shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Apr 15, 2020 11:23:19 GMT -5
What are the comic book titles, franchises, maybe even publishers that are ALWAYS high quality? The books you can pick up at an LCS or convention and, without checking the issue number, the creators involved, nor even at the interior content, you can be sure you're going to get your money's worth?
Obviously, this is personal opinion.
I'll start with: - Any Marvel black and white magazine in the 1970s. Some were fantastic, and some merely good, but I've yet to encounter an issue that didn't entertain me even a little.
- Dell's Uncle Scrooge. Various publishers have resumed the name and numbering over the years, but the original run was consistent in its quality. A fresh Barks Duck adventure in every issue! Some of these were his absolute best. He continued through the Gold Key years, but those stories paled in comparison. The magic was gone.
- Dell's Walt Disney's Comics and Stories. You seldom got anything as good as the Carl Barks Duck adventures, but the more minor day-to-day Barks Duck stories featured in each issue were amusing, as were Carl Fallberg's Mickey and Goofy adventures.
- Epic Illustrated. There isn't a single issue in this run that I don't own and don't thoroughly enjoy.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2020 11:25:16 GMT -5
Anything Archie up to 1980.
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shaxper
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Posts: 22,268
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Post by shaxper on Apr 15, 2020 11:26:19 GMT -5
Anything Archie up to 1980. As someone who has recently become a massive vintage Archie fan, I can't agree. I've read some REAL stinkers in the past year, especially in the '70s, when the publisher kept trying to make the kids more hip and rebrand the titles. But I'll agree there's A LOT of great stuff.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2020 11:35:35 GMT -5
As someone who has recently become a massive vintage Archie fan, I can't agree. I've read some REAL stinkers in the past year, especially in the '70s, when the publisher kept trying to make the kids more hip and rebrand the titles. But I'll agree there's A LOT of great stuff.
Can't say I've ever considered an issue to be a 'stinker'....which ones do you put in that category?
Also enjoy MAD Magazine from any decade....
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shaxper
CCF Site Custodian
Posts: 22,268
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Post by shaxper on Apr 15, 2020 11:39:08 GMT -5
As someone who has recently become a massive vintage Archie fan, I can't agree. I've read some REAL stinkers in the past year, especially in the '70s, when the publisher kept trying to make the kids more hip and rebrand the titles. But I'll agree there's A LOT of great stuff. Can't say I've ever considered an issue to be a 'stinker'....which ones do you put in that category? I never attempted to keep a definitive list, but I recall quite a few from Betty & Veronica, and probably all of Archie's Jokebook. There were a few issues of Life with Archie that did nothing for me too. A handful of actual Archie issues from the 1970s too. Of course, this is all a matter of opinion, and if you love them all, that's fantastic.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2020 11:58:07 GMT -5
As someone who has recently become a massive vintage Archie fan, I can't agree. I've read some REAL stinkers in the past year, especially in the '70s, when the publisher kept trying to make the kids more hip and rebrand the titles. But I'll agree there's A LOT of great stuff. Can't say I've ever considered an issue to be a 'stinker'....which ones do you put in that category? Also enjoy MAD Magazine from any decade....
After reading the OP, I thought "there is no such beast", but how could I forget Mad? Yes, Mad! I bought a Mad digital archive in the '90s. I really need to get serious about revisiting it.
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Post by MDG on Apr 15, 2020 11:59:53 GMT -5
I'll second things like MAD and the Dell/Gold Key Disney books. Maybe add other Gold Key's like Boris Karloff, Ripley's, and maybe even UFO.
So far, what seems to be the pattern emerging? Books with multiple stories, often multiple creators, characters that are either non-recurring or very consistent, and a clear editorial vision.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Apr 15, 2020 12:17:42 GMT -5
- Epic Illustrated. There isn't a single issue in this run that I don't own and don't thoroughly enjoy. I'd agree with this, although I only ever had a few issues; however, I thought Epic was generally better than Heavy Metal.
Otherwise, don't know if this is what you're thinking about, since they were curated reprint titles, but I'd put DC's digests in this category. I had a bunch of them, and I can't think of a single one that ever disappointed me.
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 15, 2020 12:18:21 GMT -5
Disney looked good through all variations, from the Western/Dell period tot he Western/Gold Key to Gladstone. The Dell era Warner stuff was also consistently good; not as much after Western and Dell split, particularly as the years went by.
Fawcett Captain Marvel material is pretty strong up to the end, with the art evolving into a richer mix, over time.
Quality Comics lived up to their name, through their history.
First Comics, for the most part, had a really good line of books, from start to finish.
Harvey's kid material is pretty consistently good through the 50s and 60s and mainly goes down in the 70s due to over-saturation.
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Post by codystarbuck on Apr 15, 2020 12:33:41 GMT -5
- Epic Illustrated. There isn't a single issue in this run that I don't own and don't thoroughly enjoy. I'd agree with this, although I only ever had a few issues; however, I thought Epic was generally better than Heavy Metal.
Otherwise, don't know if this is what you're thinking about, since they were curated reprint titles, but I'd put DC's digests in this category. I had a bunch of them, and I can't think of a single one that ever disappointed me.
Don't know if Epic & Heavy Metal are that great a comparison. Epic's lifespan is relatively short, which helps it maintain a certain level and it was all under Archie Goodwin (though started by Rick Marschall). Heavy Metal went through different periods. Pre-1980 Heavy Metal beats Epic, in my estimation; but, HM, at the time Epic launched, is pretty up and down. As a whole, HM had much better material; but, not necessarily better individual issues. I always kind of felt that Epic didn't live up to its potential, in part because of the lack of support from Marvel, as a company. Also, a lot of its best material came from unfinished or unpublished Star*Reach material. The first couple of dozen issues have the best material, by far. So, yeah, for the specific time period, Epic was probably a more consistently good product than Epic; but, when HM was good, it was very good, such as Chaykin's color Cody Starbuck adventure or Steranko's Outland adaptation. For me, Epic's best stuff was Metamorphosis Odyssey, Sacred and the Profane (Star*Reach), Elric (Star*Reach) and Generation Zero, plus Night and the Enemy. Young Cerebus was pretty good. I haven't read the stuff in a while; but, those are the pieces I recall most.
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Post by beccabear67 on Apr 15, 2020 12:48:18 GMT -5
Mad, Crazy, Cracked, about in that order. I'd even put Crazy first from the late '70s on (more hip NYC rock content and Obnoxio The Clown).
Archie, Sad Sack and Dennis The Menace (especially digests).
Anything Disney, a good duck story or '50s Scamp and Chip N' Dale, but definitely everything once Gladstone started!
Marvel circa the late '70s and early '80s.
Eclipse, Pacific, First circa their early color comics first few years.
I might buy something Elfquest or Love & Rockets related and expect it to be at least worth bothering with.
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Post by Rob Allen on Apr 15, 2020 13:44:59 GMT -5
- All of the black&white magazines from the 60s-70s are good except for the MF Enterprises/Eerie Publications group. If you have any interest in whatever genre they are, it's hard to go wrong with Warren, Skywald, Atlas, Charlton, etc. magazines.
- Along with Mad, Crazy and Cracked, Sick magazine had a good 10-year run. National Lampoon was classic for a while but faded.
- The Spirit
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Post by Deleted on Apr 15, 2020 14:17:29 GMT -5
Creepy, Eerie, Vampirella, Savage Sword of Conan comic magazines never disappoint.
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Post by Icctrombone on Apr 15, 2020 14:35:57 GMT -5
Fantastic Four. In my opinion, it had no truly terrible eras.
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Post by electricmastro on Apr 15, 2020 15:46:13 GMT -5
In terms of consistently good American comic book art, particularly from the 20th century, artists I’d mention include:
Jack Kirby
Will Eisner
Neal Adams
Carl Barks
Harvey Kurtzman
Wally Wood
Frank Frazetta
Steve Ditko
Bernard Krigstein
Lou Fine
Alex Toth
Al Williamson
Gil Kane
Joe Kubert
Barry Windsor-Smith
John Romita Sr.
Jim Steranko
John Buscema
Jack Cole
Reed Crandall
Johnny Craig
Frank Miller
Mac Raboy
Basil Wolverton
Gene Colan
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