[paw broon]

I just finished reading 6 Dynamite Phantom comics - up to #11 - and was quickly reminded how bad some of these offerings are.  The art is poor in many places and the stories, or perhaps the depictions of beheadings and other nasty stuff, leave me wondering how Dynamite could do this to such a legendary, heroic character.  The retelling of the Phantom origin seems to add in cruel and unnecessary (and in one case) stupid detail and features probably the lowest artwork standard of the series.  I need to pull out some old, "good" Phantom stuff to restore my faith.  It might seem as if I have a real down on this title and it's probably ' cos I'm getting old, but, really.  Anyway, it's a bit of a con, with all those multiple covers.  I hoped comic companies had learned lessons about all flash and little substance.

[narfstar]

They don't seem to learn that lesson well. I read through last years Phantom strips and enjoyed them. Still retains its classic story telling.

[Drusilla lives!]

I just finished reading 6 Dynamite Phantom comics - up to #11 - and was quickly reminded how bad some of these offerings are.  The art is poor in many places and the stories, or perhaps the depictions of beheadings and other nasty stuff, leave me wondering how Dynamite could do this to such a legendary, heroic character.  The retelling of the Phantom origin seems to add in cruel and unnecessary (and in one case) stupid detail and features probably the lowest artwork standard of the series.  I need to pull out some old, "good" Phantom stuff to restore my faith.  It might seem as if I have a real down on this title and it's probably ' cos I'm getting old, but, really.  Anyway, it's a bit of a con, with all those multiple covers.  I hoped comic companies had learned lessons about all flash and little substance.

There's another website that I frequent which ran a Garth Ennis interview awhile back entitled "Garth Ennis Knows The Shadow."  In it Garth tries to elaborate on the pulp hero's "lasting appeal."  Unfortunately for him, this lasting appeal is in my opinion due totally to Walter Gibson's superb writing.

Good luck Ennis.  

[josemas]

I thought I'd mention for anyone who is currently picking up Daredevil that issues #8 is the second part of a crossover story with Spider-Man.  The first part appears in Amazing Spider-Man #677.  Both are written by Mark Waid.

Best

Joe

[paw broon]

"They don't seem to learn that lesson well." narfstar
Agreed.

"There's another website that I frequent which ran a Garth Ennis interview awhile back entitled "Garth Ennis Knows The Shadow."  In it Garth tries to elaborate on the pulp hero's "lasting appeal."  Unfortunately for him, this lasting appeal is in my opinion due totally to Walter Gibson's superb writing." Drusilla lives!
Bang on. Any chance of a link?

"I thought I'd mention for anyone who is currently picking up Daredevil that issues #8 is the second part of a crossover story with Spider-Man.  The first part appears in Amazing Spider-Man #677.  Both are written by Mark Waid."  josemas
That's right.  Dave in my lcs warned me and pointed out Amazing 7.  Haven't read them yet.

I was at an antiques fair this a.m. where a couple of friends take tables and I picked up some WDL British versions of Lassie and Rin Tin Tin, A Movie Classic - reprint of Dell 77th Bengal Lancers plus a Ghost Manor and a Haunted both with PAM, Ditko and Boyette. These were 50p each but I also found a 1953 COMICOLOUR Annual (GG Swan) with a TNT Tom strip and some lovely humour strips.  During the week, I visited a pal who's selling off his Dell collection and bought some. Not all are in the best nick but the stories and some of the art make them worthwhile.

[josemas]

"There's another website that I frequent which ran a Garth Ennis interview awhile back entitled "Garth Ennis Knows The Shadow."  In it Garth tries to elaborate on the pulp hero's "lasting appeal."  Unfortunately for him, this lasting appeal is in my opinion due totally to Walter Gibson's superb writing." Drusilla lives!
Bang on. Any chance of a link?

I think this is the site being referred to.

http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=36448

Best

Joe

[paw broon]

Thanks Joe, that's it.  But wouldn't that description make you a bit nervous?
I splashed out and bought The Rocketeer Adventures hardback and it's a lovely volume.

[josemas]

Thanks Joe, that's it.  But wouldn't that description make you a bit nervous?
I splashed out and bought The Rocketeer Adventures hardback and it's a lovely volume.

The Shadow has probably been muffed up more often than not in being adapted into other media beyond the pulps so I have learned never to set my hopes too high.   

The illustrations in the article do look enticing though.

Best

Joe

[josemas]

I know a lot of you already pick up Alter Ego but I thought I's mention that the first all-color issue (#107) is now out.
Great issue (as usual) with interviews with Dick Sprang, Jim Mooney, Abe Kanegson's widow Elizabeth as well as part two of a Tony Tallarico interview and part four of a Roy Ald interview.
There's also a great group photo from 1952 (run over two pages) that shows such GA artists, writers and  editors as C. C. Beck, Kurt Schaffenberger, Pete Costanza, Bill Woolfolk, Bob Laughlin, Leonard Frank, Joe Oriolo, Roy Ald, Bernard Baily, Charles Tomsey, Pete Riss, Chad Grothkopf, Carl Pfeufer, Otto Binder, Ed Ashe and more.

Best

Joe

[paw broon]

That will be sitting waiting for me in my standing order. Needless to say I won't be able to get to my LCS this weekend 'cos we have to go to Edinburgh tomorrow.  Typical.

[narfstar]

I got the digital and should get paper in the mail soon.

[paw broon]

Despite my best intentions and the intervention of a mart in Glasgow, I only manged to get to my lcs yesterday.  Picked up my Alter Ego.  Plus Daredevil#9 (enjoyed the 2 part with Spiderman, surprisingly); All Star Western#6; The Activity #2 & 4 (embarrassment when Dave in the shop realised he hadn't put a copy of #3 aside -  OOOOPS!); Cap. America #9; Fatale#3; and off the shelf, I'm trying, Fairest (from Fables - not usually my sort of thing, but it looked o.k. on matt paper); The Manhattan Proects (What if everything went wrong?) Not sure if I'll keep this up; and Saucer Country,which intrigues me.
By the way, I hear that Fatale#1 is going for silly money on ebay and elsewhere. Anyone else noticed this?

[josemas]

The coolest thing I picked up this week at my LCS was Pure Imagination's new reprinting of Stan Lee's  Secrets Behind the Comics (1947).  I missed out on the limited run reprintings of the book from the 1970s and 1990s so was very glad to finally get this version.
One of my Kubert School roomies had a copy of the 1970s reprint so I had read it a few decades ago but actually tracking down a reasonably priced copy of any of the printings for myself proved difficult.
Anyway if you're at all interested I'd snag this version quick before it too gets too pricey (it's $20.00).

Best

Joe

[josemas]

For any of you currently picking up Daredevil I thought I'd note that Marvel is publishing two issues this month. The second issue of the month is #10.1 and apparently it is a lead in to next month's crossover storyline with both Avenging Spider-Man #6 and The Punisher #10 (with the storyline ending in DD#11).

I'm not much of a Punisher fan but will probably check them all out anyway.

Best

Joe

[Geo (R.I.P.)]

It's coming in the mail soon, I ordered this:























Geo

[narfstar]

AC puts out some really good stuff

[josemas]

It's coming in the mail soon, I ordered this:



Geo

I've had my copy for awhile.  It's sitting over in the "to be read at later date" pile.

Best

Joe

[paw broon]

Not new comics, rather, old comics.  At the Glasgow comic mart yesterday, I bought Adventure Comics #426.  I had this issue years ago and it went AWOL.  Couldn't resist buying it again with that great Vigilante cover.  I also picked up 2 issues of Scotland Yard, a pocket library series published by Famepress.  These were, mostly if not completely, Italian reprints, translated for the British market.  Cost was 1/- (shilling, pre-decimal) and these are dated 1966.  Good additions to my pocket library collection.  The other "comics" I purchased were storypapers,   including 4 issues of Nelson Lee Library from 1928 and a Schoolgirls Own Library featuring, "The Fourth Grey Ghost"  and somewhere I have the later, comic strip version of this prose story - all I have to do now is find it. 

[narfstar]

Sounds like fun Paw. 1928 may even be pd in the UK so could it be upped here?

[paw broon]

Actually, there is precedent as there are a number of this type of boys paper available on Friardale, here:-
http://www.friardale.co.uk/
But I'd love to see them hosted on CB+.  Now, if there is a willing and trustworthy member from CB+  who would like to volunteer to scan them and is in the U.K.,  I'll happily let them out of my grubby paws for a while.

Modifying this to add,
Here's the front cover of Nelson Lee Library # 119. They may be on holiday in India but very soon they become prisoners in that tower and it's up to Lee (one of the many "famous" detectives in this sort of publication) and some of the boys to get them safely out.

[josemas]

Last night picked up Showcase Presents: The Losers  Vol 1-DC-   Over 450 pages of great art by the likes of John Severin (over 250 pages), Joe Kubert, Russ Heath and Ross Andru & Mike Esposito well reproduced in black and white.  Highly recommended!

Best

Joe

[paw broon]

I noticed a Showcase in this month's Previews, for Rip Hunter and there was some very good work in that series.  The problem is they are in b&w and I find it disconcerting to read American comics in b&w.  That's why they were so exotic in the first place, in the grey Britain of the 50's and early '60's.
Anyway, a visit yesterday to my lcs netted some tasty comics incl. Mud Man #3 which is a wee delight and is also proving to be intriguing (I really must get the other Jack Staff collections).  Another enjoyable read was Daredevil 10.1 (not quite sure what that strange numbering is all about). A few months ago I picked up Memorial (IDW) and now I've found #s 2,3 & 4.  #2 kept up the story well , so we'll see how the next 2 issues pan out.  Still to read - Fatale#4; Sixth Gun#20; All Star Western#7; Daredevil#10; Near Death#6; the missing Activity#2 and Smoke and Mirrors#1, which came recommended by Dave in the lcs and some of his customers.
So, a nice evening ahead - dinner with a glass of Sicilian wine, the new Body of Proof on t.v. and a pile of comics.  Does it get much better?

[narfstar]

We seem to similar tastes Paw. I have found Mud Man enjoyable but am not fully committed yet. I read the first issue of Saucer Country and should have the second at my LCS when I get there. Seems to be interesting so far.

[paw broon]

Saucer Country did tickle my fancy, so I'll see how the next few issues go.  Mud Man just seems so ridiculous and I really like it.  Did you read the editorial?  It's a bit sad that so few bought Jack Staff, I loved it.  Smoke and Mirrors, despite some poor art in places, was a good read and there is a bit of a mystery so, again, I'll see how the next few issues go.
My pal, Russell, who's the pulp and detective fiction fan and expert, asked me yesterday about some French/Belgian albums that have been translated into English and are available on Amazon.  It appears he has discoverd Jean van Hamme stories and has tried a new story of Blake and Mortimer and a Yoko Tsuno g.n..  He rated both very good entertainment, so I pointed him at a couple of other series incl. IRS.  Some of these are big sellers in Europe.  Russell got fed up with a lot of the art and stories in recent American comics and I think these albums have re-started his comics reading.
Some info on Blake and Mortimer here ;- http://www.blakeetmortimer.com/spip.php?rubrique1     (Sorry, it's in French)
Also in French, some info. on another series I enjoy, Masquerouge (Red Mask) ;-
http://www.bedetheque.com/serie-2380-BD-Masquerouge.html

[narfstar]

Black and M looks like it gives full issues online. I should pass the website on to our French teacher. It looks safe for kids even.