Longbox Review

Let’s finish off 1979 with three months of comics from my past. As you can see, there weren’t very many. I think this is mostly because of two things: 1) the lack of funds coming in because I wasn’t making money from various odd jobs that I could do in the summer and early fall months, and 2) Christmas. I had to save what money I did have to buy my family presents, so no comics for me. :_(

New Adventures of Superboy #1 (Oct.): My first #1 comic. I think that since I read a bit of Superboy in the Legion, I wanted more of that feeling of “this is cool”. Unfortunately, I didn’t always get that feeling with this series, but I did come to appreciate Kurt Schaffenberger’s art.

Marvel Tales #111 (Oct.): I’m pretty sure I had this issue because of that cover. Whenever I think of Tarantula, this is the pose (by the great John Romita) I remember very distinctly.

DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #1 (Dec.): Omg, I read the crap out of this digest (and still look at it on occasion). These digests were great ways for new readers to access old DC comics. DC is doing it again to a degree with their DC Comics Presents series, though they’re charging $8 now! :)

What If #19 (Dec.): This is one of my most memorable comics in my collection, and I read this so much that I pulled the cover off and I had to staple it back it on. Seeing an alternate reality of Spidey’s origin was really cool, though I recall the art being inconsistent. I’d like to have a better copy of this issue.

October notables:

• Adventure Comics #467: The Prince Gavyn Starman debuts. It’s entirely possible that I had this issue, because I do recall owning an issue of Adventure Comics with Starman in it while he was in that horrible red and yellow costume.
• Amazing Spider-Man #200: Yet another issue that I eventually got later, and a milestone at that.
• Legion of Super-Heroes #259: The final issue of the Legion with Superboy in it, that is, until he returned less than two years later. I just bought this issue recently.
• Marvel Super Action #15: I wanted to note this issue only because it’s a reprint of an Avengers issue that I have (it’s one of the oldest issues in my collection).

November & December notables:

• DC Comics Presents #18 (Nov.): I remember this distinctive cover, with those “birds of prey” and what was up with that Zatanna chick?
• Superman #345 (Dec.): Yet another cover I recall.

On to the next decade!