Greg Goldstein's Comic Art Gallery

Tag: Justice League

George Pratt — Comics Noir

Original Art and The Artists

Sandman Mystery Theatre #1, 1994

Continuing our celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Justice Society of America, with each new post featuring a different classic JSA character.

Neil Gaiman’s extraordinary success with his Sandman series, had an additional and welcome consequence. DC added a retro Sandman title to its line-up featuring a retconned version of the original Sandman, with great noir-ish stories written primarily by Matt Wagner and Steven Seagle.

This terrific action splash page comes from the often overlooked annual, drawn by George Pratt.  It’s a rare pen and ink example by the award-winning Pratt, who is known for his terrific painted graphic novels on Enemy Ace, Batman, and Wolverine.

The “original” Sandman never looked so good.

Fun fact: Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created often over-looked version of Sandman in the 1970s. Simon dropped out after one issue, Jack took a few issue break, and the final issue, #7, featuring Santa Claus (yes, you heard right) was cancelled prior to publication and didn’t appear in print until a few years later.

That Simon and Kirby Issue, originally intended as a one-shot, was their final collaboration.

This version of Sandman makes an unexpected comeback appearance in Wonder Woman #300, with versions by both Gene Colan and Kirby fanatic Keith Giffen. More on all of this in a future post.

The Sandman’s first appearance back in 1939, and his re-appearance in the Silver Age in 1966.

Michael Cho — Hip To Be Square

Original Art and The Artists

Justice League of America: The Silver Age Vol. #3, 2017

Green Arrow is back on the air (CW) for its eighth and final season, so before the emerald archer fades into the TV sunset, our next few posts will feature a few Green Arrow originals.

Green Arrow, in his original incarnation was definitely not a cool cat. As Neal Adams points out, he was basically a poor man’s version of Batman, complete with a young ward sidekick (Speedy) and an “Arrow car”, his own version of the Batmobile. (Probably a souped-up Corvair. Look it up.)

Still, as noted by pretty much all fans of comic book history know, the entire DC universe of the early silver age — especially when compared to upstart Marvel Comics — was “square.”

And I say, so what?  Lots of things in the Kennedy era were “square,” but simultaneously, super cool.

This JLA trade collection cover, by the incredibly talented Michael Cho, captures the exuberant spirit of “The New Frontier.” Green Arrow takes the lead with his fellow Justice League teammates right beside him. Here they can take on anything the world throws at them — and have fun doing it.

(This cover line-up represents the brief period in team history — Justice League of America #14 – #30 — after the Atom had joined, but before Hawkman had come aboard.)

This cover also embodies the energy and spirit of the late, great creator (and Michael’s good friend) Darwyn Cooke, while still very original in its own right. 

I have yet to see a Michael Cho cover that I didn’t enjoy. And I doubt I will.

  • Printed Cover
  • Published Print

Above: Covers and Interior Title Splash Pages For The First Appearances of Green Arrow and The Atom in JLA.

Dick Dillin — Whirlwind Entrance

Original Art and The Artists

Justice League of America #64, August 1968

Continuing our series celebrating Supergirl’s 5thseason premiere on the CW on Sunday.

One of the cool features of all of the DC CW shows is the introduction of supporting characters you would hardly imagine would ever make it into live action TV.

Rip Hunter? Firestorm? Mister Terrific? The Ray? The list goes on… and on… and on.

One such character is Red Tornado, who made it into an early episode of Supergirl. Ok, so he’s a villain… and his backstory definitely veers from much of his retcon continuity in the DCU, but who cares. He certainly looked great.

Red Tornado’s first appearance in his contemporary droid form is in Justice League #64, and this splash – the cover scene — is actually his first rendering in that first appearance issue. More importantly, it’s also the very first JLA appearance of artist Dick Dillin, who went on to draw the series for an astounding 12 years until his untimely death in 1980.

And that cover? One of my all time favorites, enhanced by that unique greenish background, and featuring a full cast of the Justice Society. It jumped out at you on the spinner racks 50 years ago, and still does today.