DC’s Cavemen Capers

DC’s cavemen capers began at the beginning of the company with “Caveman Capers” in 1935’s New Fun Comics. Every so often DC would try a comic with a prehistoric setting such as Joe Kubert’s Tor, Howie Post’s Anthro, Jack Oleck’s Kong the Untamed and Jack Kirby’s Devil Dinosaur. None of these every lasted ten issues. Even Joe Kubert’s Tarzan, that occasionally featured cave people was not a long-term success.

Throughout the years the publisher found a caveman on the cover was a good thing (kind of like a gorilla). Thus the following selection of prehistoric visitors to the worlds of Tomahawk, My Greatest Adventure, Batman and especially Superman.

“The Caveman Criminal” (Action Comics #44, January 1942) was written by Jerry Siegel with art by Leo Nowak and Ed Dobrotka. When scientists resurrect a caveman from the ice of Alaska, they create a villain even Superman is challenged to fight.

“The Story of Caveman” (Sensation Comics #10, October 1942) was written and drawn by Irwin Hasen. Johnny Grimm is an atavistic throwback to the caveman. Good thing Wildcat is around to deal with him.

“The Test of Time” (All-Star Comics #22, Fall 1944) was written by Gardner F. Fox with art by Sheldon Moldoff. Hawkman travels through time to see the Earth in its primitive state.

“Lois Lane, Cavegirl” (Action Comics #129, February 1949) was written by Al Schwartz with art by Win Mortimer and Al Plastino. Superman didn’t learn his lesson because this time he frees a caveman from an iceberg. The anthropoid mistakes Lois Lane for his lost love, Wonga.

“Glob” (The Spirit, March 6, 1949) was written by Will Eisner and Jules Feiffer with art by Eisner.

“Clark Kent, Caveman” (Action Comics #169, June 1952) was written by John Broome with art by Al Plastino. An earthquake tears a hole in time and Superman has to deal with cavemen and dinosaurs for the first time.

“The Caveman Batman” (Batman #93, August 1955) was written by Edmond Hamilton with art by Dick Sprang and Charles Paris. When an enigmatic cave painting of a dinosaur is discovered, Batman and Robin go back in time to figure out what happened. Turns out the dino was frozen in ice then got released…

“Caveman at Large” (Batman #102, September 1956) was written by Bill Finger with art by Sheldon Moldoff and Charles Paris. A movie actor goes on a crime spree disguised as a caveman.

“The Last Caveman” (House of Secrets #9, March-April 1958) The author is unknown with art by Bill Bailey. After an archaeologist begins digging for relics, cave people begin showing up in town!

“We Found the Evolution Man” (My Greatest Adventure #31, May 1959) has an unknown author with art by George Roussos. Explorers discover a caveman in the jungle. They take him home and he evolves into a higher life form, eventually flying away like a superhero.

“The Caveman From Krypton” (World’s Finest #102, June 1959) was written by Bill Finger with art by Dick Sprang, Ray Burnley and Sheldon Moldoff. More caveman trouble. This time one lands in a meteorite. And he is from the planet Kyrpton, so he has all of Superman’s abilities!

“Summons From Space” (Showcase #23, November-December 1959) was written by John Broome with art by Gil Kane and Joe Giella. A call from space takes Green Lantern to a primitive planet where he rescues the blue cavemen from pterodons.

“We Found the Ice-Age Giant” (My Greatest Adventure #40, February 1960) has an unknown author with art by Ruben Moreira. Construction workers discover a gigantic caveman and capture him. He draws the story of his greatest enemy, the mammoth. When the beast shows up, the fight goes on.

“The Mystery of Caveman Island” (House of Secrets #38, November 1960) has an unknown author with art by Howard Purcell. The island maybe named after cavemen but the story is about giant robots fighting giant lizards.

“The Caveman Indians” (Tomahawk #71, November-December 1960) was written by Dave Wood with art by Fred Ray. Tomahawk helps a native tribe defeat another tribe made up of cavemen.

“Return of the Neanderthal Man” (Strange Adventures #126, March 1961) was written by Gardner F. Fox with art by Carmine Infantino and Bernard Sachs. Neanderthals mysteriously become geniuses and invent time travel. They come to our time to take over.

“My Buddy Became a Caveman” (My Greatest Adventure #68, June 1962) has an unknown author with art by George Roussos. An evolution machine produces a caveman and a wooly rhino, who fight it out to the death.

“The Nightmare Ordeal of Superman” (Superman #171, August 1964) was written by Edmond Hamilton with art by Al Plastino. Superman is transferred to the World of the Red Sun and loses his powers. And he needs them because cavemen live there!

“Blackhawk and the Beasts” (Blackhawk #205, February 1965) The author is unknown with art by Dick Dillin and Charles Cuidera. Blackhawk faces a caveman, a gorilla, a dinosaur and a future man (with giant bumhead, of course) because Professor Millard has invented an evolution machine.

“Deep-Freeze Menace” (Detective Comics #337, March 1965) was written by Gardner F. Fox with art by Carmine Infantino and Joe Giella. A caveman gets frozen for centuries then revives inside a cocoon of living ice. Batman gets to clean it up again.

“The Infinite Evolutions of Superman and Batman” (World’s Finest #151, August 1965) was written by Cary Bates and Edmond Hamilton with art by Curt Swan and George Klein. When Batman discovers an evolution ray, Superman accidentally gets zapped and begins a journey of change… Hamilton wrote several evolution stories in the Pulps including “The Man Who Evolved”.

“The Caveman Ranger” (Tomahawk #109, March-April 1967) was written by Bill Finger with art by Fred Ray. Tomahawk and his rangers protect a town that is ravaged by pterodons and cavemen.

“The Secret of the Stone-Age Superman” (Action Comics #350, May 1967) was written by Otto Binder with art by Wayne Boring. When spelunkers find a mysterious Superman skeleton, Supe returns to the World of the Red Sun to solve it.

“Kor–The Conqueror” (Doom Patrol #114, September 1967) was written by Arnold Drake with art by Bruno Premiani. A scientist invents an evolution ray gun then gets accidentally turned into a rampaging caveman. The Doom Patrol has to stop him before he devolves everything around him.

“Less Than Human?” (Teen Titans #33, May-June 1971) was written by Bob Haney with art by Nick Cardy and George Tuska. Part of a larger story, the Titans fight a caveman, capture him, and end up in court at the end.

“Let the Dead Sleep” (The Unexpected #142, December 1972) was written by Carl Wessler with art by Lee Elias. The old “cave man found in the ice story” gets a new wrinkle when the boy grows into a man finds out his terrible secret.

“Disasters of Yesteryear” (Karate Kid #11, November-December 1977) was written by Jack C. Harris with art by Ric Estrada. The Kid travels back through to time to New York but cavemen attack him there.

“The Caveman of Smallville” (The New Adventures of Superboy #52, April 1984) was written by Paul Kupperberg with art by Kurt Schaffenberger. An old man, who the children tease as a caveman, proves to be a reptilian visitor from outer space.

DC’s Cavemen Capers were scattered over many titles and many decades. Still, it is fun to recognize that at least three of the writers were Science Fiction Pulpsters before and during the comics: Gardner F. Fox, Edmond Hamilton and Otto Binder. DC didn’t stop using cavemen in the 1980s but twenty-eight comics is enough for now.