Hidden in the back pages of Adventure Comics #288 is this eye catching splash page from John Forte. From September 1961.
Surprisingly there were not a lot of big splash pages over the three-part Long Bow Hunters Green Arrow mini-series. I really liked this double-page spread by Mike Grell from issue #3. From 1987.
You just never know what you’ll find just lying around, I spotted this Phantom Lady splash page near the back of Superb Comics #43, from Bell Features 1949. This is a reprint from Phantom Lady #23 but comics.org does not give me the artist.
Here’s a great battle scene by Jim Starlin from Captain Marvel #30, January 1974.
A couple of years back I wrote a piece about Tales of the Unexpected #77, how the cover with its big turd lookalike creature had the bold banner that read The Beast Oracle of Uranus. Of course, I was sold immediately and tried to get myself a few copies. I got at least one because I found it in the basement and much to my delight they did it again on a splash page, minus the creature. We couldn’t ask for a more fitting artist than Bob Brown. From July 1963.
Here’s a great splash page from Marvel Super-Heroes #17, November 1968. The comics database has four artists sharing credit for this story: John Romita, Howard Purcell, Marie Severin and Herb Trimpe.
Walt !
I just dug out my copy of tales unexpected 77 . I howled with laughter . this book is another example of a double entendre . there are more examples like this out there that remain unknown . I wonder how the comics code people missed these covers , and , how the Editors would allow this to get passed them ? maybe there was a tight deadline to get the book to the printer ?
can’t wait to see what’s coming up in the new year from you !
Merry Christmas to you and your family !
Merry Christmas to you and yours as well. That’s a great book Chris, if you remember my pal Chris Owen and I were doing a Sleepy Sensor column a few years back that covered some of the books you are hinting at. https://www.comicbookdaily.com/category/collecting-community/sleepy-censors/
Once again you have come up with some winners! The Grell and the Starlin take the day despite my leaning towards Golden Age! The Oracle of Uranus is a big laugh… especially when I went looking for it and found it had an…errrrr…related descriptive cover !
Walt !
thanks for the link, I didn’t start reading this site until 2015 , so I missed the sleepy censors . some I knew about , others I didn’t . what a laugh riot !!!
Walter, thanks for another year of great columns. Every one brightens up my day, and as you know, often inspires me to comment and/or pontificate. I don’t know what you have up your sleave for next year, but hope you continue to have time to offer us these treats.
And everyone, don’t miss Ivan’s latest article here in CBD on Canadian comics. He finds an entirely unknown issue of Manhunt, and posts a great picture from WWII of a magazine rack with Canadian comics. Cool! Brian Campbell’s latest on the Canadian Silver Age is also a must-read. Thanks you guys!
I’m glad you guys liked these, like I mentioned last week I think I’m going to do my favorite splashes of the year in my last Splash post.
Thanks for the kind words and the support Bud, you add so much to these posts, I know I’m not the only one that appreciates your input. Wasn’t that Canadian Magazine rack crazy in Ivan’s post – I saw a Triumph on the 2nd new rack but not on the 1st!?
Chris!
I’m glad you liked those Sleepy Censor posts, those covers are awesome.
Dudes… check this out. From Jeffrey Itkin, aka the Golden Age Guru on IG:
“These are the flakes of an Action Comics 1, and a single staple. It’s the dandruff of a brittle Action 1. SOLD for $410(probably mostly for the staple) at the last Comics Connect auction. What would you pay for it?…”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CI80xp2Blp8/
Walt wrote about it last month: https://www.comicbookdaily.com/collecting-community/time-to-collect/how-low-can-you-go/