Jim Steranko Comic Collector covers with Talon and Jungle Queen

In the 1970s, I was hungry for any magazine that covered comics and the movies I liked.  Jim Steranko's Comixscene magazine was published through his publishing company, Supergraphics, starting in 1972.  He covered not only comics, but movies and TV shows as well.  I remember that Steranko painted gorgeous posters of the big movies that were coming out at that time.  Pop culture was the topic, and Comixscene later was re-titled MediaScene. 

These magazines had a lot of tantalizing merchandise for sale in the ads.  One of these items, which I dearly coveted, but could not purchase, was Steranko's Comic Collector box.  This was before I knew about long boxes.  Steranko had a solution to comic book storage: put your comics in a standup box featuring his wonderful artwork.  The first box, that you see above, featured Talon, Steranko's barbarian character.  I think we only saw this character in articles and pin-ups.  No Talon stories were ever published.  If I am wrong, please let me know.  If I am right, what a shame, Talon was a great design for a sword and sorcery series.

Doesn't Talon's face look like a young Steranko?

On the spine, you can see a number of Golden Age looking characters, with a Shang Chi type of dude below them.

The second box featured a jungle queen character, reminiscent of Sheena.  It's a great pose and she's sexy as hell.  Very regal too--even the Lion she's riding looks up admiring her. On the spine there are the classic monsters which were popular at Marvel during this period.

What stopped me from buying these to store my comics?  I did the math in my head as a kid.  I think I figured I had to spend $65 to store my entire collection.  That was a fortune back then.  Nuff said.

Big Barda by Art Adams

Feeling in the mode for some Kirby-esque women.  Time for Big Barda!



Art Adams is the perfect guy to execute this drawing.  Doesn't it look like she's meditating and a dragon comes along to disturb her?  I just hate it when that happens.  Nuff said.

Wonder Woman (in a Rockwell moment) by Steve Rude

I've got tons of artwork scans from various websites, previews, and other fans that I've collected over the years.  I came across this painting by Steve Rude featuring Wonder Woman:

Wonder Woman is captured in a very light-hearted moment, surrounded by kids trying to give away kittens to a good home.  Diana Prince giggles as she picks up a stray cat, the kids are happy.  A mother looks on from the background.  A sign advertises fresh corn.  This is the heart of rural America and this piece almost looks like Norman Rockwell could have painted it.  I think it's wonderful.  I already feel cheerful.  Nuff said.

Black Canary by Brian Bolland

Brian Bolland drew the best Black Canary cover in 1988, for Action Comics #609!  This was during the period when DC had booted Superman out of the title and made it an anthology starring various characters that did not have their own series.

 

Bolland's cover is just wicked.  Black Canary gives a mischievous smile to the viewer as she burns her 1980s Justice League era outfit.  Bolland is giving a gift to the fans: the return to the classic costume and fishnets!  I was happy to see the Black Canary's original outfit--I always think she should be drawn in this one.

Here is the original art for Action Comics 609.  It looks just as good, if not better, in black and white.  This piece is owned by Joseph Melchior, see his gallery at Comic Art Fans.  Nuff said.

Black Canary by Neal Adams

Neal Adams is probably my ideal artist for Black Canary.  His version is very attractive, sleek and athletic without being overly voluptuous.

Here's a piece taken from Neal Adams 2007 Sketchbook.  Adams has still got it--a shame we are not seeing any new superhero comics from him.  Nuff said.

Black Canary by Alex Toth

Alex Toth only drew a handful of Black Canary stories in Adventure Comics, but his version is unforgettable. 

Here is a drawing Toth did for a fan in 2003, featuring Doctor Mid-Night and Black Canary.

And here's a page from his Adventure Comics run in glorious black and white, with Black Canary takin' down a dude in bell bottom pants.  I love Toth's sound effects and page layout.  Nuff said.

Black Canary by Bruce Timm

I'm still in a black mood...a Black Canary mood.  And Bruce Timm is here to help me out.  His version of Dinah Lance is sexy, but not over the top, much like yesterday's Terry Austin pinup.

I like this picture of Black Canary taking a break on a sofa.  That face and haircut is right out of a 1950s film noir movie.

Here's a typical Timm pose with Black Canary getting ready to spring into action.

Looking at these pieces reminded me of a time when women could be portrayed as sexy and dangerous without their boobs and butt spilling all over the place.  Unlike this portrayal of Canary in All-Star Batman and Robin.  Nuff said.

Black Canary on JLA Monitor Duty: pin-up by Terry Austin

From the depths of my long boxes, I discovered the Comic Art Convention 1978 souvenir book, which has this great pin-up of Black Canary by Terry Austin:

Black Canary looks terrific in her fishnets, as usual.  But what is great about this piece is the subtle humor.  What is it like doing monitor duty on the Justice League satellite.  When Starro isn't launching an assault against Earth, JLA monitor duty is pretty boring and lonely. 

There's a pot of coffee and cups on the upper right.  On the lower left is a clipboard with a list of names checked off for duty: Aquaman, Atom, and Batman have already served their time before Dinah.  On the floor, you can see the various methods Canary used to pass the time: Crossword puzzles, Vogue magazine, and a book (Lord of the Rings).  I love Terry Austin's humor and attention to detail.  Nuff said.

Can You Believe: Jerry Lewis And Wonder Woman, Together!

Can you believe, dear readers, that DC Comics published a Jerry Lewis series--and that it lasted 124 issues?  Yes, indeedy, it did! 

And in Jerry Lewis #117 (1970), the comedian had a team-up with Wonder Woman!  This was the all-new, all-now, mad-mod powerless Diana Prince teaming up with Jerry--which is why she wasn't wearing a star spangled bikini.  I doubt Jerry could have handled that anyway.

Hmm...now I am wondering if there was a French version of this comic...and was it popular at that time?  Nuff said.

Who is Lois Lane? She's a Super Freak!

Who is Lois Lane?  Another question posed by DC Comics' marketing department in 1969, the same vein as the Jimmy Olsen Giant.

She's a reporter!  She's Superman's girl friend!  But she's also a Slave Girl, Madame Jekyll, a Widow in Black and a SuperWoman.  Or if she gets too smart and her brain expands, Lois is a Super-Freak--a decade before Rick James!

My favorite one is Lois Lane...HAG!  The silver age Lois Lane dated Superman, kissed Superman, but it seemed like she would never reach her goal of marrying him.  Lois' greatest fear was to end up old and alone with her knitting needles.  Gloria Steinem would hate this cover.  Nuff said.

Who Are the Gorgeous Girls in the Life of Jimmy Olsen?

Who Are the Gorgeous Girls in the Life of Jimmy Olsen? That question was posed to readers in 1969 in this advertisement in DC Comics...

Lucy, Ilona, Holga, and Lucinda!  Plus plenty of other chicks...birds, femmes and dolls in Jimmy Olsen #122 on sale June 19th.

Sheesh, you would have thought Austin Powers wrote that copy!

Of course, with an promo like that, I had to buy this 80 page DC Giant.  The cover looks like it was drawn by Neal Adams--at least the figures of Superman and Jimmy Olsen on the left.

Jimmy didn't have much luck with girls, but he did have a black book.  My expectation upon reaching some form of manhood assumed that I would also have a black book full of chicks and birds!  Never happened.  Nuff said.

The Final Days of Green Lantern Vol 2 with Gil Kane

Green Lantern Volume Two--the one starring Hal Jordan--had a terrific run during the 1980s.  Len Wein, Dave Gibbons, and Steve Englehart worked on the series during this period.  John Stewart even became the lead character for a period of time.  But it started winding down and losing sales despite the array of talent.

Green Lantern #167 has Jordan with his finger raised as he stands among the Guardians of the Universe.  This cover epitomizes the greatest thing about Jordan's character.  He's a Galactic cop reporting to the ultimate authority, but Jordan's always been rebellious, never afraid to the Guardians when they've made a bonehead decision.

In this run of stories, the writers had discovered the mythology surrounding the GL Corps was a goldmine of material.  The series changed its title to "The Green Lantern Corps" with issue 201 in an effort to boost sales.

The GL Corps only lasted 24 issues.  It was fitting that Gil Kane, the man who worked on the first issue back in the 1960s, drew the final cover to GL Corps #224.  After an epic battle with Sinestro, the great power battery of the Corps was left "diminished but not extinguished" in the words of the lone surviving Guardian.  There was enough power left to equip Jordan with a ring.  The rest of the Corps were powerless and dispersed to live normal lives. 

This cover is a fitting tribute to the end of the series, with Jordan saluting the battery and his friends in a state of shock.  Nuff said.