Essential Spider-Man, Vol. 8 (Marvel Essentials)

Book Description

Spider-Man is as amazing as ever against adversarial alumni like the Lizard and the Kingpin, as well as up-and-coming enemies such as Stegron and Jigsaw - with the lesser-known larcenies of the Big Wheel and the Spider-Squad to fill his spare time! Featuring the first appearances of Rocket Racer and Will O'the Wisp! Forgotten chapters from the Green Goblin legacy and the Clone Saga! Spider-Man's origin and Peter Parker's college graduation! And J. Jonah Jameson at his best and worst! Guest-starring the Punisher, Nova the Human Rocket, the Human Torch and the X-Men! Collects Amazing Spider-Man #161-185 & Annual #11, Giant-Size Spider-Man #6 and Nova #12.

Essential Defenders, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials)

Average customer rating:

Defending good taste in comic books
More fun with Marvel's non-team

Essential Defenders, Vol. 2 (Marvel Essentials)
Len Wein , Chris Claremont , Steve Gerber , Bill Mantlo , Mary Skrenes , Tony Isabella , Jim Starlin , Don McGregor , Roger Slifer , Gerry Conway , Scott Edelman , Sal Buscema , Klaus Janson , Vince Colletta , Mike Esposito , Frank Giacoia , John Tartaglione , Sam Grainger , Jim Mooney , and Gil Kane
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785121501

Amazon.com

Get ready for another 500+ pages of non-stop non-team action! Essential Defenders vol. 2 collects 16 more issues of The Defenders, plus five crossover issues, four giant-size stories, and a Marvel Treasury featuring Howard the Duck. Beginning with a throwaway issue of Giant-Size Defenders 1 (which is mostly reprints anyway), the real Defenders arc starts in issue 15, with the now-settled lineup of Dr. Strange, Valkyrie (except when she's off in search of her identity), Nighthawk, and (usually) Hulk (Silver Surfer being completely gone and the Sub-Mariner almost completely). They face Magneto and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in their quest to create the ultimate mutant; the Wrecking Crew with the help of Luke Cage, Power Man; and the Sons of the Serpent in an all-out war that swells the non-team roster as never before.

Particularly welcome are the Giant-Size issues, which feature a meeting with the Son of Satan, a confrontation alongside Daredevil with the games-playing Grandmaster, a development in Nighthawk's personal life that leads to a meeting with Yellowjacket and then a faceoff with the Squadron Sinister, and a meeting with the super-cool Guardians of the Galaxy that brings the Defenders to the 30th century to free the human race from the clutches of the Badoon. This 1974-76 run of Defenders was mostly written by Len Wein and Steve Gerber, with the bulk of the pencils by Sal Buscema, and this edition, like all of Marvel's Essentials, is printed in black and white. --David Horiuchi

Book Description

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Customer Reviews:

Defending good taste in comic books.......2007-07-15

Essential Defenders Volume II: from the very start (the confrontation with Magneto and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants in issues 15 and 16, by far the best ones there) to the ending (Tapping Tommy and the Maggia goons in issue 30) it's a hit!!! Fine storytelling and artwork (especially by a certain Mr. Buscema), rather interesting characters and the "non-team status" that made this a supergroup different from all the others catch your attention and manage never to lose it. Looking forward to Volume III.

More fun with Marvel's non-team.......2007-04-22

In the Marvel Universe, the big three superhero teams are the Fantastic Four, the Avengers (including various incarnations like West Coast Avengers) and the X-Men (with related teams X-Force, Excalibur, etc.). There were other teams also, and of those, my favorite has always been the Defenders, the "non-team" that had its heyday in the 1970s and `80s and is probably the biggest second-tier team (the Champions and Infinity Watch are definitely less memorable).

Essential Defenders Volume 2 begins to really give the team its identity. In previous issues, it featured several heavy hitters (the Silver Surfer, Sub-Mariner, Hulk and Dr. Strange), all of whom were not team players. Eventually, as this volume kicks in, the Silver Surfer and Sub-Mariner have gone their separate ways and have been replaced by Valkyrie and Nighthawk. It's these new heroes who help give the team more character. Also, this volume features the beginning of Steve Gerber's writing run; Gerber, also the creative force behind Howard the Duck, would give the Defenders a little bit of an off-beat quality (although, admittedly, this happens more in later issues).

In this set, the Defenders take on several big villains like Magneto, the Enchantress and the Badoon, along with lesser know villains like the Sons of the Serpent and Tapping Tommy. There are plenty of guest heroes too, including Son of Satan, Luke Cage, Spiderman, the Human Torch, the Thing, Daredevil and the Guardians of the Galaxy.

While it might be too much to say that this is really great writing and art, most of the material is at least good and it's all fun reading. For another look at what made Marvel entertaining thirty years ago, this is a good book to pick up.

Average customer rating:

Superman's awesome off-beat team-ups!

Superman: Back in Action
Kurt Busiek , Fabian Nicieza , Len Wein , and Gerry Conway
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401212638

Book Description

Following his epic struggles during Infinite Crisis andits incredible aftermath, the Man of Steel is back -- but is it really him? As Earth faces a powerful alien invader, Superman must deal with fellowheroes who can't believe that he is who he claims to be.

Customer Reviews:

Superman's awesome off-beat team-ups!.......2007-02-25

Although I'm not a huge Superman fan this was a fun read. I got this book because Firestorm was on the cover.

It starts when Superman gets his powers back after losing them during Infinite Crisis but after a year without him the rest of the world doesn't believe he's the "real steel deal". That is until GIANT ROBOTS FROM OUTERSPACE start taking landmarks and people from all over the Earth.

With an assist from Firestorm, Nightwing, the Teen Titans, and more, Superman is not only able to defeat the "Auctioneer" but also proves to the entire planet that he is indeed The Man of Steel.

For only three issues, the "Back in Action" part of this book is great superhero fun.

The additional three "DC COMICS PRESENTS" issues were a nice bonus. Going with the theme of "off-beat team-ups", Busiek includes three stories of Superman partnering up with Deadman, the Metal Men, and as a special treat: the original Firestorm. All of these were drawn by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez so there's a nice feeling of continuity between the stories.

I'd recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Superman, as well as anyone interested in reading about DC superheroes other than the big names. It's a lot of fun and the bonus issues give a glimpse of some DCU history.

Essential Ghost Rider, Vol. 1 (Marvel Essentials)

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Essential Ghost Rider, Vol. 1 (Marvel Essentials)
Gary Friedrich , John Byrne , Roy Thomas , Michael Ploog , Jim Mooney , Tom Sutton , Herb Trimpe , Gerry Conway , Len Wein , and Marv Wolfman
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785118381

Book Description

When orphaned stunt-show star Johnny Blaze discovers his adoptive father Crash Simpson is dying of a rare blood disease, he barters his immortal soul for a miracle cure. The trade-off ultimately leaves him bound to the demon Zarathos, and their melding of spirits would manifest itself every night in the form of Ghost Rider, the most supernatural super-hero of all! Collects Marvel Spotlight #5-12, Ghost Rider #1-20 and Daredevil #138.

And Nobody Got Hurt!: The World's Weirdest, Wackiest True Sports Stories

Average customer rating:

a good read-one time through
Good,
Made my son a reader!!

And Nobody Got Hurt!: The World's Weirdest, Wackiest True Sports Stories
Len Berman
Manufacturer: Little, Brown Young Readers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0316010294

Book Description

A baseball player who ran the bases backwards, an indoor hockey game cut short due to fog, a basketball player who scored for both teams in the same game, a football quarterback who passed the ball to himself, a golf tournament with only one holetruth is stranger than fiction, especially in sports! Today show regular Len Berman showcases the funniest and most amazing stories in the history of sports in this collection taken from his popular Spanning the World TV segments. Sports fans of all ages will love reading and sharing these bizarre tales.

Customer Reviews:

a good read-one time through.......2007-04-10

Don't get me wrong, theres some hillarious stuff in here, but not enough of that sort of thing to balance out the far less interesting anecdotes. Books feels padded, though a pretty good bathroom book.

Good,.......2006-07-27

This book is a very interesting and funny bunch of sports stories. There is a story about a animal running onto a college football game and scoring a winning touchdown! There's a story about a guy who ran through a plywood wall to get a baseball! There are a great amount of stories sure to crack you up! My only problem is that they don't have any stories about soccer. If you like sports, you should definitely buy this book!

Made my son a reader!!.......2005-11-03

Usually it's a struggle to get my 10 year old son to read. He could not put this book down and has spent the last few days reading it aloud to me and citing different stories. Now he wants me to look for similar books. A success!!

Average customer rating:

Bats in the belfry
Batman: Strange Apparitions
Great Story, what's with the ending?
Batman in his finest hour
Sadly, it hasn't aged well . . .

Batman: Strange Apparitions
Steve Englehart , Len Wein , and Marshall Rogers
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563895005

Customer Reviews:

Bats in the belfry.......2007-06-12

A reviewer here correctly stated that every Bat-fan will have his or her own idea of what constitues "definitive" Batman: Caped Crusader? Master Detective? Dark Knight? Heck, I even know someone who didn't care much for the excellent (and, in my mind, an example of definitive) movie Batman Begins because he thought "It wasn't funny enough." He apparently prefers the high camp of Adam West's Batman. So it is that I, sadly, have to diagree with those who enjoyed this book. I had high hopes, based on the reviews here, but I ended up agreeing with the person who said this collection simply hasn't aged well. It's not all bad... I think the art is excellent for its time, especially that of the late Marshall Rogers. His work can certainly be described as definitive in that helped shape the look of Batman for years to come. It's more straightforward, and "old school" by today's standards, but it's still a classic look, and not just for Bats (Silver St. Cloud is SEXY). That's great.

My problems are with the writing. I can certainly tell that the roots of the (mostly) wonderful Batman: The Animated Series were planted here (I'd always wondered where Rupert Thorne came from), but the writing just pales compared to what I expect today. Each storyline with a particular villain (aside from Thorne) seems rushed, and then that villain is whisked away and it's on to the next one (I would have liked more development of both Dr. Phosphorus and Clayface). And the dialogue? In a word: HOKEY. The book is loaded with all that stilted, old-fashioned "comic"-speak that doesn't come to close to sounding how people talk in real life. One example of this is the annoying trait of having characters speak their thoughts aloud, even if no one else is there. It really bogs this book down. It's something that both the animated Batman of the 90's and the comics today (thankfully) fixed.

The plots leave a lot to be desired too. We see Bruce and Silver speak a lot about how deep their relationship has become, but why don't we see any of that? I'm not sure when they spent all their time together, because there's very little of that in these pages. As much as liked the St. Cloud character, this just wasn't believable. And why does Penguin leave such blatant clues, allowing Batman to easily figure out what he's up to? Isn't that Riddler's M.O.? Again, it's weak and rushed. Also disappointing was the fate of Hugo Strange. I liked him in the animated series, and in the recent "Batman and the Monster Men" collection. He's one of Batman's earliest villains, but his death was a surprise. He's the "Strange" apparition of this book, but why wasn't any of this explained? His ghost appears, and starts haunting Thorne. Was it real or imagined? This book doesn't bother to explain it, and I don't know if it ever was explained... It sure makes the final story in the collection (the Clayface one) seem tacked on and not really fitting in with the rest, aside from mentions of Silver and Thorne. Has Strange ever returned after that? I could've sworn he had (who honestly stays dead in comics?), but I may have to go back through my comic collection and see.

There's a certain nostalgic quality to this collection, like all those editors notes that the bottom of a panel (another thing I'm glad the comics of today have largely done away with), as well the use of an omniscient narrator. How many times could they say "Batman does not reply!" in one book? I lost count. If this the kind of comic storytelling you grew up with -- where a guy can make a RUBBER MASK of someone he's impersonating and actually fool people -- then you might really enjoy this. Count me amongst those who enjoys the later, darker, edgier Batman tales however: Dark Knight Returns, Year One, Killing Joke, The Cult, Blind Justice, Hush, The Long Halloween, and plenty of other more recent gems I could name.

Oh, and what's with the cover? It's nice, but there's no scene with a gravestone for Bruce Wayne in any of the collected stories. Very misleading.

Batman: Strange Apparitions.......2007-02-22

For every person who still clings to the notion that this is a definitive Batman treatment, there's someone else who would say it's now outclassed by Dark Knight Returns, Hush, The Long Halloween, Batman: Year One, and various other more recent Batman epics that have a darker, grittier feel than what we get from Steve Englehart, Marshall Rogers, Terry Ausin & Co., in Strange Apparitions.

I cling to the notion that this is a definitive Batman treatment, essential Batman reading and viewing pleasure. You get major Batman villains: Joker, Penguin, and Clayface. You get forgotten Batman villains, revamped: Hugo Strange, and Deadshot. Throw in Dr. Phosphorus, Boss Rupert Thorne (head of Gotham's City Council where he can corrupt the city from inside the system), Silver St. Cloud, Commissioner Gordon, and Robin...and you have a fun time in Gotham City courtesy of some solid plotting, and artwork by one of my favourite comic-book artists ever ever ever, Mashall Rogers. Just look at the beautiful cityscapes...Gotham by day, on page 98 of this graphic novel, and Gotham by night, on page 108. Look at the malicious purple glee of the Joker as he invades the copyright offices and demands that he get paid for every poisoned, Joker-faced fish pulled out of the sea. Take a gander at Deadshot's new killer threads, while he lines up Batman in his sights. And how gorgeous is Silver St. Cloud, the woman who tumbles to Bruce Wayne's secret identity as she falls for him? And then there's Batman himself, in the blue and grey outfit that has never looked better. Marshall Rogers works as the colourist for most of these stories, and if the scenery isn't as shrouded in shadows, or as drearily monotone, as we're used to in Batman tales these days, I for one am not complaining about the rainbow of colours that light up the daytime scenes. When night falls, and the fog roles in off the harbour, and Batman prowls the rooftops, the colours run and hide, appropriately.

At first glance, writer Steve Englehart gives us traditional stories that don't break any new ground. But what happens to Hugo Strange at the hands of Boss Thorne, at the end of "I Am The Batman!", is rather shocking, even if the violence is played down. I've rarely seen such a cold-hearted end to a comic tale. The Penguin story gives us that villain at his most brilliant, as Batman and Robin struggle to deduce just exactly what crime the avian archfiend is in fact planning to commit. And the highlight of Strange Apparitions is the two-part Joker story from Detective Comics #'s 475 and 476 where the Joker's lunacy knows no bounds--a horrendously delightful celebration of insanity for insanity's sake. The Joker has truly gone off the deep end here, but he's got the guns and the muscle and the chutzpah to actually look like he can make a profit from the most bizarre extortion scheme known to clown. Personally, I think he does it just for the murder.

Walt Simonson does the pencilling for the early part, the fast-moving Dr. Phosphorus story--while Len Wein is the writer on board for the wrap-up involving the new Clayface (new and improved--with more scrubbing, scalding bubbles that'll scrub the flesh right off you. Yuck.). So it's not quite an Englehart/Rogers monopoly; but it's all held together by a few extended subplots involving Boss Thorne's relentless smear-campaign against Batman, the romance angle, the many repercussions of Hugo Strange's auction held to sell Batman's greatest secret, and, of course, the ghost.

Amazing artwork gracing some wonderful if somewhat formulaic storylines. Batman: Strange Apparitions features major Bat-villains at their very best (Joker looks great helping the reader actually turn one of the pages--Isn't that cool!), and the Dark Knight himself does what he does best...follows clues and fights hard to take back each Gotham night from those fiends who would hold it hostage.

Great Story, what's with the ending?.......2006-05-01

I love this story, I was loving it from page one up until the last comic. I mean here we have a great subtly running plot in Thorpe, Silver, and the deceased Doctor, but then suddenly in the last issue we see none of the three stories resolved. Yes, we are implied strongly that the doctor does away with thorpe, but that isnt good enough, what of Thorpe's Empire, how does Batman find out, and do we ever see the ghost again, maybe we don't, maybe we're better for it. But as for Silver, at least I was sad to see her walk away as yet another Superhero-girlfriend-itis casualty and not have anything more happen along the lines of her life in general, or Batman's general dealing with it. Anyways, at least these were just issues and not an intended mini-series, so all of these qualms are pretty much null and void. As a whole, ITS AN AWESOME STORY!

Batman in his finest hour.......2005-11-30

During the late 1970s, DC managed to entice writer Steve Englehart aboard on Detective Comics. At Marvel, Englehart had repeatedly proven his skills and imagination on titles such as Avengers, Captain America and Incredible Hulk. Teamed up with Marshall Rogers on pencil and coloring, they created classic stories where today, their version of Batman is regarded as one of the authoritative alongside that of Frank Miller, Dennis O'Neil & Neil Adams, Dick Sprang and of course, Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson and Bill Finger's.

The first instalment starts off with the introduction of Dr. Phosphorous and the corrupt Gotham City Councillor, Rupert Thorne. Englehart also presents us a new love interest for Bruce Wayne, Silver St. Cloud. The good doctor has made very few appearances since then (notably in Starman) but Thorne has become a feature villain in the animated television series while St. Cloud served as the template for Vicki Vale's persona in Tim Burton's blockbuster film. Both characters also serve as important elements throughout Englehart's epic run on Detective Comics.

Unfortunately, the first two instalments in Strange Apparitions is not representative of excellent pencil work on behalf of Walt Simonson. Perhaps the fault can also be attributed to inker Al Milgrom but the result is art that is flustered, flat and lifeless. Do not expect the type of visual which made Simonson's Thor, Fantastic Four and Orion memorable masterpieces. However, the events and characters' presentation solidly sets up the stage for the next seven chapters in Englehart's story arc.

Marshall Rogers pencilled back up features in Detective Comics #466, #467 as well as a full length story in issue 468 prior to being assigned as regular artist on the duration of Englehart's tenure in '77 & '78. The decision to pair him up with Englehart as well as adding inker Terry Austin to the creative team was another genial one by editor Julius Schwartz. With Rogers' stylised pencil work, angular structure and keen sense of cinematic poses, his Batman appeared more sleek & athletic instead of bulky and muscular. It is quite reminiscent of Jim Starlin's unique style on Captain Marvel except that Rogers' anatomy and facial structures are more realistic.

Rogers also strongly emphasizes background scenery and the architecture of Gotham City. It brings a vivid grandeur to the stories' setting. Combined with Englehart's prominent scribing, their depiction of Bruce Wayne is simply not a facade for the Dark Knight. Bruce Wayne and Batman are one and the same. Englehart strongly emphasizes the man behind the mask without resorting to poorly personifying psycho babble melodrama that has been so prominent since Jim Starlin's departure from the Batman title in 1989.

The team's first effort offers a story which represents a villain which had long been forgotten but yet appeared in the historic first issue of Batman. Thirty-five years after his last appearance, Hugo Strange was reintroduced to a new generation of readers. In a classic plot twist, Strange discovers Wayne's alter-ego. A pivotal point that paved the road to his obsession with Batman in many subsequent story lines in which this villain appeared in.

While Englehart revitalized Hugo Strange and built upon the character's Golden Age foundation, the next four chapters features two of Batman's greatest arch foes. "The Malay Penguin" also marks the guest appearance of Robin who in the last two instalments plays a minor but important role. The complicity and friendship between the two is well depicted as they thwart another outlandish caper by Oswald Cobblepot. As the romance between Silver and Bruce evolves and takes center stage, a subplot is inserted as the 'ghost' of Hugo Strange haunts his murderer, Rupert Thorne. This tale also demonstrates Batman's detective prowess and skills as well as Robin's admiration for his mentor.

In the next chapter, Englehart totally revamps a throw away villain from yesteryear. A character which became instrumental in John Ostrander's Suicide Squad series and fortified him as one of the deadliest maniacs in Batman's Rogue Gallery. In a story which seems to pay homage to Dick Sprang's outlandish "props" from the Golden Age, Deadshot is now a menace in very sense of the word. The Thorne-Strange subplot ensues but another becomes full blown as Batman's mask cannot fool Silver's keen sense of observation about her lover's physique and facial features. A woman's passion for her man will indeed make it very hard for him to conceal his physical features, body movements as well as his voice. Even if that man is shrouded in a cap and cowl. I guess Batman should have tried a pair of glasses instead!

"The Laughing Fish" and "Sign Of The Joker" stories are considered as the paramount confrontation between Batman and Joker since their first clash in 1940. Englehart severs all ties from Joker's dreaded Clown Prince Of Crime persona and brings him back to his Pre- Comic Code Authority roots. His camp Silver Age characterization now makes place for his true homicidal disposition. Joker's psychotic nature is even more prominent as he holds Gotham City hostage to pay monetary fees for fish which bears his grinnish resemblance. Which of course, is of his own doing. Only Frank Miller and Alan Moore have been able to exquisitely portray Joker's genial and demented psyche as well as Englehart. Subsequent writers and story lines have all been a mockery and pale echo of the standards which Englehart set with the character in this epic two parter. Its impact is still felt in the Batman mythology because 22 years after it was published, Englehart extended upon it in a two part story featured in the Legends of the DC Universe series (issues 26 & 27).

The last two instalments marks a shuffle in the creative team. Dick Giordano replaces Austin as inker while Englehart's position is succeeded by Len Wein. Giordano's influence is quite evident as his heavier inking style slightly alters the look of Rogers' dynamic pencil work and layout. Wein's writing on the two part story introducing an utterly deranged villain establishes why he has his place amongst comic book greats. Wein is CO-creator of Swamp Thing and one of the masterminds behind the relaunch of Marvel Comics' X-Men franchise.

Perhaps Clayface III is another lunatic amongst many in Batman's extensive and rich Rogues Gallery but Wein manages to separate him from the other two villains bearing the same name by making the reader sympathetic to his plight. His physical deformity and Clayface's failed attempt at a cure only spiralled his high intellectual capacity into the mouth of madness. But a killer is a killer... If your sole introduction to the character was in the creative abortion which appeared in the Detective Comics story arc entitled "The Mud Pack" (issues 604 to 608) during 1989 then I urge you to seek out the 1987 Batman Annual. Only the imaginative and depraved mind of Alan Moore has been able to recapture and evolve upon the terror of Clayface's powers and mindset.

Batman is not about No Man's Land. He is not about Knighfall and certainly not about Bruce Wayne: Murderer wankfest. I fail to understand why DC insists on making a creative artistic mockery with the character by holding the fans hostage with another useless crossover within the major Batman titles and its spin-offs.

Strange Apparitions is a worthy edition for all Batman fans, astute comic book readers and those who wish to enjoy a viable representation of the essence of Bob Kane & Bill Finger's character. Does it hold up to today's comic book production of coloring and separation? No, of course not. Don't be silly. This would be comparing the music produced today with that of 60 years ago based on the sole merits of technology and equipment.

Englehart, Wein and Rogers' offering to the character's mythos and storytelling standards which left its mark on the Batman legacy may be occasionally equalled but rarely surpassed. This is Batman in his finest hour.

Review by Brian Grindrod

Sadly, it hasn't aged well . . ........2005-09-14

Batman has been a favorite of mine for many years, but I can only recommend this title to readers with a great deal of unsatisfied nostalgia for 70's-style comics.

If your aesthetics have grown with you since the 1970s, you might be disappointed with BATMAN: STRANGE APPARITIONS. Amongst the host of other Batman graphic novels and collections out there, you will find fare more deserving of your time and attention.

Average customer rating:

Save your Money

Avengers: Galactic Storm, Vol. 2
Len Kaminski , Tom DeFalco , Mark Gruenwald , Roy Thomas , Dan Thomas , Gerard Jones , Bob Harras , Paul Ryan , Pat Olliffe , Rik Levins , Dave Ross , Rurik Tyler , Jeff Johnson , Stephen B. Jones , Steve Epting , Greg Capullo , Craig Brasfield , John Czop , Darren Auck , and Dave Simons
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785120459

Book Description

One galaxy's heroes are another's villains, and two galaxies' worth of them are in head-on collision - with the Avengers in the middle of a war whose repercussions will haunt them for years! The events that split and shook the Earth's Mightiest Heroes to their foundations end here, and intergalactic boundaries aren't the only lines being drawn! Plus: The tri-galaxy war devastates the Earth far more literally when we see "What If the Avengers Lost Operation: Galactic Storm?"! Collects Iron Man #279, Thor #446, Captain America #400-401, Avengers West Coast #82, Quasar #34-35, Wonder Man #9, Avengers #347, What If? #55-56.

Customer Reviews:

Save your Money.......2007-07-12

This graphic novel contains the conclusion to the Galactic Storm series, which was originally published by Marvel in the Annual issues of their various on-going series (Capt America, Avengers, Thor, etc...). As a rule of thumb story lines that involve Annual issues from multiple comic series are wretched.

This one is no exception. The story telling is choppy, because each Annual covers one hero (or set of heroes). The art is middling to bad, again because its an Annual; Marvel and DC feel its ok to let quality slip. Marvel even managed to get two of the issues in this book out of order.

Go ahead, buy it. I dare you.

Average customer rating:

One last hurrah for the House of Ideas

Avengers: Galactic Storm, Vol. 1
Bob Harras , Tom DeFalco , Mark Gruenwald , Gerard Jones , Len Kaminski , Roy Thomas , Greg Capullo , Steve Epting , Jeff Johnson , Stephen B. Jones , Rik Levins , Dave Ross , Paul Ryan , and Rurik Tyler
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785120440

Book Description

The Kree are one of the Fantastic Four's oldest enemies; the Shi'ar, one of the X-Men's oldest allies. But it's the Avengers who are caught in the middle when the two alien races wage a war to re-write Marvel's map of the universe! As two-legged WMDs land on Earth, the Avengers end up as alien invaders on wartorn worlds of wonder, both as a unit and individually! Featuring the Imperial Guard! Starforce! Deathbird! Thor vs. Gladiator! Super heroes from three galaxies and more clash in the first half of the story that shook the team to its foundations! Collects Captain America #398-399, Avengers West Coast #80-81, Quasar #32-33, Wonder Man #7-8, Avengers #345-346, Iron Man #278 and Thor #445. Book 1 of 2.

Customer Reviews:

One last hurrah for the House of Ideas.......2006-03-19

Once upon a time there was a comic universe, large and diverse, filled with just about any type of character from any type of pulp genre, and they shared and interacted in the same universe. You had a Martial Arts character named Shang Chi living in the same world as the cosmic space fantasy Silver Surfer who fought against the supernatural thriller Dracula who appeared in the socially conscious Uncanny X-Men and the main nemesis of said group had a daughter (Scarlet Witch) who was married to an andriod Avenger and the Avengers leader fought alongside a gruff Atlantean who was an ally to the Defenders and enemy to the Fantastic Four...mythology, science fiction, magic fantasy, "monster" characters, "horror" characters, all were there in the same universe.

That was the House of Ideas. Marvel comics, from about 1961 to around 1991. Sure, there were dud stories and more than enough cheese to make McDonalds next billionth cheeseburger, but the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. The spirit of creativity and continuity drove Marvel to its market supremacy. Characters embodied ideas, paradoxes, philosophies, sure the comics were aimed at kids, but there was some thought beyond the horizon to captivate the reader willing to reflect on the stimuli presented by the likes of Galactus, the Eternals, the Supreme Intelligence, Ultron, ect.

Since then, its been all down hill. Late spring 1992, Liefeld's Youngblood and Valiant's "Unity" crossover opened the doors to the "spec boom", when comics became investments instead of enjoyments. A comic bought for a buck in December 1991 (*cough cough*, Solar Man of the Atom #1) could be sold for about a eighty bucks one year later. This ended up destroying the comic industry, as DC and Marvel sold their creative souls to try and capitalize on the "hype". Superman was killed off, the Green Lantern corps destroyed, variant covers became more important than the 22 pages in between, Iron Man was turned into a teenager, X-men uber alles and, unfortunately, the sole prism that the next generation of comic collectors would experience the Marvel Universe.

But, in early 1992, Marvel did something right. A 19 part crossover among the Avengers titles called "Operation: Galactic Storm". At the time, it didn't make much of a ripple, as evidenced by the fact this is the first time the series has been reprinted, 14 years after the title hit the stands. But its story-value has increased with age, mostly because of what I've outlined in the first couple of paragraphs--Marvel simply hasn't been as thoughtful and innovative since. Those of us bored by the current Marvel regime, which attempts to make every single comic a replica of Kevin's Smiths overrated (and short) run on Daredevil, find refuge in the hallowed and barren halls of the old House of Ideas.

The premise is simple--the Kree (an Avengers foe) and the Shi'ar (an X-Men supporting cast empire) are at war, two Marvel alien empires that had had little contact prior to the story. The problem is, they use the Earth's sun as a "stargate" to transport warcraft from one galaxy to the other, and the disturbances said stargate causes thus threaten to destroy the earth. Thus, to preserve human life, the Avengers split up so they may "reason" with the two empires, and get them to take their war to some other turf. The story alternates among earth, the Shi'ar homeworld, and the Kree homeworld, and just about every Avenger, ever (except Quicksilver and Dr. Druid) get some face time in this epic.

What makes this crossover so strong? 1.) It's about ideas. Although this TPB only covers the first 13 chapters, its obviously needed to get to the good stuff at the end. The Greater Good, the misuse of evolution (or the inevitable extrapolation of ethics from evolution?!?), what makes one human, pragmatism over idealism, all these play a role in the story, and could elicit a lightbulb or two in the minds of those willing to wonder again. 2.) Its surprisingly character driven. The Supreme Intelligence makes a pretty strong stamp as a unique villain, Wonder Man and Vision have some nice characterization, Iron Man's pragmatism vs. Captain America's "by the book"ism, Sersi and Hercules' old school divine ethos vs. the (let's by honest) navel gazing of the modern day Avengers...even Captain Atlas and the Starjammers get some room to define themselves. and 3.) some well placed humor throughout the crossover.

What are some weaknesses? Well, first off, its just the first volume, and the second volume will have one of the most memorable climaxes for a crossover. Secondly, the art is (very) uneven, and it seems even the reproduction of the coloring is uneven. The Quasar issues are hard to look at, but the Wonderman and Avengers chapters (illustrated by Jeff Johnson and Steve Epting) hold up not only well, but very well. The story starts off slowly and unremarkably. To the modern eye trained to over realism-ify the superhero genre, the notion of Captain America wearing a trenchcoat and walking into a diner in Arizona may induce a groan or two. But the story picks up once the Avengers split up and go after the empires. The story will require a heavy dose of Avengers-background--if you don't know the relationship between Vision and Wonder man, and if you don't know that the Kree have been culturally stagnant for millenia (from the classic Kree/Skrull war from the early 70s), then much of the nuance of the tale may be lost.

I'm probably reviewing this volume through rose-colored glasses, remembering the good ole House of Ideas, but I think the story nonetheless holds up on its own merits. Its not a Bronze Age story, its not a Dark Age story, it's certainly not a Silver Age story, Galactic Storm is its own entity, built from Marvel's history and the diverse characterization in the Avengers family, taken to a logical conclusion. That, is a good story.

Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1

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Showcase Presents: House of Mystery, Vol. 1
Len Wein
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1401207863

Book Description

Do you dare to enter.... the House of Mystery? This 552-page black-and-white value-priced trade paperback collects 22 classic issues anda wealth of early art from macabre masters Bernie Wrightson, Neal Adams, Gil Kane and Alex Toth, as well as the grim gags of Sergio Aragons and the storytelling talents of Len Wein, Robert Kanigher and Gerry Conway, among many others!

Essential Incredible Hulk, Vol. 4 (Marvel Essentials)

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Classic Marvel Madness!

Essential Incredible Hulk, Vol. 4 (Marvel Essentials)
Roy Thomas , Gary Friedrich , Len Wein , Gerry Conway , Chris Claremont , Archie Goodwin , Steve Gerber , Steve Englehart , Dick Ayers , and Herb Trimpe
Manufacturer: Marvel Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0785121935

Book Description

It's the original trial of the Incredible Hulk, but not even Doc Samson and Matt Murdock can get the Hulk free of charges... from the Rhino, the Abomination and the Bi-Beast! Foes from the sewers, the seas, the stars and a shrunken realm gone mad! And Betty Ross gives a new twist to becoming a Harpy after the wedding! Monsters, mindswaps and Niagara Falls! Plus: For the X-Fans, the birth of the Wendigo and the death of the Mimic! Collects Incredible Hulk #143-170.

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Classic Marvel Madness!.......2007-01-05

This volume contains Harlan Ellison's classic Hulk stories. If you're a fan of either Old School Marvel, or the brilliant futurist/SF writer Ellison, then give it a try!

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