22 July 2022

Best Superhero Costume


The summer of 1964, we lived in Junction City, Kansas, a nice small town. When I look back I see that Twilight Zone episode "Walking Distance" where Gig Young's character goes back into his childhood when he visits his hometown.

It was the summer my cousin Gary came to visit and turned my brother Danny and I on to Marvel Comics.  We went into the small town drug store where Gary bought a Spider-Man comic, Danny an Avengers (his favorite immediately became Captain America). I bought Fantastic Four #39 "A Blind Man Shall Lead Them."


The star of the issue was a guy in red – Daredevil, the blind superhero. That's right. Blind from an accident where a canister of radioactive material fell on his eyes. Blind but the accident gave him superhuman senses as all his senses have been magnified, including a great sense of balance. He was an acrobat, fearless atop buildings as he could not see what was below but knew exactly how far due to his 'radar sense'. OK.

We went back the drug store the next day to buy all of the Marvel comic issues in the drug store, X-Men, The Mighty Thor, Strange Tales, Tales of Suspense, Tales to Astonish, and Daredevil #9 "That He May See."


I was hooked and followed DD until he went dark and the comics became bloodier and too realistic. Superheroes during what is now called The Silver Age of Comics (1956-1969) got into fistfights. The following Dark Ages ushered in blood and guts, characters dying.

Daredevil had the best costume, that red with black shading, the horns. Silver Age DD had some of the best artists as well, Wally Wood, John Romita, Sr., Gene Colon. Take a look:





Yes, DD had an earlier costume (running from DD #1 through DD #6). Black and yellow. Artist Wally Wood changed to the red because DD was 'The Man Without Fear' and anyone fearless cannot wear yellow.

Still, great art:


It was a lot of fun and inspired my imagination.
That's all for now.





4 comments:

  1. When I was a kid, I had a stack of comic books and used to trade them with neighborhood friends. Then we moved to another town and they somehow got "lost" in the move. Guess mom didn't like some of the comics.

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  2. My favorite when I was a kid were the Fantastic Four - female superheroes were few and far between and even at that age I knew that Wonder Woman was in that bustier for all the wrong reasons. I also loved Thor.

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  3. Elizabeth Dearborn22 July, 2022 13:11

    I wasn't allowed to read comic books as a child. As an adult (chronologically), I loves me some Marvel superheroes, especially Daredevil. Husband & I have watched all three seasons twice from beginning to end. Last I heard, the actors who play Daredevil & the villain Wilson Fisk are trying to bring it back for a fourth season.

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  4. O'Neil,

    I know I'm prejudiced, but, for me, the best super-hero costume is the one my DICK TRACY buddy, Joe Staton, designed for the cover of my book, THE ADVENTURES OF COLONEL BRITIANNIA.

    Check it out here:

    https://www.amazon.com/Adventures-Colonel-Britannia-Jim-Doherty/dp/B09JXZQDZ1

    ReplyDelete

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