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Post by spoon on Jun 1, 2020 21:42:49 GMT -5
I finished the rest of The Golden Age Flash Archives vol. 2. Still no real super-villains in the rest of the volume. There's a criminal genius in All-Flash Comics #2 that goes by the nom de guerre of The Threat, but he's really just a genius in knowing about crime and getting medical and law degrees. Nothing Lex Luthor level. The last story is the most interesting divergence from Flash vs. gangster as he goes to Mars (on a spaceship with some gangsters) and fights some spider-aliens, but dispatches them rather easily. The most interesting part is that though the aliens are a threat, he refuses the urging by a scientist to kill them to save the people.
I say it's unusual because the stories have a sort of Golden Age frankness for violence. People threaten outright to kill women and children. Flash says he going to cause people pain. I think the conventional foes are because the stories are really wish fulfillment against social ills, fraudsters, and the like. But it doesn't rise to the idealism of serious issues. Also, Jay Garrick is kind of a misogynistic. When he doesn't like a decision or approach of his girlfriend Joan (or some other female character), he has no compunction in saying things like "just like a woman" with disdain. Also, there's a story set in Chinatown with Orientalist stereotypes and mentions of opium dens. It's a little complex in that there's an ally who is Chinese and the criminals end up being white people who have cosmetic surgery to appear Chinese, but it never really repudiates the stereotypes the story evokes.
I tend to think of early comics as putting limits on the characters' powers, but a couple of times the story come right out and say The Flash can move faster than the speed of light. Trippy! The implications of that are not really explored, although he does dominate his opponents in the ways that participants in the old Rumbles board would think he should.
Overall, it was interesting to get a sense of how the Golden Age Flash was portrayed back in the day, but a comic fan who doesn't get around to reading this isn't missing anything phenomenal.
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Post by dbutler69 on Jun 2, 2020 7:16:08 GMT -5
I finished the rest of The Golden Age Flash Archives vol. 2. Still no real super-villains in the rest of the volume. There's a criminal genius in All-Flash Comics #2 that goes by the nom de guerre of The Threat, but he's really just a genius in knowing about crime and getting medical and law degrees. Nothing Lex Luthor level. The last story is the most interesting divergence from Flash vs. gangster as he goes to Mars (on a spaceship with some gangsters) and fights some spider-aliens, but dispatches them rather easily. The most interesting part is that though the aliens are a threat, he refuses the urging by a scientist to kill them to save the people. I say it's unusual because the stories have a sort of Golden Age frankness for violence. People threaten outright to kill women and children. Flash says he going to cause people pain. I think the conventional foes are because the stories are really wish fulfillment against social ills, fraudsters, and the like. But it doesn't rise to the idealism of serious issues. Also, Jay Garrick is kind of a misogynistic. When he doesn't like a decision or approach of his girlfriend Joan (or some other female character), he has no compunction in saying things like "just like a woman" with disdain. Also, there's a story set in Chinatown with Orientalist stereotypes and mentions of opium dens. It's a little complex in that there's an ally who is Chinese and the criminals end up being white people who have cosmetic surgery to appear Chinese, but it never really repudiates the stereotypes the story evokes. I tend to think of early comics as putting limits on the characters' powers, but a couple of times the story come right out and say The Flash can move faster than the speed of light. Trippy! The implications of that are not really explored, although he does dominate his opponents in the ways that participants in the old Rumbles board would think he should. Overall, it was interesting to get a sense of how the Golden Age Flash was portrayed back in the day, but a comic fan who doesn't get around to reading this isn't missing anything phenomenal. That's my take on most of the Golden Age stuff I've read.
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Post by dbutler69 on Jun 3, 2020 7:29:23 GMT -5
After a hiatus, I picked up my little project of reading al of the X-Men's appearances during that period in the 70's when they comic was all reprints. So, I've just read Captain america #171-175. Well, 171 doesn't have the X-Men, but I just felt like reading it. These stories are obviously classic, but as far as the X-Men go, they're wearing the wrong costumes! This drives me crazy. They changed costumes nearly 7 years ago, and people are Marvel are still getting it wrong! Two or three issues in, there's a lame caption just stating that they "re-adopted their original costumes". Still, Sal Buscema isn't the only one clueless about the X-Men. In previous appearances in the early 70's, Gil Kane and Herb Trimpe both incorrectly drew the X-Men in their old costumes. Apparently the X-Men were not a big deal even at Marvel at this time.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2020 17:19:09 GMT -5
Been reading a lot the 1970s DC Horror books like Doorway to Nightmare, House of Secrets, House of Mystery, Weird Mystery Tales, The Witching Hour and Black Magic.
DC has been releasing the new digitized versions on DC Universe every week and I've started to look forward to them releasing almost as much as any new comics.
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 4, 2020 18:09:52 GMT -5
I'm still reading the Ditko/Lee issues of The Amazing Spider-Man and I'm up to #31! I've mentioned before that it's my favorite run in all of comics and that I've read it a bunch of times (although it's been close to ten years since the last time I read it from start to finish). The last few issues have made me feel really sad! Peter has graduated from high school and gone on to college, which means he's growing apart from Liz Allen and she's not going to be part of the cast any more! (She will return in the 1970s.) She doesn't want to talk to Petey or Flash in the last few issues as they get close to graduating. And they never really have a discussion about their relationship. Right after graduation, Peter runs into Liz as she's on her way to work, and she asks him to get Flash off her trail because he's been stalking her. (Oh, Flash! SMH.) And then … she's gone for like a hundred issues. And Pete's growing away from Betty Brant too. She ends up leaving the Bugle (prompting a series of hilarious temporary secretaries for Jameson) but she comes back in a few months. However, things aren't the same because Gwen and MJ have been introduced. Spider-Man #31 is Gwen's first appearance. I love Ditko Gwen. What a little princess! And such a snob! However, she's kind of one-note in the Ditko issues because she gets so little exposure, and it's not until the Romita period that she has a chance to warm to Peter and grow as a character. (Not to mention the verbal sparring with Mary Jane.) I still have nine issues to go (I count #39 and #40 because they finish off the first phase of the Green Goblin arc) but I already feel like I'm pretty much done. Oh, there's some great moments left! Spidey finding the strength to throw off all the machinery in #33. Spider-Man #34's issue-long running battle with Kraven and random thugs. The return of the Molten Man! The mean and ugly way that Ditko draws Harry Osborne. Gwen's Oxford shoes and her vests and the beads she wears on her forehead. But it's a different dynamic and we're shedding that skin and tying up some loose ends for the future.
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Post by beccabear67 on Jun 4, 2020 19:59:20 GMT -5
After a hiatus, I picked up my little project of reading al of the X-Men's appearances during that period in the 70's when they comic was all reprints. So, I've just read Captain america #171-175. Well, 171 doesn't have the X-Men, but I just felt like reading it. These stories are obviously classic, but as far as the X-Men go, they're wearing the wrong costumes! This drives me crazy. They changed costumes nearly 7 years ago, and people are Marvel are still getting it wrong! Two or three issues in, there's a lame caption just stating that they "re-adopted their original costumes". Still, Sal Buscema isn't the only one clueless about the X-Men. In previous appearances in the early 70's, Gil Kane and Herb Trimpe both incorrectly drew the X-Men in their old costumes. Apparently the X-Men were not a big deal even at Marvel at this time. I was reading those same issues and thinking the same thoughts, but it occurred to me that the X-Men comics out at the time those Captain Americas were made had them in those costumes, just they were of course reprints. The first reprint issue with the new costumes was dated April 1974, #87 (same date as Captain America #172). Still a stoopid mistake, but not quite as unbelievable as it might seem.
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Post by beccabear67 on Jun 4, 2020 20:07:12 GMT -5
Oh, there's some great moments left! Spidey finding the strength to throw off all the machinery in #33. Spider-Man #34's issue-long running battle with Kraven and random thugs. The return of the Molten Man! The mean and ugly way that Ditko draws Harry Osborne. Gwen's Oxford shoes and her vests and the beads she wears on her forehead. But it's a different dynamic and we're shedding that skin and tying up some loose ends for the future. #31 was one of the half dozen Ditko issues I ever had (though I read others as reprints). I never have read #39 or #40... I should definitely get to them. I had #41 and maybe another half dozen Romita issues and you get the Rhino who was also in the tv cartoon, John Jameson the astronaut, and Mary Jane, so there were good things to Romita Sr. even if some good things from the Ditko initial version was lessened. Mainly I objected to Romita's cool no-glasses Peter Parker, he became less easy to believe in as a loser. Forever gone the bookworm, the skinny weakling. He did still look distinct from other superheroes in their unmasked form, you wouldn't mistake him for any other character, so have to give him that, and in a way it's the '60s voice of that guy I hear still while reading, the voice from the cartoons. That voice doesn't fit with the Ditko version as well.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 4, 2020 20:58:41 GMT -5
After a hiatus, I picked up my little project of reading al of the X-Men's appearances during that period in the 70's when they comic was all reprints. So, I've just read Captain america #171-175. Well, 171 doesn't have the X-Men, but I just felt like reading it. These stories are obviously classic, but as far as the X-Men go, they're wearing the wrong costumes! This drives me crazy. They changed costumes nearly 7 years ago, and people are Marvel are still getting it wrong! Two or three issues in, there's a lame caption just stating that they "re-adopted their original costumes". Still, Sal Buscema isn't the only one clueless about the X-Men. In previous appearances in the early 70's, Gil Kane and Herb Trimpe both incorrectly drew the X-Men in their old costumes. Apparently the X-Men were not a big deal even at Marvel at this time. Its probably not as fun on the collection end, but they have an epic collection of those appearances. I think there was a Masterworks volume as well, but IIRC, it wasn't as good, it mostly just had the Beast series
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Post by Icctrombone on Jun 5, 2020 7:00:13 GMT -5
Just a reminder to vote for the Jaime awards. Todays the last day. Vote here
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Post by spoon on Jun 5, 2020 8:46:39 GMT -5
After a hiatus, I picked up my little project of reading al of the X-Men's appearances during that period in the 70's when they comic was all reprints. So, I've just read Captain america #171-175. Well, 171 doesn't have the X-Men, but I just felt like reading it. These stories are obviously classic, but as far as the X-Men go, they're wearing the wrong costumes! This drives me crazy. They changed costumes nearly 7 years ago, and people are Marvel are still getting it wrong! Two or three issues in, there's a lame caption just stating that they "re-adopted their original costumes". Still, Sal Buscema isn't the only one clueless about the X-Men. In previous appearances in the early 70's, Gil Kane and Herb Trimpe both incorrectly drew the X-Men in their old costumes. Apparently the X-Men were not a big deal even at Marvel at this time. Its probably not as fun on the collection end, but they have an epic collection of those appearances. I think there was a Masterworks volume as well, but IIRC, it wasn't as good, it mostly just had the Beast series I bought that Epic Collection a few months back, mostly to get the Beast stories from Amazing Adventures I've never read. Also, many of the other stories I've only read in black-and-white as reprinted in Essential volumes for the various titles where they were published. One interesting thing about the Epic Collection is that it has the covers of the reprint issues of X-Men inserted by publication date. You can get a sense of what X-Men reprints were being sold at the time that various X-Men guest appearance were taking place.
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 5, 2020 19:00:03 GMT -5
I read Amazing Spider-Man Annual #2, Amazing Spider-Man #32 and #33 over the last 24 hours. The second annual has never been a favorite but it's OK. Xandu is so lame but he seems to have had a heaping helping of beginner's luck in his first outing to take out Dr. Strange so easily in the opening pages. And I love the dialogue of the two thugs recruited by Xandu to be his muscle. "Did ya hear what he said? He said that horrible word "work"! I wonder what it means!" And I finished the Master Planner story arc. It of course has the famous sequence where Spidey is trapped under the machinery and the underground facility is filing with water and he doesn't give up! He tosses it aside and them puts the beatdown on Doctor Octopus's henchmen. There's a couple of annoying things about these issues that I'm not sure I never noticed before. For starters, the blatant "deus ex machina" nature of ISO-36. This is the magic isotope that Doc Connors has figured out will save the problem with Aunt May's blood and will save her life! So Pete empties his savings account and hocks all his science stuff so the doc can order the isotope from the West Coast. And … it just so happens that it's something Doctor Octopus needs for his very vague master plan! So the henchmen go and get it and that's why Spidey is wandering around in an underwater lab. It's just all so coincidental and unlikely. That's comics books! And then there's the scene with Betty. Peter decides it's better to make Betty hate him than to … keep dating her? Tell her he's Spider-Man? He has this secret and it keeps getting in the way and maybe it's best to break it off and be a total jerk so she doesn't care what happens to him. So he starts a shouting match with Betty and Ned Leeds in the Daily Bugle office. Betty knows Pete better than that. In any case, it's just dumb. Even though Liz Allan disappeared and was never mentioned for almost ten years, they really spend a lot of time on the break-up with Betty! There's a few panels about it in most of these issues. I haven't read any further than #33, but I was skimming the next few issues and at the end of #35, he goes to the office … and there's a new secretary! And a few issues after that, Betty is in a train station in the Midwest, mulling over her life choices … and she makes the decision to go back to Manhattan and try to get her job back at the Daily Bugle. Another thing I'd forgotten is that Gwen and Harry and Flash and the Empire State University crew just disappear for a few issues after #31. They're not in #32 or #33 and I think they miss out on #34 as well. (I haven't read most of the issues from #31 to #40 for close to ten years, but I love #34. It's my favorite Kraven appearance. I bet I read it at least once a year.) I should be finishing this up in the next few days. I wish I had the Epic Collection for the next bunch of issues because, really, it's a continuation of what's going on in so many ways, but I haven't read those issues over and over. I wish the library was open so I could keep reading 1960s Spider-Man!
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Post by earl on Jun 7, 2020 19:47:04 GMT -5
Been reading the Gene Colan run on Daredevil. Need pages and panels all around, but the stories are definitely silver age. Coming up with the Mike Murdock explanations is not one of Matt Murdock's finest hours. Oh but it was simpler then... #24 seems like it was meant come out after the first Kazar story, pretty much Stan and Gene drop DD in the middle of a European civil war someplace. Weird issue. Must have been plot miscommunication or something and deadline there, got to go with what you got. It's all good.
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Post by dbutler69 on Jun 8, 2020 8:33:41 GMT -5
And then there's the scene with Betty. Peter decides it's better to make Betty hate him than to … keep dating her? Tell her he's Spider-Man? He has this secret and it keeps getting in the way and maybe it's best to break it off and be a total jerk so she doesn't care what happens to him. So he starts a shouting match with Betty and Ned Leeds in the Daily Bugle office. Betty knows Pete better than that. In any case, it's just dumb. Yeah, I don't think Peter was ever that great at dealing with people, or in the decision making department in general.
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 8, 2020 18:31:27 GMT -5
Been reading the Gene Colan run on Daredevil. Need pages and panels all around, but the stories are definitely silver age. Coming up with the Mike Murdock explanations is not one of Matt Murdock's finest hours. Oh but it was simpler then... #24 seems like it was meant come out after the first Kazar story, pretty much Stan and Gene drop DD in the middle of a European civil war someplace. Weird issue. Must have been plot miscommunication or something and deadline there, got to go with what you got. It's all good. I just read DD #21 to #41 (in digital format) a few months ago in The Epic Collection (I think it's called "Mike Murdock Must Die!"). I love this run! The Gene Colan art, and then just one crazy little story arc after another with the Masked Marauder, the Gladiator, Tri-Man, Leap-Frog, the Cobra and Hyde, the Beetle, the Trapster, Dr. Doom! And I love Mike Murdock! I can hardly try to argue that it makes any sense but these are just so much fun to read. I'm sorry this collection ended just before that epic with the Jester!
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Post by Hoosier X on Jun 8, 2020 18:41:02 GMT -5
I'm getting closer and closer to finishing the complete run of All-Star Comics #1 to #57. I only have #21, #22, #23, #52, #53 and #55 left to go! It's tough going at times. I frequently feel like I've already read all the good ones. I guess #21 (with The Monster) was OK. And I find the later ones quite a bit easier to read, mostly because they are shorter with the JSA splitting into teams, so there's only three different missions instead of seven or eight! (It seems to take forever to read the earlier issues.) I read #51 last night and it was OK. I don't dread #52, #53 and #55 as much as I dread the earlier issues I have left.
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