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Tuesday, November 8, 2011

The Lady In Black! by Nick Cardy (1958)


Art by Jack Kirby
Anyone who picked up the recently released Jack Kirby Omnibus Vol. 1 would have seen the above cover by Kirby reproduced inside, and as an inset on the cover. The story features wonderful art by the great Nick Cardy, but, unfortunately, the resolution is pretty pedestrian. With a strong design (presumably) by Kirby, DC let a character with the potential of The Phantom Stranger slip away into footnote history.


House of Mystery #78, DC Comics (Sept. 1958)
Art by Nick Cardy



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The Lady in Black bears a striking resemblance to Natasha Romanoff, The Black Widow, who first appeared in Tales of Suspense # 52 (1964) as a Soviet villain for Iron Man. Kirby delineated her all of her initial cover appearances, although Don Heck drew her first appearance (above).