Adventure Comics # 503, September, 1983

Whew! We made it! Issue # 503, the final issue!The main image is a rather awkward looking Ross Andru sketch but the back cover and presumably the similar front border are by Howard Bender and Pablo Marcos, offering a tribute to characters long gone. How anyone could make out the teeny figures on the original digests, I don't know.

The Legion stories would continue for a time in their own digests. 

A double dose of Aquaman this time to get us to a stopping point but editing out the Deadman sequences that tied in with this section. 

The Spectre doesn't appear, leaving room to finish up the Zatanna reprints as well.

One final surprise is the first ever ADVENTURE appearance of Simon and Kirby's NEWSBOY LEGION and their Guardian. The Guardian even gets a nifty back cover logo that I don't believe was ever used again.

The final LSH appearance is, in fact, a Jimmy Olsen tale, quirky, fun and a tad misogynistic as always.

A brief cover gallery takes us back to teh very earliest days. Few if any readers at this pount were there when it all started. Or born.

Well, there you go. It's been a blast going down memory lane and hopefully introducing you all to the various wonderful--and not so wonderful--features that make up the history of ADVENTURE COMICS. The title has. in recent years, been revived, and even the Legion returned to it. But make no bones about it, numbering or not. It's a different title. ADVENTURE COMICS ran 503 issues...and here they all are.

Coming up next? Not sure yet but suggestions have been made that I make the World's Finest Blog. While I thought I already had, we'll see...

When I get my new computer. Please contribute to our fund if you can. We're almost there.

Thanks.

Out.

END

Adventure Comics # 502, August, 1983

We begin this penultimate issue of the original run with a striking Dream Girl image courtesy of Ed Hannigan and Klaus Janson. Our old friend Zatanna returns and the psychedelic sixties art continues on AQUAMAN and THE SPECTRE. Be back tomorrow for the final issue after more than 45 years.

Adventure Comics # 501, July, 1983

Just to show they weren't limping to the finish line, behind this memorable Ed Hannigan/Paris Cullins cover we have a new reprint. In fact it's the most famous of Lou Fine's classic tales of The Ray. Also a couple more of the LSH pin-ups, uncredited and unidentifiable. Looks like Jack Abel inks on the Subs one though.

Adventure Comics # 500, June, 1983

Here we are! The 500th issue! Bigger (and more expensive!) than normal! And appropriately enough, it's ALL Legion of Super-Heroes. Every one of the stories was previously in ADVENTURE except for the one -off Jimmy Olsen oddity. 

Along with Levitz' Legion lore, we get a nice--if woefully short--three page piece from E. Nelson Bridwell in recognition of the milestone. Most likely, the word was already out that the book would only last a few more issues, though.