COVER STORIES for 03/25/2007
COVER STORIES INSTALLMENT #98
Welcome, faithful readers (and those of you joining us for the first time) to the 98th installment of Cover Stories, the weekly column in which I, Jon B. Knutson, present a group of covers with a common theme!
This week's theme is "Unmasked!" As you'll recall, the last time I ran with this theme, it was all Spider-Man... but this time, other characters will get their time in the sun, so to speak... and it's all DC!
Let's start with a cover from the Superman Family of titles, shall we?
Here's Adventure Comics 181, and you're probably surprised to see it's not the Boy of Steel being unmasked! Say, is it just me, or is anyone else kind of reminded of classic action figure Captain Action here, with the full face mask presented? Given the blond hair of the man being unmasked, would it be way off base for me to guess that it's either Pete Ross, or perhaps one of Superboy's Legion buddies (wait, this was before the Legion, wasn't it?).
The cover was by Win Mortimer, pencils and inks. Inside, "A Mask for a Hero" featured art by John Sikela. It's followed by a Little Pete filler by Henry Boltinoff, a Professor Eureka filler by Boltinoff, Aquaman in "the Evil King of the Sea" with art by Ramona Fradon, a Shorty filler by Boltinoff, Jonny Quick in "Joanie Swift, Queen of Speed" with art by Paul Norris (later reprinted in Worlds Finest 198), the text feature "25,000 Dead Men" by Jack Miller with art by Raymond Perry, a Varsity Vic filler by Boltinoff, and finally, Green Arrow in "The Crime Platoon" with art by George Papp!
I wonder if Joanie Swift really was a Queen of Speed (Jonny Quick billed himself as the King of Speed), and if she ever appeared again?
Now for a pair of covers with a certain Caped Crusader!
Yep, here's a cover where Batman takes off his mask! Now, I can see why Commissioner Gordon would be surprised... but why are Robin and Alfred surprised? Well, it probably has something to do with the face being unmasked, which is probably not Bruce Wayne, if I know my Silver Age Batman tales any!
The cover of Batman 211 was by Irv Novick and Joe Giella. Novick, in my opinion, is one of the most underrated artists in comics (and the most humble, from what I've heard). Inside, "Batman's Big Blow-Off" was by Frank Robbins, Novick and Giella. Also in this issue, a Fact File text feature on Detective Comics #27, which of course was the first appearance of Batman!
Here's a nice Neal Adams cover, and Batman's not the one doing the unmasking here... instead, it's this issue's baddie, who apparently blames the Dark Knight for his disfigurement!
Detective 409 featured "Man in the Eternal Mask!" by Frank Robbins, Bob Brown, and Frank Giacoia. Also in this issue was Batgirl in "Night of the Sharp Horns!" by Robbins, Don Heck, and Dick Giordano, and it was continued from Detective #408.
And, since it's been too long since I had a gorilla cover in this column, here's Strange Adventures 55, where Mr. X is unmasked as an intelligent gorilla! Holy Planet of the Apes! Naturally, this gorilla is intelligent and crafty (and apparently very strong).
Strange Adventures 55's cover was by Murphy Anderson (like I had to tell you that!). Inside, "The Gorilla Who Challenged the World (Part 1)" was by Edmond Hamilton and Sy Barry - and it was reprinted in From Beyond the Unknown #5! Also, this issue featured "Movie Men from Mars" by Hamilton, Henry Sharp, and Giella, "A World Destroyed" by Joe Kubert, "The Day the Sun Exploded" by John Broome, Gil Kane, and Bernard Sachs, and "The Invisible Spaceman" by Sid Gerson, Anderson, and Giella.
A shame more of these tales haven't been reprinted, eh?
Join me next time for another installment of "Cover Stories," in which I'll present another installment of "Comics They Never Made" (and they won't be "Drive-In Movie Classics" issues for a change!), and in the meantime, you can check out my blog at http://waffyjon.blogspot.com for other musings and ramblings by me, or email me with comments about this column at !
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