Anthony Vukojevich covers DC 100 Page Super Spectacular 6

Original cover by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano; DC 1971. Anthony Vukojevich's website is here.

Atom & Hawkman #45

Atom & Hawkman #45 (On Sale: August 5, 1969) has a nice cover by Joe Kubert for this the last issue of the book. I never thought this book was a good idea in the first place as these two characters had little in common.

The book ends with a feature-length Atom/Hawkman story, "Queen Jean, Why Must We Die?" by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene. It was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom & Hawkman #44

Atom & Hawkman #45 (On Sale: June 3, 1969) has a wonderful Hawkman cover by Joe Kubert.

Hawkman stars in "The Ghost Laughs Last" by Robert Kanigher and Murphy Anderson. This one features the Gentleman ghost and Hawkgirl and was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB.

The Atom stars in "Hate is Where You Find It" by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Mark Grambau covers Justice League of America 45

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

Atom & Hawkman #43

Atom & Hawkman #43 (On Sale: April 1, 1969) has a cover by Joe Kubert.

Hawkman stars in "Come to My Hanging" by Robert Kanigher and Murphy Anderson. It was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB. The Atom stars in "Buzzin', Buzzin' -- Who's Got the Buzzin'?" by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom & Hawkman #42

Atom & Hawkman #42 (On Sale: February 4, 1969) has a great cover by Joe Kubert.

"When Gods Make Madness" is by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene. In this joint Atom and Hawkman story, Carter Hall and Ray Palmer are leaving a scientists' convention in Midway City, when they are attacked by a man with a tear gas grenade, which knocks out Carter. The Atom attacks him, but is startled to find the enemy is Carter's double. This man disappears in the symbol of Shiva, Hindu god of destruction.

Hawkman and the Atom jet to India, but their flight is attacked en route by locusts, and the pilot, another Carter Hall double, must crashland in India. Hawkgirl joins them there, and they are attacked by Brahma, god of light. The trio is overwhelmed by the faceless Nether-Man, and they are brought before Shiva, Brahma, and Vishnu, god of restoration.

Shiva explains that eons ago the three gods ruled, until a cosmic upheaval sent them to another astral plane. Later, they found a warp to a limbo in which dwelt souls between life and death. The Nether-Men came back to Earth with them, seeking their former worshipers. When they could not find them, Shiva vowed to create chaos to prove his power and punish mankind, just at the time the Halls were in the country. The god used Carter's face as a model for the Nether-Men for use in infiltration and spying, and also hypnotized Vishnu while he stole Brahma's sight and sanity.

The captive Atom disappears, apparently destroyed; Hawkman and Hawkgirl attack. She blinds Shiva, but is in turn restrained by Vishnu, and the Nether-Men knock out Hawkman. Atom reappears and removes Brahma's blindfold; the god then returns the Nether-Men and his fellow gods to the nether- dimension. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom & Hawkman #41

Atom & Hawkman #41 (On Sale: December 3, 1968) has another great cover by Joe Kubert. The book also has a new tweaked logo that will last till the book ends.

We begin with the Atom in "Return of the Seven-Year Dead Man" by Gardner Fox, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene. This book is Gardner Fox's last work on Atom and Hawkman as DC is about to squeeze him out of the business. Fox's career at DC began in 1937 with "The Mystery of San Jose Island," a Speed Saunders story in Detective #3.

Jason Madden, a former crook that has had amnesia, has been officially declared dead after being missing for seven years. When Madden sees the story in a newspaper, he recovers his memory. He expects his former partners to be attending his funeral, but neither man shows up. Madden learns that the Atom arrested Grabs Gannon, but Chuck Wheeler did not show up either.

Madden tracks down Wheeler, who has gone straight and is now a successful businessman. Madden tries to kill Wheeler, but the Atom intervenes. Atom then stops Madden from pulling the same robbery that Grabs Gannon had attempted. Wheeler turns himself over to the police for his old crimes. He is given a suspended sentence because of his charitable work and honest life.

We round out the book with Hawkman in "Yo-Yo Hangup in the Sky" by Gardner Fox, Joe Kubert and Murphy Anderson. Continuing from last issue, taking Harris back to his spaceship, Hawkman and his passenger encounter a gravity-defying car, which he rescues, despite being similarly affected. The car's passengers turn out to be bank robbers trying to make a getaway, and they try to shoot him, unsuccessfully.

Hawkman finally questions Harris, determining that his moonstone ring, bought that morning, is the teleportation device, and that the anti-gravity effect came from his own spaceship's grappler and repelling beams, accidentally activated by Harris when he was aboard. Reprinted in Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom & Hawkman #40

Atom & Hawkman #40 (On Sale: October 3, 1968) has a dramatic, but oddly foreshortened cover featuring both heroes by Joe Kubert. this is the last issue with the elongated "A" and "H" logo.

The Atom starts in "The Explosive Exploit of the Split-Atom" by Gardner Fox, Dick Dillin and Sid Greene. The Atom works with the FBI work on an undercover operation to trap a group of spies that are kidnapping scientists. An FBI agent disguised as Ray Palmer is kidnapped. Atom rescues him, but to their surprise the kidnappers are not the spies they wanted, just ordinary criminals who wanted revenge against Palmer.

The real spies have followed the crooks and are able to capture Palmer and the Atom. They take them back to their hideout where a Lobotikon extracts their secrets. Major Mynah comes to the rescue and frees the Atom who then defeats the spies.

The Hawkman story is "The Man with an Inbuilt Panic Button" by Gardner Fox, Joe Kubert and Murphy Anderson. When a carnival ride's cable snaps, Andrew Harris mysteriously teleports himself from danger. He appears inside Hawkman's spaceship, interfering with its orbit. As Katar rescues the ship, Harris again teleports away.

Hawkman had noticed Harris's moonstone ring, and uses the Lustrometer to track him to the home of Harvey Ellison, millionaire collector, which is being burgled. As he and the crooks battle, Harris vanishes again, this time taking along the crook holding him. Hawkman tracks them to a waterfall, and rescues both. Harris's teleportation power mysteriously vanishes. this story was reprinted in Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom & Hawkman #39

Atom & Hawkman #39 (On Sale: August 6, 1968). Say good-bye to the Atom, say good-bye to Hawkman, and say hello to the Atom and Hawkman book taking over the numbering from the Atom and sporting the first of seven wonderful covers by Joe Kubert.

They began this new merged book with a merged Atom/Hawkman story, "Vengeance of the Silver Vulture," by Robert Kanigher, Murphy Anderson and Joe Giella. The Halls and Ray Palmer, on vacation in Mexico City, are told a prophecy that wings will come between them. Shayera goes shopping alone, while Carter and Ray take a helicopter to see Mayan ruins where they rescue a boy from a trained puma. The animal was set upon him by the descendent of an ancient high priest because he had dared to stop an animal sacrifice. This priest, Tekla, has sent his followers into a dangerous mine to seek the Silver Vulture, an artifact which is a supposed harbinger of evil for the tribe. Katar stops them, and the Atom enters the mine instead.

He finds the statue, but it releases gases that cause him to hate all winged creatures. When he leaves the mine, he knocks out Hawkman, and the priest gets the Vulture. Shayera is summoned to help, but is captured by Tekla, anaesthetized, and dressed as a reincarnation of his high priestess. When her husband sees her, he fails to recognize her.

Hawkman sends a vulture to bring Ray back, but the Atom kills the bird. The Atom returns to the village with Miguel, the boy he had helped rescue earlier, and once there, a lightning bolt restores his senses. He frees Hawkman, Hawkgirl frees herself, and they overcome the Mayans. The Silver Vulture melts on the sacrificial pyre. Reprinted in Showcase Presents:Hawkman Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom #38

Atom #38 (On Sale: June 4, 1968) has a cover by Mike Sekowsky and Joe Giella.

"Sinister Stopover... Earth" is by Frank Robbins, Mike Sekowsky and George Roussos. While assisting the military with its testing of an airborne targeting system, Ray Palmer witnesses the disappearance of several paratroopers after the appearance of a UFO. Ray links the disappearance with that of Professor Alvin who goes missing while scuba diving with Jean Loring. Ray and frogman Jonah Wale investigate and are captured by aliens called Physalians. The aliens are using humans as hosts and taking them into nuclear power plants to gather energy. However, the radiation from the plants are killing the people. The Atom is able to save the possessed people and shut down the nuclear reactors which prevents the Physalians from feeding.

This is the final issue of the Atom, which will change names next issue and be rebord as Atom and Hawkman.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom #37

Atom #37 (On Sale: April 2, 1968) has a nice cover by Gil Kane and Sid Greene.

"Meet Major Mynah" is by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene. Ray Palmer joins an archaeological expedition in Cambodia. The team uncovers some golden treasure, but a mynah bird snatches one of them. Ray chases the bird as the Atom and uncovers an entire temple of gold statues. When Viet Minh soldiers discover the temple, the Atom fights them. The mynah bird even helps him survive an attack, but the bird is injured.

Ray takes the bird back to America when he returns. He names the bird Major Mynah and has Hawkman fashion special wings to overcome his injury. The Atom then uses Major Mynah for transport while defending the gold statues from being stolen by thieves. Jean Loring begins to suspect something when both the Atom and Ray have new birds, so Ray decides to make a disguise for Major Mynah's next outing.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Brave and the Bold #77

Brave and the Bold #77 (On Sale: February 22, 1968) has a cover by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito featuring Batman and The Atom.

"So Thunders the Cannoneer" featuring Batman and The Atom is by Bob Haney, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Batman suspects that a train known as the Brotherhood Express ,containing treasures from several countries, will be robbed as it passes through Gotham City. Batman discovers that many of the treasures have been replaced with fakes. When evidence shows that the crime was committed by tiny people, he calls the Atom for assistance.

The train was robbed by the Cannoneer, a circus performer who has blackmailed the midget girl Lilli De La Pooche into helping him. Batman tracks down a circus train containing the real treasures and battles the Cannoneer while the Atom duels the miniature girl. This story was reprinted in Showcase Presents the Brave and the Bold Batman Team-Ups Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited by George Kashdan.

Atom #36

Atom #36 (On Sale: February 1, 1968) features a really cool Gil Kane cover, as the action comes spilling out from inside the book. This will not be DC's only strange cover this month.

"Duel Between the Dual Atoms" is by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene. Al Pratt, the Atom of Earth-2, is set up on a blind date only to discover that his date has turned into a old woman. Other women on Earth-2 have also mysteriously aged. Unable to find a cause or a solution to the problem on his Earth, Al visits Earth-1 to see if a similar situation exists there.

Al tracks down the Atom of Earth-1, Ray Palmer, and discovers that Ray is ten years younger and has no memory of his Atom identity. Al brings Atom to Earth-2 in hopes that Ray will be cured. Ray's proper age is restored, but he becomes violent and begins fighting Al.

As the fight between the two Atoms continues, Al decides to take Ray back to Earth-1. Unfortunately, the trip takes a detour into an world between dimensions. Al finally takes the upper hand and returns to Earth-1 with Ray, who once again becomes young.

The young Ray Palmer has no memory of his Earth-2 counterpart and runs away. Reprinted in Crisis on Multiple Earths:Team-Ups Vol. 2 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom #35

Atom #35 (On Sale: December 7, 1967) has another cool Gil Kane and Sid Greene cover.

"Plight of the Pin-Up Atom" is by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene. Ray Palmer learns that the foster parents of his lab assistant Enrichetta Negrini were injured during a robbery at their home, he investigates as the Atom. The crooks return to the home to steal a collection American Primitive artwork. The Atom tries to stop them, but he is knocked out and taken prisoner. The gang leader tries to make the Atom a part of one of his other collections, but he fails to remove the Tiny Titan's size control belt.

Next is "Col. Blood Steals the Crown Jewels" also by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene. When Professor Hyatt pulls a strange jeweled object from the Time Pool, the Atom enters it to investigate. He discovers that the object is one of England's Crown Jewels. While in the past, the Atom stops an attempt by Colonel Tom Blood to steal the jewels. When he returns to the present, the Atom learns that Blood was later pardoned by King Charles, and he suspects that the attempted robbery may have taken place with the king's consent.

Lastly we have a "Demand Classic" reprint from Strange Adventures #41, "Last Day on Earth" by John Broome and Sy Barry.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Atom #34

Atom #34 (On Sale: October 3, 1967) has a cool cover by Gil Kane and Murphy Anderson. I loved those Gil Kane "big hand" covers!

Inside we have "Little Man -- You've Had a Big-Gang Day" by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene. I'm not sure why the Atom never caught on as a character. Shrinking down to sub-atomic size seems like it would open up a whole world of interesting stories, but the Atom never seemed that exciting. I don't know if the problem was secret identity Ray Palmer or a reliance on "bug-based" villains, but something just never worked right here. Certainly, the problem was not the artwork; Gil Kane was a master comic book illustrator of great invention.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.

Detective Comics #368

Detective Comics #368 (On Sale: August 29, 1967) has a very cool cover by Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson.

"7 Wonder Crimes of Gotham City" is by Gardner Fox, Sheldon Moldoff and Joe Giella. Batman and Robin respond to a robbery at a hockey arena. The gang escapes, but they leave behind a giant mascot with the number seven on his back. When the crooks strike again at an architectural fair using a bright light to blind everyone around them, Batman and Robin use snow goggles to shield their eyes. They manage to catch a few of the crooks, but the mastermind of the gang escapes.

Next the crooks use a giant Batman prop to create infrared light which enables them to see during a blackout. Again, Batman and Robin fail to stop the gang, but they are able to detect a pattern in the crimes. The crooks are basing their crimes on the seven wonders of the ancient world. Reprinted in Batman #258

The Elongated Man back-up "The Treacherous Time-Trap" is by Gardner Fox, Gil Kane and Sid Greene. While visiting Ivy Town, Ralph Dibny stops in the clock shop of Anton Teljas to repair his watch. Inside the shop he discovers that the Atom has been trapped in a booby-trapped clock by Chronos. The Elongated Man is able to help the Atom escape the trap and disarm the bomb. Atom then goes after Chronos alone.

Not wishing to be left out of the action, Ralph follows the Tiny Titan to find Chronos. While the Atom defeats Chronos, the Elongated Man discovers a gang of thieves trying to steal from the crook's lab. Reprinted in Showcase Presents the Elongated Man Vol. 1 TPB.

Edited by Julius Schwartz.