The opening up of the Direct Sales marketplace, comprised of a string of independently-operated comic book specialty shops across the Nation and eventually the globe--offered up new promise in terms of the way in which comic books were sold. Up to this point, Comics were sold like any other periodical publication: a print run was … Continue reading Brand Echh: JCP Features the T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents #1
Having had success with their FOCUS ON JOHN BYRNE volume dedicated to perhaps the most popular mainstream artist of the decade, Fantagraphics decided to follow up with a similar volume on one of the other hottest artists of the era, George Perez. At the time this volume saw print, George had garnered great acclaim for … Continue reading FOCUS ON GEORGE PEREZ
The few other comic book collectors and readers in my area tended to scoff at the Marvel reprint titles, because as they were not originals, they weren't going to accrue in value like the new books would. But as i had no real desire to ever sell my collection, that wasn't a big deal to … Continue reading BHOC: MARVEL SUPER-HEROES #76
Like the rest of editor Mort Weisinger's Superman line-up of titles in the 1960s, SUPERBOY was a top seller. Though not appreciated all that much by the fan community of the next two decades due to the fact that Weisinger aimed his material squarely ad a younger audience than most, these books had a range … Continue reading WC: SUPERBOY #119
Continuing on with our look at CANCELLED COMIC CAVALCADE #1, one of the rarest DC non-publications, which was simply a set of photocopies of issues and pages that were spiked during the massive line reduction and layoff that was nicknamed the "DC Implosion" . The idea behind the DC Explosion was that each title would … Continue reading CANCELLED COMIC CAVALCADE #1: BLACK LIGHTNING #12: The Ray
I'll mention it right up front, as a kid, I didn't like DAREDEVIL #155. Mostly I think this was down to the artwork of Frank Robbins, who filled in on this issue. I had enjoyed Robbins' idiosyncratic work on INVADERS, a title that had been his home for a few years. And he honestly wasn't … Continue reading BHOC: DAREDEVIL #155
As we've mentioned in previous postings on this subject, while Fawcett Comics never pulled together a regular equivalent of the Justice Society of America for its assorted costumed champions (apart from the Marvel Family, who headlined their own group title), the outfit had no hesitation for having them meet and team up with one another … Continue reading Forgotten Masterpiece: AMERICA’S GREATEST COMICS #8
Just as DC/National Comics and other outfits were still dabbling with super hero characters as the 1940s transitioned into teh 1950s, the same was true of Timely Comics, which would one day become Marvel. The firm has lasting success with three characters throughout the 1940s: the Human Torch, the Sub-Mariner and Captain America. But all … Continue reading The First Silver Age Marvel Super Hero
GREEN LANTERN (Co-Starring Green Arrow) was a series whose move into the DC Explosion I really liked--mainly because I had a real love for the Golden Age heroes of DC's past. So having a regular back-up spot dedicated to Alan Scott, the Original Green lantern, was very welcome in my eyes. I also really liked … Continue reading BHOC: GREEN LANTERN #109
STRANGE TALES #118 was another book that I got in my Windfall Comics haul of 1988. By this point, it was a decidedly secondary title in the expanding Marvel line, not really possessing the spark of any of the other series of the era. This was really down to the lead Human Torch feature. While … Continue reading WC: STRANGE TALES #118
The Tom Brevoort Experience 