DICK DILLIN: MAESTRO OF THE JUSTICE LEAGUE -- In Part 3 of these "March is Apparently Comic Book Month" ramblings (I promise this nostalgia phase will wear off), I wanted to praise someone who has largely been ignored in the comic book field since his untimely death exactly 26 years and two days ago (March 1, 1980). This man, Dick Dillin, WAS the JLA for me. He was the only JLA artist I knew for most of my formative years. Whenever I think of the Justice League of America, it's always as drawn by Dick Dillin. Dillin pencilled the Justice League of America monthly for an unprecedented 12 year run (115 consecutive issues). It was only his untimely death (in the middle of 1980's annual JLA/JSA team-up) that allowed George Perez to take over the book. Dillin's art was not flashy but was perfect for the JLA; his storytelling was exceptional and his style captured both the straight-forward charm of silver-age artists as well as the new slick style pioneered by Neal Adams and his followers (seen here with a Neal Adams cover on JLA # 122 which appeared over Dillin's artwork inside the book). No offense to Mr. Adams but I'd take Mr. Dillin hands down. Adams (who actually did do occasional pencils for the JLA in the late 60's) didn't really capture the spirit of the Justice League the way Dick Dillin did. Some of my favourite JLA stories appeared during Dillin's tenure (how could they not -- since Dillin's tenure went from the 60's to the 80's) and the covers seen here represent some of my most beloved reads. To the best of my recollection, "The Parallel Perils of Adam Strange" issue picture below (it's the one with the sea-green cover below -- 3rd from the left) was the very first "current" issue of the JLA that I bought hot off the rack (actually off the spinner rack at Thor's Drug Store on Westfield Avenue in Pennsauken. . .I wonder if THAT'S still there???). It is a low-down dirty shame that the name of Dick Dillin is practically forgotten by comics fans; he defined the JLA's look in the 70's and, when George Perez left the JLA to create the New Teen Titans with Marv Wolfman, the lackluster artwork that followed shined a glaring light on Dillin's absence. (Don Heck, anyone???) Dick Dillin was one of the most important creators ever to work on the "World's Greatest Super-Heroes" and I think it's about time he was rightly celebrated for it.