Batman no. 223 aka DC Giant G-73 (Aug 1970) cover by Curt Swan and Murphy Anderson. I’ve always been a sucker for a giant sized Batman comic book. This is a favorite one.

Revisiting the classics.

I’ll have more Teen Titans in a couple weeks. Lots of great issues coming up! Meanwhile, Happy Holidays everyone!

Teen Titans no. 19 (Feb 1969) cover by Nick Cardy. Speedy is back, and this time he’s here to stay. And Aqualad takes a leave of absence. The interior art (some of which you can see in the post which follows) is by Gil Kane and Wallace Wood! Great cover: colors and inks are really nice.

Watched this yesterday for the first time since I was a little kid. It remains the definitive film treatment of A Christmas Carol 😉. I still find the Ghost Of Christmas Future to be pretty scary.

We watched this one last night. It leans pretty heavily into comedy and is pretty ridiculous. But it’s an entertaining watch nonetheless.

Teen Titans no. 18 (Dec 1968) cover by Nick Cardy. First appearance of Starfire (later Red Star), a Russian superhero who would eventually become a Titan decades later. This issue was written by Len Wein and Marv Wolfman, some of their earliest pro work.

Just watched this one. It’s a Christmas movie.

For Your Weekend Listening Pleasure: A few past Holiday Music Spectaculars before the 17th edition, which begins at 9 p.m. Christmas Eve on KTCK (96.7/1310). Courtesy The Unticket. 2014 show: tinyurl.com/4rezaubd 2016: tinyurl.com/4nwprv59 2017: tinyurl.com/4pyne23b 2018: tinyurl.com/2sp8ncm4

Teen Titans no. 17 (Oct 1968) cover by Nick Cardy. The return of the Mad Mod in his 2nd appearance seems much more menacing than his first. Another spectacular Cardy cover.

The #1 movie when you were 10 years old is how your 2026 is going to go.

I’ve been an R. Crumb fan for many, many years, but this is just sad. Do not recommend.

Got this cool Ashcan from my comic shop for Bloodland by my old chum @bclaymoore.bsky.social and @thedrawist.bsky.social and it looks fantastic! Looking forward to picking up this series next month!

Teen Titans no. 16 (Aug 1968) cover by Nick Cardy. This is a pretty iconic cover from this volume of Teen Titans, the kind of rule breaking design that Cardy (and DC Comics in general) excelled at in this era. Love this one.

Teen Titans 15 (June 1968) cover by Nick Cardy. If you have a group of teens in the 1960s, even if they’re superheroes, they’re going to eventually have a run-in with a biker gang. And the Titans met their fair share of them. Cool cover. I like the effect of showing their reflections in the glass.

Changing water into Malört.

Teen Titans no. 14 (Apr 1968) cover by Nick Cardy. This was the only issue of Teen Titans I bought in real time, direct from the spinner rack. I’m not sure why my five year old self felt compelled to get it, but I’d like to think it’s because I knew a kick ass cover when I saw one. It’s sublime.

Batman no. 218 (Feb 1970) aka DC Giant G-67. After being 80-Page Giant comics throughout the 1960s, by this point the page count had dropped to 64. Still, that’s a whole lotta great 1950s Batman reprints for a quarter 🤩. Cover by Murphy Anderson.

Teen Titans no. 13 (Feb 1968) cover by Nick Cardy. An updated version of A Christmas Carol starring the Titans as the Ghosts, this is a fun one, with some especially nice Cardy interior art. I first read it in one of DC’s Christmas With The Superheroes treasury editions.

The world is a really shitty place right now so I'd like you to know that it's always a fine time to listen to The Toadies.

Teen Titans no. 12 (Dec 1967) cover by Nick Cardy. The Titans go up against an alien race intent on stealing various monuments from Earth, such as the Sphinx and Mt. Rushmore. Plus a Pirate Radio DJ in outer space? More Bob Haney zaniness.

Teen Titans no. 11 (Oct 1967) cover by Nick Cardy. Speedy is back again! But not yet as a full time member.

If a baby cat is a kitten, then why isn’t a baby bat a bitten?

Teen Titans no. 10 (Aug 1967) cover by Nick Cardy. This time they go up against a motorcycle gang whose leader is dressed as a fireman. 🤣

Comic book mail: The Amazing Spider-Man #102. Nov 1971. Writer: Roy Thomas. Penciler: Gil Kane. "Vampire at Large!" A six-armed Spider-Man is caught between the Lizard and Morbius, whose backstory is revealed. This copy has a faded cover, but otherwise it's in beautiful shape!

Teen Titans no. 9 (June 1967) cover by Nick Cardy. Kid Flash takes the cover star spot just in time to get his ass kicked.

If you ever wondered what it feels like to drop one of those Artist Edition books on your foot… it hurts. A lot.

Teen Titans no. 8 (Apr 1967) cover by Nick Cardy. The Titans go up against a giant robot named… Honey Bun? Zany Bob Haney strikes again, writing a ridiculous (but fun) story. Nice cover anyway.

Perfect word balloon placement. No notes.

Teen Titans no. 7 (Feb 1967) cover by Nick Cardy. Here he is! The first appearance of the Mad Mod. Nuff said.

Teen Titans no. 6 (Dec 1966) cover by Nick Cardy. Guest starring Beast Boy, (aka Garfield Logan) who only debuted a year previous in the pages of Doom Patrol. A decade & a half later, as Changeling, he would become a founding member of the New Teen Titans and go on to wider fame thereafter.

Mail call: 1953 and includes a retelling of Supe’s origin. Al Plastino on the cover and main story and Wayne Boring on two others. So much fun. And @realmarkrez.bsky.social already knows about Halk Kar’s super suit!

Teen Titans no. 5 (Oct 1966) cover by Nick Cardy. The Titans go up against the menace of… The Ant? He appears to be a parody/stand-in for Spider-Man, maybe. Which got me thinking a mid-1960s cross-company meeting between Spidey and the TTs would have been fun.

Teen Titans no. 4 (Aug 1966) cover by Nick Cardy. This is the first time Green Arrow’s sidekick Speedy shows up in the book, not as a full-fledged member of the team, but as a guest star. He’ll be back eventually. I really like this cover. Nice perspective, cool blue background.

I sure wish I could remember where I “filed” those silver age Atom comics I bought a couple years ago and put aside to read “later”. And now that “later” has come, I can’t find them. 🤷🏻‍♂️

A bit of Golden Age Black Cat for your Saturday. This series from the late 80’s was reprints from the Harvey Comics run. Fun stuff @realmarkrez.bsky.social

Hayley Atwell appreciation post

Teen Titans 3 (June 1966) cover by Nick Cardy. The Teen Titans vs. Ed “Big Daddy” Roth?

Teen Titans 2 (Apr 1966) and another fine cover by Nick Cardy.

Teen Titans no. 1 (Feb 1966) cover by Nick Cardy. After 3 tryout appearances in Brave & Bold and Showcase, the Titans are awarded their own title, which would run until the 1970s. Bob Haney’s scripts are (unintentionally) hilarious… a middle-aged man’s idea of teen hipster dialogue. Fun!

Showcase 59 (Dec 1965) cover by Nick Cardy. 3rd appearance of the Teen Titans, 6 months after their last one in Brave & Bold 60. This was Cardy’s first time drawing the team, and he’d go on to a lengthy run, becoming their definitive artist in this era. And his art is gorgeous, btw.

make a movie better by adding John Carpenter's to title John Carpenter's Dude, Where’s My Car?

The Brave and the Bold 60 (June 1965). Since my copy of the book is missing the cover, here’s the opening splash page, art by Bruno Premiani, words by Bob Haney. 2nd appearance of the Teen Titans (and 1st appearance of the new Wonder Girl, Donna Troy).

The Brave and the Bold 54 (July 1964) cover by Bruno Premiani. This is the first time these kid sidekicks teamed up, in a group that would eventually be called the Teen Titans.

What’s the deal with so-called “Silver Age Comic Bags and Boards” being too narrow to actually fit silver age comics? It’s really frustrating.

The Mighty Marvel Calendar 1975, which can also be used for this year. Look out, Santa!! Here comes the Incredible Hulk! Art by Sal Buscema.