1966 WEEK! The ABC program, starring Van Williams and Bruce Lee, debuted 60 years ago, on Sept. 9, 1966… — Welcome to 1966 WEEK — a 60th anniversary celebration of an extraordinary, landmark year in popular culture. For seven days, we’re bringing you a whole host of features on everything from Star Trek, to Batman, to the Beatles, to the Monkees, and much, much more. (Just check out Walt Grogan’s latest fab banner, above!) Click here for more of the far out fun! — Dan — By PETER BOSCH Each issue was definitely not green but gold in its own way. I’m talking, of course, about The Green Hornet comic book series published by Gold Key, based upon the legendary TV program produced by Batman’s William Dozier that debuted 60 years ago on September 9, 1966. There were only three issues in total but each was exceptional in a fashion – starting with the photo covers of Van Williams and Bruce Lee. However, Gold Key did not stop there. As was their publishing style at the time, there were more pictures on the inside front covers — and the inside back covers — AND the back covers, too! How cool is that? The impressiveness of the comics did not end there. All three issues were drawn by the great Dan Spiegle, who caught the looks of the stars and captured the atmosphere needed for the Hornet and Kato’s nocturnal activities. (The writer of the comic book title has been assumed to be Paul S. Newman but that has not been completely confirmed.) Several recognizable moments from the television series were brought over faithfully to the comics, including: But enough talk! Time to get to the highlights of the comics adventures — and every photo cover inside and out. (Do I or do I not know what you really want to see?) Let’s roll, Kato! — Plotlines for the comic books included certain elements that appeared in the television episodes. Here are brief storylines for the comics, along with sample Spiegle pages from each: The Green Hornet #1 (released Nov. 1966) had a full-issue tale titled “Ring of Terror,” which included elements of the TV series’ two-part story “Beautiful Dreamer.” In a highly dramatic moment of the TV show, Casey Case (Wende Wagner) is brainwashed into trying to kill Britt...
1966 WEEK! Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 60 years ago… — Welcome to 1966 WEEK — a 60th anniversary celebration of an extraordinary, landmark year in popular culture. For seven days, we’re bringing you a whole host of features on everything from Star Trek, to Batman, to the Beatles, to the Monkees, and much, much more. (Just check out Walt Grogan’s latest fab banner, above!) Click here for more of the far out fun! — Dan — This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of Sept. 9, 1966 — part of 13th Dimension’s 1966 WEEK celebration. Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of Sept. 2, 1975. Click here to check it out. (Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the issues that went on sale between Sept. 6 and Sept. 12.) — So, let’s set the scene: Public sentiment against the Vietnam War was growing but that didn’t sway President Johnson’s commitment to send more young men to fight in Southeast Asia, amid signals the conflict was far more complicated and difficult than initially anticipated. On Sept. 7, the Department of Defense announced what would be the largest draft call for the war — with 49,200 registered men to be inducted into the military come October. It was the highest call since the Korean War. But again, the signs were there that things would get much worse before they got better. The week before, United Nations Secretary-General U Thant of Burma announced he wouldn’t seek re-election, because the U.N. had been unable to end the conflict: “Today it seems to me, as it has seemed for many months, that the pressure of events is remorselessly leading toward a major war,” he said Sept. 1. “In my view the tragic error is being repeated of relying on force and military means in a deceptive pursuit of peace.” Meanwhile, on Sept. 10, USAF Capt. Douglas “Pete” Peterson was shot down in his F-4 Phantom over Vietnam. Peterson would be captured and be held as a prisoner of war at the “Hanoi Hilton.” Five days earlier, Nguyen Van Bay became the first North Vietnamese fighter ace when he shot down his firth airplane. The American pilot, USAF Capt. Wilfred K. Abbott, also survived and would be held as a POW, including...
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