We start out today with a nearly four month run from the late 1930′s of Lee Falk’s MANDRAKE THE MAGICIAN-inspiration to dozens of comic book prestidigitators

http://ilovecomix.blogspot.com/2009/12/mandrake-magician-d010-mandrake-in.html

The Groovy Agent somehow comes up with a 1975 BATMAN story that I have never, ever seen before. It’s not bad but not great either. What makes it special is its odd pedigree. Edited by longtime Gotham guru Julie Schwartz, written by controversial Michael Fleischer, drawn by chameleon Rich Buckler and inked by legend Bernie Wrightson!

http://diversionsofthegroovykind.blogspot.com/2009/12/random-reads-batmans-greatest-failure.html

More Christmas stories are turning up and MAGIC CARPET BURN is a good place to start looking for them. Here’s Donald’s Nephews and Daisy’s Nieces in “Flying Firs” from CHRISTMAS PARADE # 1.

http://magiccarpetburn.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-parade-1-flying-firs.html

Here’s a fun (and heavily illustrated) look back at a 1974 battle between Marvel’s IRON MAN and the oh-so poltically incorrect Fu Manchu rip-off, the Yellow Claw.

http://slaymonstrobot.blogspot.com/2009/12/marvel-1974-week-iron-man-71.html