FLASH BACK

A week from now, I’ll be at the New York Comic Con.  It will be my
first time attending this event and my first time back in New York
City since 2003.  I’m pretty nervous about the trip.

Going to my first New York comics convention in the early 1970s, I
was confident and excited and thrilled that I would be meeting some
of my favorite comics creators.  Dick Giordano took me to breakfast
one morning, one of many kindnesses shown to me by industry pros my
first time in the Big Apple.  It was a smaller friendlier industry
back then.

This time around, I’ll be walking into a convention larger than any
I’ve been to...with the sole exception of the last San Diego Comic-
Con I attended.  I can’t remember when that was.

I’ll be seeing a comics industry vastly different from the one that
existed when last I wrote for either DC or Marvel.  With one or two
exceptions, I don’t think I’ve met any of the current DC or Marvel
editors...and that probably holds true for the other publishers at
the show.  I used to know almost everyone in comics.

Sight unseen, the size of the show is intimidating to me.  I don’t
get around as easily as I once did and adrenalin only takes me so
far these days.  I’m in decent health for a guy months away from my
60th birthday, but there will be aches and pains and some anxiety.
I’ll deal with it.

Am I allowed to say that I don’t love New York?  I loved it for the
first couple years I lived there in the 1970s.  Since then, it has
been that old girlfriend I bump into now and then, but she’s gotten
meaner over the years.  In these days of electronic communications,
I don’t understand why DC or Marvel or any publisher would stay in
that overpriced city. 

As noted in previous bloggy things, I’ll be signing The Grim Ghost
and other things I’ve written at the Atlas/Ardeen booth.  I’m very
much looking forward to meeting Jason Goodman, Brendan Deneen, and
the rest of the folks I’ve been working with this year.  It’s the
main reason I’m making the trip.

Also as previously noted, I’m looking forward to meeting old pals,
making new friends, and talking to publishers, artists, and editors
who might want to work with me on various projects.  I doubt I’ll
make any deals at the show, but I’m keeping an open mind if anyone
wants to discuss such opportunities with me.

Since this is a big show and I don’t have a firm schedule for when
I’ll be signing at the Atlas/Ardeen booth, your best bet of being
able to get together with me for any reason is to e-mail me prior
to the show.  Then we can either arrange a meeting or exchange cell
phone numbers so you can contact me at the show.

Let’s see what else I can write about today.

******************************

I haven’t read any more of “The New 52" comics from DC, but I did
read the DC Retroactive/Flash issues. The short version: the three
comics weren’t as good as their Batman counterparts.

The best story of the bunch was the new one Cary Bates wrote for DC
Retroactive: Flash - The ‘70s #1 [$4.99].  Gorilla Grodd mesmerizes
Iris Allen into being the (non-biological) mother to his human/ape
hybrid clone.  It was a truly malevolent scheme, but the story had
all sorts of unexpected human elements to it.  The art definitely
had a 1970s vibe to it, but it couldn’t hold a candle to the work
of Irv Novick, who drew Flash for most of the decade.

The issue’s reprint was a Superman/Flash team-up drawn by the great
J.L. Garcia Lopez (inks by Dan Adkins).  But the artist struggled
against a ponderous Marty Pasko script that was just as much of a
struggle to read.

For DC Retroactive: Flash - The ‘80s #1 [$4.99], William Messner-
Loebs and Greg LaRocque presented a new story of a delusional woman
who believes Wally West is her boyfriend and seeks to be used as a
hostage by various members of the Flash Rogues Gallery so she can
spend more time with him.  It’s a zany idea that never manages to
fulfill its potential and soon becomes tedious.  The tale’s further
encumbered by art that doesn’t measure up to the kind of solid work
LaRocque did back in the 1980s.

The 1980s reprint is also by Messner-Loebs and LaRocque.  It has a
few good moments, but it’s not a standout.

DC Retroactive: Flash - The ‘90s [$4.99] is the least of the three
issues.  Both the new and reprinted story involve time travel and
other super-speedsters.  Neither was very entertaining and both of
them were plagued by art that just wasn’t suitable for the Flash.
Adding a final strike to the “at bat,” the reprinted story was just
the first part of a multi-part story.  If today’s readers want to
learn what happened next, they’ll have to hit the back issue bins
in search of the rest of the arc.

The DC Retrospective/Green Lantern issues are on my reading pile,
so look for a review of them soon.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff. 

© 2011 Tony Isabella

I SAY SOMETHING NICE ABOUT DAN DIDIO

Giving credit where credit is due, DC’s roll-out of “The New 52" is
impressive.  Lots of excitement, lots of media coverage, big sales
numbers, and a legion of bloggers and critics reviewing every one
of the things.  Yes, I do hate myself for adding to that noise and
I will spend the rest of my life trying to redeem myself.

It has been reported that DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan DiDio has
stated that none of the various “Crisis” events happened in the new
DCU.  That’s actually a smart move.  It saves writers from having
to explain why the entire population of the world hasn’t suffered
a mental breakdown from watching their world changed every year or
so.  Even the architects of the best of the “Crisis” events didn’t
fully anticipate the chaos their “big” ideas would visit on the DCU.
I can appreciate why DiDio and others would want to start over from
scratch, though, of course, they haven’t completely done that this
time either.

But, if true, DiDio’s position, which I assume is binding for now,
makes a great deal of sense.  If he wants to take it further, how
about no future “Crisis” events as well?  Not one of them was ever
worth the grief they brought.

Anyway...three cheers and a tiger to DiDio for this proclamation.
I won’t mention that a line in Hawk & Dove #1 mentions “the worst
crisis the world has ever seen”...at least not in derisive manner.
There are going to be some bumps in the road in the new DCU.  When
they turn up, the DC powers that be should just instruct writers
and editors not to mention them again.  The last thing we need is
convoluted stories trying to explain away such lapses.  This isn’t
brain surgery.  No one will die because someone in one issue said
the “C” word.  Honest.

Moving on...

I have read four more of “The New 52" premieres: Batwing, Detective
Comics, Green Arrow, and Hawk & Dove.  Here are my comments:

The good news...I love the premise of Batwing #1 ($2.99).  I love
the idea of one of Batman’s agents fighting crime in the Republic
of the Congo.  I love that the title hero is a police officer who
seeks to rise above the corruption of his police force.  I love the
pairing of cops and super-heroes, as you can probably tell from all
the cops and super-heroes I’ve teamed over the years.

The bad news...Judd Winick’s not a very good writer.  This amazes
and upsets me because he was so sharp when writing and drawing his
Frumpy the Clown strips and Barry Keen comic books.  But, over the
past few years, writing comics for DC, his work has just not been
entertaining. However, I was amused by this issue’s last page shock
ending, mostly because I did pretty much the same bit in Hawkman in
the 1980s and The Grim Ghost in this decade.

Despite my mixed feelings about Batwing #1, this is a title I would
keep buying for a few more months to see if it comes together.  DC
has too few heroes of colors and I’d like to see this one succeed.

I liked Detective Comics #1 [$2.99] better than I thought I would.
In DC universes past, I’ve not particularly enjoyed writer/penciler
Tony Daniel’s depiction and handling of the Batman.  I miss seeing
Batman doing detective stuff in a meaningful way.  And, as veteran
Tony readers know, I despise the Joker.  All that said, I thought
Daniel handled Alfred and his relationship with Batman/Bruce well
and, depending on what the next issue brings, I think he may have
shown me something new with the Joker.  I honestly didn’t believe
that was possible.  Were I buying these new DCU titles instead of
borrowing them from a pal, I would give Detective Comics at least
one more issue.

Green Arrow #1 [$2.99] was exactly what I was hoping for from the
new DCU.  Over the past couple decades, DC made Oliver Queen one of
the most unlikeable heroes ever.  Writer J.T. Krul has reinvented
him as a much younger “white hat” hero and I dig that.  Especially
with terrific artists like Dan Jurgens (pencils) and George Perez
(inker) backing his play.  I would put this title on my “buy” list.
If I were buying these comics myself and if Krul was staying on the
title.  Apparently, he’s not.  Bad DC. 

Hawk & Dove #1 [$2.99] was about what I expected.  I appreciate how
popular artist Rob Liefeld is with some readers, but his style and
storytelling leaves me cold.  Writer Sterling Gates’ past work has
been hit-or-miss with me...and this time it’s a miss.  Something I
did like about the issue was that both Hawk and Dove have someone
they can talk to.  In Hawk’s case, it’s his dad.  In Dove’s case,
it’s Deadman.  It still creeps me out that the much older Deadman
is Dove’s boyfriend, but, hey, whoever came up with that unsettling
notion probably doesn’t have a daughter.

There seems to be some sort of mysterious connection between Dawn
(the current Dove) and the late Don (the original).  My vote would
is that Dawn IS Don, giving DC its first transgender hero.  Okay,
that would be my vote is I got a vote on this.

Hawk & Dove would be another pass for me.

The new DCU is now 3-for-8 with me, but my personal jury of one is
still out on Batwing and Detective Comics. 

I don’t know if I’ll have read any more of “The New 52" in time for
my next bloggy thing, but I will be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2011 Tony Isabella

UNPLEASANT TRUTHS ABOUT MYSELF

Sometimes a man has to face unpleasant truths about himself.  For
several weeks now, I have been openly mocking fellow bloggers who
have been obsessively writing about and reviewing DC Comics’s “The
New 52.” To my soul-crushing shame, today I reveal myself to be as
pathetic as the rest of you.

I’ve read four of the “New 52" books so far: Justice League, Action
Comics, Animal Man, and Batgirl.  I have things I want to say about
them.  A better man would keep his comments locked deep inside and
not add to the noise.  Alas, I am not that man.

Justice League #1 [$3.99] was supposed to be the triumphant launch
of the new DCU.  It was written by Geoff Johns, a fine writer most
of the time, and penciled by Jim Lee, who many consider one of the
best artists in comics.  I found it something of a mess.

There’s no satisfying story here.  It opens with Batman doing one
of his typical Batman things...fighting monsters from outer space.
Because nothing says grim and gritty street-level super-hero or
master detective like that. Sherlock Holmes would be proud of you,
Batman.  Or dismiss you as a cocaine dream.

Green Lantern arrives on the scene and he’s an arrogant frat boy,
barely taking Batman seriously.  Okay, I sort of get that.  Still,
two members into the new Justice League and we have a Batman who’s
still a dick and an annoying Green Lantern. 

The behind-the-scenes villain is Darkseid.  Because the new DCU has
to get a jump on overusing Darkseid as much as the old DCU did.  I
tremble with anticipation.  No, wait, I’m actually passing out from
boredom.

Superman shows up on the last page and my first impression is that,
he, too, is kind of a dick.  Maybe it’s the way he thrusts his man-
boobs forward. 

Gentle readers, there is no story here.  For your four bucks, you
have, at best, a couple scenes from a story.  Apparently, giving the
readers their money’s worth every issue isn’t any more a concern of
“The New 52" than it was of the old whatever.

However, you do get a few bonus pages of Lee’s designs for various
new super-hero costumes.  The ones I’ve seen so far lack the simple
elegance of the originals.  They look awkward, uncomfortable, ugly.
Trying to make super-hero costumes look realistic is a mug’s game.
The fantastic has been part and parcel of the genre since day one.
That’s what people remember, that’s what draws them back to these
characters in merchandise and movies. 

Justice League #1 was a poor start to “The New 52.”  

Action Comics #1 [$3.99] was really good.  My favorite version of
Superman was the authority-defying champion of the little guy that
we saw in the original Action Comics #1.  Writer Grant Morrison did
a fine job updating that version.

I’m intrigued by the early relationships between Clark Kent, Lois
Lane, and Jimmy Olsen.  I found General Sam Lane and Lex Luthor as
irritating as when they were being overused in the old DCU, but I
give credit to Luthor (and Morrison) for coming up with one heck of
a cliffhanger.

The Rags Morales/Rick Bryant art is amazing.  The action scenes are
powerful and, while the more human scenes are a little “big” for my
taste, I’m knocked out by how good this book looks.  Were I making
buy/cut choices, Action Comics would most definitely by on my “buy”
list.  An impressive relaunch.

Animal Man #1 [$2.99] didn’t work for me.  The story elements that
I found most interesting - a second-banana super-hero bouncing from
career to career while putting somewhat unreasonable demands on his
family - were not the focus of Jeff Lemire’s script.  Instead of a
second-banana super-hero, we got the typical gore and new age weird
of second-rate Vertigo. The art didn’t appeal to me and A-Man’s new
costume looked like the kind of generic John Byrne costumes we’ve
seen in recent decades.  I’d pass on a second issue.

Batgirl #1 [$2.99] was a solid street-level super-hero comics, not
unexpected given that Gail Simone is one of the best writers in our
field.  The hardest thing for me was avoiding comparing this new,
younger Barbara Gordon to Oracle.  In the new DCU, though she was
crippled by the Joker, Barbara never became the super-computer whiz
of the super-hero world and never formed the Birds of Prey.  That
I can tell from this issue.  I’m also unsure of the nature of her
relationship with Batman.

Some quick thoughts on the issue:

A killer who murders survivors of catastrophes like the sinking of
the Titanic or being shot by a crazed super-villain isn’t a wholly
original idea, but it’s not so common as to concern me.  What will
sell this character to me is why he’s doing what he’s doing, which
revelation will doubtless be made in future issues.

I truly hate the new Batgirl costume.  Like most costumes in this
Jim Lee era, it lacks the elegance of the original designs.  It’s
clunky and not at all inspiring.

The Brisby Killers managed to be sorta scary without being much of
a challenge for Batgirl.  They served the purpose in the story, but
I think the concept could be refined to make a similar group truly
menacing. 

Batgirl being less than 100% and freezing up at a moment of crisis
worked for me.  But she will need to get over this quickly, if only
to compensate for what DC has apparently done to some of the other
female heroes in other titles.

Batgirl is another book that would make my “buy” list.  The New 52
is batting .500 with me so far.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2011 Tony Isabella

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE KWANZAA



These are the first two page of my last Black Lightning story.  Not
only is it a story of whose publication many Black Lightning fans are
unaware, it’s a story whose presence caused someone at DC Comics to
demand the pulping of the comic book in which it appeared.  Though
a second “corrected” printing was done, that second printing was in
doubt for a while. 

DCU Holiday Bash II [$3.95] was published in late 1998.  I’ve heard
many versions of how and why it was almost pulped and lost to the
ages.  I believe some parts of these versions - imbecilic and petty
behavior was not alien to DC Comics then or now - because I believe
the people who shared their information with me and I believe them
because their information had checked out in the past.  However, as
I can’t offer first-hand information, I’m not going to discuss any
of the versions that were floating around in 1998.  I’ll stick to
what I know for sure.

Editor Darren Vincenzo asked me to write this Black Lightning tale
for this holiday special.  He liked what artist Eddy Newell and I
had done in my second Black Lightning series and also wanted some
diversity in the special.  I can’t recall if he specifically asked
for a Kwanzaa story, but, if he did, I was happy to accommodate him
as I had long been interested in that celebration.  We asked him
if Eddy could draw the story in black-and-white-and-wash and he was
fine with that.  I wrote the script and Darren approved it without
any changes.  Eddy drew it in his usual brilliant fashion.  After
all, he’s not just my favorite Black Lightning artist, he remains
the best Black Lightning artist of them all.

Then came the drama.  The issue was going to be pulped.  The issue
was going to be postponed a year.  The issue was going to be pulped
and reprinted in a corrected version.  What happened was that the
issue was printed, then called back, then reprinted.  Some of the
first printings made it to the market.  To be honest, I can’t tell
you if the above pages were from the first printing or the second
printing.  As with many things DC, I avoided thinking about it too
much.  That always made my head hurt.

I think this is a fine story and I love it a lot.  I think we could
use more DC Comics stories with this positive a message.  Alas, it
was not an end to DC blacklisting me.  It was a blip that slipped
through a temporary crack in company policy.

If I thought I could get away with running the entire story here,
I would.  If you’d like to read the entire story, get thee to the
barons of back issues, be they your local comics retailer, comics
convention exhibitor, or mail-order business...and ask if they have
copies for sale.  Or eBay...last I checked, there were three copies
being auctioned there.

It’d be nice if DC would reprint my Black Lightning stories in some
nice hardcover or trade paperback volume.  I don’t advise holding
your breath waiting for that to happen.  Still, having come across
a copy of this comic in that old file cabinet I’ve mentioned a few
times recently, I wanted to share a couple of pages of this story
with you and write a little about it. 

Let’s see what else I can write about today.

******************************

The “DC Vintage Comic Cover 4-Piece Pint Glass Set” was solicited
in a recent Previews catalog and I thought something about the set
was so monumentally stupid that I had to comment on it.  I clipped
the solicitation and it promptly got swallowed up by a medium-size
pile of things I needed to go through or write about.  It has now
resurfaced.

The solicitation describes the set thus:

This collector’s series of pint glasses features Batman, Superman,
Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman, as they appeared on the covers of
some of their classic comics!

The set sells for $34.99.

Can you pick out the stupid from the above scan?

There’s Superman laughing off bolts of lightning.  There’s Batman
with cape spread as he leaps towards us.  There’s Green Lantern in
heroic battle with a missile. 

Then there’s Wonder Woman. A tiny Wonder Woman being held helpless
by a pair of tweezers.  Classic comic?  I think not.

There’s so much stupid to go around here.

Whoever chose the image?  Stupid.

Whoever approved the image? Even more stupid.

Oh, DC Comics, this is why you never get laid.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2011 Tony Isabella

1996: A COMIC-BOOK MANIFESTO

While chatting with crazy great colorist Paul Mounts at the Detroit
FanFare, he called me the “Commissioner of Comics.” I knew what he
was referring to, but only because I had come across this artifact
in an old file cabinet:

This manifesto first ran in a 1996 issue of Comics Buyer’s Guide.
It got some favorable attention at the time.  Cocky guy that I am,
I printed up copies of it to hand out at conventions. I don’t know
if anyone actually sent their favorite comics retailers, creators,
and publishers my manifesto.  It was talked about for a few weeks
and then, as such things do, it faded from the conversation.
I’d forgotten about it until it surfaced in that old file cabinet.

Looking over my manifesto, beyond wincing at the odd typo, it seems
to me that some of what I “demanded” has been accomplished to some
degree or another.  However, what I’d really like to learn is what
YOU think. 

Were these “demands” worthy demands then and are they still worthy
demands today?

Has the comics industry accomplished these goals?

Should they?

This is more than some desperate ploy to get you to comment on this
blog.  I’m really interested in what my readers, some of who are
probably seeing this manifesto for the first time, think of what I
wrote back then and how it might apply (or no longer apply) to the
comics industry in 2011.  I want to hear from you.

I’ll even make it worth your while.  I’ll send an autographed comic
book or trade paperback to the writers of the five best comments I
receive on this subject.  I’ll even throw in one of my certificates
of authenticity verifying that whatever comic or trade you get is
from my Vast Accumulation of Stuff.

I’m looking forward to reading your thoughts.    

I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2011 Tony Isabella

CARD-CARRYING COMIC BOOK READER

I renewed my membership in the American Civil Liberties Union.  So,
like Michael Douglas’ character in The American President, I am a
card-carrying member of the ACLU.

Going through my wallet and not counting credit cards, I am also a
card-carrying member of two supermarket “advantage” clubs, the AAA
Ohio Auto Club, Kaiser Permanente, a Hallmark “preferred customer,”
the Staples Rewards Club, the Medina County District Library, the
Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, and, as soon as the card arrives,
Hero Initiative.  If I thought I could get away with it, I’d issue
membership cards for my First Church of Godzilla, may he continue
to guide and protect us with his fiery atomic love.

What’s in your wallet?

******************************

I love the cover of Betty and Veronica #254 [Archie; $2.99] shown
above.  Jeff Schultz did such a great job with this crowded cover
that I still can’t find Waldo. 

Inside the issue we get two funny stories by Craig Boldman, one of
my all-time favorite Archie writers, with art by Schultz and Jim
Amash. “Party Smarties” is a familiar theme filled with wonderful
slapstick action while “Disinterested Parties” has Betty trying to
master being sneaky, something that is hilariously out of her wheel
house.  Good stuff.

Betty and Veronica #255 has a nice pin-up kind of cover by Fernando
Ruiz.  Inside the issue, writer Paul Kupperberg offers a new twist
on the Betty/Veronica rivalry, George Gladir gives us memories of
the girls’ friendship, and Boldman introduces a brilliant sculptor
with a major problem.  More fun stories with the usual terrific art
by the Schultz/Amash team.

******************************

Perhaps as a farewell nod to the old DC Universe, DC published 18
issues of DC Retroactive: three each for Batman, the Flash, Green
Lantern, Justice League, Superman, and Wonder Woman featuring two
stories - one new, one reprint - in the styles of the 1970s, 1980s,
and 1990s. I don’t know how today’s DC readers reacted to this odd
idea, but it intrigued me and I decided I would read them all.  I
started with the Batman issues.

DC Retroactive: Batman The ’70s #1 [$4.99] was written by Len Wein
with art by Tom Mandrake (new story) and John Calnan/Dick Giordano
(old story).  The new story featured a new version of the Terrible
Trio of the Fox, the Shark, and the Vulture.  It was entertaining,
but marred by a revelation that was already a cliche in the 1970s.
I can’t blame Len too much.  I probably used the bit myself back in
the day, though I can’t pinpoint where.  The Mandrake art was very
nice, so much more appealing than the art-on-steroids so typical of
modern super-hero comic books. 

“Dark Messenger of Mercy” - the reprint - had Batman trying to save
some homeless people from a murderous predator who believes he is
helping to end their pains.  Wein’s homeless supporting characters
are an interesting if unrealistic bunch.  But, again, this was an
entertaining story.  If there were more Batman comics like this, I
would buy more Batman comics.

Fellow Buckeye Mike W. Barr authored the stories in DC Retroactive:
Batman The ’80s #1 [$4.99]. “The Revenge of the Reaper” featured a
new Reaper and reunited Barr with Jerry Bingham, the artist of his
groundbreaking Son of the Demon graphic novel.  The tale gives the
readers a fair chance at sussing out the identity of the new Reaper
before Batman reveals all.  I got part of it right, but both Barr
and Batman are smarter than I am.

The reprint is the first chapter of Batman Year Two by Barr and the
great Alan Davis.  Batman Year One gets all the glory, but Year Two
was a terrific comics series as well.

Writer Alan Grant and artist Norm Breyfogle represent the 1990s in
DC Retroactive: Batman The ’90s #1 [$4.99]. “One Night in the Rest
of My Life” has some familiar themes, but, amidst the gangland fury
and a horror from beyond the grave, it has a far more hopeful tone
than many Batman stories then and now.

“Trash” - the reprint - might not be as uplifting as the new tale,
but it’s a well-crafted tale with fine characterization.  I liked
it a lot.  I’d be more excited about the likes of Wein, Mandrake,
Barr, Bingham, Davis, Grant, and Breyfogle doing new Batman comic
books than the currently assigned writers and artists.  These so-
called retroactive comic books feature a much more interesting and
rounded Batman than most of the modern comics. 

I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2011 Tony Isabella

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

My next-to-last convention appearance of this year will be New York
Comic Con, October 13-16, at the Javits Center.  I’m not a featured
guest and I won’t have an Artist Alley table, but, at various times
during the show, I will be signing The Grim Ghost and other things
I’ve written at the Atlas/Ardeen booth.  Beyond catching me while
I’m signing, your best chance of having a conversation or meeting
with me is to contact me before the show. 

I’m attending this convention to support Atlas Comics and my work
there.  The rest of my “agenda” for the show, some of which I may
actually accomplish, is to see old friends and new...and to talk to
artists, editors, or publishers who want to work with me. 

When I look at the list of spotlight and featured comics guests and
the over 300 Artist Alley participants who will be at this event,
I know I probably won’t get to chat with more than a fraction of my
old friends and new.  I hope it’s easier for me to spend time with
 my fandom friends and readers who come to the convention,
but, as those who should know keep telling me, this is a BIG show.
I expect to have a “deer in the headlights” expression on my face
from start to finish.

I suck at networking, so I’m not really expecting to make any deals
for new projects at the con.  On the plus side, it’s not a pressing
concern for me.  On the other hand side, I’m always interested in
talking with people who want to work with me.  My limited time and
my picky nature mean I can’t accept every opportunity that comes my
way, but I won’t dismiss anything cavalierly.  Don’t be shy about
approaching me.

Let’s see what else I feel like writing about today.

******************************

A few of the readers who have asked me when I’m writing a sequel to
my 1000 Comic Books You Must Read want to know what I think about
a book coming out later this year.  Edited by comics historian Paul
Gravett, 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die: The Ultimate
Guide to Comic Books, Graphic Novels and Manga [Universe; $36.95]
is a 960-page “critical history of comic books, manga and graphic
novels.”  What I think about it is that, within minutes of learning
about it, I ordered it and am looking forward to reading it.

I never thought my book, which concentrated on the American comic
book industry, was the be all and end all of this kind of history.
I hoped part of the fun of reading my book would be the inevitable
second-guessing of my choices.  I’m sure Gravett’s readers will be
just as eager to second-guess his choices and those of his team of
critics and writers.  As for me, given the more international range
and greater length of this new book, I expect to learn a whole lot
of stuff I didn’t know and discover new comics material that
I will, indeed, want to read before I die.

I’m not merely okay with 1001 Comics You Must Read Before You Die.
I am positively enthusiastic.

******************************

Courtesy of a friend who purchased them all and loaned them to me,
I now have the new Justice League #1 and the first three full weeks
of “The New 52!” Seeing the stack of first issues, I understand the
addictive urge to review them all that gripped so many bloggers and
reviewers.  While I’m going to continue to try to resist that path,
I do plan to read them all and comment whenever I have something I
think is worth adding to the conversation.

My enmity towards the Time Warner corporate hive of villainy aside,
I’m delighted for the writers and artists who will benefit from the
amazing sales of these first issues.  I’m less thrilled that these
books are making it tough for smaller publishers in a tough comics
marketplace, but that’s how it often goes in an industry dominated
by the Big Two. 

On a more speculative note, because all I’ve heard are rumors with
the facts obscured by non-disclosure agreements, I’m pained those
writers and artists are apparently being micro-managed by the same
untalented editors and executives who have been the bane of actual
creativity for the past decade.  But I digress.

I plan to read four of “The New 52" every day until I leave for the
New York Comic Con...and the remaining week’s worth on my return.
Whether I see any/many of the second issues depends on whether or
not my friend enjoyed the first issues.

On a related note...

I have read Flashpoint #1-5 and most of the crossover mini-series
and one-shots.  I came away from them thinking that their writers
were filled with loathing for these characters and themselves.  The
“event” was filled with brutality for brutality’s sake and absurd
reinterpretations of well-established characters.  These issues may
be the most unpleasant DC comics I’ve ever read.  Perhaps the plan
was to get readers to stop caring about the old DC Universe before
launching the new one.  I don’t know and, as I’ve said many times
before, trying to figure out why DC does anything always makes my
head hurt. 

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One bit of blog housekeeping before we adjourn for today.  The “Ten
Years Later” piece I posted on September 11 continues to generate
comments and e-mails, the latter from folks whose comments didn’t
get published because my settings require approval of comments made
14 days after a blog is posted.  I’ve changed the setting so that
anyone can comment on any blog in the archives.  Just keep in mind
you’re a guest in my “house” and behave accordingly.

All comments will require approval whenever I’m on a trip and away
from my computer.  Eventually, I’ll get a travel computer of some
sort so that I can stay online when I’m not home, but that’s still
a few successful eBay and garage sales away.

I’ll be back tomorrow with more stuff.

© 2011 Tony Isabella