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UPDATED 4/14/26: The late Sheldon Moldoff was born 106 years ago, on April 14, 1920. Perfect time to reprint this piece from his birthdate in 2023. Dig it! — Dan

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By PETER BOSCH

The late Sheldon “Shelly” Moldoff had an amazing career in comics — drawing Hawkman in the Golden Age, as well the first Kid Eternity story, Moon Girl for EC, and much more. But he is best known now for being Bob Kane’s ghost artist on Batman stories for many years.

For his birthday (he was born April 14, 1920), here is a Bat-tery of 13 trivia details about Moldoff’s time in Gotham — which was far more impactful than he’s usually given credit for.

(All of the below were pencilled and inked by Moldoff, unless noted.)

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1. He drew the Batman family pin-up for the back cover of Batman Annual #2 (Winter, 1961):

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2. Moldoff did backgrounds and lettering for Kane while he was still a teenager, including these two famous pages from Detective Comics #33 (Nov. 1939):

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3. He did hundreds of covers for Batman, including this classic — Detective Comics #235 (Sept. 1956):

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4. Moldoff co-created (with writer Dave Wood) the villainous Mr. Zero, later known as Mr. Freeze, in Batman #121 (Feb. 1959). Charles Paris did the inks:

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5. He designed the look of Batwoman, Bat-Mite, and Ace, the Bat-Hound (gathered here on the cover of Batman #133, August 1960):

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6. Bat-Girl, introduced here in Batman #139 (Apr. 1961), was also designed by Moldoff:

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7. Batman #156 (June 1963) may well be the most memorable Bat-cover of the entire Silver Age. Charles Paris inks:

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8. In Detective Comics #328 (June 1964), Moldoff drew the “death of Alfred” story, with Joe Giella inking. Bill Finger, script:

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9. Batman #171 (May 1965) had Moldoff drawing the first Silver Age appearance of the Riddler. Joe Giella inks and Gardner Fox script:

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10. Batman #181 (June 1966) featured Moldoff drawing the debut of Poison Ivy. Joe Giella inks, and Robert Kanigher script:

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11. Moldoff was the first artist on the Batman With Robin the Boy Wonder daily and Sunday newspaper strip that started in 1966:

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12. Moldoff took several Mr. District Attorney covers he drew and reworked them for Detective Comics:

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13. Sheldon Moldoff and Sheldon Mayer were two different people. While Moldoff did draw Batman as Bat-Baby (Batman #147, May 1962), he was not the creator and artist of Sugar and Spike:

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MORE

— 13 COVERS: A SHELDON MOLDOFF Birthday Celebration: HAWKMAN. Click here.

— 13 COVERS: A SHELDON MOLDOFF Birthday Celebration: DETECTIVE COMICS. Click here.

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13th Dimension contributor-at-large PETER BOSCH’s first book, American TV Comic Books: 1940s-1980s – From the Small Screen to the Printed Page, has just been published by TwoMorrows. He has written articles and conducted celebrity interviews for various magazines and newspapers. Peter lives in Hollywood.

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UPDATED 4/13/26: We first pubbed this in March 2021 but you know what? It still hasn’t happened. So join our renewed cry for FOOM! And click here for our similar clarion call for an Amazing World of DC Comics omnibus. Dig it. — Dan

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I’ve been on an official fanzine kick lately — you know, the ones Marvel and DC put out in the ’70s.

Gotta tell you though: It ain’t cheap. For example, Marvel’s FOOM — aka Friends of Ol’ Marvel — ran 22 issues and a healthy number of those will cost you well into three figures. That adds up.

So how about a FOOM omnibus, Marvel? Seriously, how cool would that be? Reading these mags is like a guided tour of the Bronze Age and a nice, catchall set would be a boon to longtime fans and collectors.

I mean, if we can get Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe omnibi and re-releases of black-light posters, why not this?

Anyway, while we wait for something that may never happen, dig this 13 COVERS gallery. (And yes, you can look forward to 13 Amazing World of DC Comics covers, too!)

By the way, not all of these covers have readily available artist credits, so some of these are presented without them.

Groovy.

Arnold Sawyer

John Byrne pencils, Joe Sinnott inks

John Romita

Gene Colan

Marie Severin

Dave Cockrum

Rich Buckler pencils, Sinnott inks

John Buscema pencils, P. Craig Russell inks

Romita pencils, Mike Esposito inks

Jim Starlin

George Perez pencils, Sinnott inks

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MORE

— THEY’RE BACK! Classic MARVEL Black Light Posters Revived for 2021. Click here.

— OFFICIAL HANDBOOK OF THE MARVEL UNIVERSE: DELUXE EDITION to Get Omnibus Collection. Click here.

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UPDATED 4/13/26: We first pubbed this in March 2021 but you know what? It still hasn’t happened. So join our renewed cry for Amazing World of DC Comics! And click here for our similar drumbeating for a FOOM omnibus. Dig it. — Dan

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A couple weeks ago, I opined (a silly word, actually) that the time is right for a FOOM omnibus from Marvel. I mean, just this week, we’re getting the Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe: Deluxe Edition Omnibus and this summer a bunch of the company’s 1970s black-light posters are being re-released. Those are just two examples of some groovy things Marvel’s had going on of late (with more to come) so a hardbound edition collecting the official fanzine’s 22 issues would be really far out.

John Romita pencils, Mike Esposito inks

Same for DC and Amazing World of DC Comics, which ran 17 issues plus a couple of specials, including the mag’s one-shot predecessor, Amazing World of Superman — a hardcover facsimile of which is due April 13, along with the Who’s Who Omnibus Vol. 1.

Anyway, these mags ain’t cheap and to put together a complete run of either will set you back some coin.

So, as promised, I reiterate the call for FOOM and Amazing World of DC Comics omnibi — and to entertain you in the meantime, here are 13 COVERS from DC’s Bronze Age in-house mag. (Click here for 13 FOOM COVERS.)

Right on.

Marshall Rogers

Curt Swan

Jerry Robinson

Michael Nasser (aka Michael Netzer)

Dave Cockrum. Good luck finding this one for a decent price.

Dick Dillin

Dillin

Kurt Schaffenberger

Joe Orlando

Sergio Aragones

Mike Grell

Alan Weiss

Carmine Infantino

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MORE

— Dear MARVEL: How About a FOOM OMNIBUS? Click here.

— Dig the Magnificent Cover for DC’s WHO’s WHO OMNIBUS Vol. 1. Click here.

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Welcome to BRONZE AGE BONANZA — our monthly series that looks at the greatest covers of the Bronze Age — exactly 50 years later. For more info on this feature, click here.

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Jack Kirby puts up a trio, Rich Buckler gets bold, and Jawsmania continues!

Dig the TOP 13 COVERS OF APRIL 1976 — RANKED:

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13. Batman Family #6, DC. Not the best Batman Family cover but I’ve already pretty much said that every issue will make this list on sheer sentimental principle. That it’s the first appearance of the Joker’s Daughter – the best baddie of the entire series – only enhances my case.

Ernie Chan

(Side note: In my imagination, Hudson University and New Carthage were stand-ins for small cities in upstate New York, with ancient names like Rome and Troy. Ithaca is home to the Ivy League’s Cornell University, as well as the respected Ithaca College. But Bob Rozakis, the series’ most influential creative force, effectively made Hudson U. a DC Comics analogue to the writer/editor’s Long Island alma mater, Hofstra University – which features the “Unispan” illustrated by Ernie Chan on the cover.)

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12. Secret Romance #39, Charlton. Um. Hmm. She’s, uh, really into that call, isn’t she?

Art Cappello

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11. Skull the Slayer #6, Marvel. This month’s Jawsmania entry.

John Buscema pencils, Mike Esposito inks

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10. Adventure Comics #446, DC. With the July cover dates upon us, comics went all in on the Bicentennial, which dominated the pop-culture landscape in so many ways, and for so much of the year. The great irony of this Jim Aparo cover, though, is that the King of Atlantis is among the least likely of the Justice Leaguers to be such an American flag waver.

Jim Aparo

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9. Ripley’s Believe It or Not! #62, Gold Key. When in doubt, pick a batshit George Wilson cover.

George Wilson

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8. Planet of the Apes #21, Marvel. I’ve seen Conquest of the Planet of the Apes many, many times, but I don’t recall any scene involving an overheated gorilla and a buxom blonde. Earl Norem must have had Kongmania on the mind. Or something.

Earl Norem

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7. The Invaders #7, Marvel. You can never go wrong with a Baron Blood appearance. This is his first.

Jack Kirby pencils, Frank Giacoia inks, with some tweaks by John Romita

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6. Tarzan Family #64, DC. Joe Kubert giving a master class on how to illustrate a Giant cover touting multiple stories. That main image is really striking, despite its truncated size, and the background details aren’t just an added bonus, they enhance the whole package, giving everything cohesion and a sense of style. Really well done.

Joe Kubert

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5. Captain America #199, Marvel. See entry No. 4.

Kirby and Giacoia

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4. Tarzan #251, DC. See entry No. 3.

Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez

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3. Spidey Super Stories #17, Marvel. Spidey Super Stories gave us its share of memorable covers, and this cleanly drawn Bicentennial-themed team-up between Spider-Man and Captain America by John Romita is a good example.

John Romita

I couldn’t help but notice how, coincidentally, two other covers this month boasted a similar construction, even if the particulars are quite different. Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez’s Tarzan cover is also framed by two “characters” coming at the reader, while Jack Kirby’s Captain America upends the same concept – literally – by blowing up Cap and the Falcon real good.

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2. Astonishing Tales #36, Marvel. Superb cover by Rich Buckler. Clearly influenced by Jim Steranko, it’s bold in its own right and sends the series out with a bang. (Though an Issue #37 had been planned.) Masterful coloring job by whoever did it. I wish I knew. I wouldn’t be surprised if this makes the year’s TOP 13 list as a Wild Card entry.

Rich Buckler

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1. The Eternals #1, Marvel. I kind of find it easy to take this Jack Kirby cover for granted because it’s so Kirby. But it, pardon the pun, rocks. Taking full advantage of the mid-1970s fascination with ancient space aliens – thank you, Erich von Daniken – the King gives us a stone god of striking, unsettling, awe.

Kirby and Giacoia

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MORE

— The TOP 13 COVERS of MARCH 1976 — RANKED. Click here.

— BRONZE AGE BONANZA: The 1976 INDEX. Click here.

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Comics sources: Mike’s Amazing World of Comics and the Grand Comics Database.

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UPDATED 4/11/26: The late Irv Novick was born 110 years ago, on April 11, 1916. Perfect time to reprint this piece from November 2020. Dig it!. — Dan 

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The unsung hero of Batman’s Bronze Age comics was Irv Novick.

He was no Neal Adams and Jim Aparo looms larger with every passing year. Marshall Rogers, on the other hand, was Batman’s Hendrix – a brilliant virtuouso with a limited catalogue.

But Novick was the journeyman, the utility player: easily taken for granted but a real pro who was a superb storyteller, able to go light or dark depending on what the situation warranted.

The Joker #2. Pencils by Irv Novick, inks by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez.

As is the case with almost anyone, he was at his best when inked by Dick Giordano, the artistic glue who helped give the Darknight Detective a consistent look regardless of who wielded the pencil.

Right now, I’m in the middle of a Batman/Detective re-read that began with 1964 and has now reached the mid-’70s. I just recently finished 1974’s run of 100-Pagers and was happily surprised by a story whose details I’d long forgotten – Batman #259’s The Night of the Shadow!, teaming the Masked Manhunter with one of his great inspirations.

Nick Cardy cover

Written by Denny O’Neil with art by Novick and Giordano, The Night of the Shadow! is a sequel to the less compelling Who Knows What Evil — ? six issues earlier by the same team.

The exact details of the issue are less important than its themes – a rumination on childhood trauma, PTSD and gun violence. It’s the first story to maturely explore Batman’s aversion to guns – utilizing the Shadow’s dual pistols as a counterpoint.

It’s typical O’Neil: emotional social commentary disguised as whiz-bang adventure. It’s effective and moving, especially when you consider it came at a time when not every single story mentioned Batman’s murdered parents or showed a bunch of pearls mournfully dropping to the ground.

It’s also some of Novick’s best Batman work, which is saying something when you consider that he worked on Gotham’s protector on and off from the late ’60s to the early ’80s.

But there’s one page that really jumped out at me when I read it again recently – a bold reminder of just how skilled an artist he was:

Novick wasn’t one for flashiness. His work was fairly straightforward, with few if any splash pages or double-page spreads to be found. But here he takes a classic Batman image – swinging on a rope, Batsignal blazing in the distance – and makes it his own.

The Caped Crusader glides smoothly right at you, dominating the page. But it’s not gratuitous posterizing – rather, it’s a brief reminder of Batman’s visual power that leads right back to the narrative.

Outstanding.

***

By the way, I’m running this piece in tandem with Robert Greenberger’s TOP 13 SUPERHEROES INSPIRED BY THE PULPS – RANKED, which you should click here to check out. Naturally, Messrs. Wayne and Cranston make an appearance. — Dan

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MORE

— 13 BATMAN SPLASH PAGES: An IRV NOVICK Birthday Celebration. Click here.

— The TOP 13 Superheroes Inspired by the Pulps — RANKED. Click here.

Now you’re talking, Marvel.

The House of Ideas in July will be releasing The Amazing Spider-Man #14 Facsimile Edition, putting the Green Goblin’s debut back on the racks.

Dig the solicitation info, which will be officially released later this month by Marvel:

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by STAN LEE
Penciled by STEVE DITKO
Cover by STEVE DITKO

VARIANT COVER BY GERARDO SANDOVAL
FOIL VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE

The classic debut of Spider-Man’s archnemesis, the Green Goblin! A rivalry for the ages begins in wild fashion as the Goblin – on his mechanized flying broomstick – tricks Spidey into agreeing to be in a movie together! But little does the web-head know that those “actors” he’s supposed to fight are the actual Enforcers, and the Goblin is planning to yell “cut” on Peter Parker’s costumed career – permanently! The production turns into a real blockbuster when Spidey runs headfirst into the Incredible Hulk! But it’s the mystery surrounding the Goblin’s true identity that had readers coming back for more. It’s one of the all-time great Marvel comic books, boldly re-presented in its original form, ads and all! Reprinting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #14.

32 PGS./All Ages… $4.99

RETAILERS/CONSUMERS: PLEASE INQUIRE REGARDING FOIL PRICING.

On Sale 7/8

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Buncha thoughts:

— This is one of FOUR Facsimile Editions Marvel is publishing in July — including another Spidey title.. For info, dig the links below!

— That panel above is one of the greatest in Spidey history. What a way to introduce the Goblin.

— Obligatory Price Comparison: An unslabbed, high-grade 1964 original recently sold on eBay for $5,604.55.

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MORE

— MARVEL to Release FOUR Facsimile Editions in July 2026. Click here.

— COMIC BOOK DEATH MATCH: 1976’s Superman vs. Spider-Man VS. 1981’s Superman and Spider-Man. Click here.

Marvel in July will be releasing four Facsimile Editions, including one that deserves its own story. You can check that out over here.

The other three include 1969’s The Silver Surfer #5, the previously announced JLA/Avengers #3 from 2003, and another release of 1973’s The Amazing Spider-Man #129, featuring the first appearance of the Punisher.

Dig the solicitation info, which will be formally released by Marvel later in April:

SILVER SURFER #5 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by STAN LEE
Penciled by JOHN BUSCEMA & HOWARD PURCELL
Cover by JOHN BUSCEMA

VARIANT COVER BY ACO
FOIL VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE

WHAT IS THE NIGHTSHAPE?

Reed Richards has invented the Space Scrambler, a device capable of penetrating other dimensions! And trapped on Earth, desperate to pierce the barrier that keeps him from the spaceways, the Silver Surfer must have it! But when Norrin Radd’s plans go explosively awry, the repercussions lead him to meet a new friend – and a powerful enemy! Physicist Al B. Harper may offer him hope of one day returning to the stars, but the cosmic powerhouse known as the Stranger is hell-bent on erasing all life on Earth – including the Surfer! It’s one of the all-time great Marvel comic books, boldly re-presented in its original form, ads and all! Reprinting SILVER SURFER (1968) #5.

64 PGS./Rated T… $6.99

RETAILERS/CONSUMERS: PLEASE INQUIRE REGARDING FOIL PRICING.

On Sale 7/15

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JLA/AVENGERS #3 FACSIMILE EDITION

Written by KURT BUSIEK
Penciled by GEORGE PÉREZ
WRAPAROUND COVER BY GEORGE PÉREZ

WRAPAROUND VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE YOUNG
BLANK VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE
WRAPAROUND FOIL VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE

Continuing the Facsimile reproduction of the most epic Marvel/DC crossover of them all with an issue featuring every character who had ever been a member of the Avengers or the Justice League – and that’s just on George Pérez’s astonishing cover! Inside, a cosmic game being played between the Grandmaster and Krona wreaks havoc on the greatest heroes of two universes. They’ve seemingly defeated their respective foes, and now it’s time to party…to celebrate their extensive shared history?! But as echoes of the past intrude on the present, something is terrifyingly wrong – and tensions flare between Captain America and Superman! It’s one of the all-time great comic books, boldly re-presented in its original form! Reprinting JLA/AVENGERS (2003) #3.

48 PGS./Rated T+… $5.99

RETAILERS/CONSUMERS: PLEASE INQUIRE REGARDING FOIL PRICING.

On Sale 7/22

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AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #129 FACSIMILE EDITION – NEW PRINTING!

Written by GERRY CONWAY
Penciled by ROSS ANDRU
Cover by GIL KANE

VARIANT COVER BY TBA
BLUE FOIL VARIANT COVER ALSO AVAILABLE

He’s different…he’s deadly…he’s the Punisher! But why does he have Spider-Man in his sights? Find out as Frank Castle makes his mighty Marvel debut in an all-time classic from legendary creators Gerry Conway and Ross Andru! The Punisher’s relentless war on crime has enthralled readers for decades – but it all began here, as the lethal vigilante is manipulated by the scheming Jackal into targeting Spidey! Frank only kills those who deserve to die, and he believes the “web-slinging menace” has earned just such a fate! Now, as Spider-Man and the Punisher clash for the first time, a rivalry for the ages is born! It’s one of the all-time great Marvel comic books, boldly re-presented in its original form, ads and all! Reprinting AMAZING SPIDER-MAN (1963) #129.

32 PGS./Rated T… $4.99

RETAILERS/CONSUMERS: PLEASE INQUIRE REGARDING FOIL PRICING.

On Sale 7/8

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Buncha thoughts:

— There is a fourth Facsimile, as I noted. Check the links below!

— I suppose you could say there’s a fifth, too. DC’s Avengers/JLA #2 has been moved from June to July 1.

— The Silver Surfer ish is the fifth of the first seven from the original 1968 series that Marvel is releasing as Facsimile Editions.

— Obligatory Price Comaprison #1. An unslabbed, original Silver Surfer #5 in very good condition recently sold on eBay for about $200. But you can find copies for a lot less.

— Obligatory Price Comparison #2. An unslabbed, NM original JLA/Avengers #3 went for about $25. More typically, you can get it in a set.

— Obligatory Price Comparison #3. An unslabbed, high-grade original The Amazing Spider-Man #129 sold for about $3,650. There was a Facsimile release in 2023 and a copy recently garnered about $12.

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MORE

— 1964’s Landmark AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #14 to Get Facsimile Edition. Click here.

— JLA/AVENGERS: MARVEL and DC Set Dates for All Four FACSIMILE EDITIONS. Click here.

As we reported a while back, Alex Ross has a major new project coming from Abrams ComicArts and Marvel, called Marvel Dimensions, which explores the early years of the House of Ideas’ characters and concepts.

To get you hyped into a frenzy, Marvel has revealed no less than 18 (!) variant covers featuring art from the hardcover that will begin adorning issues in June, and run into August. (The book is due Sept. 1, 2026.)

Dig the complete gallery, with release dates:

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On Sale 6/3

AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON #1 

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DOCTOR STRANGE #7

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FANTASTIC FOUR #12 

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On Sale 6/10

MORTAL THOR #11 

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X-MEN #31 

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On Sale 6/17

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #31 

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X-MEN UNITED #4

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On Sale 6/24

CAPTAIN AMERICA #12 

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INFERNAL HULK #8 

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On Sale 7/1

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #32

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FANTASTIC FOUR #13

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IRON MAN #7

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On Sale 7/8

AVENGERS: ARMAGEDDON #2 

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CAPTAIN AMERICA #13 

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CIVIL WAR: UNMASKED #3 

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WOLVERINE #23

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On Sale 7/15

UNCANNY X-MEN #32 

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On Sale 8/12

DAREDEVIL #5 

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MORE

— MARVEL DIMENSIONS: ALEX ROSS’ New Graphic Novel Dives Back Into the Publisher’s History. Click here.

— MARVELS: KURT BUSIEK and ALEX ROSS’ Classic Series to Get Novelization in 2026. Click here.

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UPDATED 4/10/26: Diggin’ in the vault time — when we go deep into the recesses of the shadowy subterranean 13th Dimension headquarters for great columns that deserve another look. This one first ran in March 2022. Right on! — Dan

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This has been a helluva week here at 13th Dimension for fabulous art by big-name illustrators. We’ve had Matt Wagner’s reinterpretation of Golden Age Detective Comics covers and Alex Ross’ latest Batman painting, which pays homage to the Bronze Age.

Well, dig this: For some time, artist Sandy Jarrell has been posting on Twitter a series of reproduction covers that were created by the late, great Darwyn Cooke. Some of the covers, which were originally in black and white, were done to benefit the Hero Initiative through Canadian comics shop Strange Adventures, according to store owner Calum Johnston. Others were drawing exercises.

Sandy found them — online and through Johnston — decided to color them and, man oh man, are the results spectacular. What’s particularly notable is that some of them look very much like the Darwyn Cooke we know and love, while others closely mimic the cover’s original artists. There are also alterations that experts will notice.

I’ve picked 13 to show off in the gallery below, including one that’s actually a pinup. I think you’ll love them as much as I do.

Groovy.

After Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson

After Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott

After Win Mortimer

After John Romita

After Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella

After Ross Andru and Mike Esposito

After Sheldon Moldoff

After Gil Kane and Joe Giella

After Carmine Infantino and Mike Esposito

After Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson

After Infantino and Giella

After Mortimer

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MORE

— Dig MATT WAGNER’s Superb Revamps of Classic BATMAN Covers. Click here.

— ALEX ROSS Pays Tribute to the Bronze Age in Latest BATMAN Masterpiece. Click here.

This week for RETRO HOT PICKS, Scott and I are selecting comics that came out the week of April 8, 1982.

Last time for RETRO HOT PICKS, it was the week of April 1, 1950. Click here to check it out.

(Keep in mind that comics came out on multiple days, so these are the issues that went on sale between April 5 and April 11.)

So, let’s set the scene: Argentina this week launched an invasion of the Falkland Islands, sparking an (undeclared) war between the South American nation and the United Kingdom that lasted 2 1/2 months. Pretty much everyone not paying attention to the simmering tensions behind the conflict — which is to say, pretty much everyone not from either country — was completely baffled by it all.

The war grew from centuries-long disputes over the control of two related territories: the Falklands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Needless to say, it’s complicated, but basically the territories had long been under British rule and the islanders, largely descendants of the colonists, wanted it to stay that way.

Brits ship out from England on April 5, amid cheering throngs.

Argentina considered the area theirs and the British government in the past was willing to cede control. Diplomatic efforts failed for years, however, and finally Argentina invaded, prompting the British response. (The Argentines lost and the islands remain a British Overseas Territory.)

The highbrow comedy of manners Porky’s was the biggest movie in America because, y’know, boobs. It was in the middle of an eight-week run at the top(less). Other hits included the uproarious Richard Pryor: Live on the Sunset Strip; the intergenerational Fonda vehicle On Golden Pond; Blake Edwards’ Victor/Victoria, starring Julie Andrews; and two Disney re-releases: Robin Hood, and the greatest animated feature of them all, Fantasia.

Dallas, MASH (in its penultimate season), 60 Minutes, The Jeffersons, Alice and Three’s Company were among the big TV hits.

The most popular songs — all in heavy rotation on the burgeoning MTV — included I Love Rock ‘N Roll by Joan “The Perfect Woman” Jett and the Blackhearts; We Got the Beat, off the top-selling Go-Go’s album Beauty and the Beat; the J. Geils Band’s Centerfold and Freeze-Frame; Vangelis’ theme from Chariots of Fire; and, Huey Lewis and the News’ breakout Do You Believe in Love.

Freeze Frame (sans hyphen), Chariots of Fire, and supergroup Asia’s self-titled LP were also making noise on the Billboard 200.

—

Scott Tipton, contributor-at-large, 13th Dimension

The Avengers #221, Marvel. I bought this comic off the racks at Quik-Stop, and I was hoping the new Avengers would be Rom and She-Hulk. As it turned out, I was half-right.

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The Uncanny X-Men #159, Marvel. Bill Sienkiewicz on cover art here; loved his Dracula.

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Justice League of America #204, DC. Wonderfully intricate cover work by the mighty George Perez. Always loved when he’d draw the Royal Flush Gang.

Dan adds: Every time the Royal Flush Gang shows up, I am there. (Don Heck pencilled the interiors.)

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DC Comics Presents #47, DC. Back in the spring of ’82, seeing He-Man fighting Superman was a pretty big surprise.

Dan adds: Written by our pal Paul Kupperberg, even! One of these, unslabbed, went for almost $240 on eBay recently.

—

Dan Greenfield, editor, 13th Dimension

Marvel Fanfare #3, Marvel. Mandela Effect in effect: I always think this is the cover to Issue #1. It’s not. This is.

—

Marvel Tales #141, Marvel. Can we all agree that Marvel Tales was great? It was like getting a classic Spider-Man Facsimile Edition every month. Kind of. Sort of. You know what I mean.

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Best of DC #26, DC. The Digest Era! For your 95 cents, you got Haney/Adams Batman and Deadman, plus solo stories starring early-days B&B big-shots Task Force X, the Viking Prince, the Silent Knight and Cave Carson (in a three-parter). Even Robin Hood!

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DC Special Blue Ribbon Digest #23, DC. Another great deal for your 95 cents — 10 classic GA stories, by Jack Kirby, Denny O’Neil, Neal Adams, Ed Herron, Lee Elias, Bob Haney, Mike Grell, Elliot S! Maggin — and more! Plus, a framing sequence by Mike W. Barr and Dan Spiegle. I’d go track a copy down, except I’d need a magnifying glass to read it. These ol’ peepers don’t take too kindly to digests no more.

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The Fury of Firestorm #2, DC. I didn’t read the original Firestorm series, but something compelled me to read this one. I don’t know why, because he wasn’t exactly the kind of character I gravitated toward. I dug it though, and stayed with it for quite some time.

—

MORE

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of April 1 — in 1950! Click here.

— RETRO HOT PICKS! On Sale The Week of March 25 — in 1980! Click here.

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Comics sources: Mike’s Amazing World of Comics and the Grand Comics Database.