Print

[narfstar]

This group has somewhat of a consensus on some of the overlooked gems we have found in the past. Those who are not big names in the comic world but deserving of some special recognition. Paul Guttaso and Black Dwarf, Munson Paddock and Firetop and others. When thinking about a favorite page for sergeial's topic Pigmy Peril from Cat-Man31 came to mind. In re-reading I found I enjoyed the eccentric humor and I liked the art. So I looked up Fred Morgan and found that he did the Worldbeater and Unghh strip. I had seen the strip but not paid it much attention. Well it is pretty cool. I did not find the art as good as in Pigmy Peril but I am more a writer than artist fan anyway. So I give you two that I consider as overlooked gems
Fred Morgan writer/artist
and the feature Worldbeater and Unghh

[narfstar]

I have coverless set up for emails from ebay. A Journey Into Mystery Annual 1 is up and it made me think about how much I loved these annuals. They were much more epic events than these lame mega crossovers. JIM Annual introduced Hercules and the battle between Thor and Herc. Hulk Special had one of my favorite covers by Jim Sterenko and a bunch of Inhumans to fight. Avengers Annuals One and Two both featured a double helping of Avengers. Daredevil Annual 1 had 39 pages of slam-bang action against Electro's Emissaries of Evil and Two pitted him against the Animen. Spider-Man Annual 1 gave a Sinister Six battle and 3 the Avengers and 4 a fight with the Human Torch then we have the first five Fantastic Four Annuals enuff said. This was just plain great stuff from the SA.

[unclerobin@att.net]

Them DC Annuals weren't too shabby, either. The first one I bought was the Superman Silver Anniversary Annual, I'll never forget that great Curt Swan cover - John Byrne did a nice tribute on the cover of Action Comics #600, the GOLDEN Anniversary issue.

[paw broon]

Yes, I loved those DC annuals and the Giants.  The first one I remember buying was the Challengers collection and I still have it and it's still a great read.

[unclerobin@att.net]

Wow, paw, I don't remember seeing a CHALLENGERS Annual (or collection, as you put it) here in the States, where was THAT published?

[narfstar]

I can not think of a Challenger's one either. The DC Annuals were fun but they were shorter story reprints. The early Marvel Annuals were longer great stories

[unclerobin@att.net]

Here's one that I consider to be an overlooked gem - Mark Millar's run on Swamp Thing in the late '90s. I bought the WHOLE THING and then I MISSED the last issue due to a low print run and there's not a copy to be had ANYWHERE! They were just finishing up a long story thread, and I STILL don't know how that story finished up, except to notice that the next time I saw him, the changes that the series made to his character were undone. For a flavor of the run, check out my review of one of the storylines in Captain Comics' Forum section, on pg. 15 of Travis Herrick's "A Comic A Day" posting from Aug. 5, 2009. It's one of my longer reviews and I busted my ass on it, so I hope some of you check it out. If it's to your liking, you'll find more reviews by me right here at Comic Books Plus, in The Random 12 Project and under some key Golden Age (and soon some Silver Age, when I get around to it) books, too. Okay, that's enough shameless self promotion for one day - but if you get a chance, READ THOSE SWAMP THING ISSUES! You'll love 'em!

[SuperScrounge]

I believe Paw is talking of Super DC Giant #S-25 http://www.comics.org/issue/75451/

I got a coverless copy of this as a kid and still have it.

[paw broon]

Once again, SuperScrounge, you're bang on. 
unclerobin, I have a problem with Mr. Millar's work in as much as I find it, derivative, shallow, sensationalised nonsense.  As an example, look at the difference in quality from the Ellis written Authority to the Millar issues.  I think I might get jumped on for this but Mark's stuff is poor.  Swamp Thing was a great comic when it started and those early issues were, imo, very good indeed, story and art.  The idea was derivitive to an extent given the muck monsters from previous years but the way ST was treated seemed new and exciting.
The same thing happened with the revival of Marvelman.  The early episodes in Warrior with Moran remembering the magic word and the incredible Kid Marvelman arc were about as good as comics got then.  Later, the story degenerated into quasi porn - most objectionable indeed.  Again, I think I'm leaving myself open to criticism but I have no wish to re-visit those later issues.  Sorry, I should have said Miracleman.  Habit, I suppose.
All this from me is getting off-topic so I'll do a little research of some other forgotten gems.  Sorry to bring a pall down on the discussion.

[narfstar]

Very simply "taste is subjective." One of the neat things about the GCD group is their lack of criticism for the books we index. They will argue to death over whether to capitalize all the words in a title or just the main words, but never denigrate another's reading habits. I have not read a Swamp Thing in over 20 years so I have no clue. I like Millar's Secret Service series but other than that not been reading much of his stuff.

[unclerobin@att.net]

paw, I've never read the Authority, by either Ennis or Millar, so I can't say too much about that. I'm sorry that Millar is not to your liking, but to each his own, I guess. I do like what I've seen of Ennis, Preacher was good (although I read a review of the Saint Of Killers miniseries in the Slings And Arrows book of reviews and saw IT called derivative - I liked it fine, I'm just saying we've all got a different take on things), and his version of Punisher was also very good, as was Hitman. You're not the only person who's been highly turned off by Millar that I know of, but, hey, it is what it is, maybe my next pick for this topic will be more up your alley -

[paw broon]

Getting mixed up is my trick.   Warren Ellis did Authority and I believe you're thinking of Garth Ennis. Anyway, as narfstar says, it's all personal likes and dislikes.
As a fan of masked heroes, here's a forgotten gem, imo:-
https://comicbookplus.com/?dlid=27539
The Falcon appeared in Radio Fun and the example here is from a Radio Fun Annual.  Originally he was just a guy in ordinary clothes, then he was given the Glider suit and I think he looks great.  With any luck we'll find more issues.

[narfstar]

I agree, I would love to get some more issues of Falcon

[unclerobin@att.net]

paw, you are correct, I said Ennis when I should have said Ellis. I'll stand by my comments about Ennis and add that I really liked Ellis' PLANETARY.

[Yoc]

I've enjoyed most of the books I've read by Garth Ennis.
Planetary, The Boys, Preacher.  But I strongly caution these are NOT for kids or those offended by sex, violence, etc.
---
And I'm sure I've said elsewhere that Fables and Mouse Guard are two very nicely done series.

-Yoc

[unclerobin@att.net]

I don't know if this really qualifies as a "forgotten gem", I've seen a few articles about it before, but I HAVE to mention CAPTAIN ACTION. The first issue was written by Jim Shooter and had art by Wally Wood, while Gil Kane did the art AND the writing the rest of the brief run's way through - and he did an EXCELLENT job, I may add!

[narfstar]

Much too short a run. The SA was such a great time for comics

[bluskies]

Superman Annual #7, the Silver Anniversary issue, was also one of my favorites, and if I got down to keeping just one comic, that would be the issue.  (Superman #149 would probably be one other if I could only have two.)

That whole 1963 summer was special to me, because that is when I first discovered comics.  That was the time when the JLA and JSA joined up for the first time in Crisis On Earth-One.  A few months laters, in early 1964, Captain America would be revived.

[unclerobin@att.net]

bluskies, I actually was already looking at (going back to when I couldn't read yet and just looked at the pictures) my older brother's comics and had some bought FOR me when I was sick a few times, but I started buying my OWN comics in 1963. The Beatles were a few months later, what a GREAT TIME to be a kid -

[profh0011]

A cleaner copy of the CHALLENGERS cover (cleaned up by me)...
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5hsUxU3sZkE/T-m84WbBkhI/AAAAAAAAC5o/kvCw8Lq0TnA/s1600/SDCG+25_cc_Richard+L_HK.jpg

This came out right in between the 2 halves of the "Don Rickles" story.

"Be yourself, lad! Say something FILTHY!"
"Money. Lots of it."

[profh0011]

They will argue to death over whether to capitalize all the words in a title or just the main words, but never denigrate another's reading habits.

HAH!!!!  I remember.

Capital letters in story titles was just ONE of the countless things a couple of those guys nit-picked me to death about.  Endless, countless indexes, SO MANY of them SO BADLY done, SO BADLY written, but they kept getting on MY case. I just had to say "Screw it!" after awhile.  Which was good, for me... that was when Nick Simon finally found the passwords for HIS site, which he'd misplaced, and turned over upgrading his site to me.

It still burns me the whole site went down last year and I don't have any way at the moment to get it back up and running.

Oh well, at least I've got my blogs now, which are free, so I can do something online...