Showcase #75

(June 1968)

Coming Your Way -- A New DC Brand (Table of Contents)

Secret Six; The Brave and the Bold / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Jack Sparling; ?

Inks:

?

Content Information

Characters:

Secret Six; Batman; Wonder Woman; Batgirl; Copperhead

Synopsis:

Ad for Secret Six #2, "Plunder the Pentagon!" and Brave & Bold 78, "In the Coils of the Copperhead!"

Indexer Notes

Inside front cover, black and white

Prologue: (Table of Contents)

The Hawk and The Dove / comic story / 2 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Steve Skeates (script); Steve Ditko (plot suggestions)

Pencils:

Steve Ditko

Inks:

Steve Ditko

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Superhero; Teen

Characters:

The Hawk [Hank Hall] (intro, origin); The Dove [Don Hall] (intro, origin); students

Synopsis:

At Elmond University, in a small college town, pro-war and peace demonstrators face off. Caught squarely in the middle are Don and Hank Hall, brothers, a "dove" and a "hawk". They argue about compromise, force, and rights as a riot breaks out and police rush in. Meanwhile, across town at the courthouse...

Indexer Notes

1) Origin. Series continues with The Hawk and the Dove #1. 2) Editorial page "Court is in Session!" states, "This magazine... represents the end result of the combined efforts of... Steve Ditko... who handled the art chores and made some very valuable suggestions to Steve Skeates, impressive newcomer to the D.C. writers ranks..." Yet in Amazing World of DC Comics 10, published in January 1976, in the article, "There's No Cases Like Showcases", Jack C. Harris states, "'Like lightning,' the ads claimed, 'Steve Ditko strikes again!' This time Steve pulled his inspiration from headline jargon of the times and came up with The Hawk and The Dove for Showcase #75..." and does not mention Steve Skeates. Since Skeates is credited in the very issue, it's likely Jack C. Harris forgot his contribution eight years later. 3) "Hawks" and "Doves" were terms for politicians who supported or opposed the Vietnam War, but the labels weren't usually applied to everyday citizens.

Chapter 1, "In the Beginning..." (Table of Contents)

The Hawk and the Dove / comic story / 5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Steve Skeates (script); Steve Ditko (plot suggestions)

Pencils:

Steve Ditko

Inks:

Steve Ditko

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Superhero; Teen

Characters:

Judge Hall; Mrs. Hall; Dargo (mobster); "Boss" (mobster lieutenant)

Synopsis:

In a small college town in Elmond County... In court, Judge Hall senteces Mr. Dargo, a racketeer, to jail. He vows "my boys" will get revenge. In chambers, Don and Hank argue about compromise vs. violence, but Judge Hall states they're both wrong (to be single-minded). A bomb bounces in and they dive. Judge Hall is hurt and hospitalized. The boys head back to school, but Hank sees, "That man..."

The Angel and the Ape. Who Are They? What Are They? (Table of Contents)

Angel and the Ape / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Humor

Characters:

Angel [Angel O'Day]; Ape [Sam Simeon]

Synopsis:

Teaser ad with Angel and the Ape in silhouette

Chapter II, A Voice...a Voice... (Table of Contents)

The Hawk and the Dove / comic story / 8.5 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Steve Ditko (plot); Steve Skeates (script)

Pencils:

Steve Ditko

Inks:

Steve Ditko

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Characters:

"Boss"; mobsters

Synopsis:

Hank spots "The man who threw the bomb!" The boys follow into an abandoned building, but are trapped. Mobsters plan to assassinate Judge Hall. Don wishes for super-strength, or power... A "strange, disembodied" voice offers the bickering boys power. Hank gets an angry red-white hawk costume. Don gets a baby-blue dove outfit, and doesn't want it! "Whenever injustice strikes" they need only call the names "Hawk" and "Dove", but the powers will fade when not needed. Smashing free, they run, swim, and climb the hospital walls to save their dad.

Indexer Notes

1) The chapter titles are mixed Arabic and Roman, Chapter 1, then Chapters II and III.

From Us -- To You, Only the Best! (Table of Contents)

Superman / promo (ad from the publisher) / pages (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

Neal Adams?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Characters:

Superman; Lex Luthor; Lois Lane; other Superman Family members

Synopsis:

House ad for 80-Page Giant Superman #207, 30th Anniversary Issue, "Classic Tales featuring Superman's Friends and Foes!"

Will Our New Western Hero... Save the West? Or Ruin It? (Table of Contents)

Bat Lash / promo (ad from the publisher) / 0.5 page (report information)

Credits

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Genre:

Adventure; Western

Characters:

Bat Lash

Synopsis:

Teaser ad for Bat Lash "Coming Soon", though he looks scruffy in silhouette, not well-dressed as Bat Lash would be.

Direct Currents (Table of Contents)

DC Comics / promo (ad from the publisher) / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

?

Pencils:

?

Inks:

?

Colors:

?

Letters:

Typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

Blurbs for Tomahawk #117, Our Army at War #195, Wonder Woman #177, Aquaman #40.

Chapter III, "The Birds Fly!" (Table of Contents)

The Hawk and the Dove / comic story / 8 pages (report information)

Credits

Script:

Steve Skeates (script); Steve Ditko (plot suggestions)

Pencils:

Steve Ditko

Inks:

Steve Ditko

Colors:

?

Letters:

?

Content Information

Synopsis:

Costumed, Hawk and Dove burst in on mobsters come to kill Judge Hall in the hospital. Hawk breaks heads, kicks, and tosses felons. Dove tries lectures and reason - and ducking - and pitches out a window to snag a flagpole. Dove returns just in time to deflect "Boss's" gun from killing Judge Hall. Judge Hall is grateful, but wants their names. "Just Call us The Hawk and the Dove!" Their costumes melt away. The judge tells reporters he cannot condone the heroes' actions, and they should turn themselves in! The boys exit, bickering.

Indexer Notes

The last page asks, "The End? Not on your life! H&D "appear in their own magazine on sale June 25th!"

Court is in Session! (Table of Contents)

The Hawk and The Dove / text article / 1 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Dick Giordano

Colors:

?

Letters:

Typeset

Content Information

Synopsis:

Dick Giordano introduces himself, and The Hawk and the Dove, and the political terms, citing Viet Nam. He urges you "scribble a little something" to the publisher.

Billy (Table of Contents)

Cap's Hobby Hints / cartoon / 0.5 page (report information)

Credits

Script:

Henry Boltinoff

Pencils:

Henry Boltinoff

Inks:

Henry Boltinoff

Colors:

?

Letters:

Henry Boltinoff

Content Information

Synopsis:

Cap sells Billy a Postage Stamp Train from Aurora models for a kid's birthday present.