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Wayne Markley
by Wayne Markley
After many, many years of reading, working with, as well as collecting comic book, there is extremely bit that surprises me. Thankfully, there are times that a book will come along that will take me by surprise. It may be since exactly how poor the book is (which we will not go over here), sometimes it is since exactly how great the book is, which we will be discussing here, as well as sometimes it is for a reason I would not have expected, which we will likewise go over here. I checked out far as well many books each week, as well as a wide range of titles, from superheroes to criminal offense to options to just about whatever in-between. To be honest, I discover most books to be predictable, which is not necessarily a poor thing, as there are only so many stories that can be told. I when had a professor make the disagreement that there are no stories to be told that were not already told by the Greeks. The settings or the characters may change, however the fundamental story as well as motivations have all been written. With comic books, I believe this is likewise true, with a few exceptions, as well as those are welcome surprises.
Popeye classics Vol. 1
The very first book I would like to go over is Popeye classics Vol. 1 by IDW. This lovely hardcover is edited by the wonderful Craig Yoe, as well as it collects the very first four problems of the comic of the exact same name. It is a reprint of the truly entertaining Popeye stories by Bud Sagandorf from the 1940s. I checked out the comics as they came out as well as truly enjoyed them as they are a fun mix of whimsy, humor as well as adventure. Not precisely like the great newspaper strip by E.C. Segar (which are collected in lovely hardcover volumes by Fantagraphics), however they do represent the very best of Popeye as well as all his friends. What I discovered so surprising about this collection is its size. While the traditional Popeye comic were your traditional comic book size, this collection is over-sized, the exact same size of most of Craig Yoe’s hardcover books. It a extremely fair cost where you not only get traditional material in full color, however you likewise get it in a much larger size than the original comics from the 1940s or the reprints from the past year. This collection was a truly nice surprise.
Life With Archie #31
My next surprise is Life with Archie. I understand I have talked about this magazine in the past. It tells an alternate version of Archie than in the past, as it was spun out of Archie: The married Life series. The early problems of this magazine just complied with the story of Archie marrying Betty or Veronica (two separate storylines), however since those original stories wrapped up ,the magazine has brought on as well as the stories have established into a number of different directions that I would not have expected. Yet month after month, the stories are innovative as well as entertaining. The magazine continues to have two stories per issue, one with life with Veronica as well as one with life with Betty as well as the supporting cast of Moose, Reggie, huge Ethel, Mr. Weatherbee, Mr. Lodge, Kevin Keller, as well as others. While each of the two stories have the exact same cast of characters, the lives of all of these characters are as different as Betty as well as Veronica. Both storylines are full of drama as well as are well told with nice art, in the new Archie style, not in the traditional Dan DeCarlo style. monthly I am surprised exactly how much I take pleasure in this magazine, as well as exactly how Archie has been able to take a one off concept (marrying Betty as well as Veronica) as well as have broadened it into a extremely entertaining alternate world for Archie as well as the gang.
EC: 50 women 50 as well as other stories HC
My third surprise is Fantagraphics’ reprints of the traditional EC material. now the EC comics have been reprinted numerous times over the years; by Russ Cochrun (in a number of forms), Gemstone as well as others. In the past, these comics have been reprinted as they were originally published. That is, Tales From the Crypt problems #19-23 were reprinted in their whole as a collection or Panic in single problems reprinting the original comics as there were very first printed in the 1950s. When Fantagraphics very first revealed that they were going to do reprints of the EC material, they organized something different, with collections by artist instead of by title. That is to say, one volume would be all Wally wood drawn stories, or all Jack Davis art, or my favorite, 50 women 50, which is all Al Williamson. With all of these collections, the art is top notch as well as the stories are just as good. What this style offers the visitor is all of the EC stories by their preferred artist. If you are a fan of Wally wood or Al Williamson, like me, you can get lovely black as well as white hardcover collections of all of stories by these respective artists plus a number of historical as well as background articles in the back of the books.
Rip Kirby: total Comic Strips 1956-1959
My final surprise is IDW’s reprints of Rip Kirby. I was surprised as well as thrilled when IDW very first revealed that they were going to reprint the total Alex Raymond Rip Kirby, which I have applauded to the moon in the past. This was the very first total collection I have seen of Rip Kirby in over 25 years (and then the only other collection I understand of is a series of Italian hardcovers as well as I do not believe they are complete). The surprise came when IDW continued the Rip Kirby collections (without any type of fanfare or publicity I may add); collecting the John Prentice stories that complied with Alex Raymond. Prentice assisted Raymond and, in the beginning of his solo work, it is difficult to tell where Raymond ended as well as Prentice began. however as time went on, Prentice showed what a master he was on his own. So far IDW has reprinted the very first three years of the post-Raymond Rip Kirby, as well as they are planning one more volume of one more three years of John Prentice’s work this summer. By the time you get the next collection of strips, Prentice has come into his own as well as the art is clearly Prentice while bring on the custom that Raymond started. lovely women, action, excellent storytelling, as well as not a superhero in sight are what make Rip Kirby so great. If you take pleasure in newspaper strips, as well as crime, then Rip Kirby is for you, whether it is drawn by Alex Raymond or John Prentice. I would like to state to IDW as well as Dean Mullaney, say thanks to you for continuing with the John Prentice strips. I do hope they can continue to reprint this traditional strip with its end.
Harvest
As I like to do from time to time, I would like to point out a recent release I truly enjoyed. An over-sized hardcover from picture Comics was just recently released collecting the total miniseries called Harvest. gather is an exceptional criminal offense story about organ harvesting that I discussed when the single comics were coming out. This lovely over-sized hardcover has extras including sketches as well as more. I truly liked this book since of the story as well as the art. As a bonus, it was extremely different from nearly anything I have checked out in comics in a long time. It is well worth your time looking up this collection.
As always, whatever I have written in this column in my viewpoint as well as only mine thoughts. Neither the Westfield business nor their workers may agree with what I have written right here nor endorse it. I welcome thoughts, comments or disagreements at MFBWAY@aol.com.
Thank you.