The Great Comic Book Heroes

Although published in 1965, Jules Feiffer's THE GREAT COMIC BOOK HEROES continued to sell throughout '66 and even beyond due to the boost it received from Batmania!

The book offered the author's quirky take on comic book history--surprisingly making little or no mention of his own role in it as I recall-- but, even better, Golden Age reprints of, among others,  Batman, Superman, Captain America, The Sub-Mariner, the Spectre and The Spirit!

Carry On Screaming

The other CARRY ON film of 1966 (besides CARRY ON COWBOY which we already spotlighted here), CARRY ON SCREAMING remains a popular entry into that long-running series. It starred Harry H. Corbett in what would most likely have been the Sid James role but with regulars Charles Hawtrey, Kenneth Williams, Jim Dale and Joan Sims, there was no question this was a CARRY ON film. 

00 Division # 20

This was one of several feature films strung together by combining episodes of THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., this one being a two-parter from season two featuring fan favorite Yvonne Craig and a young Rip Torn.

Holy 46th Anniversary, Batman!

 The much loved/hated BATMAN Tv series premiered 46 years ago tonight. Soon afterwards, the revived comic strip reappeared in newspapers across the land bearing little resemblance to its venerable comic book counterpart and owing much of its campiness to the TV series!

The Moon is a harsh Mistress

THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS is a 1966 political science-fiction novel detailing a revolution by the colonies of the Moon against Earth. The massively detailed book deals with the planning, the fighting and the aftermath. IT is considered one of the best books by the somewhat controversial master sci-fi author, Robert A. Heinlein.

Paul Lynde/Elizabeth Montgomery

Producers rarely knew how to successfully utilize the talents of Paul Lynde but here, in this '66 clip from THE HOLLYWOOD PALACE, he essentially plays the frustrated straight man for, of all people, his BEWITCHED co-star, Elizabeth Montgomery. Liz is almost surprisingly silly and Paul's frustration builds. The two show a rare chemistry that adds to the scene and the humor.

Green Lantern

The recent movie may not have lived up to expectations but DC's GREEN LANTERN was another of my earliest favorite comic books. It was also the first one I ever wrote a fan letter to (although it went unpublished). Gil Kane was the artist on these and became an immediate favorite. 

 The two issues above and below were favorites, a two-parter with a wonderful and genuinely emotional space opera setting. Some great writing from John Broome! I got the issue below in July of '66 at a Greyhound station, probably in Virginia, while my parents and I traveled to North Carolina to visit my mother's relatives.