All Star – Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Ric Estrada — Of Blood And Roses

May 13, 2021 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Unknown Soldier #220, October 1978

Ric Estrada channels legendary artist Alex Toth in this short story about the Boer War.

Estrada had previously worked with, and channeled Toth on a short-lived Hot Wheels series from DC in 1970. In fact, his style was so similar, that an original page from one of those stories was misidentified as Toth at least twice.

So no surprise that this story also feels like a “Toth.” The lettering (un-credited) definitely adds to the style.

Estrada, of course, was a talent in his own right (and under-appreciated by many) and an excellent storyteller. He didn’t enjoy drawing super hero stories, and that may have impacted his “brand.”

When he did draw capes and tights, his storytelling was typically creative and dynamic. His layouts are a terrific fit with Wood Inks on All-Star Squadron. His layout choices appear more inventive and less stiff than Woody’s.

What? Heresy you say? Read those AS issues again and compare pages — Wood’s layouts vs. Estrada’s.

I’ll wait.

(Author’s note — Wood is one of the all time greats, and one of my absolute personal favorites. In this specific case, I’m just calling it the way I see it.)

*The published title page for the story, and an unpublished pin-up tribute to Toth.*

Wallace Wood — All Star

April 23, 2020 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

All Star Comics #59, 1976

All Star Comics, featuring The Justice Society, returned for the first time in 25 years, and the legendary Wallace Wood returned to superheroes for the early issues as well.

“Return” for Woody is a bit of an overstatement, since outside of his own creation, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, Wood’s work in superheroes was limited. Ironically his most lauded superhero work in the DC universe is Superduperman, an EC Mad Comics parody from 1953.

In All Star, editor Joe Orlando (and Wood’s former protégé at EC) provided Woody the chance to play with many of DC’s classic characters, including Superman, and he was given a chance to help set the look and feel of at least one enduring new one, Power Girl, the “Supergirl” of Earth Two. On this great battle page, we have Hawkman, The Star-Spangled Kid, and Doctor Mid-Nite in all out action.

As demonstrated by the art itself, Wood is responsible for the pencils and inks on this “second” issue, with Rick Estrada providing rough breakdowns and receiving credit as “designer” on this issue.

Woody left the title after less than a year’s worth of issues, but the work he left was behind was definitely “all star” material.

Fun fact: Hawkman was the only original member of the JSA to appear in every issue of the original All Star comics as part of the team.

Fun fact: Despite the fact that All Star had originally continued as All Star Western in 1951, DC re-started the series using the Golden Age numbering. Today it would be #1 issue with more than a few variant covers…

Fun fact: “Super Squad” is just… ugh.

*The first original Golden Age cover appearances of Star-Spangled Kid, Spectre and Hawkman.*

*All Star Comics returns with art by the legendary Wallace Wood. Bam!*

The new Justice Society launches on CW in a few weeks with the premiere of Stargirl on May 11.

Rich Burchett — Flashy Team-Up

April 21, 2020 Greg Goldstein Original Art and The Artists

Justice Society of America #1, April 1991

2020 marks the 80^th anniversary of the very first super team in comic book history, The Justice Society of America.

Superhero comics were barely two years old, when a gaggle of heroes appeared on the cover All Star Comics #3. Imagine the reaction of a young comic book reader at his local newsstand or candy store seeing Doctor Fate, Hourman, The Spectre, Green Lantern, The Atom, The Sandman, Hawkman, and of course, The Flash all seated at the one table.

Brain blown.

During the various “Comic Book Ages” (Gold, Silver, Bronze, Modern, et al) the original Flash seems to symbolize the Society more than any one character. This is partly due to the fact that he is the very first Golden Age superhero to be reintroduced into the Silver Age (Flash #123).

In this 1991 JSA mini-series, one classic character receives solo billing in each issue, and the Flash leads off in issue #1, with art (pencils and inks) by the often under-appreciated Rich Burchett. This is a fun and dynamic page of the Flash in action, with the action taking us through the page.

And, I find it amusing that Flash’s helmet and the construction workers are not that dissimilar. If only those guys could run at super speed…

(My pal Mike Gold edited the series, and he provides a lovely history of the JSA, and an origin of this specific series, which is provided below.)