Batman vs Blockbuster
One of my alltime favorite comics book covers featuring The Batman swooping down on ol’ Blockbuster, who is doing a number smashing Batman’s logo. Pretty sure this is by the talented hand of Carmine Infantino, but if it isn’t please let me know.
Now that’s a pretty sharp cover! In the story inside, lower-tier Bat-Villain Blockbuster undergoes some therapy so that he would be filled with love, rather than hate & rage!
Initial results of the therapy are promising, but when Blockbuster catches a glimpse of some Batman related toys, he is thrown into a fit of uncontrollable rage, turning him truly ‘Bat-Mad!’ Don’t miss this issue!
Batman No. 194
August 1967
Cover: Batman vs. Blockbuster //Carmine Infantino / Murphy Anderson (signed)
Story: “The Blockbuster Goes Bat-Mad” (13 pages)
Editor: Julius Schwartz
Writer: Gardner Fox
Penciller: Sheldon Moldoff
Inker: Joe Giella
http://darkmark6.tripod.com/batmanind3.html
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Thanks! A Infantino/Anderson collaboration is always a great thing!
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Hmmm, Blockbuster Smash!!! I find those violent tendencies and those tattered purple pants just a wee bit too familiar! Great cover, though. Have you noticed, V.V., that ironically, none of the greatest covers seem to be from Marvel? Or am I forgetting something?
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Jaytee,
DC wasn’t exactly the house of ideas back in that era. Yes, ol’ Blockbuster does remind me of an ill tempered, purple pants wearing comic character at another comic company!
Yes, Marvel hasn’t had equal time when it comes to the Greatest Comic Covers so far. You know, back in the 60s and 70s, I understand that the creative process as DC was very different than at Marvel. At Marvel, Stan Lee pitched a story to Ditko, Kirby, Romita Sr, etc. At that point, the artist took over and composed the basic story, and Stan would then write the dialogue.
At DC, the writer pitched a cover to the editor (Julius Schwartz). The belief there was that the cover sold the comic, not the story. I think that was the dominant view in the industry until Marvel broke all the old conventions and was on its hot streak though the 1960s. DC would only catch on much later.
Marvel does have its collection of classic covers. I just honored Silver Surfer #4 a week or so ago, in fact. It’s unusual in that I prefer Marvel to DC of that era by a wide margin. Maybe I am overcompensating for my admitted biases! Make Mine Marvel!
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