3/31/09-Releases for April
COMING SOON
Hermes Press has announced that they will be doing a complete reprinting of The Phantom newspaper strip beginning in September. No price has yet been quoted, but it may be time to dust off your wallets. Details as they crop up...
DC has announced they will release a 12 part weekly comic this summer called Wednesday Comics. Plans call for the series to be done in the style of the old Sunday newspaper comics and the comic itself will fold out into a large 28" by 20" size: a tad larger than than the size of newspapers back in the Golden Age of newspaper comics. 16 different strips, one per page, are set to run in each weekly edition from a variety of creators, including Sgt. Rock to be done by Joe Kubert. More details when they become available...
Marvel has announced plans for a new Omnibus edition that will knock your socks off, but I only have hints at the moment, so I can't say more...
Look for a second Fletcher Hanks volume to come out of Fantagraphics a couple of months down the road and, when you get this second volume along with the first (I Shall Destroy All the Civilized Planets), you will be able to have the complete output of Fletcher Hanks sitting on your sagging bookshelf ...
AC COMICS
Men of Mystery: Daring Adventures Special 2
Reprints 116 pages of previously reprinted material including stories about The Eagle, The Hood, Minute Man, Major Midnight, Shock Gibson, Ibis, Phantom Eagle, Bulletman, Golden Arrow, Black Terror, The Target and Wonder Boy with art and story by Woolfolk, Herron, Binder, Fujitani, Barry, Schaffenberger, Krigstein, Sekowsky and more. SRP $24.95
DARK HORSE
Turok, Son of Stone Archives Vol. 1
Reprints Dell Four Color Comics #596 and 656 and then #3-6 of Turok's own title by Giolitti and Murphy (and, although Dark Horse won't tell you, many of the stories are written by the ever prolific Gaylord Dubois). Turok was a fun series that told the story of two American Indians, Turok and Andar, who become trapped in a prehistoric valley populated by dinosaurs and a bunch of cavemen. Good, solid stories without a lot of flash, but a nice alternative to the usual super-hero fare. I do wish, however, that Dark Horse had presented these in a cheaper trade format, since the SRP of $49.95 is an awful lot to lay out for material that isn't really the top of the heap (of course, I feel this way about a lot of comic reprints). Worth a squint, but may not be to everyone's taste.
Creepy Archives Vol. 3
Reprints Creepy #11-15 by Archie Goodwin, assorted other writers and some of the EC alumni. The big draw of this volume are the Steve Ditko stories, which are just drop dead gorgeous. The stories are done in a pen and ink wash technique that adds tones to the black and white linework. Historically, the Ditko work at Warren is also quite significant, since it was done just after he left Marvel. Neal Adams appears in #14 and 15 and Frazetta does a couple of the covers. Orlando, Torres and Crandall are all here as well and Orlando pencils what is probably the oddest stories to appear in a Warren mag: a couple of Otto Binder's Adam Link stories; adapted by the author and science fiction by my definition - not horror. A good collection, but the overall level of art is not up to the standards set by the first two volumes (but buy it for the Ditko stories anyway). Worth a good long squint and should probably make it up onto your sagging bookshelf. SRP $49.95
DC
Long-time comic readers will recognize the name of Mike Grell and he's coming back to DC to work on one of his first creations, Warlord. Grell will be writing and doing covers for a new monthly series that will feature the further adventures of Travis Morgan, Tara and the other inhabitants of Skartaris. Art will be supplied by Joe Prado and Walden Wong. Worth a squint. SRP $2.99
DC Comics Classics Library: Batman-The Annuals
Reprints Batman Annuals #1-3 from 1961 and 1962 by a whole truckload of people. Here's a real odd item, since I believe this to be the first reprint of a reprint that any publisher has tried. Batman and Superman have been continuously published from the 30s to the present day. The problem, however, is that this continuous series of tales has led to some really strange stories, as DC struggled to hold onto readers when comics were passe in the 50s, or as they tried to work around the hysteria that finally led to the Comics Code. In the early 60s, DC started their series of annuals (known affectionately as 80 Page Giants) that were released each summer to an eager crowd of readers (myself included) and, although they were filled with reprints, they have remained highly collectible. The stories presented here all date from the 50s and present a high (or low) point in the history of Batman depending on your point of view. We have the numerous "untold" stories, the origin of this, the first appearance of that and the overall suggestion that we (the readers) are being let in on the deepest secrets of Batman and Robin. Some of the stories read quite well, others seem silly (like why does Batman need multiple costumes). Yet, I find myself looking at these issues with a certain fondness, even though they are a bit inane and over the top, since they were created for sheer entertainment and are not locked into a strict continuity, nor created to fit in the confines of a later collection. These are short stores of the type that used to fill comics. So, with this in mind, I've gotta tell you that this one belongs up on your sagging bookshelf. It's not for everyone, particularly if you like the current grim and gritty partially psycho Batman who prowls the current DC Universe, but if you want a fun collection of well drawn, entertaining stories, then this one is for you. NOTE: Many of these stories have appeared in other hardback collections, so check what you've got before you lay your money down! SRP $39.99
Green Lantern Chronicles Vol. 1
Following on the heels of the similarly named Batman and Superman series, this new series will reprint Showcase #22-24 and Green Lantern #1-3 by John Broome, Gil Kane, Joe Giella and Murphy Anderson. The big draw of the Chronicles series is that the stories are presented in chronological order, which, for Green Lantern, is pretty much an easy slam dunk. However, if you found the Archives too pricey and the Showcase volumes too black and white, here's your chance to read these stories in color at a bargain price. What would be interesting is if DC would also include the numerous cross-over stories that featured Green Lantern. Probably worth a squint, if you don't have it in some other form. SRP $14.99
Showcase Presents: The Doom Patrol Vol. 1
Reprints My Greatest Adventure #80-85, Doom Patrol #88-101 and Challengers of the Unknown #48 by Drake, Haney Premiani and Brown. The Doom Patrol was one of the best adventure/science fiction series to come out of DC in the 60s. A group of outcasts with super powers. Their leader in a wheelchair. Sound familiar? Well, while there are similarities between The Doom Patrol and The X-Men, the two titles are radically different. The Doom Patrol had more of a sense of realistic adventure than the X-Men, although they often fought a very strange group of villains (such as a brain floating in a bath of nutrient fluid that was attempting to take over the world using intelligent gorillas with machine guns?). Odd as that parenthetical insert may sound, the Doom Patrol were adults with adult concerns, adult origins and they often had adventures in different parts of the world that just involved them solving problems with their powers...but in an adventurous way. Premiani's art is excellent and he is very underrated. In any event, this is a good collection that deserves a good squint, although this quirky series may not be to everyone's taste.. Arnold Drake was a great writer and this series really shows how creative he could be. SRP $16.99
Showcase Present: The Legion of Super-Heroes Vol. 3
Reprints Adventure Comics #349-368 and Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #116 by Shooter, Swan, Klein, Mooney and others. Here's another large batch of Legion stories and, although the later stories in the volume are not up to the excellence of the earlier volumes, there's still some good material here that is worth a squint and addition to your sagging bookshelf. The Curt Swan stories are a joy to behold, but the fill-in stories done by Constanza and Moldoff just don't hold up as well from an art standpoint. One of the oddities of the Jim Shooter authored Legion stories is that Shooter, although still a teen, was doing the layouts for the stories, much in the same way that Alan Moore does today. There is a lot of continuity here, however, which is enjoyable and is something that makes the series stand out from the other DC titles of the same era. The concept of the Adult Legion was also introduced in #354 and 355 and are probably the strongest stories in the volume. Worth a squint and a place on your sagging bookshelf, if you don't have the stories in some other form. SRP $16.99
FANTAGRAPHICS
Prince Valiant Vol. 1: 1937-1938
Going to the well once again, Fantagraphics is again reprinting the Hal Foster Prince Valiant strip, this time starting from the beginning (the earlier series of reprints started in mid-stream, since other reprints were available). The publisher is promising better reproduction than in the pass with upgraded coloring. Also set to include an interview with Foster that originally appeared in The Comics Journal. I always found the Prince Valiant strip to be beautifully drawn, but extremely boring when it came to the story, so I'll leave it to you to make up your own mind when you give the volume a squint. SRP $29.99
GEMSTONE PUBLISHING
Nothing of interest this month, but there is breaking news. According to some emails I have received and some other news snippets found on the Internet, it appears that Gemstone has ceased publication of Disney comics, meaning that, for the forseeable future, there will be no Disney comics published in the US. Gemstone has shown signs of being in trouble for quite some time and what is even more interesting, is that they have not only cancelled orders on all solicited Disney product, but have also cancelled titles that have been orderd in the EC Archives series (and what EC has to do with Disney I have no idea) which would indicate that there are deeper problems here than just the cost of the Disney license.
In a posting on the Gemstone site, Steve Geppi mentions that there have been layoffs at Gemstone, but no final decision has been made regarding either the Disney license or the fate of the EC Archives.
NOTED IN PASSING
Penguin books is set to release Was Superman a Spy? And Other Comic Book Legends Revealed by Brian Cronin. The blurb claims that the book contains "Fascinating and often bizarre true stories behind more than 130 urban legends about comic book culture." More details on the book's page on the Penguin site.
IDW
Start Trek Omnibus Vol. 1
Diving into the Marvel vaults this time, IDW is reprinting "15 consecutive issues from the early Marvel Comics run." Exactly what 15 issues, they ain't saying, but one would hope they start with #1. Marvel had an impressive roster of writers and artists working on the series back when they had the rights to the franchise, but the stories did not read as well as the later DC series. If Star Trek is your thing, worth a squint. SRP $24.99
The Complete Chester Gould's Dick Tracy Vol. 7
Reprints strips from January 1941 through June 1942 along with introductory material by Max Allan Collins, an historical feature by J. C. Vaughn looking at Tracy merchandise and will include Tracy's encounter with The Mole and BB Eyes: a couple of the classic Gould villains. Note that this volume is in the larger size and now has a higher SRP of $39.99.
MARVEL
Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Marvel Comics Vol. 4
Reprints Marvel Mystery Comics #13-16 by a whole bunch of writers and even more writers and inkers. Lots of good stuff here, with Simon & Kirby introducing The Vision, Burgos on The Human Torch and Everett on Sub-Mariner, along with lots of other features, such as The Angel and Ka-Zar. Great WWII stories as Marvel's big guns fight the Axis and worthy of a spot up on your sagging bookshelf! SRP $59.99
Marvel Masterworks: The Incredible Hulk Vol. 5
Reprints The Incredible Hulk #111-121 by Lee, Thomas and Trimpe. Second to Kirby's initial run on the character, I really enjoy the "Hulk Smash!" tales that filled the early issues of the Hulk's own title. Set in the desert with Gen. Ross and the entirety of the US Army along for the ride, these stories are great fun without all the baggage that later writers brought to the strip. Trimpe was also at his best in these stories and did a definitive version of the Hulk that would be the standard for many years after the stories featured here. Worth a squint, although you may want to give the Essentials version a looksee, before you pop for this more expensive version! SRP $54.99
Under the heading of "going to the well too often," we present for your approval the Wolverine Omnibus, which also has the designation of being Vol. 1. Included in this huge book will be Barry Smith's Weapon X storyline (already out in hardback), the first appearance of Wolverine from Incredible Hulk (reprinted more times than I can count) and the reprinted to death Claremont/Miller Wolverine mini-series. While the entire contents are too extensive to be listed here, suffice to say most all of them have been reprinted either as stand-alone trade editions or in Essentials already. You probably have all the stories in this collection in some form or other, so I would suggest you just smile blithely at this monstrosity as you pass by it to buy something else. SRP $99.99
MANUSCRIPT PRESS
Comics Revue #277
Sixty-four pages of comic strip reprints, including anything from Gasoline Alley to Tarzan. Captain Easy is featured on the cover this month. Well worth a squint and a great place to start exploring the world of comic strips. SRP $6.95
PURE IMAGINATION
Pure Imagination goes back into the vaults this month as they reprint Will Eisner: Edge of Genius, a collection of early Eisner work with an SRP of $25.00 and try to get onto the schedule (once again) the 1950 graphic novel by George Harmon Cox and Earl Whoton, Four Frightened Women, with a higher cover price than the previous solicitation. SRP $25.00.
TITAN PUBLISHING
The Best of Simon & Kirby
Well, if you want your wild card of the month, this is it. The book will be a large format, 320 page hardback, that will not only be a sampling of just what the team of Simon & Kirby were capable of producing.produced as a team. Joe Simon has struck an unprecedented deal with both Marvel and DC that will also allow the book to reprint material that was done for those publishers as well (early speculation was that the book would only contain material to which Simon and the Kirby estate owned the rights). There's a little of everything here-from romance to crime to horror to super-heroes, since the team worked in all genres during their time together. Keep in mind that Simon & Kirby were always at the forefront of the Golden Age of comics. Their super-hero work was widely copied by other creators and, among other firsts, the team created the first kid gang with the Young Allies, invented the romance comic, and set a standard for crime and horror comics. Contents should be:
- "Trapping New England's Chain Murderer" (from Headline Comics #24, May 1947)
- "Mother of Crime" (from Real Clue Crime Stories vol. 2, #4, June 1947)
- "The Case Against Scarface" (from Justice Traps the Guilty #1, October 1947)
- "Doom Town" (from Bulls-Eye #4, Feb. 1955)
- "The Scorn of the Faceless People" (from Black Magic #2, Dec. 1950)
- "Up There!" (from Black Magic #13, June 1952
- "The Woman in the Tower" (from Strange World of Your Dreams #3, Nov. 1952)
In addition, Golden Age stories featuring Captain America, the Vision and The Boy Commandos are also slated to appear, although I can't find the exact titles (or issues) at the moment (one thread I ran across even suggested there will be a Golden Age Sandman story included, as well).
The book is authorized by both Joe Simon and the Kirby estate and is the beginning of a series of hardcovers that will document the team's output (which makes one wonder why a "Best of" collection is being released that will contain material that will see print in later volumes...?). I also hope that Simon won't let his feelings for Kirby color his choices for the volume. The duo had a falling out when they split in the late 50s and I've never been able to discover whether they buried the hatchet. Although many long-time collectors may run into some duplicate stories, all will be reprinted in color and, for those seeing these stories for the first time, you are in for a real treat. Worth a squint and definitely a place on your sagging bookshelf. Please note that April is only one of a myriad of shipping dates for this book, since sources suggest it may be anywhere from April to June! SRP $40.00
AND FOR FANS OF JACK KIRBY AND SIMON & KIRBY
The Jack Kirby Museum and Research Center has been online for around 4 years now and, although the home page is not updated very often, there are still a couple of blogs that may be of interest to Kirby fans. The Jack Kirby Comics Weblog keeps a running list of upcoming and newly released Kirby reprint material, while The Simon and Kirby Blog does the same for Simon and Kirby material and also offers extended examinations about the comics produced by the duo along with information about the artists who worked in their studio. Both blogs can be access from the main navigation under the heading "The Museum."
TWOMORROWS PUBLISHING
The Batcave Companion
Michael Eury will guide you through everything and anything that has to do with Batman — providing, that is, that you are interested in the Silver and Braonze age character. Includes indexes, interviews with Infantino, Giella, O'Neil and Adams, along with essays by Mike Barr and Will Murray. The book is also set to include a tribute to Marshall Rogers. SRP $26.95
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