Dick Tracy #109, Harvey Publications, March 1957 – Artist: Joe Simon.
I think this is our first Joe Simon cover! Much like yesterday’s pick this cover is all about the mood of the visual, its that noir feel the way Simon draws Tracy and the scene. The Blacks are deep and thick and the yellows bright as day, a high grade high gloss copy of this would be a treasure.
It’s like we upped our game lately on these covers, you guys are working me, I’m looking at more covers more closely and trying to be as opened minded as possible. There were a lot of great #109 covers, particularly Sensation Comics #109 (the cover giving us the fingers), Police Comics #109, Captain America #109, B.P.R.D #109 (which I really really liked) and I also liked Silver Surfer #109.
A great comic book cover matching each day of the year, 1 through 365. Please chime in with your favourite corresponding cover, from any era.
I didn’t see that one coming but I won’t argue after close examination. I will say that Dick Tracy already makes it a hard sell for me, and “as he corners the dangerous criminal” isn’t helping. This reeks of “look, we sanitized this, see the big Code stamp?”
#110 not at all comparable to #109 for choices. I am going with Incredible Hulk for Incredible Colors, the Hulk flying out of the page at you, and “Umbu the Unliving” – he was all ready for his big break in one of the Tales trio, and then those darn heroes came along to ruin things. I’m glad he finally got his day.
I am betting either Blue Bolt or Captain America makes it onto the masthead as a safe choice. I will pick Blue Bolt as my runner up because there are weird aspects of that Captain America cover that have always put me off. Some other goodies: All American Men of War, Flash, Kid Colt, and Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. As Walt thinks Superman #38 is dopey I know that last one is going nowhere with him, but I think it hits on a lot of cylinders: Adams, nice homage to a cover that I do like, big presentation, infinity, great colors, Superman and Jimmy apparently actually behaving like respectable humans/Kryptonians for once.
I love Strange Adventures even though it suffers constant abuse. First of all it is GIL KANE. Secondly it is the archetypal DC hand cover. One of my strong collecting inclinations is high grade DC hands, but that seems like a recipe for investment disaster. (I have allowed myself Batman #130 as a relatively safe holding – get it?) If anybody could point me to the backstory on the DC hand covers I would really appreciate it.
I’m not sure if Archie qualifies for a JOWA but I find it very disturbing.
I like the choice, but also did not see this one coming. A few years ago, I became enamored with a really nice Dick Tracy comic at a Con and it ended up going home with me. Now, when friends and family want to see our collection, they almost always mention the Dick Tracy comic on display with a sense of forgotten nostalgia. The comic also helped me explain to my kids what grandpa meant when he saw them use their Apple watches and said they were “acting like Dick Tracy”.
I thought Hulk #109 might be the choice today in a tight battle over Captain America #109, but appreciate Walt’s reference to Silver Surfer as there are several outstanding covers in this series between issues #100 and #120.
It also looks as if issue #109 is where both Lois and Jimmy each decided enough was enough.
And I agree with Chris on several points from yesterday:
• Kane is fantastic, and the Strange Adventures #109 cover was a great recommendation;
• Superboy #109 makes Batman’s image of Superman as a “boy scout” seem wholly misinformed.
• The repeated references to Romance covers has drawn me in, and they admittedly set the gold standard for “storytelling“, and often display more evil and terror than a House of Secrets cover.
Chris – Thanks for your defense of Superman #38. Now I know how you felt when I mentioned your recently acquired guitar playing cover of Justice League of America #95, as I just became the proud owner of a copy of Superman #38. As a Christmas gift I received a copy of Batman #32, and since Superman #38 has the Man “with the hair” of Steel reading a copy of Batman #32 while sitting in the barber chair, I received a copy of Superman #38 as a companion birthday gift.
Love both comics and covers so I am going to second your admiration of Jimmy Olsen #110.
I just got one of those watches that takes your heart rate when you work out. You know you’re getting old when your kids buy you one of those.
There is some nasty stuff going on some of those romance comic covers for sure, the crueler the more readers was probably the production meeting conclusion, not a good state of societal affairs that’s for sure but they are proving entertaining decades later.
Archie #110? Like a Parliament concert!
I’m surprised it’s not Captain America.
110 should be Captain America vs the Hulk.
Fantastic Four 110 should be considered
Nice choice Walt. Expanding your horizans as well as everyones elses.
I’ll go with hot stuff 109. In support of your Harvey pick. Clearly the original Hellboy and it reflects the current release date of the new Hellboy movie.
Margo Draper written ever so neatly on the cover ,suggests a time when girls read comics and also supports my arguement that Harveys kid comics were a gateway drug introducing children to the comic universe. And finally, dont you ever wonder, were are and how are the people ,who penciled their names on them? What became of them? How are they doing? do they reflect fondly on their comic collecting days?