The reason i borrowed this issue of WORLD'S FINEST COMICS from my grade school friend Donald Sims should be fairly obvious to anybody who has been reading this page for any length of time: I was enamored of DC's 100-Page Super-Spectacular format. I loved these big, fat books, a mixture of a new story or … Continue reading BC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #224
There would typically be some specific reason why I asked to borrow a particular comic book from my grade school friend Donald Sims. Usually, it was because I'd gotten interested in a specific character and was invested in learning more about them. So it was with this 100-Page issue of DETECTIVE COMICS, which I borrowed … Continue reading BC: DETECTIVE COMICS #441
Batman was created in direct response to the overwhelming success of Superman, and he represented the second major super hero to be created, and the polar opposite of the Man of Steel. While the two characters seemed like they shared a tailor, their attributes were in direct contrast to one another. Superman was godlike and … Continue reading The Second Batman Story
As comic books entered teh 1940s, it became apparent to publishers that the thing that was really driving sales to kids, at least right at that moment, was super heroes. Larger-than-life costumed do-gooders dressed in outlandish costumes. Superman had shown the way, and every pulp publisher with two nickels to rub together began following suit. … Continue reading The Second Green Lantern Story
As we've touched upon a couple of times in the past, while Jack Kirby's innovation of turning the mythological figure of Thor into a super hero in the early days of the Marvel Age was undoubtedly a bit of inspiration on his part, it wasn't a thing that happened in a vacuum. In fact, Thor … Continue reading When Batman Fought Thor
It's an argument that comes up every couple of months like clockwork, especially when some new film or television project is announced. There are always those that espouse that Batman, in order to be treated realistically, should carry and use a gun. And these people inevitably point to the character's earliest days as justification, talking … Continue reading When Batman Used A Gun
Much as with its sister title ACTION COMICS, ADVENTURE COMICS had adjusted to shrinking page counts by reducing the number of features that it ran from three to two. That second feature position eventually wound up handed over to the Legion of Super Heroes, who promptly took over the entire magazine. But before that, it … Continue reading WC: ADVENTURE COMICS #295
This particular issue of BATMAN was the only one I got in my Windfall Comics purchase of 1988 that featured editor Julie Schwartz's "New Look" revamp version of Batman and Robin. After years under former editor Jack Schiff and with sales dwindling, irwin Donenfeld shifted the Caped Crusader over to Schwartz's editorial control. Even at … Continue reading WC: BATMAN #167
This issue of ADVENTURE COMICS is another book that came in that box of 150 Silver Age comics that I purchased in 1988 for fifty bones--what I think of as my "windfall comics" purchase since it came about entirely by luck. As with ACTION COMICS last week, ADVENTURE COMICS back issues weren't especially in demand … Continue reading WC: ADVENTURE COMICS #292
Continuing on with our look at the first issue of DC/National Periodical Publications' in0house fanzine, THE AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS. An introduction to the DC interns known as the "woodchucks" as well as the men who supervised them. Most of these individuals went on to have prominent careers in the field, notably Paul Levitz. … Continue reading THE AMAZING WORLD OF DC COMICS #1, Part 2
The Tom Brevoort Experience 