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Diversions of the Groovy Kind
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Diversions of the Groovy Kind is a celebration of the fun comics produced during the 1970s. Not only do we take a look at the comics themselves, but we delve into the stories behind the stories. We look at who created what, and why.
Recent Posts Tagged With '1970s comic books'
Lo! There Shall Come Endings! Aquaman and Sub-Mariner (Sorta) Crossover
Both DC and Marvel's underwater heroes hit some pretty high highs and the lowest of the lows during the Groovy Age. The lowest lows being--what else?--their mags' cancellations. Aquaman ended with issue #56 (December 1970). It's recently been discove...
Black and White Wednesday: Bruce Jones and Alex Nino\'s "Journey\'s End!"
From Marvel's 100-Page 1976 Christmas present to sci-fi fans, Unknown Worlds of Science Fiction Volume 1, here's a Bruce Jones/Alex Nino masterpiece: "Journey's End!" Dig it, Groove-ophiles!See ya tomorrow for New Year's Eve 2009! Who do we say "good...
Admiring Adams: "The Humbug Run"
Although this DC classic was released in November, 1970, Hot Wheels #6's "The Humbug Run" is definitely a cool-car-Christmas-themed comic. Buckle up and get ready for a far-out ride courtesy Len Wein, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano, Groove-ophiles! ...
Christmas Wrap-Up 2009: Marvel (M)Ad-ness
Dig this assortment of ads for Merry Marvel merchandise. Did any of these groovy goodies wind up under your tree?Santa brought Young Groove all of Stan Lee's Origins books, the 1978 Calendar, both the Spidey and Hulk Aurora Comics Scenes models, the ...
12 Days of Christmas: Have Yourself a Batman Little Christmas!
Merry Christmas, Groove-ophiles! I know you're busy, and I hope you're spending some far-out quality time with loved ones, so it really makes me feel all fuzzy inside to think you'd take the time to stop by DotGK to see what Ol' Groove has under the ...
12 Days of Christmas: "The Seal Men\'s War on Santa Claus"
The big day is almost upon us, Groove-ophiles, and does Ol' Groove have an early Christmas gift for you! When you think of all the wild and wacky wonder of the Groovy Age, the names of Macabre Michael Fleisher and Jack "King" Kirby doth verily race t...
12 Days of Christmas: Super Special Conan and Red Sonja
For Teen Groove, Christmas wasn't complete without something Conan (actually, that pretty much stands true to this day--if not Conan, then another Robert E. Howard creation waits under my tree). Treasury Editions, paperbacks (with the awesome Frank F...
12 Days of Christmas: "Webbing In a Winter Wonderland!" with Spidey and Ice Man
Hey, you guyyyyys! The Electric Company, the Children's Television Workshop's follow-up to the phenomenal Sesame Street was must-see TV for Young Groove. By the time Spider-Man started making appearances on the show, I was a little bit old for the EC...
12 Days of Christmas: "The Year Without a Christmas!"
Season's Greetings, Groove-ophiles! In Shazam! #11 (December 1973), the Marvel Family banded together to rescue Santa Clause, himself, and keep the evil Sivana Family from causing the worst thing imaginable to happen. They had to stop "The Year Witho...
12 Days of Christmas: A Marvel-ous Chuck Norris Christmas
Way, way back before he became a punch-line-ism, Chuck Norris was a world-wide karate phenom. Since Marvel Comics had a black and white mag called Deadly Hands of Kung Fu, which featured both martial arts comics and articles, it was a no-brainer that...
12 Days of Christmas: Christmas Teach-In
From Archie's Giant Christmas Stocking #203 (1972), here's a fun look at Christmas through history and around the world. Who says Ol' Groove never learns ya nuthin'? ...
12 Days of Christmas: "Musk\'s Daughter" by Walt Simonson
Imagine if you will, a cold, damp December day in 1973. You go to your favorite grocery or drugstore, combing through the spinner-rack for a comic you haven't yet bought. You already have all the Marvels, DCs, and Charltons. Your younger sibling has ...
12 Days of Christmas/Making a Splash: DC Comics for December 1977
Season's Greetings, Groove-ophiles! The Groovy Age 12 Days of Christmas rolls merrily along with a mountain of momentous splash pages from DC Comics' December 1977 Christmas crop! How many of these classics turned up in your stocking? ...
12 Days of Christmas: Steve Gerber\'s "What If...Famous People Were Santa Claus?"
Welcome back to the Christmas party for 2009, Groove-ophiles! Today's a short but sweet chuckle-fest was produced by the late, great Steve (Howard the Duck) Gerber, the enigmatic Warren Statler, and top-Archie artist Henry Scarpelli. "What If...Famou...
12 Days of Christmas: "The Stranger" by Kupperberg, Rogers, and Springer
Welcome to the first day of this year's 12 Days of Christmas, Groove-ophiles! From now through December 25, Ol' Groove is gonna share a dozen comicbook memories. Splash pages, covers, comics, stories, toys, and even a surprise or two. I wanna kick th...
Sunday Funnies: Charlie\'s Angels and M*A*S*H* Cracked by John Severin
More of the genius of John Severin from Cracked issues 141-142 (cover-dated May-July 1977). This time he pokes fun at a couple of the most iconic TV shows of the Groovy Age.Be back tomorrow as we start this year's 12 Days of Christmas, Groove-ophiles...
Making a Splash: Marvel Comics 40 Years Ago
Here's a sensational selection of splashes from December, 1969. Is it any wonder everyone was making theirs Marvel?Oh, you noticed that Iron Man cover, eh? Think Ol' Groove's pullin' a fast one? Look closely at it, Groove-ophile! That cover IS the sp...
Addicted to Alex Nino: "The Day After Doomsday"
Greetings, Groove-ophiles! It's time for another brain-blasting tale from the maniacal minds of of writer Jack Oleck and artist supreme Alex Nino. This one comes from DC's Weird War Tales #69 (August 1978). Prepare to face..."The Day After Doomsday"!...
Black and White Wednesday: Worms of the Earth Part 2 by Thomas and Conrad
Here it is, Groove-ophiles! The cataclysmic conclusion to the comicbook adaptation of Robert E. Howard's Bran Mak Morn classic "Worms of the Earth" from Savage Sword of Conan #17 (December 1976). This time out, it's all Tim Conrad art, with sensatio...
Makin\' Chaykin: Red Circle Sorcery Two-fer
Why, oh, why haven't I started a regular Howard Chaykin segment here on DotGK? To be totally honest...I dunno. But never let it be said that Ol' Groove makes the same mistake forever! To celebrate the sensational skills of "Humble Howie", welcome to ...
Random Reads: "Batman\'s Greatest Failure!"
How about this for a far-out-yet-unlikely creative team for a Batman story? Michael (Spectre/Jonah Hex) Fleisher, Rich (Deathlok) Buckler, and Bernie (Swamp Thing) Wrightson. Intriguing, no? For more proof that Julie Schwartz was one of the greatest ...
Byrne-ing to Read: Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch #2
Okay, Groove-ophiles! You've waited long enough! Based on the short-lived, but well-remembered NBC cartoon series, Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch (September 1974-August 1975), here's the almost mythical Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch #2 (July 1975) wit...
Grooviest Covers of All Time: Dr. Doom
One of the greatest Marvel villains of all time is, without a doubt, Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's immortal Victor Von Doom, aka Dr. Doom. While Doom was created to be the Fantastic Four's arch-enemy, it turned out he couldn't get along with anyone in th...
If You Blinked You Missed: The Black Hood
Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Wouldn't ya love to read the origin of the Black Hood by Gray Morrow, not to mention Morrow, Neal Adams, and Dick Giordano's "Life's Not Like A Comic Book!" from Archie's Super Hero Comics Digest Magazine #2 (Summer 1979)? ...
Black and White Wednesday: Worms of the Earth Part 1 by Thomas, Smith, and Conrad
Many fans of Robert E. Howard point toward "Worms of the Earth" as the author from Cross Plains' best horror story, if not his best story period. It ranks pretty high on Ol' Groove's list of favorite REH tales, too. For many moons, author/editor Roy ...
Random Reads: "Don\'t Call Me Superboy!" by Bates and Swanderson
After a few years of Superboy sharing his mag with the Legion of Super-Heroes, the powers-that-were at DC decided it was about time The Boy of Steel got some solo-page time. Paul Levitz, editor of DC Super Stars, called on the Superman dream team sup...
Groove\'s Faves: Fabulous 500th Post! The Beatles Story by DAK and Perez
Thanks to Beatles: Rock Band (did'ja catch the VH-1 special?), Beatlemania is in full bloom again. When Ol' Groove sat down to figure out how to celebrate our 500th post, I asked myself, "What could I rap about that would capture the Spirit of the G...
Making A Splash: Neal Adams\' Detective Comics
Ol' Groove can't let the month of November end without remembering the 40th anniversary of Neal Adams' triumphant turn on Detective Comics. Though he had previously drawn Batman teaming with other heroes in Brave and the Bold, Adams' first issue of D...
Thanksgiving Feast 2009 Leftovers : Bob Rozakis, Mike Grell, George Kashdan, Don Newton, and Gil Kane
Who says leftovers can't be as good as the actual meal? Not Ol' Groove! To make my point, here's a tasty tidbit by Bob Rozakis and Mike Grell called "The Touchdown Trap!" starring Robin, the Teen Wonder (Detective Comics #445, November 1974).Next up ...
Thanksgiving Feast 2009: Roy Thomas, Barry Smith, and Sal Buscema\'s "To End In Flame!"
Welcome back, my gluttonous Groove-ophiles! It's time for the final course in our Groovy Age Thanksgiving Feast, 2009! For dessert, what could be sweeter than Roy Thomas, Barry Smith, and Sal Buscema teaming up on a rarely seen Ka-Zar saga called "To...
