Bizarre Adventures #25 - Marshall Rogers art

Bizarre Adventures magazine #25, 1981 - One of Marvel's black and white magazine series, each issue of Bizarre Adventures varies in content and theme. This edition showcases Marvel heroines and includes the popular and enduring Black Widow. Based on characters from Power Man, the lengthy Daughters of the Dragon tale is illustrated by Marshall Rogers. Despite plenty of kung fu action, the layouts are mediocre at best and Bob McCleod's smooth inks dampen most of the spontaneity. Other artists in this issue include Michael Golden and Paul Gulacy. This is number 1 of 1 Bizarre Adventures issues with Rogers art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Rogers or Bizarre Adventures issues. See also this blog's Rogers checklist or Top 10 Rogers comics.
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"Safe Streets" Rogers story pencils (Bob McCleod inks) 22 pages (black and white) = **
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Twisted Tales #2 - Bernie Wrightson cover, Mike Ploog art

Twisted Tales #2, 1982 - Bernie Wrightson executes his one and only cover for this mature horror title by Pacific Comics. The scene is strongly reminiscent of the notoriously violent EC comics of the 1950s, an influence that pervades the entire Twisted Tales series. Bloody yet compelling, the worm's eye view makes the killer seem even more menacing. Note how the bottom tip of the ax leads the reader's eye toward the next victim. Mike Ploog draws a tale of a desperately lonely man and his imagined fantasies. The artwork is both gory and cartoonish, a disturbing yet effective combination. Other artists in this issue include Ken Steacy, Val Mayerik and Rand Holmes. This is number 1 of 2 Twisted Tales issues with Wrightson art and/or covers and number 1 of 1 Twisted Tales issues with Ploog art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Wrightson, Ploog or Twisted Tales issues. See also this blog's Wrightson checklist, Top 10 Wrightson comics, Ploog checklist or Top 10 Ploog comics.
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Wrightson cover pencils and inks = ***
"Over His Head" Ploog story pencils and inks 8 pages = ***
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Nick Fury #11 - Barry Windsor Smith cover

Nick Fury, Agent of Shield #11, 1968 - On this oddly composed cover, two figures float in space while an agonized face screams in the background. Nick Fury and his foe are clumsily placed, heavily obscuring the spaceship in the distance. A gloved arm reaches toward us, poorly foreshortened and overly distorted. Barry Smith clearly struggles with his earliest works for Marvel, but quickly progresses toward the end of the decade. This is number 2 of 3 Nick Fury issues with Smith art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Smith or Nick Fury issues. See also this blog's Barry Windsor Smith checklist.
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Smith cover pencils (Frank Springer inks) = **
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1st Issue Special #9 / Dr. Fate - Walt Simonson art, Joe Kubert cover

First Issue Special #9 featuring Dr. Fate, 1975 - After his introduction during the golden age and subsequent silver age appearances, Doctor Fate is featured in his very first solo issue. Walt Simonson, who gained widespread recognition with his Manhunter series in Detective Comics, does a phenomenal rendition of the character. A spectacular splash page portrait of the hero opens the story, followed by expertly designed and paced layouts. The artwork is made even more distinctive due to Simonson's hallmark style, including the creative use of typography and patterns. Unfortunately, Joe Kubert's cover falls flat by comparison. This is number 1 of 2 First Issue Special issues with Simonson art and/or covers and number 1 of 1 First Issue Special issues with Kubert art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Simonson, Kubert, or 1st Issue Special issues. See also this blog's Simonson checklist or Kubert checklist.
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Kubert cover pencils and inks = **
"Mummy That Time Forgot" Simonson story pencils and inks 18 pages = *****
"The Story Behind the Story" Simonson text illo pencils and inks 1 page = ***
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Sub-mariner #36 - Bernie Wrightson art

Sub-mariner #36, 1971 - During the 1970s, Bernie Wrightson rarely deviated from horror comics, but here he contributes to a Marvel superhero title. His dark, painterly style struggles with the genre. With the exception of a few appropriately mysterious scenes (see interior page above), the inks openly clash with Sal Buscema's pencils. Wrightson would return to the genre in the 1980s with greater success. This is number 1 of 1 Sub-mariner issues with Wrightson art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Wrightson or Sub-mariner issues. See also this blog's Wrightson checklist or Top 10 Wrightson comics.
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"What Gods Have Joined Together" Wrightson story inks (Sal Buscema pencils) 20 pages = *
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Gale Storm / Four Color Comics #1105 - Alex Toth art

Gale Storm / Four Color Comics #1105, 1960 - Based on the CBS television show of the same name, the stories mix light romance with humorous situations. Alex Toth's loose, but realistic drawing style (often used for Dell's comic adaptations) suits the tales perfectly. The opening panel of "The Sea Horse" comfortably squeezes in the perspective view of a cruise ship, establishing the setting as well as scale. Toth's characters, particularly women, are distinctive in their individually. His inside covers have a tad more detail, perhaps to compensate for lack of color. This is number 1 of 1 Gale Storm issues with Toth art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Toth or Four Color Comics issues. See also this blog's Toth checklist.
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"The Sea Horse" Toth story pencils and inks 22 pages = ***
"Pirate Beware" Toth story pencils and inks 10 pages = ***
"The Sea Horse" Toth inside front cover pencils and inks (black and white) = ****
"Gale Storm" Toth inside back cover pencils and inks (black and white) = ****
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Weird Western Tales #13 - Neal Adams art

Weird Western Tales #13 featuring El Diablo & Jonah Hex, 1972 - A trio of bank robbers, newly released from prison, reclaim the stolen money hidden long ago in an ordinary household. Neal Adams' opening sequence on this El Diablo tale brilliantly conveys the moment of anticipation before they take action. Beautifully drawn throughout, especially noteworthy panels include the close-up of an old Native American's face (see interior page shown above), El Diablo's sudden appearance before the gunmen, and the final confrontation set against the background of a rising sun. This exceptional Neal Adams effort is arguably the best illustrated western tale of the bronze age. Other artists in this issue include Tony DeZuniga (Jonah Hex cover and story). This is number 2 of 3 Weird Western issues with Adams art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Adams or Weird Western Tales issues. See also this blog's Adams checklist or Top 10 Adams comics.
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"The Night Of The Living Dead" Adams story pencils and inks 11 pages = ****
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Kid Slade #7 - Al Williamson art

Kid Slade, Gunfighter #7, 1957 - The town bully swaggers into a saloon, only to encounter a stranger with uncommon courage. Al Williamson opens the story with the antagonist standing at the entrance, his figure looming large over the other men. Double doors (intentionally unattached to any structure) are pushed wide for dramatic effect. Streamlined and polished, the various figure drawings and scenes excel in detail and depth. Williamson's pencils are further enhanced by the superb inking of Ralph Mayo. This is number 1 of 1 Kid Slade issues with Williamson art and/or covers. Other artists in this issue include Werner Roth and Joe Maneely (cover). See today's posts or more WilliamsonKid Slade issues. See also this blog's Al Williamson checklist.
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"The Gun-slinger" Williamson story pencils (Ralph Mayo inks) 4 pages = ****
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Giant-size Chillers v2 #3 - Bernie Wrightson cover, Barry Windsor Smith, Jack Kirby, Wrightson reprints

Giant-size Chillers v2 #3, 1975 - First premiering as the giant-sized version for Tomb of Dracula, the series restarted the next year as a showcase for mostly 1950s-60s horror reprints. All had new covers, including this one pencilled by Ed Hannigan and inked by mystery comics favorite Bernie Wrightson. Certain details on the gargoyle figure nicely display his handiwork, but overall Wrightson's efforts are too passive. His signature style is much more evident and enjoyable in his interior story, originally published in Chamber Of Darkness #7. Other notable reprints include a tale by Jack Kirby (Chamber of Darkness #4) and two from Barry Smith (Chamber of Darkness #3 and Monsters of the Prowl #9). See today's posts or more Wrightson, Kirby or Smith issues. See also this blog's Wrightson checklist or Top 10 Wrightson comics.
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Wrightson cover inks (Ed Hannigan pencils) = **
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Omega Men - comic series checklist

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Omega Men v1
DC
1983-86

1
2-5
6-10
11-15
16 - Alex Nino art & cover
17-20
21 - Alex Nino art & cover
22-30
31-38
Annual 1 - Alex Nino art

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Omega Men v2
DC
2006-07

1-6

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Alien: The Illustrated Story - Walt Simonson art & cover

Alien: The Illustrated Story, 1979 - Heavy Metal publishing takes on the task of adapting Ridley Scott's landmark movie into a graphic novel. Writer Archie Goodwin and artist Walt Simonson, the same team that produced DC's award-winning Manhunter series, handles the chores with passion and enthusiasm. The artist opens with a bold double page spread, rendering the movie title in organically viscous textures. Subsequent pages use an abundance of small panels in carefully paced layouts that are suggestively claustrophobic. These are contrasted by larger panels of intense action scenes. Interestingly, the film's pivotal scene of the alien emerging from a stomach is bloodier and more violent than the original. Just as noteworthy is the issue's second double page spread, depicting the crew's initial discovery of the alien spacecraft. With this adaptation, Simonson proves himself a master of layout and sequential design. See today's posts or more Simonson issues. See also this blog's Walt Simonson checklist.
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Simonson cover pencils and inks = **
"Alien" Simonson story pencils and inks 61 pages = ***
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1st Issue Special #7 / The Creeper - Steve Ditko art & cover

First Issue Special #7 featuring The Creeper, 1975 - One of Steve Ditko's signature creations from the 1960s, The Creeper is revived for a single issue of this series. Immediately evident is a disappointing lack of effort on the cover. Too many details are omitted and the composition is lacking. A urinating dog in the distant background perhaps hints at the artist's frustrations with the industry. Inside, Ditko's layouts are cramped and poorly designed, including the mediocre opening splash. Mike Royer's inking further oversimplifies the pencils. Sadly, this issue is a far cry from the earlier Beware the Creeper series that showcased some of his finest work. This is number 1 of 1 First Issue Special issues with Ditko art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Ditko, Creeper or 1st Issue Special issues. See also this blog's Ditko checklist.
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Ditko cover pencils (Mike Royer inks) = *
''Menace Of The Human Firefly'' Ditko story pencils (Mike Royer inks) 18 pages = *
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Wheelie And The Chopper Bunch #2 - John Byrne art & cover

Wheelie And The Chopper Bunch #2, 1975 - Supporting the Saturday morning 1970s cartoon, this comic book series chronicles further tales of these animated automobile characters. While John Byrne would later be known for his Marvel superhero work, his early style fits the cartoon genre surprisingly well. His three short stories are both pleasing and well told. Throughout the book, his car characters have expressions and movements that even surpass that of the tv show. Could this better than expected effort be credited to Byrne's love of drawing machinery? The issue also contains text illustrations by Mike Zeck. This is number 1 of 1 Wheelie And The Chopper Bunch issues with Byrne art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Byrne issues.
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Byrne cover pencils and inks = **
"The Noisemakers" Byrne story pencils and inks 6 pages = ***
"Go for Broken" Byrne story pencils and inks 8 pages = ***
"The Baddest Dude in Town" Byrne story pencils and inks 8 pages = ***
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Nick Fury vs Shield #1 - Jim Steranko cover

Nick Fury vs Shield #1, 1988 - Jim Steranko briefly returns to Marvel to illustrate the cover of this Nick Fury limited series. Although his graphic approach of the 1960s was his forte, he opts for a more painterly solution in this case. It gives the perfect-bound issue the look and feel of a spy novel. The relatively small masthead also suggests film posters of the 1970s. Other artists in this issue include Paul Neary and Kim DeMulder. This is number 1 of 1 Nick Fury vs Shield issues with Steranko art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Steranko or Nick Fury issues. See also this blog's Jim Steranko checklist or Top 10 Steranko comics.
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Steranko painted cover = ***
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The Brute #3 - Jim Starlin, Frank Brunner art

The Brute #3, 1975 - In the tradition of the Incredible Hulk, Atlas Comics takes a turn at the man-monster genre. Unfortunately, The Brute lacks the charisma of more mainstream characters and last for a mere three issues. In this final story, some price guides credit the pencils to Alan Weiss, Jim Starlin and Frank Brunner. There seems scant evidence of the two latter artists' contributions. Page sixteen (see interior page shown above) most closely resembles Starlin's work, especially in the faces. Brunner's style is frankly indistinguishable. If they did lend a hand, their efforts fall far below expectations. Other artists in this issue include Pablo Marcos (cover). This is number 1 of 1 Brute issues with Starlin art and/or covers and number 1 of 1 Brute issues with Brunner art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Starlin or Brunner issues. See also this blog's Starlin checklist, Top 10 Starlin comics, Brunner checklist or Top 10 Brunner comics.
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"Live or Let Die" Starlin partial pencils (Jack Abel inks) = *, Brunner partial pencils? (Jack Abel inks) = *
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Haunted Love #9 - Don Newton cover

Haunted Love #9, 1975 - More dynamically composed than his previous cover, Don Newton depicts two men fighting for the affections of a young woman. Her shadowed figure appears in the distance but her frighteningly concerned face is perfectly captured in the foreground. Newton's complementary blues and oranges add an uncommon richness to the scene. Other artists in this issue include Sanho Kim, Enrique Nieto, Tom Sutton and Pat Boyette. This is number 2 of 2 Haunted Love issues with Newton art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Newton or Haunted Love issues. See also this blog's Newton checklist.
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Newton painted cover = ***
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The Spectre #9 - Bernie Wrightson art

The Spectre v1 #9, 1969 - In Bernie Wrightson's back-up story, The Spectre becomes more of an observer of events rather than a full participant. A magician sells his soul to the devil in order to rule a small country, while the Spectre awaits in judgment. Wrightson's dark foreboding style seems to perfectly fit the character, more so even than the previous Neal Adams issues. His fluid brushwork adds an attractively eerie quality throughout the pages. This story has also been reprinted (with some loss of detail) in House of Mystery #224. Other artists in this issue include Jerry Grandenetti, Jack Sparling and Nick Cardy (cover). This is number 1 of 1 Spectre issues with Wrightson art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Wrightson or Spectre issues. See also this blog's Wrightson checklist or Top 10 Wrightson comics.
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"Abraca-Doom" Wrightson story pencils and inks 9 pages = ***
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Jungle Action v2 #3 - Jim Starlin cover

Jungle Action v2 #3, 1973 - The first few issues of this jungle adventure-themed series contains reprints from the 1960s. In this case, Tharn, Lorna the Jungle Girl and Jann of the Jungle stories make up the bulk of the book. Jim Starlin is tasked with repackaging the contents within a more contemporary cover. The artist's muscular definition of the hero is extreme, even by comic book standards, but not inappropriate. Starlin's layout is works surprisingly well. Note how the arc of the snake's movement leads the eye from the recoiling female to the central character. Other artists in this issue include Joe Maneely (reprints). This is number 1 of 1 Jungle Action issues with Starlin art and/or covers. See today's posts or more Starlin or Jungle Action issues. See also this blog's Jim Starlin checklist or Top 10 Jim Starlin comics.
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Starlin cover pencils (Frank Giacoia inks) = ***
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