Newsstand: December 1981

Looking at the comics cover-dated December 1981, the month seems notable more for stuff I didn't buy at the time. I don't think I bought any of these comics when they were initially released, but I either got them as back issues or reprints. So, the list of comics I wish I had bought as new in December, 1981 includes:

All-Star Squadron #4 Once I started reading All-Star Squadron, I was hooked, and collected everything back to the first issue. At this point, however, I probably thought it was just another superhero comic. Or hadn't even noticed it yet.

Amazing Spider-Man Annual #15 Actually, I've never actually read this. And possibly Frank Miller's name wouldn't have meant anything to me when this was published (although it might have, since he was writing and drawing Daredevil by this point). But it just seems to me that if I knew more about comics at that point, I wouldn't have let a Frank Miller-illustrated Spider-Man comic pass me by.

Nexus #1 Nexus would become one of my favorite comics, but it wasn't really on my radar until issue #3 came out with its flexi-disk read-along soundtrack. And it would be quite some time before this first issue was reprinted in an affordable format. So I didn't become a fan of Nexus, Mike Baron, or Steve Rude as early as I might have.

In fact, if I did buy any of these comics when they were released, it probably would have been Condorman #2. Because I was fascinated by the idea of a Disney movie about a superhero, and was super-excited about that movie. (I have it on DVD, but haven't watched it. Will it hold up to my memories? I'm almost afraid to find out.)

Posted with Blogsy

New Mutants Classic

The last few days, I've been reading The New Mutants Classic volume 1, collecting the graphic novel and first seven issues of the X-Men spin-off comic from the early '80s. I've been on a bit of a Chris Claremont kick lately, probably because the current All-New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men comics, as well as the couple-years-old-now Wolverine and the X-Men feel much more influenced by his work than any X-Men series has in quite some time. I was a fan of Claremont's work back in the day, and I had a particular fondness for New Mutants, although I haven't read any of those issues since they originally came out. I'm pleased to say that they completely live up to my memories of them.

In today's comics market, where it appears to be a federal law that fully 1/3 of all Marvel Comics' output must be X-Men-related at any given moment, it's tough to recall that back in the early 1980s, there was only one X-Men comic: Uncanny X-Men. So, in 1982, when the fourth Marvel graphic novel introduced a new team at the Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters, it was a big deal. As a newly-minted X-Men fan, having been brought into the fold through the X-Men/New Teen Titans crossover, I was excited at the possibility of getting in on this story on the ground floor, so I eagerly snapped it up.

Claremont's story effectively introduces the new characters, giving them clear, distinct voices and personalities. As I read it today, I see that he drew quite a bit on X-Men history in using the members of the Hellfire Club as villains. At the time, I had no real idea who any of them were, but I don't recall that feeling like a problem. I understood that the X-Men had been around for a while, and that this stuff referred back to things I hadn't read. But I also must have felt like Claremont gave me enough information to cope.

The art on the graphic novel, by Bob McLeod, also holds up, I think. I now know that this was an early project for him, and that it was a bit of a rush job. I don't see that in the art at all. He does a great job with a story that features a lot of scenes of normal-looking people in normal environments, and that grounds the book in a reality that sets it a bit apart from Uncanny X-Men. Like Claremont, he creates characters who are distinct individuals, with specific looks and body types. The reader can tell who is who without having to rely on costumes or hair colors. It's a good introduction, and sets the tone for what is to follow.

And what follows is particularly interesting for the direction it takes. Instead of simply looking at the success of X-Men and deciding to just do more of that, Marvel, Claremont, and the artists have created something related but distinct. It's a series about students in a school, learning how to use their powers. There's plenty of action, of course, but it's not because the characters seek it out. Instead, trouble finds them, through various avenues, and they end up having to defend themselves.

As a teen, I loved the X-Men and other superhero books because they allowed me to escape the humdrum day-to-day life I was living and imagine that I was sharing their fantastic adventures. But The New Mutants, like the best teen fiction, gave me characters and situations I could identify more closely with. I was the same age as these kids, and I was going to school just like them. It would be cool to be a member of the X-Men or the Avengers or the Justice League or even the New Teen Titans (who, despite the name, were mostly adults). But I could more easily imagine being one of the New Mutants, because they weren't so far from my own experience.

It's probably worth pointing out that the ratio of female to male characters on the team was three to two. This may have had some additional appeal for me.

The art in this volume is good, thanks to the many hands involved. The first story, as I mentioned, is completely drawn by Bob McLeod, who had never drawn a monthly comic before. He pencils the first three regular issues, inked effectively by Mike Gustovich. Then we get an issue of Uncanny X-Men--containing plot developments important to the New Mutants story--drawn by one of my favorite artists, Paul Smith. After that, veteran Marvel artist Sal Buscema takes over layouts and pencils, inked (mostly) by Bob McLeod. So, the styles vary a bit over the course of the book, but the storytelling is solid throughout.

Weirdly, Marvel chose to launch a licensed series based on the motorcycle stunt toys Team America in the pages of the New Mutants, so they show up in the second half of the book. In the context of the story, they are integrated pretty well, but my own knowledge of their origins as a toy line causes me to raise an eyebrow. Still, overall, this book represents an effective introduction to a genuinely interesting spin-off from a hit series, and I'm looking forward to rereading the next several volumes.

Newsstand: November 1981

In addition to the second and third issues of Dragonslayer and Raiders of the Lost Ark, I see that November, 1981 saw the arrival of Jack Kirby's Captain Victory #1, the first comic from brand-new publisher Pacific Comics. I probably didn't buy this the moment it came out, but I'm pretty sure I bought it before issue two was published. So I'm counting it as a comic I bought when it was new.

This would probably have been my first real exposure to Jack Kirby's work, at least with me being aware of his name being connected to it. My recollection is that I found it exciting, but also kind of weird. I felt he drew his heads too square. I also remember thinking that he put quotation marks around words for no apparent reason, and his dialogue overall was kind of silly compared to what I was used to at that point.

Today, when I read some of his other almost-contemporary writing (in the pages of Losers or Kamandi) I can see that, while idiosyncratic, it has a great deal of urgency and energy to it. His art also has a certain bold, in-your-face quality that, while not as nuanced as his work from the 60s, moves across the page like nothing else.

Ultimately, the Jack Kirby from this period onwards is my Jack Kirby. When I think of his work, I appreciate what he did in the pages of Marvel comics in the 60s, and I still adore his work from the 70s. But the first stuff that pops to mind is the stuff that was brand new when I was just becoming a fan. My Jack Kirby is the man who created Captain Victory and Silver Star. My Jack Kirby is the artist of the soon-to-be-reprinted Super Powers comics based on the toys.

While these characters and others have been revived recently, I wish someone would reprint Captain Victory. I don't have those issues any more, and would love to reread them.

In a number of ways, I think finding Captain Victory #1 on the counter of Comics and Comix on Telegraph Avenue may have been the real starting point for my comics collecting days. Not only was it the first issue of a new series, but it was the first issue published by a new publisher. Knowing that gave this issue a certain sense of moment and weight when I bought it. It would have been the first time I bought a comic for reasons other than it featured a familiar character.

So, yeah, this was probably it. This was probably where it all began.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Newsstand: October 1981

If I bought Krypton Chronicles #1 last month, then I probably bought the second issue this month. Even if I didn't, there were at least a couple of other comics I remember buying in October, 1981.

Dragonslayer #1 would be another movie adaptation that I purchased. I remember reading it before the movie, and that I was pretty excited. I had already been excited about the movie, probably based on articles in Starlog Magazine. The idea of a movie featuring a big dragon seemed pretty cool. I haven't seen the movie in years, so I don't know if it holds up at all, but as a kid, I thought it was great.

The New Adventures of Superboy #22 would be the first issue of Superboy I ever read. I know I picked it up because of the promise of a Krypto the Superdog story on the cover. I don't remember much about this issue specifically, but when I think about this series, I fondly remember the innocent charm it had. When Geoff Johns and Francis Manapul created a modern-day Superboy series in Adventure Comics a few years ago, I felt like they captured an updated version of that tone. But their run on the series ran less than a year, and while Jeff Lemire did an okay job of continuing that tone, it wasn't quite the same.

I probably read Raiders of the Lost Ark #2, but I have nothing to add beyond what I wrote last week about issue #1.

And that's about it for this month. Next week: November!

Posted with Blogsy

Newstand: September 1981

After a slow month last month, it looks like I picked up a few more books in September of 1981.

Did I buy and read Krypton Chronicles #1? I suppose I must have, but unlike the World of Krypton miniseries that came out at the time of the first Superman movie, I have no real memory of this. (On the other hand, I do distinctly recall that I did not buy the Steve Gerber/Gene Colan Phantom Zone miniseries that came out around the same time. So maybe I didn't get this after all. Who knows?)

I'm more positive that I purchased Marvel Super Special #19, adapting then-new James Bond movie For Your Eyes Only, with art by Howard Chaykin and Vince Colletta. It's still one of my favorite James Bond movies, and I recall this as being an okay adaptation. But how cool would it be to see a James Bond comic with art by Chaykin on his own?

I also bought the first issue of Raiders of the Lost Ark, as a miniseries rather than the complete adaptation in Marvel Super Special #18. At the time, I thought there was something particularly cool about buying the serialized version of a story inspired by the old serials, complete with a cliffhanger ending. Today, I'm impressed that it was written by Walter Simonson, and drawn by John Buscema and Klaus Janson. Regardless, it's a good adaptation of another favorite movie. (In hindsight, I prefer the Chaykin cover on the Marvel Super Special.)

And I believe that would be about it for this month.

 

Posted with Blogsy

Newsstand: July 1981

After a short delay, we return to the comics I remember purchasing in my youth, this time cover-dated July, 1981:

DC Special Series 25, while not technically a comic book, was still a must-purchase for me when I saw it. A treasury-sized magazine about the making of Superman II, it was an essential companion to my beloved, read-to-pieces Superman the Movie magazine.

While the series went downhill in a hurry (to this day, I don't believe I've seen Superman III or IV in their entirety) the first movie remains one of my all-time favorites. I remember going to see it again and again in the theater with my then-best friend, Barbara Johnston. At the time, going to see Superman the Movie was like a weekly ritual for us. By the time Superman II came out, we had begun drifting apart, and I'm sorry to say I've completely lost touch with her.

Looking back, Superman II is a perfect example of how perceptions change. When it was released, critics proclaimed it as the rare example of a sequel that surpasses the original. Now, fans lament that it doesn't represent the vision of the original director, Richard Donner, who was replaced by Richard Lester partway through shooting.

For myself, I haven't seen the movie in at least 10 years, so I can't say how well it holds up. I remember really enjoying it when it came out, and I still remember how Christopher Reeve really seemed to transform from Clark Kent to Superman in the scene where he reveals his secret identity to Lois Lane. As I type this, I can't decide whether it's time to watch the movie again and re-experience that enjoyment, or stay away, in case the memory cheats.

Also tying in with Superman II came another treasury comic, DC Special Series 26, featuring a tour through Superman's Fortress of Solitude. A part of me has always been fascinated by the locations and props surrounding the heroic characters I've loved, whether it's the Batcave and Batmobile, Sherlock Holmes' deerstalker cap (back when I thought he wore it all the time), or Doctor Who's TARDIS. So a tabloid-sized comic featuring a tour and catalog of Superman's home away from home, in the guise of an adventure, was right up my alley. Now, so many years on, I don't remember too much of the story, but I do remember reading it again and again, and loving it.

The only other comic I can remember actually buying this month is Tales of the Green Lantern Corps 3. I've spoken at length about this miniseries elsewhere, and I can't think of anything to add here. (The whole series is available to order in one book here, among other places.)

Why didn't my enjoyment of this series lead me to start buying Green Lantern on a regular basis? For one thing, I hadn't gotten in the habit of buying comics regularly at this point. (Oh, how times would change.) For another, the story is a perfectly well-told, self-contained story that doesn't immediately force the reader to follow unresolved plot threads into another book. Try imagining that in today's market.

Ironically, had I started reading Green Lantern at this time, I would have picked up the first appearances of the Omega Men. In fact, had I been more seriously into comics at this point, this month, I could have also picked up John Byrne's first issue of Fantastic Four, and the Madame Xanadu one-shot by Steve Englehart and Marshall Rogers. But, you know, everyone discovers comics at their own pace. I was still just on the fringes of my flirtation with the hobby that would be come a full-blown, life-long (so far) love affair.

Infinity Inc.: The Generations Saga Volume 1

Presumably, DC's decision to revive the World's Finest comic book title, starring Earth 2 heroines Huntress and Power Girl--not to mention the creation of a series called Earth 2--is the motivation behind this first volume reprinting Roy & Dann Thomas, Jerry Ordway, and Mike Machlan's super-team series from the 1980s. Whatever the motivation, I'm fine; Infinity Inc, at least at the beginning, was a series I really enjoyed reading.

It was also a series I was really anticipating before it came out, thanks to Roy Thomas' decision to introduce the characters in the pages of All-Star Squadron, his series about DC's earliest superheroes in World War Two. After getting a taste of who the characters were, what they could do, and some hints at who they really were, I couldn't wait to read their full story in the pages of their own comic. It didn't hurt that All-Star Squadron had already made me a fan of Thomas and Ordway, and while I knew I'd miss Ordway on that book, I'd still be seeing his work.

(Sadly, that's not necessarily the case today. He still works in comics, but not nearly enough. And half the time, he's working on a book I have no interest in reading, and I'm past the days of buying a comic for the art alone. Fortunately, his latest work, a revival of DC's Challengers of the Unknown, written with DC publisher and OMAC writer Dan DiDio, is something I'm looking forward to.)

DC's selection of stories for this first volume clearly show how they perceive the intended audience for this book. This book starts with all the All-Star Squadron issues that feature Infinity Inc. However, those are the last three parts of a six (or more) part story, and there's no real introduction putting those stories in context for readers who may have never read the rest of the tale. This says to me that DC expects to sell this book to people who already read All-Star Squadron and Infinity Inc, and remember the original stories. The book seems intended for folks like me who want a nice bound copy of a childhood favorite, rather than a way to introduce new readers to a (perhaps forgotten) classic.

I only vaguely remember the first parts of the story from their original publication. Fortunately, these comics are from a period where stories weren't regularly collected into books. Thomas does a good job of bringing the reader up to speed within the context of the story, without being too obvious about it. I certainly didn't feel as if I were getting a complete story, but I didn't feel completely alienated by coming into the middle of one, either. (To be fair, I did read these stories on their original publication, but I haven't read them since. So it's not like I was being dropped into it cold.)

Jerry Ordway's art, ably inked by Mike Machlan, completely holds up. He has a clear, classic style that, while not as flashy as a George Perez or Jim Lee, works perfectly for these stories. In these All-Star Squadron chapters, he captures the feel of an earlier era, both in the designs of the characters and their technology. It doesn't feel like a pastiche of comics from that era, but it does feel more obviously influenced by classic illustration and storytelling than the aforementioned Perez or Lee.

Once the book gets into Infinity Inc. proper, the new kids take center stage, as expected. If memory serves, this series was the first extended, in-continuity examination of a second generation of superheroes, and that's the focus of the first four issues (all that's reprinted in this volume). However, Roy Thomas (assisted by co-plotter and wife Dann) maintains a balance of characterization and action.

Over the course of the first two issues, we meet the seven new characters that form the core of the new team, and are reintroduced to the present-day Justice Society of America. Interestingly, I don't believe the phrase "Earth-2" is mentioned anywhere in the first issue; presumably, All-Star Squadron and the annual JLA/JSA team-ups had raised the profile of the JSA and Earth-2 in the minds of readers enough that DC/Roy Thomas didn't feel it was necessary. Of course, this taking-for-granted that the readers understood the DC Multiverse may be what led to the perceived need for simplification which resulted in the Crisis on Infinite Earths series. (Also of course, I may have missed a reference to Earth-2 in that first issue, and be full of beans.)

We learn the backstories of all the Infinitors-to-be, to a greater or lesser degree. While some, like Lyta Trevor, had appeared previously, the readers is given all the information they need right away. Which isn't to say that there isn't stuff left open for future exploration, particularly the mystery of Jade and Obsidian's mother. They're also joined by existing characters Huntress and Power Girl (themselves second-generation heroes) and the Star-Spangled Kid (a first-generation hero, but due to time-traveling shenanigans, still a young man among a group of heroes in their 50s and 60s).

The first meeting of the JSA and their kids in costume features the unfortunate cliche of heroes fighting each other due to a misunderstanding. This, coupled with Hawkman's very negative reaction to his son's plans, makes the initial characterization feel a bit broad. However, as I said, this is the first time (I believe) that the generational dynamic was really played out on the comic book page. Huntress and Robin didn't have to deal with Batman's feelings on the subject, because on Earth-2, he was already dead. Power Girl wasn't Superman's daughter, so the relationship was different. And otherwise, the generational thing had only been dealt with in imaginary stories.

In 2012, older heroes being replaced by younger characters is almost a staple of comics, for better or for worse. In 1984, Roy Thomas was exploring new territory, and I think he handled it well. It makes sense that a parent in a dangerous profession wouldn't want their children to follow in their footsteps. It makes as much sense that the children would be drawn in by the glamour of superheroics, as well as seeing it as just a normal part of life.

In addition to the family drama, Thomas gives us plenty of superheroic action. They fight the JSA (sigh), they fight a bunch of bigots in a fast food restaurant, and they fight Golden Age staple Solomon Grundy in an abandoned movie studio. The mix of larger-than-life superheroic action and more down-to-earth stuff feels reminiscent of The New Teen Titans and other young supergroup comics of the time.

The art, by Ordway and Machlan, continues to build on the quality they demonstrated in All-Star Squadron. In particular, they actually draw the JSA members as if they were in their 50s and 60s. Previously, their age was almost always indicated by some graying at the temples. Ordway and Machlan give their faces the lines and slightly sunken look that comes with age.

They also do a great job designing Infinity Inc, although some designs (Jade, Obsidian, Fury) have aged better than others (Nuklon's mohawk). I've read that Ordway did the pages at a larger size than he was used to, and worked harder at the characters' "acting," working with their facial expressions and body language. He does give each character a distinct look and feel, aided by Machlan's faithful inking. The two make a great team.

Interestingly, the original plan was for Machlan to pencil and Ordway to ink this book. Since Ordway has such a distinctive inking style, he still would have exerted a heavy influence on the look of the book, but it would be interesting to see how things would have turned out in a parallel world, where they didn't decide to switch roles. (It's been a long time since I've looked at anything penciled by Machlan, so it's hard for me to picture it.)

It's tough for me to identify Ordway and Machlan's influences, but they seem to be more classical illustrators along the lines of Alex Raymond and Hal Foster, along with guys like Al Williamson and Wally Wood. It's a style that I particularly like, and not one that seems all that evident in today's comics. So whenever Ordway does something new, it always gets my attention. (Even if I don't always buy it.)

For longtime fans of Infinity Inc, this book is a great opportunity to revisit the characters and stories. They completely lived up to my fond memories. For readers who aren't as familiar with the tropes and styles of early 80s comics, the writing isn't going to feel like a contemporary style. (Neither do Shakespeare, Dickens, or Jane Austen; doesn't make them any less classic). If I'm honest, the book is a bit pricy, and collectors can probably find the original issues much cheaper. It's a niche publication, and I'm just happy to have it on my bookshelf, so it was worth the money to me. Looking forward to volume 2!

Comics Newsstand: December 1980

So I recently discovered a cool web site, Mike's Amazing World of Comics. It started as a database of all the DC Comics ever published, but once the creator completed that (he claims, and I'm certainly not going to check his work) he began adding other publishers.

One particularly cool feature is the "newsstand" feature, which allows users to sort the database by date of publication. Essentially, this shows all the comics which were on sale in any particular month. In my spare time, I started fiddling around with this, tracking back to when I remember first seriously collecting comics, and then going through month by month. The memories this has sparked have been interesting, reminding me of where I was at particular points in my life, watching my buying list grow and shrink and grow again as my tastes changed.

I thought it would be fun to write down those thoughts, so I'm going to try to cover a month's worth of comics each Wednesday (since Wednesday is new comics release day).

The first month I was able to find that I know I went into a comics store to buy a comic was December 1980. Before that, I had loved reading comics, but they weren't a regular habit. Whenever I went shopping with my parents, I would look at the comics in the grocery store or drug store or liquor store. I remember begging my parents to let me come along to Jay Vee Liquor in El Cerrito, not because they bought much liquor, but because that store had a bigger comics rack than any I had ever seen.

As a kid, my tastes ran to humor comics: Richie Rich and Casper and friends from Harvey Comics, Archie and his friends from Archie Comics, and a ton of Disney and other licensed cartoon comics from Gold Key. Also probably Super-Friends, which, along with the Adam West Batman TV series, was my introduction to the world of superheroes. At that age, though, actual superhero comics were too grown-up for me. I remember the first real Batman comic I ever read was Detective Comics 468, which I learned decades later, was Marshall Rogers' first time drawing a full-length Batman story. At the time, it was too adult and scary for me, though.

I also remember standing in line with my mother at the check-cashing window at Safeway one day, probably holding whatever comics I had chosen. An older kid offered me some comics he had already read and wanted to give away. I think one was a Conan comic, and another featured the Thing, from the Fantastic Four. One featured scantily-clad men and women with swords on the cover, the other featured monsters. Either way, they were too scary for me. I probably also checked out Marvel's Star Wars comics when I could find them, but, again, never made a concerted effort to try to get them with any regularity.

That changed, however, when one day in late 1980, I saw Marvel Premiere 57 displayed in the window of Comics & Comix on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, California. We had recently returned from a year-long stay in New Zealand, where I had become a rabid Doctor Who fan. So this sighting of an American comic featuring Doctor Who was a must-have.

It was my first exposure to the Doctor Who comic strip, even though it was just a reprint of stuff from the British Doctor Who Weekly magazine. It was also my first exposure to Dave Gibbons' art. More importantly, it was the first comic to motivate me to return to the comic book store looking for the next issue.

I had no idea how frequently it came out, so I regularly phoned the store asking if it had come out yet. When it finally did, I can't remember if I had my mom drive me to the store, or asked my dad to pick it up after work (he worked nearby, at the university). Either way, I remember them being very supportive, helping me to get all four issues of Marvel Premiere featuring the Doctor. If only they knew what they were encouraging.

Looking through the rest of that month's releases, it doesn't look like I bought anything else at the time. I did end up buying some of that month's releases as back issues, like New Teen Titans 2. But that's a story I'll save for the month I discovered New Teen Titans, a little over a year later. Because even though I only bought the one comic back in December 1980, it was the start of a way of life for me.