Covered 365: Day 147
Thor #147, Marvel Comics, February 1967 – Artist: Jack Kirby. Jack Kirby is an artist we sometimes take too much for granted. The King was a master of motion as is evident in this great battle scene. Throw in some…
Comic Book Daily
Discussing the minutiae of comic book collecting.
Comic Book Daily
Discussing the minutiae of comic book collecting.
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Covered 365: Day 112
Journey Into Mystery #112, Marvel Comics, January 1965 – Artist: Jack Kirby. I was jonesing for a battle cover today but could not pick between Fantastic Four #112 and JIM #112, at the end of the day it was the…
Covered 365: Day 4
A great comic book cover matching each day of the year, 1 through 365. Please chime in with your favorite corresponding cover, from any era. Day 4 – Silver Surfer #4, Artist – John Buscema with inks from brother Sal…
The Definitive Thunder God?
As I am wont to do, I was looking at a random long box and this one happened to be the Mighty Thor. I have a good run from Journey Into Mystery #121 up which was, for me, when the…
Undervalued Spotlight #383
Tales of the Unexpected #16, DC Comics, August 1957. This Spotlight pick was inspired by a chat I was having with Mike Huddleston (come to think of it a lot of my Spotlight picks come to me while chatting with Mike…
February 2017 Previews
Diamond has updated Previews World with the February 2017 catalog. Scouring the full list this month shows one new Artist Edition book, advance solicited for June 2017 shipping. For complete details and daily updates visit our AE Index. The fate of Earth…
Undervalued Spotlight #324
Journey into Mystery Annual #1, Marvel Comics, 1965 Marvel Comics certainly had a “way” with adapting fictional characters and making those characters their own. I can’t think of a bigger or better example than the Mighty Thor, introduced in Journey…
Scott Dunbier and Jack Kirby’s Mighty Thor Artist’s Edition video
IDW has released a video of Scott Dunbier introducing Jack Kirby’s The Mighty Thor Artist’s Edition.
The First Six, Part Two: Journey Into Mystery #83-88
In today’s installment of “The First Six” we will take a look at the start of The Mighty Thor in the Journey Into Mystery title. About a month ago I was researching Marvels early beginnings and use of Norse Mythology…
Jason Aaron
52 weeks. 52 different writers. 2 trade paperbacks or hardcovers a week. Each week I’ll take a look at a different writer and read two different collected editions from within that person’s repertoire to help in the examination of their work. The beautifully bearded beast of a man named Jason Aaron is in the spotlight this week. Did I mention he’s got a beautiful beard?
“Marvel’s Changes This Time, And We Do It In Rhyme ”
“Dear Doc Curmudgeon” is a column by Clint McElroy, made up of completely fabricated responses to mostly fabricated questions. But you knew that, due to your discerning nature and brilliant mind which would never fall for a columnist trying to butter you…
Undervalued Spotlight #216
Nova #4, Marvel Comics, December 1976 For this week’s Undervalued Spotlight I’d like to go with a book that gives us a new villain, has great eye appeal, won’t break the budget and tracking one down won’t be like finding…
BIFF SOCKO: “Wielding the Magic Hammer Muh-Jol-New”
It’s time for another update from BIFF SOCKO, TWO-FISTED NEWSHOUND. Biff Socko covers Comic Book News like zits on the A-V Club. Faster than Perry White! Stronger than J. Jonah Jameson! Hotter than Cat Grant. He is…BIFF SOCKO! DEADLINE:…
Shaking Things Up at Marvel
The comic book world is still spinning from the news this week that Marvel is shaking things up a bit, and changing some of their major characters. Originally I was going to write this article about the power of Thor being transferred from Thor to a new female character. That is a column within itself. But this week we hear more news that the mantle of Captain America is being passed from Steve Rogers, to his friend and ally Sam Wilson.
Why did the original Silver Surfer run fail? #1-18
A little more than two years after the first book hit the stands it was part of a Marvel wave of cancellations due to poor sales (Nick Fury, Doctor Strange, and The Silver Surfer) and suspensions (X-Men & Captain Marvel) and it was gone. I can’t say I was that sorry to see him go. What happened? There are a gazillion reasons and theories why the Surfer failed in his first solo effort. I will list some of my own reasons I thought the book failed and then we will take a look at the high’s and lows of the run itself. For anybody who thinks this run is not a failure I say this – when you are cancelled and the Sub-Mariner continues you have done something wrong.
Meet Beta Ray Bill: Thor 337-340
Thanks to Walter Simonson every time I see a horse my mind invariably drifts to a super hero with a similar appearance and many of the same qualities of those Clydesdales - Beta Ray Bill. Walt Simonson’s critically acclaimed run on Thor ran from issue #337 thru issue #382. He started with this Beta Ray Bill story and followed it up with the introduction of Malekith the Accursed Ruler of the Dark Elves (issue #344), who was the villain in the second Thor movie. Not a bad way to start your new job! Simonson’s run really breathed new life into this title and the many accolades he received are justified.
Undervalued Spotlight #194
Journey into Mystery #85, Marvel Comics, October 1962. Last Saturday evening my kid decides we should all watch Thor 2; I wanted to watch the Habs/Senators game. So Thor 2 starts and I kind of like it, I actually thought it was better than the first one. Near the end of the movie my kid mumbles something like “I really like Loki, he’s smart and crafty”. Woah!
Superheroes attend Vaughan Winterfest
This year on February 9th, the Vaughan Winterfest celebrated its 25th anniversary. It is a great event that helps break up the monotony of a long winter, especially with the abundance of snow and cold temperatures we've had this year.
Marvel Now, Continuity, and What If?
However, the more I think about Marvel Now the more I feel that success (or lack thereof) is mostly owed to these unique interpretations. When I talk with fans at conventions or comic book shops they either love or hate what is going on in Marvel Now. And I think that is primarily due to the fact that the concepts behind Marvel Now are all or nothing; you either love them or or hate them because they are What If? stories.
Best of 2013
With another year coming to a close, I turn my eye to that most time-honoured of traditions: the best-of list. 2013 was a banner year for comics and here are the things that I liked the most.