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Saturday, October 20, 2012

Adventure Comics # 334, July, 1965


Here we are with another mystery legionnaire tale, this one not playing fair in that we find out that the person under the metal mask is actually on this cover already. The last two pages of the story are here, also, complete with convoluted explanations. The letters page acknowledges artist Forte's illness but at that time it appeared to have become less of an issue.











Friday, October 19, 2012

Adventure Comics # 333, June, 1965


I count my comic book collecting as beginning in March of 1966 and yet I actually did have some comic books prior to that even though I couldn't read. Notable titles included CASPER THE FRIENDLY GHOST, HOT STUFF, X-MEN # 11 and...this issue of ADVENTURE. No idea where I got it but my copy was coverless. I had my mother read it to me endlessly as I started to recognize the words for myself. The plot's an epic one about Superboy returning to Krypton in the past along with some Legion members while others go back in time to ancient earth. Then the two planets go to war!




Thursday, October 18, 2012

Adventure Comics # 332, May, 1965


When I first discovered the Legion---and we're getting close to that point---I thought one of the coolest things about Lightning Lad was his robot arm. It almost made up for his weirdly cut diaper. Little did I suspect at the time that he got the robot arm as part of a truly tragic tale against the Super Moby Dick of space! This story would prove to be so popular that it was referenced again and again in later stories. Artist John Forte returns briefly but the inks from George Klein give the whole piece a Curt Swanish look.





Future DC writers Bob Rozakis and Cary Bates both have letters in this ish!




Interesting to note that DC was pushing BLACKHAWK, once one of the country's biggest selling comics but here long past its prime, in sub ads.


Aurora was lucky to get the jump on BATMAN marketing with this model, here still nearly a year before the camp TV series began. Once the boom hit, they already had bat-merchandise in the stores. I know I made my mother buy ME one right away!


Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Adventure Comics # 331, April, 1965



For some reason, whenever the Legion of Super Villains turned up in this series at this point they were the adult versions. It would still be several years before we even meet the teen versions of the villains.




Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Adventure Comics # 330, March, 1965


We meet yet another new Legionnaire, Dynamo Boy, but this one's a baddie and, in fact, continues into the next issue as such.  Swan continues on covers and Mooney's well-done but slightly off-model characters continue inside. 







Monday, October 15, 2012

Adventure Comics # 329, February, 1965


We knew it was coming and here it is, albeit somewhat anticlimactic, the return of the Bizarros to ADVENTURE. Okay, moving on now.






In 1965 DC was merchandising Superman all over the place. The main benefit of this would prove to be that all the connections were in place for the Batman success of a year later.






Sunday, October 14, 2012

Adventure Comics # 328, January, 1965


Another Swan cover but on the inside, John Forte's stiff, quirky art is replaced as of this issue by that of Jim Mooney, best remembered perhaps for his work on SUPERGIRL and later Marvel's SPIDER-MAN. Forte may have taken ill as his death was not long in coming after this.