Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas!

 Merry Christmas!

While these Holiday Grab-Bag Treasury issues were part of the 1970s, I loved getting and reading these over the holiday!

Hope you all have a great holiday and see you all in the New Year!




Thursday, December 23, 2010

Marvel Solicitations for March 2011 - 1980s goodness

DR. STRANGE: INTO THE DARK DIMENSION PREMIERE HC
Written by ROGER STERN
Penciled by PAUL SMITH, BRET BLEVINS & MARK BADGER

Dr. Strange, the Master of the Mystic Arts, starts his day by curing a mystically cursed sword and ends it by overthrowing a dimensional dictator! The Sorcerer Supreme faces threats on cruise ships, military bases and alien planets — seeking to restore the cosmic balance! And as the origins of the Dark Dimension stand revealed, Strange’s true love, Clea, heads the rebellion against her evil mother, Umar! Featuring the Black Knight and the Beyonder! Collecting DR. STRANGE (1974) #68-74. 168 PGS...$24.99





CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE CAPTAIN TPB
Written by MARK GRUENWALD
Penciled by TOM MORGAN & KIERON DWYER

When Steve Rogers refuses to become a government operative, he’s stripped of his uniform, title and shield — and a new Captain America is born! John Walker, the former Superpatriot and future USAgent — along with sidekick Bucky, the future Battle Star — does his best to fill the big shoes Rogers left behind. But can he take the pressure, especially after his parents are caught in the crossfire? And Rogers dons a new costume as the Captain! Featuring the Falcon, Iron Man, the Taskmaster, Freedom Force, the Horsemen of Apocalypse and the Serpent Society! Collecting CAPTAIN AMERICA #332-350 and IRON MAN #228.
520 PGS./Rated A ...$39.99

- Really wish this one was a hardcover...






THING CLASSIC VOL. 1 TPB
Written by JOHN BYRNE
Penciled by RON WILSON

It’s Ben Grimm — the ever-lovin’, blue-eyed Thing— on his own for the first time, and he’s clobberin’ everything in sight! The Inhumans! Wonder Man! She-Hulk! Spider-Man! The Fantastic Four! The Yancy Street Gang! The Puppet Master! And the uncanny Goody Two-Shoes! Plus: The Thing proposes marriage, and it's not to Alicia Masters! Collecting THING(1983) #1-10.
232 PGS./Rated A ...$24.99

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Back Issue! Magazine #46 - Greatest Stories Never Told

Check out the the free preview of BACK ISSUE Magazine #46, featuring looks at some of the Greatest Comic Book Stories Never Told, including John Byrne's "Last Galactus Story", Star*Reach's adult Batman series, and Eclipse's unreleased Miracleman Triumphant!

http://tinyurl.com/26l6zrn

Friday, December 17, 2010

Ho Ho Ho - Christmas in the Marvel 1980s


November 1981 - Uncanny X-Men #143
Uncanny X-Men #143
Chris Claremont/John Byrne/Terry Austin
This issue spotlighted Kitty Pryde as she was left on her own in the mansion over the Christmas holidays (as she Jewish). While the story paralleled the movie Alien (1979) with its similar monster and premise, it did successfully employ its cinematic devices, like the heart-pounding climax and the shock ending. The story showcased Kitty's resolve and resourcefulness as she faced such a deadly situation and showed us that she had the wherewithal to be an X-Man.








 
March 1986 - Spectacular Spider-Man #112
Peter David/Mark Beachum/Pat Redding
A rather insignificant issue that has Spidey come across a Santa Claus burglar and an apparent appearance by the Jolly Old Elf himself. This issue however does have a rather interesting page of MJ in the bathtub and running around in a towel.












May 1989 - Marvel Comics Presents #18
There were two Christmas-theme stories in this issue. One was a fun little She-Hulk romp by John Byrne that it rather fun and hyped up her 1989 ongoing series. The other was an off-beat tale starring the Fantastic Four’s mailman Willie Lumpkin in a twisted version of the Christmas Carol.

Any other Christmas-themed issues I’m missing?

Monday, December 6, 2010

John Byrne's Alpha Flight

Some love for John Byrne's Alpha Flight.

Even though Byrne didn't like his run on this title, as a Canadian kid who loved his run on the X-Men, I really enjoyed those first 13 issues:

"Alpha Flight was never much fun. The characters were created merely to survive a fight with the X-Men, and I never thought about them having their own title. When Marvel finally cajoled me into doing Alpha Flight, I realized how incredibly two-dimensional they were, and spend some twenty-eight issues trying to find ways to correct this fault. Nothing really sang for me. If I have any regrets, it would probably be that I did the book at all! It was not a good time for me."
(from http://www.comicbookresources.com/features/byrne/)


Cover to Alpha Flight #13 (Funeral for Guardian)

Neat jam piece with Mike Mignola.

A house ad teasing with the idea that Wolverine would leave the X-Men to lead
Alpha Flight after Guardian's death.
 

 

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