GIANT SUPERMAN ANNUAL #7 (1963) - SILVER ANNIVERSARY ISSUE... (Updated)

Copyright DC COMICS

"Look... up in the space above... it's a bird... it's a 'plane... it's a comicbook!"  I've fancied owning this mag for a while now and finally managed to obtain one at a reasonable price.  John Byrne gave this mag a 'nod' when he drew the 'final' choice of cover for Action Comics #600, the Golden Anniversary issue.  I bought two or three of them at the time, and I thought it would be nice to acquire the Silver Anniversary ish to keep them company, so that's precisely what I did, Crivvies.  (I'm sure you all approve.)

Tell you what, let's cop a gander at the splash pages contained therein.  No, don't try to talk me out of it - nothing's too much trouble for my faithful readers.  All I ask is that you leave a comment in return - now that's surely not too much to ask, is it?  Remember that all images can be enlarged by clicking on them, then clicking again for optimum size.

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Incidentally, 'The Origin Of The Superman-Batman Team!' demonstrates just how 'elastic' DC was with continuity*.  In this strip, Bruce Wayne's parents are still alive (the Waynes having moved to Smallville) and Bruce is a similar age to Clark Kent, not the younger kid he was at the time of Thomas and Martha Wayne's death.  Bruce also displays an 'amazing mind' and is a 'walking encyclopaedia', as well as possessing an 'amazingly athletic body' (his own, natch) - attributes which weren't developed (over a period of years) until after his parents were shot, not before.  (Interesting that the mothers of Bruce and Clark share the same first name.)

(*There are at least three different versions of how they first met, though when one was later reprinted, some lettering was amended to change the story into how they first discovered each other's secret identities.) 

And below is the John Byrne cover from Action Comics #600 (1988) - the Golden Anniversary issue, clearly inspired by Giant Superman Annual #7...

BABE Of The DAY - SALLY JAMES...

Hands up who watched TISWAS back in the day?

Like me, did you watch it purely to ogle at Sally James,

or was it Spit the Dog or the Phantom Flan-Flinger

who sent your pulse racing and fired you with desire?  If

 it was either of the latter two, you're a filthy pervert.

DO YOU PREFER HARD OR SOFT? YOU DECIDE...

Copyright DC COMICS

I'm sure most of you recall the Famous First Editions tabloid-sized mags from the '70s.  Some of them were also actually distributed in hardback by Lyle Stuart, Inc. in a limited run, with cloth covers and dust-jackets.  A few years ago, DC issued one in the same format, that being More Fun Comics #1.  However, they've also published hardback versions of some of their Collectors' Editions and I have five of them in all, though I'm not sure exactly how many altogether have been released in this deluxe presentation.  More than five?  Anyone know?

They're printed on superior glossy paper and are a delight to the eyes and hands.  Honest, it's just such a pleasure to look at and touch them and I wish DC and Marvel would get together and reissue the first Superman Vs. Spider-Man team-up in hardback.  I can see no reason why they couldn't, as it's been reprinted at least a couple of times over the years in standard-size comics and books.  The covers are just like traditional UK Annuals, with no dust-jackets, and to be honest, I prefer them that way.

So what would you prefer, Crivs - cardboard covered Collectors' Editions or hardback deluxe versions?  Reveal your palpitating preferences now in our comments section, if you'd be so good. 

DC LIMITED COLLECTORS' EDITION FACSIMILES...

Copyright DC COMICS

Behold - two new facsimiles of DC Collectors' Editions from the '70s, Crivs.  If you don't have the originals, then these are the very chappies for you.  As it happens, I don't have the originals either, so they're the very chappies for me, too!  I've also got a hardcover edition of the Superman Vs Wonder Woman issue, published in 2020, winging its way to me as I type these words, so hooray for me.

Did you purchase any of the various DC Collectors' Editions back in the day, and if so, what impressed you about them?  Let it all hang out (figuratively speaking) in our comments section.

And below is the latest arrival at Castel Crivens...

BABE Of The DAY - DENISE MILANI...

The delightful, delectable, and devastatingly

beautiful Denise Milani is our 'Babe' for today,

Crivvies.  I'd better pop out and buy some chocolate

digestives in case she wants a wee biccie with a cup

of tea later - only the best for divine Denise.

2025 FACSIMILE EDITION Of The 2018 FF #1 FACSIMILE EDITION - Or IS IT? (Eh?)

2025 Facsimile.  Copyright MARVEL COMICS

Above, is the latest Facsimile Edition of The Fantastic Four #1.  Look at that barcode box in the corner; far too big and intrusive compared to the 2018 edition, below.  Why do Marvel do it?  I'm talking about unnecessarily obscuring part of the cover in this way.  At least with the 2025 edition they've got the date right (November) as opposed to August on the previous version.  I should point out, though, that back in 1961, although the issue was cover-dated November, it actually went on sale in August (8th, I think), and the 2018 incarnation was, I assume, merely reflecting this fact.

2018 Facsimile with less intrusive barcode

At least this time they've included the 'Continued After Next Page' tagline before the ads, which they neglected to do last time.  I also note that although the 2018 facsimile placed the indicia under the ad on the inside front cover (as did the 1961 original), it's now been moved to under the splash page.  Again, why?  Okay, the 2018 indicia had fewer lines than the latest one, but as the 2025 splash page was reduced in size to accommodate it, why couldn't they do likewise with the ad and put the indicia where it should be?  (Seeing as how it's meant to be a 'facsimile'.)

2025 Facsimile, indicia moved to splash page, reduced to accommodate it

This latest edition doesn't have the 16 extra pages of bonus material that the last one did, which is something I actually approve of as I prefer it to be more like the 1961 printing.  If they'd only reduced that barcode and had the indicia under the ad, the whole comic would've been perfect.  However, there's some good news. The upcoming foil variant cover version has placed the barcode on the back cover (like DC now do) so that's an improvement.  Why Marvel didn't do so with their 'standard' facsimiles is beyond me, but all the mags will likely be reissued again in the future, so we can only hope that then they'll do things right.

2018 Facsimile with updated indicia, though in the right place as per original

I've heard that the barcode is destined for extinction anyway, before too long, so that's something to look forward to if it means its defacement of comicbook covers will soon be a thing of the past.  Anyway, if you want a relatively inexpensive copy of FF #1, despite my observations this is one of the better ones.  Buy it as soon as you can, effendis - you know it makes sense.  And below is an old photo of another issue of #1 in my collection, which is currently tucked away in a safe place, and not at hand for scanning.

BABE Of The DAY - DENISE MILANI...

Would you look at that - Denise Milani

hasn't yet taken down her Christmas tree, the

lazy lass.  Better get to it, Denise, before Easter

is upon us.  Then you'll be too full of chocolate

eggs to want to do anything but sleep.

FRED FLINTSTONE - A SPY-TYPE GUY... (Updated)

Well, Crivs, do I have a treat for you!  No, that isn't a question, it's a statement, as I'm now about to unleash on you the Gold Key comic strip adaptation of The Man Called Flintstone movie from 1966 - including some clips from the film itself.  See if you can spot the apparent plot flaw that tends to suggest not a lot of thought was put into the story.  Either that or Hanna-Barbera's writers were making some of it up as they went along.  Don't worry if it passes over your head, I'll spell it out at the foot of the post.  Enjoy!

(Update: Since first publishing this post, I've obtained a better copy of the comic without the 'ripples' the first one had.  I've therefore rescanned the complete story and replaced the images with better ones.  Well done me.)

And now - the plot flaw.  As Triple X is the Green Goose, he clearly would've known that Fred was standing in for Rock Slag and be therefore unable to supply him with the information he was looking for.  Which, as he was a government agent himself on the same case, he wouldn't have had to look for as he'd surely have known from the beginning when the Chief gave him his mission instructions.  H-B didn't think it through, did they?

Or maybe they did.  I've just noticed the Chief introduces Fred to Triple X as Rock Slag, not Flintstone, so maybe X/Goose didn't know Fred was a stand-in.  However, he'd surely have known the overall details of the case he (Triple X) was on, going by what his mission instructions were, and just what info the Chief and Slag were looking for about his criminal alter-ego.