DC Super Heroes Postcard Book

This is the cover to the 1981 DC Super Heroes Postcard Book which, as it says right there, features "28 Terrific Postcards" that are "Fun to Give and Receive!"

I own the Aquaman postcard that was part of this book, but I never knew where it came from or that it was part of a larger product. Luckily Shrine Correspondent Russell Burbage found the book at an antique store and was kind enough to scan some of the pages. Dig this crazy intro page! 

I know it's kinda undignified, but do I love that shot of Aquaman holding some letters. I love it so.

Here are some of the postcards that you got with the book:

DC tried so hard to be flip and loose like Marvel was, but even when I was a kid I couldn't help but sense a distinct layer of flop sweat in their efforts, like when your Dad tried to be hip. Most of the sentiments here are sweet and straightforward, while some are just confusing ("Give me a break"?). Nevertheless, a lot of the art used is just terrific (Infantino! Schaffenberger! Giordano!) and I would have been thrilled to get cards like this, if only I had had any friends as a child.

Thanks for reminding me of a painful childhood memory Russell!

DC Postcards - 2010

These four postcards are selections from the Art of Vintage DC Comics: 100 Postcards book published by Chronicle earlier this year.

I haven't as yet had a chance to take a look inside the book, but F.O.A.M.er John Tripp was kind enough to pick these up when they were being given away at his LCS and send them to Shrine Central. Since Aquaman's presence in a lot of these DC 75-themed projects has been so light, I didn't really make it a point to search this book out, assuming this would be no different.

But these are a pleasant surprise--not only is Aquaman represented as a member of both the JLA and the Super Friends, but he gets a postcard all of his own, commemorating the first issue of his solo book. Sweet, thanks John!


Oh, and just in case any of you are interested in picking up the Art of Vintage DC Comics book, here you go:

Justice League of America Postcard - 1961

This amazing little item is a postcard, presumably sent to regular DC readers, promoting DC's new Justice League of America comic book.

I had never seen this beauty before, until F.O.A.M. member Kyall Coulton, who runs the awesome Wonder Woman Collectors website, who in turn got it from a woman named Julie Kim, sent a scan of it to me.

Since we can see from the address side of the card that Ms. Kim was not the original recipient, we can only imagine how many hands this passed through before it finally landed to her, and then through her onto Kyall's Wonder Woman site.

Not only do I love the idea of such direct marketing like this (all to sell a magazine that cost a dime!), but the JLA are so low-key and charming: Superman, Flash, Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, and Batman, in full parade formation.

Thanks for sharing this with the Shrine Kyall!

USPS Postcards - 2006

These were postage-ready postcards available from the USPS as part of the merchandising juggernaut that came with the DC Comics stamps last summer.

That front image of Aquaman by Jim Aparo is of course beautiful, dynamic, and heroic; if I ever had the need to send postcards this is the only one I'd use.

The second, featuring an Aquaman mini-series cover by Curt Swan, always seemed to me to be an odd choice since Swan was never a famous AquaArtist, plus the image itself is just confusing--the Sea King looks like he has a massive headache, and him being a giant, looming over Atlantis is bound to puzzle everyone save die-hard Aquaman fans.

Thank You Card - 2005

This was part of a boxed set of Super Friends cards released by the cool folks at Chronicle Books.

Even though the box features the classic Toth-drawn group shot, only Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, and the Wonder Twins appear on the cards. Huh?

As you could might've guessed, this was the card I used when I wrote a thank you note to Aquaman himself.

Postcard - 1981

Hope To "Sea" You Around....but that doesn't make any sense. It should be spelled s-e-e...oh, I get it.

This is copyrighted 1981, but it sorta looks older than that to me. It's another item I picked up at the late, lamented Toyrareum.

Aquaman looks like he's swimming in outer space, doesn't he?

George Perez Postcard - 1984

I picked up this sweet postcard at a great toy store called Toyrareum in Ocean City, NJ (it has since closed down--*sniff*).

I was friends with the owner (Tom), and he knew of my Aquaman obsession. After picking up a few things, he handed this to me, and gave it to me for free. Score!

He told me that he was at some sort of toy show earlier in the week, and another dealer he was friends with had a pile of stuff he couldn't sell. Tom noticed the Aquaman postcard, and said "I know I can move this." And he was right.

This was part of a line of JLA postcards by Perez. I have yet to see any of the others, but I bet they're as sweet as this one.

Postcard - 1998

This was part of a 1998 postcard series from DC, reprinting the cover to Aquaman #39 (volume 4,172--I know it really isn't that many, it just feels like it), back when DC did their "big head covers" month.

The art is by Jim Calafiore and Mark McKenna, who was doing the honors for the Aquaman title at the time.

Alex Ross Postcard - 2005

After I rag on a piece (see below), I try to put something really cool up to help cleanse the palette. Anyway, this is one of the Alex Ross postcards included in a book of them from 2005, and, like pretty much anything by Ross, it's beautiful, iconic yet vibrantly alive at the same time.

As much as I loved the book, I did buy it just to get this. I actually bought two books, and sent one of the AM postcards to a friend's young son, who loves superheroes. I even used one of the new Aquaman stamps! God bless the USPS!