David Dell'oso covers The Phantom 1

Original cover artist unknown; Frew Publications 1948. David Dell'oso's website is here.

John Reddinger covers Wildcats 4

Original cover by Travis Charest and Richard Friend; Wildstorm 1999. John Reddinger's website is here.

Detective Comics #387

Detective Comics #387 (On Sale: March 27, 1969) has a cover by Irv Novick. celebrating Batman's 30th anniversary.

"The Cry of Night is -- Sudden Death" is by Mike Friedrich, Bob Brown and Joe Giella. this story was reprinted in Best of DC #2 and Detective Comics #627. "The Cry of Night is -- Sudden Death" is basically an updated version of of the "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" from Detective #27, only from teenager Mike Friedrich instead of teenager Bob Kane. The plot follows the original fairly closely, only adding a conflict between Robin and Mel Lambert, Robin feeling Lambert must be guilty because he is such a disrespectful youth.

The back-up story is "The Case of the Chemical Syndicate" by Bill Finger and Bob Kane from Detective #27. This is of course the first Batman story. Commissioner Gordon receives a call telling him that Old Lambert, the chemical king, has been murdered. Gordon leaves for the crime scene bringing his millionaire friend Bruce Wayne. The prime suspect is Lambert’s son, but the boy claims to have found his father stabbed. A telephone call from Steven Crane, one of Lambert’s partners, reveals that Lambert’s life had been threatened.

Crane is also murdered by two thugs, who also steal a contract. They are confronted by a masked man on a rooftop, the Batman. Batman dispatches the hoods in short order, recovering the contract which leads him to the laboratory of another of Lambert’s partners, Alfred Stryker.

Stryker is being visited by the final partner, Paul Rogers. Rogers is knocked out and nearly killed by Stryker’s assistant, Jennings. Batman arrives in time to save the man and stop Jennings. Stryker also tries to kill Rogers to protect himself from the knowledge that he made secret contracts with the partners for control of the Apex Chemical Corporation. Batman rescues Rogers again, and knocks Stryker into a vat of acid, killing him.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Adventure Comics #380

Adventure Comics #380 (On Sale: March 27, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Mike Esposito.

"The Legion's Space Odyssey" is by Jim Shooter, Winslow Mortimer and Jack Abel and was reprinted in Legion of Super-Heroes Archives Vol. 9 HC. Hmm, guess what movie came out in 1969?

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Action Comics #376

Action Comics #376 (On Sale: March 27, 1969) has a nice cover by Curt Swan and Mike Esposito, who seemed to be inking a lot of DC covers this month.

"The Only Way to Kill Superman" is by Otto Binder, Curt Swan and Jack Abel. The Supergirl back-up is "The Hated Girl of Steel" by Leo Dorfman and Kurt Schaffenberger. Continuing from last issue, Marla Alexander blames Supergirl for the loss of her eyesight after studying the Claw Nebula. The students of Stanhope turn against the Girl of Steel when she is unable to find a cure. As a result, Supergirl avoids a science conference held at the Science Center.

At the conference, Marla and the other scientists are abducted by aliens from Rancor. The aliens explain to Marla that they were responsible for her blindness. They then plan to download the knowledge in the scientists' brains into their computers. Supergirl, who was disguised as Marla, destroys their machine that would have turned the scientists into vegetables. Supergirl then returns the scientists to Earth and uses the Rancor technology to restore Marla's sight.
Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Diego Jourdan covers The Adventures of Tintin: The Shooting Star

Original cover by Hergé; Casterman 1942. Diego Jourdan's website is here.

Anders Végh Blidlöv covers The Thing 15

Original cover by Steve Ditko; Charlton Comics 1954. Anders Végh Blidlöv's website is here.

Brent Engstrom covers Shazam! 21

Original cover by Bob Oksner; DC 1975. Brent Engstrom's website is here.

Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #92

Superman's Girl Friend Lois Lane #92 (On Sale: March 25, 1969) has a nice cover by Curt Swan and Neal Adams.

"The Unbreakable Spell" is by E. Nelson Bridwell, Curt Swan and Mike Esposito. Apparently Lois turns into a centaur in this one.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Girls' Love Stories #143

Girls' Love Stories #143 (On Sale: March 25, 1969) has a nice cover by Nick Cardy, but it seems like it was meant for a different book. the cover blurb is normally the name of a story, usually the last story in the romance book, but there is no story entitled "Love From a Stranger" in this issue.

We begin with "Love Today -- Cry Tomorrow" drawn by Wally Wood, which is followed by "Only Love Can Create" and an untitled Cindy the Salesgirl story both by persons unknown. Finally we have "End of a Dream" from Girls' Love Stories #40 and inked by Bernard Sachs.

Edited by Joe Orlando.

Dave Kiersh covers Puppet Master: Children of the Puppet Master 2

Original cover by Glenn Lumsden; Eternity, 1991. Dave Kiersh's website is here.

Jonathan Morris covers Brave and the Bold 68

Original cover by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson; DC 1966. Jonathan Morris's website is here.

Chi-Yun Lau covers Man-Thing 1

Original cover by Frank Brunner; Marvel 1974. Chi-Yun Lau's website is here.

Windy and Willy #1

Windy and Willy #1 (On Sale: March 20, 1969) has a cover by Bob Oksner. This is an updated version of the cover to Many Loves of Dobie Gillis #12 from 1962.

We have an untitled Windy and Willy story reprinted from Many Loves of Dobie Gillis #18 and written by either Lawrence Nadle or Bob Oksner and drawn by Bob Oksner. There are updates in the art to the clothing and hairstyles, something done in many of the romance comic reprints and the character names are changed to avoid copyright infringement.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Falling In Love #107

Falling In Love #107 (On Sale: March 20, 1969) has a cover the GCD says is inked by Vinny Colletta, but I don't think so. There is a weakness around the woman's face that Colletta was known for, but the boldness of the strokes in the wedding dress and all of the people in the background are not Colletta-like at all.

We begin with "A Kiss for Cinderella" from Heart Throbs #59 drawn by Arthur Peddy and Bernard Sachs. That is followed by "I Hated the Boy I Loved" penciled by John Rosenberger. Finally we have "One Love Too Many" inked by Vinny Colletta.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Will Dinski covers Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Movie II

Original cover by Jim Lawson and Lavigne; Archie Comics 1991. Will Dinski's website is here.

Teen Titans #21

Teen Titans #21 (On Sale: March 18, 1969) has a cover by Nick Cardy. I have always thought that Neal Adams had something to do with this cover, but apparently not.

"Citadel of Fear" is written and penciled by Neal Adams and inked by Nick Cardy. Continuing the story from Hawk and the Dove #5 and the first story of Teen Titans #22, on the trail of criminals, the Titans run afoul of the Hawk and the Dove, who are after the same gang for different reasons. After a brief altercation, Wonder Girl accompanies Hawk and Dove through a teleportation device to a gang hideout in Istanbul, while Robin, Kid Flash, and Speedy battle another segment of the organization in Berlin. Both teams are defeated and captured, but Hawk, Dove, and Wonder Girl escape in time to rescue Speedy from being crushed beneath a gigantic machine.

Hawk and Dove, sensing their mystic transformation back into Hank and Don Hall about to occur, are forced to abandon the case, leaving Speedy and Wonder Girl to search for Robin and Kid Flash, who are still prisoners of the Dimension X aliens. Reprinted in Best of DC #18 and Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Superman #216

Superman #216 (On Sale: March 18, 1969) has the rarest of rares, a Superman cover by Joe Kubert. It doesn't get much better than this!

"The Soldier of Steel" is by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Wow, would I like to have more information on this one.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Strange Adventures #218

Strange Adventures #218 (On Sale: March 18, 1969) has a cover by Neal Adams

We begin with Adam Strange in "The Planet and the Pendulum," reprinted from Showcase #17 and created by Gardner Fox, Mike Sekowsky and Joe Giella. Adam Strange is again transported to Rann by stepping into the path of the Zeta-Beam. This time he arrives in the ruined city of Yardana, where he is captured by the barbaric Zoora tribe. Believing Adam to be a sorcerer, the tribe take Adam to the Tower of Rainbow Doom. Surrounded by a rainbow of lights, Adam is teleported to Anthorann a nearby planet.

Adam discovers the wreckage of a spacecraft on the surface whose passengers include Sardath and Alanna. Alanna explains that the scientists from Samakand gave their technology to the people of Ranagar. This enabled Sardath to construct a spacecraft to travel to a lost colony on Anthorann. Their ship was attacked by a vessel from Morleen and forced down.

Adam, Alanna, and Sardath are met by a man from New Ranagar and taken inside the protective dome of the city. The aliens return using a giant pendulum to slice open the dome. Using a rocket pack and ray-gun found in the spaceship, Adam destroys the pendulum while dodging enemy fire. With the weapon destroyed, the aliens leave, and Adam once again returns to Earth when the Zeta radiation dissipates.

Next is "Interplanetary Insurance, Inc." from Mystery in Space #16 by Sid Gerson, Carmine Infantino and Sy Barry.

Lastly we have the Atomic Knights in "The Rise of the Atomic Knights" from Strange Adventures #117 by John Broome and Murphy Anderson. Gardner Grayle, a man who is statistically the average soldier, has survived World War III, which lasted only 20 days. In the post-holocaust world, all plant and animal life has been destroyed. The only remaining food supplies are being hoarded by a tyrant called the Black Baron.

Grayle is attacked by looters trying to rob him. He escapes, then helps another man, Douglas Herald, fend off the attackers. Grayle and Herald discover a set of six medieval suits of armor that have become resistant to radiation. The two men decide to use the suits to attack the Baron's stronghold. They recruit three other men to join the fight, leaving the last suit of armor behind because it is too small.

The five men assault the Baron's stronghold wearing the armor which resists the tyrant's rayguns. The Baron nearly kills Grayle, but he is rescued by an unknown person wearing the sixth suit of armor. After the Baron is defeated, the sixth knight is revealed to be Marene, Herald's sister. The six knights agree to stay together to fight for justice in the post-apocalyptic world.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Spectre #10

Spectre #10 (On Sale: March 18, 1969) has a pretty good cover by Nick Cardy as this title limps to its death.

We begin with "Footsteps of Disaster" drawn by Jerry Grandenetti and George Roussos.Charles A. Felix has been a criminal since he was young. He is repeatedly caught and punished for his crimes, but he never learned his lesson. Many times his punishment was foretold by a creaking staircase as an authority figure climbed the stairs to get him. After killing his former partner, Felix hears the creaking stairs again. This time it is the Spectre who is coming to get him. Felix collapses from fear and dies.

Next is "Hit and Run" drawn by Jack Sparling. Small-time hood Johnny Stull is haunted by dreams of hitting a kid with his car while fleeing police. The Spectre watches as Johnny's dream becomes prophetic and plays out in real life. However, Johnny acts to save the kid by swerving out of the way instead of hitting him. As a result, Johnny crashes the car and is killed, but the Spectre concludes that Stull isn't as evil as he originally thought.

That is followed by "How Much Can a Guy Take?" also drawn by Jack Sparling. In high school Allie Johnson was thought to be a nice guy who would grow up to become a lawyer or doctor. Instead Allie became a shoe shine man who can barely feed his family. Nichols, a former classmate, has become a financial success and taunts Allie daily while getting his shoes shined.

After considerable humiliation, Allie breaks down and tries to steal a briefcase from Nichols that supposedly contains a fortune. Nichols catches him, so Allie pulls a gun. The Spectre stops him from shooting, then shows him that the briefcase is empty. He also shows Allie that Nichols is a criminal. After preventing Allie from becoming a murderer, the Spectre takes retribution on Nichols.

We end with "Will the Real Killer Please Rise?" another Jack Sparling drawn story. The Spectre investigates two murders which he believes were committed by Vargo the Ventriloquist. The victims were former associates for whom Vargo carried a grudge. The Spectre tries to pull the truth from Vargo's mind, but he can't read it. He continues to watch Vargo in order to protect Sarah Frame, his next likely target. The Spectre barely discovers the truth in time that Vargo has been disguising himself as his ventriloquist dummy. The human Vargo is a robot which had no mind for the Spectre to read. The Spectre prevents Sarah's murder, and Vargo is arrested.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Date With Debbi #3

Date With Debbi #3 (On Sale: March 18, 1969) cover where Debbi has the same dark eyes as last two issues, so I am going to guess that this is also the work of Samm Schwartz.

Inside Debbie stars in "The Brain Game" and "The Cave-Man Cometh" by persons unknown. Flowers stars in an untitled story drawn by Phil Mendez and we end with another Debbie story, "The Minor Becomes a Drum Major" drawn by Henry Boltinoff.

This is the first of only three stories Phil Mendez would draw for DC comics, one in this and the next issue of Date With Debbi and one in Kissyfur #1 in 1989.

Phil Mendez started a comic strip in the Mercury Shopper’s Guide at the age of sixteen and was hired by Dancer-Fitzgerald-Sample at the age of eighteen as an assistant art director on the General Mills account. Phil freelanced on comic books at Charlton in 1966 and DC in 1969. He worked as a storyboard artist, head designer and layout director for Totem Productions' Voyager (NASA).

In 1970 he worked at Disney Studios on the feature film Robin Hood. He then worked for Fred Calvert Productions and Ron Campbell Films on projects including Nanny and The Professor, Sesame Street and the IBM specials The Great Blue Marble.”

Mendez designed presentations and layout work for Hanna-Barbara Productions on The Flintstones, The Jetsons, Scooby-Doo, The Yogi Bear Show, Hong Kong Phooey, The Buford Files, The Partridge Family, The Banana Split Show and more. He was hired by Mark Davis in 1975 as his assistant to design attractions for Disneyland where he worked on Fantasyland rides, Epcot Center and concept work for future Disney Projects.

He started his own company, Phil Mendez Productions, in 1982 where he designed the original presentation and characters for An American Tail and “Rose Petal Place. He created the children’s shows Kissyfur and Foofur, and he wrote The Black Snowman which won the Martin Luther King “Living the Dream Award” in 1991 (to date the book has sold over 1.7 million copies.) You can see much of Phil's work on his website. You never know who you are going to find in these old DC Comics.

Edited by Dick Giordano

Ben Newman covers Detective 284

Original cover by Sheldon Moldoff; 1960 DC. Ben Newman's website is here.

Kelli Nelson covers Batman 195

Original cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson; DC 1967. Kelli Nelson's website is here.

Noel Tuazon covers The Destructor 1

Original cover by Larry Lieber and Wally Wood; Atlas comics 1975. Noel Tuazon's website is here.

World's Finest Comics #184

World's Finest Comics #184 (On Sale: March 13, 1969) has a cover by Curt Swan and Mike Esposito.

"Robin's Revenge" an imaginary take is by Cary Bates, Curt Swan and Jack Abel and was reprinted in Batman: The Strange Deaths of Batman TPB.

The Martian Manhunter back-up, "John Jones' Farewell to Earth" is reprinted from Detective Comics #267 and was drawn by Joe Certa. J’onn discovers a Jovian spacecraft in the park. The jovians explain that they are searching for a criminal from their planet, but cannot leave the ship into the rain due to their weakness to water. J’onn agrees to help capture the crook in exchange for transport to Mars.

J’onn tracks down S’Vor, the alien criminal and defeats him with water. He returns him to the security officers and prepares to leave Earth. However, the crook has left behind several bombs. J’onn decides to stay behind and defuse the bombs. The aliens are forced to leave without him.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Seance

Of the half-dozen Kiyoshi Kurosawa films I've seen, he either hits it out of the park (Cure, Pulse) or makes a muddled mess (Charisma, Doppelgänger). One exception, however, is Seance, which is a little of both (leaning heavily towards the muddled mess side of the equation). While the film has its moments, the principle issue is that, in attempting an interpretation of the 1961 novel Seance on a Wet Afternoon by Mark McShane, the director strays so far from the source material that when he finally gets around to addressing it, the incongruities in plot and characterization completely undermine the film.

In the original story, an ambitious medium decides to advance her career by perpetrating a kidnapping and then helping the police solve the case. In Kurosawa's film, the Japanese lady psychic has no such intentions, and only hits on the idea once a little girl, kidnapped by someone else, appears in an equipment case belonging to her sound engineer husband (how the kid gets in there is another problem with the film, a twist to beggar anyone's willing suspension of disbelief).

On the plus side, there's Kurosawa's go-to guy, the always-great Koji Yakusho as the psychic's supportive yet beleaguered husband. And there are certainly some creepy moments, particularly after the couple inadvertently kill the little girl. However, the film is ultimately defeated by what my Stone Bridge Press label mate Jerry White calls (in his The Films of Kiyoshi Kurosawa) the director's "sometimes unfortunate disregard for narrative coherency." Seance comes nowhere near Pulse, Kurosawa's apocalyptic ghost epic. It's a small film, smaller than it should be, and will only appeal to fans of this sometimes-great director.

Showcase #82

Showcase #82 (On Sale: March 13, 1969) has a cover featuring Nightmaster by Joe Kubert. It also has added "Preview" to the appellation and a large DC logo. The irony of this is that this is one of the few three-issue tryouts that never went anywhere. And yeah, before there was a Conan comic at Marvel, DC tried sword and sorcery.

"Some Forbidden Fate" is by Denny O'Neil, Jerry Grandenetti and Dick Giordano. Thousands of years ago, the mighty warrior Nacht was driven from his other-dimensional world of Myrra by his rival Brom and the evil magician Farben. While Nacht's magic Nightsword inserted itself into a stone pillar, Nacht himself ended up on Earth where he settled down under his family name of Roke.

In 1969, Jim Rook, lead singer of the rock band called the Electrics, entered an abandoned store on Manhattan named Oblivion, Inc. and is magically transported to Myrra. One of Nacht's descendants, Rook reluctantly claimed his ancestor's Sword and became the new protector of Myrra – the Nightmaster. Although Rook really wantd to return to Earth, he finds himself in the midst on the conflict between Myrra's King Zolto and the evil Warlocks, when the Warlocks captures Rook's girlfriend, Janet Jones.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Phantom Stranger #1

Phantom Stranger #1 (On Sale: March 13, 1969) has a cover by Bill Draut.

Fresh from his Showcase tryout we have the Phantom Stranger. We begin with "When Ghosts Walk" from Phantom Stranger #1 (1952) by John Broome, Carmine Infantino and Sy Barry. Three friends share a plane flight that ends in a fatal crash. Sometime after the crash, ghosts appear and carry out the plans of the dead men that they were unable to complete.

The ghost of Carson Rand attempts to take papers from Edgar Jones which were to be used to blackmail him. The ghost is stopped by the Phantom Stranger. Next the ghost of Bart Benson appears to break a unbreakable bronco. The Phantom Stranger appears to and reveals that it was a trick.

Finally, the apparent ghost of John Martin contacts his fiancee, Margo Phillips. The Phantom Stranger once again appears. The Stranger unmasks the ghost as Matt Wright, a night club employee which Margo caught stealing. Matt had used the ghosts to disguise his true goal of killing Margo. The Stranger's arrival saves Margo and exposes the ghostly hoax.

Next is Doctor 13 in "The Hermit's Ghost Dog" from Star Spangled Comics #125 by Francis Herron and Leonard Starr.

Lastly is the only new material in the book, "Defeat the Dragon Curse ...or Die" by Mike Friedrich and Bill Draut. This new story was reprinted in Showcase Presents Phantom Stranger Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited by Joe Orlando.

Justice League of America #71

Justice League of America #71 (On Sale: March 13, 1969) has a cover by Mike Sekowsky and George Roussos.

"...and So My World Ends" is by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene. The new, powerless Wonder Woman and her martial arts mentor I-Ching appear in this issue and the Martian Manhunter leaves Earth. Reprinted in Justice League of America Archives Vol. 9 HC.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Binky's Buddies #3

Binky's Buddies #3 (On Sale: March 13, 1969) has a cover by Bob Oksner.

Inside we have Binky's Buddies in "Mad, Mad Method Actors," Binky in "Change for the Worse," Benny in "Benny's New Car" and "Blow It Out of Your Pipe," Buzzy in "Wolfie at My Door" and Binky in "Private Enterprise." I have no informain on who is resposnible for any of this.

Edited by Joe Orlando.

Angel and the Ape #4

Angel and the Ape #4 (On Sale: March 13, 1969) has a cover by Bob Oksner and a new craptastic logo.

Inside we have "Remember the Chow Mein," "The Case of Trouble on the Talk Show" and "Cheapskater's Waltz" all penciled by Bob Oksner and inked by Wally Wood.

Edited by Joe Orlando.

Brian Ralph covers Master of Kung Fu 22

Original cover by John Buscema and Joe Sinnott; Marvel 1974. Brian Ralph's website is here.

Michael DeForge covers Batman 537

Original cover by Kelley Jones and John Beatty; DC 1996. Michael DeForge's website is here.

Young Love #74

Young Love #74 (On Sale: March 11, 1969) has a nice cover by Nick Cardy.

This issue begins with a Lisa St. Claire story followed by "Love Came Too Late" from Heart Throbs #64, both by persons unknown. The issue ends with "Hide Your Love" drawn by Alex Toth.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Our Fighting Forces #119

Our Fighting Forces #119 (On Sale: March 11, 1969) has a Lt. Hunter's Hellcats cover by Joe Kubert.

Inside we have Lt. Hunter's Hellcats in "Bedlam in Berlin" by Robert Kanigher and Artie Saaf. That is followed by "Home..." by Howard Liss and Fred Ray and and "This Story Has No Title" a reprint from All-American Men of War #4 by Robert Kanigher, Gene Colan and Bernard Sachs.

Edited by Joe Kubert.