Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 69 years ago…
This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of March 18, 1957.
Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of March 11, 1971. Click here to check it out.
(Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the comics that went on sale between March 15 and March 21.)
So, let’s set the scene: Tensions in Cuba were escalating following the failed March 13 student-led attack on the presidential palace in Havana. Their aim was to kill dictator Fulgencio Batista. Rebels also attacked a radio station in hopes of announcing Batista’s death, but they were repelled there, as well. Batista’s days, however, were numbered: The revolutionaries forced him out less than two years later.
The 9th Emmy Awards were held March 16 and the big winners were The Phil Silvers Show; Caesar’s Hour, Sid Caesar’s follow-up to Your Show of Shows; See It Now; and Playhouse 90, whose Rod Serling-written Requiem for a Heavyweight won for Best Single Program of the Year. Serling and star Jack Palance also took home statuettes.
Kids — and their parents — had something new to entertain them: Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat was published the week before, on March 12.
The Ten Commandments, starring Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter, dominated the box office. It is by far my favorite biblical epic and I check it out every year. Watching it as a kid was a special event and I still love every minute of it.
Other hits included Funny Face, starring Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire; and Around the World in 80 Days.
On TV, viewers were tuning in to The Ed Sullivan Show; The Perry Como Show; and The $64,000 Question. I Love Lucy was in its final months. The Ricardos had moved to Connecticut in the final season.
Season 5 of George Reeves’ Adventures of Superman had just begun. This week’s episode was “Tin Hero,” about… a slow news week.
Tab Hunter’s Too Young was the No. 1 single, followed by Elvis Presley’s Too Much, though his fans were excited to know that his next single would be out March 22: All Shook Up.
Harry Belafonte’s Banana Boat had everyone singing, “Day-O!” It was on his 1956 album Calypso, which was the first LP to sell 1 million copies.
Come Mister tally man, tally me banana. Daylight come and we want go home…
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Scott Tipton, contributor-at-large, 13th Dimension
Detective Comics #243, DC. Robin. You really think people will need a siren to notice Giant Batman walking down the street?
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Wonder Woman #90, DC. Hey, everybody! It’s “Giant Month” at DC Comics!
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Adventures of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis #37, DC. If only this were a Giant Martin & Lewis.
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Dick Tracy #111, Harvey. Dick Tracy intervenes to prevent a deadly lamping.
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Dan Greenfield, editor, 13th Dimension
Brides in Love #4, Charlton. What do you think: Was this the inspiration for Freda Payne’s Band of Gold 13 years later?
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Dennis the Menace #22, Pines. Like others, I will never look at Dennis the Menace the same way again after reading Peter Bosch’s dark history of the character. You won’t either.
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World’s Finest Comics #88, DC. Given that they’re the “Greatest Foes” touted in the copy, you’d think that DC would have put the Joker and Luthor on the cover. But hey, an iron box does the trick.
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Strange Adventures #80, DC. According to Hoyle, Uranus is the bottom card in that hand.
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Tales of Justice #66, Atlas. Featuring the talents of Joe Orlando, Marie Severin, Matt Baker and Carl Burgos, among others. Burgos did the cover.
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MORE
— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of March 11 — in 1971! Click here.
— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of March 4 — in 1978! Click here.
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Comics sources: Mike’s Amazing World of Comics and the Grand Comics Database.
