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Post by Calamas on Dec 22, 2014 21:50:33 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. Now there’s a memory. I also picked up and enjoyed #1. Didn’t find another issue until #4, I think. Maybe it’s something I should look into. Thanks. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2014 21:54:20 GMT -5
#3. Sandman Special #1
Synopsis: In “The Song of Orpheus,” we learn how Dream came to have a son, and how Orpheus was able to visit the Underworld. Why I chose it: In Retrospect, I had probably been edging towards The Sandman for some time. I had read and thoroughly enjoyed Books of Magic (even if it had been a bit weird in spots), and I had heard good buzz about the series, but had never picked it up. But 1991 was a year of changes for me, I had finished university, moved interstate and started my first full-time job. And while haunting the second-hand bookshop near work, I found this in the store's collection of second-hand comics. Given this was a self-contained story, I figured I could check out Sandman to see if it appealed to me. I don't remember what I paid for this issue, but it can't have been more that $1 or $2. And as soon as I read it I was hooked. That I could get so involved in a story that I already knew the end of (the tale of Orpheus) is the mark of an amazing storyteller. And this story gives you great vignettes of the personalities of all of the Endless. I started collecting The Sandman (and the most cash I have ever laid out for a single comic was for a The Sandman #1 to complete my run). So this issue is important to me for several reasons. It was my introduction to Sandman. It was the first story I where ever truly believed that comics could be great literature. It is my best ever find in a second-hand store. And it is now one of my few autographed comics (I got Neil Gaiman to sign during a tour of Australia a decade or so back). And it has a 'glow-in-the-dark' cover!  Great pick, and this was my first Sandman experience as well. |
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Post by Calamas on Dec 22, 2014 21:59:39 GMT -5
Seeing as I know nothing about DC books for the most part, I would definitely benefit from an explanation. Some clues may be found in this thread: classiccomics.boards.net/thread/498/ccf-guide-earth?page=3That said, I agree Cei-U! has violated his own rules and should be banned from further participation. Nah. We still need him to start the threads. |
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Post by benday-dot on Dec 22, 2014 22:06:20 GMT -5
#3 Incredible Hulk #178 (Marvel 1974)When I was a kid the Hulk was my favourite character, and Hulk #178 was my favourite Hulk comic. It is pretty basic math then which bestows this comic with the distinction of my third overall choice. I know some find the Hulk uninteresting and without much merit as a character. I actually find him to be one of Marvel's most complex and fascinating "heroes". On the one hand he is nothing more than a simple brute, but he also happens to be the most powerful character in the MU, outside of some titans, gods, supreme beings and abstractions. Capable of fantastic feats of destruction, he is feared, and indeed despised by almost everyone. He is a seeker of friendship, belonging and sometimes solitude. He only ever finds hatred, fear and violence. Thus when Hulk finally meets a friend in the form of the enigmatic Adam Warlock, Marvel's ultimate outsider character finds; however briefly all that he ever wanted. This is pretty moving stuff to a kid. Because kids, unlike the characters in the comics, generally like the Hulk. They are pulling for this destructive force of mutated nature to finally find some peace. The strange community and fellowship Hulk finds in this issue cannot last, we know, but man did we ever cheer for the Hulk for the brief time he knew it. Oh yeah, the Herb Trimpe art didn't hurt. 
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Post by Action Ace on Dec 22, 2014 22:30:15 GMT -5
CLASSIC COMICS CHRISTMAS #3
KURT BUSIEK'S ASTRO CITY #1
"In Dreams"
On sale August 1, 1995 Written by Kurt Busiek Drawn by Brent Anderson Cover by Alex Ross This was the first issue of a series that has gone on to be my favorite of all time. Astro City takes the familiar world of super heroes and tells the stories that aren't normally told. It's still not a realistic world, but we do get the see the point of view of more normal people often. I don't know how Busiek comes up with these ideas, but he's executed them brilliantly one issue after another for nearly twenty years. This issue give me the feeling that a lot of Astro City issues do. It's not just what's on the page, but the implied stack of other issues that also happened. I want to read the other four hundred issues of Samaritan, or Confessor or Winged Victory or Honor Guard, even though I know they don't exist. Even though I know if they produced them, it would make the regular Astro City issues seem less special, I still want to read those unmade comics. I'm thankful for every issue I get and I hope Kurt Busiek's health holds out long enough for him to come up with a fantastic finish. I was there for the first issue, the Lord and weather willing, I'll be there for the last. up next...My top two choices are the untold origins of my two favorite super hero teams. They both came out within a month of each other in 1977 and I have read each far more than any other comics.
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Post by cattysquaw on Dec 22, 2014 22:32:20 GMT -5
Star Wars Tales #1 Dark Horse Comics
When I first heard about this comic coming out, I was skeptical, but when I saw the cool cover and read it cover to cover, I was impressed, it was very enjoyable, the stories were good and so was the art work. The fact that it was Dark Horse, I was afraid of how they were going to treat it, but they have done very well for the Star Wars franchise. There have been some very nice stories told through out this series and I have liked the fact that they have included some "minor" characters as the feature story. |
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 22, 2014 22:38:03 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. Slam, I hope you've seen Newton's "Casablanca" issue, too. (It's actually an homage to several classic Bogart films.) His run on The Phantom was excellent, marred only by that horribly blurry, muddy Charlton printing. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 22, 2014 22:40:26 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. After everything I just said above, I think it goes without saying that I need this in my life. If I had owned this issue there is no doubt it would have made my list. |
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Post by coke & comics on Dec 22, 2014 22:41:56 GMT -5
#3. Sandman Special #1
Synopsis: In “The Song of Orpheus,” we learn how Dream came to have a son, and how Orpheus was able to visit the Underworld. Why I chose it: In Retrospect, I had probably been edging towards The Sandman for some time. I had read and thoroughly enjoyed Books of Magic (even if it had been a bit weird in spots), and I had heard good buzz about the series, but had never picked it up. But 1991 was a year of changes for me, I had finished university, moved interstate and started my first full-time job. And while haunting the second-hand bookshop near work, I found this in the store's collection of second-hand comics. Given this was a self-contained story, I figured I could check out Sandman to see if it appealed to me. I don't remember what I paid for this issue, but it can't have been more that $1 or $2. And as soon as I read it I was hooked. That I could get so involved in a story that I already knew the end of (the tale of Orpheus) is the mark of an amazing storyteller. And this story gives you great vignettes of the personalities of all of the Endless. I started collecting The Sandman (and the most cash I have ever laid out for a single comic was for a The Sandman #1 to complete my run). So this issue is important to me for several reasons. It was my introduction to Sandman. It was the first story I where ever truly believed that comics could be great literature. It is my best ever find in a second-hand store. And it is now one of my few autographed comics (I got Neil Gaiman to sign during a tour of Australia a decade or so back). And it has a 'glow-in-the-dark' cover! :D Great pick, and this was my first Sandman experience as well. Mine as well. Got it out of a quarter bin. Liked it. Picked up all 10 Sandman trades. One of the best series ever, I think. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 22, 2014 22:44:36 GMT -5
Star Wars Tales #1 Dark Horse Comics
When I first heard about this comic coming out, I was skeptical, but when I saw the cool cover and read it cover to cover, I was impressed, it was very enjoyable, the stories were good and so was the art work. The fact that it was Dark Horse, I was afraid of how they were going to treat it, but they have done very well for the Star Wars franchise. There have been some very nice stories told through out this series and I have liked the fact that they have included some "minor" characters as the feature story. I loved Star Wars Tales! Beyond that general love though, this issue had a fantastic story by Ron Marz that I loved and the framing narrative with the video rental guy was awesome. I wish they had kept that feature through the whole run, in the second issue it gave us one of the best quotes about comics that I've ever read, "The most important thing is: is it a good story? Does it have all the parts, in a semblance of order, and make sense as a whole? Did you laugh at the end, or did your hearts jump and make you wonder about the final outcome, the fate of some endearing (or reviled!) character? I hope so; otherwise I'm not doing my job and you'd better tell me!". |
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Post by Action Ace on Dec 22, 2014 22:47:56 GMT -5
Day 10 was originally going to be my Day 12 pick, as it's the first comic I ever bought off a spinner rack (actually my mom did, this once, and never again). All my other comic purchases, daydreams, schemes and desires flow from this single issue.  First of all, notice at the top it references the Super Friends, which I loved. We also see Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and green K that I knew from the cartoon. That all caught me eye, but it's the curiosity factor that really pounding me even more : fire creature, last angry god(!), and all these of characters I didn't even know the names of. 100 pages of greatness, though the lead story is weak, but had the characters switching powers to overcome the villain IIRC. If I end up getting buried, this is the issue that goes with me. I wish that had been my first comic book. If it was, I'm pretty sure it would have been my #1 pick. |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 22, 2014 22:59:34 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. True story; I saw this book get signed. Last year was a great con, and I'm hoping to be able to go again this year and with a bigger budget this time! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 22, 2014 23:02:41 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. After everything I just said above, I think it goes without saying that I need this in my life. If I had owned this issue there is no doubt it would have made my list. And vice versa for me. I need to pick up Age of Reptiles.  |
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 22, 2014 23:04:27 GMT -5
After everything I just said above, I think it goes without saying that I need this in my life. If I had owned this issue there is no doubt it would have made my list. And vice versa for me. I need to pick up Age of Reptiles. You're in for a treat, they are great books! I highly suggest the omnibus which collects Tribal Warfare, The Hunt, and the Journey(my favorite). |
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Confessor
CCF Mod Squad
Not Bucky O'Hare!
Posts: 10,197 
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Post by Confessor on Dec 23, 2014 7:03:54 GMT -5
#3 - Marvels #4 (April 1994)  I thought about choosing Amazing Spider-Man #121, featuring the death of Gwen Stacy, for my list this year, but actually, I think the re-telling of the story in issue #4 of Kurt Busiek's Marvels makes for a better comic. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the way the original tale of Gwen's tragic end was told in 1973 by Gerry Conway and Gil Kane, but there's something in Busiek's take on those same events, as seen through the eyes of "everyman" news photographer Phil Sheldon, that heightens the pathos, wonder and tragedy of Gwen's final hours and makes for a much more moving story, in my opinion. I love Marvels as a whole, the writing is some of Busiek's best (and that's really saying something!) and Alex Ross's beautiful, photo-realistic painted artwork lends the book a cinematic quality that works wonderfully in the context of the series' examination of life with the superheroes, as seen from the average person's point of view. However, it's issue #4, the final installment, that is the strongest part of the whole series for me. This is a seriously high quality piece of comic book storytelling that never fails to move me and is always a joy to read, whether its for the first time or the twentieth.
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