What Classic Comic Have You Read Lately? Pt. 2

[Francis Dawson]

^ To Fesch: Beautiful images - deep thanks.

[Francis Dawson]

Edward Gorey The Willowdale Handcar (1962, 2004)

Another work that it pushes the envelope a bit to define as 'comics'. Gorey's Amphigorey was in TCJ's (in)famous Top 100 comic list and a biography of Gorey was published by Fanta so I think he squeezes in (I'm pretty permissive - I think Norman Rockwell is comics too but that's for another day). This particular volume is a small, square, squat reprinting of one of the stories that was collected in Amphigorey. Its format is a large illustration above a line or two of odd but poker-faced text (beautifully mannered hand-lettering). Gorey's pictures intimate the influence of earlier illustrators like Tenniel and Rackham. Those who are aware of Gorey's work will be aware that it is pointless to summarise the plot since Gorey works in a mode that I can only describe as gothic Dada.

[Fesch_]

^ To Fesch: Beautiful images - deep thanks.

You're welcome. If you want to check the work of Vives, one of his best comics (a masterpiece, I dare say) has been published in English, here you can see a 19-page preview:

http://www.rbooks.co.uk/product.aspx?id=0224090968

[pmpknface]

Oh, I didn't mean you specifically. Just, I've been reading a lot of references to Inferno lately and that's the impression I have. I might just be trying to rationalize something that I find unfathomable, however. When they recently did an Inferno storyline (I forget which titles it was in) at Marvel, I literally couldn't believe it. I thought it had to be some kind of joke. But apparently there are people who really like this story, so maybe I'm the crazy one.

I think you may be referring to X-Infernus that came out recently, which was a 4-issue mini centered around Pixie, Magik, and a few other mutants. Magik is a fan favorite, so anything with her gets fans interested. She was highly tied into the Inferno storyline back then and while this didn't really "pick up where that story left off" if did continue Magik's story and took place in Limbo.

I started reading X-Men with #195 and my last issue was #354. And now that I look back on it, I can't fathom how or why I kept reading all those years, because I don't remember actually enjoying much of it or thinking any of it was good. I still have a fond, nostalgic place for #195-213, but basically the next 100 issues of the series are a vast wasteland as far as I am concerned now. I actually liked some of the Scott Lobdell issues around #305-315 or so, though I don't recall much about what actually happened in those issues. But everything else was just eight shades of bad. Buying X-Men past Mutant Massacre is the first thing about my life I am going to fix once I get my time machine working.

Around 315 was the Phalyanx (sp?) saga which was a 6-part crossover and that was well received. AoA started up not too long after it. Joe Mad started around that time and his art was the main draw to the title for many.

[dr chimp]

on dan bailey's recommendation in another thread - tim trueman's hawkworld miniseries and it was utterly brilliant. if you like images of men coming off drugs while imprisoned on windswept islands for 10 years, or if you like stories about fascist societies existing 100s of feet above ground then you can't go wrong.

[Chicago Expat]

on dan bailey's recommendation in another thread - tim trueman's hawkworld miniseries and it was utterly brilliant. if you like images of men coming off drugs while imprisoned on windswept islands for 10 years, or if you like stories about fascist societies existing 100s of feet above ground then you can't go wrong.

Hey, thanks for that (and thanks, apparently, to Dan Bailey, too). That looks kinda interesting. I'll have to dig that up.

Cheers.

[dan bailey]

Hey, thanks for that (and thanks, apparently, to Dan Bailey, too). That looks kinda interesting. I'll have to dig that up.

To give credit where it's due, there's every good chance I was echoing Paulie's comments about the series' excellence, as he & I happen to be of like minds on that subject.

[inferno]

I guess i should weigh in here...

I chose the screename "inferno" b/c the first Marvel/DC book I picked up was an issue of this crossover. Then I started working backwards (my cousin started working forwards from #94). Though it isn't the best story, it is worth reading; as is the entire Claremont X-run (X-Men Vol. 1 94-141, Uncanny 142-273, X-Men Vol.2 1-3, X-Men Forever, misc other minis etc. (numbers approximate)). X-Factor Vol. 1 through the handful of Peter David issues after the reboot and the original Claremont and Davis runs on Exclaibur is worth getting too.

I stopped buying comics after Claremont was forced out; about five years later I started dipping my toes back in reading Vertigo stuff, mostly Gaiman and Morrison....

So yes, read those stories, but read everything leading up to them too!

Claremont picked up some of the inferno-type plot threads about Mr Sinister and the Summerses in X-Men Forever, but unfortunately it was canceled before he could flesh them out some more....

[Francis Dawson]

You're welcome. If you want to check the work of Vives, one of his best comics (a masterpiece, I dare say) has been published in English, here you can see a 19-page preview:

http://www.rbooks.co.uk/product.aspx?id=0224090968

Thanks. I have Dans Mes Yeux on my Amazon wish-list and will now add this also. I adore the colour palate he uses in the preview pages. The way he renders figures here reminds me a little of Dave McKean (particularly his latest, Celluloid), as does the restless formal experimentation. The only thing I didn't like was the clunky computer lettering.

[Fesch_]

Thanks. I have Dans Mes Yeux on my Amazon wish-list

Excellent comic too, good choice.

The only thing I didn't like was the clunky computer lettering.

Comic sans. Obviously not the author's choice, but fortunately there's very little dialogue in the comic, it is mostly visual.

[CromagnonMan]

i read Planet of the Apes (Marvel B&W Mag) # 1-29, well the "Terror on the Planet of the Apes" parts anyway.

I was dismayed to discover the saga is never finished, but it is generally a very good Bronze-era story, with some nice art (especially the Mike Ploog art in the earliar issues) and an LSD-tinged road trip aspect to it, especially in the mid to later issues.

I can remember somebody or other wondering if Dark Horse would reprint these in a similar fashion to the way theyre doing with Savage Sword of Conan, but i doubt that as there is not really a satisfying story arc to it with a "beginning, middle, end" which would satisfy the Trade-readers, so i doubt this will get reprinted , unfortunately for some, as the issues can be quite tricky to find.

[Paulie]

Hawkworld, Hawkworld, Hawkworld... the regular series is great too, sad it is just 32 lonely issues and 3 annuals.

I was not in Saturday night shape last night so I stayed in and worked my way through some recent purchases:

Shadow Strikes Annual 1 - Wow Dan Spiegel. Never seen his stuff before. Nice mystery story taking place in LA. Having lived in LA for 19 months... the city was captured expertly. Recommended. I'll have to get the Evanier-Spiegel Blackhawks.

Shadow Strikes 8 - First of a three part story. Nice Ed Barretto art. I don't have the next issue in my collection and I was ready to continue reading the story. I guess that makes this a postive review.

Blackhawk: Blood and Iron - Not a huge Chaykin fan... I found this to be a busy little story. I hope parts 2 and 3 are a better.

Doc Savage 1-3 - This is the late 80s series by Denny O'neil. The star is the underrated R. Whigham also of GI Joe. His pencils look great on the deluxe format DC had at the time. The story is a little confusing, a little too jumpy. But I was engaged, if not delighted.

Arak 1 - My copy from Lone Star was supposed to be NM but was actually like a F- so I was admittedly distracted... and also distracted by Tony DeZungia's inks. I've read there are good issues here and there as in this series as far as sword and sorcery goes... this was not one of those issues.

[dan bailey]

Arak 1 - My copy from Lone Star was supposed to be NM but was actually like a F- so I was admittedly distracted...

Geez. I'm not a condition guy, as is well known, but even so, that's quite the discrepancy. Given the tiny amount of money involved (I see they're listing a NM #1 for $1.10 right now & a VG for 80 cents), I don't suppose it's worth pursuing or anything, but if much more than that at stake, I'd be tempted to do so.

No one's perfect, of course, but that's the sort of thing I'd expect from a very inexperienced &/or careless eBay seller.

[Paulie]

Geez. I'm not a condition guy, as is well known, but even so, that's quite the discrepancy. Given the tiny amount of money involved (I see they're listing a NM #1 for $1.10 right now & a VG for 80 cents), I don't suppose it's worth pursuing or anything, but if much more than that at stake, I'd be tempted to do so.

No one's perfect, of course, but that's the sort of thing I'd expect from a very inexperienced &/or careless eBay seller.

I've had excellent luck with them so I'm not going to sweat the dollar. I'd say 90% of about 10 orders now have been in the condition advertised.

[pmpknface]

Just got back from vaca, and read Tezuka's Swallowing the Earth when I was away. Great book! Lots of drinking, sex, LSD, betrayal, and all kinds of fun and freaky stuff. Just when you think you know what's up Tezuka changes gears. There is a slightly racist part of it, but times were different 50+ years ago, so you just kind of have to laugh and run with it. Loved this book!