KLASSIC KIRBY KOMIC KOVERS: FIGHTING AMERICAN #1...

Copyright relevant owner

CAPTAIN AMERICA & BUCKY in different costumes - that's all FIGHTING AMERICAN & SPEEDBOY really were, but with Reds instead of Nazis.  Intended as a serious strip at the start, it soon took a detour into parody, but with no more success than before, and the mag folded after only seven issues.  HARVEY later attempted to revive the comic, but only one issue was ever produced before the publishers wisely threw in the towel.

KLASSIC KIRBY KOMIC KOVERS: DEVIL DINOSAUR #1

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

DEVIL DINOSAUR was JACK KIRBY's final fling at MARVEL.  None of the mags he worked on seemed to click with the readers enough to keep them going for long, and DD (and I don't mean DAREDEVIL) only managed nine issues before cancellation.  Jack, with STAN LEE, had kick-started the Marvel Age, but it seemed that there was no longer a place in it for him.  Jack's time had passed, alas.

KLASSIC KIRBY KOMIC KOVERS: The FANTASTIC FOUR #1...

Copyright MARVEL COMICS

This is how it began - with the first issue of The FANTASTIC FOUR, which heralded the start of the MARVEL AGE in the comicbook world.  Pencilled by JACK KIRBY and thought to be inked by GEORGE KLEIN, the layout was reminiscent of the DC comic cover that was the impetus for the FF's Creation - The BRAVE & The Bold #28, starring The JUSTICE LEAGUE Of AMERICA. 

Well, you know what they say - "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."  I wonder if the Cosmic Quartet realize to whom they owe their existence?

WAYNE BORING'S SUPERMAN...

Image copyright DC COMICS

Here's a nice WAYNE BORING poster, which was given to members of the SUPERMEN Of AMERICA club as part of the paraphernalia they received upon joining.  There'd been an earlier version featuring JOE SHUSTER's version of SUPERMAN (although I'm unsure whether or not it was actually drawn by him), but this one is the better of the two, I'd say.

JOHN DILLINGER WANTED POSTER...

Here's the poster that was included with the first (and only) issue of JACK KIRBY's 'In The DAYS Of The MOB'.  When I bought the magazine back in 1972 or '73 (that's when it appeared on spinner-racks in my neck of the woods), I put the poster up on my bedroom well for a short while.  Perhaps I didn't feel comfortable displaying a poster of a killer, but whatever the reason, it wasn't up for long; I now no longer recall what I did with it, but I only have a smaller A3 reprint of it these days, which I've put on a cupboard door.  Not that I'm a fan of John Dillinger, but just to remind me of when I was young and foolish.  (The two usually go hand-in-hand.)

GALACTUS & The SILVER SURFER By JACK KIRBY...

Image copyright MARVEL COMICS

A dramatic poster for sure, but JACK KIRBY's art was far looser and more 'blocky' than had once been the case.  To me, The SILVER SURFER doesn't have the grace and fluidity with which Jack had previously been able to imbue him.  STAN LEE was right to give the Surfer's own mag to JOHN BUSCEMA, in my opinion - big John had it nailed.

KLASSIC KOMIC KOVERS - LOIS LANE 80 PAGE GIANT #68...

Image copyright DC COMICS

Here's a nice KURT SCHAFFENBERGER cover of the character he's probably best known for - SUPERMAN'S GIRL FRIEND, LOIS LANE.  (He drew a pretty 'hot' SUPERGIRL too.)  Interesting that Lois was usually described as Supes' 'girl friend', not 'girlfriend' - did he regard his relationship with her as purely platonic, I wonder?  H'mm.

DANCING BABIES AD - FUNNY...

Cop a gander at this and put a smile on your face.

BABE Of The DAY - KELLY BROOK...

Well, one thing's for certain -

KELLY BROOK will never drown

 with 'buoyancy aids' like hers.

MARVEL'S The SUPER-HEROES COVER & IMAGE GALLERY - PART THREE...

Images copyright MARVEL COMICS

Time now for another look at The SUPER-HEROES, MARVEL U.K.'s mid-'70s weekly periodical featuring The SILVER SURFER and The X-MEN.  The Surfer would be replaced once his limited run of adventures had run their course, but let's not get ahead of ourselves.  Because of the inclusion of the original X-Men, TSH reminded me of 1960s comic FANTASTIC, which was apt considering that former ODHAMS PRESS editor ALF WALLACE was then currently working for Marvel U.K.  (Must've loved superheroes, eh?)

So let's wallow in the rosy glow of the past once more, as we turn back the clock 40 years to the 1970s and let a plethora of pulsating piccies wash over us, reminding us of how good it was to be young and alive, with our un-guessed at futures yet before us.  Ah, happy days indeed.  C'mon, jump in - the water's lovely.

OPUS ONE - NAT 'KING' COLE & The MILLS BROTHERS...

Time for some music, methinks.  Enjoy the

sheer exuberance of this little number.