mingled with Porn Stars 'on the job' (and that's as far as I'm taking that part of the conversation), you'll know that they're really kind of freakish athletic specimens. Sort of like Superheroes.

Some of the things they do... regular people just can not do. And I'm sure Superheroes... when they... well, I'm not the only one who's ever thought about this...

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with art by Curt Swan and inks by Vince Coletta)

Ok, so I thought that the last situation was a bit weird, but nothing compared to this next sequence. I can picture editorial saying, "You know I was going to use this idea in the Robin/Jimmy Olsen team up, but I thought it might work better here. Let's have Supergirl get the wind knocked out her, and Batgirl has to give her mouth to mouth resuscitation..."

Did this raise eyebrows at the time? Don't think it's weird? Imagine Batman having to do this for Robin... I don't think they'd quite depict it like this. 

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with art by Curt Swan and inks by Vince Coletta)

"And then, she just doesn't have the air to do the job (because Supergirl is, ya know, SUPER), so she uses the air from a car tire nozzle to do the trick...!"

COME ON. This was the editor OBVIOUSLY saying, "WHAT can we make Curt Swan draw in his bland style that would be funny to see?"

And Supergirl's reaction...

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with art by Curt Swan and inks by Vince Coletta)

Here's an example of DC Comics having FUN! You'd expect something like this from Marvel, especially in their magazine's, but it's DC here who decides to have some fun with their past Supergirl covers. 

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with cover art by various - Swan. Adams, etc.)

Here, Lois Lane shows us what a shameless hussy she really is! Yet another story that probably raised some eyebrows back in the day because as we all know, kissing leads to OTHER things. Originally from Superman's Girlfriend LOIS LANE #29 (November 1961), this comic was rated X by the Comics Code Authority. Just kidding.

The byline clearly says Art: Curt Swan & George Klein, and yet the comics.org (Grand COmics Database) shows Pencils: Curt Swan, and Inks: Stan Kaye. Someone needs to alert them to this update. 

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, a reprint from Superman's Girl Freind LOIS LANE #29, cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 21, 1961 with art by Curt Swan and George Klein)

Here Swan's layouts are at least inked to look more pleasant, but still rather bland. 

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, a reprint from Superman's Girl Freind LOIS LANE #29, cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 21, 1961 with art by Curt Swan and George Klein)

"Holy Cats! Now he's Kissing Her! He Must Like It!" LOL. Lana is NOT amused.

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, a reprint from Superman's Girl Freind LOIS LANE #29, cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 21, 1961 with art by Curt Swan and George Klein)

Aquaman, finally happy for the attention!

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, a reprint from Superman's Girl Freind LOIS LANE #29, cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 21, 1961 with art by Curt Swan and George Klein)

Do we even have to SHOW Batman going at it? The biggest horn dog in the DC Universe was obviously up for the game as they explain in detail what was actually going on. Garth Ennis did a variation on this in the early issue of 'The Boys'. 

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, a reprint from Superman's Girl Freind LOIS LANE #29, cover-dated November 1961, on newsstands September 21, 1961 with art by Curt Swan and George Klein)

As perverted as this issue is (for 1975 anyway), we're treated to one more story, where Jimmy Olsen gets to 'dress up' as Robin the Boy Wonder. I like Pete Costanza's work on this (of Captain Marvel fame) - it reminds me of the TV Show.

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with art by Pete Costanza)

And... not even going to comment on this panel...

(SUPERMAN FAMILY #171 cover-dated June-July 1975, on newsstands March 11, 1975, with art by Pete Costanza)

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. 

(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)

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?

(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)

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.

(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)

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.

(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)

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...

(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)

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...

(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)

...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!

(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)