690 – Bat-Mite

Well we go from a nice little Silver Age moment to a cringe-worthy addition to the Batman mythos in Detective Comics #267 (March 1959) with the introduction of Bat-Mite. Like Mr. Mxyzptlk, Bat-Mite came from another dimension, but unlike Mxy, Bat-Mite actually adored Batman and tried to help him. Always with disastrous consequences. Was never […]

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684 – Lucy Lane

In Superman’s Pal, Jimmy Olsen #36 (February 1959), the writers thought to introduce an occasional love interest for Jimmy in Lois Lane’s younger sister, Lucy Lane. Lucy is a blonde stewardess that Jimmy falls for immediately and does his geeky best to get a date with her. Finally succeeding, he amazingly decides to “pop the […]

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646 – Krypto Speaks

In Adventure Comics #239 (June 1957), Superboy’s dog Krypto makes another appearance, this time a glowing meteor giving Krypto the ability to speak. The only reason I mention it is because it has a panel that references rock and roll. Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” had been a big hit for about a year at this […]

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644 – Pack a Tux for Your Jimmy

Jimmy Olsen’s comic book has always been a place for comic relief. In Jimmy Olsen #21 (April 1957), he mistakenly thinks Lois Lane is in love with him and ends up proposing to her not to break her heart. He continues the mix-up into his dreams where he imagines the wedding takes place, Superman is […]

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359 – Bat-Swing

By June 1947, Batman still hasn’t learned how to swing dance as evidenced by Batman #42. In it, Batman and Robin take on the Catwoman yet again, landing at The Cat and Fiddle, a dance club for “swing cats”. Some girl dressed as a tiger accosts him and forces him to dance. Oh the indignity!

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357 – Hedy Takes Over

For the first time, in May 1947, one of Timely (Marvel) Comics superhero magazines have been completely renamed and had its genre changed: The short-lived All-Winners Squad has been retired and “All Winners Comics” has been renamed to “Hedy De Vine”. Not to be confused with Patsy Walker’s nemesis Hedy Wolfe, Hedy De Vine is […]

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342 – Superwoman Returns!

We have seen Lois as Superwoman before, but that was just a fever dream. Superman #45 (January 1947) features the return of Lois-as-Superwoman when Hocus and Pocus, two magicians, grant her Superman’s powers. Hocus and Pocus are two clueless, recurring comic relief characters with no actual powers, but somehow Superman is always forced into performing […]

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308 – The Three Dimwits Solo

The Flash’s comic relief supporting characters (Winky, Blinky and Noddy – cheap knockoffs of the Three Stooges) make their first solo appearance in All-American Comics #73 (March 1946). This is another signal of non-superhero / humor comics becoming more prominent. Phew! only a few more years of this stuff to go through before the Golden […]

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303 – Batman is a Swinger

Twenty-five years before the Batusi and forty years before the Batdance, there was Batman #33 (December 1945). Bruce Wayne infiltrates a criminal organization by frequenting a swinging “jive joint” and trying to fit in with all the hep cats.

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276 – Captain Marvel Shenanigans

Well here we are closing out the tenth year of comic-book-dom and Captain Marvel continues to keep things light in the super-heroics department in Whiz Comics #61 (December 1944). Unlike Superman, his DC counterpart, Fawcett’s Captain Marvel had almost zero regular supporting cast, love interests, recurring villains, backstory, or continuity. The stories always stayed far […]

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