Bronze Age Appreciation

[Kuwagaton]

The periods you mention, with Dorfman and earlier Bates around 400 and then the following stretch with those excellent Cardy covers and the neat trade dress, are treasures to me. Action 421 is just one of my favorite comics, but I don't have Action 422. My lcs has it and for some reason I didn't pick it after skimming. I'll be there tomorrow and hopefully get it.

Currently from 393 to 422 I'm missing 405, 407, 419, and 422. I forgot why I ended up with two copies of 411 but it's good and I guess I can give one away if anyone wants.

[Johnny Thunders!]

I was actually thinking of Action Comics 419 but I do love the cover of 422. Those Nick Cardy covers are iconic and remind me of the Golden Age. Action Comics 425 is just gorgeous.

(Action Comics 400 has the oddest cover for what should be a milestone issue. Superman walks into a nondescript apartment and is shocked to see that his son, unlike Speedy from Green Arrow shooting heroin, his son is reading... a book. Oh yeah, and half of him has devolved into a beast. I wonder if 400 issues just weren't a thing. On the one hand, sure he's reading, on the other, he's been messing with red kryptonite or something.)

[Kuwagaton]

400 as a number isn't all that exciting and it is a very weird anniversary. Gregor is just kind of a jerk with an oddly interesting power, and despite a pretty impactful story he's naturally never mentioned again. If I assume Dorfman was doing an intentional commentary on becoming a real father it's even more interesting, but I do wish Swan drew real clothes on those Africans. I don't think it's intentional but there are some things like that bugging me from comics back then.

This was really the end of the time of recycled plots but by some kinda coincidence (to be generous it's a difficult line to draw to the main story from Action 410), you have the Adams approximation of the plot as the cover evidently just months before he did a similar cover with Speedy. The Cardy covers you mention remind me of the golden age with those inspired slice of life covers not bound by plot.