Pencil Ink

Sweet Tooth #1 - 1st issue

2026-04-13T12:00:00.011-04:00

Sweet Tooth #1

Sweet Tooth v1 #1, 2009 - A sudden pandemic wipes out most of the world's population. At the same time, babies are being born that are human-animal hybrids. This first issue introduces Gus, a boy with antlers living in a remote cabin. When his father dies, he's forced to go out into the real world with its very real dangers. This thoughtful post-apocalyptic story was written and drawn by Jeff Lemire. Cover by Lemire. Published by DC under the Vertigo imprint.

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Key 1st issue

Sweet Tooth v1 = 1 key issue

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"Out of the Deep Woods (part 1)" 22 pages

Sweet Tooth #1

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Best of DC #18 - Neal Adams reprints

2026-04-13T00:00:00.028-04:00

Best of DC #18

Best of DC (Blue Ribbon Digest) v1 #18 / New Teen Titans, 1981 - While this series typically featured reprints, this digest stands out due to a brand new Teen Titans story (ably drawn by Carmine Infantino). George Perez supplies the terrific cover art. Other artists in this copper age digest include Gil Kane. Most of this issue contains Neal Adams reprints from Teen Titans #20, #21 and #22.

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Hanna-Barbera Bandwagon #1 - 1st issue

2026-04-12T12:00:00.013-04:00

Hanna Barbera Bandwagon #1

Hanna-Barbera Bandwagon v1 #1, 1962 - Jam-packed with cartoon characters, this first issue features various characters from the Hanna-Barbera universe. In the opening tale, Snagglepuss applies for a job as a jester for the royal palace. Among the most well known are Boo-Boo Bear, Snooper and Blabber, Yakky Doodle, Augie Doggie, Ruff and Ready and Wally Gator. Interestingly, all stories are drawn either without frames or extra thick colored borders. Artists in this issue include Phil De Lara, John Carey, Veve Risto, Steve Steere, Bob Gregory, Kay Wright, Larry Mayer, Pete Alvarado and Harvey Eisenberg. Cover painting by Norm McGary.

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Key 1st issue

Hanna-Barbera Bandwagon v1 = 1 key issue

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"Joust a Jester " 8 pages
+ other stories

Hanna-Barbera Bandwagon #1

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Roy Rogers and Trigger v2 #1 - Alex Toth reprints

2026-04-12T00:00:00.001-04:00

Roy Rogers and Trigger v2 #1

Roy Rogers and Trigger v2 #1, 1967 - After the first long running series by Dell, Gold Key later publishes this later, one-shot issue. The good news is that it contains two Alex Toth tales originally published in Roy Rogers and Trigger #121 and #124. Photo cover.

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Comics Journal #58 - Frank Miller cover & article

2026-04-11T12:00:00.007-04:00

Comics Journal #58

Comics Journal v1 #58, 1980 - R.C. Harvey pens an article on Frank Miller's visual style as he begins his run on Daredevil. The artist joined the series only the year prior. Miller provides the purposefully designed cover featuring DD and Elektra. The issue also includes Marvel news and a writer's forum that includes Jim Shooter, Len Wein, Marv Wolfman and others.

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Comics Journal v1 = 2 Miller issues

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Miller cover pencils (Joe Rubenstein inks) = ***

Miller article

Comics Journal #58

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Creepy #68 - Bernie Wrightson art

2026-04-11T00:00:00.003-04:00

Creepy #68

Creepy magazine v1 #68, 1975 - Sitting atop an old tome, Uncle Creepy's head continues to narrate and set the tone for the upcoming stories. Just like many of his one-pagers for this series, Bernie Wrightson effectively combines humor and horror in one fell swoop. Ample negative space adds a decidedly somber tone to the scene. I especially like how the candle wax creates a path leading the eye toward the table surface. Unlike other Wrightson inside front covers, this one is published in glorious full color. Other artists in this magazine include John Severin, Vicente Alcazar, Martin Salvador and Richard Corben.

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Creepy v1 = 19 Wrightson issues

Wrightson gallery
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Wrightson inside front cover pencils and inks = ***

Bernie Wrightson

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Crime Suspenstories v2 #17 - Al Williamson / Frank Frazetta reprint

2026-04-10T12:00:00.004-04:00

Crime Suspenstories v2 #17

Crime Suspenstories v2 #17, 1996 - Decades after their initial publication, these classic EC comics are introduced to a new audience. This issue specifically reprints Crime Suspenstories #17 with artwork by Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson.

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Time Warp #3 - Steve Ditko, Don Newton art

2026-04-10T00:00:00.016-04:00

Time Warp #3

Time Warp v1 #3, 1980 - Like other DC Dollar Comics from the same period, the issue boasts all new material from a variety of writers and artists. Both of the Steve Ditko tales inside seem hurried, but only the "The Dimensions Of Greed" is visually satisfying due to its wildly inventive shapes in the backgrounds. Don Newton's tale of a space plague is adequate, but Steve Mitchell's inks seem inconsistent and struggle to keep pace with the pencils. Other artists in this bronze age science fiction comic include Ed Barretto, Dan Adkins, Dick Giordano, Tom Sutton and Jerry Grandenetti. Cover by Michael Kaluta.

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Time Warp v1 = 4 Ditko issues, 5 Newton issues

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"The Dimensions Of Greed" Ditko story pencils and inks 7 pages = ***
"On The Day Of His Return" Ditko story pencils and inks 3 pages = **
"Plague" Newton story pencils (Steve Mitchell inks) 8 pages = ***

Don Newton

Steve Ditko

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Sleeping Beauty #1 - Al Hubbard art + 1st appearance

2026-04-09T12:00:00.015-04:00

Sleeping Beauty #1

(Walt Disney's) Sleeping Beauty v1 #1 / Dell Giant, 1959 - When snubbed by the royal family, a malicious fairy curses the princess with eternal sleep. Based on the Disney film that premiered the same year, this comic book adaptation is beautifully rendered by Al Hubbard. He delivers the longest work of his career, spanning seventy-five pages without section or chapter breaks. Large panels are generously used throughout for dramatic effect. Hubbard also draws an additional twelve page tale featuring Sleeping Beauty and the Prince, along with pin-ups and puzzles galore. Painted cover.

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Select Movie adaptation

Key 1st appearance Sleeping Beauty, 1st issue (Disney version)

Favorite Hubbard art

Sleeping Beauty v1 = 1 key issue, 1 select issue, 1 favorite issue

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"Sleeping Beauty" Hubbard pencils and inks 75 pages

Al Hubbard

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Home / Sleeping Beauty / Dell

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Shadowhawk #1 - 1st issue

2026-04-09T00:00:00.023-04:00

Shadowhawk #1

Shadowhawk v1 #1, 1992 - In a seedy part of Manhattan, young thugs accost what they think is a homeless man. They discover too late that the man is armored and adept at fighting. Shadowhawk, introduced earlier in Youngblood #2, beats them mercilessly before the police arrive. This first issue was written and drawn by Jim Valentino. Cover by Valentino and Rob Liefeld.

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Key 1st issue

Shadowhawk v1 = 1 key issue

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"A Nightmare Walking" 23 pages

Shadowhawk #1

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Home / Shadowhawk / Image

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Famous Funnies #61 - 1st Jack Kirby art

2026-04-08T12:00:00.009-04:00

Famous Funnies #61

Famous Funnies v1 #61, 1939 - Although Jack Kirby's work appeared earlier in Jumbo Comics #1-3, those were reprints from the UK magazine Wags. This otherwise uneventful issue contains his first published work: a single page announcing a new feature starting in the next issue. "Lightnin' and the Lone Rider" (with emphasis on the horse, oddly enough) is overall competently drawn. The rider's proportions are off (making him appear stunted), but Kirby's inking shows a skillful use of shadows to create modeling and depth. Note his pen name "Lance Kirby" on the lower right. Other artists in this issue include Clifford McBride, Victor Pazmino, Clare Victor Dwiggins, Jimmy Thompson, Elmer Woggon, Mel Graff, Stephen Douglas, Clifford McBride, Bud Thompson and many more. Cover by Pazmino.

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First start Jack Kirby

Famous Funnies v1 = 1 Kirby issue

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"Lightnin' and the Lone Rider" Kirby pencils and inks 1 page = **

1st Jack Kirby art

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Home / Kirby / Famous Funnies

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X-Factor #12 - Walt Simonson cover

2026-04-08T00:00:00.013-04:00

Walt Simonson

X-Factor v1 #12, 1987 - Near the beginning of his run on the title, Walt Simonson only provides the cover this issue. Focusing on three characters, Boom Boom, Beast and Iceman, there's a lack of hierarchy that flattens the picture plane. Stylistically, the art is consistent with other works from the same era, but the layout falls short. Other artists in this copper age comic include Marc Silvestri and Bob Wiacek.
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X-Factor v1 = 29 Simonson issues
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Simonson cover pencils and inks = **

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American Vampire #1 - 1st issue

2026-04-07T12:00:00.005-04:00

American Vampire #1

American Vampire v1 #1, 2010 - Two aspiring actresses arrive in Hollywood just as the movie industry transitions into "talkies". When they get invited to a producer's lavish party, one woman becomes prey to a gang of wealthy bloodsuckers. The mischievous vampire Skinner Sweet makes a cameo, but his past is revealed in a back-up tale by Stephen King. This first issue was written by Scott Snyder and drawn by Rafael Albuquerque. Cover by Albuquerque. Variant cover by Jim Lee. Published by DC under the Vertigo imprint.
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Key 1st appearance Skinner Sweet, 1st issue

American Vampire v1 = 1 key issue

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"Big Break" 16 pages
+ other stories

American Vampire #1

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Home / American Vampire / DC

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Savage Sword of Conan #34 - Mike Ploog art

2026-04-07T00:00:00.003-04:00

Savage Sword of Conan #34

Savage Sword of Conan v1 #34, 1978 - Most likely drawn a few years earlier, "Mirrors of Tuzun Thune" features a restless King Kull seeking a new challenge. He finds it in the house of a Valusian wizard, where he encounters mystical mirrors that reveal the past, future and other worlds. Mike Ploog's pencils stand on their own, without the embellishment of an inker. Some of the finer strokes disappear in the reproduction, but enough remain to create visceral and powerful images. The textural quality of Ploog's work is impressive throughout the story, culminating in the full page splash of a majestic Kull at the end. Other artists in this bronze age magazine include John Buscema.

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Savage Sword of Conan v1 = 1 Ploog issue
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"Mirrors of Tuzun Thune" Ploog story pencils 11 pages (black and white) = ****

Mike Ploog

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Home / Ploog / Savage Sword of Conan / Marvel
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Uncle Scrooge #43 - Carl Barks art & cover

2026-04-06T12:00:00.016-04:00

Carl Barks

(Walt Disney's) Uncle Scrooge v1 #43, 1963 - Magica De Spell returns, once again attempting to steal Scrooge's first earned dime. This time the sorceress has the ability to control the weather and heavenly bodies. Carl Barks seems to enjoy drawing the storms, comets and meteors that try to penetrate the infamous money bin. While his unrelated cover meets expectations, the artist's interior pages shine through as usual.
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Uncle Scrooge v1 = 70 Barks issues

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Barks cover pencils and inks = ***
"For Old Dime's Sake" Barks story pencils and inks 18 pages = ***

Carl Barks

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Home / Barks / Uncle Scrooge / Gold Key

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Hot Wheels - comic series checklist

2026-04-06T00:00:00.022-04:00

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Hot Wheels v1
DC
1970-71

1 - Toth art & cover + 1st issue key
2 - Toth art
3 - Toth art, Adams cover
4 - Toth art
5 - Toth art & cover
6 - Adams art & cover

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Home / DC

Epic Illustrated #33 - John Byrne art

2026-04-05T18:00:00.000-04:00

Epic Illustrated #33

Epic Illustrated v1 #33, 1985 - Galactus seeks answers to the creation of a web of stars and planets in the former Milky Way galaxy. A primitive elder on one of the planets can offer only limited knowledge. He summons his herald Nova, who discovers another mystery. As he nears the end of "The Last Galactus Story", John Byrne continues to thoughtfully illustrate this saga set millions of years into the future. Rather than using a splash page to open the story, he uses one with a radial design to finish. Other artists in this issue include P. Craig Russell, John Totleben, Tim Conrad and Kent Williams. Cover painting by Phil Hale.
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Epic Illustrated v1 = 9 Byrne issues

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"The Dweller in Darkness" Byrne story pencils (Bob Wiacek inks) 12 pages = ***

John Byrne

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Submarine Attack #11 - 1st issue

2026-04-05T11:45:00.006-04:00

Submarine Attack #11

Submarine Attack v1 #11 (#1), 1958 - Repsonding to the decimation of their early U-Boats, the Nazis build a new class of submarine that evade radar and stay submerged for longer periods of time. But is it too late for the war effort? This first issue's opener was written by Joe Gill story and drawn by Bill Molno and Vince Alascia. Other artists in this issue include Sam Glanzman and Sal Trapani. Cover by Charles Nicholas and Alascia.

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Key 1st issue

Submarine Attack v1 = 1 multiple key issue

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"Type XXI" 5 pages
+ other stories

Submarine Attack #11

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Home / Submarine Attack / Charlton

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Watch the Miracle of Birth

2026-04-05T00:00:00.012-04:00

"see the entire hatching process"

Insta Sales Corp. comic book ad, 1960s - Egg incubator for hatching chicks, ducklings, pheasants, etc. Complete with bulb, thermometer and instruction booklet. Published in Reptilicus #1.

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Home / Ads

Super-Team Family #1 - Neal Adams, Wally Wood reprints

2026-04-04T18:00:00.000-04:00

Super-Team Family #1

Super-Team Family v1 #1, 1975 - The cover of this premiere issue showcases the heroes inside. Although the stories are all reprints, two are especially noteworthy: a Wally Wood tale from Teen Titans #19 and a Neal Adams story from World's Finest #175. This bronze age comic includes cover art by Dick Giordano.

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Home / Adams / Wood / Super-Team Family / DC
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Rampaging Hulk #4 - Jim Starlin / Alex Nino, Marshall Rogers art, Starlin cover

2026-04-04T12:00:00.006-04:00

Jim Starlin

Rampaging Hulk v1 #4, 1977 - A Jim Starlin cover evokes a powerful yet mysterious tone, setting the stage for the main feature inside. A alien wizard kidnaps the Hulk in an act of desperation for his cause. Starlin's pencils transform into otherworldly images, thanks to Alex Nino's distinctive inking. The combination results in visually lush pages, grounded by astute pacing and brilliant layouts. The two page spread on pages 28-29 is both chaotic and beautiful. An introductory page by Marshall Rogers begins the back-up Bloodstone story. Other artists in this bronze age magazine include Val Mayerik, Sonny Trinidad and Keith Giffen.

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Rampaging Hulk v1 = 1 Nino issues, 1 Rogers, 3 Starlin issues

Nino gallery
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Starlin painted cover = ***
"The Other Side of Night" Starlin pencils / Nino inks 30 pages = ****
Bloodstone intro, Rogers pencils and inks 1 page = ***
(All interiors in black and white)

Marshall Rogers

Jim Starlin / Alex Nino

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Jackie Jokers #1 - 1st appearance

2026-04-04T00:00:00.015-04:00

Jackie Jokers #1

Jackie Jokers v1 #1, 1973 - After impersonating a mobster for laughs on the "Johnny Larson" show, Jackie and his girlfriend Candy go out for a bite. Unfortunately, a pair of mobsters think he's the real deal and kidnap both of them. Kid comedian Jackie Jokers makes his debut in this first issue, joining the Harvey Comics family. The cover and all stories were drawn by Ernie Colon.

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Key 1st issue appearance, 1st cover Jackie Jokers, 1st issue

Jackie Jokers v1 = 1 key issue

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"Ride On" 4 pages
+ other stories

Jackie Jokers #1

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Home / Jackie Jokers / Harvey

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Wartime Romances #3 - Matt Baker art & cover

2026-04-03T12:00:00.011-04:00

Matt Baker

Wartime Romances v1 #3, 1951 - Jane's father wants her to date only Naval officers like himself, Anne falls for a sleazy French journalist, Louise is tempted away from her lieutenant boyfriend and Ellen finds out that men are only attracted to her glamor and looks. Four Matt Baker tales are stationed in this issue, all wonderfully drawn and laid out. All begin with large, opening panels that convey the settings and characters fairly quickly.

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Wartime Roman ces v1 = 18 Baker issues

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Baker cover pencils and inks = ***
"One Lonely Evening" Baker story pencils (Ray Osrin inks) 8 pages = ***
"Disloyal Love" Baker story pencils (Ray Osrin inks) 9 pages = ***
"One Love Too Many" Baker story pencils (Ray Osrin inks) 7 pages = ***
"I Was Soldier-Bait" Baker story pencils (Ray Osrin inks) 8 pages = ***

Matt Baker

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John Carter Warlord of Mars #25 - Frank Miller cover

2026-04-03T00:00:00.034-04:00

Frank Miller

John Carter Warlord of Mars v1 #25, 1979 - A building goes down in flames around John Carter on this second of Frank Miller covers. The overall stiffness of the layout is further compounded by the rather uninspiring rendition of flames. Additionally, Rudy Nebres' inks overwhelm the pencils, making the art indistinguishable from most of the covers on the series. Miller's earlier John Carter story is far better and frankly more representative of his talents.

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John Carter Warlord of Mars v1 = 3 Miller issues

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Miller cover pencils (Rudy Nebres inks) = *

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Home / Miller / John Carter Warlord of Mars / Marvel

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Showcase #13 - 1st Mister Element

2026-04-02T12:00:00.000-04:00

Showcase #13

Showcase v1 #13, 1958 - A jewelry store is robbed by a new villain and his crew. Wearing an oxygenated mask, Mister Element commits crimes using gadgets and his knowledge of natural elements. Gold, sodium, vanadium, silicon, magnesium and others are used to thwart the Flash from capturing him. This John Broome story was drawn by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella. Cover by Infantino and Frank Giacoia.

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Key 1st appearance, 1st origin Mister Element

Showcase v1 = multiple key issues

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"Master of the Elements" 12 pages
+ other stories

1st Mister Element

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Home / Showcase / Flash / DC

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Pencil Ink

Sweet Tooth #1 - 1st issue

Best of DC #18 - Neal Adams reprints

Hanna-Barbera Bandwagon #1 - 1st issue

Roy Rogers and Trigger v2 #1 - Alex Toth reprints

Comics Journal #58 - Frank Miller cover & article

﻿﻿Creepy #68 - Bernie Wrightson art

Crime Suspenstories v2 #17 - Al Williamson / Frank Frazetta reprint

Time Warp #3 - Steve Ditko, Don Newton art

Sleeping Beauty #1 - Al Hubbard art + 1st appearance

Shadowhawk #1 - 1st issue

Famous Funnies #61 - 1st Jack Kirby art

X-Factor #12 - Walt Simonson cover

American Vampire #1 - 1st issue

Savage Sword of Conan #34 - Mike Ploog art

Uncle Scrooge #43 - Carl Barks art & cover

Hot Wheels - comic series checklist

Epic Illustrated #33 - John Byrne art

Submarine Attack #11 - 1st issue

Watch the Miracle of Birth

Super-Team Family #1 - Neal Adams, Wally Wood reprints

Rampaging Hulk #4 - Jim Starlin / Alex Nino, Marshall Rogers art, Starlin cover

Jackie Jokers #1 - 1st appearance

Wartime Romances #3 - Matt Baker art & cover

John Carter Warlord of Mars #25 - Frank Miller cover

Showcase #13 - 1st Mister Element

Creepy #68 - Bernie Wrightson art