And we’re not talking the 80-page kind, either…
By PETER BOSCH
Forget all that stuff about how DC liked gorillas on the covers in the Silver Age. What they really liked were skyscraper-high superheroes. It certainly gave new meaning to “DC Giants.” And there is a holiday to celebrate them — National Tall People Day, instigated on June 22, 2016.
So, let’s give a big hand to these DC heroes and their larger-than-life selves (leaving out Colossal Boy and Elasti-Girl because, y’know, they’re regulars in the big time):
Mystery in Space #59 (May 1960). Gil Kane, pencils. Murphy Anderson, inks.
Detective Comics #292 (June 1961). Sheldon Moldoff, art.
Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #53 (June 1961). Curt Swan, pencils. Stan Kaye, inks.
Wonder Woman #136 (Feb. 1963). Ross Andru, pencils. Mike Esposito, inks.
Adventure Comics #315 (Dec. 1963). Swan, pencils. George Klein, inks.
Superman’s Girl Friend, Lois Lane #47 (Feb. 1964). Kurt Schaffenberger, art.
Challengers of the Unknown #36 (Feb.-Mar. 1964). Bob Brown, art.
Justice League of America #44 (May 1966). Mike Sekowsky, pencils. Anderson, inks.
Aquaman #27 (May-June 1966). Nick Cardy, art.
The Atom #32 (Aug.-Sept. 1967). Kane, pencils. Anderson, inks.
The Spectre #5 (July-Aug. 1968) Neal Adams, art.
Superman #226 (May 1970). Swan, pencils. Anderson, inks.
Adventure Comics #262 (July 1959). Swan, pencils. Kaye, inks.
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MORE
— 13 CLARK KENT COVERS Because It’s National Eyewear Day. Click here.
— 13 ANIMAL MAN COVERS Because It’s NATIONAL ZOO LOVERS DAY. Click here.
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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, was published by TwoMorrows. (You can buy it here.) A sequel, American Movie Comic Books: 1930s-1970s — From the Silver Screen to the Printed Page, is due in 2025. (You can pre-order here.) Peter has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. He lives in Hollywood.
June 22, 2025
Regarding JLA #44: It’s interesting how Sekowsky interprets Green Lantern’s uniform as a black leotard with a separate green garment overlaying it—not as a single outfit stitched together from different colored fabrics. I remember Joe Staton later did something similar in GL #134, where Jordan removed just the green overlay to use as a scarf when he was stranded in the arctic by Dr. Polaris.
BTW, the latter story was the first arc in Marv Wolfman’s run on GL, which is long overdue for reprint treatment. In fact, Staton’s lengthy and varied work on GL should have its own “visionaries” volumes.
June 22, 2025
LOL!!!! All these years and I still haven’t read the Giant Turtle Man story!
June 24, 2025
Here is a video about the Jimmy Olsen Giant Turtle Man.
https://youtu.be/IdTiJW9l_cQ?si=GES2aPLq0RrYB8AN