Challengers of the Unknown #72

Challengers of the Unknown #72 (On Sale: December 2, 1969) has a cover by Neal Adams.

The Challengers of the Unknown star in "A Plague of Darkness" by Denny O'Neil, Dick Dillin and Frank Giacoia. The back-up story is "Nobody Lives Forever... or Do They?" by Dave Wood and Lee Elias.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

DC Special #6

DC Special #6 (On Sale: November 11, 1969) has a beautiful cover by Neal Adams with a really big logo for The Wild Frontier issue.

We begin with Daniel Boone in "Son of Chief Black Fish" from Legends of Daniel Boone #1, drawn by Nick Cardy. Next is Tomahawk in "The Junior Ghost Patrol" from World's Finest Comics #69 by Dave Wood and Nick Cardy. That is followed by Davy Crockett in "War Stick of Chief Fighting Elk" from Frontier Fighters #4, drawn by John Prentice. That is followed by Kit Carson in "The Raiders of the Oregon Trail" also from Frontier Fighters #4 and drawn by Howard Sherman. We have Buffalo Bill in "Young Bill -- of the Pony Express" from Frontier Fighters #6 by Dave Wood and Joe Kubert. We end with Pow-Wow Smith in (The Tenderfoot Deputy) from Detective Comics #178 and drawn by Leonard Starr.

Edited by Dick Giordano.

Unexpected #116

Unexpected #116 (On Sale: October 7, 1969) has a cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with a Mad Mod Witch story, "Express Train to Nowhere" by Dave Wood and Artie Saaf. Four passengers board a train to, well, we are not sure. they are Alex, just fired from his job for having no imagination or drive; Doc, a brilliant surgeon leaving the city to become a country doctor because of shaky hands; Linda, an artist who flopped int he big city and is now heading back home in shame, and Zaroff, a circus aerialist who turned to crime to make ends meet, now on the lam.

The train heads into a strange mist and stops. The four exit the train only to find a world of zombie like automatons. They realize their train has vanished in the mist so they attempt to follow the automatons but find themselves trapped by an electronic barrier. Alex convinces Linda to use her makeup to make him look like one of the automatons and in his disguise he is able to pass through the barrier. With Linda's help they all get free.

Only now they find their path blocked by a giant skull. Though Doc doesn't think he can do it, they talk him into climbing the skull and using Linda's nail file and scissors he is able to operate on the skull, triggering the jaw to open. Inside they find a path that eventually is bisected by a deep chasm. Zaroff uses their shirts and jackets to make a rope and uses it to carry Linda across the chasm, like walking a tightrope. Doc realizes that he has seen Zaroff's face on a wanted poster and wants nothing to do with him, but the others convince him to use the improvised rope to cross with them.

Once on th other side they hear the sound of a train whistle in the distance and make a run for it, finding the train pulling out just as they get there. In a mad dash they all make it and the train ends up back where they started. But Linda now has confidence in her artwork and decides to stay, Alex feels he has plenty of imagination and aggressiveness and decides he will prove it, Doc realizes he still has some surgical skills and notices how steady his hands now are, and Zaroff decides to turn himself in and take his punishment. As Alex leaves he knows that once he feels he is a success he will be looking Linda up.

Next is "Steps to Disaster" drawn by Pat Boyette. A Dutch cobbler finds a piece of mahogany floating int he water and decides to make some wooden shoes out of the beautiful wood. A worker in the tulip fields kills his boss and takes the payroll and heads out of town, planning to steal a boat for England. One night a week later he sees the cobbler making shoes and needing shoes he steals the mahogany ones and kills the cobbler. He then steals a sloop and heads for England, but is pulled out to the deep Atlantic by a storm, being pulled ever northward for days. A sudden lurch tosses him into the water where the wooden shoes begin to pull him down. He sees an iceberg as a spectre of death and then sees hundreds of skeletal people trapped in an ice prison. A giant face materializes saying that it is his own evil that has brought him to this place. The shoes pull him under and as he dies the shoes slip from his feet sinking to the bottom where they come to rest at the wreck of the Titanic, where the mahogany beam had come from. Reprinted in Unexpected #162.

Next is "Mad To Order" a one-pager inked by Murphy Anderson. I don't know who penciled it. In it a man invites two tailors into his room for a fitting of a new jacket, but finds the jacket too small, too tight and too constraining. As they leave the room we see him in a straight jacket in his cell saying how he will never by anything from them again.

That is followed by "Ball of String" drawn by Bernie Wrightson. Ethatn had been saving string since he was a small boy and had amassed a gigantic ball, when his landlord threw him our for keeping "that sphere of rubbish." In a fit of rage Ethan kills his landlord and wraps his body up in the ball of string. He places the ball into an open carriage and heads out for the country to bury the body. However, his cat had grabbed a hold of the end of the string and as Ethan drove through town the ball was slowly unwinding, revealing the body inside to a passing policeman. Reprinted in Unexpected #161.

Lastly is "Ashes to Ashes, Dustin to Dust" by Murray Boltinoff and Sid Greene.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #115

Unexpected #115 (On Sale: August 7, 1969) has a cover by Neal Adams.

We begin with "Diary of a Madman" by Carl Wessler and Ed Robbins. Some sources indicate that this was the last story Ed Robbins drew for DC, others say he drew some war stories in 1970 and 1971, but I haven't tracked those down yet. Robbins' last comic book work appears to be for Western in Grimm's Ghost Stories in 1975-76. Born in 1919 Ed Robbins died in 1982.

He was one of those guys who worked everywhere, but rarely made a name for himself. He worked at the Beck and Costanza Studio between 1942 and 1953, the Iger Studio in 53-54 and the Simon and Kirby Studio in 1955.

For Archie he drew Roy, the Super Boy, the Scarlet Avenger, The Shield, Steel Sterling and Zamboni, the Miracle Man. At Centaur he drew Craig Carter and the Masked Marvel. At Charlton he crime and war stories. At DC he drew Gang Busters in the 50s and horror, romance and war stories in the 1960s. At Dell he drew horror stories in the early 60s and at Feature Comics he drew romance stories during the late 50s. At Fawcett he drew romance comics for years along with Captain Marvel, the Marvel Family and Mary Marvel. In the 40s and 50s he work for Atlas/Marvel on the Black Avenger, the Human Torch, the Thunderer and assorted horror and war stories. He did one story for Warren in 1970.

If Ed Robbins ever made a name for himself though, it was during his two-years stint on the Mike Hammer newspaper strip in the 1950s, where his hard-boiled gutsy graphic style was years ahead of the British strips of the 60s, such as Jim Holdaway on Modesty Blaise and Yaroslav Horak on James Bond (I used to follow both of these strips in the wonderful Menomonee Falls Gazette in the 1970s).

Next we have "Abracadabra -- You're Dead" by Dave Wood, Curt Swan and Jack Abel. We end with "The Day Nobody Died" by Dave Wood, Werner Roth and Frank Giacoia. This story was reprinted in Unexpected #161.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #114

Unexpected #114 (On Sale: June 5, 1969) has an unimpressive cover by Neal Adams.

We begin with Johnny Peril in "My Self -- My Enemy" by George Kashdan, Ed Robbins and Vinnie Colletta. That is followed by our cover-story, "The Well of Second Chances" by Dave Wood and Artie Saaf.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #113

Unexpected #113 (On Sale: April 3, 1969) has a cover by Neal Adams. Its another of Neal's image within an image pictures.

We begin with Johnny Peril in "The Shriek of Vengeance" by George Kashdan, Jack Sparling and Vinny Colletta. Next is "The Eyes of Death" by Dave Wood and Pat Boyette. We end with our cover-story, "The Tunnel of Fear" by Dave Wood, Curt Swan and Mike Esposito.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #112

Unexpected #112 (On Sale: February 6, 1969) has a nice cover by Neal Adams.

Johnny Peril stars in "The Brain Robbers" by George Kashdan and Jack Sparling. "Burn, Match, Burn" is by Dave Wood and Artie Saaf and "The Corpse That Didn't Die" is by Dave Wood and Pat Boyette and was reprinted in Unexpected #162.

Dave Wood's (AKA D. W. Holtz and D. W. Holz) first writing for DC was in Big Town #1, January 1951. In the early '50s he also wrote a number of Strong Bow stories for All-Star Western and Foley of the Fighting Fifth for All-American Western and Western Comics. He wrote for numerous issues of Rex the Wonder Dog beginning with issue #1 and pulled a long stint on the DC war books, All-American Men of War, Our Army at War and Star Spangled War Stories.

For World's Finest Comics he wrote Green Arrow, Tomahawk and Batman/Superman stories. He also wrote Batman stories in Batman and Detective Comics and Superman stories in Superman. For Mystery In Space he wrote Adam Strange, Space Ranger and Ultra the Multi-Alien (Dave's creation) and for Strange Adventures he wrote Star Hawkins and Animal Man (Dave's creation). Dave Wood also wrote a number of Dial H for HERO stories for House of Mystery and the Martian Manhunter for House of Secrets.

In 1968 he made the rounds of the Mort Weisinger books doing Supergirl in Action Comics and the Superboy and Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen features, but by 1969, Dave was relegated to this single Murray Boltinoff mystery title, where, except for a fill-in back-up story in the Boltinoff-edited Challengers of the Unknown (a story most likely written for the Unexpected), Dave would finish his career at DC.

Before coming to DC, Dave wrote Blackhawk stories for Quality from 1940-1949 and wrote Bombshell for Lev Gleason. During his time at DC Dave also wrote adventure stories for Harvey Comics and between 1958 and 1960 wrote the daily syndicated strip Sky Masters of the Space Force drawn by Jack Kirby and Wally Wood.

I don't know why Dave left DC or what happened to him after he left DC except for a single story he wrote that appeared in Creepy Magazine in 1971. This was the time when the old guard of writers were being pushed out and Dave Wood was most likely just part of that push. Dave's stories in Unexpected would appear regularly for the rest of 1969, then in three issues in 1970 then one issue in 1971, 1973, 1974 and finally in 1975.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #111

Unexpected #111 (On Sale: December 5, 1968) has a cover by Nick Cardy.

We begin with Johnny Peril in "Mission into Eternity" by George Kashdan and Jack Sparling. Next is the cover story, "The Wheel of Misfortune" by Dave Wood, Jerry Grandenetti and Bill Draut. Lastly is "The Baby Who Had... But One Year to Die" by Dave Wood and Angel B. Luna. This story was reprinted in Secrets of Sinister House #18 and is the only artwork by Angel B. Luna I have ever heard of, though I have seen the name listed on a site of Filipino comic artists.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff

Unexpected #110

Unexpected #110 (On Sale: October 8, 1968) has a new logo and one of the creepier Neal Adams covers amplified by some wonderful color work.

We begin with a Johnny Peril story "Death Town, USA" by George Kashdan and Jack Sparling. That is followed by "Half a Man is Better Than None" by Dave Wood and Bill Draut and "The Last Executioner" by Dave Wood, Jerry Grandenetti and Bill Draut.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Challengers of the Unknown #65

Challengers of the Unknown #65 (On Sale: October 1, 1968) has a odd looking cover by Jack Sparling.

"The Devil's Circus" is by Robert Kanigher and Jack Sparling. The Challengers receive a cryptic message from a mental patient that was found wandering the highway. The message leads them to Cobra Canyon where a giant alien awaits. The alien from the planet of Dread captures the Challs and forces them to battle insect creatures in an alien circus. The team members survive their battles, then lead the alien into a pit of quicksand.

The back-up story, "The Freezing Sun," is a reprint of the Challengers of the Unknown origin story from Showcase #6 and is by Dave Wood and Jack Kirby. Four men, Rocky Davis, Ace Morgan, Red Ryan, and Prof. Haley are scheduled to appear on the television show "Heroes". Ace is piloting the plane carrying the men to the show. The plane runs into poor weather, causing it to crash. The men miraculously survive. Red’s watch which should have been destroyed works perfectly, causing Ace to suppose the men are living on "borrowed time". At Prof’s suggestion, the men band together to take more risk as the Challengers of the Unknown.

A request for the daredevil services comes in from Morelian, an alleged descendant of Merlin. His assignment for the Challs is to open a mystic box that has four segments.

On a deserted island, Rocky opens the first compartment. Inside is a giant egg which hatches overnight into a giant humanoid creature. The creature walks across the ocean destroying ships and taking Red in the process. Ace and Prof. pursue the monster which eventually drops Red. Prof. eventually figures that the monster is composed of pure thought and wishes the creature away.

Red is returned to the island where Rocky has opened the second segment of the box. A freezing sun is inside which draws the heat from everything, freezing Rocky. Red manages to trap the sun in a vacuum sealed container.

Ace and Prof. return to the island, and Ace opens the third segment. A device which spins a web of plastic flies out at tremendous speed. The Challs follow the device to Australia, eventually gaining control over it with the container it was originally contained in.

When the Challs return to the island, Morelian has opened the final section of the box. Inside is a ring which supposedly gives him immortality. He flies off in his plane, but quickly crashes down upon the box. The box has what contained the immortality not the ring, which was sudden death.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Superman #211

Superman #211 (On Sale: September 17, 1968) has a fairly cover by Curt Swan and Jack Abel.

"You, Too, Can Be a Super-Artist" is by Frank Robbins, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Clark Kent investigates the E.M.M. art school which takes the money of students with no artist talent. He enrolls in the school and demonstrates incredible skill at duplicating the artistic style of master painters. The school administrator decides to use Clark's ability to create forgeries. Superman travels back in time to meet Rembrandt and Gainsborough so that he can duplicate their famous paintings.

Our cover story is "The Name of the Game is Superman" by Dave Wood, Curt Swan and Jack Abel. Smallville optometrist Homer Ferret lures Clark Kent into a trap. He believes that Clark is Superman and relates several anecdotes that provide evidence to support his theory. He threatens to electrocute Clark if he doesn't admit the truth. If Clark doesn't admit that he is Superman, then the electricity will expose him anyway.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #115

Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #115 (On Sale: August 27, 1968) has one of my favorite Neal Adams' covers of all time. I know that so much of my appreciation is due to the masterful color work on this, but I also like the almost Wally Wood inspired Superman figure and the wonderful staging of the scene fore which Adams was so well-known.

"Survival of the Fittest" is by Leo Dorfman and Pete Costanza, In a very rare-for-the-time crossover, Aquaman guest-stars. In some even rarer-for-the-time continuity, Aquaman's quest for Mera (Aquaman #40-#48) is mentioned. DC was changing folks, slowly but surely. While reporting on the maiden voyage of a new atomic submarine, Jimmy Olsen rescues the crew when the sub is caught in a whirlpool. Aquaman then arrives to help save the submarine. The whirlpool was caused by Captain Bane, the disguised identity of the Old Man of the Sea.

Seeking revenge against Aquaman and Jimmy, the Old Man of the Sea arranges for Jimmy to gain Aquaman's powers. Then disguised as Superman he arranges for Jimmy and Aquaman to prove which is the best by taking them into the desert. Jimmy is barely able to stay alive, but Aquaman appears to die. The Old Man then strands Jimmy in the middle of the ocean without powers.

When he returns to Earth, Superman apprehends the Old Man, taking the trickster to a lifeless water world where he can't trouble Earth again. Superman also reveals that Aquaman survived when his body was returned to the ocean, the water revived it. Jimmy is also still alive having found a life preserver from the Titanic floating in the ocean.

The back-up is "The Kid Who Unmasked Superman" by Dave Wood and Pete Costanza. Duncan Brite joins the Jimmy Olsen Fan Club with the intention of discovering Superman's secret identity. When Superman visits the club, Duncan gets an impression of Superman's ear, a footprint, and a strand of his hair. Duncan then compares the evidence to men at the Daily Planet. He suspects Clark Kent, but Clark realizes that Duncan's motives.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Unexpected #109

Unexpected #109 (On Sale: August 8, 1968) has nicely colored cover by Jack Sparling. This is the last issue with this logo (which made it a whole five issues) and it will be replaced a logo that will also last only five issues.

Johnny Peril stars in "Baptism by Starfire" by George Kashdan and Jack Sparling. Next is "The Vengeful Windmill" by Dave Wood and Bill Draut which was reprinted in Unexpected #162. Our final story is "Die, Dream Girl, Die" by Dave Wood and Jack Sparling.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Challengers of the Unknown #64

Challengers of the Unknown #64 (On Sale: August 1, 1968) has a cover by Joe Kubert that I have always loved.

"Invitation to a Hanging" is by Robert Kanigher and Jack Sparling. The Challengers are invited to the execution of three criminals who vow to seek revenge from the grave. After the convicts are killed, the judge and district attorney who convicted them are killed by their apparent ghosts. The Challengers investigate and discover the grave of their boss Doc Hemlock is empty.

The Challengers are captured and taken to Hemlock's hideout. The crook is actually still alive and is using robot duplicates of the executed convicts to exact his revenge.

The back up story is the origin of the Challengers, "The Secrets of the Sorcerer's Box," a reprint from Showcase #6 by Dave Wood and Jack Kirby. Four men, Rocky Davis, Ace Morgan, Red Ryan, and Prof. Haley are scheduled to appear on the television show "Heroes". Ace is piloting the plane carrying the men to the show. The plane runs into poor weather, causing it to crash. The men miraculously survive. Red’s watch which should have been destroyed works perfectly, causing Ace to suppose the men are living on "borrowed time". At Prof’s suggestion, the men band together to take more risk as the Challengers of the Unknown.

A request for the daredevil services comes in from Morelian, an alleged descendant of Merlin. His assignment for the Challs is to open a mystic box that has four segments.

On a deserted island, Rocky opens the first compartment. Inside is a giant egg which hatches overnight into a giant humanoid creature. The creature walks across the ocean destroying ships and taking Red in the process. Ace and Prof. pursue the monster which eventually drops Red. Prof. eventually figures that the monster is composed of pure thought and wishes the creature away.

Red is returned to the island where Rocky has opened the second segment of the box. A freezing sun is inside which draws the heat from everything, freezing Rocky. Red manages to trap the sun in a vacuum sealed container.

Ace and Prof. return to the island, and Ace opens the third segment. A device which spins a web of plastic flies out at tremendous speed. The Challs follow the device to Australia, eventually gaining control over it with the container it was originally contained in.

When the Challs return to the island, Morelian has opened the final section of the box. Inside is a ring which supposedly gives him immortality. He flies off in his plane, but quickly crashes down upon the box. The box has what contained the immortality not the ring, which was sudden death.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Unexpected #108

Unexpected #108 (On Sale: June 6, 1968) has a really great cover by Jack Sparling. I love the color on this one as well.

Johnny Peril stars in "Journey to a Nightmare" by George Kashdan and Jack Sparling. This story is followed by "The Cat with 1,000 Lives" by Dave Wood and Jack Sparling.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Action Comics #365

Action Comics #365 (On Sale: May 28, 1968) has an interesting cover by Ross Andru and Mike Esposito.

"Superman's Funeral" is by Leo Dorfman, Ross Andru and Mike Esposito. Continuing from the previous issues, after being infected with the deadly Virus X, Superman is rocketed into space to die. On his way to the distant sun Flammbron where his body will be incinerated, Superman recalls several significant people and events from his life. Superman's rocket passes several worlds which pay tribute to the fallen hero. As he passes Bizarro World, two Bizarros celebrate his death by throwing pieces of red and white kryptonite. Just before Superman reaches Flammbron, he sees Supergirl who has brought Lois, Lana, and Lori Lemaris into space to watch the final moments of their hero.

The back-up Supergirl story is "The Case of the Campus Crimes" by Dave Wood and Kurt Schaffenberger. Supergirl catches Leon Jackson, a teenager who has stolen a miniature Superman statue from a museum to use as an ornament for his motorcycle. The judge lets Leon off lightly after Mr. Smallville, a youth advocate speaks up for the boy. He then helps Leon enroll at Stanhope College.

Supergirl is not happy that Leon was rewarded for stealing. As Linda, she decides to give him another chance. However, Leon is soon implicated in a theft on campus and an act of vandalism. Linda begins to suspect that Leon is being framed.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

Tomahawk #117

Tomahawk #117 (On Sale: May 2, 1968) has another great cover by Neal Adams. Though not a "show stopper' like last issue, this one is still very dramatic.

Inside we have "The Rangers' Last Stand" by Dave Wood and Fred Ray and "The Gauntlet of Doom" by Carl Wessler and Fred Ray.

Edited by Murray Boltinoff.

Our Army at War #191

Our Army at War #191 (On Sale: January 2, 1968) has a nicely drawn but not so greatly colored cover by Joe Kubert.

"Death Flies High" featuring Sgt. Rock is by Robert Kanigher and Joe Kubert and was reprinted in Sgt. Rock Special #11.

The back-up story is "Phantom Fliers" by Dave Wood and Jack Abel.

Edited by Robert Kanigher.

House of Mystery #172

House of Mystery #172 (On Sale: November 16, 1967) features interesting, though not well-colored cover by Frank Springer featuring Dial H for H.E.R.O.

We begin with Martian Manhunter in "Manhunter's Stolen Identity" by Jack Miller and Joe Certa. The Martian Manhunter follows Ivor Sandez, Mr. V's top lieutenant, hoping the trail will lead back to his boss. When he reaches one of Vulture's mountain hide-outs, J'onn assumes the form of Sandez. However, a nearby martian meteor causes Sandez to assume J'onn's form and powers.

In the Martian Manhunter's body, Sandez tries to make himself the head of Vulture. In Sandez's body, J'onn is pursued by Vulture agents who believe that he led the Martian Manhunter to their hide-out. J'onn hopes to delay Sandez long enough for the meteor to burn out which will restore him to normal.

Our back-up is the cover-story "The Monsters from the H-Dial" by Dave Wood and Frank Springer. When Robby uses the H-Dial to become a super-hero and battle a tornado, his friend Jim is transformed into a menacing fireball. Robby fails to make the connection between Jim and the fireball. Later when Robby becomes Chief Mighty Arrow to handle an earthquake, Jim becomes another weird monster.

Following his strange transformations, Jim is placed in the hospital with no knowledge of his predicament. Robby uses the H-Dial again, and Jim becomes yet another menace. This time Robby sees the change. After rescuing a freighter, Robby is attacked by Jim in monster form. Reversing the H-Dial, Robby returns both himself and Jim to normal.

Edited by George Kashdan.

House of Mystery #171

House of Mystery #171 (On Sale: October 5, 1967) has a Dial H for Hero cover by Nick Cardy. This is Nick's only cover this month. In a few years Cardy and Neal Adams will be doing the majority of the DC covers.

"The Micro-Monsters" is the Dial H for H.E.R.O. story written by Dave Wood and drawn by Frank Springer (#170 being Jim Mooney's last). The Doc Morhar's gang breaks into a chemical plant to steal rare chemicals. Robby Reed follows the crooks as King Viking. Robby smashes into their hide-out while Morhar is performing a chemical experiment. An accidental chemical spill causes Robby and the crooks to shrink into a microverse.

Robby encounters a race of sentient microbes bent on dominating the Earth. He tries to enlist Morhar's help in stopping the microbes, but the crook turns on him. Robby, in the super-hero form Go-Go is captured.

Doc Morhar leads the microbes to Earth and explains how to take over the planet.

The back-up feature is "The Martian Marauders" starring the Martian Manhunter and it's by Jack Miller and Joe Certa.

Edited by George Kashdan.