Groovy Age Gold: "Terror Rides the Rails!" by Kanigher, Infantino, and Giacoia

What it is, Groove-ophiles! Hidden in the back of JLA #99 (April 1972) is a reprint of the Golden Age Atom story that introduced Al Pratt's more "modern" costume as designed by artists Carmine Infantino and Frank Giacoia. Written by Robert Kanigher, "Terror Rides the Rails" was originally published in Flash Comics #98 (cover dated August 1948). Young Groove dug it a lot. Hope you dig it, too!

Ol' Groove's Request Line: "See No Evil!" by Kanigher and the Redondo Studio

Hey, hey, hey, Groove-ophiles! A few days ago, over on our FaceBook fan page (what? you haven't joined us on FaceBook? For shame!), Groove-ophile Burt B. mentioned that Ol' Groove had never run Ragman #3 and very politely requested that we share it here on the Diversions post-haste. Well, Burt, here 'tis! Dunno why we've never rapped about it here before. It's a goodie, with very nice Kubert-esque art by The Redondo Studio and one of those Bob Kanigher stories that hit all the high-notes: kids, kittens, and crooks with funky weapons (dig that bad-guy's wheelchair)! Here's "See No Evil!" from Ragman #3 (September 1976)!

Groovy Age Gold: "An Orchid for the Deceased!" by Kanigher, Infantino, and Giacoia

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! A Golden Age Black Canary strip from one of Ol' Groove's all-time favorite comics, DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #DC-20 (June 1973)! Talk about a Golden Age team of creators clicking on all cylinders! Robert Kanigher, Carmine Infantino, and Frank Giacoia gave us a fun, polished, thriller that really shows off what made the Golden Age so great! Here is..."An Orchid for the Deceased!"

Oh, yeah, the above mini-masterpiece was originally published in Flash Comics #95 (cover dated May 1948)!

Groove's Faves: "Unknown Soldier and Sgt. Rock" by Kanigher and Kubert

Dig it, Groove-ophiles! When is a team-up not a team-up? When the story is a reprint ret-conned into a team-up via a frankly fabulous framing sequence! Either the economy or the Dreaded Deadline Doom was bearing down on the powers-that-were at DC when Star Spangled War Stories #157 (April 1971) was being put together, so (artist/editor Joe Kubert along with author Bob Kanigher, I'm sure) whipped up an Unknown Soldier framing sequence that made our favorite bandaged battler part of a Sgt. Rock story that was published four years before the star of Star Spangled War Stories was even created ("I Knew the Unknown Soldier!" from Our Army at War #168 (April 1966).)! Now that's how you make a reprint worthwhile, baby!

Metal Mondays: "Our Mentor, the Robot" by Pasko, Kanigher, Staton, Andru, and Esposito

Y'know, Groove-ophiles, Marvel wasn't the only company who had to battle the Dreaded Deadline Doom. DC, on much more rare occasion, battled that plague of lateness, too. Take, for example, the fiftieth anniversary ish of Metal Men. As regular artist Walt Simonson transitioned from interior artist to cover artist, to be replaced inside by Joe Staton, writer Martin Pasko hit the deadline wall, leading to MM #50 (November 1976) running a partial reprint of MM #6 by Robert Kanigher, Ross Andru, and Mike Esposito. Here's what the letters page had to say about the sitch:

Anyway, we got a new framing sequence from Martin and Joe, then lots of reprints. A bit disappointing for an anniversary ish. Oh well! Next ish, Martin will get some help and Joe cuts loose. Meantime, dig on..."Our Mentor, the Robot"!