BHOC: MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #39

The next issue of MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE turned up at my 7-11 this next week, with what would be the final chapter of a story that had been running for three issues now. This part is written by Roger Slifer, who had not worked on the preceding issues and it goes off in some strange directions--enough … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL TWO-IN-ONE #39 →

BHOC: MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #71

Pretty sure that this was another issue that was bought by my brother Ken. He continued to follow the Hulk's adventures regularly for a few months before his attention shifted elsewhere and I wound up picking up both the baton and the issues he'd already bought. It's another reprint of a nine-year-old story from 1969--throughout … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #71 →

5BC: Five Best Unofficial Marvel and DC Crossovers

As the 1960s turned into the 1970s, two things were going on in the world of comics. Upstart publisher Marvel was gaining ground on its rival, the massive DC Comics, then known as National Periodical Publications. And a new generation of creators was coming into the field, one that had grown up reading comics as … Continue reading 5BC: Five Best Unofficial Marvel and DC Crossovers →

BHOC: INVADERS #28

Picked up INVADERS #28 from the 7-11 as usual. This one's got a rare Frank Robbins cover on it. Robbins' style was so divisive among the readership and so much on the very outskirts of what people thought that a Marvel comic should look like that they rarely allowed him to do covers for the … Continue reading BHOC: INVADERS #28 →

5BC: Five Best Dopey Marvel Silver Age Villains

Let's face it, lightning doesn't strike every month, and sometimes inspiration can be difficult to come by. But comic books still had to come out, ready or not. And so, occasionally, our favorite heroes of Marvel's silver age would find themselves contending with opponents who--well, let's just say they weren't quite up to the usual … Continue reading 5BC: Five Best Dopey Marvel Silver Age Villains →

BHOC: DAREDEVIL #152

It was back to my local 7-11 on Thursday for that week's new comic book releases--I had worked out over the summer that new books came out on Thursdays, so I never missed a trip to the 7-11 after school on that day. And this week, a new issue of DAREDEVIL was waiting for me. … Continue reading BHOC: DAREDEVIL #152 →

Perfect Game – X-MEN #137

A million words must have been written over the decades about this issue of X-MEN, the conclusion to the Dark Phoenix Saga and the high point of the fabled Chris Claremont and John Byrne run. And in the shadow of what would follow in the years to come, perhaps the book has lost some of … Continue reading Perfect Game – X-MEN #137 →

BHOC: MARVEL’S GREATEST COMICS #71

This was another book that I got out of a 3-Bag at the Two Guys discount store, and a book that would have made such a bag a must-buy for me. Because at this time, FANTASTIC FOUR was my favorite comic book series, and so an opportunity to get another new-to-me issue was something I … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL’S GREATEST COMICS #71 →

BHOC: MARVEL TALES #81

Another Marvel reprint title that came out of a 3-Bag. I seem to recall getting this particular issue at the Two Guys discount store, where they carried 3-Bags and to which my family would regularly go when we needed household goods. On this particular day there were a few 3-Bags in the batch on that … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL TALES #81 →

BHOC: MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #65

I've gone over this before, but it bears repeating. In 1978, there were no trade paperbacks, no Marvel Masterworks, no organized system reprinting the comic books of earlier days. There were a few scattered and irregular collections and that was about it. But Marvel, at least, maintained a regular and robust reprint program as a … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #65 →