World's Finest # 226, December, 1974

More than any other issue to date, this one evokes the original 15 cent issues of the early 1940s with their silly covers and myriad unrelated features. We even get a contents page with aWin Mortimer Batman. Longtime followers will recall that Mortimer drew most of the early peak period covers.

If only the main story wasn't so incomprehensible. I suppose if I tried harder I could figure it out but it just seemed so pointless, as did Haney's pet Metamprpho in yet another appearance. 

I did, however, really enjoy these kinds of features. Bridwell maybe?

Note Superman's introduction which confirms the fact that DC didn't even read their own books at this point. Simon and Kirby's NEW Sandman in 1974 was hardly Wes Dodds! In fact, until Neil Gaiman came along years later, there was literally NO connection whatsoever!

Eclipso had been a mildly interesting also-ran character from a decade earlier noted mainly for some good art by Alex Toth early on. DC would manage to revive him successfully as a recurring Big Bad but not for another couple of decades.

Classic DEADMAN stories were always welcome but still not sure what his recurring character in WF was for.

Okay, now THERE'S a notice one doesn't see every day.

Haven't we already reprinted these here? Has it been that long? Still, good stuff and two is good because they're so short!

Letterhack Bob Rozakis graduated to doing puzzles and such before eventually becoming a writer himself and then forever being identified as "The Answer Man."

World's Finest # 225, October, 1974

Looks like my contents page guess was pretty good last issue as this one actually IS Pat Broderick.

Another continuity implant story as we learn of Castle Wayne and Bruce's ancient inheritance. There's also a timely nod to 1974's big book, THE EXORCIST, with demonic, possessed children. New inker Tex Blaisdell is a good match with artist Dillin.

Yet another never followed-up on (as far as I know) ambiguous ending. 

These features were always fun!

VIGILANTE and BLACK CANARY were two characters that were really being pushed in this period with new stories in ADVENTURE.

World's Finest # 224, August, 1974

A nifty Nick Cardy cover but GCD lists Giordano for the contents page and I disagree. On his worst day, Dick could draw bette than this. Looks like someone new and upcoming to me--possibly Pat Broderick? Colletta inks don't help.

Another Generation Gap story. If you weren't there, you may not realize just what a MAJOR issue that was in the sixties and seventies! This story is all about "finding yourself" with the help of a benevolent Guru--again, a popular thing from the sixties on that evolved into a bit of cultism in this decade...which is kind of what we see here.

SUPER FRIENDS was not really a very good superhero cartoon but its nostalgic value to those who grew up with it can not be underestimated! I was 15 by this point and had my memories of the "better" Filmation cartoons of nearly a decade earlier.

Joe Orlando imitates Ramona Fradon as Metamorpho returns yet again, this time in reprints.