#david anthony kraft

[cantsayidont]

There are some things in DC's voluminous back catalog that they ought to properly reprint because they're good — gems of past eras. However, there are also some things they ought to properly reprint because they're delightfully stupid, like the Superman/Batman team-ups from WORLD'S FINEST COMICS. DC has actually reprinted all the stories from the '50s, through about 1961, but a lot of the '60s material has only been reprinted in the B&W SHOWCASE PRESENTS books, which is a shame.

The WORLD'S FINEST team-ups went through several distinct phases. Superman, Batman, and Robin had shared the covers of WORLD'S FINEST COMICS since 1941, but it wasn't until 1954 that shrinking page counts obliged them to actually share the lead feature. The '50s stories are pretty good of their time, with some lovely Dick Sprang art, and the presence of Superman meant the drift into science fiction was less jarring than in the contemporary Batman books. In 1964, editorial control of WORLD'S FINEST passed to Mort Weisinger and it became a Weisinger-era Superman book that happened to have Batman and Robin in it. Starting in 1967, though, things started to get stranger and stranger as Weisinger's stable of sci-fi veterans like Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder gave way to Bob Kanigher, Cary Bates, and Bob Haney, who turned out some exceedingly weird material. Stories like the two-parter about Superman having died and willed his super-organs to various people (#189–190) aren't quite as ghoulish as the covers suggest, but their inexplicable weirdness is emblematic of the period.

For a little while in the early '70s, DC evicted Batman from the series, making WORLD'S FINEST a general-issue Superman team-up book. (DC reprinted those issues in trade paperback in 2020.) This apparently wasn't a big commercial success, but rather than immediately returning to the expected Superman/Batman format, WORLD'S FINEST began to feature the Super-Sons, the teenage sons of Superman and Batman in a hazily defined parallel reality — written by Bob Haney, whose stories consistently evoke the sensation of mild concussion. The "real" Superman and Batman also returned, although they had to alternate with their hypothetical future sons, appearing roughly every other issue through 1976. From 1976 to 1982, WORLD'S FINEST once again became an oversize anthology book, with a Superman/Batman main feature backed by a variety of other characters like Green Arrow and Hawkman. The stories in that period are not quite as ludicrous as the late '60s (although if you see Bob Haney's name in the credits, you know you're in for a wild ride), but even the soberer installments are consistently very silly, full of nonsense like Kryptonian lycanthropy and the return of some especially ridiculous older villains like the Gorilla Boss of Gotham City and Doctor Double-X.

It wasn't until issue #285 that Superman and Batman again had the book all to themselves. The late period dials back the zaniness and has mostly uninspired plots, but writers Doug Moench and David Anthony Kraft compensate with some eyebrow-raising and apparently deliberate "Superbat" ship-bait; my personal favorite is Kraft's "No Rest for Heroes!" (a short story in the back of WORLD'S FINEST #302), where Superman and Batman go to a dive bar in the middle of nowhere to talk about their relationship and Batman ends up throwing a knife at someone.

Very little of this stuff is actually good by any normal standard — although the 1964–1967 period is no more or less weird than any other Weisinger Silver Age Superman stories — and the artwork is only occasionally better than passable. However, it's so stupid and so ridiculous that it's consistently fun, in a way DC doesn't really do anymore, at least not on purpose. Assembling all the Superman/Batman stories (leaving the Super-Sons to their own TPB), omitting the various backup strips, and giving it decent color reproduction would make for a nice package, and the presence of Superman and Batman would make it more commercially viable than some of DC's more artistically worthy back catalog material. Low-hanging fruit, if you ask me.

#comics #world's finest comics #curt swan #neal adams #murphy anderson #superman #batman #robin #jimmy olsen #mort weisinger #cary bates #robert kanigher #bob haney #david anthony kraft #doug moench #superbat

[the-gershomite]

The Savage She-Hulk March #7 -August 1980

writer: David Anthony Kraft

art: by Mike Vosburg

inker: Chic Stone

letters: Jim Novak

colors: Ben Sean

#marvel comics #the savage she hulk #she hulk #comic cover #david anthony kraft #mike vosburg #chic stone #jim novak #ben sean

[ungoliantschilde]

David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview # 31, by Frank Miller.

#David Anthony Kraft's Comics Interview #David Anthony Kraft #Comics Interview #Frank Miller #Cover Process #Process #Master Class #Dark Knight Returns #Batman #DC Comics #DC #Comics #Art #Illustration

[brevoorthistoryofcomics]

BHOC: DEFENDERS #66

As in the case of FANTASTIC FOUR #200 and UNCANNY X-MEN #115, I had also missed DEFENDERS #65 during that same period–all of them were released during the same month and so it’s obvious to think that they must have all been part of the same waylaid shipment. But as opposed to the other two, I really wasn’t bothered by the absence of that issue of DEFENDERS. I’d been buying the series for a few…

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#Bruce Patterson #David Anthony Kraft #Defenders #Ed Hannigan #J.M.DeMatteis #Marvel

[balu8]

Logan's Run #3: Sanctuary!?

by David Anthony Kraft; George Perez; Klaus Janson; Marie Severin and Denise Wohl

Marvel

#marvel comics #logan's run #David Anthony Kraft #george perez #klaus janson #marie severin #denise wohl #splash page

[dndhistory]

257. David Anthony Kraft and Suzanne Weyn (words); Alan Kupperberg and Brian Moore  (art) - Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Coloring Book: The Lost Wand  (1983)

Again making use of Marvel Comics great stable of artists and writers we get a third in the group of four AD&D coloring books, although I still do not understand why they are branded as AD&D rather than just D&D, seeing as they are clearly tie-ins to the world of the TV show which is just branded as D&D. Anyway, that's nitpicking.

Another thing I find interesting in these books is the fact that they exist in a parallel continuity to the TV show, or maybe even as prequels. They feature plenty of secondary characters from the series (Warduke, Kelek and Strongheart) but none of the main cast, none of the kids are here or Venger, Dungeon Master or Tiamat. I guess there's a reason for this and that is the fact that these coloring books are directly related to the toy line produced by LJN in 1983 which does not include any of those main characters as well, but does include Warduke, Kelek and Strongheart. If you ask me it was a lost opportunity but oh well, what do I know from Marketing? 

Anyway there you go! Hope you enjoy it. 

#adnd #dnd #ttrpg #ad&d #d&d #dnd art #dungeons and dragons #dungeons & dragons #warduke #coloring book #alan kupperberg #Brian moore #david anthony kraft #Suzanne Weyn

[bringbackwendellvaughn]

#Nova #Quasar #White Tiger #Prowler #David Anthony Kraft #Sal Buscema

[daydreamerdrew]

The Hulk (1978) #10

#dude I know and it’s lowkey kind of overwhelming like there’s just a lot of Hulk content #but it’s good cause that means there’s lots to enjoy it’s just going to take a while #also the whole ‘Hulkmania’ thing with all the various Hulk merchandise they were making is cute #marvel #bruce banner #comic book history #david anthony kraft #my posts #comic panels

[onlylonelylatino]

Man-Wolf versus Kraven the Hunter by George Pérez

#man wolf #kraven the hunter #j jonah jameson #george perez #marvel comics #bronze age #david anthony kraft #tony isabella

[geekcavepodcast]

1983's Comic Book Adaptation "The Dark Crystal" Getting Re-Release

BOOM! Studios is restoring the 1983 three-issue comic book adaptation of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal. The adaptation, written by David Anthony Kraft and illustrated by artists Bret Blevins and Vince Colletta, will return to print as part of BOOM! Studios Archive Edition imprint.

Jen, one of the last Gelflings on the planet Thra, embarks on a quest to return the Shard and heal the Crystal of Truth.

Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal Archive Edition #1 goes on sale on July 3, 2024. The first issue features the main cover by Bret Blevins and Vince Colletta and a variant cover by Frany.

(Image via BOOM! Studios - Bret Blevins and Vince Colletta's Cover of Jim Henson's The Dark Crystal Archive Edition #1)

#jim henson's the dark crystal #dark crystal #jim henson #david anthony kraft #bret blevins #vince colletta #dark crystal archive edition #boom studios #boom studios archive edition #TGCLiz

[ginge1962]

July 1977 and I picked up Defenders No.49, I was hooked by the art of Keith Giffen from issue 47 which I picked up 2 months earlier (for some reason issue 48 never appeared in my "neck of the woods") and I immediately fell in love with the Moon Knight character!

This issue was Part 2 of the classic "Who Remembers Scorpio" storyline written by David Anthony Kraft with art by Keith Griffin + Mike Royer.

#comic books #bronze age #marvel comics #the defenders #keith giffen #moon knight #scorpio #david anthony kraft #mike royer

[the-gershomite]

The Savage She-Hulk #9 -October 1980-

written by David Anthony Kraft

art by Mike Vosburg & Danny Bulanadi

letters by Peter Kirsh

colors by Carl Gafford

#marvel comics #the savage she-hulk #she-hulk #david anthony kraft #mike vosburg #danny bulanadi #peter kirsh #comics #carl gafford

[cryptocollectibles]

Marvel Two in One #94 The Thing featuring Power Man and Iron Fist (December 1982) by Marvel Comics

Written by David Anthony Kraft, drawn by Ron Wilson and Richard Villamonte.

#Marvel Two in One #Marvel Two-In-One #The Thing #Power Man #Iron Fist #Power Man and Iron Fist #David Anthony Kraft #Etsy #Vintage Comics #Comic Books #Comics #Marvel Comics #Ron Wilson Richard Villamonte #Luke Cage #Heroes for Hire #Fantastic Four #Ben Grimm #1982

[brevoorthistoryofcomics]

BHOC: DEFENDERS #67

As a series, DEFENDERS had never entirely hooked me. I didn’t really entirely click with any of its cast of characters, particularly in a team setting, and its supposed “non-team” format didn’t appeal to me. Frankly, I barely understood it, as the members of the Defenders seemed to spend an awful lot of time hanging out together and behaving like a typical Marvel super hero team. And the fortunes…

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#David Anthony Kraft #Defenders #Ed Hannigan #Marvel

[keycomicbooks]

World's Finest Comics #307 (1984) Ed Hannigan & Klaus Janson Cover, David Anthony Kraft & Bob Rozakis Writers, Trevor Von Eeden Artist, Death of Abigail Kent, 1st Appearances of Null & Swordfish

World's Finest Comics #307 (1984) Ed Hannigan & Klaus Janson Cover, David Anthony Kraft & Bob Rozakis Writers, Trevor Von Eeden Artist, Death of Abigail Kent, 1st Appearances of Null & Swordfish "Time and Time Again" X'ult rescues Barracuda and makes her his queen; Batman, Superman, Swordfish, Null, and Void get ready to fight them. SAVE ON SHIPPING COST - NOW AVAILABLE FOR LOCAL PICK UP IN DELTONA, FLORIDA https://rarecomicbooks.fashionablewebs.com/Worlds%20Finest%20Comics.html#307  #KeyComicBooks #DCComics #DCU #DCUniverse #KeyIssue

#World's Finest Comics #307 (1984) Ed Hannigan & Klaus Janson Cover #David Anthony Kraft & Bob Rozakis Writers #Trevor Von Eeden Artist #Death of Abigail Kent #1st Appearances of Null & Swordfish #rare comic books #key comic books #dc universe #key comics #batman #superman #dc comics

[balu8]

Marvel Comics Super Special #4: The Story of the Beatles

by David Anthony Kraft; George Perez; Klaus Janson; Petra Goldberg and Tom Orzechowski

Marvel

#Marvel Comics Super Special #david anthony kraft #George Pérez #Klaus Janson #Petra Goldberg #Tom Orzechowski #marvel comics #comic book