Wednesday, August 13, 2014

DC's Super Powers Mini Series still Holds Up After 30 years


Hello, after almost a year absence, I am bringing the epic loot blog back to life.
Like a phoenix resurrected, this is the one corner of the internet where I look at the comic book gems you can find cheap, if you dare to look.

I am revisiting the DC Super Powers mini series this week because I found a lot of the issues while scouring the back issue bins at the magic warehouse last time I visited.

I picked the comics up right away, knowing both their historical value and their editorial value as well.

I am not going to rehash the significance of this series to both DC and Marvel here, as I am sure there are plenty of sites on the web where you can find that information. To differentiate, this is the first series (3 were produced to coincide with the line of toys made by Kenner) but this is the 1984 original.

Instead of rehashing it's historical significance, I want to look at the series from the point of view of the fanboy and the comic book enthusiast. I started reading comics around this time and my memories are still fresh of this booming period which led to Marvel's "Secret Wars" series later this year.

First off, the interesting thing to note here is that Jack Kirby is credited with the plot. Kirby's style is all over the book and he adorns the first cover which in comparison to other Kirby penciled masterpieces, looks a bit underwhelming.

Joey Cavalieri's script is serviceable if not standard comic book fare. It is cool to see Darkseid's galactic minions take off and recruit Earth's villains, as they give cosmic powers to each villain individually. The plot isn't staggering or Earth shattering, but it serves to set up the story, nothing more, with the big bang ups and heavy action coming in later installments of the book.

What's of interest to most comic book aficionados is Kirby's stamp on the book, from the look of Darkseid's champions to his frenetic style of composition, to the use of his New Gods characters, it is interesting to note the king's influence all over the proceedings. He would go on to pencil later versions of the Super Powers comic books.

Of course, the nostalgia factor is ramped up to 11 with ads found within the book's pages touting DC's coming line that year with titles like Blue Devil and the excellent All Star Squadron by Roy Thomas, Rick Hoberg and Bill Collins, and an ad for Atari's Moon Patrol game occupying the inside back cover slot.

This comic is pure 80's gold at 75 cents cover price. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.

Addtional info:

 
uploaded to Youtube courtesy of Mai Le


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