Crimebuster
CCF Podcast Guru
Making comics!
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Post by Crimebuster on Dec 22, 2014 17:05:16 GMT -5
I dove into comics headlong in 1984. I was 11, and everything was new and awesome. I was particularly enthralled with books that had big numbers, because that suggested a long and mysterious history. What happened in all those previous issues?! It was amazing. One day, though, there was a comic on the rack that was on its first issue. This was different, a chance to get in on the ground floor of something. I was intrigued. And then I read it, and I loved it, because it was hilarious. That's not why it's on my list, though. After I read it, I told my dad about the comic. My dad had read comics back when he was in school, though he no longer had any of them. So I gave him this comic to read. He read it and really liked it. Every month for the next ten years, as soon as I finished reading the newest issue, I would give it to my dad and he would read it too. I'm sure it wasn't a big thing for him, but it meant a lot to me, having him participate in something I loved. It was our little comic book ritual. 3. Groo #1
 Earlier this year, I had a chance to tell this story to Stan Sakai and Sergio Aragones at the Boston Comic Con, where they both graciously signed it. Yeah, it's been through the ringer, but I wouldn't trade this dog eared copy for anything. It earned those dog ears that me and my dad gave it. |
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Dec 22, 2014 17:26:40 GMT -5
The Phantom #74 (Charlton Jan. '77)  I don't remember seeing very many Charlton books on spinners over the years. Given their notoriously spotty distribution, that's probably not surprising. I do know where I bought this book. It was at a Circle-K that was about a mile or so from my Grandparents house. Probably a little less if you cut across the apple orchard, which I usually did. I suspect it was the cover that got me to buy the book, notwithstanding the fact that the holster is wrong. This book was a Don Newton tour-de-force. He did everything from the cover to the back. Okay...he probably didn't color it. But writing, art and lettering. And that was it. Don Newton was my favorite artist from then on. And he was the first artist that I followed. I love Don Newton and will have to check this out. |
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Dec 22, 2014 17:28:49 GMT -5
#3: X-Factor #1
 Wow, this is actually the first Marvel book on my list.  X-Men fans are generally a divided group of fans. You have those who believe that the book died when Byrne and Claremont split. Others feel that Morrison was the pinnacle of the franchise's brilliance. There are even those who view the only real "X-Men" as the original Lee/Kirby X-Men. Personally, I find myself in a rather small camp: the late 80's Outback X-Men era. Most fans generally loathe this era and view it as the point when Claremont had jumped the shark, but it holds a special charm for me. This was the "darkening" of the X-Men done right. They were broken and scattered, yet never lost their sense of family and hope for the future. The original X-Factor series was so enjoyable for me because it saw the O5 X-Men back together as a full team for the first time in a long time. It was like watching the band getting back together and all these old friends reunite after so long. Bob Layton, who kicked off the series, is often under appreciated in my opinion. In this first issue, he nails the banter between the characters and really portrays Cyclops as deeply complex character. Louise Simonson would soon take the series in her own direction, but the foundation Layton set in this issue helped created one of my all time favorite X-Men series, cementing this period is my favorite X-era. It's weird how strongly I disagree and yet how clearly I see your points about those first six issues. |
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Post by coke & comics on Dec 22, 2014 17:34:31 GMT -5
#3: X-Factor #1
Wow, this is actually the first Marvel book on my list. :P X-Men fans are generally a divided group of fans. You have those who believe that the book died when Byrne and Claremont split. Others feel that Morrison was the pinnacle of the franchise's brilliance. There are even those who view the only real "X-Men" as the original Lee/Kirby X-Men. Personally, I find myself in a rather small camp: the late 80's Outback X-Men era. Most fans generally loathe this era and view it as the point when Claremont had jumped the shark, but it holds a special charm for me. This was the "darkening" of the X-Men done right. They were broken and scattered, yet never lost their sense of family and hope for the future. The original X-Factor series was so enjoyable for me because it saw the O5 X-Men back together as a full team for the first time in a long time. It was like watching the band getting back together and all these old friends reunite after so long. Bob Layton, who kicked off the series, is often under appreciated in my opinion. In this first issue, he nails the banter between the characters and really portrays Cyclops as deeply complex character. Louise Simonson would soon take the series in her own direction, but the foundation Layton set in this issue helped created one of my all time favorite X-Men series, cementing this period is my favorite X-era. I'm definitely in the pro-Claremont/Silvestri camp. The Adversary Saga was excellent. The Genosha story was good stuff. And I absolutely love the breaking of the team from X-Men #246-251, where the X-Men seem to die or disappear one by one, until none are left. I also think the very earliest issues of X-Factor represent some solid storytelling. My only difficulty is that Jean seems to be alive in them, and I still find that hard to forgive. |
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Post by hondobrode on Dec 22, 2014 18:42:26 GMT -5
The Phantom #74 (Charlton Jan. '77) I don't remember seeing very many Charlton books on spinners over the years. Given their notoriously spotty distribution, that's probably not surprising. I do know where I bought this book. It was at a Circle-K that was about a mile or so from my Grandparents house. Probably a little less if you cut across the apple orchard, which I usually did. I suspect it was the cover that got me to buy the book, notwithstanding the fact that the holster is wrong. This book was a Don Newton tour-de-force. He did everything from the cover to the back. Okay...he probably didn't color it. But writing, art and lettering. And that was it. Don Newton was my favorite artist from then on. And he was the first artist that I followed. I love Don Newton and will have to check this out. I think you, Slam, have posted about this issue before, and I, like Shaxper, will be keeping my eyes open for it. It's a shame Don Newton passed. His stuff was so great. I'd have loved to see him and Jerry Ordway do a project together. |
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metarog
Junior Member
Waking up in an alternate universe
Posts: 25
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Post by metarog on Dec 22, 2014 18:56:41 GMT -5
3. Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 DC This is one of the most emotional comics I ever read. I had just lost a loved one at the time and was still a bit upset when this issue came into my pull bag at the comic shop. Although Supergirl's act of courage and self-sacrifice was not the first I had read in comics-it was the powerful and moving especially considering my emotional state at the time. Supergirl showed me that a hero is defined by the strength of their character and not their abilities. It is one of my favorites for teaching me that lesson.
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Post by DubipR on Dec 22, 2014 19:10:23 GMT -5
1984 is the year for this entry about the future... Number 3MISTER X #1 Year of Publication: June 1984 Written by: Dean Motter Drawn by: Mario Hernandez, Gilberto Hernandez and Jaime Hernandez Synopsis: Radiant City is the living future! Flying cars, robots helpers, and swinging music. But Radiant City is dying and making people crazy. The mysterious Mister X, who might or might not be one of the city's founders and chief architect is snooping around looking for answers on why the City's distinct psychetecture is reacting the way it is. Chase scenes, classy dames and the beginnings of a mystery that unravels of who Mister X might be. Why This Is A Classic: I tried out this comic on a whim back in 1987, along with my Number 1 selection. I saw this cool looking cover at a shop and had to try it out. It was something I never saw before. Before knowing about German Expressionism or the Bauhaus movement, the wonderful design of the cover and the mind blowing interior art of all 3 Los Bros Hernandez art work was all that I needed to know that this book was for me. Depictions of the future in other comic books were things that looked too impossible for us to grab but this looked more real. Right now, we're not that far off from flying cars, robotics have been around for a while and well, it's a glorious future. Dean Motter's work made sense to me. It dense but made so much sense. The true reason why this is a classic to me is because of the Bros. I saw their work here and instantly fell in love with their work. I had to buy their stuff, no matter what. Along with some of the titles from First Comics and The Rocketeer, this was some of the definitive comics of the era. Mister X was a book that along with my love of art, made me progress forward in my soon to be college degree in Art History. |
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Post by The Captain on Dec 22, 2014 19:10:50 GMT -5
Uncanny X-Men #303
Why this one? Because it is the one comic guaranteed to make me cry every time I read it.
Growing up, I only had three cousins; my dad was an only child, and my mom had just one brother, who had two sons and a daughter. I rarely ever saw them, as they lived in either Memphis, TN or Grand Rapids, MI depending on my uncle's job, but whenever we were together, it was like we had lived next door to each other forever. Unfortunately, my cousin Laura Ann, who was just two years older than I, was born with a heart defect, so she wasn't able to keep up with her brothers or even me when it came to playing. She tried as best she could, but after just a few minutes, her lips would turn blue and she would have to go inside and rest. My aunt and uncle tried every specialist they could find, taking her all over the country to do whatever they could for her, but they weren't able to do anything for her, and she eventually passed away when she was 14. As a 12-year old, I was mad, upset, sad, scared, and about every other emotion you could think of, but most of all, I just didn't understand why she had to go.
This issue lives up to the hype on the cover as so few comics ever do. It opens with Jean Grey approaching Jubilee, who starts to tell the story of Illyana's decline due to the Legacy Virus entirely from her point of view. She finds herself at a loss with how to reach out to Illyana as she lies sick in bed, then becomes frustrated when Kitty Pryde shows up and Jubilee is quickly forgotten by the old friends. As the issue progresses, she begins to warm to Kitty as she sees how happy Illyana is, and then she herself begins to soften toward the sick little girl. Of course, in the end, Illyana passes, and the story returns to the present as Jubilee finally allows herself to process her feelings.
These last two panels choke me up every time, because I sadly learned early on that life is fleeting, so it is what we make of the time we have that is important. |
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,862
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Post by shaxper on Dec 22, 2014 19:25:50 GMT -5
Uncanny X-Men #303
Why this one? Because it is the one comic guaranteed to make me cry every time I read it.
Growing up, I only had three cousins; my dad was an only child, and my mom had just one brother, who had two sons and a daughter. I rarely ever saw them, as they lived in either Memphis, TN or Grand Rapids, MI depending on my uncle's job, but whenever we were together, it was like we had lived next door to each other forever. Unfortunately, my cousin Laura Ann, who was just two years older than I, was born with a heart defect, so she wasn't able to keep up with her brothers or even me when it came to playing. She tried as best she could, but after just a few minutes, her lips would turn blue and she would have to go inside and rest. My aunt and uncle tried every specialist they could find, taking her all over the country to do whatever they could for her, but they weren't able to do anything for her, and she eventually passed away when she was 14. As a 12-year old, I was mad, upset, sad, scared, and about every other emotion you could think of, but most of all, I just didn't understand why she had to go.
This issue lives up to the hype on the cover as so few comics ever do. It opens with Jean Grey approaching Jubilee, who starts to tell the story of Illyana's decline due to the Legacy Virus entirely from her point of view. She finds herself at a loss with how to reach out to Illyana as she lies sick in bed, then becomes frustrated when Kitty Pryde shows up and Jubilee is quickly forgotten by the old friends. As the issue progresses, she begins to warm to Kitty as she sees how happy Illyana is, and then she herself begins to soften toward the sick little girl. Of course, in the end, Illyana passes, and the story returns to the present as Jubilee finally allows herself to process her feelings.
These last two panels choke me up every time, because I sadly learned early on that life is fleeting, so it is what we make of the time we have that is important. Great choice. Definitely one of the best stand alone stories I've ever read. I tend to blur this with the one where Jubilee teaches Prof X how to rollerskate. The x crossover aftermaths were often so much better than the crossovers themselves. |
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Crimebuster
CCF Podcast Guru
Making comics!
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Post by Crimebuster on Dec 22, 2014 19:37:13 GMT -5
Lobdell had some really good issues in this period. The one where Cyclops and Cable finally talk over Thanksgiving about Scott's decision to leave baby Nate in the future was an excellent story.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2014 20:01:28 GMT -5
3. Crisis on Infinite Earths #7 DC This was on my initial list. But it was too close to another choice, and I didn't want to use them both, so I reluctantly let this one go. I'm glad to see it show up. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2014 20:58:01 GMT -5
Day 10, pick #3 Vampirella #16'. . .And Be a Bride of Chaos' Warren, cover date April 1972 Writer - Archie Goodwin Artist - Jose Gonzalez  I had read some Warren mags before this, Creepy, Eerie and of course Famous Monsters of Filmland. But this was the first Vampirella I ever picked up. Maybe it was the female lead, maybe the price, probably the fact that her costume was a tad small. That whole Catholic school thing, again. But one day, I was out shopping with my mom, and this cover called me. So I took a deep breath, and bought it. My mother looked at it, but she didn't say a word. On the way home, we ran into one of my teachers, a nun. She asked what I was reading, of course. And she did not think much of that cover. Is that really appropriate for a good Catholic boy? My mother, bless her, stood up for me, saying that I could handle it, and that at least I was reading, unlike most of my classmates. So this issue would be special to me for that memory alone. It also happens to be pretty good. Vampirella is chosen as a sacrifice, to open the way for Chaos, an extra-dimensional big bad, to enter our world. You've got Dracula and a Lovecraftian entity both. You've got the origin of Dracula, which was connected to Vampirella's background, which appealed to the continuity-geek in me. It wasn't a super-hero story, but more of a horror story with adventure undertones. Or maybe the other way around. Anyway, I loved it, and Vampirella became one of my favorite characters, and her book became a must-buy for years. (No matter how bad it got. And it got bad, people.) Jose Gonzalez is the Vampirella artist for me, and even now, 40+ years later, I think Archie Goodwin was the best writer she ever had. (Of course, this was his last issue. Cause, y'know, that's the way my world works.) |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 22, 2014 21:31:16 GMT -5
Man, with all the tremendous picks today you know we are really getting down to it. And so, for today's pick I present for your viewing pleasure...
 "Tribal Warfare" Age of Reptiles #1 Story and Art by Ricardo Delgado Dark Horse, 1993
With gift giving grandparents get a lot of flack about being out of touch with what their grandchildren are into, and truth be told there were a few times even my own grands fell into that category, but growing up they always new one element that was always a safe bet when it came to gifts and that safe zone was dinosaurs. A lot of kids get to a certain age where they become obsessed with dinosaurs and readily consume anything related to those wonderful but terrible lizards...but then,with the same rapidity that the obsession fell upon them, that love inexplicably fades away. Thankfully that never happened to me, dinosaurs were no passing phase in my life but a life long love that has weathered the test of time. And it was lucky for my grandparents too, because no matter how old I got or how esoteric my other interests became they knew if they got me a bronzed dinosaur statue or some book on dinosaurs they were safe.
But one year, on my fourteenth birthday in 2000, they went beyond just "safe" with my gift and attained true excellency: they gave me Age of Reptiles #1. Not only was it dinosaurs but it was also a comic book...and not just any comic but one that really changed how I looked at the medium. This was pure, visual storytelling, something that I had never seen before with my young eyes and it amazed me. Not only did it move the plot on wards purely with art but it also offered deep characterization of the different dinosaurs which was incredibly fascinating to me. Although I had loved dinosaurs since a young age, until that point that had been nothing but monsters to me, they were monsters that I was thrilled to say actually walked the same Earth as I did, but just monsters none the less. But here they were so much more, they were living breathing...AND thinking creatures with their own thoughts, motivations and feelings and what's more it really got me to thinking about the fact that living animals were the same way. And all that was conveyed to me with out a single word.
This is a comic that not only showed me the power and potential or art but also really opened me up to the world around me. I mean, I wasn't a dumb kid, I had been around animals my whole life so I knew that they weren't just empty shells. But by seeing how Delgado was able to convey complex emotions with his art I began to notice them in the world around me too. It was a beautiful experience.
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Post by benday-dot on Dec 22, 2014 21:40:16 GMT -5
Age of Reptiles was a gift of genius. Great pick.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2014 21:49:42 GMT -5
#3: Star Spangled War Stories #129 (DC, 1966)  Little Nana, my great grandmother, gave me this comic in 1988. She had a stack of comics she was handing down, including some Gold Keys (Mighty Mouse, Samson), Sad Sack, Flash, the JLA all magic issue, an issue of From Beyond the Unknown and this one. This War Stories comic resonated with me the most. Russ Heath's artwork is breathtaking, and Howard Liss' take on a Tarzan-style story captivated me from the start. Basically a baby named Tommy falls from a plane attacked by pterodactyl, lands in a nest on Dinosaur Island, and is raised by a pterodactyl family. Tommy learns to ride on the backs of the pterodactyls, and one day lightning hits one that he is riding and he falls into the sea. He is rescued by a ship that spotted him nearby, and the crew thinks he's crazy as all he does is skree and skawk like his dinobird brethren. Eventually he ends up in an orphanage, and after that, the military. It's World War II, and Tommy patrols the South Pacific as a fighter pilot. Amidst a battle he discovers the Dinosaur Island he grew up on. He lands and recruits the pterodactyls to join the war, and they contribute by dropping 100-pound bombs while Tommy shoots down planes with his rifle. It might sound hokey to some, sure. But I freaking love this comic. It has everything about comics that I love. Great art, interesting plot, fantastic landscapes, unbelievable battles and more. I have no idea what coerced my late Little Nana to purchase this one, but I'll never forget it. |
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