As always Sessa, you know exactly what you're talking about. Supergirl had potential, but DC dropped the ball. I think the only think I liked about Churchill's art was that he gave her a small chest, like any teenager's would be. But that's not enough to overlook the rest of the book's problems.

Speaking of X-Factor, I'm thinking of getting the Essential X-Factor vol. 1. This old series was the first I remember buying on a regular basis as a kid. But what does everyone think of the B&W Essential line? Worth it, or wait for the color reprints?


Also, to take it further of topic, I read ABSOLUTE NEW FRONTIER this weekend. Holy cow, that book rules! The story is good, but the art is so bloody fantastic, I found myself soaking in every single panel. This is the type of book that makes me wonder why I read some of the other garbage that I do. When there are books out there that are this good, I shouldn't waste my time with that other tripe.

I agree with the comments about Supergirl, but the only reason i'm buying it is for the art. If it was for the "story", I would've droppped it 12 issues ago..

X-Factor is one of my favorite second-rate books that I collect..

Oh, and :rip: Mr. Cockrum.

I know I'm anti-Marvel a lot, but I dig the DC Showcase Presents books a lot more than the Marvel line. Haunted Tank, the Unknown Soldier collection I bought last week are freakin' awesome, b/c that's stuff you can't find easily nowadays. But an essential X-factor vol. 1? Those are books you can find a most store's 25 cent bins. Or on-line for next than nothing. PAD's run on that book is some of the best "X" material ever written IMO, & it came during the glutton phase of the 90s so most stores ordered the hell out of it, but b/c it wasn't Jim Lee or any of the Image crowd, doing the books, most stores had more than they could sell of X-factor. And to me, Strohman's art was so kick-ass on that run, if I were you, I'd try to track down the issues as oppose to an essential collection of such a recent series.

I think the Essential X-factor series is the original X-factor series done by the Simonson's: volume one has something like 16 issues of the series, an annual, and various issues of related books (Thor, Power Pack, etc.). For 16 bucks before discount, it's a pretty good deal unless you can find all the backissues locally (the essential volume is in B&W after all). I haven't picked that one up yet, but I have enjoyed all of the Essential Uncanny X-men series despite that not being in color. It'll be interesting to see how Portacio's art comes out without color, if they ever get that far.

I believe there's some kind of Marvel Visionaries: PAD on X-factor series that is out, which may be what you're talking about, and is in color at a higher price point. May be worth it if you don't have access to the back issues or like TPB collections.

Sessa, you're definitely right about the back issues. They're color and cheap. But for me, I just like reading in the book format. And I'm loving these cheap collections of older books. Sure, I love the giant hardcovers, but The Batman Chronicles and The Superman Chronicles are fantastic. I'm really learning to enjoy these old books. Heck, I'm about halfway through Essential Tomb of Dracula and I'm totally enjoying it.

Who knew?

But going back to X-Factor, I have no idea if those early Simonson issues are any good...but I sure love reading those comics I loved so much as a kid.

Haunted Tank & Unknown Soldier are great, X-Factor...not so much.

I enjoy both Showcase & Essentials (I liked Showcase more when they were using the better/whiter paper, but they still rock) but what I'd really like to see are more golden age reprints of Captain Marvel. The Shazam archives come out at a snails pace and there is a ton of stuff out there to be reprinted from Whiz, Captain Marvel Adventures, Master Comics, Captain Marvel Jr., The Marvel Family, and Mary Marvel series.

Also, the hardcover collection of the original Moster Society of Evil is just begging to be rereleased.

Those earlier X-factor books are some of my all time favorites!!! Especially when you get up to around #24-25 with the classic Archangel/Apocalypse storyline. It is really great stuff. I don't know how the art holds up in b&w, but those Essential books are so cheap, so you might as well pick it up.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/11/28/com....ap/index.html

CNN article on Cockrum's death. Lame sensational headline about him dying in Superman PJs. Shame on CNN.

That's a terrible, terrible headline. Makes him sound more like a crazy guy than a comic art pioneer.

I liked the old X-Factor, although it didn't really hit its stride until Peter David started writing it. It's too bad Marvel edited that one story down to absolute unintelligible shit.

I remember sitting in a comic shop arguing with the owner back when X-Factor was announced, and they were playing up the whole "5th mystery member." I told him it would be Jean Grey and he was swearing up and down it wouldn't be. Even at that tender young age, I found myself saying "you call yourself a comic fan, and you can't see this coming from a mile away? And how the hell did you manage to own a comic shop?"

I actually thought the Haunted Tank stories were too repetitive when read all in a row like that. Haven't cracked Unknown Soldier yet -- I'm still working my way through Tales of the Zombie and Challengers of the Unknown.

As for X-Factor, I liked it, but part of that may be fueled by nostalgia. The really good stuff, IMO, will be in the next volume. That's where you get stuff like the Right and the battle against Apocolypse during the Fall of the Mutants. But even if the stories weren't so good, I'd pay money for just about anything drawn by Walt Simonson.

As for Captain Marvel, I am right there with you. About a decade ago, I payed $130 for a copy of Monster Society on eBay, at a time when I really had no business spending that much money on a comic book. Very much worth it. Around the same time, I e-mailed whoever was in charge of reprints at DC suggesting they reprint it, and was told that there probably wasn't enough of a market for it to justify it. But reprint programs have become much more robust over the last decade, so who knows ... maybe someday we'll see it back in print.

JasonF, in that same article, the second "new" item in the highlights box. It says "The comic will be cremated..." He was an comic illustrator, not a comic. Good grief. Errors like that have been creeping into news stories a lot lately, but for some reason, this really irks me.

How is that Tales of the Zombie? I don't know what it is, but I'm jonesin' to read more of that old school horror stuff.

It's OK. It reprints all 10 issues of the magazine-sized Tales of the Zombie book from the early 70s. It's got a lot of one-off stories, although there is a continuing character who appears in some of the stories. If you've read Essential Dracula Vol. 4 -- the one that reprints stuff from the Dracula Magazine, as opposed to the Dracula Comic -- it's got a similar feel to that.

Why is the EC Archives: Weird Science vol. 1 not available in Amazon? Anyone managed to buy it (online or BnM)?

The Complete Dick Tracy vol. 1 is also "available within 1 to 3 months". Did these books sell out? That was quick.

Did CROSSING MIDNIGHT #1 come out Wednesday 11/29?

It wasn't in my stack this week.

Only 2 books this week but both were quite enjoyable.

First up was Batman/The Spirit. I haven't really liked anything Jeph Loeb has written apart from his work with Tim Sale, but this was enjoyable. Darwyn Cooke's artwork definitely fit the tone of the book perfectly. On a side note, when did Darwyn Cooke become DC's go to guy? He just did New Frontier(which I have yet to read), he drew this, and he's pulling double duty on The Spirit monthly.

The other book I got this week was Captain America #24. Great, great issue overall. I loved the artwork, and Brubaker shows how to do a Civil War tie-in properly. I'm glad there won't be any more Cap CW tie-ins, but the 3 issues we got were amazing. They not only advanced the plot of the regular Captain America book but it also managed to advance the plot of CW also. Not an easy feat there, and I think it further proves that Brubaker is the best writer at Marvel now.

Did anyone pick up the first issue of Iron Fist this week? I saw Brubaker's name on it, but I've never been a big fan of Iron Fist so I passed. What's the word on it? Anyone?

Here is what I picked up this week, awesome week for a Vertigo fan:

52 WEEK #30 - I don't get all the hate for this book, the last few issues have been great.

AMERICAN VIRGIN #9 - Getting worried this will be cancelled soon, the sales are terrible even for a Vertigo book.

AQUAMAN SWORD OF ATLANTIS #46 - I'm enjoyin' this relaunch of sorts, but Guice's art isn't nearly as good as it use to be.

BATMAN #659

BATMAN THE SPIRIT - OH m god did nobody pick this up. Yet, another masterpiece by Darwyne Cooke. He can do no wrong.

BLACK PANTHER #22 - One of my favorite characters ever, I thought this series was putrid for the first 15 or so issues, but I've actually liked it since the wedding.

CAPTAIN AMERICA #24 - I'm so sick of this civil war crap crossing into my favorite Marvel books.

CONAN & THE SONGS OF THE DEAD #5 - Truman doing Conan, that is as good as it gets. Can't believe there is no Conan love here.

CROSSING MIDNIGHT #1 - Vertigo rarely lets me down. Dug it enough to want more, not blown away, but I like that there is nothing like this book on the stands right now.

DARK HORSE BOOK OF MONSTERS HC - Always enjoy these books from Dark Horse.

FLASH THE FASTEST MAN ALIVE #6 - This has actually been a worse relaunch than Supergirl. I can't stand the art, & the story is feels pointless. Not really doing a good job of setting up a new flash in the DC universe.

GREEN LANTERN #15 - Was about to give up on this series, thought it has been some of Johns worste work ever, but the last couple of issues have picked up.

IMMORTAL IRON FIST #1 - Haven't read it yet, but it's going to be hard getting into this book when as the first issue comes out, you already know cancellation isn't too far away.

LOVELESS #13 - One of the most underrated comics being published. What a cover on this issue, & an awesome, awesome story this issue.

NEXTWAVE AGENTS OF HATE #10 - Always brilliant.

STAR WARS LEGACY #6 - Been really enjoying this & KOTOR

SUPERMAN BATMAN #30

TEEN TITANS #41 - I'm so behind on this book, but it is always great.

X-MEN #193 - Unreadable, & I can't stand Bachelo's art (or attempt at it), it makes my eyes hurt.

ZOMBIES VS ROBOTS #1 - The idea more than enough to sell me. Plus, I love Wood's art.

No kidding. Those few Cap issues are the ONLY Civil War tie-ins I have had to endure. Thankfully Brubaker handled it well enough not to let it taint anything too badly.

I picked up Nextwave #1-9 cheap on eBay recently, and I have to say it didn't really do much for me. It's just kind of blah, and definitely not as funny as I was hoping. I was expecting some sort of early Deadpool hilarity the way people went on and on about it.

I'm really digging this book. The premise is fully grounded in the DCU, but totally different from anything else out there.

Guice and Busiek are off the book as of isse #50. The new creative team is Tad Williams (of "Next," "Otherland," and "Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn") as writer and Sean McManus (of "Sandman: A Game of You") as artist.

The hate is because it came out of the gate like a winner, and then about 12 or so issues down the line started delivering horrible stories. When you're featuring characters that not only are not the top ones in the company, but don't even remotely quallify as second or third string characters, the writing has to be amazing, and it was far from it. The whole concept of 52 is just moronic. Not only do we have what I mentioned in other threads, that we're going to have another missing year for these characters since none of them are showing up in current DCU books, but the pacing of the storytelling is hideous. Characters disappear for weeks or even months at a time, right in the middle of a story. This book is happening in real time, remember? Yet we have stories that pick up 2 months down the road acting like everything happened the day before.

And, as I also mentioned last week, the long boring "mad scientists in the hidden compound" story is what finally killed the book for me. Christ, these guys aren't second, third, fourth or fifth string players. These are scab replacement players off the street that were brought on the court because every professional in the world was in the same area the night the terrorists blew it up.

52's ultimate achievement is demonstrating just how weak the DCU is without the Justice League heavy hitters.



I read it, wasn't impressed. A shame, too, since Iron Fist was one of my favorite characters. I got into Power Man & Iron Fist way back when Secret Wars 2 crossed over into the title, and liked it enough to buy every single back issue (this was well before Sabretooth got popular, so his appearances weren't any big thing and no extra cost).


I dropped the title. I quickly got annoyed by how they're doing the Sith. "Hey, everyone thought Darth Maul was cool, so now all Sith, no matter what species, have red skin and black tattoos!!!!!"

I can't believe that Ostrander is churning this out, he can do much better.

Ostrander can indeed do much better. But the issue of Batman that came out this week seems to suggest that the man is in a bit of a slump. A terrible issue.

He's on my list with Peter David as writers that need to just give up because they're a pale version of what they once were.

Ostrander's work on Spectre is among some of his best.

I wonder if 52 wouldn't have been a little better as an anthology or sorts, with a few pages each week of each major storyline getting advanced in realtime. Otherwise, as you say, it's not really "realtime" at all, and besides the weekly schedule and fifth-tier cast, nothing to really differentiate it from any other comic out there.