In my readings of 80s DC Comics from 1980 to Crisis, I've noticed DC slowly shedding its Bronze Age character and developing greater similarities with Marvel--at least as far as mainstream superhero titles. In some important ways DC fostered experimentation that would be instrumental in establishing the "modern age" of comics. But as titles like Firestorm, the Teen Titans, and to some degree Justice League of America become less distinguishable from Marvel's output, I feel like Superman retains a character uniquely its own.
Tuesday, January 14, 2025
Late Bronze Age Superman
In my readings of 80s DC Comics from 1980 to Crisis, I've noticed DC slowly shedding its Bronze Age character and developing greater similarities with Marvel--at least as far as mainstream superhero titles. In some important ways DC fostered experimentation that would be instrumental in establishing the "modern age" of comics. But as titles like Firestorm, the Teen Titans, and to some degree Justice League of America become less distinguishable from Marvel's output, I feel like Superman retains a character uniquely its own.
Thursday, January 9, 2025
DC Comics in 1983 (part 2)
Here are links to second half of my week-by-week reviews of the DC Comics published in 1983 by cover date. It was a real turning point that saw new characters, new directions, and a lot of experiment. Part 1 was last week.
- October 1983 (week 1)
- October 1983 (week 2)
- October 1983 (week 3)
- October 1983 (week 4)
- November 1983 (week 1)
- November 1983 (week 2)
- November 1983 (week 3)
- November 1983 (week 4)
- December 1983 (week 1)
- December 1983 (week 2)
- December 1983 (week 3)
- December 1983 (week 4)
- January 1984 (week 1)
- January 1984 (week 2)
- January 1984 (week 3)
- January 1984 (week 4)
- February 1984 (week 1)
- February 1984 (week 2)
- February 1984 (week 3)
- February 1984 (week 4)
- March 1984 (week 1)
- March 1984 (week 2)
- March 1984 (week 3)
- March 1984 (week 4)
Friday, January 3, 2025
DC Comics in 1983 (part 1)
1983 in many ways was an important year for DC Comics. New superheroes titles (Batman & the Outsiders, Omega Men, and Infinity, Inc.) with some new characters hit the stands in the wake of the success of New Teen Tians. At the same time, they took chances with different content in various (mostly limited) series (Ronin, Camelot 3000, Amethyst: Princess of Gemworld, Thriller, Nathaniel Dusk). And of course, a British writer by the name of Alan Moore took over the writing of Saga of Swamp Thing.
Here are links to my week-by-week reviews of the DC Comics published in the first 6 months of 1983 by cover date:
- April 1983 (week 1)
- April 1983 (week 2)
- April 1983 (week 3)
- April 1983 (week 4)
- May 1983 (week 1)
- May 1983 (week 2)
- May 1983 (week 3)
- May 1983 (week 4)
- June 1983 (week 1)
- June 1983 (week 2)
- June 1983 (week 3)
- June 1983 (week 4)
- July 1983 (week 1)
- July 1983 (week 2)
- July 1983 (week 3)
- July 1983 (week 4)
- August 1983 (week 1)
- August 1983 (week 2)
- August 1983 (week 3)
- August 1983 (week 4)
- September 1983 (week 1)
- September 1983 (week 2)
- September 1983 (week 3)
- September 1983 (week 4)
Thursday, December 26, 2024
Comics for Christmas
I hope everyone is having a good holiday season, whatever you celebrate. My holiday gifts included several comics related items as did a few peri-holiday purchases for myself. Here's the haul:
DC Comics Style Guide. This one I had pre-ordered some months ago, but it happened to show up in the week or so prior to Christmas. It is gorgeous, though with the material available digitally online, it's prior not as revelatory as it would have been a decade ago. Still very glad to have it.
Mighty Marvel Calendar Book. I got this one as a gift. It's an imposing tome, prompting my inlaws to wonder if I had a shelf big enough! There were more Marvel calendars in the late 70s-early 80s than I realized and its good to see them all in this format. I wish we would get a DC volume, too.
American Comic Book Chronicles. This full-color hardcover series from TwoMorrows is a great overview of comics history. Just before the holiday I picked up the newly released 1945-1949 volume, but while I was ordering I also snagged the only other volume I didn't have, the 1990s.
Wednesday, December 18, 2024
Spinner Rack Flashback: Star Light, Star Bright
Super-Star Holiday Special
The horror hosts are gathered for in the House of Secrets, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive and they (surprise) get into an argument about how can tell the best Christmas story: The Witches Three (from The Witching Hour) tell a story of a family saved from a shipwreck in the fog by the light of a star. Cain, caretaker of the House of Mystery, spins the next yarn where a greedy pawnbroker makes a deal with a mysterious stranger for all the goods in his shop for a diamond. The diamond turns into a lump of coal and the stranger is revealed to be Santa Claus. Finally, Destiny steps up to tell a shaggy dog story about a rocket pilot chasing a strange star in the future, only to break the time barrier as his own ship burns up...
"The Longest Night"
They meet a kid who is living in the bombed-out city who doesn't believe in miracles. Long story short, by the end of the story the kid does. Though it takes Easy Company killing a number of Germans and Rock blowing out the shrine's statute of Santa Maria first.
Even after being shown various celebrations, Superboy still isn't satisfied, so the Legion heads out in space to find the Christmas star to mollify him. As you would expect by now, a phantom star leads them to a planet where aliens are in dire need of rescue. After do-gooding, they still have time for a little cheer:
Wednesday, December 11, 2024
Spinner Rack Flashback: DC Special Series #21
Super-Star Holiday Special
Iffy history aside, it's a good enough intro for 4 seasonal tales in the DC universe.
"The Fawn and the Star"
It's Christmas eve, and Jonah Hex is after the Tull brothers across the snowy wilderness. He comes across a little girl and her father fighting over whether to kill a fawn with a hurt leg. Uncharacteristically, Hex sides with the girl and even bandages the animal's wound. To mollify the father, Hex agrees to get him something else for the family's Christmas meal. Maybe Hex's show of softness is due to a similar episode in his childhood. He saves a raccoon from a trap and nursed it back to health in the family barn. When his father found it, it wound up on the families dinner table.
Hex follows the bright star in the south and comes to a cave. The Tull boys are hiding there. In a firefight, Hex blows them up with dynamite, but somehow manages not to mangle them too badly to collect his bounty or destroy their stuff--which includes a bunch of provisions for the trail he takes back to the relatively greatful family. We can only hope the Tull brothers learned the true meaning of Christmas before their deaths.
Next up, it's Christmas Eve in Gotham...
Crime never takes the night off--someone even stole a star off the department store nativity scene-- but luckily neither does the Batman. He moves through the sleet-coated night to a party thrown by Matty Lasko. Lasko has a boat waiting in Gotham harbor and that's enough to raise Batman's suspicion. After Batman roughs up some goons, Lasko tells him it was a favor for an old cell-mate: Boomer Katz.
At a soup kitchen in Crime Alley, one old timer asks another about Boomer Katz and finds out Katz has got a job as a Santa at Lee's department store. The old timer leaves an envelope surprisingly full of money, and sheds his disguise on the roof, revealing himself to be the Batman. He's certain the only reason Katz would have gotten a job at a department store is to case the joint, and Lasko must have arranged his escape. It's a shame , too; Even Batman believed Katz had finally gone straight.
At the department store, Lee is having second thoughts. When his boss praises his skill as a Santa, it brings a tear to his eye. Out by the nativity scene, he tells Fats (a bald guy that holds a cigarette holder like a German in a movie) he can't go through with it. Fats isn't cheered by this turn, and he and his goons pull guns then force Katz to get them in to the store's service entrance. They're after the store's daily receipts. When they've got them, they plan to kill Katz, but he throws a box of ornaments at the thug and runs away. He's shot in the shoulder but manages to escape.
Batman hears the shots. He bursts through the window and saves the store manager from Fats, taking him down with a small Christmas tree. The manager tells Batman how the thugs forced Katz to help them and are now trying to kill him.
Inbeknowst to Batman, the thug has his gun to Katz's head and his holding him somewhere near the nativity scene. Batman has been unable to find Katz, but ironically, he's nearby talking to a cop. Batman looks up and notices the star is back on the nativity scene and its light is shining on--Katz and his would-be killer!
Batman saves Katz and takes out the thug. And that star?
Batman is pretty unconcerned, but I guess in a world with Superman and Green Lantern and what have you, stuff happens.
The holiday spirit moves us again, next week...
Friday, November 29, 2024
The Flashback Holiday Gift Guide
With the gift giving season looming, here are some gift suggestions for those in your life interested in the sort of media this blog focuses on:
Hey Kids! Comics! by Howard Chaykin: This collects the first limited series by Howard Chaykin about the history of comics from the 40s to the 2000s as seen through the eyes of three (fictional, though clearly inspired by aspects of real people) creators who got their start in the Golden Age. The through-line is the proof of the reputed Jack Kirby adage: "comics will break your heart, kid," or at least leave you embittered and angry, as editors and publishers profit from your work and fandom misunderstands the real history. There are 2 more volumes in the whole series.
The New Adventures of Batman: The Complete Collection: Holy Blu Ray, Batman! Featuring the voices of Adam West as Batman and Burt Ward as Robin (reprising their roles from the 60s TV series), this 1977 Filmation series was likely many young fan's first introduction to Bat-Mite and likely raised the profiles of Clayface, as well.
Wandering the Wild Wild West by Don Presnell: Its subtitle says it's a "critical analysis of CBS series" but I would say it's more a good overview of show. Still, a book well worth it for fans. There just aren't many WWW books out there!
The Atlas Artist Edition vol. 1: Joe Maneely: With this volume, Fantagraphics starts giving the Atlas Comics artists the same lavish showcases they've been giving the EC artists. The woefully under-appreciated Joe Maneely was a great place to start.
These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One by Marc Cushman and Susan Osborn: This volume and its companions are the most comprehensive guide to Star Trek the Original Series available. Cushman's commentary on the episodes as tv drama is limited (though as much as many other guides available), but he presents a wealthy of information on the development of each episode from story idea to final aired version, with quotes from interview with creative staff and memos from producers and network execs. If it has a flaw, it's that you wouldn't call the series concise; Every season is its on volume, and every volume is sizable.
Flash Gordon: Classic Collection Vol. 1: On The Planet Mongo by Alex Raymond and Don Moore: Mad Cave Studios is the latest company to undertake reprinting the classic Sunday strips. This volume covers January 1, 1934 to April 18, 1937, and includes additional background material and an introduction from Alex Ross. I haven't looked at this version to compared it the IDW or Titan reprints of the past, but hey, this one is in print!