It Is Accomplished (Superman Edition) continues today with the cover to the second of the three issues of Superman (Vol. 1) that I needed to get all of what I consider to be the Bronze Age era of that title.
Classic.
That is the first word that springs to mind when I look at this cover. Not only does Neal Adams draw a fantastic Superman but he draws a fantastic rest of the DC Universe as well. The theme of this cover is neat as well; the flying heroes of DC. I am kind of curious as to why Hawkman and Hawkwoman are on the cover twice but I am working under the assumption that the Hawks on the front cover are the Earth-1 versions and the Hawks on the back are Hawkman and Hawkgirl of Earth-2.
Just a theory.
We also get the Earth-1 and Earth-2 Green Lanterns, Lightray, the Martian Manhunter, Black Condor, Starman of Earth-2, the Ray, Kid Eternity, Black Racer, Johnny Quick, Dr. Fate, Red Tornado, Shining Knight and Supergirl. I don’t recognize the heavyset guy at the top of the back cover but I am sure someone will let me know. All in all a great cover.
By the way, this was the issue that I kept finding at outrageous prices. Thankfully eBay had a decent copy at a reasonable price and now IT IS MINE!
(Cue the lightning and thunder crashing behind me as I stand on top of a mountain holding the issue high above my head.)
(Or maybe that’s too much.)
Next time: The final cover. I actually like it better than this one.
More to follow…
Michael, I think you may be right about the Earth-1/Earth-2 Hawks.
The only problem: the Hawkgirl on the cover has the completely wrong helmet. Hawkgirl has always had her swoopy helmet, but the one on the cover has Hawkman’s helmet.
Beyond that, though, this is a much better cover than the last one you put the spotlight on. Very classic and has a sort of 1950s vibe.
Ah how fondly I remember this issue. It was one of the first comics in my collection.
I loved those 100 page Super Spectaculars and their stories of the mysterious Golden Age characters.
You’re right about the Hawks being from Earth-1 and Earth-2. If I remember right, the inside back cover had a key for identifying all the characters on the cover.
The heavyset guy on the back cover at any rate was “Mr. Keeper”, who was Kid Eternity’s mentor and companion.
Randomnole
With the Hawks it’s the reverse. The Hawks on the front cover are the Earth-2 JSA versions. They have the masks with the full-beak (upper and lower), mouth slightly open. The Earth-1 Hawkman’s mask has always shown the upper beak but not the lower.
It’s cool but a bit odd that they would feature the Earth-2 Hawks on the cover. Does the issue feature a reprint of a golden age Hawkman story where Hawkgirl appears? That is a great cover, though, with the mix of DC and Quality Comics characters whose rights I’m guessing DC had just purchased at the time.
The saddest thing about this — 100 pages of story for 50 cents. Yeesh, I feel old.