BACK ISSUE! Magazine

An injured Aquaman is being comforted by Dolphin. She tries to soothe him by telling him everything will be alright, then she looks at the hand that he's holding. The vicious piranhas have eaten his left hand and forearm clean to the bone. Aquaman #2, Sept 1994 by Peter David, Martin Egeland & Brad Vancata

Aquaman doesn't command sea creatures, he suggests, and the creatures respect the request of their King.

But piranhas are mean, vicious animals only interested in skeletonizing anything that moves.

When Charybdis holds Arthur's hand in a stream full of piranhas -- well, they do what they do.

It is Halloween night and there is a full moon in the sky. In the foreground a gorgeous woman smiles wearing nothing but a silly, witch cap, long white gloves and sexy stockings. Small black pieces of lace barely cover her breast and pelvis. Behind her is a mound of jack-o'-lanterns and hidden deep within them is a dead, decapitated head. Three-dimensional Seduction of the Innocent by Eclipse Comics. Cover art by the late, great and sorely missed Dave Stevens (The Rocketeer).

Seduction of the Innocent 3-D #1 (1985) cover by Dave Stevens

Contents are the previously unpublished Adventurous into Darkness #15 (Standard Comics) from 1954.

3-D separations by Ray Zone.

#3 - The Comic Shop Owner #47 - Comic Zines and Industry Periodicals #53 - Comic/Movie Tie-Ins #30 - The Distributors

#?? - The Comic Convention Dealer #18 - The "Erotic" Comic Book #?? - Autobiographical Comics #?? - The Industry

#21 - Comics Are Not For Kids Anymore (DC Ad Campaign) #13 - The Fan Favorite #4 - The Angry Young Sellout #6 - The Fanboy

Comic Industry Trading Cards!!

Collect Them All!

DORK #1, Aug 1992 by Evan Dorkin @evandorkin.bsky.social

(split into three images for easier reading)

TwoMorrows Diamond Recoup Help TwoMorrows recoup its Diamond Comic Distributors bankruptcy losses

It's your last day to choose one of our advance copies (Back Issue #164 or Cryptology #7) with your minimum $50 donation. But any amount helps TwoMorrows recoup their losses from Diamond Comic Distributors' bankruptcy!

givebutter.com/c/B7HQDj

"your biggest problem... ...is me!" Yells the Calculator as he jumps his chopper bike over a car in an attempt to run over a surprised Black Canary who sits motionless on her motorcycle. Detective Comics #464, Oct 1976 Bob & Laurie Rozakis, Mike Grell & Terry Austin.

Black Canary encounters the Calculator moments after The Atom told her that he escaped from jail after their initial battle in Ivy Town (see previous issue).

Now he plans to burn Star City to ashes during the city's tricentennial celebration.

—

Detective Comics #464, Oct 1976

Jonah sarcastically gives two different reasons for his facial deformity: a toothpick slipped and he cut himself shaving. Both are not the truth. Jonah Hex: Two Gun Mojo #1, Aug 1993 by Joe R. Landsale @joerlansdale.bsky.social Tim Truman & Sam Glanzman w/ Todd Klein

"You're Jonah Hex, ain't ya?"

Yep.

"I heard about your scar. How'd you come by it?"

—

Jonah Hex: Two Gun Mojo #1, Aug 1993 by Joe R. Landsale @joerlansdale.bsky.social Tim Truman & Sam Glanzman

Cover to the US DVD release of the French/Canadian TV documentary "De Superman à Spider-Man: L'aventure des super-héros" from 2001. It was released in the United States on DVD as "Once Upon A Time: The Super Heroes" in 2002.

I am NOT certain, but these clips seem to be outtakes/extras from the French/Canadian TV documentary "De Superman à Spider-Man: L'aventure des super-héros" from 2001.

It was released in the United States on DVD as "Once Upon A Time: The Super Heroes." in 2002.

www.themoviedb.org/movie/228088...

YouTube video by Best Unintentional ASMR Unintentional ASMR ✍️ Superheroes Drawn by the Masters (sketching, skribbling pencil sounds)

See the Masters at work.

Spider-Man by John Romita Sr.
Batman (from "Just Imagine...") by Joe Kubert
Captain America by John Buscema
Elektra (from "Elektra: Assassin") by Bill Sienkiewicz
Green Lantern (from "Just Imagine...") by Dave Gibbons
Superman by Travis Charest

youtu.be/zgouXzOYMl0?...

Peacemaker with his pet eagle, Eagly.

... also the secret of Eagly is revealed. Yes, the secret is awesome and it's even cooler that Eagly keeps a lovable loser like Chris "under his wing".

DC Studios "Peacemaker" from HBO MAX Season 2 showrunner: James Gunn Starring: John Cena Danielle Brooks Freddie Stroma Jennifer Holland Steve Agee Frank Grillo Robert Patrick and Eagly Eight episodes.

After stopping an invasion from butterfly-like aliens in Season One, Season Two finds Chris visiting a parallel world where his father and brother are still alive and seen as the world's greatest heroes.

Also, Rick Flagg Sr. discovers Chris is responsible for his son's death and wants revenge.

I admit that my comic knowledge only spans the BACK ISSUE MAGAZINE timeline (1970-2000-ish), if they became enemies later, I am ignorant of that and I apologize.

In the back stage of an old abandoned theater a vanity makeup mirror springs to life to shine light on a Guy Fawkes mask and a man's wig. Reflecting in the mirror, like a ghost, stands a dark figure, a man or woman...unknown. The figure in the shadows is featureless. V for Vendetta #1, Sept 1988 by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. Reprints the serial from UK's "WARRIOR" in colour.

It is November 1997 and a mysterious man calling himself "Vee" begins to attack the corporate-backed fascist regime of Britain formed after the war.

To help him in his systematic attack, he enlists an orphaned and discarded teenage girl named Evelyn.

Let's call her Evey.

Unfortunately, as you rightly pointed out, Superman's rogue gallery left a lot to be desired compared to Batman, Spider-Man, Captain Marvel and The Flash (Barry & Wally).

...and I appreciate the thoughts. After all, I did say "arguably". 😉

Darkseid was not a villain created to be part of Superman's rogues gallery.

IIRC they only met once in the 70s in Forever People #1 and even then he was helping out the Infinity Man.

I believe the next time they met was in 1980 in the JLA-JSA-New Gods team up.

Terra Man is introduced, an enhanced human from the American old west that has returned to Earth after a hundred years away with the fashion sense of his era. A cowboy with green cape who rides an alien horse with giant wings. Superman #249 (1972) cover by Neal Adams

A 1972 addition to Superman's rogue gallery, Terra Man is arguably the Superman villain with the most staying power who was created during the 1970s.

In the Old West, a young boy yells, "PA!" as he watches a ray of light from an alien spaceship shine on his father that bursts into miniature explosions on his body. He screams with pain and anguish The alien who shot the beam looks at the scene in a panic. My anger impelled me to discharge an overdose of solar-energy. "The human is dying! B-but I only intended to stun him! My anger impelled me to discharge an overdose of solar-power! Already the mental death-link is beginning..." Superman #249 (1972) by Cary Bates, Dick Dillin & Neal Adams

"The Origin of Terra Man"

A young boy holds up a stagecoach as his proud father, a professional outlaw, looks on with pride.

Soon after, an alien appears, murders his father for the gold and takes the boy to the stars with him.

—

Superman #249 (1972) by Cary Bates, Dick Dillin & Neal Adams

Before a young Clark is about to reveal the existence of Superboy to the world, he has two emblems/symbols to choose from: his Ma's simple red colored "S" inside a yellow circle or his Pa's more elaborate, diamond-shaped "S" design. He chooses Pa Kent's design to signify all the super-feats he will do.

The day a young Clark chose Pa Kent's S-emblem design over Ma Kent's.

It was the right choice.

FYI, once upon a time, a long time ago, when I was a kid, it didn't mean 'hope'.

Action Comics #494, April 1979 by Cary Bates, Curt Swan & Frank Chiaramonte

A spotlight beams on the Mighty Crusaders and they charge to battle the army of their enemy, Eterno. The Mighty Crusaders #1, Mar 1983 - Written, Drawn & Edited by Rick Buckler with Frank Giacoia

The mutated Atlantean, Eterno the Conqueror, emits transmissions from outer space causing a wave of crime and evil throughout the world.

Black Hood, Jaguar, The Web, The Fly & Fly-Girl, The Comet, The Shield and the original golden age Shield once again band together in order to stop their old foe.

"Right now, Supergirl...

Supergirl is in the past."

😭😭😭

The story behind part one of the two-part classic story "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" which bid farewell and closed the door to the Earth-One Superman.

40 years later and I still get emotional thinking about the little moments in the story that made Superman the first and the best.

A defeated Fantastic Four lie unconscious in an unknown location as black and white figures of Skrulls, the Mole Man and the New Fantastic Four (Spider-Man, Wolverine, Ghost Rider and the Grey Hulk) fill the background. Fantastic Four #347, Dec 1990 by Walter Simonson, Arthur Adams and Art Thibert.

A Skrull disguised as Sue explains that the FF were killed by strange beings controlling the creatures of Monster Isle and that she needs their help to stop them from killing others.

The Hulk, Wolverine, Spider-Man and Ghost Rider agree to help "Sue" and dub themselves the New Fantastic Four!

Oblivious to all the warnings signs, Ollie finally discovers his ward is a heroin junkie and slaps him across his face with unchecked fury. Roy falls to the ground in tears, along with all his drug paraphernalia. "You're a lousy JUNKIE! No better than the REST of the sniveling punks!" Sobbing, Roy yells back between falling tears. "If that's the way you see it, ARROW--! Go ahead. HIT ME! Maybe that'll make you feel better!" Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85, Oct 1971 by Denny O'Neil, Neal Adams & Dick Giordano.

It is 1971.

Oblivious to every warning sign, Green Arrow finally discovers his ward Speedy has become a heroin junkie in order to deal with the emotional pain of being abandoned by his father figure and mentor.

Does Ollie comfort his ward and apologize for his selfish behavior?

Nope.

"The Origin of Terra Man" A young man holds up a stagecoach as his proud father, a professional bandit, looks on with pride. Soon, an alien will appear and murder his father for the gold and take the boy to the stars with him. Superman #249 (1972) by Cary Bates, Dick Dillin & Neal Adams

Having no knowledge of Star-Lord before watching Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy, I thought his origin sounded familiar.

To me, it was VERY reminiscent of Terra-Man's original origin story from Superman #249 (1972) which I first read in a DC Super-Villains treasury in the 1970s.

A cosmic saga! Star-Lord: The Special Edition (1982) by Claremont, Byrne & Austin. Framing sequence art by Golden & Austin. Cover by Austin.

The galaxy celebrates the 100th anniversary of the coronation of Emperor Jason, but even surrounded by the jubilee, and his adopted children and grandchildren, he finds himself thinking about his true son; a space adventurer named Peter Jason Quill, better known throughout the galaxy as Star-Lord.

"A Storm Over Eden" A younger and content Jon Sable proudly poses in his game warden uniform as wild sables and other African animals under his protection live peacefully near a water source in the desert. In the background, the mercenary Jon Sable wears his death mask and holds a gun next to the skyline of an urban city. Jon Sable, Freelance #3, Aug 1983 by Mike Grell

Myke wonders how a man who writes silly children's stories can have such a dark and violent side.

Eden Kendall, Jon's agent, gives Myke a manuscript that might explain why Jon is what he is.

It is a story of how a tragedy left a loving family man with nothing but a desire for revenge and death.

"Exploding into her own ACTION PACKED series!" Bursting through the pages of All-Star Comics is the blond, voluptuous and strong-willed cousin of Earth-Two's Superman, Kara Zor-L aka Power Girl! Showcase #97, Feb 1978 by Paul Levitz, Joe Staton & Joe Orlando.

Power Girl takes a break from the JSA and goes solo!

As she tries to find her place on Earth, she finds herself trying to bring down a gang of armoured hi-tech robbers while staying ahead of annoying reporters who want her life story.

A story very similar to her older cousin Kal-L, aka Superman.

Hovering over a pentagram with crossed legs, Illyana is shown with demon horns and tail holding a fiery magical sword high into the sky. Magik #4, Mar 1984 by Chris Claremont, Sal Buscema & Tom Palmer. Cover by Brett Blevins & Palmer.

Magik is the story of what Illyana endured in the years Belasco attempted to make her his Darkchild.

In this final issue, Illyana rejects Belasco’s final offer to join him as one of the Dark Ones and returns to Earth.

Now she waits for his final attack and wonders if she has the power to stop him.

...you misspelled "Jack Kirby", but Neal wasn't half bad. 😉

The Avengers are stunned to discover that Janet Van Dyne has been transformed into a wasp-human hybrid. The Avengers #394, January 1996 by Bob Harras, Terry Kavanagh & Ben Raab and Mike Deodato & Tom Palmer.

An insane Iron Man attacks The Avengers and critically injures The Wasp with a full blast of repulsor rays.

In order to save her life, Hank Pym subjects Janet to the same process that gave The Wasp her powers.

Emerging from a cocoon, Janet Van Dyne is revealed to have been transformed into a wasp.

Kryptonite Nevermore Superman breaks a chain link made of Kryptonite by expanding his chest. Superman #233

* I am sorry. I meant, Superman #233!

My finger must have twitched.