Posted By Dan Greenfield on Mar 8, 2023 | 3 comments

Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 54 years ago…

This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott Tipton and I are selecting comics that came out the week of March 8, 1969.

Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of March 1, 1967. Click here to check it out.

(Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are technically the comics that went on sale between March 5 and March 11.)

So, let’s set the scene: Richard Nixon was in his first presidential term. Barbra Streisand’s Funny Girl, which was released the previous fall, was still a big draw at the box office. Meanwhile, film history was being made this week in a different fashion: Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather was first published — and of course would later be adapted into two of the greatest films ever made.

The sketch-comedy show Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In dominated the Nielsens. This week’s guests included James Drury, Werner Klemperer, James Garner, Gina Lollobrigida, Doug McClure, Connie Stevens and Flip Wilson.

The top-selling single was the socially conscious Everyday People, by Sly & the Family Stone, one of the most notable songs of the 1960s. The runner-up? Creedence’s Proud Mary. Over on the album charts, the Beatles held two of the top four positions: The Yellow Submarine soundtrack (No. 2) and the White Album (No. 4). At the top was Glen Campbell’s Wichita Lineman.

It’s all too much for me to take/The love that’s shining all around you…

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Dan Greenfield, editor, 13th Dimension

X-Men #56, Marvel. Neal Adams and Tom Palmer join Roy Thomas on X-Men, a popular run that helped usher out the original series before it became a reprint book.

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The Silver Surfer #6, Marvel. The Sky-Rider of the Spaceways by Stan Lee and the Buscemas. ‘Nuff said.

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Daredevil #52, Marvel. T’Challa and Matt Murdock team-up behind a groovy, surrealistic cover by Barry Windsor-Smith and Johnny Craig. Fab.

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The Incredible Hulk #116, Marvel. The Green Giant battles the Super Humanoid and the Leader to stop a nuclear war! High stakes brought to you by Stan Lee, Herb Trimpe and Dan Adkins.

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Scott Tipton, contributor-at-large, 13th Dimension

Batman #211. That is such a Julius Schwartz cover. You can always tell the covers where the concept came before the script.

Dan adds: Interesting time for the Caped Crusader. Post-Adam West, editor Schwartz began taking steps to ground Batman’s adventures once more. By the end of the year, the transition would be complete: Robin would leave for Hudson University, Batman and Alfred would close up Wayne Manor and move into the heart of Gotham City, and Neal Adams and Denny O’Neil would begin their much-ballyhooed collaboration.

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Star Trek #4, Gold Key. This cover is so cool, it could be used today.

Dan adds: I’ll go you one better, Scott: This is one of the greatest Trek covers of all time. Love it.

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The Flash #188, DC. Who knew Flash was so afraid of green?

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The Amazing Spider-Man #73, Marvel. I have to admit: I’ve heard the name as a joke for years, but I have no idea who Man Mountain Marko is. Is he like Kennesaw Mountain Landis?

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MORE

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of March 1 — in 1967! Click here.

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of Feb. 22 — in 1963! Click here.

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Primary sources: Mike’s Amazing World of Comics, the Grand Comics Database.