BRONZE AGE BONANZA: The 1970 INDEX
Your clearinghouse for the first full year of the Bronze Age…
BRONZE AGE BONANZA: Three covers by the King! Plus, Buckler! Aparo! 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. — Jack Kirby puts up a trio, Rich Buckler gets bold, and Jawsmania continues! Dig the TOP 13 COVERS OF APRIL 1976 — RANKED: — 13. Batman Family #6, DC. Not the best Batman Family cover but I’ve already pretty much said that every issue will make this list on sheer sentimental principle. That it’s the first appearance of the Joker’s Daughter – the best baddie of the entire series – only enhances my case. (Side note: In my imagination, Hudson University and New Carthage were stand-ins for small cities in upstate New York, with ancient names like Rome and Troy. Ithaca is home to the Ivy League’s Cornell University, as well as the respected Ithaca College. But Bob Rozakis, the series’ most influential creative force, effectively made Hudson U. a DC Comics analogue to the writer/editor’s Long Island alma mater, Hofstra University – which features the “Unispan” illustrated by Ernie Chan on the cover.) — 12. Secret Romance #39, Charlton. Um. Hmm. She’s, uh, really into that call, isn’t she? — 11. Skull the Slayer #6, Marvel. This month’s Jawsmania entry. — 10. Adventure Comics #446, DC. With the July cover dates upon us, comics went all in on the Bicentennial, which dominated the pop-culture landscape in so many ways, and for so much of the year. The great irony of this Jim Aparo cover, though, is that the King of Atlantis is among the least likely of the Justice Leaguers to be such an American flag waver. — 9. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! #62, Gold Key. When in doubt, pick a batshit George Wilson cover. — 8. Planet of the Apes #21, Marvel. I’ve seen Conquest of the Planet of the Apes many, many times, but I don’t recall any scene involving an overheated gorilla and a buxom blonde. Earl Norem must have had Kongmania on the mind. Or something. — 7. The Invaders #7, Marvel. You can never go wrong with a Baron Blood appearance. This is his first. — 6. Tarzan Family #64, DC. Joe Kubert giving a master class on how to...
BRONZE AGE BONANZA: Kirby! Colan! An Oksner classic! 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. — A three-way battle for the top! Dig the TOP 13 COVERS OF MARCH 1976 — RANKED: — 13. Richie Rich, Casper and Wendy: National League #1, Harvey. This just presses all the right buttons for me. I was as much a baseball fan as a comics fan as a kid and 1976 was a particularly memorable season, in part because it was the National League’s centennial. (Those pillbox hats!) This issue had multiple team-specific variants, but the real selling point is the floating-head-style NL logos down the sides, delineating the East and West divisions. Very much reminds me of the Mets program I got that year at Shea Stadium. — 12. Weird Wonder Tales #16, Marvel. This month’s Jawsmania cover. They’re not even trying to be cute about it, either. — 11. I Love You #118, Charlton. Far be it from me to kink shame anyone, but Joe Namath could usually do a lot better than a blow-up sex doll. — 10. Captain America #198, Marvel. This can’t be the first time the target’s-face-is-in-the-scope thing was done, can it? No matter, its a really effective use of the device. That perspective on the gun barrel! The assassin’s hands and face! If only the Falcon didn’t look quite so awkward. But, hey, even the King wasn’t perfect. — 9. Limited Collectors’ Edition #C-45, DC. A fun cover by Dick Giordano, though not as effective as its predecessor. But, like Limited Collectors’ Edition #C-39, it would make for a great Facsimile Edition. — 8. The Twilight Zone #80, Gold Key. That is a classic, George Wilson-style cover, only there’s no info out there I can find to identify it as such. The face isn’t quite as polished as Wilson would make it, so perhaps it was just someone aping his style. Either way, I dig it a lot, especially the way the dude is struggling to hold back the big hand from stabbing him in the throat. Also, any time you have surrealistic clock imagery in this context, it says “Twilight Zone.” — 7. Famous Monsters of Filmland #125, Warren. One...
Your clearinghouse for the first full year of the Bronze Age…