The Old Order Changeth!

My very first short box circa 1984... and yes I was the person who actually 

bought DC's Guy Gardner Warrior!

Some comic book collectors have spinner racks (lucky!) while others have beautifully designed shelving to display their collections. I am old school, and no carpenter, so even 40 years into my fandom, I still use long, and as I have become more "seasoned", primarily short, boxes for storing and organizing my collection. This requires quite a bit of space and, fortunately, we have a sort-of finished third floor attic where I read and store them with other collectibles.

Shazam! #1 variant 

cover by Gary Frank. 

It is during these winter months when we are "trapped" inside for the majority of the day that I will shift the organization of my collection. Often it is a change in publication the prompts a change, For example, DC's recently introduced Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham joint, Shazam! (2019, $4.99 per) title necessitates the movement of Jerry Ordway's incredible The Power of Shazam (1995-99, cover price $1.50 per issue) series into an active box. Though represents a significant departure from the characters as depicted in Power, with all pre-New 52 continuity erased, I like having access to previous narratives.

Conversely, the conclusion of the most recent Suicide Squad (Volume 5, 2016-19, Issue #1 was $2.99 and the final issue, $4.99) series means that title will shift to an "inactive" box, stored in the back part of the attic, until the teams eventual return to action. Then, once again, the old order will changeth!

Local comic book shops organize titles on the "New Releases" table, as well as on "Recent Releases" racks and their own "Back Issues" long boxes, first by publisher (Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, etc.) and then alphabetically by title (Action Comics, Aquaman and so on). Decisions regarding the specific organization of titles in collections are more personal. When it comes to "Big Two" titles (DC and Marvel for the uninitiated), putting these titles by character families (Wolverine alongside Uncanny X-Men or Justice League Dark next to Justice League Odyssey). There are families in the smaller publishers as well, most notably (and expansive) the "Mignola-verse" titles from Dark Horse. These are comic books set in the world of Hellboy, a universe of titles created by Mike Mignola that includes Abe Sapien, Lobster Johnson, Witchfinder and many others.

Zeke Deadwood: Zombie Lawman 

cover by Thomas Boatwright.

Those smaller publishers beyond the Big Two, though given quality and quantity of titles it's past time to start thinking of Image Publishing as a "Big Three", are much more willing to take creative risks with creator owned titles, especially those in the Horror, Western and Science-Fiction genres. Because of this, many of my shorts boxes are organized alphabetically by genre families rather than publisher or creator.

For example, I currently have five boxes which are organized as "Westerns" that include a wide variety of characters from large and small publishers. This means that DC's Jonah Hex extended series (2005-10, 70 issues) is organized with the now-defunct Topps Comics Lone Ranger and Tonto miniseries (1994, 4 issues), IDW's 3 Devils (2016, 4 issues) and SLG Publishing's Zeke Deadwood: Zombie Lawman (2009-11, 2 issues) series of one-shots in my short boxes.

Interestingly enough, this brief post about organizing my comic books also has me organizing y thoughts. The inclusion of Zeke Deadwood among more traditional Westerns alone has me considering my next reorganization project to further disaggregating Westerns into a Horror-Western Mash-up section. That project, however, will have to wait for the next snowstorm...

Fanboy Spring Break Adventures

The final product: IDW's Transformer comics in story order. (4/16/14)

When my stepson went off to college last fall, I continued carrying the comic book titles he had been reading for the past 5 or 6 years on my "pull list" from our local comic shop. These amount to anywhere from 4-6 titles a month, including the IDW Publishing's line of Transformers titles, Doctor Who and anything having to do with the video games (Halo, Assassin's Creed) he plays while home.

Each week, I add to the pile of books pulled for my stepson. (4/16/14)

Shortly after he left in September, I set about boarding and bagging all of his books (the process really can be sort of meditative), and organized the Transformers books by title, of which there are quite a few. Now, six months later and with time on my hands during Spring Break, I've returned to the four boxes neatly stacked in his room, and decide to reorganize the two short boxes which represent his IDW Transformers collection. This time, armed with a story-line chronology of the recent IDW mythos, I set about reorganizing all of the titles, thus representing a beginning to "end" story.

A "table" set for boarding, bagging and watching crappy zombie movies on Netflix. (4/16/14)

Though other titles are present, my focus this time was on the Transformers. (4/16/14)

There are many chronologies, or orders. for the Transformer's titles, but I went with one that seemed accessible to someone, such as myself, nit necessarily familiar with all of the ins-and-outs of the various adventures. Given that the comics sport centerfold covers rather than ones depicting events specific to that issue, it was even more necessary to have an order which was carefully broken down by title and number.

Gaps are identity after grouping issues by merged  story-line. (4/16/14)

Though the task may appear monotonous, I find it relaxing, and while I have yet to formally read each issue, I do enjoy thumbing through them. One great accomplishment of the IDW Transformer's line of titles is the relative consistency of characterization, especially visually. Thought he creative teams have been fairly regular, regardless of the issue most Autobots and Decepticons maintain a familiar look. This is much different than some of the books I collect (take Spider-man for example) where each creative team tweaks the hero's costume.

It is done. (4/16/14)

While my colleagues and students are vacationing in faraway (and warmer) locales, I am able to respond to their queries regarding the quality of my break with an assertive "very relaxing." In addition to walking, taking pictures and catching up on recreational reading, I spent this small portion of my time organizing my stepson's comic book collection, which for a fanboy is an excellent way to pass some quality hours.

Eventually, maybe when I retire, I will actually read the stories as there does seem be something there, and if my stepson (who is smarter than I'll ever be) can find some value in them, I may be able to as well.

More Classics Mash-up Fun!

Variant cover byEarl Norem.

While imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, in the media world (including comic books), it must also have some sort of financial return.

Given this, I am glad to see the second in what I hope is a growing trend of Classics Illustrated homages in mainstream comic book publishing. This mini-movement first found its way onto my radar (and pull list) in February with the release of Marvel's Deadpool Killustrated. Written by Cullen Bunn (creator and writer of Oni Press' fantastic horror-fantasy-western Sixth Gun), Deadpool Killustrated held, for me anyway, an added layer of meta-coolness due to its unusual connection to the book my classes and I were reading at the time, Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer.

This morning, while checking my twitter feed for inetsring info tidbits, I noted that independent publisher IDW's June 2013 solicitations revealed another mash-up play on the Classics Illustrated format, Mars Attacks Classics Obliterated. Featuring a superior creative lineup including Phil Hester, John McCrea and Kelley Jones, this book promises hijinks that put our favorite 1960's Topps trading card Martians into direct conflict with literary heavyweights Moby Dick, Robinson Crusoe and others.

Mars Attacks Classics Obliterated, with an expected in-store release date of  6/5/13, will be 48 page in length and a carry a pricetag of $7.99.

Rare Comic Finds: Road Rage (2012)

Panel from page 9 of IDW's Road Rage by artist Nelson Daniel.

Now that October is in full swing (and there are a few free minutes to sit at the keyboard), I'd like share a some horror themed titles (or similarly themed characters in more popular titles) from the bowels of my comic book longboxes. The first is an extremely high quality tribute to the 1971 short story "Duel" written by the acclaimed author of the many-times-filmed-but-never-well I Am Legend,  Richard Matheson. Published this past year by IDW Publishing, Road Rage is itself an adaptation of the short story "Throttle" penned by legendary horror novelist Stephen King and his son, acclaimed novelist/Eisner-winning graphic novelist Joe Hill previously published in 2009.

"Throttle" began as something of a family affair, especially given the combined talents of father/son team of King and Hill. Based on the source story, "Duel," which had also been previously adapted as the television movie of the same name by then little known director Steven Spielberg, the comic book brings the two together as singular narrative experience. That's quite a pedigree for two stories that at their hearts are about a men battling killer vehicles.

IDW's Road Rage is ably adapted for the comic book medium by writer Chris Ryall and artist Nelson Daniel. Combining both "Throttle" and "Duel" into a single story with a hint of the popular FX cable drama show Sons of Anarchy mixed in, Road Rage begins with story of motorcycle gang "The Tribe" as they're picked off one by one until ultimately the remaining club members, led by their leader Vince, face off with the rig.

As a study in there being roughly six-degrees of separation between most pop culture fiction, and as a fall entertainment, Road Rage is worthy purchase. It is also very likely still available for purchase as individual issues at your local comic shop, and worth the price. A pricey ($24.99) hard cover collection of the miniseries was also released in 2012.

Comic Book Finds: Bigfoot (2005)

NOTE TO SELF: Do NOT screw with Bigfoot! (from Bigfoot #3)

Small comic book publishing companies provide the unique opportunity to present stories free of the weight of tens-of-years of continuity. Over the past fifteen or so years, I have found myself purchasing independent press offerings as a means of cleansing my fanboy palette of spider clones, Phoenix rebirths and Superman reboots. More often than not, they get filed away, hidden until being rediscovered. The bigger collector "sin" is that more than once I have neglected to see the series through to its end. This is for any number of reasons: less expendable income, loss of interest or just availability.

Bigfoot Issue #1.

While digging through some old long boxes I recently came across one such title I had long forgotten about. Now, seven years after its initial publication, my regret stings as my appreciation for those creative talents involved has grown in the past seven years. Bigfoot (2005) was an IDW four-issue miniseries written by comic book horror legend Steve Niles (30 Days of Night) and Rob Zombie (yes, that Rob Zombie) with art by legendary horror illustrator Richard Corbin. I am a fairly recent convert to the Richard Corbin fan club (thanks in large part to his Marvel H.P. Lovecraft books of a few years ago) and was surprised to realize that I'd 1) had the first three issues of these beautifully rendered books in my attic for  seven years without realizing it and 2) failed to buy the fourth issue.

Bigfoot (2005) presents the ape-man not as a Harry and the Henderson lovable lunk, but rather (as one might expect from Zombie) a brutal force of nature out to protect his Pacific Northwest territory. While Bigfoot is the draw for the book, he spends much of the time in the shadows (at least in the first three issues in my possession), appearing only to tear through the human cast before disappearing again. The well crafted narrative centers around Bill Fuller, a man who survived an attack by the beast twenty-years earlier as a child; an attack that took the lives of his parents. Now haunted by his loss, and seeking revenge, Bill convinces some locals to help him hunt the predator...

Now that I have re-found these three issues, I feel somewhat obligated (driven) to, seven years later, finish the story I started in 2005. Fortunately, I was able to locate a copy via Mycomicshop.com for the price of $3.90, nine cents less than the original cover price--which back in 2005 was not an inexpensive cost for a single issue. Once I get around to ordering it and adding it to the other four issues, that will be at least one "collector's sin" repented for, and a Rare Find made whole for future readings.

Bigfoot (2005) by Niles, Zombie and Corben is available as a trade paperback from a number of online stores or, better yet, check the back issue racks, bins and boxes at your local comic shop.