July, 2008
AC COMICS
Men of Mystery #72
Dollman, The Duke of Darkness, Major Midnight, Lady Luck, Hydroman and The Red Comet by Bill Woolfolk, Otto Binder, Steve Douglas, Ben Thompson, Dan Barry, John Giunta and John Spranger. Looks like a good crop of Golden Age rarities and well worth a squint. SRP $9.95
DARK HORSE
Richard Corben returns to Dark Horse in July when he begins a 3 issue mini with Mike Mignola. Hellboy: The Crooked Man will feature Corben pencils and inks. SRP $2.99
DC
The Wildstorm arm of DC Comics is releasing The X-Files Special #0 this month with story by producer Frank Spotnitz and art by Brian Denham (who?). No other details are available and, let's face it, it can't be any worse than the Topps series of years ago, can it? SRP $2.99
Justice Society Of America Annual #1
Although I don't buy the monthly JSA comic (I wait for the trade collections) this particular issue did catch my eye, since it not only focuses on Power Girl and Earth-2 (is it still around?), but is also illustrated by Jerry Ordway, who was artist on a number of fondly remembered stories in both All-Star Squadron and Superman! Worth a squint and the cover is by Alex Ross. SRP $3.99
Digging back into the vaults, DC will resurrect yet another character from the past, when Keith Giffen and Robert Loren Fleming present Ambush Bug: Year None #1 (of 6). In the 80s, we all enjoyed the adventures of Ambush Bug, since he was just so darn irreverent. It will be interesting to see if Giffen and Fleming still have that satiric touch to their work. Just goes to show that you can't keep a good bug down! SRP $2.99
Showcase Presents: Batman Vol. 3
Reprints Detective Comics #359-375 and Batman #189-192, 194-197 and 199-201 by Fox Broome, Friedrich, Infantino, Moldoff and others. More of the "Biff! Pow!" Silver Age Batman with some interesting, but not too engaging stories. I've always found it interesting that the Batman stories of this period were so heavily influenced by the TV show. On a certain level, I enjoy the Batman TV show, but it isn't really Batman-it's just entertainment and I feel the same way about Batman and Detective from this era. The reasons for the gaps in the Batman numbering was the result of DC putting out Giants and Specials as if there was no tomorrow during this period.SRP $16.99
Showcase Presents: Hawkman Vol. 2
Reprints Hawkman #12-27, Atom & Hawkman #39-45, Atom #31 and The Brave And The Bold #70 by Gardner Fox, Bob Haney, Murphy Anderson, Gil Kane and some other folks, including Joe Kubert. More adventure of Hawkman with a wide variety of artists. The Atom & Hawkman book was a numbering continuation of the Atom's solo book, most likely done in hopes of keeping sales high. In fact, the addition of The Atom is of interest, since DC decided that the two characters should be best buds (similar to the way that Green Lantern and The Flash used to hang out together or *sigh* Superman and Batman used to be BFFs...). Great stories and great art from the Silver Age and worth a squint. 'Nuff said! SRP $16.99
Showcase Presents: The House of Secrets Vol. 1
Reprints House of Secrets #81-98 by tons of folks. With Orlando's success on House of Mystery, DC revived House of Secrets: another 50s horror book that, unlike HOM, had not been in continuous publication.
It is very easy to dismiss the DC horror books of the 60s and 70s, since the horror stories of the time were very tame, especially when compared to the visceral bloodbaths we have today in both comics and films (or even the Warren magazines of the time, for that matter), but this was due to the restrictions of the Comics Code. The Code, much like the MPAA and FCC of today, had lots of rules, many of which seem downright stupid, but, in order to sell the product in the pre-direct sale period, it was necessary to adhere to the standards that were in place. Since the horror books could not be "horrible" in the strictest sense, and, as a result, were poor sellers, DC decided to use their horror books as a training ground for young writers and artists. Scripts by established pros were given to fledgling artists. Tyro writers had a chance to write scripts that would be drawn by established artists. Sometimes the neophytes were paired together. Editor Joe Orlando would critique the results and it became a win-win situation, since sales did move up a bit and the new talent was able to earn enough from their four- and eight-page labors to continue to practice their craft with the results seen here.
The feel of Secrets is a bit different from Mystery. Many of the covers have a very gothic feel to them and although there is some Wrightson in the mix, there is lots of work by another young artist (at the time), Mike Kaluta! Also, be sure to look for the prototype of Swamp Thing in #92 by Wrightson and Wein (it's featured on the cover) and #90, with what I think is Rich Buckler's first professional job, overly inked by Neal Adams. Worth a squint for the art, since the stories are a bit tame by most standards, especially if you remember EC! SRP $16.99
FANTAGRAPHICS
Humbug
Reprints, in two slipcased volumes, the entire run of the Kurtzman edited magazine that he self-published along with Jack Davis, Will Elder, Al Jaffee and Arnold Roth in 1957. Considered by many to be the height of satire, the comic sized publication (the last issue was magazine sized) was a combination of comics and text that only ran for 11 issues before it was cancelled. Other than that, I can't tell you a heck of alot, since this material is quite rare and I've never seen any of it. Worth a squint based on Kurtzman's reputation (which is quite high in my estimation). SRP $50.00
GEMSTONE PUBLISHING
"Why look, Mildred, those kind folks at Gemstone are giving us a whole Don Rosa pin-up in Uncle Scrooge #380!"
"Now ain't that special, Hortense...why, we should run out and buy a whole bunch since that's about all Gemstone thinks Rosa is worth to us fans!"
Other than those pithy comments, things are a bit bleak in Gemstoneville this month, with the aforementioned Uncle Scrooge featuring a Romano Scarpa story and Walt Disney's Comics & Stories has the conclusion of a Mickey serial by Floyd Gottfredson....oh yeah, there is the "sock-em-in-the-wallet" leatherbound edition of another EC collection that is a ridiculous waste of money and resources. Seems I just don't have much of anything nice to say about Gemstone these days...!
IDW
The Complete Terry and the Pirates Vol. 4-1941-1942
Without giving anything away, this volume features the death of a major character, Terry Lee's induction into the military, new characters and more action and intrigue than any comic published today. If you aren't reading this series, you have my condolences. Definitely deserves a spot of honor up on your sagging bookshelf!! SRP $49.99
IMAGE
American Flagg! Vol. 1
Reprints American Flagg! #1-14 by Howard Chaykin and others. The adventures of Reuben Flagg were a hit for First comics in the 80s and, as I recall, were a very strong seller for us when Chaykin was working on the book (later issues were done by a variety of people, including a less than memorable stint by Alan Moore). Anyway, this one has the first 14 of the Chaykin issues and...well, that's all I can really tell you. I remember being entertained by the book, but can't tell you a thing about its plot or storyline, except it was set in the future and that it often used the talking heads type of layout that Miller used later in Dark Knight, but that's about it, so you're on your own with this one. SRP $49.99
MANUSCRIPT PRESS
Comics Revue #268
Currently running 10 different strips, including Modesty Blaise, Tarzan, Buz Sawyer and The Phantom among others. Worth a squint whenever you can find it. SRP $6.95
MARVEL
Marvel began reprinting a line of French comics under the Soleil imprint a couple of months ago and this month, we see the first issue of Universal War One, a science fiction strip that looked very good in the Soleil preview. From the preview and descriptions, this is a futuristic war story that should appeal to fans of Star Wars (galaxy spanning, don't you know), but also fans of SF tales such as Joe Haldeman's The Forever War and Heinlein's Starship Troopers (the novel, NOT the movie). SRP $5.99
Marvel Masterworks: Golden Age Captain America Vol. 2
Reprints the complete issues of Captain America Comics #5-8 (1940s version) by Simon, Kirby, Nicholas, Avison and Gabriele. Umpteen years since after the first volume, the second volume comes rolling in and, if I didn't have the two volume set that reprinted only the Cap stories, I would be in line to get this one. These early Cap stories are quite significant in the history of comics, since Simon & Kirby were inventing a new style of comics with their work on the series. From page layout to the first double page spread, S & K were charting new territory that was to become highly emulated and copied in the years that followed. Lots of extra material in these full issue reprints, with characters and concepts that you've probably never seen (and, in some cases, with good reason). The Tuk, Cave Boy back-up that ran in Cap is of interest, since it is a forerunner of both Tor and Kamandi. The only drawback, is that you'll have to wait for a third volume to have all the Simon & Kirby material. This one definitely belongs up on your sagging bookshelf, since you just can't beat the original Captain America stories with a stick. SRP $59.99
Marvel Masterworks: The Defenders Vol. 1
Reprints Sub-Mariner #34-35, Marvel Feature #1-3 and The Defenders #1-6 by Thomas, Englehart, Andru, S. Buscema and assorted inkers, including Bill Everett. The Defenders were originally formed by Marvel in the early 70s as a kind group that would contrast the Avengers. Made up of some of the more popular characters of Marveldom, who weren't in the Avengers, the "non-team" had a different feel from other über-team books, since, due to Dr. Strange, they fought more mystical creatures in the early stories. I also found them to be less than The Avengers, simply because they always seemed to be at odds with one another in the early issues. These stories did re-introduce Dr. Strange back into the Marvel universe of the time (hence the Sub-Mariner issues) and read okay, but are not the best. Give it a squint and decide on your own. SRP $59.99
Invaders Classic Vol. 2
Reprints The Invaders #10-21 and Annual #1 by Thomas, Robbins, Mooney and others. I've long considered The Invaders to be one of the best series that Roy Thomas ever did, and here's another heaping helping that proves my point. Great Golden Age style action as World War Two lives on! Belongs up on your sagging bookshelf, although the horribly inflated price makes me think twice about recommending it! SRP $29.99
Also, the handy Previews catalog shows a new printing of Essential Doctor Strange Vol. 1 coming out this month and, if you don't have it, you should seek it out. Reprinting Strange Tales #110, 111 and #114-168, you not only get the complete run of Dr. Strange in Strange Tales, but you also get the complete Ditko run, which is some of his finest Marvel work. Run, don't walk, and get a copy. SRP $16.99
SUNDAY PRESS BOOKS
Little Nemo In Slumberland: Many More Splendid Sundays
A sequel to the previous volume from the same publisher, this rather thin 128 page book will reprint more Winsor McCay pages from the earliest period of the strip (1906-1911) and also some of the best pages from the later revivals in 1911-1914 and 1924-1927. Mcay's work is remembered not so much from the stories that he told, although they are interesting, but from the design sense he brought to the comic page. Most of his Sunday pages not only tell a story but form an interesting design when viewed as a whole, such as the example found here at Little Nemo article on Wikipedia. Reproduced at a large 16 x 21 inch size, the book is, unfortunately, for completeists and serious collectors only, since it has a tremendously high SRP of $125.00 (!).
TWOMORROWS PUBLISHING
Alter Ego #79
Superman is the character under discussion in this issue and features will include an interview with Joe Shuster's sister, a look at the many attributes of Superman and even an article on Nembo Kid, the name name Superman uses when being published in Italy. Lots of art, as per the usual, and also the Fawcett Collectors of America section. SRP $6.95
Back Issue #29
In a special Mutants issue, the X-Men and their variants are examined in detail with spin-offs included (at no extra cost!). Also a look at Captain Comet and other features. SRP $6.95
The Flash Companion
An indepth look at all 4 heroes who have been The Flash from the Golden Age to today. Includes articles and interviews about the various creative teams who have worked on the character, lots of art and even a look at the 1990s TV show. SRP $26.95
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