Kevin Budnik covers Justice League of America 1

Original cover by Murphy Anderson; DC 1960. Kevin Budnik's website is here.

Al Bigley covers Justice League of America 1

Original cover by Murphy Anderson; DC 1960. Al Bigley'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.

Matt Kindt covers Justice League of America 21

Original cover by Mike Sekowsky and Murphy Anderson; DC 1963. Matt Kindt's website is here.

World's Finest Comics #176

World's Finest Comics #176 (On Sale: April 25, 1968) has what has got to be one of the lamest covers Neal Adams ever drew. Can you say "bland?"

"The Superman-Batman Split" is by Cary Bates, Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. During an interview between Clark Kent and actor Ronald Jason, the actor unmasks himself and shows Clark that he is an alien. He also reveals that he knows Clark's secret identity and requests the help of Superman. The alien Dur, is the second in command on his world, but assassins have killed their leader. Fearing he was the next target he teleported to Earth to hide. Superman agrees to take Dur to the Fortress of Solitude for protection.

Batman then finds another alien in the Bat-Cave. This alien named Tiron explains that Dur is a criminal who has taken refuge on Earth. He enlists Batman's aid to capture Dur, but warns the Caped Crusader that Superman is involved. Batman then asks Supergirl for her help to stop her cousin while Batman capture Dur.

Superman manages to keep Supergirl and Batman from capturing Dur. He decides to enlist some help of his own and enlists the assistance of Batgirl. Meanwhile, Robin and Jimmy Olsen have made a startling discovery about the aliens. Before they can tell their friends, they are hit by knockout gas.

Batman and Supergirl then face off against Superman and Batgirl. During their duel, Tiron collapses. They unmask him as Ronald Jason. The actor admits that he played the roles of both aliens. His brother had discovered the secret identities of Batman and Superman, but an accident had claimed Desmond Jason's life and was quickly killing Ronald too. His last role has one that could fool both Superman and Batman. Good god is this one popular, being reprinted in Super-Team Family #3, Best of DC #16, World's Finest Comics #302, Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 1 HC and Showcase Presents:Batgirl Vol. 1 TPB.

The back-up Martian Manhunter story is reprinted from Detective Comics #226 and is by Jack Miller and Joe Certa. J’onn J’onzz, having recently arrived on Earth, has taken the profession of police detective. Using his martian abilities he has brought several criminals to justice. His lieutenant assigns him to watch a baseball pitcher, Big Bob Michaels, who is an ex-con.

Michaels receives a threat from a gang who know about his secret past. They try to get him to fix a baseball game. Jones looks into the future and sees that Michaels would win the game, so he uses his powers to ensure that outcome. The crooks then attempt to get Michaels for winning the game, but Jones stops them and places them under arrest.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

World's Finest Comics #175

World's Finest Comics #175 (On Sale: March 12, 1968) has a beautiful Neal Adams cover.

"The Superman-Batman Revenge Squads" is a classic story for mainly the artwork. It is written by Leo Dorfman and drawn by Neal Adams and Dick Giordano. This is only Giordano's third piece for DC, the last being two years prior. This is the beginning however of one of the greatest artistic teams in comic history, even if it is a rocky start.

In Dick Giordano: Changing Comics, One Day At A Time by Michael Eury, Giordano relates, "I remember getting the pencils. They were the best pages I'd ever gotten to handle. And it was the weakest job I ever did with Neal."

Personally, I don't thank the pages are that bad, but maybe that's just me.

Batman and Superman hold an annual contest where they challenge one another in tests of skill. The newly formed Batman Revenge Squad teams up with the Superman Revenge Squad to sabotage the contests. They all plant bombs in the trophies that the two heroes collect. When the trophies are brought back to the Bat-Cave and the Fortress of Solitude, they explode. Reprinted in Super-Team Family #1, Superman in the Sixties TPB, and Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 1 HC.

The back-up story features the Martian Manhunter in "The Strange Experiment of Dr. Erdel," a reprint from Detective Comics #225 by Joe Smachson and Joe Certa and is the first Martian Manhunter story. Professor Mark Erdel has designs a robot brain that can probe other dimensions. The first time he uses the machine to probe space and time, the machine teleports a green-skinned alien to Earth.

Using telepathy the alien communicates to Dr. Erdel. He is J’onn J’onzz, a martian scientist. J’onzz requests to be sent home. The professor explains that in order to send the martian home he must redesign the robot brain which could take years. In order to blend in with the population, J’onzz changes his appearance to that of an ordinary Earthman. Abruptly, the professor collapses, suffering from a heart attack. The shock of the experience has killed him. J’onzz is now trapped on Earth.

J’onzz takes the Earth name John Jones and explores the world. He is able to extract gold from sea water to get some money. After traveling the world, J’onzz decides to fight crime as a police detective. He qualifies and quickly becomes a rookie detective.

Edited by Mort Weisinger.

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.

House of Mystery #170

House of Mystery #170 (On Sale: August 17, 1967) has a Dial H for Hero cover by Jim Mooney.

"Thunderbolt's Secret Weapon" is the Dial H for H.E.R.O. story written by Dave Wood and drawn by Jim Mooney. While on a European cruise ship, Robby Reed overhears a coded radio message sent by agents of Thunderbolt. Robby becomes the super-hero Baron Buzz-Saw and tries to stop the criminal organization from stealing a construction machine known as Whrrr.

Robby fails to prevent the theft, but he continues to track them as another hero, Don Juan. He locates the crooks, disguised as gypsies, but the Spanish women nearby attack him. Robby changes to another hero, Sphinx-Man and follows the gang to their secret base.

The back-up feature is "The Martian Double-Cross" starring the Martian Manhunter and it's by Jack Miller and Joe Certa. Mr. V, the leader of Vulture, summons Marco Xavier to a meeting. He shows Xavier films on the Martian Manhunter in action. Each time J'onn is weakened temporarily. Mr. V instructs Xavier to find the cause of the weakness.

Since Xavier is really the Manhunter he is hesitant to tell Mr. V the truth. However, he realizes that they will figure it out eventually anyway, so he reveals that Manhunter is weakened by fire. Mr. V then prepares a special opponent to defeat J'onn using the new information.

Edited by George Kashdan.