Ya know? That old
joke REALLY doesn’t work in printed form!
No matter, because…
THE HOLIDAYS AREN'T OVER UNTIL I SAY THEY ARE!
As for that “What’s Last …and First” part... You're probably asking yourself, now that the (once unimaginable) New Year of 2020 has been rung in, what was the LAST comic Joe read in 2019 - and what was the FIRST comic he read in 2020 - and were they really "red (read) all over?"
...Even if not, just go along with the bit, okay?
You're ALSO probably asking yourself... They must have been really spectacular choices to commemorate such an important turn-of-decade, right?
Well, EVERY comic book I own is "special" to me, kinda like the way every coin is "special" to Scrooge McDuck. Each one of my precious comic books has "its own story"! In fact, many of them have SEVERAL stories, and lots of ads to boot - but I digress.
But, in terms of historic import - or "gravitas", if you will - you might well consider my choices to be quite ordinary! Though, again (like Scrooge's coins), none of them are "ordinary" to me!
Last Comic of 2019: MARCH OF COMICS # 402 - Daffy Duck (Promotional Giveaway, 1975)
First Comic of 2020: WORLD'S FINEST # 106 (DC Comics, Cover Date: December, 1959)
Feel free to read on, once your moment of stunned silence has passed!
Okay, now that you've rejoined us, I have to ask... Has anyone ever actually said "Great Scott!" in real life?
Sure, Captain Kirk might occasionally say "Great Work, Scotty!" in times of crisis...
...But "Great Scott!"? I dunno!
Yet, it's even on the cover of the VERY NEXT ISSUE (# 107)!
...And, many, many more!
You might think that my choice of WORLD'S FINEST # 106 could have something to do with its Cover Date of December, 1959 - sixty years after we'd just left 2019 in our cosmic rear view mirror... but, no. It was just luck-of-the-draw, as both these comics were in the very last shipment of back issues I received from Lone Star Comics before the turning of the year!
So, without further ado, let's say goodbye to 2019 with MARCH OF COMICS # 402 - Daffy Duck (Promotional Giveaway, 1975)!
"March of Comics" (as discussed in THIS POST) was designed to be a giveaway premium, and was used for promotional purposes by major retailers such as Sears, and by others you probably never heard of.
Beginning in 1946, and ending in 1982 (!), it ran for an astounding 488 issues - and was produced by the same editorial and creative folks that brought you Dell and Gold Key Comics.
Daffy Duck "The Bottled Blabber" 14 pages (of 3-tiers per page) is written by Vic Lockman and penciled by Phil DeLara.
Long story short, Daffy and Elmer Fudd, with the help of a few wacky inventions by Elmer's (presumably deceased) Uncle Fignewton Fudd...
...Travel to a somewhat familiar place in time and space, even if you've never read this particular story before!
"Familiar", that is, to ANOTHER duck named "DONALD"!
Yes, Vic Lockman sent BOTH famous ducks back to the fabled "Battle at Hadrian's Wall"!
Happily for us readers, Lockman gave us two very different stories about "Hadrian's Wall" - for Donald in 1966, and for Daffy in 1968! More "wall" for "all", let's have a ball!
...And, yes, I said "Daffy in 1968!"
Because, while March of Comics # 402 appeared in 1975, the story therein was reprinted from 1968's March of Comics # 313!
Look closely, and you'll see a reference to "1968" in one of the panels I reproduced above!
Look closer still, and you'll find a total of FOUR references to "1968" scattered throughout MOC # 402! Oops! Someone was asleep at the time-switch!
All the more oddly, this story was ALSO reprinted in GOLDEN COMICS DIGEST # 39 (Gold Key Comics, Cover Date: September, 1974) - where THREE of the FOUR references to "1968" were changed to "1974"... but one was not!
Golden Comics Digest # 39: ("1974" re-lettered)
March of Comics # 402: (Still "1968" in 1975)
(Click to Enlarge)
Western Publishing... Ya gotta love 'em!
Regardless of the year, it was my last comic-read of 2019! Now, let's usher-in 2020 with WORLD'S FINEST # 106!
There's probably no better way to celebrate a new year than with a good 1950's sci-fi-based-villain story, featuring DC's two greatest heroes...
...Oh, yeah! ...And Robin, too!
(...Okay, maybe there ARE better ways, but none I'm willing to discuss here!)
Classic DC artist Dick Sprang could sure draw some great villains!
And, look... Even some iconic "giant props"!
Add a villain that's (at least temporarily) a match for Batman (Oh, yeah! ...And Robin too!)...
...As well as Superman...
...And a good time is had by all...
...Eventually!
See the lower left of the panel above… Even DICK TRACY admires
“The World’s Finest Heroes!”
WORLD'S FINEST # 106 is rounded-out by stories featuring "Tommy Tomorrow" and "Green Arrow and Speedy" - the later of which serves to illustrate just how similar Green Arrow was to Batman!
Let's check the boxes, shall we?
"Wealthy Guy in a Mansion"? CHECK!
"Youthful Ward"? CHECK!
"The Arrow Signal"? CHECK!
"The Arrowcar"? CHECK!
...And, quite true - no joke, he drove "The Arrowcar" out of "The Arrow Cave"! CHECK-A-ROONIE!
Small wonder they made so much of the similarities, which evolved into a rivalry, on the animated series BATMAN THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD!
Not to mention the comic based on the show!
Anyway... This post might be just about finished, BUT...
THE HOLIDAYS AREN'T OVER UNTIL I SAY THEY ARE!
We will have at least one more Holiday Post before I'll consider calling it quits. Be there, won't you?
BONUS GCD LINKS: Here are the links to each featured comic at Grand Comics Database!
