I KISSED A WONDER WOMAN AND I LIKED IT
First up from DC we have SUPERMAN - MAN OF STEEL 8, a 240 page trade from the time when John Byrne was still writing the books. Normally this costs 17 dollars or 15 Euros but the current amazon price is 10.05 Euros.
The trade contains ACTION COMICS 598 - 600, the last one is an 80 page giant containing a story with Superman and Wonder Woman penciled by John Byrne and beautifully inked by George Perez that explains why Superman and Wonder Woman never were lovers in the post crisis era,
SUPERMAN 16 - 18 drawn by John Byrne and Mike Mignola which feature his first meeting with the Silver Banshee and ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN 439 - 440 by Jerry Ordway. One of the best Superman books in collected form and one I buy myself because while I already have most of the issues sometimes I´m missing the crossover books and it´s nice to have them all ready to read in one nice format. Also the printing is much better than with some of my already slightly faded old issues. Speaking about Wonder Woman, my next pick really bugs the Dickens out of me because I already have the 4th hardcover of the current series WAR. So the fact that this 22 dollar hardback is now available for 11 Euros doesn´t really benefit me. I know it´s not the best volume if you want to start the series - the same goes for the Superman trade - but if you are already reading the best series currently going on with the NEW 52 and you haven´t gotten it yet wait no more. Cliff Chiang is magic and Goran Sudzuka is a close second.
BETTER THE DAREDEVIL YOU KNOW
Next up are my Marvel picks and I want to start with some ESSENTIALS. Like I have often mentioned I´m a big fan of the format and now that Disney has ended it in favor of their new Epic Collections here´s your chance to get your hands on some big chunks of reading material.
The usual cover price is 20 dollars ( around 18 Euros in german comic stores ) but you get volume 6 of DAREDEVIL for 10 Euros and volume 7 of DEFENDERS for 11 which is pretty cheap. I guess one of the reasons for that is that the issues are near the end of the run ( with Defenders ) and don´t have any big highlights. The Daredevil book has a lot of Bob Brown but also all the usual suspects like John Byrne, both Buscemas, Gil Kane while the Defenders is mostly Alan Kupperberg and Don Perlin with one issue by each Marie Severin and Mike Zeck. But I think the DEFENDERS was one of the better series at Marvel and Daredevil is a matter of taste.
YOU`RE IN THE ARMOUR NOW
And we are staying in that price category with the ASTONISHING X - MEN : MONSTROUS hardcover ( regular price 20 dollars / amazon price 8 Euros ) and AVENGERS : THE PRIVATE WAR OF DR. DOOM hardcover ( regular 30 dollars / amazon price 11 - 12 Euros ). The Astonishing X - Men hardback collects only 4 issues but it´s a great story that centers around the young mutant Armor. The story was begun by Jason Pearson and wrapped up by Nick Bradshaw with some pages by Sara Pichelli so it´s all good. And can you really go wrong with the X - Men battling giant godzilla monsters ?
DOOM`S PRIVATE WAR ! WHAT`S IT GOOD FOR ?
Now The Private War of Dr. Doom is kind of a mixed bag. There are a lot of writers ( Stan Lee, Jim Shooter, Steve Engleharrt, Gerry Conway, Bill Mantlo and Scott Edelmann ) as well as a lot of artists. There´s some Herb Trimpe, some Jack Kirby but also Sal Buscema, John Buscema
and 2 beautiful issues by a young George Perez just starting on the book.
The book starts with a new team roster being selected and immediately follows the events of The Serpent Crown Affair until it ends in a three way battle between the Avengers, Dr. Doom and Attuma and his hordes with Triton from the Inhumans, Namor and Namorita ( I already mentioned her metal bikin in the issue ) in the middle. If you already have the Serpent Crown and The Bride of Ultron hardcovers this one is right between them.
The Vision plays a big part in this collection ( he convinces Dr. Doom to throw in with the Avengers against Attuma ) which means that the poor Scarlett Witch goes through the emotional wringer. Like in my favorite issue which naturally is the return of Simon Williams in issue 152. Man, this post is really not very cheery, first with the death of Susan and Thor killing Loki, then the Spirit of Vengeance followed by zombie Wonder Man.
Yeah, zombies were always big even if Marvel had to come up with the word " zuvembie " instead of zombie which couldn´t be used because of the Comics Code. Of course the story has to take place in New Orleans and if there´s one thing that never gets old in comics besides sewers it´s swamps. There is nothing like the Avengers dragging the lifeless corpse of Wonder Man through the swamp. We need more swamps in comics.
To learn more about the long and complicated history of zombie ( or zuvembie ) Wonder Man a.k.a. Simon Williams my spanish readers can consult the exhaustive post by Daniel from SUPER HEROES Y VILLANOS .
LOVE ( AND ANDROIDS AND GHOSTS AND KANG ) AND MARRIAGE
And we´re staying on the subject of Avengers with the hardcover edition of volume 14 of MARVEL MASTERWORKS : THE AVENGERS. Now so far I don´t own any of these hardbacks because at 70 dollars ( 60 Euros in german comic stores ) this is normally out of my regular price range.
But at 33 Euros you might really consider this especially if you are an Avengers fan. This collects issues 129 to 134 with layouts by Sal Buscema and finishes by Joe Staton - who made an incredible art combo - and issue
135 by George Tuska. Also contained are GIANT SIZED AVENGERS 2 and 3 by Dave Cockrum and issue 4 by Don Heck. In the regular issues the Avengers go up against Kang, Ultron, the Mad Thinker and a brainwashed original Human Torch, Frankenstein and The Legion of the Unliving - which at that point still included Wonder Man - and russian villains Crimson Commando, Titanium Man, Radioactive Man and Slasher.
The issues of GIANT SIZED AVENGERS had to be included because they tie in with the rest of the story which is one of the biggest epics in Avengers lore ever, The Celestial Madonna Saga featuring the Origin of Mantis, the death of the first Swordsman and the double wedding of the Vision and the Scarlet Witch and Mantis and the ghost of Swordsman by Immortus.
If you want to know more about the issues collected here SUPER MEGA MONKEY`S MARVEL COMICS CHRONOLOGY has their usual extensive post on it and it´s also covered by Steve W. at STEVE DOES COMICS or go to EARTH´S MIGHTIEST COMIC BOOK BLOG for their entry on The Celestial Madonna Saga . MENTOR`S CAMPER also covers this and you can check out 10 preview pages at the MARVEL MASTERWORKS RESOURCE PAGE. And if you don´t want to get this in color but still want to read it the issues are also contained in the sixth volume of ESSENTIAL AVENGERS.
I`M ONLY INHUMAN. OF FLESH AND TERRIGEN MIST I`M MADE
Man, if I wasn´t so wiped out monetary wise I would buy this one myself. My next Marvel pick is INHUMANS : THE ORIGIN OF THE INHUMANS trade paperback, regular price tag 40 dollars, 35 Euros in german comic shops and a measly 16 EUROS at amazon. This are over 400 pages of Jack Kirby art from classic FANTASTIC FOUR and THOR issues. Unless you already own these issues in an omnibus collection you can´t go wrong with this.
I GOT THE SUPREME POWER
Our last Marvel bargain book is from the MARVEL MAX line the SUPREME POWER - CONTACT hardcover ( regular price 25 dollars, 22 Euros at german comic shops and 10 Euros at amazon ) written by J. Michael Straczynski and art by Gary Frank. This re - imagination of Marvel´s classic Squadron Supreme for an adult audience is one of the best comics Marvel ever put out. I don´t know anybody who wouldn´t recommend it.
So I hope this was helpful with your Christmas shopping ( for my german readers ) and if not maybe you got some books for yourself. I shouldn´t have to stress that most of these offers go fast so don´t wait too long.
Before ending this post I have to mention Today´s celebrity birthday since I have gotten comments that the babe factor has decreased significantly over the last post. To help us change this is fitness model, Sexbombe and former WWF ( for me it will be always the real WWF and not this new WWE ) Diva Trish " The Dish " Stratus, celebrating her 39th birthday.
While Trish Stratus never won any fitness competitions, long before she stepped into the squared circle, a lot of us saw her in MUSCLE & FITNESS.
Trish Stratus ( born Patricia Anne Stratigias on December the 18th 1975 in Richmond Hill, Ontario ) is a former canadian fitness model and semi - retired professional wrestler ( on September 17th, 2006 after winning her 7th Women's Championship ). She´s the first in WWF history to have held the Women's Championship seven times, three more than the four reigns of Lita and the four recognized title reigns of The Fabulous Moolah. She is also one of only four women to have held the Hardcore Championship.
As a fitness model, Stratus has been on the cover of major health and fitness magazines such as MUSCLEMAG, FLARE, and TOTAL WOMEN´S FITNESS. She also released a calendar series called " Dream Team " with fellow model, Stacey Lynn. As a sports entertainer, she was proclaimed the " Diva of the Decade " on the WWF RAW X Anniversary Show . She was voted " WWE Babe of the Year " three times between 2001 and 2003.
For more about Trish Stratus check out The Best Of Trish Stratus ( with more pictures ) on DIVALICIOUS , if you are really interested go to LETHALWOW where you can find a really long bio and various galleries and if that´s still not enough the only place left is ADAM´S WRESTLING BLOG ( Best in the World ). As for me I´m going to watch some of my favorite Trish Stratus videos ( which are not from the Divas DVDs but I don´t want to go into a long rant right now ) to get my Stratusfaction.
As most of this post was about Marvel here is the Doctor Strange movie from 1978. I´m not sure if this is a re - post but here it is in one part.
Today´s animated feature is WYRD SISTERS, from Terry Pratchett´s Discworld universe. I have to say that I can´t get through the books but I love all the movies and cartoons I have seen so far, like Soul Music.
Last but not least another Amy Dallen info dump, this time on the Comics Code for those who never heard of it ( I mentioned it in the post ).
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