Early in their runs, the jet age Flash and Green Lantern had already developed surprisingly elaborate mythologies.
Barry Allen’s centered on his highly colorful, idiosyncratic “rogue’s gallery,” which ranged from would-be ladykillers (Captain Cold) to unscrupulous advertising gimmicks (Captain Boomerang).
And foremost among them was Grodd, who added an entire secret city of super gorillas to the mix. By Flash 127, the sinister simian was already making his fifth appearance in the title.
“Grodd sought to overthrow (the super-gorilla chief) Solovar through his impressive psionic powers, which included telekinesis, mind control, telepathy and mental projection,” observed Keith Dallas in his Flash Companion. “He was also a brilliant inventor, constructing various imaginative weapons and gadgets, like the one that caused the Flash to absorb so much moisture from the surrounding air that he turned into a 1,000-pound fat man (The Flash 115, Sept. 1960).”
In this John Broome/Carmine Infantino story, Grodd chooses the unusual weapon of love, using “neo-magnetic radiation” to make anyone who sees him adore him. Cheekily, he even running for governor.
In the next issue, the 64th century stage magician Abra Kadabra would also compel applause, but only because he was a hopeless ham.
The Emerald Gladiator’s mythological superstructure was well displayed on the cover of Green Lantern 11, which featured not just Hal Jordan but an array of masked aliens in vivid and verdant costumes, including a bird humanoid, a fish humanoid, a tree humanoid, a robot and a tiny grasshopper Green Lantern.
Here, Hal’s most formidable foe and opposite number, Sinestro, engineers his exile from the Green Lantern Corps to the evil antimatter universe of Qward. But he succeeds in proving only that the resourceful Hal Jordan can use anything — even the water vapor from his own breath — as the means of escaping a trap.
And of course, as close friends and frequent partners, Flash and Green Lantern were also a part of each other’s mythologies, adding to the fun for fans.
Michael Fraley wrote, "I always remember the famous Gil Kane line about why he left GL — that he got tired of drawing cockroaches who wore masks."
ReplyDeleteMark Engblom wrote: As a young reader, I really loved the “elaborate mythologies” you described, Dan. Flash and Green could go anywhere or be visited by anyone, no matter how bizarre. Their clever “sci-FI vignettes” were like primers for the more complex science fiction and fantasy works I would gravitate toward as a teen and adult.
ReplyDeleteOh, and that Green Lantern cover reminds me of just how many times DC used that same “Blue Ribbon Panel of Judges” motif on their covers.
Bruce Kanin:
ReplyDeleteI was a hardcore “Superman family” fan along with the Batman books, including WORLD’S FINEST. I basically knew only of them as a kid, for awhile.
When I discovered GL & FLASH, along with ATOM, HAWKMAN, & JLA, it was like being reborn.
I replied:
I had precisely the same experience.
Bruce Kanin:
ReplyDeleteThese house ads were like the smell of a wonderful dish being cooked that would transport an animated cartoon animal through the air to its source.
I replied:
The house ads were a license to dream
Drew Dobbs:
ReplyDeleteA very handsome ad done by Ira Schnapp.
Alan Bradford:
ReplyDeleteThis is a great post... but as one who was buying comics in this time period, I want to know when the Silver Age became the Jet Age?
I replied:
Well, Silver Age refers to comics, and "jet age" refers to aviation history. I was underlining the new streamlined style of superhero that arrived after the 1940s.
Terry Wood:
ReplyDeleteLoved ads like these in old comics. They sent me looking for so many particular issues.
I replied:
I can still remember how much I speculated about the enticing issues that eluded me then — Brave and the Bold 30, Strange Adventures 124, etc.
Bob Bailey:
ReplyDeleteThis ad is a great example of the design work and calligraphy of Ira Schnap. Not to mention that Murphy Anderson inked both covers over Infantino and Kane.
Richard Meyer:
ReplyDeleteI thought as a kid that the Flash and GL books were much better than the silly Superman and Batman books. The only caveat was that Superman occasionally would have a real or imaginary story about death or loneliness that was genuinely mature and emotional. Barry and Hal never acted foolish but I don’t remember them ever having any emotional depth.