COLLECTIVE THOUGHTS FOR JULY 2015 PART TWO: COMIC STRIPS, BOOKS ABOUT COMICS, AND NOW, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. . . WORLD WAR II


Jedi Master KC

Jedi Master KC


by KC Carlson

THIS MONTH IN CLASSIC COMIC STRIP COLLECTIONS

Cartoons for Victory

Cartoons for Victory


Cartoons for Victory (Fantagraphics): Not even comic book and strip characters (and their creators) were exempt from service in World War II. Cartoons for Victory shows how Superman, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, and others helped fight The Big One via comic books and strips, single-panel and editorial cartoons, and even ads. The book also features wartime work by such cartoonists as Charles Addams (The Addams Family), Harold Gray (Little Orphan Annie), Harvey Kurtzman (Mad magazine), and Will Eisner, as well as many others. This should be the most comprehensive collection ever assembled of World War II–era cartoons, reflecting the indefatigable spirit of the Home Front in America — and over 90% of the cartoons and comics in this book have not been seen since their first publication. Edited by Warren Bernard, with an introduction by U.S. Congressman and WWII veteran Bob Dole. 200-page 9.75” x 13.25” partial color hardcover. Any Bonds Today?

The Epic Chronicles of Hagar the Horrible Volume 7: 1981-1982

The Epic Chronicles of Hagar the Horrible Volume 7: 1981-1982


The Epic Chronicles of Hagar the Horrible Volume 7: 1981-1982 (Titan Comics): The adventures of cartoonist Dik Browne’s horrible (that is, horribly funny!) Viking Hagar continue in this new collection of 468 strips from 1981-82. They will Ragnarök you! 248-page 6.75” x 8.5” color hardcover. Available in September.

Flash Gordon: The Storm Queen of Valkir

Flash Gordon: The Storm Queen of Valkir


Flash Gordon: The Storm Queen of Valkir (Titan Comics): Featuring four years’ worth (1944-48) of nonstop, exhilarating science fiction action-adventure! Flash battles a rogue’s gallery of villainy to protect the innocent, the wronged, and a bevy of beautiful women from the likes of Kang the Cruel, Queen Valker the Violent, giant birds, lizards, sea-beasts, rock men, wolfmen, and gas spiders! (Don’t forget, gas spiders were much less expensive in those days — and still contained lead!) Ten complete adventures, written and drawn by Austin Briggs. Flash Gordon – the king of the cliffhanger! Every Sunday is a day of action! 208-page 11” x 10” color hardcover. Available in September.

Wallace and Gromit Newspaper Strips Volume 4

Wallace and Gromit Newspaper Strips Volume 4


Wallace and Gromit Newspaper Strips Volume 4 (Titan Comics): Even more strips about the cheese-loving dog and his inventor. Or something like that. The best part about reading these exceptionally funny stories is that you don’t have to pick up all the stray bits of clay when you’re done. (They really mess up the vacuum!) 265 strips from 2013-14 in a 112-page 7” x 9” color hardcover. Available in September.

X-9: Secret Agent Corrigan Volume 6

X-9: Secret Agent Corrigan Volume 6


X-9: Secret Agent Corrigan Volume 6 (IDW/LoAC): This volume reprints the first Secret Agent Corrigan strips by famed EC artist George Evans. Evans had periodically ghosted for Al Williamson, and in 1980, Williamson and writer Archie Goodwin passed the strip to Evans permanently. Evans wrote and drew the strip for sixteen years, until he and Phil Corrigan retired together in 1996. Evans had a long and illustrious career, from Fiction House and Fawcett to EC, where he worked alongside his friends Frank Frazetta and Al Williamson. This volume features more than 750 rarely-seen dailies from February 1980 to August 1982. 276-page 11” x 10” B&W hardcover. Available in August.

ARTIST/GALLERY EDITIONS

IDW’s Artist’s Editions present complete stories with each page scanned in color from the actual original artwork, printed the same size as first drawn. IDW’s Artifact Editions (like an Artist’s Edition) also present pages scanned from the actual original artwork. Unlike an Artist’s Edition, these will present books even if all the original artwork cannot be obtained. They can also include extras such as advertisements, portfolio pieces, color guides, and more.Graphitti Designs Gallery Editions are somewhere in the middle, striving to present complete stories (when possible), while also providing a selection of available pages and other artifacts. Everything is scanned from the original artwork. So far, they are exclusively producing work from DC Comics and its imprints.
Herb Trimpe’s The Incredible Hulk Artist’s Edition

Herb Trimpe’s The Incredible Hulk Artist’s Edition


Herb Trimpe’s The Incredible Hulk Artist’s Edition (IDW): This will now be a Memorial Edition as the legendary Hulk artist recently passed away. Herb Trimpe was one of the premier artists working for Marvel in the 1960s and 1970s, and his extended run on The Incredible Hulk is a favorite for many fans of Bruce Banner’s rampaging alter ego, with masterful inks by both Trimpe and John Severin, whose collaboration with Trimpe is a true artistic high point of the series! This Artist’s Edition features at least five complete stories by Trimpe and an incredible cover gallery to boot. Also features work by Roy Thomas and Gerry Conway. 144-page 12″ x 17″ B&W (but scanned in color) hardcover. Available in September.

Zenith Phase One Apex Edition

Zenith Phase One Apex Edition


Zenith Phase One Apex Edition (Rebellion/2000 A.D.): Zenith artist Steve Yeowell kept all the original art from Zenith Phase One, so there will be a Zenith Phase One Apex Edition shot from these originals and published later this year. You can see the original art, right down to the faded word balloons and editorial and design marks, including Yeowell’s brush and pen strokes. Each edition also comes with a special bookplate signed by Yeowell. (In case you’ve forgotten, Zenith is written by Grant Morrison.) 96-page 15” x 19” B&W (but scanned in color) hardcover.

BOOKS ABOUT COMICS

The Hellboy 100 Project

The Hellboy 100 Project


The Hellboy 100 Project (Dark Horse/Hero Initiative): The latest in the Hero Initiative’s series to benefit comic book creators in medical or financial need stars Mike Mignola’s Hellboy. By purchasing this book, you not only help creators in need, you get to see at least 100 artists’ unique interpretations of comics’ most famous paranormal research demon. Contributors include John Cassaday, Francis Manapul, Todd Nauck, Whilce Portacio, Eric Powell, Paolo Rivera, Bill Sienkiewicz, and of course, Mike Mignola! Because of the unique nature of this book, it will never be reprinted, so if you want it, order it now. Available in both hardcover and softcover. 120-pages, 7” x 10”, and in color. Available in September.

J. Scott Campbell: Time Capsule 1994-2004

J. Scott Campbell: Time Capsule 1994-2004


Scott Campbell: Time Capsule 1994-2004 (Image): Comicraft founder, writer, editor, and letterer Richard Starkings sat down with artist J. Scott Campbell (in 2004… jeez, is everything about this guy late?) to discuss Campbell’s first ten years in comics. From Gen13, pretty girls, Danger Girl, cute girls, Wildsiders, pretty cute girls, and everything in-between (like Spider-Man), the interview is richly illustrated with B&W artwork (of mostly pretty girls), plus a 16-page color section. 256-page mostly B&W hardcover. Available in July 2015 (it says here). A limited signed & numbered edition is also available. Did I mention pretty girls?

The Art of Mouse Guard 2005-2015

The Art of Mouse Guard 2005-2015


The Art of Mouse Guard 2005-2015 (Archaia/BOOM!): Mouse Guard is ten years old! That’s a lot of itty-bitty swords and axes! In honor of the anniversary of the series’ debut issue, The Art of Mouse Guard is a stunning celebration of the world, characters, and artistic process of David Petersen’s beloved series and will include many special features, including:

  • Never-before-seen art from the creation of the characters and world of Mouse Guard, including the first ever doodles, sketches, and illustrations of Saxon, Kenzie, Rand, and more Mouse Guard fan favorites.
  • Photos of the hand-crafted models of in-world locations and buildings used for illustration reference.
  • A detailed account of the history of Mouse Guard by David and Julia Peterson as well as key contributors from the series’ first ten years, such as writer and illustrator of Cursed Pirate Girl Jeremy Bastian, and personal accounts of working in the world of Mouse Guard from some of the medium’s most influential talents and Mouse Guard: Legends contributors, including Hellboy‘s Mike Mignola, Usagi Yojimbo’s Stan Sakai, and Shaolin Cowboy’s Geof Darrow.

368-page 12” x 12” color hardcover.

Babes in Arms: Women In Comics During the Second World War

Babes in Arms: Women In Comics During the Second World War


Babes in Arms: Women In Comics During the Second World War (Hermes Press): During the Golden Age of comics, publishers offered many titles supporting the war effort. Comic books during this period featured US servicewomen fighting all of the Axis bad guys and gave several of the most noteworthy women artists of the era opportunities to create action-packed, adventure-filled, four-color stories. For the first time, renowned pop-culture historian Trina Robbins assembles comic book stories by artists Barbara Hall, Jill Elgin, Lilly Renee, and Fran Hopper. Insightful commentary and loads of documentary extras contribute to the definitive book chronicling the work of these important Golden Age artists. This art book offers page after page of good girl action! 304-page 7.8” x 10.2” B&W and color hardcover. Available in August.

ZINES

Ace Magazine #5

Ace Magazine #5


Ace Magazine #5: Joseph Michael Linsner cover and in-depth interview. Also, Mark Waid is hot! He’s revamping Archie for this century, wrapping up Daredevil, and gearing up for The Avengers. Plus, the several hundred other things he’s doing. Also featuring the FF movie reboot and the awesome, intelligent price guide! 128-page partial color 7” x 10” magazine.

Back Issue #83

Back Issue #83


Back Issue #83: International Heroes! Alpha Flight! The New X-Men! Global Guardians! Captain Canuck! Justice League International! Plus, Spider-Man in the UK! 100-page 8” x 11” color magazine.

Hogan’s Alley #20

Hogan’s Alley #20


Hogan’s Alley #20: It appears on a schedule similar to Halley’s Comet, but it’s always worth the wait! This issue: A long interview with Patrick McDonnell (Mutts), Mickey Mouse at 85 (and his failed attempts at suicide!), the history of the animated The Hobbit, plus the Silver Age’s 20 key comic books. 144-page 8” x 11” B&W magazine.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #11

Scooby-Doo Team-Up #11


Scooby-Doo Team-Up #11: The Scooby Gang meets — Secret Squirrel! (I sense a future team-up with that squirrely girl ‘cross town country.) Plus, Morocco Mole!

Will Eisner: A Spirited Life HC/DVD Combo Pack

Will Eisner: A Spirited Life HC/DVD Combo Pack


If you can play DVDs and have some $$$ to burn, check out TwoMorrows’ Will Eisner: A Spirited Life HC/DVD Combo Pack. Plus, lots of the Master’s graphic novels are relisted this month from WW Norton. Classic reads.

The Blacker The Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art

The Blacker The Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art


Brainiacs-in-training should peruse the academically written The Blacker The Ink: Constructions of Black Identity in Comics and Sequential Art from Rutgers University Press and The Law for Comic Creators from McFarland.

Neil Gaiman: Neverwhere: The Preferred Text

Neil Gaiman: Neverwhere: The Preferred Text


Fans who prefer Neil Gaiman should check out Neil Gaiman: Neverwhere: The Preferred Text, which reconciles the many earlier versions of this work and reinstates a number of scenes cut from the original published books. Plus, an additional tale.

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KC CARLSON: Saving the world for absolutely no one. He’s just that kind of guy.

WESTFIELD COMICS is not responsible for the stupid things that KC says. Especially that thing that really irritated you. Like being aware of your tongue.