BHOC: FANTASTIC FOUR #202

The next week, a new issue of FANTASTIC FOUR was released, thus reassuring me that my having missed the much-coveted issue #200 was a fluke. This was during the period when a new Fantastic Four cartoon series was running on NBC on Saturday Mornings--this was the version that replaced the Human Torch with HERBIE the … Continue reading BHOC: FANTASTIC FOUR #202

BHOC: NOVA #23

In the space of just a few issues, I had really connected with NOVA. From the original house ads that I had seen and the name of the series, I had assumed at first that it was some science fiction thing, like JOHN CARTER, WARLORD OF MARS, in which I'd have little interest. But when … Continue reading BHOC: NOVA #23

THE COMIC TIMES #3: George Perez Interview

Here's another lost and forgotten interview from an old fanzine from the early 1980s at the beginning of teh direct market. In this third issue of THE COMIC TIMES, David Singer interviews George Perez about his career to date with a certain emphasis on his new hit, NEW TEEN TITANS. George also provided the cover … Continue reading THE COMIC TIMES #3: George Perez Interview

BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #188

David Steckel wasn't the only new person I met during those weeks in the Sachem Gifted Program that I went to every Friday. I also made the acquaintance of Frank Torres, who was similarly a comic book reader. While I was never quite exactly as tight with him as i was with Steck, he remained … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #188

BHOC: PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #25

I had skipped the last couple of issues of PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN, having come to the conclusion that the series was relatively superfluous to the life of Marvel's wall-crawling hero. The stories were mostly fine, but nothing of any particular consequence seemed to happen in them, I can recall looking at both issues … Continue reading BHOC: PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN #25

BHOC: FANTASTIC FOUR #201

So this next week was the moment it all hit home--when FANTASTIC FOUR #201 turned up on the spinner rack at my local 7-11 and I had to face the fact that I had indeed missed the double-sized anniversary issue of my favorite series, the culmination to a year-long story arc and a book that … Continue reading BHOC: FANTASTIC FOUR #201

BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #187

At about this time, I entered Sixth Grade in Elementary School, which would prove to be a year of some significance in my overall journey. I wound up once again in the same class as my comics-reading pal Donald Sims, the last time we'd share classes together, so already I was on somewhat firm and … Continue reading BHOC: AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #187

BHOC: NOVA #22

I had come to really enjoy NOVA over the course of the first batch of issues I had read featuring the character. Which was a bit of a turn-around for me. There were a bunch of titles in the Marvel line that I studiously avoided for a bit thinking that they weren't really for me. … Continue reading BHOC: NOVA #22

Crisis II – Roy Thomas’ Ideas

As we saw last week, even as CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS was getting under way in 1985, DC Comics' leadership realized that they had an enormous hit on their hands. And so, even though only the first issue or two had reached the stands, Executive Editor Dick Giordano solicited ideas from both his editorial staff … Continue reading Crisis II – Roy Thomas’ Ideas

Crisis on a Brave New Earth

It's no secret that DC found itself with an enormous hit on its hands in CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, the anniversary limited series produced by Marv Wolfman and George Perez designed to restructure and streamline the DC continuity. It was that rare Event series that both left a lasting change upon the line in its … Continue reading Crisis on a Brave New Earth