Random Reads: "The Long Road to Nowhere!" by Effinger, Kane, Boring, and Mooney

Whaddya say, Groove-ophiles? Ya got a Jones for some Gullivar comix? Then you've come to the right place! Here's "The Long Road to Nowhere!" written by George Alec Effinger with art by Gil Kane (cover and splash), Wayne Boring, and Jim Mooney from Creatures on the Loose #19 (July 1972). Dig it!

Groove's Faves: "Death in High Places!" by Wolfman, Boring, and Chua

What it is, Groove-ophiles! When writer Roy Thomas revamped Captain Marvel with ish #17 back in 1969, he did it with a bit more than a wink and nod back at the Original Captain Marvel of the Golden Age. A hero named Captain Marvel with a second identity as a  young male orphan? Check. Said YMO dresses in red, blue, and gold? Check. When editor Roy Thomas shepherded Captain Marvel back into Marvel's line-up in 1972 with ish #22, he added a new supporting character, Professor Savannah. Yeah, Marvel was getting pretty bold there, huh? Think that's something? In CM #24 (October 1972), Thomas, along with writer Marv Wolfman and artists Wayne (1950s Superman) Boring and Ernie (Chan) Chua gave Mar-Vell a new villain: Mister Doctor Mynde. Instead of an intelligent worm, Mr. Dr. Mynde was the living head of a man placed on a synthetic body. Cuh-reepy, huh? The tale was indeed creepy and a bit scary and sad as well. Young Groove loved it. I still have a soft spot for it. What do you think?

Cover art by Gil Kane and Frank Giacoia

Groove's Faves: Crisis on Twin Earths!

What's happening, Groove-ophiles! Well, what's happening here today is yet another example of the genius of uber-fan turned uber-pro Roy Thomas. In 1969, Roy unleashed Marvel's evil version of DC's Justice League, the Squadron Sinister, in the pages of the Mighty Avengers (issues 69-70). A little over a year later, Roy sprang an alternate-Earth/heroic version of DC's greatest heroes on us and called them the Squadron Supreme (Avengers 85-86). Fans seemed to dig it, so both Squadrons Sinister and Supreme would pop up in the Marvel Universe from time to time just to make things interesting.

In 1972, Marvel revived their space-born super-hero Captain Marvel's mag, post Kree-Skrull War. With Roy at the editing helm, issues 22-24 featured stories by Gerry Conway and Marv Wolfman and inspired art by none other than the primo Superman artist of the 1950s, Wayne Boring. Boring was working in the comic strip field at the time, semi-retired from comicbooks, so it was a real treat to have him back, even for so short a time.

But our story doesn't end there, baby! Fandom got a big surprise in November, 1978, when they opened up to the superior splash page of Thor #280: if only for one issue, Wayne Boring was back, superbly inked by Tom Palmer. Roy had taken over the writing reins of Thor months earlier, giving us an early Christmas present as Thor teamed up with and battled both Marvel's versions of Superman, Hyperion, as well as the whole Squadron Supreme for a far-out and fun tale that blended fandom (the story was plotted by Don and Maggie Thompson, future editors of The Comics Buyer's Guide and two of the greatest comics historians of all time), Marvel, DC, the Golden-Silver-and-Groovy Ages, mythology and superheroes, fantasy and sci-fi into 17 pages of just plain enjoyment. It had to be a labor of love all-around and Ol' Groove digs it to this day. Bet you will too! Are you ready to face a..."Crisis on Twin Earths"? Yeah, I thought you were...