A while back we highlighted a rejected Batman cover by Irv Novick that was re-drawn by Neal Adams. You can read the blog here.This week a rejected Gil Kane cover for Justice League of America #81 (June 1970) is up for auction on Heritage Auctions, a cover subsequently re-drawn by Neal Adams after editor Julie Schwartz rejected the original. At first glance they are very similar, but Adams’ rendition (in my biased view) is undeniably superior. Small differences add up to a huge difference ; there is now movement in the image as Flash and Batman are visibly struggling ; Superman’s frustration and sadness through the change of an open palm to a clenched fist; Atom on his knees and not on his back makes him more heroic. The Hawkman figure is more clearly delineated.
And the biggest change - Batman’s cowl is now rendered in the new long-eared Adams style, rather than the old short-eared cowl of previous years. This brought consistency to the other DC covers featuring Batman on the cover that month (Batman #222, Detective Comics #400 and Brave and Bold #90).
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| ©DC. Published cover to JLA #81 |
I took the opportunity of a quick re-read of JLA #81 (“Plague of the Galactic Jest-Master”, written by Denny O’Neil), and realized that it was quite a pivotal issue in the transition from DC’s Silver Age to Bronze Age. The JLA come up against the Jest-Master, an alien with the ability to turn his enemies into fools.
Of course, the scene on the cover is nowhere to be found within the comic. Quite a bait-and-switch to disappoint the buyer with a Dick Dillin and Joe Giella interior. The story does briefly feature Jean Loring (former wife of The Atom) under a madness spell at the start, as the story ties up threads from both O'Neil's previous issue of JLA (#80) and his final issue of the abruptly cancelled The Atom and Hawkman #45 “Queen Jean - Why Must We Die?” from nine months earlier (Oct/Nov 1969).
The issue also ties into the highly regarded O’Neil/Adams run on Green Lantern/Green Arrow, providing a full page featuring the Guardians on OA, highlighting Hal Jordan, Ollie Queen and one of the Guardians camping in the wilderness in their quest to find America.
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| ©DC. Linking to the Green Lantern #77 |
It is a shame that Neal Adams was not given the chance to draw page 8 in a cameo appearance, in much the same way that he was given the opportunity to draw the Deadman scenes in JLA #94, or Green Arrow's flashback appearance in World’s Finest #210.
Unless you're a big Justice League fan I wouldn't suggest you go out of your way to pick up a copy of JLA #81, but as a curiosity-item pulling together the story threads of JLA, The Atom & Hawkman and Green Lantern/Green Arrow it's worth a read.
This was a month of high productivity for Adams ; in addition to drawing all (interiors and cover) of Green Lantern/Green Arrow #77, he drew the covers to House of Secrets #86, Superboy #166, Witching Hour #9 that same month. What a great set of covers. Take a look below and enjoy the master at work.
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| ©DC. Batman #222 |
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| ©DC. Brave & Bold #90 |
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| ©DC. Detective Comics #400 |
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| ©DC. Green Lantern/Green Arrow #77 |
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| ©DC. House of Secrets 86 |
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| ©DC. Superboy #166 |
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| ©DC. Witching Hour #9 |
