The Grooviest Covers of All Time: Joe Kubert Rocks (Part One)

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! Do we really need a reason to aim our ocular orbs at a short stack of sensational Joe Kubert covers? Especially when they feature Sgt. Rock? This happenin' half-dozen masterpieces come from the early Groovy Age, when Rock's mag was still actually titled Our Army at War. Can you dig it?

Groovy Christmases Past! Groove's Faves: "Dirty Job" by Haney and Toth

Hidden in the pages of the truly outstanding Our Army at War #241 (December 1971) is "Dirty Job" by Bob Haney and Alex Toth. This strip works on every level you can imagine, and Ol' Groove can't think of a better way to say "Merry Christmas, Groove-ophiles!" than to share this masterpiece with ya.

May you and your loved ones enjoy the best Christmas ever!

Groove's Faves: "The Glory Boys!" by Kanigher and Toth

Greetings, Groove-ophiles! Some of the best comics of the Groovy Age were found in Joe Kubert's line of war mags. Joe only used the best of the best, and that's not hype. I think Joe knew that a huge part of his audience was made of the very men he and his staff was writing and drawing about. He knew that a huge chunk of his readership lived through situations like those they presented in Our Army at War, Our Fighting Forces, and the rest of DC's war-line. He had a responsibility to make his mags as authentic as possible, not only out of respect for the members of the Armed Forces, but for the kids like Young Groove who was also reading those mags. Not only did Joe's mags deliver "he-man action", authentic war stories, and impeccable art, but the best of 'em taught us a lesson. Sometimes they preached, sometimes they were subtle...and sometimes they were simple and sublime like this parable by Robert Kanigher and Alex Toth from Our Army at War #235 (June 1971) called "The Glory Boys!"

Famous First Fridays: Neal Adams' DC Debut

Here it is, Groove-ophiles! One of the most important stories in the history of the Groovy Age...the story that introduced Neal Adams to DC! Adams had previously done work for Archie and Warren, along with some newspaper comic strips, but it was at DC that Adams' art really turned fandom on and sent him on the rocket-ride to super-stardom. It wouldn't be long before Neal's mind-boggling layouts and uber-realistic renderings would make a major change in the way comicbooks were illustrated. Jerry Lewis. Bob Hope. Superman/Batman in World's Finest. Batman team-ups in Brave and the Bold. Deadman in Strange Adventures. The Spectre. Green Lantern/Green Arrow. The Batman in Batman and Detective. The stuff of revolution. The stuff of legend. And it all began with this tale written by Howard Liss. From Our Army at War #182 (April 1967) here's Neal Adams turning comicdom on its ear with "It's My Turn to Die"!

Admiring Adams: "Another Time, Another Place"

When folks ask me, "Groove, this Groovy Age thing--is it the Silver Age? Bronze Age? When did it begin?" I always answer, "Yes, to your first question, and with Neal Adams and Jim Steranko to your second question." While they're scratching their heads at my obviously obtuse answer, I explain: "The Groovy Age takes in the end of the Silver Age (around 1967) and the majority of the Bronze Age (until mid-1980). It's an organic thing you can't exactly pin down. It grew, it expanded, and it died a slow, lingering death. But it was vital, fun, and mind-blowing until the end." They still scratch their heads (as you might well be doing right now), and that's partly why I started this blog. It's a lot easier--and more fun--to show you what the Groovy Age is than to tell you.

Why is Neal Adams such a catalyst in the origin of the Groovy Age? 'Cause when Adams came on the scene at DC drawing mags like Strange Adventures (Deadman) and Brave and the Bold, comicdom had never seen anything like him. He stood so far out (far out!) stylistically from every other comicbook artist, you could spot his work a mile away. He (along with Steranko) was like the Elvis of comicbooks. By melding styles and sensibilities from outside the mainstream, he seemed to create something new and exciting, irrevocably shaking up the status quo. You either loved him or hated him, but regardless, you noticed him, baby!

Pros and fans alike took notice. Comicbook art styles started changing from the simplicity and fluidity of Curt Swan or the in-your-face cartooniness of Jack Kirby to a more realistic, shadowy, raw, detailed style. Guys with their own individual styles, like Bob Brown and Irv Novick, had to adapt a more Adams-ish style when they drew Batman. New artists like Rich Buckler, Mike Nasser, and Bill Sienkiewicz pretty much started out as Adams clones, while others like Jim Aparo, Jim Starlin, and John Byrne blended the Adams influence with other influences and came up with unique new styles of their own.

I could rap all day on the greatness of Neal Adams. His work on Batman, the Inhumans, the X-Men, Deadman, the Avengers, Green Lantern/Green Arrow etc. is legendary, and rightfully so. But seeing is believing, Groove-ophile! Feast your eyes on this rare masterpiece from Our Army at War #240 (October, 1971) written by the irrepressible Bob Haney. It's a sci-fi follies of war parable simply titled, "Another Time, Another Place".