World's Finest # 96, September, 1958

The aliens in this story who "test" Batman, Robin and Superman in order to learn from them resemble Tin from the much later METAL MEN series. Note also that beginning with this issue, WORLD'S FINEST goes from bi-monthly--6 issues per year--to 8 issues per year.

Bob Brown on TOMAHAWK art.

Interesting to note which celebs were big in 1958!

After a long and successful--if generally undistinguished--run, we lose George Papp on GREEN ARROW to be replaced by, of all people, Jack KING Kirby! Kirby's GA stories were hardly his most impressive but it's certainly interesting to see a different style on the seres after so long. It's been established that Jack's wife Roz helped considerably with his inking on these.

World's Finest # 95, July/August, 1958

Another great Swan/Kaye cover!

This issue's lead story is a fun one but it's basically just the answer to a fanboy question of what would happen if Superman and Batman were even;y matched and beat the hell out of each other. Batman gets super powers (again) and he and Superman butt heads...literally in one panel. Eventually--through no detective work of his own--Robin finds out that aliens are behind it all. And then they stop it. The End.

Some really nice Dick Sprang/Ray Burnley art.

A particularly amusing Boltinoff bit!

I try and I try but I can't get past looking at Tomahawk as filler. Sorry, Tomahawk fans.

Yet another cool ad. By this point DC was quite successful with the beginnings of its superhero revivals so they really pushed Space Ranger, too. Didn't work. 

World's Finest # 94, May/June, 1958

Here we have a classic cover and a classic story, already retconning the origin of the World's Finest team and at the same time introducing the cool-looking Powerman. This story has been reprinted endlessly but seemed appropriate to post here in its entirety as well. 

Various companies tried Charlie Chan comics including some reprinting the Alfred Andriola newspaper strip and one series by jack Kirby and Carmine infantino! This one at DC was largely to tie-in with the then-new TV version as played by actor J. Carrol Naish. In the forties, Naish had been the villain in the original BATMAN movie serial!

GCD says this two pager is by Carmine Infantino from a seven year old issue of DETECTIVE COMICS.

More Green Arrow sci-fi (with green hat)!