Review by Frank Plowright
DC seems to have determined that beyond readers who purchase collections of current material as soon as it’s gathered, the most likely buyers of graphic novels are readers who grew up during the 1970s. No other obvious explanation occurs for the hardback presentation of this nine issue series, which itself was entirely reprint material. However, whoever compiled the book doesn’t seem to have realised the series was preceded by a pair of specials, and these are absent, which is guaranteed to annoy likely buyers. They’re unlikely to be mollified by the presence of three extra stories in the form of a prepared tenth issue that never saw print.
The title and Nick Cardy’s impressive covers designed to resemble posters from the olden days was just an excuse to reprint old superhero stories, but as long as he complied with that broad brief editor E. Nelson Bridwell was pretty well able to republish whatever he liked from DC’s vaults. It’s also worth bearing in mind that reprints were relatively rare in 1972, and generally confined to once a year specials. The days of DC Archive or Omnibus editions presenting the same material in luxury format were a more incredible concept than the guy with the green power ring. Aware of this, Bridwell’s choices become increasingly adventurous, prioritising stories from the 1940s, some of which still haven’t been collected in other books.
This particularly applies to characters purchased from Quality Comics in 1956, Doll Man and Kid Eternity, while there have been no Archive editions reprinting 1940s Green Arrow, Hourman, Johnny Quick, Vigilante or Wildcat stories.
Some artistic greats such as Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane, Jack Kirby and Joe Kubert are represented, and back in the day the teaming of the Joker and the Penguin was a landmark. 1940s stories starring Black Canary, Doctor Fate, Green Lantern, Sandman and Starman were decades away from their original publication and more decades would pass before they became part of collections. The same applies to the older Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman material. Unfortunately, though, there’s been no production adjustment for the switch from printing on 1970s pulp paper to 21st century gloss, and this is one vivid looking book.
Fans who enjoy simpler superhero stories from simpler times may well find this a diverting collection, but anyone born since the 1970s is more likely to consider times have moved on, and this selection is of little relevance.
