What I've Been Reading: Crisis On Infinite Earths

OK, here's the truth...I have never read one of the great books of the 1980's. I had never read Crisis On Infinite Earths. To be honest, I can't explain why it took me so long to read it.

It's not like I can say I had given up on comics at that or any point in my life. Honestly, if it was not Spider-Man or Batman, I wasn't reading it (And before you all go saying that Batman is in this story, it's not a BATMAN story and he's really not in it all that much).

Yes, I was more involved in other things at that point: music, sports, acting, writing for my school paper, working at the Public Library had all taken up a big part of my life and I wasn't buying a lot of books at that point, but I do remember reading the issue where Super Girl died, (I think the spoiler alert as passed us by with this book being 28 years old), but I wasn't really impressed with the story, if you can believe that, so I never read the other issues. Now, 28 years after the issues have been released, I decide to finally take a dive and read the books.

Crisis was a 12 part series where DC simplified it's universe. Before Crisis, DC had multiple earths with heroes on each one. There was an Earth One Superman, who was the current hero, an Earth 2 Superman, which would be the older Golden Age Superman, an Earth 3, where the heroes on Earth One were villains with different names and Earth Prime, which was outside current continuity. Confused? So am I.

Any book that George Perez draws, I'm there. Perez is one of my all time favorite artists. Owning a Batman drawn sketch by Perez is one of my goals. I have always loved how he drew some of DC's iconic characters like Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and The Flash. I even enjoyed Avengers Vs Justice League based solely on his art.

Marv Wolfman wrote the arch and as much as I liked his run on The New Teen Titans, I though Crisis confusing at some parts. So many things were going on at once at some parts and I really did not like while a huge fight was going on and there is a separate series of panels where Lyla is recording the series of events leading up to the present. I found it distracting. I wanted to continue reading about what was going on with The Spectre and the Anti-Monitor. Honestly, as the story went along, it got better and better and after reading it, I'm glad I did and I'm really glad DC simplified their universes for readers like me who mouth the words while they read.

One Of DC's Most Iconic Covers


I remember reading the Death Of Supergirl issue and while I was shocked that she was actually killed off, I didn't pick up the next issue and to be honest, I should have because if you thought Wolfman was done killing heroes off...

Think again. Of course, I should have been surprised that Barry Allen was killed off in the very next issue, but I already knew it was coming. Not because I saw this page...

But because I watched an episode of Comic Book Men and someone bought in the books to sell and Walt Flanagan gave away that little tidbit. I remember slapping my forehead when he told Ming that Barry Allen dies in this issue. Still, it was great read, even though I already knew the outcome.

Even though it took me 28 years to read the book and even though I found the story a bit rough to follow at times, I did think the story hit the points it had to make and gave me a couple of "Wow" moments, even if I knew what was going to happen, which is good for repeat readings. By the end of the book, I was enjoying the read and of course, George Perez's art. Also have to give it up to Dick Giordano, Jerry Ordway and Mike DeCarlo for the ink work they put in to make Perez's work look as great as it did.

Now I can cross this trade off my list and move on to the next one.

From The "Oh, This I Have To Have" Department

So, while I was on the NECA boards, looking for information on the release dates for the large scale '66 Batman and the 1989 Batman figures (No release date, yet). I started looking around the site at some of the other stuff NECA will be releasing. It was my first time on their site. I liked what I saw. I'm going to be looking out for the 1966 Batman Heroclix stuff that NECA will be releasing and I have to hunt down their Batman bobbleheads from Dark Knight Rises as well as their classic Batman bobbles.

Then I saw a bobblehead I have to have.

Is this thing freaking cool or what?

I already have 2 other Spider-Man bobbleheads and I know this one will look look fantastic next to them. I just love that he is crouched down in position to spin his web. The classic Romita look of the bobble makes this a must have in my Spidey collection. 

There was no release date for this figure (shocker!) so I will have to keep my eyes peeled for it. I'm sure the comic shops I frequent will have this on their shelves by the end of the year. This might make a snazzy Christmas gift for a certain sexy geek. Or I'll just save my pennies and pick it up when I see it. Either way, I will definately be adding this awesome looking bobblehead to my Spider-Man collection.

I Know I Said I Was Done With The Hauls....

So, I actually forgot to show off a non comic book pick up from the comic book marketplace. I was actually done shopping, but was giving the place a once over to make sure I didn't miss anything. Oh, but I had.

I went back to the first table I bought books from and was aimlessly flipping through books I had already looked through when out of the corner of my eye I saw a box on the floor, under a chair. When I saw the words "Star Wars" and "Luke Skywalker" on front my interest peaked. I asked to see the box and was handed a Kenner 12 inch Luke Skywalker In Ceremonial Gear figure. It was a figure I have wanted for the Skywalker collection for a while now. I have been watching a few on eBay, but never wanted to pay the prices I saw them finish at. I instantly asked how much he was asking for it.

The dealer looked the box over and the asked what did I want to pay for it. Damn, I hate when dealers say that, I never know what to say. I don't want to offer a low ball offer that will have the dude laughing and asking me to leave his booth. I responded by asking if he had a figure in mind.

"Well, I was selling it in my store for $42.00", he replied.

$42.00? Was he smoking Deathsticks? No wonder it never sold.

I looked the box over. It had dings on it and the cellophane was coming off a bit. No way I would even offer anything close to $42.00. I had seen these figures finish at a lot less than that, so I was going to offer him a figure I would be comfortable with and if I landed it, great. If not, so be it. I told him the best I could do on it was $10.00.

Sold.

So, for the low, low price of ten smackers, I walked away with another piece added to my growing Luke Skywalker figure.

I have not opened the box and let Luke out just yet and I'm not planning to until I have a spot to put him. The figure looks pretty sweet. Luke comes dressed in the Ceremonial outfit he wore at the end of New Hope. Black boots, brown pants, black shirt and mustard colored jacket create the ensemble. The likeness isn't too bad for a mid-nineties figure. The accessories Luke comes with are a lightsaber that is hanging off his belt and the blue blade that goes right into the handle in case you wanted to pose Luke holding the saber. It also comes with a blaster, a blaster holder which is strapped onto Luke's thigh and the medal that Princess Leia gives him at a ceremony on Yavin 4 at the end of the movie. This is a really nice figure.

The back of the box gives a little info about the 12 inch line as well as which figures that will be available. According to the box, a Stormtooper, Grand Moff Tarkin and Greedo were made available, although since Han and Leia are also pictured I would bet an ewok or two that they were also made in Ceremonial Garb as well. Btw, the dealer wasn't kidding. You can see the $42.00 price tag on the lower right hand corner of the box.

At the price I grabbed this figure, I know I got a terrific deal. Yes, the figures I have seen on eBay went for around the same price, but I didn't have to pay shipping and wait a few days for it to arrive. It may not be a Hot Toys Luke (which I would give my right hand...oops.), but I think it's pretty bad ass anyway and it will look great among the rest of my Skywalker collection. Hopefully, I can show it off soon and have everyone see that the Force has been strong with this one.

Ok, I know it's a bad joke, but I really couldn't figure out a way to end this.

Na, Na, Na, Na, Na, Na Bobble-Heads!

I love bobble-heads. Other than action figures, bobble-heads are among my favorite figurines to collect. I usually collect sports bobbles. I have about 25 Yankees bobble-heads, maybe 7 Jets a few Devils and 2 Knicks. I do have a few non sports bobbles as I can say I have a Captain America, Hulk, a couple of Iron Men and the Monkees bobble-heads in my collection.

When the announcement came that we would be getting 1966 Batman goodies, I never thought that bobble-heads would be among the stuff that is being made available. Then I saw the mock ups for some of the bobbles and I got really excited. When I saw the pictures, I knew I would be adding these to my Batman collection.

Wacky Wobblers released a set of bobble-heads featuring Batman, Robin, Joker and Catwoman, who is not pictured. I love the look of these bobble-head figures. Not too silly looking as some bobble-heads tend to be. I had heard these were already out in stores, but I haven't had any luck in finding them.

As you can see, there is also a contaminated cowl Batman from a Mad Hatter episode. This one is a hard one to find. If you do find one for retail, go play Powerball.

I have stated my unmitigated affections for POP Vinyl figures on many an occasion. When I heard POP was releasing a set, I knew I would be getting them. I just never imagined how cool these would look. This figure looks fantastic and I cannot wait to get my hands on them. They won't be released until October so I will have to wait a while.

Of course, I will be picking up the Batman/Batmobile combo as well. Not sure if this is the final product or just a prototype. I guess we will find out come October.

Big thanks to AFI for releasing pictures of this double bobble-head of Batman and Robin, climbing up the side of a building. This bobble-head set can be displayed on a shelf, flat like above or can be hung up on a wall, which would look pretty cool. This will also be released in October so for now I will just have drool all over my keyboard until it's release.

Would you guys believe I do not have a Batman bobble-head in my collection? Even I find that amazing and sad. I need to rectify that ASAP. I have seen some pretty sweet Batman bobble-heads, like the one from the Dark Knight and the blue suit DC Direct Batman. Those 2, along with the ones shown above pretty much guarantee a bad ass Batman bobble-head collection.

Comic Book Marketplace Haul Part 4: The Batman

My initial goal when I went to the comic book marketplace was to pick up as many Batman comics as I could. For about a couple of years now, I have been stricken by a case of Batman-itis. I have read, watched, bought nothing but Batman related items. Anything that had the Batman logo or image was something I would either want or pick up. Everything except comic books.

I realized long ago that I wouldn't be able to have a meaningful run of Batman comics as most of the key books would be well out of my price range. So, I never really picked up any older issues. Most of the books I read were either the recent issues or trade paperbacks. Since I was going to the marketplace, I decided I was going to pick up some Batman books. I also wanted to grab as many 1970's issues as I could. Since I was not going to pick up books to collect, but to read, I figured condition would not matter to me. Well, thanks to my Spider-Man shopping spree, I failed on both counts. But fear not, I did manage to pick up a few Batman books to read. Unfortunately, none of them are from the 70's, but from the 80's and 90's.

Here is the Batman haul:

A little disappointed in my pickup, Batman-wise. I could have done a lot better. There was no entire runs on any book I bought, so when I read a book, I will be left wondering what happens next, lol. I did but back a ton of Batman books, but when I saw that I could add to my Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man collection, I abandoned my goals and went for it. Oh, well. Next time I will pick up more Batman books.

So, that is it. That is all the comics I picked up this past Sunday at the Hasbrouck Heights Comic Book Marketplace. I did enjoy the show, although I wish there was more dealers at the show. But, for what it was, It was pretty darned good. I do hope I can make the next show and more after. I can't imagine a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than to shift through boxes upon boxes of comics...unless it's staying home, lying on the couch with a drink on the table, music playing in the background, reading the comics that were bought at the show. Looks like I have plans for this weekend.

Comic Book Marketplace Haul Part 3-Yes, More Spidey Books!

Now, I probably should have used a John Romita Spidey or a Todd McFarlane Spider-Man picture considering the 2 trade paperbacks I bought feature their work, but damn, I love Steve Ditko's Spider-Man so much that I had to use a pic of it for today's blog.

I had decided to concentrate on buying more trade paperbacks and graphic novels than picking up single issues. My reasoning for that was for because my comics always seem to get harmed in some way. You can imagine my anger when I discovered a leak in my apt during a recent rain storm and that leak spilled rain water all over my comic collection. Luckily, my Spider-Man and what few Batman books I had were away from the leak but the damage had been done. Now, whatever titles I read are usually in trade form. Going to the comic book marketplace, I wanted to keep an eye out for any trades that caught my attention. I found these two books and took them home with me.

I did say I loved Steve Ditko's Spider-Man. I have to tip my cap off to the man who co-created Spidey and drew him for 38 issues of Amazing Spider-Man and one issue of Amazing Fantasy, but to me, the greatest artist to ever work on the Amazing Spider-Man is John Romita. Romita drew so many great Spider-Man stories and some of them are in this book: John Romita Spider-Man Visionaries. Romita drew my very favorite Spider-Man story. The 2 part story, titles 'How Green Was My Goblin" and "Spidey Saves The Day!" has the Green Goblin finding out Spider-Man's true identity as well as revealing himself to be Norman Osborne. The Goblin's origin is also revealed and there is an epic battle at the end of the story. Another great Spider-Man story, "Spider-Man, No More", which would be part of the basis of Spider-Man 2 as well as others stories are included in this trade. As soon as I saw it and flipped through it, I knew it would be mine. the 4.00 price tag helped.

I also picked up one of the great stories in the Spider-Man mythos. Torment was written and drawn by Todd McFarlane in 1990 to kick off the new Spider-Man title. It's the story of Spider-Man hunting the Lizard as the Lizard has gone off on a killing spree. The first issue alone would sell 2.5 million copies, solidifying McFarlane's popularity. It's a story, surprisingly, I never had a chance to read in it's entirety. Now I will be able to. Then, I can sleep peacefully at night without muttering "Torment, Torment". Another four bucks bought back my soul.

I cannot wait to be able to open up these books and lose myself in the world of Spider-Man. I look forward to seeing Spider-Man battle the likes of The Green Goblin, Kingpin and The Rhino. Then, I can go into the sewers and watch Spidey battle the Lizard in one of the great Spider-Man stories of the 90's. For the next few months, I will be overloaded on Spidey stories. I can't think of a better way to spend my quiet evenings.

Comic Book Marketplace Haul Part 2: More Spidey

When I went to the comic book marketplace yesterday, I really wasn't planning on picking up a lot of Spider-Man books. Batman had become the flavor of the month for me and I wanted to add some Batman literature to my comic book collection. In fact, I was determined to do so. I did pick up a couple of Batman books, but the bulk of my purchases were Spider-Man titles.

Lets be honest, I love Spider-Man just as much as I love Batman. I plan to get a Batman tattoo in the near future, but Spidey is the hero that is gracing my right bicep right now. In fact, as I am writting this blog, I am rocking a very sweet John Romita Spider-Man t shirt. So, I guess it's really no shock that I would pick up so much Spider-Man goodies.

Yes, as I was going through the boxes, my I was pretty much saying to myself, "Batman, Batman, I want Batman, Batma...ohh, here's a cool Spidey comic. MINE!" In fact, I had so many Spider-man books at one table put aside I had to put most away and just take the books I really liked.

Yesterday, I showed the Peter Parker: The Spectacular Spider-Man books I picked up for my collection, so today, I will show off the Amazing Spider-Man books I selfishly grabbed for my collection. Again, the condition is not the greatest,  but for a buck a book or in some cases, 4 for $1.00, I'm really not complaining about the condition of these books. Besides, I think the condition adds some character to the books.

Here's the Amazing Spider-Man haul:

This one is not an Amazing Spider-Man book, but the cover is so cool, I just had to pick it up for my collection.

Well, I guess I did start a Web Of Spider-Man collection with this issue.

That's all of the Spider-Man books I picked up. I do have a good news, bad news for my next blog. The Good news is, I don't have any Spider-Man issues that I bought at the comic book marketplace to show. I will be showing off 2 graphic novels I grabbed. The bad news? They're Spider-Man books. Ohhhhh, The Humanity!