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Tuesday, June 10, 2008

World's Greatest Super-Heroes! - 1971

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This is probably the most "famous" issue of DC's omnibus reprint title 100-Page Super Spectacular, due almost entirely to its startling cover by Neal Adams.

This cover is so unusual because it does exactly the opposite of what was thought at the time made an exciting comic book cover--Action! Danger! Drama! Instead, its just a bunch of heroes standing there.

But somehow it works, and the extra spotlight on "the Big Three" (although that's the Earth-2 Wonder Woman) makes it seem like the heroes of the DCU are taking their bows from a stage.

Sadly, Aquaman is mostly obscured by the logo, but at least he's close to the center of the cover, just a Batarang's throw away from the others, as it should be.

Also sadly, Aquaman doesn't get any solo stories reprinted in this issue, filled as it is with stories starring the JLA, The Spectre, Wildcat, The Vigilante, Johnny Quick, and Hawkman.

And even when Aquaman does get mentioned, like in this space-filling checklist, he's gets dissed:
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...no, Aquaman first appeared in More Fun #73, not #70, and where's the Arthur's coloring? He looks like the Avenger, for Neptune's sake!

Sheesh.


sgUpdate: Two F.O.A.M. members--Craig Wichman and Robby Reed (of
Dial "B" For Blog--excuse me, The Brilliant Dial "B" For Blog) point out in the comments something I never knew about the above cover.

Namely, that it is in fact an homage/tribute by Neal Adams to this cover by Frank Harry, which ran on All-Star Comics #16 in 1943.

This cover is Americana at its finest; and what I imagine a comic book cover by Norman Rockwell might have looked like.

I always love learning something new. Thanks Robby and Craig!

5 comments:

Diabolu Frank said...

... and not only is Hawkman a major space hog, but Atom is disproportionately large, to take full advantage of that spotlight no doubt!

Anonymous said...

Did you know this is an updated of a Golden Age ALL-STAR COMICS cover?

http://www.coverbrowser.com/image/all-star-comics/16-1.jpg

Anonymous said...

AND, that the version many folks love is - alas - a recreation, not the original?

http://ohdannyboy.blogspot.com/2007/06/greatest-dc-comics-cover-never-told.html

Best,
-Craig W.

Anonymous said...

I loved that issue. I read mine until it leterally fell apart.

Anonymous said...

oops. literally.