Donald Duck #52 - Carl Barks art

Walt Disney's Donald Duck #52, 1957 - Donald Duck, Uncle Scrooge and company pursue an old gold mine. They soon find themselves bartering with the pack rats native to the area, and need all their smarts to outwit them. Carl Bark's desert locale is pretty sparse, but incorporates needed texture in the mine scenes. His storytelling is superbly concise, making this issue a real treasure. See today's posts or more Barks or Donald Duck issues.
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"The Lost Peg Leg Mine" Barks story pencils and inks 10 pages = ****
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Witching Hour #5 - Bernie Wrightson, Alex Toth art

Witching Hour #5, 1969 - A young Bernie Wrightson illustrates a tale of a period shipwreck. His line and brushwork add a textural richness to his art, especially the storm scenes. This is one of the few early works that hints at his later potential. Alex Toth continues to draw the framing pages surrounding the stories, and does so in an appropriately eerie way. Nick Cardy delivers another fine cover. The interior page shown above is by Wrightson. This is number 2 of 2 Witching Hour issues with Wrightson art and/or covers and number 4 of 10 Witching Hour issues with Toth art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Toth, Wrightson or Witching Hour issues. See also this blog's Wrightson checklist, Top 10 Wrightson comics or Toth checklist.
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"The Sole Survivor" " Wrightson story pencils and inks 7 pages = ***
Toth pencils and inks 3 pages = ***
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Witching Hour #4 - Alex Toth art

Witching Hour #4, 1969 - Alex Toth only supplies framing pages, introducing and concluding the issue, and does a competent job. His opening splash is a terrific portrait of the three witches that serve as host for the title. His heavy, graphic inking is typical of his work from this period. Nick Cardy produces another outstanding cover, one of his best of the 1960s. This is number 3 of 10 Witching Hour issues with Toth art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Toth or Witching Hour issues. See also this blog's Toth checklist.
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"Witching Hour Welcome Wagon" Toth pencils and inks 5 pages = ***
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Witching Hour #3 - Bernie Wrightson, Alex Toth art

Witching Hour #3, 1969 - One of Bernie Wrightson's earliest works shows off his exceptional brushwork. His shadows on faces and figures are as much romantic as they are mysterious, and are hallmarks of his style. The Alex Toth pages are much less impressive overall, primarily due to the poor inking by another artist. The Mike Sekowsky / Nick Cardy cover has to be one of the best horror covers of the early bronze age. The interior page shown above is by Wrightson. This is number 1 of 2 Witching Hour issues with Wrightson art and/or covers and number 2 of 10 Witching Hour issues with Toth art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Toth, Wrightson or Witching Hour issues. See also this blog's Bernie Wrightson checklist, Top 10 Wrightson comics or Toth checklist.
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Framing pages, Toth pencils (Bill Draut inks?) 8 pages = **
"The Turn of the Wheel" Toth story pencils 8 pages = ***
"And In a Far Off Land" Wrightson story pencils and inks 8 pages = ***
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Daredevil #179 - Frank Miller art & cover

Daredevil #179, 1982 - Prominently featured on the cover, Elektra is hired to stop an expose from a Daily Bugle journalist. Told from the reporter's point of view, Frank Miller puts the reader squarely in his shoes and in her sights. His page compositions are stunning, filled with deliberately sequenced and exceptionally drawn panels. The bird's eye view of the newspaper's offices (page 4), the stark fear on Ben Ulrich's face (reminiscent of Wally Wood, see interior page above) and Elektra's explosive confrontation with Daredevil (page 16) are but a few of the many highlights. This is Miller's finest DD issue to date. This is number 21 of 33 Daredevil issues with Miller art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Miller or Daredevil issues. See also this blog's Frank Miller checklist.
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Miller cover pencils (Klaus Janson inks) = ***
"Spiked" Miller story pencils (Klaus Janson inks) 22 pages = *****
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Daredevil #178 - Frank Miller art & cover

Daredevil #178, 1982 - Possessing evidence that would put away a city councilman, a teenage thug offers them up to the highest bidder. Power Man and Iron Fist make a guest appearance, though only hinted at on Frank Miller's minimalist cover. As usual, the artist's interior pages are better, with filled with several entertaining action scenes (see interior page above). Elektra makes an appearance as well. This is number 20 of 33 Daredevil issues with Miller art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Miller or Daredevil issues. See also this blog's Frank Miller checklist.
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Miller cover pencils (Klaus Janson inks) = **
"Paper Chase" Miller story pencils (Klaus Janson inks) 21 pages = ***
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Daredevil #177 - Frank Miller art & cover

Daredevil #177, 1981 - After finding his old mentor Stick, Daredevil must re-learn how to develop the "radar sense" lost in a recent accident. Matt Murdock delves into his past, reliving parts of his youth and the incident that blinded him. Frank Miller brings new insights into the character's origins, emotions and motivations. Especially effective is how DD's memories are portrayed sans color, giving them a dream-like quality. This is number 19 of 33 Daredevil issues with Miller art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Miller or Daredevil issues. See also this blog's Frank Miller checklist.
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Miller cover pencils (Klaus Janson inks) = **
"Where Angels fear to Tread" Miller story pencils (Klaus Janson inks) 21 pages = ****
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Superboy #160 - Wally Wood art, Neal Adams cover

Superboy #160, 1969 - The story allows Wally Wood to somewhat showcase a milder version of the "good girl" art he's known for. Lana Lang, Superboy's boyhood sweetheart, has never looked better, much to the artist's credit. Adams' cover is meticulous in its inking, especially in the figure. The colors nicely reinforce the coldness and emptiness of space. This is number 7 of 8 Superboy issues with Wood art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Adams, Wood or Superboy issues. See also this blog's Adams checklist, Top 10 Adams comics or Wood checklist.
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"I Chose External Exile!" Wood story inks (Bob Brown pencils) 23 pages = ***
Adams cover pencils and inks = ****
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Superboy #159 - Wally Wood art, Neal Adams cover

Superboy #159, 1969 - Neal Adams does what he can on this somewhat silly theme. DC often had covers with shock value or that were just plain odd. Wood's inking continues to shine on Bob Brown's pencils, making the artwork that much more engaging. This is number 6 of 8 Superboy issues with Wood art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Adams, Wood or Superboy issues. See also this blog's Adams checklist, Top 10 Adams comics or Wood checklist.
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"The Day it Rained Superboys!" Wood story inks (Bob Brown pencils) 23 pages = ***
Adams cover pencils and inks = ***
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Superboy #158 - Wally Wood art, Neal Adams cover

Superboy #158, 1969 - Quite possibly Wally Wood's best effort on the series, his inks work overtime on this story about Superboy's parents. The brushwork is delicate and well planned on nearly every panel. Adams' cover design utilizes the entire page and eliminating negative space. Yet the layout doesn't appear too crowded due to his mastery of composition and hierarchy of elements. This is number 5 of 8 Superboy issues with Wood art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Adams, Wood or Superboy issues. See also this blog's Adams checklist, Top 10 Adams comics or Wood checklist.
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"Superboy's Darkest Secret" Wood story inks (Bob Brown pencils) 24 pages = ***
Adams cover pencils and inks = ***
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Astonishing Tales #6 - Barry Windsor Smith art

Astonishing Tales #6 featuring Ka-Zar and Dr. Doom, 1971 - A fiery god on horseback suddenly appears, bringing thunderstorms and rising waters to the Savage Land. Primitive and roughly executed, Barry Smith's art has an undeniable excitement. His finest Ka-Zar tale of the series, the work is comparable to his best Conan the Barbarian issues. Much of the credit goes to Bill Everett, whose inks maintain much of Smith's spontaneous gestures. Other artists in this issue include George Tuska, Mike Esposito and John Buscema (cover). This is number 4 of 5 Astonishing Tales issues with Smith art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Smith, Astonishing Tales or Ka-zar issues. See also this blog's Smith checklist.
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"Ware the Wind of Death" Smith story pencils (Bill Everett inks) 10 pages = ****
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Astonishing Tales #5 - Barry Windsor Smith art

Astonishing Tales #5 featuring Ka-Zar and Dr. Doom, 1971 - Barry Smith delivers his most vivid opening splash of the series. As Ka-Zar struggles high above the ground, readers are pulled close into the scene. Meanwhile, the Petrified Man grows increasingly mad with power. Smith's artwork wanes on subsequent pages, confined by progressively smaller panels. Other artists in this issue include George Tuska, Mike Esposito and John Buscema (cover). This is number 3 of 5 Astonishing Tales issues with Smith art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Smith, Astonishing Tales or Ka-zar issues. See also this blog's Smith checklist.
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"Rampage" Smith story pencils (Sam Grainger inks) 10 pages = ***
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Astonishing Tales #4 - Barry Windsor Smith, Wally Wood art

Astonishing Tales #4 featuring Ka-Zar and Dr. Doom, 1971 - A priestess named Zaladane threatens to conquer the Savage Land, unless Ka-Zar and his allies can stop her. Barry Smith's eclectic architecture and creatures are wildly distinctive. The same verve and spontaneity that graces his Conan the Barbarian issues also occurs here. By contrast, Wally Wood's Dr. Doom story seems more traditional by comparison. The Red Skull and cohorts take over Latveria while its dictator is away. The artwork is drawn with little fanfare, with the exception of the ending splash page, revealing a resurgent Nazi party. Other artists in this issue include John Buscema (cover). The interior page above is by Smith. This is number 2 of 5 Astonishing Tales issues with Smith art and/or covers and number 4 of 4 Astonishing Tales issues with Wood art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Smith, Wood, Astonishing Tales or Ka-zar issues. See also this blog's Smith checklist or Wood checklist.
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"The Sun God" Smith story pencils 10 pages = ***
"The Invaders!" Wood story pencils and inks 10 pages = ***
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