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At one time, I could've told you in exactly which shop I purchased my original copy of SUPERMAN #251, but now I'm none too sure. (Maybe it'll come back to me later*.) What I can tell you with absolute certainty, however, is the precise date on which I bought it - October 7th 1972. The reason I remember is because that was the very day that The MIGHTY WORLD Of MARVEL #2 went on sale, which I'd obtained earlier that surprisingly sunny Saturday morning. A few hours later, I also took possession of TERRIFIC #1 and The SUPER-HEROES #1, two comics from the '60s, which I picked up in a jumble sale in The Old Parish Church Hall in the Old Village quarter of my town.
I've long since acquired replacements for all the comics I got that day, the above one being bought around 1980 or '81 ('82 at the latest), which means that I've now owned it for a far greater period of time than I ever had my original copy. It should come as no surprise to any of you (mainly because I've said the same thing many times before) when I say that all it takes is one glance at its cover or contents, and I'm magically whisked back to the '70s (wait for it, here it comes) faster than a fart from The FLASH. I found the 'classic tale' of particular interest, because Superman changes his features (much like the FF's MISTER FANTASTIC can) to resemble his alien foes, and uses 'telepathic will-control' to influence the mind and actions of his captor.
So there you have it! Yet another of my 'Favourite Comics of the Past'. Is it also one of yours? Then why not indulge in a spot of pleasant reminiscing and tell your fellow Crivvies all about it? After all, why should I have all the fun? The comments section awaits!
(*It would be one of three places: R.S. McCOLL'S in my neighbourhood shops, the one in my local Town Centre, or a newsagent's named M.B. BARR in the aforementioned Old Village.)
11 comments:
This is an issue I never had (I don’t think I have seen it in a back issue shop either) but I always wanted. The cover is excellent and although it is not one of Neal Adams (?) best (Superman looks a bit static) it was exciting to me with the alien / monster hand coming out of the egg (although the hand and arm are as big as the egg - its body must have been pretty small). DC did some amazing covers that made you want to buy the comic. I can still recall seeing this advertised in other DC comics at the time in one of those great ½ page DC in house adverts they used to have but I never saw it in the newsagents. Superman was excellent around this time as were (imho) most of the DC titles 52 pages of fun and excitement and great art but not long after this (probably 1973) I lost interest in Superman as a character (my one time favourite) still I hold out some hoe for the new Neal Adams “….Supermen” comic mini-series (the first issue was ok).
Looks like a Neal Adams cover to me, McS, unless it's an imitation by Rich Buckler. The main story was reprinted (in b&w) in an issue of London Editions' The Super Heroes mag in 1981, so you may have read it if you were buying that mag at the time. I liked the 52 page DC mags, but it affected sales because Marvel mags were cheaper, and it was around this time (I think) that Marvel clearly surged ahead of DC in sales. Time for you to get onto eBay and track down a copy of this ish for your collection.
That Golden Age story looks like John Sikela art. I remember this cover but didn't get the comic. DC comics were hard to find and there were no comic shops yet.
There's eBay now, Phil, so no excuse for not having it. Happy hunting.
Hey there, nice Superman issue! How are you doing?
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It would mean a lot to me if you help me spread the link around, and even better yet, if you post something about this on your blog.
Thanks!
The cover of Showcase #6 (introducing the Challengers of the Unknown) had a similar scene, with the monster's arm as big as the egg. Maybe it's just too hard to depict a monster hatching. Either the egg looks too small to have contained the creature, or the egg would have to be so big that it would dominate the cover, and overshadow everything else in the scene. Or the monster would have to be too small to be a convincing menace.
Or it's growing on contact with the air as it emerges from the egg? That looks possible with this cover, but the Showcase one didn't lend itself to that possibility in my opinion. 'though I think regular commenter CJ suggested it.
Did I suggest that ? Gosh, how clever of me - I'd completely forgotten about it.
Just checked, CJ - actually, it was yours truly who suggested it, so how clever of ME! (I should've known.)
I owned this one too. One of about four Superman comics I got in the early 70s. Apart from the first Terra-Man appearance, Supes just didn't click with me. I hated the 40s stories too. That Krypton tale is pretty though.
There's another weird sci-fi story in an Action comics issue from the same period, "Secret of the First Metropolis" IIRC. I liked that one: it's a tragedy and has an environmental message.
I've got both of the issues you mention, Dougie, but I later came to consider Terra-Man a bit of a silly idea. 'Secrets Of The First Metropolis' is a nice little tale indeed.
(Originally posted 26 March 2016 at 11.50.)
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