Tuesday, January 05, 2010

Adam Hughes` lost GEN13 comic

For this post I´m taking a page out of the ever popular COMIC BOOK LEGENDS REVEALED website by Brian Cronin.

COMIC LEGEND : There is a GEN13 comic by Adam Hughes that was finished but never printed.

STATUS : False.


There is a GEN13 short story done by Adam Hughes but it was published ONCE and it was even reprinted.

The reason why it´s believed to never have been printed is that, like THE SECRET GOSPEL OF MAXWELL LORD nobody has ever seen it. Myself included most people have only seen some penciled pages or the inked pages on the internet. It was by sheer luck that I discovered otherwise.

Of course everybody knows that Adam Hughes did the 2 issue miniseries GEN13 ORDINARY HEROES of which the second was delayed almost indefinitely - like always. Back then the book was one of the bestsellers that attracted the best of the best. Nowadays it´s not even a shadow of it´s former glory. Like the copy of a copy of a copy that looses quality each time it´s copied GEN13 is only the shadow of a shadow of a shadow of what it used to be. In each incarnation not only the quality of the art suffered but also the writing. Till nothing except the name remained.


But like always comic readers who buy it today don´t even know how good it was ( or else they wouldn´t keep buying that drivel ) or if they buy the ORDINARY HEROES comics they have no idea that the second part was delayed. I myself bought it as it came out - the original version as well as the spanish version which is back in Spain and which was one of the few comics I had in Spain.

Aside from that Adam Hughes did the covers for the GEN13 / SUPERMAN crossover as well as lots of covers pin ups or cards. I don´t know if Adam Hughes was also supposed to do the art on the SUPERMAN crossover but in any case it fell through and somebody else did the art ( I think Lee Bermejo ).


Apart from this GEN13 stuff there were some GEN13 pages floating around the internet that seemed to belong to a third GEN13 comic but those were only inked pages so I dismissed the idea. I mean you would have heard if a superstar artist like Adam Hughes had done another GEN13 story, right ? Now, the first hints of the possibility that this comic was more than a comic book legend was when I bought a sketchbook in Spain that had all the pages of the comic. And although they were just the inked pages they had the full dialogue and word ballons.

Somehow there seemed to be more to this. But all my searches on the internet were fruitless. No chance of finding anything about it - besides the pages I already had. And the name tags weren´t helping either since most of them were just labeled GEN13 ot TBP. But my luck changed two weeks ago when I found - I can´t remember for the life of me were I found it - a picture of one of the pages labeled THUNDERBOOK.

Now what the hell was a thunderbook ? Searching for a few days revealed that IMAGE did an anthology book called WILDSTORM THUNDERBOOK that indeed included this long sought after GEN13 story by Adam Hughes. Now the problem was to find it.


Just before Christmas I was doing my usual comic order at blackdog when I found that they had ONE COPY of it. Against better judgement I ordered it and gave it away as a Christmas present. Lo and behold. The great mystery had been solved. Now to write a post about it on my blog. The end.

Wait. It´s not so easy. Which kind of help is that for my readers ? Am I really going to tell them that there exists another GEN13 story by Adam Hughes only to tell them that it was printed in a thing called WILDSTORM THUNDERBOOK which they won´t find at any comic shop ? That´s a dilemma.

Just in my last post I posed the question if PANINI really wants to sell comics. Now the question seems to be if IMAGE falls into the same behaviour. Was it really never reprinted anywhere ? Another couple of days of research brought the answer.

There exists a collection of the GEN13 ORDINARY HEROES story. And there was a reprint of that trade that has a new cover and includes the Alan Davis GEN13 bootleg issues as well as the GEN13 short story called WHAM form the WILDSTORM THUNDERBOOK.


As I already had the ORDINARY HEROES comics as well as the Alan Davis issues I never looked at the trade so I never discovered the story. Since I don´t know the original trade I have no idea if it also includes the short story but I know the new collection does.

Now I have checked my usual sources. My comicshop does have one copy but since there is no picture I don´t know if it is the new printing with the new cover. I will have to check that out the next time I´m there. I looked at blackdog but they don´t have it. At amazon there are three available and although it seems to be the right one ( they have the right ISBN number which is 1401204279 ) the price is waaay to high. And since you can´t get it directly from amazon you never know in which condition they will arrive. I really can´t recommend it.


I also found that they have it at ANDYS COMIC EXPRESS but without the ISBN number I can´t confirm it. So you will have to wait or you can get it now if you want to take the chance.

Here´s the black and white version :













  • get the trade at andys comic express


  • the trade info by DC


  • So, mystery solved. I hope this was new for some readers and that I´m not the only one who didn´t know this comic existed. Happy hunting no matter if you want to try your luck with the thunderbook or the collection.


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  • Warren--that´s Bullseye, I need you to take him of the board.

    Sunday, January 03, 2010

    Does PANINI really want to sell comics ?

    Since I haven´t seen any announcements on german comic websites about this I just have to do a post on my own blog. Behind the controversial headline lies the newest project by Marvel´s head honcho Joe Quesada : X - MEN - GALS ON THE RUN.


    The comic by X - Men veteran writer Chris Claremont and italian star artist Milo Manara was first released in Italy ( which is PANINI´s headquarters ) under the title RAGAZZE IN FUGA on the 5th of November 2009.....if my italian is right. It´s a hardcover with 64 black and white pages which is all nice and well but my problem with PANINI is that it is released as a limited edition.

    The italian original was a limited edition, the spanish version MUJERES EN PELIGRO that was released at the first weeks of December ( to fall on the same time period like the Expocomic in Madrid ) is also a limited edition of 2,500 copies. There are plans for an US release this year and I guess there will be a german edition available although I couldn´t confirm that since the german PANINI site only offers the newest releases and no info on upcoming projects.


    The price for the italian edition was 12 EUROS, the spanish edition was 14 EUROS and for the other editions.......who knows ?

    Now what sucks ( in my opinion ) is that - number one - they don´t release the editions on the same day. It just blows that in Italy it has been released in November, in Spain in December and America and Germany have to wait. I know that there might be good arguments for releasing this in phases. Although I have to say ( as someone who worked at a printer ) that from a financial point it´s better to print them all at once. And it´s also not very clever to release them AFTER Christmas.

    The second problem is that it is not released as a normal comic but as a limited edition. With the state the comic industry is in does it really make sense to cater to the collectors and not the readers ? Everybody is lowering prices and giving special incentives - just look at the car industry. The comic industry seems to be the only industry that thinks that a financial crisis is the best moment for increasing prices.


    Normally you would want to sell as much as you can of a good product and nobody can tell me that you earn as much by selling 2,500 units for 14 EUROS as by selling 10,000 units for 10. Okay, you might say that 10,000 units is a bit much for a comic. But this is a comic by Milo Manara with the X - Men ( or rather the girls of the X - Men ). Which means that not only x - Men readers will buy this but also Milo Manara fans. And with X - Men readers I don´t mean the ones who are currently reading the comic ( which might not be much ) but X - Men fans in general.

    This is something that is interesting for the diehard fans as well as people who only know them from the movies. Now I might go out on a limb here but I think you can easily sell 10,000 units and more. So the only reason for offering it as a limited edition - that will not be reprinted I might add - is if you don´t want to sell comics.

    Which is the kind of impression PANINI gives especially at conventions. It seems that they are only interested in releasing overpriced, limited special editions of comics that are only interesting for collectors.


    The way I see it ( and this only comes from the personal experience I had so far ) the guys at the PANINI booths are only interested in hanging with their favorite artists and writers and having a party. They forget that the readers have to pay for it all and that they should give something back. Which is one of the reason I seldom go to signings at the PANINI booths.

    They are usually planned very amateurish and if I have to wait in line for a long time I want more than a chance to roll a dice, then having to skin a tiger, swim through a river and - maybe - get the chance to get a drawing. It´s often been lamented that in Germany there is no strong reader market but that´s because every publisher caters to the collectors. Anyway, since the comic is not available at amazon ( so far ) and shipping from Spain to Germany costs and arm and a leg I will probably have to wait for the german edition or get the spanish edition ( if there are still some left ) the next time I´m in Spain.

    a few more pages :






    more info :

  • ragazze in fuga ( in italian )


  • gals on the run ( in english with spoilers )


  • mujeres en peligro ( in spanish with spoilers )


  • mujeres en peligro


  • mujeres en peligro


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  • In his debut, I might add, Taskmaster fought the real Avengers - Captain America and Iron Man - and got away scott free.

    Saturday, January 02, 2010

    comic bargains

    Since my computer autodestructed the gaps between posts have become larger and larger. But I just wanted to do this quick post about some new bargains at amazon.de.

    Just before Christmas there were no bargains for comics but now that Christmas is over they are getting rid of their overstock. I wanted to post this two days ago but today is the first time I have some time on the laptop. So my tips are :

    SUPERMAN - BRAINIAC HARDCOVER 6.90 €

    Gary Frank who was announced as THE big new star artist on ACTION COMICS did only two storyarcs : the totally Airwolf SUPERMAN AND THE LEGION OF SUPER - HEROES story ( about which I already wrote at length ) and this one. Now he´s on SUPERMAN - SECRET ORIGIN as DC seems to think that it isn´t necessary to have good artists on their regular books. Anyway, this re - imagination of the Brainiac persona that also ties into the pre - existing continuity is a really good story with great art.



    Besides the regular five issues that made up the storyarc it also contains the epilogue from the NEW KRYPTON SPECIAL 1. This hardcover is normally priced at 19.99 - like at my comicshop where the rate for the dollar is 1 dollar is 1 euro - or 15.47 euro if you buy it at a shop with a better rate like blackdog. For 6.90 it´s a steal. Of course you still have to add the 7 percent taxes and the fee for shipping and handling. But at amazon books are free and even with all the other costs added you still have to pay only 8.40 euro.

    I already ordered one for me which arrived in excellent condition. Last time I put up some links for bargain comics I thought too long about ordering the CAPTAIN AMERICA - THE MAN WITH NO NAME hardcover and then they sold out.



    THUNDERBOLTS - BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE HARDCOVER 7.90 €

    I also already ordered this one. Since I already took the book off my pull list and decided to continue reading them in the trade format this is a no - brainer. Originally I wanted to get the regular trade version since I didn´t think it necessary to pay the higher price for the hardcover. But when I went to my comicshop and consulted the internet I found out that I would have to pay more for the regular trade than for the hardcover.

    The story in this ( at least as far as I know since I only read the first two issues of this collection ) follows the events in SECRET INVASION. As Norman Osborn has been given free DRAK REIGN Songbird decides to ditch the team. Of course that doesn´t fly well with Norman so it´s Songbird versus - everybody else.

    Following that story it´s Norman Osborn versus the Green Goblin. Wait a minute. Isn´t Norman Osborn supposed to be the Green Goblin ? Exactly ! Can´t wait to read this one. After turning the Thunderbolts into the new DARK AVENGERS Norman Osborn is building a newer and deadlier secret ops version of the Thunderbolts. And it all starts here.



    EMPOWERED VOL 5 5.40 €

    Another steal. This 206 page black and white book usually goes for 10 to 12 bucks but here you can get it for a much better price. EMPOWERED is one of the best superhero books out there even if it doesn´t have the mass audience it deserves due to the mature readers label. Adam Warren has long been a fan favorite artist and here he shows that he can write superhero comedy that´s realistic and funny. Apart from that he writes characters that you instantly love ( or hate ) which can make the stories real heart wrenchers.

    Especially the last two collections delve into some dark places that you wouldn´t expect. Volume 5 is a good example of what this series is capable of and it will definitelxy bring a tear to your eye. If you haven´t checked out this series here´s your chance to try one book at a bargain price but hurry since there are only 4 copies left. And I´m sure that after reading this one you will come back for more.

    More about EMPOWERED :

  • adam warren on empowered


  • adam warren on empowered II


  • warren peace talks empowered




  • INVINCIBLE VOL 11 HAPPY DAYS 6.40 €

    The only reason I didn´t order this one is that I already have it. INVINCIBLE - do I really have to tell you that this is one of the best superhero books out there ? I´m sure you are already sick and tired of hearing how this series dares to go where mainstream superhero books don´t dare to go. And I also have to remind you of the outstanding art on this great comic. You probably already have it in your collection but if not.....what are you waiting for ? Only two copies left.



    X - MEN INFERNO HARDCOVER 29.90 €

    I know, 30 bucks doesn´t sound like a good deal. But this 600 pages whopper usually goes for 75 dollars and even at blackdog you have to pay 55.99 € for it. At amazon you get it for less than 35 with shipping and handling included. I´m almost tempted to order it myself since I already have the trade version. This hardcover collection includes some stuff that´s not in the regular trade edition like the X - TERMINATORS series and a few additional issues of X- Factor. Besides being a story that offers art by such greats as Walter Simonson, Marc Silvestri and Bret Blevins it connects a lot of loose ties throughout the X - Men history.

    Especially for german readers it´s a very interesting read because most of it never was printed in Germany. Stuff like the end of Madelyne Prior a.k.a. the Goblin Queen or the fate of Illyana Rasputin. Additionally it has some really heart wrenching scenes and offers a story of the slow descent of the X - Men into the all encompassing Inferno that´s unleashed in New York....as well as their final salvation. From this collection there are also only two copies left.



    Now I don´t want to make the post too long ( the longer the post is the longer it takes you to read this and as usual this bargains sell out rather quick ) here are the other recommendations from me :

    PETER PARKER SPIDER - MAN BACK IN BLACK trade 8.90 € ( instead of 19.28 )

    Written by ROBERTO AGUIRRE-SACASA, MATT FRACTION & SEAN MCKEEVER Penciled by ANGEL MEDINA, RAMON BACHS & SALVADOR LARROCA

    collects: "Sensational Spider-Man" numbered 35-40 and Annual number 1, "Spider-Man Family" numbered 1-2, "Spider-Man: Back in Black Handbook" and Marvel Spotlight - "Spider-Man Back in Black" - only two copies left.

    POWER AND GLORY trade 5.40 €

    I don´t know the regular price since it´s hard to find this collection. The story is about a superhero who gets superpowers but is so afraid of touching other people that they have to hire an ex - spy to do all his superfeats. Without having superpowers. By Howard Chaykin. 5 copies left.

    BOMB QUEEN VOL 4 SUICIDE BOMBER trade 5.90 € ( instead of 11.61 )

    story JIMMIE ROBINSON art & cover JIMMIE ROBINSON The fourth smash trade in the totally demented BOMB QUEEN series! This time featuring luminaries from the Image Universe: She-Spawn! Invincible! Savage Dragon! ShadowHawk! Editor Girl! Dynamo 5 and more! 128 pages from the depraved mind of JIMMIE ROBINSON! One copy left !



    As usual you can use the links here or go to my amazon store on this blog. And you can find more bargain comics here

    Sorry for this all - pimpin post but who knows how long the dollar to euro ratio will be so good ? Which is one of the main reasons why I stopped buying trades at my comicshop and getting them through the internet. Just remember that for amazon you have to add 7 percent taxes ( just multiply the price with 1.07 ). I hope next time I can write a bit more about comics.

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  • He´s Scott Summers, Warren. Worry is what he does.