ESCAPOLOGY - WITHOUT A MOTHER BOX...

Copyright REBELLION

Time now for another astounding adventure with the amazing JANUS STARK, from the pulsating pages of the super second issue of the revamped SMASH! as published in 1969.  This time round drawn by the titanic TOM KERR, the art is no less atmospheric and effective than that of SOLANO LOPEZ, who had drawn the initial instalment - and most of the subsequent ones.  Tom drew just about everything in his 20-plus years comics career, including CHARLIE PEACE in BUSTER and the first episode of ADAM ETERNO in THUNDER, but is arguably best known (at least by me) for a series of pages for CLARK'S COMMANDOS, which advertised the famous footwear in many a comic weekly.  No doubt others will have different strips with which they associate him.

So - come!  The fogs of Victorian London shift and swirl, beckoning us to attend the dramas of an earlier, grittier, yet somehow more romantic age.  We must obey the imperial summons - for it will not be denied. 

SEVEN SECRET ORIGINS... (Updated)

Copyright DC COMICS

From 1973-'74, DC COMICS (then still officially known as NATIONAL PERIODICAL PUBLICATIONS) released a 7-issue series following on from their two 1960s GIANT-SIZE Specials of the same title - SECRET ORIGINS.  Starting with a reprint of SUPERMAN's one-page introduction from ACTION COMICS #1 (not seen since 1938), The FLASH from SHOWCASE #4, and BATMAN from DETECTIVE COMICS #33, the short-lived run featured the origins of several of DC's top-tier heroes and vile villains.

It's a nice little set to have in one's collection, so just in case you're interested in tracking it down, here are the covers to help you identify them.  Don't say I ain't good to you.   

And, for completists, below are the two Specials that started it all.  The first is from 1961, the second from 1965.  Maybe I should change the title of this post to Nine Secret Origins?  Or should that be 29, if I count the individual tales?