Action Comics, No. 425

Action Comics, number 425, is from 1973 and contains three stories; the fantastic cover art was taken care of by Nick Cardy. All three stories in this issue are good but it is the last one I am more concerned with, so I shall start with that. Although the first one does feature Superman having a fight with an Ostrich...

The Short-Walk-to-Disaster Contract!

Written by - Len Wein

Pencils by - Neal Adams

Ink by - Dick Giordano

The reason my interest lies mainly with this story is because the art is by the legend that is 'Neal Adams'; famous for his many other contributions over the years to comics such as Batman, Superman, X-Men and Green Lantern. His layouts, use of perspective and the motion he is able to deliver on the page is astounding.

This isn't the first time Neal Adams' work has appeared within the Visual Exegesis, in fact it's the third; the first was for his cover on JLA no.79;
http://thevisualexegesis.blogspot.com/2011/03/justice-league-of-america-part-2-no-79.html

The second was for his cover on The Flash no.195;
http://thevisualexegesis.blogspot.com/2011/03/flash-no-195.html

This story is a two-parter but the second part isn't by Neal Adams so I'm not going to bother with that. The basic premise for this story features the Human Target who is hired by his servant Luigi to pose as his cousin, Antonio. He is a circus artist and his act has been sabotaged several times...

As an added bonus, here is a video I stumbled across on Youtube which shows how Neal Adams draws Batman!

The Last Moa on Earth!


Written by - Cary Bates
Pencils by - Curt Swan
Ink by - Frank Giacoia

This is the first story in the comic and features Superman being attacked by a giant bird called a Moa which is supposedly the last one of it's kind on the planet!

13 Old Men Who Run The World!


Written by - Elliot S Maggin
Pencils by - Dick Dillin
Ink by - Mike Esposito

The second story in the issue features The Atom who has to save Jean Loring from a ganglord who wants a man she is defending in court sent to prison for a crime the ganglord committed.

The Flash, No. 195

Written by - Robert Kanigher / Mike Friedrich

Pencils by - Gil Kane

Inks by - Murphy Anderson / Vince Colletta

Cover Art by - Neal Adams

Bizarre issue of 'The Flash' no.195 from March 1970 in which we see our hero in two stories of equally strange proportions... The first is entitled "Fugitive From Blind Justice" which see's the Flash being saved from a mobster's bullets by a dog(!), The Flash then has to prevent the dog from being executed for murder... And the second story is entitled; 'I Open My Mouth... But I Can't Scream!' in which the Flash must overcome his life-long fear of roller-coasters to save some punters from an accident due to a sprung track... So March 1970 must have been an 'interesting' month at the DC headquarters if these plots are anything to go by...

Justice League Of America (part 2), No. 79

Written by - Dennis O'Neil

Pencils - Dick Dillin

Ink - Joe Giella

Cover Art - Neal Adams

Following on from the previous post here's part two of the JLA's encounter with the 'Doomsters' entitled 'Come Slowly Death, Come Slyly!', which is from issue 79, March 1970. At the start of this issue Green Arrow arrives on the scene just in time to rescue Batman, Black Canary, Atom and Vigilante who are moments away from having their heads melted off in a vat of acid. Superman and Green Lantern are visiting a planet called Monson, where they find the only survivor who is barely alive. He explains that the planet has been ravaged by it's previous inhabitants, led by 'Chokh', and that most of the people died due to the high levels of pollution created; but only a lucky few were treated to a form of radiation which allowed them to thrive in such conditions. Their plan now was to find yet another planet and destroy it with pollution so as to make it habitable for them - Earth.

Hawkman, who is aboard the JLA Satellite, gets in to the Thanagarian shuttle and chases after the alien's escape ship. However, the aliens shoot down Hawkman's ship and leave him to die in space. The aliens then threaten to drop pollution bombs all over the globe, Superman and Green Lantern return from Monson just in time to save Hawkman. Superman and Green Lantern then board the aliens craft and begin to attack them, whilst this is taking place the alien leader 'Chokh' escapes and manages to board the JLA's satellite. He takes Black Canary hostage but is defeated when Atom Man shrinks down and is able to get close enough to remove Chokh's mask; thus causing him to suffocate on fresh air.

The end of the story sees Green Arrow trying to 'work his magic' on the Black Canary who refuses his advances due to her still mourning the loss of her dead husband. They sit and watch a smoke stack pump pollution into the atmosphere and wonder whether they really managed to accomplish anything at all.