Posted by Dan Greenfield on Aug 16, 2026
The TOP 13 COVERS of AUGUST 1976 — RANKED
BRONZE AGE BONANZA: A collection of fun stuff by KIRBY, CHAN, ANDRU and MORE… — Welcome to BRONZE AGE BONANZA — our monthly series that looks at the greatest covers of the Bronze Age — exactly 50 years later. For more info on this feature, click here. — Not all months in BRONZE AGE BONANZA are created equal. Some are utterly fantastic, while others… aren’t. It’s just the way the timing sometimes works out, so this month isn’t what I’d call a gallery of masterpieces. That said, as always, there’s a lot of fun stuff! So, dig the TOP 13 COVERS OF AUGUST 1976 — RANKED: — 13. Freedom Fighters #5, DC. There’s a lot wrong with this Ernie Chan/Vince Colletta cover. Black Condor and the Ray are awkwardly positioned, there’s a blank yellow background and a spotlight on the floor, and it looks like it was done in about 10 minutes. (Save the Colletta jokes.) So, why did it make the list? I like it anyway, and I like the Wonder Woman aspect of the whole thing. It fits, especially in 1976. — 12. Justice League of America #136, DC. Total sentimental choice. (You’ll see that a number of times this month.) Any JLA cover that prominently features Batman — and Earth-Two Robin! — is a good thing, but like the one above, it’s clearly rushed. No background whatsoever, and that doesn’t feel like a design choice. What I do love is that it’s Earth-Two Batman in action, which was rare, even though Chan/Colletta drew his chest bat like it was Earth-One, just without the yellow oval. And if it’s Earth-S, why no Earth-S heroes? That said, again, it’s here because I really like it despite all that. — 11. Fantastic Four #176, Marvel. The King is here three times this month, because even average Kirby is better than most. Fun cover, if standard. — 10. The Amazing Spider-Man #162, Marvel. Hey, have you seen Spider-Man: Brand New Day yet? No? OK, here’s some info that isn’t a spoiler but is a point of fact: The climax takes place on Roosevelt Island, and I couldn’t help thinking about this cover when I watched the movie. (No, Nightcrawler doesn’t make a cameo, so don’t even ask.) I do like that Andru had Spidey and Kurt upside down from one another; adds a...
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