The first comic-book I can remember reading is World’s Finest #244, which came out in 1977. I would have been six, then, and — if I remember correctly — it was a gift while I was recovering from having my tonsils out. Anyway, my original copy disintegrated after many years, but, impelled by nostalgia, I repurchased it. Looking through it again, it does retain some interest: in the lead Superman-Batman story, the leads bicker and snark at each other like an old married couple, and pretty much never communicate about strategy. I also like that at one point Batman casually refers to “my spies” (is there a Bat-C.I.A.?) There are an incessant drumbeat of footnotes (the Rainbow Archer previously appeared in Four Star Spectacular, for example). Black Canary, disguised as a gymnast, takes time out from chasing a wannabe murderer to put on her wig. Green Arrow gets to bellow, “Nobody gets away with hitting my woman!” which I’m sure was a comfort to Canary. Wonder Woman intones that she has a “vision of everlasting peace on earth” while we see a close-up of the bad-guys she’s just beaten-up. And in a special insert, Jenette Kahn explains that $1.00 anthology titles will allow comics to return to the newstand in force.
Looking at this issue again, it does somewhat challenge my general belief that comic art was better in the 70s…though I don’t know. The drawing is mediocre throughout, but the coloring is a lot less offensive, and the layouts are clear and somewhat varied, if not adventurous. I’d still rather look at this than most of what’s available in super-hero art today, I guess…though that’s certainly damning with faint praise.
Anyway, I’ve done an abstract drawing based on one of the pages for my ongoing series of such things. The original is drawn by Mike Nasser and inked by Terry Austin. The story was by Tony Isabella, so presumably some combination of those folks and/or DC own the copyright. Here ’tis:
And here’s my version:
The text on mine reads, “Red is for stop. Blue is for please don’t turn left into the gate,” which is something Siah’s been saying with some frequency lately. Don’t know why.
Noah,
I remember that one with fondness! How could you not like the giant heads in the middle of the page design element! DC is trying now to drum up renewed interest in Green Arrow, with this month's (?) "marriage issue" to Black Canary. They also did a big reprint volume of the "greatest hits" of Green Arrow and Canary (including the Alan Moore backup features–"Night Olympics"). Now…you know you want to run out and pick this up. Defy your own anti-nostalgia decree! I remember your affection for Oliver Queen and all he stood for!
I just bought a big Jack Kirby Marvel retrospective (first appearances of Captain America, Hulk, Galactus, etc.). Those stories are so funny (both intentionally and unintentionally). Every menace is the biggest and baddest ever seen. Hyperbole is the standard mode of expression…not "gritty realism" whatever that means. It's funny to read critical treatments of how the "Golden Age of Marvel" was about making their characters "human" and "complex." Wasn't it really about ridiculously overdrawn spacecraft and big monsters punching other big (space) monsters? And hooray for that.
That’s a smart review, Noah. You’re right about this story but it’s not a good example of art in the 70’s. There was a lot of very outstanding work by seasoned artists with experience. I did that story during my first year as a pro, still barely 20. I cringe when I look at it today, but like you said, the layouts are at least adventurous. That’s how it starts, very adventurous… and in time, you get so overworked with the drawing, that the adventure starts fading.
The stories were shmultz for the most part. It was just an unspoken code that comics had to be that way. Writers weren’t allowed to be writers… at least until Miller and Moore came on the scene and changed that a little.
Your art is abstract, that’s for sure. It’s interesting. More suitable for a museum than are regular comics.
Nice to know I was somebody’s first.
All the best,
Michael Netzer (Nasser)
Holy crap! Bless your heart for replying, Michael; it really made my day. It’s bizarre to think that somebody actually drew those early comics I read; when I was little, in fact, I kept trying to figure out how those pictures came into being. Were there, like, different posed Superman stamps? But then, how’d they get the stamps? It just never occurred to me that somebody could draw them.
Glad to hear you’re still keeping on keeping on. I did love that comic with all my heart for many, many years. You gave me a lot of joy. Thank you.