BHOC: ACTION COMICS #498

ACTION COMICS continued on in the manner that it had been progressing, seldom my favorite comic that I bought in a given week but always reliable for some basic round-the-bases entertainment. But the fact that editor Julie Schwartz was continuing to target his stories at the same audience that he'd courted since he took over … Continue reading BHOC: ACTION COMICS #498

BHOC: WORLD’S FINEST Tempo Paperback

The last of the four Tempo DC paperbacks that I wound up buying was this one dedicated to WORLD'S FINEST and the team-ups between Superman and Batman. Again here, I can't quite explain this purchase apart from it probably being an acquisition of opportunity: some point at which the number of available options was limited … Continue reading BHOC: WORLD’S FINEST Tempo Paperback

BC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #229

We covered Marvel's propensity for replacing late-running stories in their meant-to-be-new magazines with emergency reprints in depth a while ago. Here's that piece again for those who may have missed it: https://tombrevoort.com/2021/01/09/a-guide-to-marvels-unannounced-1970s-reprint-issues/ For the most part, DC didn't suffer from this same problem. Their editorial staff was both larger and much more well-organized and regimented … Continue reading BC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #229

BC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #224

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

BHOC: SUPERMAN #337

I was still routinely buying SUPERMAN and enjoying it for the most part, despite the fact that it was never quite as electrifying as the Marvel books that I was most into during this period, nor also the DC titles that I loved the best. What SUPERMAN had going for it was familiarity. It was … Continue reading BHOC: SUPERMAN #337

BHOC: ACTION COMICS #497

Despite the overwhelming global popularity of SUPERMAN THE MOVIE, DC for years refused to make any but the most cursory moves towards reflecting that iteration of the Man of Steel in the comics. It's really wasn't until Post-CRISIS when John Byrne took over the character that the influence of the film version came to the … Continue reading BHOC: ACTION COMICS #497

Lost Crossovers: ADVENTURE COMICS #85

This is a little bit of a cheat, but only a little bit in my eyes, as the crossover element in this story is big and prevalent, even though it doesn't quite entirely qualify as a bona fide crossover in the way most others do. As we've spoken about in the past, DC (then known … Continue reading Lost Crossovers: ADVENTURE COMICS #85

BC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #211

This issue of WORLD'S FINEST COMICS was another book that I borrowed from my grade school friend Donald Sims to read. I'm almost certain that it wasn't the lead story that made we want to experience it but rather the back-up reprint story. But we'll get there. At this time, WORLD'S FINEST COMICS had transitioned … Continue reading BC: WORLD’S FINEST COMICS #211

APPROVED COMICS #2 and the final collaboration between Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Virtually everybody who is a fan of comic books knows the story of Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster, the young creators who came up with a character that became world-famous and changed the destiny of the entire industry, Superman, but who largely didn't get to profit from their own innovation. Most recountings of their story … Continue reading APPROVED COMICS #2 and the final collaboration between Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster

Perfect Game – SUPERMAN #423

It cannot be overstated just how amazing an impact was made by writer Alan Moore on comic books. He came along at exactly the right time, just as the Direct Sales Market was making it possible to do comic book stories with greater sophistication for a somewhat older audience. It was a rare thing for … Continue reading Perfect Game – SUPERMAN #423