Okay, just to follow up a bit on yesterday’s post…I thought I’d bust out my copy of Heroes Against Hunger, DC Comics’s African benefit book from 1986, out of the Vast Mikester Comic Archives.

First thing I noticed is that, unlike the X-Men book, there aren’t any particular sequences that immediately leap out and grab your attention. This may simply be a structural problem: the DC book features Superman, Batman and Luthor (or some combination thereof) on nearly every page, giving a visual sameness to everything despite the number of artists, and the narrative thread flows (more or less) smoothly from beginning to end. In comparison, the X-Men book is more episodic, with several sequences focusing on individual characters in a variety of settings, giving a little more opportunity for visual diversity.

Not to say that there isn’t some nice work in the DC book…some Curt Swan, some Walt Simonson, some Carmine Infantino, the Neal Adams/Dick Giordano cover, and the following:

Gerry Conway, Barry Windsor-Smith and Jeff Jones (as noted by reader Matthew)

Ed Hannigan, Jack Kirby & Al Milgrom

…and, as reader Matthew also mentioned, this Bill Sienkiewicz back cover.

But overall, like I said, not as visually distinctive or interesting or just plain weird as Marvel’s effort. The story’s on pretty much the same level, though (another alien feeding on the starving people’s misery), so there’s that.

I was pleased that I correctly remembered this comic featuring the not-completely-evil Luthor of the pre-1980s revamp era…who’s genuinely moved by the plight of the suffering Africans when he’s not, you know, ranting about how he wants to kill Superman. Always thought that Luthor, the one who was occasionally capable of acting like a human being, was infinitely more interesting than the current Pure Evil Luthor inhabiting comics today.

One final bit: reader Cej speaks of a fellow he encountered at a con, collecting autographs of every member of the creative team for Marvel’s Heroes for Hope. Actually, I think that’s a neat idea…it’s certainly more interesting than collecting them all into a plain ol’ autograph book. And Cej says the guy only needed two more autographs at the time…and one of those was Stephen King’s. I wonder who the other was? Did the guy get Alan Moore to sign it, or was he the other holdout? We may never know.

A few reasons to check out Heroes for Hope Starring the X-Men (1985):

This creepy Kitty Pryde segment written by Stephen King
and illustrated by Bernie Wrightson and Jeff Jones

This bit of business with Wolverine by Harlan Ellison, Frank Miller and Bill Sienkiewicz

This little twisted scene by Chris Claremont, Brian Bolland and P. Craig Russell

And this Magneto nightmare by Alan Moore and Richard Corben.

Overall, the story is…well, the X-Men are fighting some “living embodiment of their worst nightmares” or something, which is feeding off of the misery of the starving Africans, and…well, yeah, it’s a little tacky. But “helping Africa” was in the air at the time, and their hearts were in the right place. I suppose this comic did raise at least a little money for the relief fund, and you got a nice collection of art to boot, with at least four outstanding sequences as noted above.

There was a similar project from DC a little later, Heroes Against Hunger, in which the heroes fight against some alien creature that…um, feeds off the misery of the starving Africans. Or maybe not…it’s been a while since I’ve read it, but I know some nasty alien critter is involved. And unlike the X-Men book, I really can’t recall any specific sequences or creative teams involved that really stand out. I do seem to remember that this was one of the last “hurrahs” for the pre-revamp Not-A-Complete-Asshole Lex Luthor, who does try to help out (occasionally grudgingly, depending on who’s writing what sequence).

Back to Heroes for Hope: in my post from the other day, where I put up a small image of the cover, reader Steve Canadian had a question:

“Holy iconic Art Adams Wolverine pose on the cover! Am I right in thinking that they singled him out, popped his claws and made a poster out of that?”

This was, as Steve says, quite the iconic pose, and I’m pretty sure variations on it, all drawn by Adams, popped up on shirts and buttons and who knows what else. Here’s a version of it that was on a promo poster I, coincidentally, just happened upon in the backroom last week:

For more reading about Heroes for Hope, here’s Dr. Polite Scott with a few words.

…that I promised last time will have to wait ’til just a little later, I’m afraid. But here’s a scan of a Bicentennial Cap Stamp, instead:

In doing some digging through musty, forgotten boxes in the back room of the shop, I turned up a heapload of promo materials dating mostly from the mid ’80s though about the mid ’90s. One of the things I found was an original Batman: The Dark Knight Returns press release/promo pack, which was the source for the content of this post from Saturday. Also included in the package were some photocopies of interior pages, such as that one shot of Superman hefting the tank over his head.

The letter notes a “three-dimensional point-of-purchase poster,” and while I know we have one in the shop…er, somewhere, I couldn’t recall where it was, and even if I could find it, as I recall it’s not in the best of shape.

But thankfully reader Dave O. was good enough to send a photo of his nearly pristine copy of the same 3D Bat-thingie to me, just in case I hadn’t seen one before. Well, as I said here, I had, but Dave’s photo certainly came at just the right time, and he was good enough to let me use it here:

A couple of other notes about that press release:

• I know it pretty much says what his age is in the comic, but being reminded by this press release that Bruce Wayne is only about 50 in Dark Knight is a little disconcerting. It probably has to do with the fact that when I first read this, I was twenty-two years younger, and it seemed like a 50-year-old Batman was PLENTY old. Now that 50 is only 11 years away for me…well, you know.
• The description of the new format being used for Dark Knight reminded me of the fact that this format became know for a while as the “Dark Knight” format…and as I recall, I think even Marvel referred to their similar books as being in the “Dark Knight” format, once or twice. ‘Course, now, it’s referred to as the “prestige format,” which, I’m guessing with absolutely no research whatsoever, was coined by Marvel to describe this format without having to use the name of their crosstown rival’s best-selling comic. I have no idea if that’s what happened, but it really should be…though if you want to correct me with your “knowledge” and “facts,” I suppose you probably should in my comments.
• I like how one of the selling points is that the series features “Batman paraphrenalia [sic] updated and computerized,” which seems like an odd thing to try to sell this series on, considering that’s hardly the focus of the series. But then I remembered that Batmobile/tank Batman uses to go after the mutant gang with, and, okay, I suppose I’ll give you that.
• Oh, for the days of $2.95 prestige format comics. I’d actually forgotten they were $2.95 at one point…they held the $4.99 price point for so long I’d forgotten there was a cheaper price level on these things.
• More on this, and the Heroes for Hope comic, in the next post.

THIS IS IT. YOUR CHANCE TO JOIN THE RANKS OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST HEROES, AND DO YOUR PART TO FIGHT THE DEVASTATING FAMINE IN EAST AFRICA. COME TO THE SPECTACULAR HEROES FOR HOPE DAY AT (name of your store) AND GET YOUR COPY OF HEROES FOR HOPE: THE X-MEN BENEFIT SPECIAL FOR EAST AFRICA.

MARVEL COMICS, HOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS HEROES, IS DONATING ALL PROCEEDS FROM THIS SPECIAL ONE-OF-A-KIND COMIC BOOK TO THE EAST AFRICAN RELIEF EFFORTS, AND (name of your store) IS YOU LOCAL HEADQUARTERS FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT. SO DON’T MISS OUT ON THE EXCITEMENT – COME TO HEROES FOR HOPE DAY, (day, date and times) YOU’LL FIND MUSIC, ENTERTAINMENT, REFRESHMENTS, PRIZES AND FREE GIFTS FOR EVERYONE, ALL AT (name and address of your store)

REMEMBER, HEROES FOR HOPE DAY – THIS IS YOUR GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME THE FIRST PERSON ON YOUR BLOCK TO JOIN THE RANKS OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST SUPER TEAM, AND DO YOUR PART TO HELP THE STARVING IN EAST AFRICA.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 1986

DARK KNIGHT* RECEIVES INTERNATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE

Frank Miller continues to break new ground in the comics industry. He revolutionized the comic book when he wrote and illustrated the six issue mini-series RONIN*, published in 193-1984. Now, Frank’s treatment of Batman* in the four issue DARK KNIGHT series will prove equally ground-breaking.

“We’re always talking about how important it is to expand the market for comics,” explains DC Comics Vice President-Executive Editor Dick Giordano. “We know comics aren’t just for kids anymore, but it’s difficult to convince people of that.”

Miller’s treatment of the Caped Crusader will prove revolutionary for both DC Comics and the comic industry overall. In feature stories schedules to run in upcoming issues of Rolling Stone and Spin, both available nationally and internationally through newsstands and subscription, Frank will discuss DARK KNIGHT and the comics industry. DC Comics plans to advertise the series in both rock music publications. Other national media coverage of the series is pending.

Notes Richard Gehr, editor at Spin, “I think comics and science fiction are once again on the cutting edge of popular culture. They deserve their rightful place in magazines like Spin.”

The DARK KNIGHT series of four 48-page issues depicts Batman’s last stand. The story takes place 10 years after Batman has retired, when he’s pushing 50. Circumstances in Gotham City* combine with his personal life to put Bruce Wayne back into action for one final time. The series introduces a new, female Robin*; several classic Batman villains; and Batman paraphrenalia [sic] updated and computerized. Superman* will appear in two of the four issues.

The series will be printed in a deluxe format comparable to the RONIN series. Art Director Richard Bruning describes it as “the best of the traditional format with the advantages of new technologies. DARK KNIGHT is more like a series of comic book-sized graphic novels than a comic book series.”

In addition to the national media coverage, DARK KNIGHT will be supported by a four-color retail poster that sells for $4.95 in comic book specialty stores; and a unique three-dimensional 9″ x 13″ counter display card. A recent innovation for the printing world, the three-dimensional point-of-purchase poster has never been used in the comics industry before.

The DARK KNIGHT series reunited for the first time the penciller/writer, inker, and editor of Marvel Comics Group’s DAREDEVIL: Miller, Klaus Janson, and Denny O’Neil, respectively. The series is colored by Lynn Varley. Each contributor has done his/her best artistic work to date.

DARK KNIGHT #1 ships on February 25, 1986, to comic book specialty stores nationwide. Each issue sells for $2.95.

*indicates trademark of DC Comics Inc.

…from this post, where I presented a few panels from the 1970s Dynapubs Flashback reprint of 1941’s Special Comics #1. Here’s a page of the Hangman in his civvies taking what he usually dishes out:

If you all want to talk about The Shield, feel free to use my comments section if you’d like. SPOILER WARNING in effect.

By the way, this is post number 2,500. How ’bout that!

This wasn’t a bad little series, actually. It’s footnote-friendly Roy Thomas at his most footnote-iest, romping through the Justice Society’s history…a good crash course on DC’s Golden Age.