My pop had things like the first appearance of the Barry Allen Flash, the Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and the Black Panther. (I later inherited these gems only to have them stolen by an older high school 'friend.') But my favorite comics were the ones that starred Superman, particularly those adventures that starred members of Superman's Family. Those titles included Superman's best friend Jimmy Olsen and the Man of Steel's best gal, Lois Lane.
This collection reprints some of those gems from the Olsen and Lane titles. Ranging from 1959-1960, this book includes the first appearance of Jimmy as Giant Turtle Man, the beginning of the Imaginary Tales stories that pondered what would happen if Superman finally married Lois, and numerous cameos from another Superman Family favorite of mine- Supergirl!
Featuring art from Silver Age legends Curt Swan and Kurt Schaffenberger, these stories are true American treasures. Sadly, just who wrote most of these classics has become lost to time or poor record keeping but you can see the deft handiwork of iconic DC editor, Julius Schwartz. The only thing missing would be a few ape covers because hey- gorillas sell books, kids!
Besides being an anthology of some of the lesser known Superman titles, this was a time capsule to my childhood. It's been almost exactly 2 years since this title was published and a fifth volume in this series has yet to be issued. I hope DC hasn't given up on this series as there are at least another 10 years worth of stories left to be retold.
Sometimes hokey, with some archaic views towards women and teens, but never boring, this is great stuff from the Silver Age that's totally Worth Consuming!
Rating: 9 out of 10 stars
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