Live action super heroes were thin on the ground when I was a boy. We had…
Column
JUST IMAGINE! October 1966: When Spawns the Serpent
“I found that it was all right to have Martians saying things Democrats and Republicans could…
JUST IMAGINE! December 1964: That Other Man of Steel
Like superheroes, fictional private detectives generally find themselves in the freelance justice business. Popular culture critic…
JUST IMAGINE! November 1963: Two Letters Make a Big Difference
Hank Pym became a whole new superhero just by adding two letters to his name. In…
JUST IMAGINE! March 1972: Marvel Goes to Mars
In the early 1970s, Marvel Comics began trading some of its capes and masks for swords…
JUST IMAGINE! June 1940: Black and White and Red
In the early 1930s, newspaper syndicates rejected Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster’s Superman. But by the…
JUST IMAGINE! March 1963: The Hero Who Got No Respect
In 1963, this didn’t make sense. The Fantastic Four were fighting some weird character named “Spider-Man,”…
INDY SPOTLIHGT: Geek-Girl #13
GEEK-GIRL #13 Identity Crisis Part 3: ‘Interlopers.’ Identity Thief ingratiates herself into Geek-Girl’s life, Summer meets…
JUST IMAGINE! August 1962: The Grin on the Mushroom Cloud
For 13 days in 1962, when I was 8, my grandparents and the other adults around…
JUST IMAGINE! March 1962: Let’s Give the Villains a Hand
Early in their runs, the jet age Flash and Green Lantern had already developed surprisingly elaborate…
Twisted News: Halloween Edition
Hello, and welcome to another edition of Twisted News! We are digging back into the roots…
JUST IMAGINE! July 1962: Farewell to the Monsters
As a small boy, I was fascinated by weird and immensely powerful beings. Mesmerized, really. Superheroes…
JUST IMAGINE! November 1960: When the Water Walks..
In June 1960, when I was 6, I remember suddenly being struck by the realization of…
JUST IMAGINE! February 1961: Wonder on the Wing
The first time I saw Hawkman, the winged wonder and his wife were fighting some kind…
JUST IMAGINE! July 1969: Justice, Like Lightning, Ever Shall Appear…
I understand that Marvel Bullpen wasn’t thrilled with publisher Martin Goodman’s idea of appropriating the name…
JUST IMAGINE! August 1965: When Pinocchio Met Superman
Cross Pinocchio with Superman and you might well get something like Tetsuwan Atomu, renamed Astro Boy…
INDY SPOTLIGHT: Point Of Authority Family Ties #3
Point Of Authority Family Ties #3 Devastation! His mind made whole, Grandpa’s rage is rekindled! But…
JUST IMAGINE! June 1960: There Were Giants in Those Days
Ah, those glorious “annuals.” I use quotation marks here because their popularity pushed up their publication…
JUST IMAGINE! November 1962: Be Careful What You Wish For
An arrogant man makes threatening demands of some obscure figure who is on the fringes of…
JUST IMAGINE! July 1940: When You Wish Upon a Ring…
The first time I saw the original Green Lantern was in the pages of Flash 129…
JUST IMAGINE! August 2023: Capes and Flags
The Archie Comics superheroes died several times in the last 80 years, but they never stayed…
FANTASTIC COMIC FAN: Archie Holloween
Read any Archie lately? With Holloween right around the corner—it’s time to treat yourself to some…
JUST IMAGINE! October 1953: Fantasy with a Familiar Ring
The haunting dreams of Adam Blake’s fellow librarian Lily Torrence — now renamed Lucy — provide…
JUST IMAGINE! June 1960: The Pentagon’s Own Superman
Russia might have been ahead in the space race, but America stood ready to redress the…
INDY SPOTLIGHT: Avenger New Blood #1
Avenger New Blood #1 Rica Roberts, niece of the late Booker Roberts, discovers her uncle’s legacy…
JUST IMAGINE: January 1886: The Drama of Duality
Robert Louis Stevenson’s story The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde provides a template for one…
JUST IMAGINE! February 1968: Kralik, We Hardly Knew Ye
Early on, I noticed that Jim Shooter had a “tell” in his writing style. His superhero…
JUST IMAGINE! June 1963: The Team of Ant-Man and Robin
In June 1963, in Batman 156, DC Comics decided to have a little joke at the expense of…
JUST IMAGINE! July 1961: This Is Your Life, Superman!
In 1961, the Superman title had an average monthly circulation of 820,000 — second only to…
JUST IMAGINE! December 1958: Hubris in the Himalayas
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a…
JUST IMAGINE! December 1960: Distaff Dangers
During the 1950s, DC heroes like Superman, Batman, Tomahawk, and Blackhawk had various cover-gimmick fake marriages,…
Fantastic Comic Fan: Archie Comics
Say, when was the last time YOU read an Archie Comic? Maybe you’ve been tempted by…
JUST IMAGINE! March 1964: What Comes Fourth?
I’ve loved the panel at left— which appears in The Avengers 4 (March 1964), the issue…