Dan-Thing Archives: Green Lantern Green Arrow #89

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and through him save a world, DC Comics, Dennis O'Neil, Denny O'Neil, Green Arrow, Green Lantern, green lantern 89, green lantern crucified, green lantern final issue, Jesus, Neal Adams

Up from the primordial muck slithers… the Dan-Thing! In his oozing fist, he clutches a time capsule: Marvel comic books from 1972! Our muck-stomping friend the Dan-Thing asked that we share these bronze-age beauties with you for education and inspiration.

Today we have the final issue of Green Lantern. It concludes the Dennis O’Neil and Neal Adams run where Green lantern and Green Arrow go on all sorts of socially relevant adventures. Historically relevant, too: This run often receives credit for ushering in the bronze age of twentieth-century comic books. It would exert a powerful influence with Adams’ realistic approach to figures and O’Neil’s topical focus.

Green Lantern would one day reclaim a title of his own. Once shamefully shuffled off to back-up stories in The Flash, Lantern would rise again. Geoff John’s Blackest Night and Brightest Day mega-crossovers brought Lantern back into the spotlight in recent years.

Back in 1972, Green Lantern went out with a bang. He and Green Arrow got crucified on planes with a full-on nature jesus. Then, GL skrags a jet, angry that his woman reveals herself as a shallow industrialist who cares nothing for the loss of life and habitat in the name of profit. Whoa, dude.

Collector’s Guide: From Green Lantern #89, 1st series; DC, 1972. Cover uses Green lantern / Green Arrow as the title. Reprinted in Showcase Presents Green Lantern TPB #5; DC, 2011. Reprinted in Green Lantern / Green Arrow Collection Vol. 2

Man-Thing’s Second Appearance!

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Astonishing Tales, John Buscema, John Romita, Ka-zar, Len Wein, Man-Thing, Neal Adams, Roy Thomas, Zabu

As Zabu fans, our favorite part of this comic is Zabu kicking major alligator ass. He needs no help from any human brother! But listen, this comic is also important for being the second appearance of Man-Thing.

Manny first appeared in Savage Tales #1 in 1971. Len Wein and Neal Adams created a second Man-Thing story that didn’t make it into Savage Tales. That story is integrated in its entirety right into the middle of this two-part Ka-zar story by Roy Thomas and John Buscema. It’s fitting, because Thomas wrote that very first Man-Thing story.

Len Wein went on to write the first issues of Swamp Thing for DC Comics with Berni Wrightson. The star-studded “Terror Stalks the Everglades!” also features inker Dan Adkins and John Romita, Sr., who provided retouches to the original black-and-white Neal Adams artwork.

Collector’s Guide: From Astonishing Tales #12 Featuring Ka-Zar; Marvel, 1972. Story continues in Astonishing Tales #13.

He Must Have Entered through the Endless Abyss!

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Amphibus, Ka-zar, Magneto, Neal Adams, Roy Thomas, Sauron, Savage Land, X-men, Zabu

Sauron has been bugging the X-Men for longer than some of us have been alive. Here are some scenes from when they first met, long ago, at the hands of creative team Roy Thomas and Neal Adams.

Also guest starring in this magnum opus, Magneto and his strange “little friend” Amphibus the frog freak! Whatever that guy’s power is, we don’t want to know!

Collector’s Guide: Originally Printed in Uncanny X-Men #57-63. Reprinted in X-Men Classics (1983) #1-3.

A Dreaded Death Struggle between Primordial Reptiles!

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dinosaur, Neal Adams, Roy Thomas, Sauron, X-men

Sauron has been bugging the X-Men for longer than some of us have been alive. Here are some scenes from when they first met, long ago, at the hands of creative team Roy Thomas and Neal Adams.

Collector’s Guide: Originally Printed in Uncanny X-Men #57-63. Reprinted in X-Men Classics (1983) #1-3.