Happy Valentine’s Day!
By CHRIS FRANKLIN
Dick Giordano was many things to comics: a pioneering editor; a trend-setting executive; an indelible inker; and an amazing penciller. And those pencils may be best known for drawing superheroes, but he cut his teeth on romance titles back in his early days working for Charlton Comics and later provided art and covers for DC’s romance line as well. So, when long-time Valentine’s Day card purveyor Cleo Wrap decided to release the Super Friends Action Valentine Playbook in 1980, what better artist to call than Dick Giordano?
Giordano provided nearly every illustration in this tome full of traditional valentine cards (which we’ll focus on today) and action crafts, most of them new to this publication. I had two copies of this book as a child, and I simply wore each one out. The Valentine’s Day aspect was honestly unimportant to me. It was the beautiful art that grabbed me. The heroes looked classic, but modern. These were the DC heroes of the Bronze Age.
In my mind’s eye, this is the perfect version of those characters. Giordano, along with Neal Adams and Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez (both of whom he frequently inked) set the template for what these characters look like for all time to me, not only in the comics, but in a bevy of merchandise and promotional art. In some ways the Valentine Action Playbook was like the prototype of the famous 1982 Style Guide that Garcia-Lopez and Giordano provided artwork for… just with a Valentine’s Day theme.
Giordano-drawn Clark Bar contest ad that ran in DC Comics in 1978. Image courtesy of vintageads on Reddit.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at 13 spectacular Giordano illustrations that I’m sure you’ll love — on Valentine’s Day and every day after!
—
Let’s start with an actual married couple, Aquaman and Mera! Bonus points for whoever wrote the text on these. Nice fish joke. Plus, Storm the seahorse!
—
Batman and Robin chasing the Joker? Giordano could probably draw this in his sleep… but it would still look fantastic like this!
—
Romance between this power couple? Was someone channeling the New 52 a good 30 years early?
—
You just got friend-zoned by the Dominoed Daredoll. For some reason Batgirl was called “Batwoman” in this book. Was DC playing around with changing her name, like they did with Hawkgirl/Woman around this time, or was it just an error?
—
This image takes on a bit of melancholy when you realize the fate that awaited these characters in only five or six years. And as DC’s Vice-President/Executive Editor, Giordano approved their demises in Crisis on Infinite Earths!
—
I’m sure your teacher would appreciate being associated with the Pompous Waddling Master of Fowl Play.
—
Giordano nails Superman looking strong and kind at the same time.
—
I would have preferred “chum” over “pal” here, but the art is wonderful.
—
How’s this for an odd team-up? And how often did you see Wonder Girl on merchandise? And who’s making that “SPROING” sound effect?
—
Here’s where Giordano’s romance comic experience really comes through. Has Diana ever looked lovelier?
—
Clearly Giordano is swiping that famous Carmine Infantino/Murphy Anderson image from the Batman pin-ups of the Sixties, but it looks so nice, who cares?
—
Before we wrap up, let’s check in with one of comics’ other enduring romantic couples. They always seemed to be making out when their JLA signal devices went off!
—
If you wanted to get some extra credit on that homework, give your teacher a big Valentine with FOUR superheroes! Suck-up!
—
MORE
— BATMAN & CATWOMAN: The Greatest Valentine’s Cartoon Ever. Click here.
— 13 VALENTINE’S COVERS: Lois Lane’s Mad Love. Click here.
—
13th Dimension contributor CHRIS FRANKLIN is a graphic designer, illustrator, writer, and podcaster, who co-hosts and produces several shows on the Fire and Water Podcast Network. Check out his illustrative and design work at chrisfranklincreative.com.
