The Second Day of Classic Comics Christmas 2012

[Cei-U!]

It's not exactly a state secret that I love Golden Age super-hero comics and probably comes as no surprise to many of you that a title featuring Golden Age reprints made my list. I seriously considered the two '70s DC series, Secret Origins and Wanted: The World's Most Dangerous Villains, that met the survey's criteria but finally realized it had to be

#11. Fantasy Masterpieces #1-11



As a kid in the Sixties, I had no real sense that the Marvel characters I loved had a history stretching back to my own parents' childhoods until the day my big brother brought home copies of Fantasy Masterpieces #5 and 6, giving me my first exposure to the original Simon & Kirby Captain America. I wasn't a huge Cap fan up to that point but the energy and intensity of Joe and Jack's work completely blew me away. I became obsessive about tracking down the other issues. It was a tad disappointing to find the first two "merely" reprinted assorted pre-hero Marvel monster tales--though #2 introduced me to the awesomeness that is Fin Fang Foom--but I was more than compensated by later issues introducing me to Carl Burgos' Human Torch, Bill Everett's Sub-Mariner and Joe Maneely's Black Knight. One issue even reprinted the first appearance of the All-Winners Squad, a short-lived and awkwardly-named clone of their Distinguished Competitor's Justice Society. It was awful, a ludicrous story with crude, ugly art... and I loved it!

Later, of course, I would discover the delights of DC's Golden Age comics (not to mention Fawcett's and Quality's) and begin a journey that would eventually lead to my writing professionally about them. But it all began with Joe, Jack, Cap and Fantasy Masterpieces.

Cei-U!
I summon the lifechanger!

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

12. 'MAZING MAN nos. 1 (January 1986) - 12 (December 1986), published by DC (New York, NY, USA).
11. MYSTERIES [WEIRD AND STRANGE] nos. 1 (May 1953) - 11 (January 1955), published by Superior Comics (Toronto, ON, Canada).
10. E-MAN nos. 1 (October 1973) - 10 (September 1975), published by Charlton (Derby, CT, USA).
9. WANTED, THE WORLD'S MOST DANGEROUS VILLAINS nos. 1 (July-August 1972) - 9 (August-September 1973), published by DC (New York, NY, USA).
8. ORB MAGAZINE nos. 1 (1974) - 6 (March-April 1976), published by Orb Productions (Toronto, ON, Canada).
7. ZORRO nos. 1 (January 1966) - 9 (March 1968), published by Gold Key (Poughkeepsie, NY, USA).
6. STAR HUNTERS nos. 1 (October-November 1977) - 7 (October-November 1978), published by DC (New York, NY, USA).
5. THE INFERIOR FIVE nos. 1 (March-April 1967) - 10 (September-October 1968), published by DC (New York, NY, USA).
4. SUPERHEROES nos. 1 (January 1967) - 4 (June 1967), published by Dell (New York, NY, USA).
3. CANTEEN KATE nos. 1 (June 1952) - 3 (November 1952), published by St. John (New York, NY, USA).
2. SUPERMAN & BATMAN MAGAZINE nos. 1 (Summer 1993) - 8 (Spring 1995), published by Welsh Publishing (New York, NY, USA).
1. RIMA, THE JUNGLE GIRL nos. 1 (April-May 1974) - 7 (April-May 1975), published by DC (New York, NY, USA).

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

[edited for space]

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

I never even heard of Marvel's FANTASY MASTERPIECES. But I really love discovering Golden Age comics, so I can see why this would have been a pleasure to read.

[METAROG]

11. Doomsday +1 1-12 1975

Early Byrne goodness in a post apocalyptic setting! It has elements from Planet of the Apes, War of the Worlds, Terminator (although that came way after this) and probably a few others. Really a shame that this series only lasted 6 issues plus a few stories in Charlton Bullseye (7-12 are reprints). I can’t seem to find a few of the issues but I remember really enjoying this series at the time.

This would probably rate higher on my list but I can’t find all the issues to refresh my lackluster memory. Just a fun little Sci-Fi series that should be better regarded IMHO. The art is what really drew me to this series along with the parallels to other SF series that I mentioned above. As you will be able to glean from my lists-almost all my selections have a Sci-Fi angle of one sort or another.

[MRP]

On the second day of Christmas I present this to thee by Crom...

Marvel Feature Vol. 2 #1-7 (Nov 1975-1976)

Red Sonja’s first solo series features gorgeous art from the likes of Estaban Maroto, Dick Giordano and Frank Thorne. Roy Thomas launches the series with a short tale and a reprint in color of the pseudo-origin of Sonja, then turns the writing reins over to Bruce Jones who pens a few pretty standard sword and sorcery tales that are brilliantly brought to life by Frank Thorne’s art. Thomas returns to take the reins and pens a cross-over tale with Conan and Belit, and introduces the priest Karanthes (who featured prominently in the classic REH story the God in the Bowl even though he never actually appeared in the story). The series sets the stage for Sonja’s solo series and epitomizes the sword and sorcery genre of the seventies, and is just a sheer visual feast for the eyes.

Cover to #7



As a huge fan of the sword and sorcery genre in general, and 70's sword and sorcery comics in particular, this was one of a handful of series that made the initial list, but we may see one or more others pop up on my list later on.
-M

[MRP]

11. Doomsday +1 1-12 1975

Early Byrne goodness in a post apocalyptic setting! It has elements from Planet of the Apes, War of the Worlds, Terminator (although that came way after this) and probably a few others. Really a shame that this series only lasted 6 issues plus a few stories in Charlton Bullseye (7-12 are reprints). I can’t seem to find a few of the issues but I remember really enjoying this series at the time.

This would probably rate higher on my list but I can’t find all the issues to refresh my lackluster memory. Just a fun little Sci-Fi series that should be better regarded IMHO. The art is what really drew me to this series along with the parallels to other SF series that I mentioned above. As you will be able to glean from my lists-almost all my selections have a Sci-Fi angle of one sort or another.

I randomly got one issue of this off the stands as a kid, but when I started collecting seriously in high school I remember getting the reprint series Doomsday Squad put out by Fantagraphics that was also my first exposure to the works of Daniel Clowes, Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo and other small press and indy creators who I had never given a second glance to previously. So in some ways this book was my gateway into the world of the non-Big 2 publishers.

-M

[DubipR]

On the second day of Christmas I present this to thee by Crom...

Marvel Feature Vol. 2 #1-7 (Nov 1975-1976)

Red Sonja’s first solo series features gorgeous art from the likes of Estaban Maroto, Dick Giordano and Frank Thorne. Roy Thomas launches the series with a short tale and a reprint in color of the pseudo-origin of Sonja, then turns the writing reins over to Bruce Jones who pens a few pretty standard sword and sorcery tales that are brilliantly brought to life by Frank Thorne’s art. Thomas returns to take the reins and pens a cross-over tale with Conan and Belit, and introduces the priest Karanthes (who featured prominently in the classic REH story the God in the Bowl even though he never actually appeared in the story). The series sets the stage for Sonja’s solo series and epitomizes the sword and sorcery genre of the seventies, and is just a sheer visual feast for the eyes.

As a huge fan of the sword and sorcery genre in general, and 70's sword and sorcery comics in particular, this was one of a handful of series that made the initial list, but we may see one or more others pop up on my list later on.
-M

This was dropped at the last minute on my list. I love this series....nice to see it on here MRP!

[Polar Bear]

#11. Cages, by Dave McKean







An ever-surprising series on creation and creativity by the much-lamented Tundra, my second-favorite dead publisher. Dave McKean has mastered the "beat" of comics, the between-the-panels action, the transition from panel to panel. Not everyone will appreciate his linework, and the lettering is a bit of a barrier, but the series comprises one of the most authentically thought-provoking tales--or, perhaps, collections of tales--I've ever read. A musician, a painter, and a writer interact, philosophize, and tell stories, with occasional multiple embeddings, bringing into question the nature of reality itself. Less self-indulgent than DeMatteis' Moonshadow, more readable than Talbot's Alice in Sunderland, grounded in reality like Clowes' Ghost World, yet open to fantasy like Campbell's Deadface, Cages is truly McKean's crowning achievement.

And this 496-page story is under $20 right now. Hard to beat that.

[dan bailey]

The Red Sonja Marvel Feature was an automatic inclusion for me as well ... until I decided fairly late in the game that its seamless segue into the self-titled solo series disqualified it under my own self-imposed guidelines. Definitely one of the best from the mid-'70s.

[dan bailey]

Doomsday + 1 occurred to me as well. Can't recall, offhand, if it marked my introduction to Byrne's art (other than in a backup series in a comic that will definitely be showing up later for me), but it definitely helped make me a fan.

[dan bailey]

I never even heard of Marvel's FANTASY MASTERPIECES.

It became Marvel Superheroes with #12, FWIW.

I've noted before (after having vague memory reinforced by some of the worthies here after I sought their assistance) that ish #3, part of which I read at my hometown's Piggly Wiggly (now closed, I found out Sunday during my trip, leaving the burg with only a couple of small discount stores as sources for groceries ... but I digress) toward the end of first grade, marked my into to the Atlas era giant monsters thanks to its inclusion of "Beware of ... Bruttu."

[Cei-U!]

It became Marvel Superheroes with #12, FWIW.

Marvel Super-Heroes, actually.

Cei-U!
I summon the pesky little hyphen!

[An Ear In The Fireplace]

Marvel Super-Heroes, actually.

Cei-U!
I summon the pesky little hyphen!

Good to know about the pesky hyphen. It helps when trying to search for these things on sites like the GCD.

[Aaron King]

11. E-Man 1-10 (October 1973-September 1975)

I think I've picked this for a different CCC, and I think other people will pick it. I don't know if I have much to say about the series that other people won't say better, so I'll simply stick with this: the characters were as energetic as the art, which is hard to do with Joe Staton on pencils, and everyone in the narrative was surprisingly human for a superhero comic in the '70s. Villains might realize their mistakes. Random guest stars might get their own features. It was refreshingly full of change.