BHOC: DEFENDERS #67

As a series, DEFENDERS had never entirely hooked me. I didn't really entirely click with any of its cast of characters, particularly in a team setting, and its supposed "non-team" format didn't appeal to me. Frankly, I barely understood it, as the members of the Defenders seemed to spend an awful lot of time hanging … Continue reading BHOC: DEFENDERS #67

WC: STRANGE TALES #128

This was one of the better issues of STRANGE TALES that I got in my Windfall comics purchase of 1988. While typically the series felt like something of an afterthought, here editor Stan lee appears to be trying to bring a bit more attention to the Human Torch feature by having Johnny and the Thing … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #128

BHOC: AVENGERS #179

I bought this issue of AVENGERS on one of my regular weekly Thursday trips to my neighborhood's local 7-11, whose spinner rack was my primary source of new comics at this time. Having wrapped up the Korvac Saga a few months earlier, AVENGERS was pretty clearly in a scheduling hole, and so editor Jim Shooter … Continue reading BHOC: AVENGERS #179

The Last Bulletman Story

By 1949, the sun was setting for most of the great super heroes of the Golden Age of Comics. In the postwar period, public tastes had shifted to other genres and subject matter in terms of what was popular in the comic book medium. In particular, horror, crime, western, teen humor and romance comics had … Continue reading The Last Bulletman Story

BHOC: SUPERMAN #218

This issue of SUPERMAN was another book that I got from my friend David Steckel, who had nothing but scorn for DC's output. I, on the other hand, was a stalwart fan of the Man of Steel. Except that there was something a little bit weird about this issue of SUPERMAN as opposed to all … Continue reading BHOC: SUPERMAN #218

WC: ACTION COMICS #324

There's something that I don't really like about this ACTION COMICS cover. I'm not sure what it is--it's a nice piece done by the usually-winning combination of Curt Swan and George Klein. Possibly it's the light green background that puts me off here, I don't know. But the fact remains, I don't find this cover … Continue reading WC: ACTION COMICS #324

BHOC: SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE #104

Now this comic book I know was given to me by my friend David Steckel. As I've mentioned before, David was a thorough Marvel Zombie (before that term came into widespread use) and he found all DC comics to be juvenile kiddy stuff--which, in al honesty, they largely were. So he had less than no … Continue reading BHOC: SUPERMAN’S GIRL FRIEND LOIS LANE #104

The First Bulletman Story

After Superman had opened the floodgates and showed publishers that there was money to be made in comic books by putting out the adventures of costumed heroes, Fawcett jumped into the field with both feet. They were an established publisher already, and so had staff and connections in place to produce and distribute their new … Continue reading The First Bulletman Story

BHOC: DEVIL DINOSAUR #1

I'm not 100% certain after all this time where I got this issue of DEVIL DINOSAUR #1 from. I think it was probably another cast-off of David Steckel's that he didn't want and so gave to me. But I also have a similar vibe concerning my other comic book reading friend of the period, Don … Continue reading BHOC: DEVIL DINOSAUR #1

WC: STRANGE TALES #124

As we've spoken about before, STRANGE TALES had become something of an afterthought in the Marvel line, a title where new prospective writers and artists could be tried out with limited risk. But after 22 issues of this, sales on the book seem to have slid enough for editor Stan Lee to look to make … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #124