Weird Horrors & Daring Adventures (Vol. 1)  (The Joe Kubert Archives)
Kubert is best known for his lengthy stint at DC Comics beginning in the mid-1950s, where he drew such iconic characters as Sgt. Rock, Hawkman, and Tarzan. But before that, he cut his teeth at a variety of small publishers, working in every genre the field had to offer. The generous sampling of his early work collected in this hardcover volume demonstrates the diversity of Kubert’s work in this period, from horror and science fiction to westerns, crime, and even humor. The earliest, from 1944 (when Kubert was only 17), are competent but crude, although no more unpolished than most comics from the era. Within a few years, however, he developed into one of the medium’s leading stylists, with a distinctively recognizable style marked by dramatic compositions and strategic use of solid-black areas to create atmosphere. Kubert would continue to draw comics steadily right up to his death last year at age 85; these early tales lay the foundation for that enduring and productive career. --Gordon Flagg