Posted By Dan Greenfield on Mar 26, 2025 | 1 comment

Scott and Dan hit up the comics racks from 55 years ago…

This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott Tipton and I are selecting comics that came out the week of March 26, 1970.

Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of March 19, 1973. 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 23 and March 29.)

So, let’s set the scene: The Vietnam War’s tentacles had reached Cambodia, which was riven by civil war. In mid-March, Gen. Lon Nol, the Prime Minister of the kingdom, led a coup d’etat and ousted Prince Norodom Sihanouk, who was out of the country on a visit to Moscow. Lon then prepared to abolish the monarchy and to declare the Khmer Republic with himself as President.

It only led to more upheaval. On March 28, Lon Nil, the prime minister’s brother and a government official, was captured by angry residents and beaten to death in the village of Tonle Bet. According to witnesses, Lon Nil’s liver was cut from his body, cooked, and served to the mob.

The next day, North Vietnamese Army forces invaded eastern Cambodia to assist the Cambodian Communist Khmer Rouge. The NVA would come within 15 miles of the capital, Phnom Penh, before being pushed back in a counteroffensive.

Lt. William Calley Jr.

Meanwhile, Americans were grappling with the revelations that U.S. troops had in 1968 committed the mass murder, torture and rapes of hundreds of civilians in My Lai, South Vietnam.

The horrors had become public in late 1969 and on March 17, the Army charged 14 of its officers for offenses related to the massacre. In most cases, the charges were dropped or officers were acquitted. Only Lt. William Calley Jr. would be convicted. He was originally sentenced to life in prison but only served about three years of house arrest.

IN OTHER NEWS

— On March 26, Peter Yarrow of the whistle-clean Peter, Paul & Mary pleaded guilty of charges related to a sexual encounter he had with a 14-year-old girl.

— The first issue of National Lampoon had just hit the stands.

Airport — the first of the ’70s disaster flicks and one that begat three sequels and the laugh-out-loud satire Airplane! — was the top movie at the box office. The all-star cast included Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jean Seberg, Jacqueline Bisset, George Kennedy, Helen Hayes, Van Heflin and Maureen Stapleton.

Other popular flicks included one of my all-time faves, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; Robert Altman’s MASH; Cactus Flower, starring Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman and Goldie Hawn (who won an Oscar for her performance); Patton; and Barbra Streisand’s Funny Girl — which had been playing since 1968.

Opening this week was Woodstock, the documentary that chronicled the previous August’s epochal rock concert.

Mayberry R.F.D., The Doris Day Show, Gunsmoke, Marcus Welby M.D., Family Affair, Hawaii Five-O, The Carol Burnett Show, The Red Skelton Show, Bonanza, Here’s Lucy and The Wonderful World of Disney were among the most popular shows.

Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, off their same-named, best-selling album, was in a six-week run atop the singles chart, with the Beatles’ Let It Be in the second slot (and John Lennon’s Instant Karma at No. 3).

The gorgeous composition by Paul McCartney, released earlier in March, masked the bitterness that had overtaken the band behind the scenes. In about two weeks, Paul would announce his departure from the group. Meanwhile, on March 27, Ringo released his first solo record, Sentimental Journey, a collection of pre-rock standards.

The band’s Let It Be album wouldn’t be released until May, but the compilation album Hey Jude was at No. 2 on the LP chart, with Abbey Road at No. 7. (John Lennon’s The Plastic Ono Band – Live Peace In Toronto 1969 was at No. 17.)

At No. 3 was Led Zeppelin II, at No. 4 was the Doors’ Morrison Hotel, and at No. 5 was Santana.

One record that didn’t chart was Lie, an album of songs by Charles Manson, who was awaiting trial along with his followers for August 1969’s Tate-LaBianca murders.

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Dan Greenfield, editor, 13th Dimension

Detective Comics #399, DC. Really strong period in Batman’s history, even beyond the classic Denny O’Neil-Neal Adams issues. (O’Neil wrote the main story here, with art by Bob Brown and Joe Giella; Adams did the cover.) A lot of eeriness and a lot of whodunnits, befitting the Detective name. And Robin was top-notch too. This ish’s story is by Frank Robbins, Gil Kane and Vince Colletta. I wish Kane had done a lot more stories starring Batgirl or Robin. And, push come to shove, that cover logo is probably my favorite in Detective Comics’ history (though it never should have been changed from the original).

Scott adds: Apparently, Commissioner Gordon has a very recognizable hand.

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Archie Giant Series Magazine #173, Archie. Oh, Archie, you are a card.

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The Mod Squad #6 and Room 222 #3, Dell. I can totally get how The Mod Squad would lend itself to a comics adaptation. Room 222? Yeah, not so much, even accounting for the mad bomber. But Karen Valentine was one of my earliest crushes.

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Thirteen #28, Dell. Still the creepiest name for a comic book ever. I’m not sure whether it’s better or worse that they didn’t even bother to update the cover from when it first ran in 1962.

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The Twilight Zone #33, Gold Key. Here’s what I wrote about this in Bronze Age Bonanza’s roundup of the TOP 13 COVERS OF MARCH 1970. “Look, I would have been plenty happy with a George Wilson cover featuring a hunter being menaced by gigantic mandrills. But gigantic mandrills that can shoot frickin’ laser beams from their eyes?! GENIUS.”

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

Silver Surfer #16, Marvel. Mephisto goes right for the Surfer’s throat here. So much for fiendish plots and machinations.

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Action Comics #388, DC. Always a big fan of the “What’s wrong with this cover?” motif. I especially like Brainiac in Mr. Mxyzptlk’s outfit.

Dan adds: I used to stare at the house ad for this. The idea of a red Batmobile just blew my mind.

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Rawhide Kid #77, Marvel. Ain’t nuthin’ worse than bein’ called a spineless yella belly, I reckon.

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MORE

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of March 19 — in 1973! Click here.

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of March 12 — in 1983! Click here.

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