BHOC: BATMAN FROM THE ’30s TO THE ’70s

It might have been the same trip to my Grandmother’s home as when I picked up SHOWCASE #95, it might not–but I know that I bought my copy of BATMAN FROM THE 30s TO THE 70s at a bookstore in the Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream where she lived. It was a big purchase, … Continue reading BHOC: BATMAN FROM THE ’30s TO THE ’70s

BHOC: BRAVE AND THE BOLD #137

I got this issue of BRAVE AND THE BOLD while out on a shopping trip with my Mom and brothers. It came from an unfamiliar and irregular outlet, so my selection was limited, which somewhat explains the choice. I was iffy on B& B (it was still one of those series that read “weird” to me”) … Continue reading BHOC: BRAVE AND THE BOLD #137

BHOC: 5 STAR SUPER HERO SPECTACULAR

DC and its new publisher Jenette Kahn put a strong push behind her new Dollar Comics initiative as a way to change the standard format of comic books, providing more profit for individual outlets and thus hoping to get them better display in more places. And so, I found this copy of FIVE-STAR SUPER HERO … Continue reading BHOC: 5 STAR SUPER HERO SPECTACULAR

BHOC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #246

I bought this issue of WORLD’S FINEST COMICS while on a visit to my grandparents’ house–not a typical purchase for me, as I had come to realize that WFC was one of those DC super hero titles that read “wrong”, and so I would avoid it if there were other options available. In this instance, those … Continue reading BHOC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #246

BHOC: BATMAN FAMILY #12

The next comic I bought was a regular on my list: BATMAN FAMILY. The switch-over to all-new material hadn’t dampened my enthusiasm for big, oversized comics. This lovely Jim Aparo cover is a hair deceptive, though–indicating that Robin, Batgirl and Man-Bat will all be sharing linked stories in this issue, which wasn’t the case. But … Continue reading BHOC: BATMAN FAMILY #12

BHOC: ACTION COMICS #471 and #472

I picked up these two issues of ACTION COMICS at the same time, from the same rack–I must have been flush with cash, possibly the change from a haircut (my Dad would give my a few bucks and send me off to our barber down in the center of town) as I know they were … Continue reading BHOC: ACTION COMICS #471 and #472

BHOC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #245

I picked up this issue of WORLD’S FINEST COMICS, despite its dollar price tag, because its lead story was going to wrap up the ongoing Martian Manhunter storyline that I had been following in recent issues of ADVENTURE COMICS, and that I liked quite a bit. So this was my first encounter with the phenomenon … Continue reading BHOC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #245

BHOC: THE STERANKO HISTORY OF COMICS

I’ve owned three different copies of THE STERANKO HISTORY OF COMICS Volume 1 over the years. It’s an important milestone book in the development of the hobby, but it’s also more oversized magazine than book, with saddle-stitched binding and a cover that tended to crack down the spine and separate. It fell apart easily. For … Continue reading BHOC: THE STERANKO HISTORY OF COMICS

BHOC: BRAVE AND THE BOLD #134

I bought this issue of BRAVE AND THE BOLD while my Mother was out doing household errands one day with the family. I know I got it in an unfamiliar candy store and that its selection was due as much to the limited offerings at hand as anything else. But I can recall flipping through … Continue reading BHOC: BRAVE AND THE BOLD #134

BHOC: THE GREAT COMIC BOOK HEROES

In January of 1977, I turned ten-years-old. And around that time, I would up getting my second book collection of vintage comic book stories–a book that, up until that point I didn’t even know existed. We found it in the remaindered section at Two Guys, a regional low-rent department store chain, kind of like the … Continue reading BHOC: THE GREAT COMIC BOOK HEROES