What Essentials should I pick up next?

[spoon_jenkins]

In the spirit of other threads asking for opinions on purchases, I have an Amazon gift credit that I'm planning to use to get some TPBs and figured I'd ask folks about the ones I'm considering.

My plan is to get the Spider-Man vs. The Black Cat TPB (which reprints early Black Cat appearances) and also 3 Marvel Essential TPBs. My favorite Essential lines are Spider-Man (I have volumes 1-6) and Avengers (I have 1-3), so I may buy Essential Spidey 7 or Avengers 4 or Avengers 5. However, I already have an original clone saga TPB that reprints about 10 issues that appear in the Essential Spider-Man 7, the Kree-Skrull War TPB that has some issues from Avengers 4, and Essential Defenders 1 that has some of the stuff from Avengers 5. So some of the stuff wouldn't be new to me.

I'm also considering Essential Thor and Essential Dr. Strange because I don't have any of those. I'm not a big Ditko fan though.

What do folks think? What's the better Avengers volume: 4 (reprinting 69-97) or 5 (repritning 98-119)? Which Thor volume is the best? Which Dr. Strange volume is better? How about Essential Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 2?

Thanks for your feedback!

[swinebread]

for my 2 cents go with:
Essential Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 2

[Graham Vingoe]

I'd buy Avengers volume 4 for classic Roy Thomas/John Buscema Avengers prior to the Kree-Skrull War.
Now, the Thor issue is one I'm toying with myself I suspect I'd plump for volume 3 purely because there is a lot more material I haven't ever read before included. That period of Thor is one I picked up on intermittently at best

[dan bailey]

If you're interested in Dr Strange but *choke* don't much liike Ditko, the 2nd Essentials would seem like a pretty good buy to me. Unless you also *choke* don't much like Frank Brunner ...

[Indigo Al]

If you're interested in Dr Strange but *choke* don't much liike Ditko, the 2nd Essentials would seem like a pretty good buy to me. Unless you also *choke* don't much like Frank Brunner ...


Also, personally, Dr. Strange in black and white just leaves me brrrrrr cold. You lose that amazing rich psychedelia that makes Dr. Strange (especially Ditko Strange) so good. And this is coming from someone with a very high tolerance for Essentials/Showcase black & white.

[dan bailey]

Also, personally, Dr. Strange in black and white just leaves me brrrrrr cold. You lose that amazing rich psychedelia that makes Dr. Strange (especially Ditko Strange) so good. And this is coming from someone with a very high tolerance for Essentials/Showcase black & white.

For some reason, this post made me wonder about a subject that's never occurred to me before -- how do *my* comics perceptions differ from those of people with various degrees of color-blindness? After all, comics fans are overwhelmingly male, & apparently the condition is fairly prevalent amongst males (at least as compared to females) ...

Not that I'm color-blind myself. (Hulk has always been gray, right?)

[spoon_jenkins]

I'd buy Avengers volume 4 for classic Roy Thomas/John Buscema Avengers prior to the Kree-Skrull War.
Now, the Thor issue is one I'm toying with myself I suspect I'd plump for volume 3 purely because there is a lot more material I haven't ever read before included. That period of Thor is one I picked up on intermittently at best
Of the Thor material that you have read (material in Essential 1 and 2) which do you prefer?

[Slam_Bradley]

Of the Thor material that you have read (material in Essential 1 and 2) which do you prefer?

Thor 2 is definitely better. There are large portions of Thor 1 that are written by Larry Lieber and the art is hit & miss when Jack isn't doing it. Stan & Jack really start hitting their stride in the second volume.

The real joy of both volumes though is the Tales of Asgard back-up. As good as anything Stan and Jack did. Pure Gold.

[dan bailey]

The real joy of both volumes though is the Tales of Asgard back-up. As good as anything Stan and Jack did. Pure Gold.

Which is the first available board regular's cue to renew the call for a color compilation of all of these. And since I happen to already be here, consider it done.

[Kirk G]

In the spirit of other threads asking for opinions on purchases, I have an Amazon gift credit that I'm planning to use to get some TPBs and figured I'd ask folks about the ones I'm considering.


What do folks think? What's the better Avengers volume: 4 (reprinting 69-97) or 5 (repritning 98-119)? Which Thor volume is the best? Which Dr. Strange volume is better? How about Essential Peter Parker the Spectacular Spider-Man vol. 2?

Thanks for your feedback!

IMHO, the better of the two Essential Avengers Volumes is #4...if only because it contains all the Kree-Skrull War, and ends at a logical point. Volume #5 has uneven ploting and artwork, and so, has never been to my tastes.

Now, when it comes to Thor Essentials, definately go for Volume #2 and #3 if you have the choice. I find Volume 1 again has uneven plotting, some non-sense stories as they attempt to find the voice of the character, and the Kirby artwork and cosmic concepts really hit their stride in #3... but I love #2 because of the continued stories and great Hercules plotline.

Ironically, it is Dr. Strange MARVEL MASTERWORKS Volume 1 that I would recommend, as it has more even artwork (all by Ditko) and the second volume has marginal Bill Everett artwork, I think. Anyway, it's not as good...

And finally, for those who are looking for a complilation of Kirby's Tales of Asgard in color, it does exist. It was sold as a 25 cent giant in about 1970 under the name Tales of Asgard #1. There was never a second volume printed, I dont think, which is a shame. Perhaps Marvel will issue them as a trade paperback? Or issue a joint series of trades sequentially? I would purchase each.

Even the Tales of the Inhumans runs about 50 pages if all five installments were collected into one volume. I'd go for that!

[Slam_Bradley]

Ironically, it is Dr. Strange Essential Volume 1 that I would recommend, as it has more even artwork (all by Ditko) and the second volume has awaful Bill Everett artwork, I think. Anyway, it's not as good...



The Everett run on Dr. Strange is toward the end of Volume 1. V. 2 starts off with Dan Adkins, moves to Gene Colan and then, ulitimately to the Frank Brunner books.

[dan bailey]

Hard for me to think of any aspect of Bill Everett's work as "awful," personally.

[dan bailey]

And finally, for those who are looking for a complilation of Kirby's Tales of Asgard in color, it does exist. It was sold as a 25 cent giant in about 1970 under the name Tales of Asgard #1. There was never a second volume printed, which is a shame.

Actually, there was a 2nd volume ... sort of. The first one, from '68, collected 10 stories. The second Tales of Asgard #1 came out in late '83 & collected 8 more. That still leaves, I dunno, a few dozen awaiting compilation, & it's not as if cheap multiple copies of the '68 volume are exactly lying around in LCSes across the country waiting to be snapped up, I suspect.

[Kirk G]

Hard for me to think of any aspect of Bill Everett's work as "awful," personally.

Yeah, I kinda knew that would get a rise out of you, Dan.
Sorry.
I just have NEVER enjoyed Bill Everett's work. The style was such a radical shift from everything that it followed, that it has always left me cold. When I saw the Dr. Strange issues that followed Ditko's work, I was again reminded of WHY I disliked them so much.. but I had not associated it with his name until then.

Again, sorry... no offense intended. It's just not for me.:rolleyes:

[Kirk G]

Actually, there was a 2nd volume ... sort of. The first one, from '68, collected 10 stories. The second Tales of Asgard #1 came out in late '83 & collected 8 more. That still leaves, I dunno, a few dozen awaiting compilation, & it's not as if cheap multiple copies of the '68 volume are exactly lying around in LCSes across the country waiting to be snapped up, I suspect.

WHAT!
How could I have missed this?:eek:
What was the cover like?
I didn't return to comics until after the Dark Pheonix saga had been completed, and when Miller had Bullseye masaquering innocent people cause they looked like Daredevil. So, that gives you an idea of when.

I think the original 25 center is still available on Ebay at various times. It stops about the time the storyline was getting really good for me. Loki, Thor and the other familar characters.

What storyline is in the second volume, and does anyone have a cover scan?

[Kirk G]

The Everett run on Dr. Strange is toward the end of Volume 1. V. 2 starts off with Dan Adkins, moves to Gene Colan and then, ulitimately to the Frank Brunner books.

I stand corrected.
Sorry, I was thinking of the Marvel Masterworks volumes when I wrote that description of who was in which volume. I don't own the Essential Dr. Strange volumes. I got mine in color.
Thanks for the correction.:o

[benday-dot]

WHAT!
How could I have missed this?:eek:
What was the cover like?
I didn't return to comics until after the Dark Pheonix saga had been completed, and when Miller had Bullseye masaquering innocent people cause they looked like Daredevil. So, that gives you an idea of when.

I think the original 25 center is still available on Ebay at various times. It stops about the time the storyline was getting really good for me. Loki, Thor and the other familar characters.

What storyline is in the second volume, and does anyone have a cover scan?

http://www.comics.org/graphics/covers/2895/400/2895_4_1.jpg

Nice Simsonson cover. Even nicer peak period Lee/Kirby Tales of Asgard stories. Terrible reproduction values. Thankfully, I have the full original run of this justly praised series. 'Cuz there aint no justice in this reprint out of '84.

[Kirk G]

Now that looks familiar.
I think I recall seeing that hit the stands.
Why didn't I look inside? Maybe I did.
What issues are reprinted inside it?
The quest in the long ship? The Ali Baba and the 40 demons storyline? The genie in the city below the ground?
Did it finish up the Thor run in Tales of Asgard completely?

[dan bailey]

Again, sorry... no offense intended. It's just not for me.:rolleyes:

Oh, I know -- & rest assured, no offense taken or insult intended. In my case, for "Bill Everett" you can substitute "Frank Robbins," whose stuff (at least as found in the pages of Marvel in the '70s) all but gives me hives, but who certainly has any number of fans around here & elsewhere, & more power to them (& him!).

[benday-dot]

[QUOTE]What issues are reprinted inside it?

Nos. 129-136 encompassing "The Warlock's Eye" and Fafnir the Dragon stories... Sadly no "Mystic Mountains"... the best in my opinion

Did it finish up the Thor run in Tales of Asgard completely?

Why, no.

[drwho]

I would purchase the essentials which are more likely to go out of print and wont be redone on dvd rom. I'm gonna have all the dvd rom collections of the main series.

Nova
Ghost Rider
Defenders
Monster of Frankenstien
Zombie
Marvel Horror
Savage She-Hulk

[david r]

Don't forget Essential Super-Villain Team-Up.

I just finished it, and it was surprisingly good. It plays like Essential Doctor Doom. I recommend it.

[spoon_jenkins]

Any thoughts on the relative merits of Essential Spider-Man 7 versus Essential Peter Parker 2? Like I noted, I've got some of the stuff from volume 7 through the clone saga TPB. According to Amazon, Essential Spider-Man 8 is coming out in May - so that'll be cool.

[The Comic Book Guy]

I'd pick up some of the Marvel horror titles.
These were incredibly well written books from the 70s with art that really comes alive in the black & white medium. In fact, I think they are the best Essentials produced (so far).
Essential Man-Thing, Tomb of Dracula, Werewolf By Night, Ghost Rider, and Marvel Horror just to name a few are all great additions to an Essentials collection.

[david r]

Any thoughts on the relative merits of Essential Spider-Man 7 versus Essential Peter Parker 2? Like I noted, I've got some of the stuff from volume 7 through the clone saga TPB. According to Amazon, Essential Spider-Man 8 is coming out in May - so that'll be cool.

Amazing Spider-Man was always better than Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man. I would always recommend Essential Spider-Man over Essential Peter Parker.

Essential Peter Parker isn't terrible, just not real essential. There are a whole lot of forgettable issues and silly villains in that series. More than "Amazing".

About the Essential coming in May, I've read that Marvel plans new volumes of both Essential Spider-Man and Essential Marvel Team-Up so they catch up with Essential Peter Parker. The later is way ahead of the other Spidey series, in terms of years

[Kirk G]

Oh, I know -- & rest assured, no offense taken or insult intended. In my case, for "Bill Everett" you can substitute "Frank Robbins," whose stuff (at least as found in the pages of Marvel in the '70s) all but gives me hives, but who certainly has any number of fans around here & elsewhere, & more power to them (& him!).

Well, it took me about a week, but I finally realized who you were talking about with the reference to Frank Robbins. It dawned on me that he was the (loosely used here:) 'artist' who 'drew' the Invaders book in the 1970s that I completely missed/avoided. The very few samples that I saw or stumbled into were completely unpalatable to me, IMHO!

I have to agree with you 100% that Mr. Robbins could definitely be replacing Mr. Everett as one of the top ranking artists on my definitely to be avoided list. (Is that tactful enough?):rolleyes:

I'm serious, Dan.... I can stand HIS artwork even more than my original example!

[dan bailey]

Robbins is definitely an acquired taste ... that I seem incapable of acquiring. Oh, well -- my loss, I'm sure.

Of course, I guess every artist is an acquired taste for somebody. I've seen posts here by obviously discerning fans who can't stand, say, Curt Swan or '60s Kirby, which I find as unfathomable as a Robbins fan would my & your reaction to his stuff.

Heck, I'm sure that out there somewhere is someone who doesn't like Wally Wood.

Well, maybe.

[Shellhead]

Dan,

Tastes vary, but I'm with you on the Frank Robbins artwork. Before I encountered Frank Robbins work in Captain America, Invaders and <choke> Power Man, I was very tolerant of comic artwork. After seeing the flopping dead-eyed marionettes of Frank Robbins, I became more picky about the artwork in the comics that I bought.

[Kirk G]

Is there an essential Invaders volume? (choke)
I actually picked up the Luke Cage/Heroes for Hire essential, if only to get the John Byrne artwork. I haven't screwed up my courage enough to get the Marvel Two In One or Team=up Essential Volume. Is it any good (for the Byrne issues)?

[benday-dot]

Just to weigh in a bit on the Frank Robbins debate...

I can't claim to light about the man's work like a moth to the lamp, the way I'm terribly prejudiced toward the work of Jack Kirby, but I will say if you appreciate the merits of an exemplary cartoonist, a master of kinetic motion and a man who can spot just enough blacks and visual vibrato to well convey the nerves of war or gesture of uttermost intensity then Frank Robbins may will be your man. Sacrificing the virtue of any claim to naturistic depiction or anatomically realistic rendering, sacrifcing the finer brushes in an artists arsenal for the sake of supremely emphasizing the sense of pure action and a certain type of comic books frenetic driven essentialism Robbins soundly demolished the static panel to an extant that King Kirby himself would surely appreciate in all his own virtuosic dynamism. Its all at once the violent kick and the humorous slap. If you at all appreciate old school rock 'em sock 'em action art of the finest Milt Caniff tradition then you just may find yourself digging Frank Robbins. With the rat-a-tat-tat of a machine gun or the manic whirr of a war planes propeller Robbins half crazed characters leap, jitter and tip toe and twist in step.

[spoon_jenkins]

So I went with Avengers vol. 4, Thor vol. 2, Spider-Man vol. 7, and Spider-Man vs. Black Cat TPB. The package arrived in the mail today. Just flipping through the pages, it seems like there's some really great art there (particularly in Avengers and Thor). To me, Sal Buscema is a little like Jekyll and Hyde. I really love some of his stuff and I'm lukewarm about other parts of his work. It looks like his work in Avengers vol. 4 is definitely in the better half.

I love the Essentials format so much. I almost wish I got another one in place of Spider-Man vs. Black Cat.

[david r]

Those Essentials you bought are pure gold! Avengers, Thor, Spider-Man! You have many fun adventures ahead of you!

I agree with you about Sal Buscema. He seemed to change with each title he worked on. I like him as a reminder of 1970s art.

[Shellhead]

Amazing Spider-Man was always better than Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man. I would always recommend Essential Spider-Man over Essential Peter Parker.


In general I would agree with you. But that second volume of Essential Peter Parker might be worth getting instead, because of the excellent Carrion storyline. At least part of thge Carrion issues overlapped with the issues that Frank Miller drew. I think that might have even preceded his famous work on Daredevil. And at least one or two of those Miller issues included a team-up with Daredevil.

[benday-dot]

Again on Sal Buscema... And at risk of being a gratuitously negative post, I will say that S. Buscema has long since fallen off my A list of pencillers. I now find his work altogether uninteresting, except-- and it is because of this exception that I proceed-- when he is supported by a fitting inker. The best of the lot? The one who best helps Buscema's work really shine? Klaus Janson. This is a felicitous combination. I really wish the two teamed up more in the, because Sal Buscema is one of the most ubiquitous pencillers of Marvel in the 70's, and all too often he leaves me disappointed. Another inker who worked well with Buscema was the most always pleasing Erni Chua (Chan)