John Grows Older, Writes Post

Well, as I mentioned in my review post this week, I am just a little bit older as of this weekend. Specifically, I am have just turned thirty, thus upgrading my status from Advanced Amateur Comic Geek to Determined Professional, Uncaring of Society's Opinion. In celebration, I have looked back upon the comics that were printed with "July 1979" on the front (well aware, my pedantic friends, that most of them came out in April, while I was still peacefully gestating) in order that I might see how the world of sequential art celebrated my birth.

I see a lot of evidence of celebration. For instance:

Daredevil and Captain America went to an air show!

Dr Sivana cocked a snook at Captain Marvel, one of my favourite mad scientists deploying one of my favourite insulting gestures!

Clark Kent got so excited that he broke out in a raging case of Disco Fever:

And  Black Lightning was impressed enough to want to get in on the act, no matter who his partner had to be:

Spider-Man took his interest in ripping phone books in two to its logical extension:

While Supergirl treated herself to those five face-lifts that she'd been thinking about:

And this guy got so excited that he shot Hitler!

Some people got a bit excited and sexy over the whole thing, like this friend of Supergirl:

Or Batgirl, getting oddly flirtatious with a bad dude:

Cerberus the Aardvark got a bit of an eyeful:

Hawkman and Hawkgirl showed a pigeon how things were done on Thanagar:

Warlord, meanwhile, just went hog-wild:

Some people got a little inappropriate, like Canada's own Captain Canuck:

Hal Jordan seduced the presumed-dead Guy Gardner's lady friend:

And Boston "Deadman" Brand just plain stepped over the line.

Don't worry, though. Godzilla soon made his stance on sexual harassment clear:

There was, of course, a pretty decent party:

Batman was pretty involved in the whole process, almost from the start:

He had some pretty good ideas, including a jumping castle in the shape of a giant,

Clancy, the famous Hopping Cop,

And a series of acrobats including the Human Target and his pal Snipey,

The Flying Graysons,

And then a little while later, the Flying Grayson.

Other acts included Michael Moore's comic book debut,

Superman watching his parents get married (not as fun as he claimed that it would be),

And a tumbling act!

The highlight of the evening, though, was definitely Wonder Woman, who put together an act involving rope tricks and elephant riding,

Followed by that freakiest of tricks, the beard of bees!

There were presents, too! The JLA, for instance, featured a trip to Nova Scotia, the place where I was busy being born!

Jonah Hex offered some sage advice for my formative years:

 Arcade and Professor Ojo didn't quite have the right idea but by gum the thought was there:

 

 And Mr Mind gave me a hint to the end of 52, twenty-eight years early!

Yes, it was a glorious time in comics, thirty years ago. No wonder I'm the super-Nerd that writes before you today. Just in case you want to join in the celebrations, by the way, I'll leave you with a couple of suggested gift ideas:

Vans:

Star Wars vans:

And for the nerd who has everything:

My birthday present to myself, of course, was to do a huge post with hardly any text. Thanks, Johnathan!

Images for this post were culled from Action Comics No. 497, Adventure Comics No. 464,I The Brave and the Bold No.152, Captain America No. 235, Captain Canuck No. 4, Creepy No. 109, Detective Comics No. 484, Eerie No. 102, Flash No. 275, Godzilla No. 24, Green Lantern No. 118, Jonah Hex No. 26, Justice League of America No. 168, Superman No. 337, Uncanny X-Men No. 123, Warlord No. 23, Weird War Tales No. 77, Wonder Woman No. 257, World of Krypton No. 1 and World's Finest No. 257. Also, Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes came out that week, but I couldn't figure out anything good to steal from it, bah.

Okay friends, I go now. Happy my birthday!