Monday, 7 July 2014

THE ESSENTIAL SHOWCASE 1956-1959...


Copyright DC COMICS

Back in 1992, DC COMICS released a nice little softcover edition called The ESSENTIAL SHOWCASE 1956-1959, and it's a right little cracker.  Containing milestone issues, it features the first appearances of FIREMAN FARRELL, the Silver Age FLASH, CHALLENGERS Of The UNKNOWN, ADAM STRANGE, plus LOIS LANE in her first solo magazine adventures, which later led to her own long-running title.

Incidentally, I've only shown the splash pages of the first story in those issues that contain more than one, so there's actually more content than you'd think from a glance at the images which follow.  The book is a nice little collectors' item and chances are you'll be able to track one down on eBay should you feel so inclined.

While you're thinking about it, you can pore over the power- packed piccies that I now present for your personal perusal within the peaceful perimeters of your own home.  Nice, ain't I?
















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5 comments:

  1. Anonymous7 July 2014 at 14:54

    The Showcase/Challengers Of The Unknown looks fun but I'll pass on the others. Kid, you said the other day that super-hero comics were mainly aimed at boys (I agree) so who would be the intended audience for the Lois Lane comic ? Mrs. Superman and her super-baby - er, thanks but no thanks !

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  2. Kid7 July 2014 at 14:57

    I'd say it was aimed mainly at the readership that bought comics, Col - boys - and their sisters perhaps. Remember, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen mags were really only Superman comics in a thin disguise.

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  3. Gey Blabby7 July 2014 at 15:08

    I'm mightily impressed by that Fireman Farrell cover. In fact, the artist who sprang to mind when I first looked at it was David Mazzuchelli. The figures and the inking style put me in mind of the work he produced on Daredevil and Batman a while back, which is high praise indeed. Even the interior page suggested similarities, and it certainly feels more modern than the rest of the examples shown here.

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  4. Anonymous7 July 2014 at 18:06

    Actually Kid, I didn't know that - I've wondered what Lois Lane did in her own comic. The covers always seem incredibly naff but that's typical of DC in those days before Marvel forced them to change.

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  5. Kid7 July 2014 at 18:52

    That's interesting, GB - I wonder if DM based his style on that kind of artwork deliberately, or was it just coincidence?

    ******

    It's hard to believe that DC editors looked down their noses at Marvel's output, and thought they were delivering the superior product, eh, Col?

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