Jack Kirby returns to The Sandman! For the cover. Then he's gone.
As noted in our previous 100 Page FAKE! edition of The Sandman # 1, that first issue in 1974 was supposed to be a one-off reunion of the legendary team of Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. When it unexpectedly went to series (long story), neither Simon nor Kirby was available to continue with the title. Kirby could still do covers, but the interiors were handled by writer Michael Fleisher and penciler Ernie Chua, with veteran Kirby inker Mike Royer trying his best to give the book something resembling the ol' King Kirby pizazz. It was a weird series, pretty much doomed from the start, even after Kirby's return. But I liked it. I liked it in all its misshapen, mutant glory.
It seems extremely unlikely that this series will ever be reprinted, other than the first issue's appearance as a bonus feature in DC's hardcover collection of Simon & Kirby's original Sandman stories from the '40s. Maybe DC will reprint the later Kirby issues in some form, but one shouldn't hold one's breath while waiting for the Chua issues to resurface. So what the hell; we'll be re-visiting the lot of 'em in our 100-Page FAKES!
Since DC's '70s Sandman shared so much goofy DNA with comics of an earlier time, the reprint selections in this faux Super Spectacular are taken exclusively from the Golden Age of comics:
The Sandman in "The Night Of The Spider," The Sandman # 2 (April-May 1975)
The Golden Age Sandman & Sandy in "A Modern Arabian Nightmare," World's Finest Comics # 7 (Fall 1942)
Minute Man (untitled), Master Comics # 16 (July 1941)
The Golden Age Atom in "Mystery Of The Midway Tunnel!," Comics Cavalcade # 28 (August-September 1948)
Plastic Man (untitled), Plastic Man # 17 (May 1949)
The Golden Age Hawkman & Hawkgirl (untitled), Flash Comics # 25 (January 1942)
The Golden Age Blue Beetle (untitled), The Blue Beetle # 6 (March-April 1941)
Ibis the Invincible in "Death Of The Cat!," Whiz Comics # 89 (September 1947)
Everything is copyright DC Comics Inc. The Minute Man, Plastic Man, and Blue Beetle stories are public domain, and the rest is shown here in sample pages; my paid patrons see the whole book. If the Blue Beetle story looks familiar, perhaps you saw it previously right here at Boppin' (Like The Hip Folks Do); Blue Beetle # 6 is the oldest comic book I ever owned, and I discussed it (and reprised its contents) here. Honestly, this is a pretty cool package, and I wish I could have bought something exactly like this off the spinner rack in '75. Now close your eyes. Sleep. Dream...!
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COVER GALLERY
Fuzzy recollection of reading this Sandman in the summer of 76. Your choice of reprints have the same giddy energy.
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