DC Super Stars Part I

DC Comics published a number of short-lived series in the mid 1970s that were either full or partial reprints. DC Super Stars is an example. Eighteen issues were published between March 1976 and August 1977. The first nine were all reprint as was 11. Issues 10 and 12 had reprints and a new story. Issues 13 to 18 were all new.

The series had little focus with 20 characters in 34 reprint stories originally published in 15 series. Four of the issues had a science fiction theme with Adam Strange as the lead character. Adam Strange is the only DC science fiction character from that era to have been reprinted in the Archives editions.

DC Super Stars 2 - April 1976

DC Super Stars 4 - June 1976

DC Super Stars 6 - August 1976

DC Super Stars 8 - October 1976

Gorillas Part I

The period 1960-1977 was the golden age of DC reprints. Hundreds of comics reprinted earlier DC stories. In the late 1980s DC began reprinting stories in their Archive Editions and other collected editions. These collections are much welcomed but they lack the charm and surprise of the earlier reprints. They are also much more expensive.

Here's an example dated Winter 1976. Super-Heroes Battle Super-Gorillas 1 was the only issue published. There are three stories, two of which were reprinted in the Giant Annual reprint series in the early 1960s:

"The Super-Gorilla From Krypton" from Action Comics 238 (March 1958). First reprinted in Superman Annual 7. The original cover is reprinted on the back cover of the Annual. The gorilla is not in costume in the story.

"Grodd Puts the Squeeze on Flash!" from Flash 179 (August 1967)

"The Gorilla Boss of Gotham City!" from Batman 75 (February-March 1953). First reprinted in Batman Annual 3 Super-Heroes Battle Super-Gorillas 1 - Winter 1976 Superman Annual 7 - Summer 1963 Superman Annual 7 back Batman Annual 3 - Summer 1962

1975 Giants Part I

The last of the 116 issue 100 Page Super-Spectacular series from DC Comics had an April-May 1975 date. Immediately after this DC published a short series dated April through July 1975 with "Giant" on the cover of only one issue in a few series. Here are a couple. The Giants are 68 pages.

Action Comics 449 reprints three stories - two Green Arrow and Speedy originally published in Adventure Comics 252 (September 1958) and 253 (October 1958)and an Atom from Atom 18 (May 1965). The two Green Arrow stories were reprinted again 25 years later in a small collection of stories illustrated by Jack Kirby. The two stories are connected and were edited when reprinted in Action Comics with the first page of the second story removed.

Tarzan 238 reprints United Feature daily newspaper strips from November 1971 to May 1972. They have been coloured and formatted for the comic page. There are 49 pages of Russ Manning art - all for 50cents.

Action Comics 449 - July 1975

The Green Arrow by Jack Kirby - 2001

Tarzan 238 - June 1975

DC 52 Part II

The new DC has come and gone - 52 #1s in September. A good time for me to say goodbye to DC and superhero comics after 50 years. For a long while the connection was tenuous with only two or three books a month but now it is clear that even that is a waste of time and money.

I picked up a few of the 52 and confirmed how awful the new stuff is. With one exception the stories and art are cliched junk. An example is Blackhawks which I enjoyed for many years when called Blackhawk. The characters are different which wouldn't necessarily be a problem if I enjoyed the new but I don't. So goodbye Batman, Superman, Flash - good luck in your new lives.

The old Blackhawk was revived a few times. The first series ended in 1968. In 1976 Blackhawk returned with new costumes and old numbering. This series was extended in 1982 with a second following in 1989.

Note the eye patch on the woman in 1989 and (how original!) in 2011.

Blackhawks 1 - November 2011

Blackhawk 244 - January/February 1976

Blackhawk 251 - October 1982

Blackhawk 1 - March 1989