Bronze Age | Magazines and Monsters!

Man-Thing #12, 1974

Posted on March 5, 2014 by billyd75

Although the cover is Gil Kane and John Romita Sr., we get some fabulous interiors by ‘Big’ John Buscema in this book! I know most don’t think of Man-Thing when they think Buscema, but believe me, his work on this title is second only to Ploog in my humble opinion. And that’s saying something, because Ploog is a legend in this genre, more so than Buscema.

In this story, we see a troubled writer, that seems to have a broken mind, and maybe a shattered spirit. We see over the course of a few issues, that this man, Brian Lazarus, is somehow tied to the titles shambling protagonist, Man-Thing! Are the people torturing Brian really there, or are they just figments of his imagination? Only Steve Gerber & ‘Big’ John Buscema could bring us this macabre story! Enjoy!

The Savage Sword of Conan #1, 1974

Posted on March 2, 2014 by billyd75

Alright, a new month, and we say goodbye to Jack Kirby, but in his absence, we will see another titan of the comic book industry that left us way to soon, in the form of ‘Big’ John Buscema! A week-long tribute to him, then on to another comic book icon! There’s no two ways about it, you have to start out with a tribute to John Buscema with that Cimmerian warrior, Conan! In the first issue of The Savage Sword of Conan #1 (cover by Boris Vallejo), we get to see Conan, as he’s doing his usual thing (partying, and getting into trouble), but then out of nowhere, as he’s attacked by some vagabonds, he’s assisted by the beautiful but dangerous, Red Sonja! The two then go on to have an adventure that includes rescuing a girl from being sacrificed on an altar by some evildoers!

Nobody could draw Conan like John Buscema (Barry Windsor-Smith did a fine job too), and when you see other renderings, you will find it to be true! Whether it was gulping down a flagon of ale, fighting in some desert war, or riding a horse across the wilderness, ‘Big’ John Buscema was king of Conan the Barbarian! Enjoy!

The Invaders- My Jack Kirby Finale!

Posted on February 27, 2014 by billyd75

Instead of the usual one issue spotlight, I’ve decided to send off February and Jack Kirby with a bang! Here are four awesome covers by the ‘King’, on one of my favorite series, The Invaders! He did some splendid covers for this book, and with Roy Thomas and Frank Robbins on story and interiors, respectively, you couldn’t ask for a better team effort! So, thank you, Jack Kirby, for your monumental contributions to the comic book industry! Enjoy!

Marvel Double Feature #21, 1977 (Originally Tales of Suspense #98 & 99, 1968)

Posted on February 24, 2014 by billyd75

In this, the penultimate post of February, and of my month-long Jack Kirby tribute, I give you a gem of a story! Captain America versus the Black Panther! You’ve got to love superhero fights, as they are almost as cool as super villain fights! In these two reprints, Cap heads to Wakanda at the behest of the Black Panther, but when he arrives, he’s attacked by that very same hero! Moments later, T’Challa tells Cap that he attacked him to make sure he was the real deal, and not an impostor. Both men know there are some shenanigans going on in the jungle, so they leave to investigate. They find some crazy device, but it’s very heavily guarded. They manage to subdue just about everybody, but then a beautiful spy knocks them both unconscious with some energy weapon!

After Cap and Panther have been revived slightly, they are being held against their will, but by whom? It doesn’t take long for their tormentor to make his presence known. It’s the nefarious Baron Zemo, and he’s out for revenge against Cap, and also wants to take over the world or some nonsense. Can Cap and the Panther get loose in time to stop him? Who is this mysterious blonde super-spy that seems to be helping Zemo? You must read this story to find out!

This issue is one of those rare instances where you get such a variety of work from Kirby. The jungles of Wakanda, outer space, the Panther’s lair, and everything in-between! Yes, you really get to see Kirby at the height of his powers in this one, and as usual, you wont be disappointed! Enjoy!

Marvel Spectacular #15, 1975 (originally Thor #144, 1967)

Posted on February 21, 2014 by billyd75

With only a few more posts left in the month of February, I really want to go out with a bang! What better way to showcase the talents of Jack Kirby, then to show some classic Thor! Lets be honest, nobody was better at drawing Thor. John Buscema did a fantastic job, and probably is the only artist to come close or equal Kirby’s greatness on this character (Pollard, Coipel, & Frenz were also quite good).

In this great issue, Thor and the rest of the Asgardians are besieged by someone called “The Living Talisman”. This entity has a tremendous amount of magical powers, so much power, that he even has the audacity to face the mighty Odin himself! In the end, we see an all out brawl between the emissaries of The Living Talisman, Thor, Odin, Balder, and every other Asgardian that can fight! A backup story starring Thor and the Warriors Three finishes off this fantastic issue!

Marvel’s Greatest Comics #64, 1976 (originally FF #82, 1969 )

Posted on February 18, 2014 by billyd75

So, here’s more greatness from the mind of Jack Kirby, Joe Sinnott, and Stan Lee. You can never get enough stories about the mighty Inhumans! In this crazy tale, Maximus the Mad, has gone off the deep end again, and he captures the Inhumans, and it’s up to the Fantastic Four to stop him, and rescue the Inhumans! These issues are really excellent, and Kirby does some of his best work in them! The inks of Joe Sinnott are good as well, and he definitely should get some love for his work on the FF as well! Take a look at some of the awesome pages! Enjoy!

As you can see, the characters are looking great as usual, but look at Lockjaw, and the prison holding the Inhumans! Only ‘King’ Kirby could make something mundane like a cage look so fantastic and incredible. Of course, you can say that about almost everything he did, but for me, the Fantastic Four issues really stand out above everything else. The Eternals are a close second, but his Fourth World, and The Demon (Etrigan) are also quite good. Not to mention his X-Men, Avengers, monsters, Captain America…oh, you get the point!

The Eternals #1, 1976

Posted on February 15, 2014 by billyd75

You know something, Jack Kirby’s return to Marvel yielded some comics that most think are slightly odd, but if you look closely, you’ll find a real gem in The Eternals! This fantastic book only lasted nineteen issues (plus one annual), but it really set a tone for things to come in the Marvel Universe. My favorite story of all time, is one that involves the Eternals. The story is called “Thor: The Eternals Saga”, and it’s an incredible journey through the history of not just Thor, but the Eternals, and the Asgardians as well!

In this first issue, we see Ikaris, as he’s befriended two humans. The humans are researchers that are looking through ancient ruins for proof of life beyond the stars. With the help of “Ike Harris”, they find more than they bargained for, and might not survive to tell the story!

Checkout these awesome pages drawn by Kirby (inked by John Verpoorten). You really see his unique style on full display! Enjoy!

Marvel’s Greatest Comics #57, 1975 (originally FF #75, 1968)

Posted on February 3, 2014 by billyd75

You know, I think Marvel reprints are great. Yeah, it would be nice to own the original books, but since I’m a pauper, this is the only way I’ll ever see these great stories (or in trade)! Seeing the wondrous artwork by Jack ‘King’ Kirby always puts me in a good mood, if I wasn’t in one already. In this feature, Lee and Kirby give us a wonderful tale about the Fantastic Four, as they prepare for another visit from Galactus. Well, before that visit is upon them, Reed, Johnny, and Ben, must battle duplicates of themselves that are programmed to kill them!

We also get some incredible cosmic work by Kirby, as he illustrates the awesome Silver Surfer, as he scours the space-ways! Sue however, is down and out, and being cared for by Crystal (of the Inhumans). By issues end, the team is making a deal with Galactus that will either save the world, or bring it to its doom! Check out these cool panels below by the one and only king of comics! See you back here in three days!

Monsters On The Prowl #16, 1972. “The Forbidden Swamp”

Posted on January 31, 2014 by billyd75

It’s no secret I’m a big fan of Robert E. Howard. And my favorite creations of his is Kull! Not only does Kull predate Conan, but he’s more of a thinker, a better leader, and he has a cool dude named Brule, that has his back in a scrap! In this issue, Kull must face the serpent cult, and their leader, Thulsa Doom! You see, this wizard is a man now, but later on, he would become more of a demon of sorts, defying death for centuries! He would live long enough to plague Conan a few times as well.

In this, his first appearance (Thulsa Doom), we see him befriend Kull, and even after Brule’s warning, Kull says that they will allow Doom to go with them to their destination. Of course, we the reader can see the devil in Doom’s eyes, but Kull seemingly cannot. A bout with a giant Plesiosaur, the serpent cult gone wild, and a betrayal on the horizon! An action packed issue from the awesome mind of the best fantasy writer of his time or any other! All hail Robert E. Howard!

The artwork by Marie & John Severin shows off what a great team they were indeed. The pencils, inks, and colors are all perfect for this genre. You really get a sense that they enjoyed working on a book like this, and I’m glad they did it! See you in three days for more comic book goodness, and don’t forget to check out my movie review (Cinema Sunday), too!

The Mighty Thor Annual #13, 1985 “And Evil Shall Inherit”

Posted on January 28, 2014 by billyd75

It would be extremely difficult for me to find a better comic in my collection than this one. Some might argue it isn’t the greatest story ever told, and I’d probably agree, but when you get a cover by Walt Simonson, and interior pencils by “Big” John Buscema you must agree it’s a top-tier issue! So, basically, that’s enough for me to call it one of the best issues I own. This tale involves the dark lord, Mephisto, as he attempts to use Ulik, the troll, to fight Thor. The first few pages show Mephisto plotting in his fiery realm. He tortures some of the tenants (stepping on them as he walks around), and the visuals are just dynamite!

Mephisto tricks Ulik into his service, and then he and Thor do battle. You see, Mephisto thinks he can get to Thor’s soul, now that he’s a bit sorrowful over his father’s death (recently, Odin died fighting the fire demon Surtur). Thor defeats Ulik after some back and forth, but this is only the beginning for Thor. Before he can even take another breath, he’s transported to Mephisto’s realm, and must match wits and brawn against this seemingly unbeatable foe.

The two spar verbally, and then physically, but Thor is no match for Mephisto in the demon’s home. The evil demon soon realizes though, that Thor has more resolve than he thought. Even after being tempted with the ghost of his dead father, and even his beloved Lady Sif, Thor will not be broken. Mephisto does show him that during his battle with Ulik, that a few bystanders were killed. Of course, Thor doesn’t believe him, as Mephisto is the father of lies. Mephisto releases Thor, but when he returns to Asgard, he realizes that Mephisto was telling the truth about the villagers. Thor then vows to use everything in his power to fight him forever. Mephisto laughs, as he basks in the hatred that flows from Thor this day.

Alan Zelenetz does tell a good story, and his contributions should not be understated. Honestly though, it’s tough to outshine masters like Simonson and Buscema, no matter who you are! See you in three days!

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