Review- JON SABLE, FREELANCE OMNIBUS VOL. 2

JON SABLE, FREELANCE OMNIBUS VOL. 2 (IDW, 2011; Softcover)

Collects Jon Sable, Freelance #17-33 (cover dates October, 1984- February, 1986)

Writer and Artist: Mike Grell

Long before we had “Mature Readers” or creator-owned comics, First Comics offered a home to creators like Mike Grell who grew weary of toiling for Marvel or DC, freely giving them their creations which they ultimately had no control over. Another benefit of their move to the indies was freedom from the Comics Code Authority. Nudity, sex, murder, blood...everything that a freedom-loving, red-blooded American male could possibly want is found in this title.

This is a fast-paced read. Grell seems to get a bit bored with the character, as the writing and artwork both became looser as the book wore on. It's still a solid enough escapist read.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.

The OCD zone- I enjoy this softcover Omnibus format pioneered by Dark Horse Comics. It is smaller than a standard trade yet is large enough that you can fully enjoy the artwork and read the lettering clearly. They are easy to handle, especially given the page count.

NONE of the covers are included in this collection.

Linework and Color restoration: Linework is fine, but it is the coloring that looks iffy. Gradient shades and blends not faithful to the original publications. The original color palette is maintained, it is only the blends that miss the mark. This may or may not bother you, depending on how acute an OCD sufferer you are.

Paper stock: Bright white super glossy stock, not optimal for material with flat coloring. It is honestly quite garish.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Spot varnishing. The coating elsewhere is sufficiently thick enough to provide years of enjoyment.

Review- X-MEN: FALL OF THE MUTANTS

X-MEN: FALL OF THE MUTANTS (Marvel, 2011; Hardcover)

Collects X-Factor #18-26, Captain America #39, Daredevil #252, Fantastic Four #312, Incredible Hulk #336, 337, 340, Power Pack #35, Uncanny X-Men #220-227, and New Mutants #55-61 (cover dates July, 1987- March, 1988)

Writers: Louise Simonson, Peter David, Ann Nocenti, Mark Gruenwald, Steve Engelhart, and Chris Claremont

Artists: Pencilers- Walter Simonson, June Brigman, Todd MacFarlane, Sal Buscema, Jon Bogdanove, John Romita, Jr., Kieron Dwyer, Keith Pollard, Marc Silverstri, Kerry Gammill, and Brett Blevins; Inkers- Bob Wiaceck, Randy Emberlin, Jim Sanders III, Hilary Barta, Al Williamson, Tone DeZuniga, Joe Sinnott, Dan Green, Todd MacFarlane, and Terry Austin

When is an Omnibus not an Omnibus? When it is the Fall Of The Mutants oversized hardcover. Clocking in at over 800 pages, this beast is an Omnibus in all but name as far as I'm concerned. While past trade paperback collections only collected the three main tie-in issues of each of the X-titles (9 issues total), reading that book felt like coming in 15 minutes late to a movie. The set up had already occurred and you spent the rest of the time trying to play catch up. This book goes in the opposite direction, adding so much of the set up that the plot sometimes feels lost by the time that you get there. It basically reads best in thirds (X-Factor and assorted tie-ins, Uncanny X-Men, and New Mutants).

The only issues that I bought when they originally came out were The Uncanny X-Men and Power Pack ones, and I honestly didn't feel like I was missing anything since this crossover didn't jump across each title. In all honesty, these crossovers and the emerging new breed of artists like Marc Silverstri soured me on the hobby. I was dropping comics throughout 1989, until by late 1989 or early 1990 I was done until Marvel Masterworks sucked me back in a dozen years ago. Look at me now...

"Artwork" by Marc Silvestri. 

Silverstri's layouts and storytelling ability are clear, but his artwork just leaves me cold. Wolverine was now the leader of the team and becoming overly wordy and heroic. Psylocke was still a British telepath. This was before that racist, Jim Lee, would change her into an Asian ninja. Can you imagine if someone today changed the ethnicity of an Asian character into a Caucasian? All Hell would break loose! I enjoyed the battle with Freedom Force, the Government-sanctioned renamed New Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants. This was back when Wolverine battling Sabretooth was exciting and new. Now it is as common as a cold and would cause me to fall asleep.

This was one of those “things will never be the same again!” type crossovers, back when those were still fresh and not the boring cliche which fans suffer through one after another after another. Storm gets her powers back, The X-Men “die”, and Cypher gets killed over in The New Mutants. Oops, quarter century old spoilers. Speaking of that title, going from June Brigman's clean, beautiful artwork to Brett Blevins' super-stylized art is jarring to say the least.

This was a pleasant enough trip down memory lane, back to the old world when things seemed to make more sense. I was 13 and 14 when this crossover went down. The Uncanny X-Men were one of my favorites back then. Now they are dead to me, ruined by careless writers. This book holds up well enough today and is better than anything currently being published with a 'X' in the title.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.

I wonder if the corner was cut off of the film. This looks like a patch job done using a floppy.

The OCD zone- Triple dip! I bought (some of) the original issues, the 2002 trade paperback, and now this. I can't wait to rebuy the UXM issues when the Masterworks get there. Kill me now.

Linework and Color restoration: Pretty good for the most part. There are a few spots that look iffy but not bad.

Paper stock: Wonderful coated stock with a slight sheen.

Binding: While this has smyth sewn binding and lays mostly flat, it seems to lay flat in “chunks”, like this book is three books sewn into one. Weird.

Hardback cover notes: Faux leather casewrap with foil die stamps.

Review- CREEPY ARCHIVES VOL. 10

CREEPY ARCHIVES VOL. 10 (Dark Horse, 2011; Hardcover)

Collects Creepy #46-50 (cover dates July, 1972- January, 1973)

Writers: Jack Butterworth, Doug Moench, Rich Margoupolos, Jose' Maria Bea, Lynn Maron, Greg Potter, Ed Fedory, Cliff Jackson, Buddy Saunders, T. Casey Brennan, Dennis P. Junot, John Throxis, Steve Skeates, Bill Dubay, John Cochran, Fred Ott, James Stenstrum, Al Hewetson, and Al Milgrom

Artists: 'Sanjulian', Luis Garcia, Esteban Maroto, Tom Sutton, Jose' Maria Bea, 'Jorge B. Galvez', Richard Corben, Cliff Jackson, Ron Cobb, Reed Crandall, Martin Salvador, Luis Dominguez, Jerry Grandenetti, Bill Dubay, Rafael Aurlaeon, Jaime Brocal, Josep Gual, Adolfo Usero Abellan, and Felix Mas

Will you just look at all of that talent listed above? It should come as no surprise to anyone with a working knowledge of '50s-70s creators exactly how many great writers and artists worked on this title. Some of them did some early work here before they were considered great (Doug Moench and Richard Corben), others were veterans of the industry at this time (Reed Crandall).

These Warren Magazines were the illegitimate children of 1950s Pre-Code Horror comics like EC. Being a magazine meant that they could show things not permitted in comics due to the constraints of the Comics Code Authority. Creepy was a black and white anthology series 'hosted' by Uncle Creepy, a Cryptkeeper type with bad puns. All of the covers and the handful of pages with color are presented here in full color.

Luis Garcia and Esteban Maroto took photo realistic artwork to new heights. I wonder if they used photo models and lightboxes or if they were simply that good? If they came out today I would automatically assume that they cheated and used Photoshop. Reed Crandall is one of those artists whose work looks better in black and white than it does in color. His EC stuff was stellar but here he is at the top of his game.

The stories all run the typical Gothic Horror gamut. My favorite in this book is #50s Frog God!!, one of those cautionary tales that doesn't end well for the protagonist. These stories might seem tame to kids weaned on Saw movies but are worth a read for those interested in traditional Horror comics.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.

The OCD zone- Issue #48 was an all-reprint issue. Only the cover and handful of new pages are reprinted here since the stories were all reprinted in earlier volumes.

Linework restoration: Scanned from the original issues and slightly cleaned up. Looks good enough for me.

Paper stock: Thick coated stock with a slight sheen.

Binding: Smyth sewn binding. Book block has sufficient room to flex in the casing and lays flat.

Hardback cover notes: Faux leather casewrap, die is foil stamped. 

Review- SilverHawks #1-7

SilverHawks #1-7 (Star Comics/ Marvel, cover dates August, 1987- August, 1988)

Writer: Steve Perry

Artists: Mike Witherby (Pencils, #1-5, 7) and Howard Bender (Penciler, #6), James Sanders III (Inker, #1), Fred Fredericks (Inker, #2-7)

The 1980s were a great time for cartoons. We had G.I. Joe, Transformers, Thundercats, and then Silverhawks. I was a closet fan of this series when it came out in the fall of 1986, since I was 13 when it debuted and I was supposed to be too cool to watch cartoons (or read comic books, for that matter). You see kids, back in the olden days of the '80s it was not cool to be a geek. At all. The term fanboy was an insult made to fans by industry pros, not a term of endearment. I hid my love of this stuff far away from the world at large, as did most other comic fans. The freedom to be a nerd that you now enjoy was earned by our sacrifice. You're welcome.

This Rankin/Bass cartoon was essentially a retread of Thundercats, only set in space. I knew that it was derivative as a kid, I just didn't realize exactly how derivative. There are so many bits and pieces borrowed from so many places that it almost feels fresh. These cartoons were essentially commercials for toys, and while I had a few Thundercats I never owned any Silverhawks. I bought these comics day of release, and I recently bought them again since I dumped my originals along with most of my collection when my Mom died in 1995 and I needed cash. I have been waiting years for a relaunch and a corresponding collected edition of this material, but if we couldn't get reprints of the vastly superior Thundercats when they relaunched it years ago then I seriously doubt that these will ever be reprinted, hence my late-night online purchase of these comics. 

The entire series was written by television series screenwriter Stephen Perry, who was shockingly murdered in 2010. This concept works as a comic because Perry was also a comic writer. Come to think of it, maybe the reason that I enjoyed the cartoon so much is because it felt like a comic book. Mike Witherby's artwork is solid and works incredibly well. The then-revolutionary but now outdated Flexograph printing process is a mess. Marvel was experimenting with water-based inks using plastic plates, which yielded more colors and lower costs. It looked quite garish to my eyes as a lad, what with the bright white paper instead of the cream colored pulp paper that I was accustomed to. The printing was often worse than the old method, with reds being too bright and blacks looking weak. I often dropped series which switched to that at the time, such was my disdain for the look of material printed this way.

I will briefly touch upon what worked and what didn't for this series as a comic book. The Silverhawks are all one-dimensional, with none of them really seeming to be more important than any of the others. There was no “Lion-O” here. The villains were more memorable than the heroes. While Mon*Star was a Mumm-Ra retread, right on down to the transformation sequence (and the same voice in the cartoon!), Poker-Face and Mo-Lec-U-Lar were fresh and interesting. The comics were as fun as the series. I pronounce dollar as Dolare to this day because of this series.

The stories are all done in ones with no real continuity, par for the course for Marvel's ill-fated all-ages Star Comics line. This title was bi-monthly, which also made it difficult to cement a readership. Couple that with the fact that the animated series was in perpetual rereuns months after the series launched and you get what you have here, a series lasting seven issue. Marvel switched the series from a Star Comic to a mainline Marvel Comic with issue 6 when they folded the Star line in 1988.

This series and these characters are little more than footnotes in the grand scheme of things. It's a fun, solid concept that I found to be immensely enjoyable on the reread more than a quarter century later. I toyed with the idea of buying the DVDs, but let's face facts. I have shelves of things that I never watch now, and I do not need more things to collect dust. I would totally watch it if it popped up on TV, though.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.

There is no OCD zone for floppies.

Review- SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE SPECTRE VOL. 1

SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE SPECTRE VOL. 1 (DC, 2012; Softcover)

Collects Showcase #60, 61, 64, The Spectre #1-10, The Brave and the Bold #72, 75, 116, 180, 199, DC Comics Presents #29, and The Spectre stories from Adventure Comics #431-440 and Ghosts #97-99 (cover dates February, 1966- June, 1983)

Writers: Gardner Fox, Bob Haney, Mike Friedrich, Steve Skeates, Denny O'Neil, Mark Hanereld, Michael Fleisher, Len Wein, and Paul Kupperberg.

Artists: Murphy Anderson, Carmine Infantino, Charles Cuidera, Neal Adams, Ross Andru, Mike Esposito, Jerry Grandenetti, Bernie Wrightson, Jack Sparling, Nick Cardy, Jim Aparo, Ernie Chan, Jim Starlin, Romeo Tanghal, Michael R. Adams, Tex Blaisdell, Tony Dezuniga, and Rick Hoberg.

The Spectre rules! This skips his still largely uncollected Golden Age run and jumps ahead to his Silver Age revival, which was 21 years to the cover date of his previous appearance. They seem to try to keep the premise of the Golden Age Spectre at first. The Showcase issues and the first issue of his series are okay if a little boring. Neal Adams comes in for #2 and stays a few issues. I enjoy the ones with Wildcat, now 20 years older and past his prime. I recently read some of his early appearances in The Comics Cavalcade Archives.

Things are good but don't get great until Adventure Comics #431, which ushers in the reinvented Spectre after a five year absence in 1974. Michael Fleisher and Jim Aparo crafted a brilliant storyline of wrath and retribution. The Spectre deals out ironic deaths to criminals. This is pretty gritty stuff that pushed the Comics Code Authority to it's limit. There is an old, long out of print trade paperback which collects that series in color which I read years ago.

These black and white phone books are a love and hate thing for me. DC usually screws up the coloring in their collections, so this is something of a plus for them. They can also serve as poor man's Artist Editions books.

I wish that DC would continue the Golden Age Archives and continue into the Silver Age and beyond. I have the first two '90s series trades but couldn't even begin to guess when I will get around to reading them.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.75 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This being DC, multiple appearances are omitted that were published during the timeframe of the material presented in this collection. Par for the course. At least they didn't omit any story pages in this collection like they did in so many others during the period that this collection was published in.

Linework and restoration: Everything looks tight and clean.

Paper stock: These books use the cheapest pulp paper available. When you get 624 pages at $19.99 MSRP you can't really complain, though. These are designed to be cheap reads.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Thick waxlike lamination.

 

Review- TRINITY OF SIN- THE PHANTOM STRANGER VOL. 3: THE CRACK IN CREATION

TRINITY OF SIN- THE PHANTOM STRANGER VOL. 3: THE CRACK IN CREATION (DC, 2015; Softcover)

Collects Trinity Of Sin:The Phantom Stranger #12-22 and Trinity Of Sin:The Phantom Stranger- Future's End #1 (cover dates December, 2013- October, 2014)

Writers: J.M. DeMatteis, Len Wein, and Dan Didio

Artists: Fernando Blanco, Norman Keith Breyfogle, Diego Olmos, Cliff Richards, and Miguel Angel Sepulveda

Colorists: Brad Anderson and Gabriel A. Etlaeb

I have enjoyed this series for the most part...until now. Things seem to slow to a crawl, with the plot becoming an overly wordy holding pattern until it hits the Future's End crossover, which I didn't read. While the following issue after that does a brief dialogue style recap of what happened, a Marvel-style text recap page placed between those issues would have helped smooth things out. As it is I had to go back and double check to make sure that I didn't miss anything the night before. The writing is mostly solid and the artwork is serviceable. 

Once we get past that things get really good. The series cancellation was announced and so DeMatteis sought to wrap things up and go out with a bang. Who else should The Phantom Stranger face but the very “Presence” who has been guiding both he and the New 52 version of The Spectre (featured here as well)? We get as close as a happy ending as Judas Iscariot can get. While I am sad to see this series end I will be happy to save my money, so...thanks, DC?

Junk Food For Thought rating: 3.75 out of 5.

The OCD zone- One can't argue the bang for the buck that you get with this book, 12 issues for $19.99 MSRP. Nice.

Paper stock: Good weight glossy coated stock.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover.

Review- Judas Priest/ Defenders Of The Faith Special 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition

Judas Priest/ Defenders Of The Faith Special 30^th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (Columbia/ Legacy, 2015)

Original album released in 1984.

I hate my money. Absolutely hate it. Why else would I buy five copies of this album??? My first copy was on vinyl. That Christmas I got it on cassette along with my off-brand Walkman (a Sharp?). Then I of course upgraded to CD...then the 2001 remaster with bonus tracks...and now this 3 disc version. You could do worse than buying an album this awesome five times in the past three decades, but you catch my drift. 

L- Original CD release; C- 2001 remastered editon; R- New version

Judas Priest replaced Kiss as my favorite band during this time. This album blew my mind, as it was the heaviest thing that I had heard when it came out. Bear in mind that many record stores did not carry independent or import titles at this point in time, so as far as my  10-11 year old mind knew this was the heaviest thing on the planet. Aside from the unrelenting heaviness there were actual, honest-to-gosh songs underneath it all. Songs rule all. You can be heavy as all get out and if you can't remember the song five minutes after the album is over then you don't have shit.

Priest were so badass in 1984. Every single song on this album is a jam. To this day I get pumped when I listen to this, and I have played this album umpteen times in the past three or so decades (since this 30^th Anniversary edition came out 31 years later). Discs 2 and 3 capture the band at the peak of their powers, an uncompromising arena juggernaut selling out everywhere they went. What a great set it was, too. Priest always played faster than their recorded versions, and Sinner is literally done in double time from the version found on Sin After Sin. Desert Plains is another one that was worlds better live than on album. They absolutely killed it back then, as they were the best live band on the planet in the 1980s.

The remastering here sounds better than the 2001 version. While the original CD was stiff and slightly slower than the vinyl and cassette, it had the correct EQs and mix. The 2001 version swapped the right and left channels, with Glenn being on the right and KK on the left, which is of course unnatural and unholy. I got into an argument with their manager about these remasters at the time about this and the defacing of the artwork by changing the logo colors. It didn't end well for me.

Little did I know at the time that this would mark the end of the classic era of the band, with Turbo steering the band off course into mainstream waters for short term commercial success with long-term damage to their standing with the fans. This album, however, should be in the collection of any self-respecting Heavy Metal fan.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 6 out of 5.

The OCD zone: For those of you new to this site, this is the section where I dissect the packaging elements of a release. It seems that here in the brave new digital world there are two camps: one who care nothing about packaging or artwork whatsoever and the other who care about the packaging nearly as much as they do the music. I fall under the latter.

Like the 2001 remaster, they colored the logo incorrectly, this time with a blue instead of gray. The 2001 remaster was far worse, with that garish silver lettering. Still, it remains incorrectly colored and this bothers me. They also changed the placement of the logo, with it being closer in appearance to the T-shirts from this tour. Art is abandoned and never finished, or so the saying goes. Priest should have left the artwork as it was when the album was finished in 1984.

Other packaging elements not retained from the original release are the sleeve photo collage of the band and the lyrics from the flip-side of the sleeve (or booklet on the original CD; cassette buyers were SOL in those days).

Also, not one photo of drummer Dave Holland is in the entire package. That's ridiculous. I understand that he left the band under less than desirable circumstances and that he was convicted of rape/child molestation in 2004, but he was the drummer for the band for 10 years.

There are several live B-sides from various 7” and 12” singles from around the world that would have been the cherry topping of this otherwise delicious sundae. Maybe those will be included on the 40^th Anniversary Edition.

Review- HARVEY HORRORS COLLECTED WORKS: CHAMBER OF CHILLS VOL. 3

HARVEY HORRORS COLLECTED WORKS: CHAMBER OF CHILLS VOL. 3 (PS Artbooks, 2012; Hardcover)

Collects Chamber of Chills Magazine #14-19 (cover dates November, 1952- September, 1953)

Writers: Bob Powell, Howard Nostrand, and other unidentified writers

Artists: Lee Elias, Vic Donahue, Moe Marcus, Rocke Mastroserio, Abe Simon, Rudy Palais, Pete Morisi, Al Avison, Don Perlin, Bob Powell, Howard Nostrand, Al Eadeh, Warren Kremer, Joe Certa, Manny Stallman, Jack Sparling, and other unidentified artists

I adore the Pre-Code Horror comic books of the 1950s. Part of it is the groundbreaking nature of the material, part of it is the forbidden fruit aspect, but the real draw is of course the great stories and artwork. EC Comics were the best but Harvey was putting out solid material month in and month out as well. 

#14's It!!! is awesome, one of those don't disturb the resting place of the dead type stories. This story could arguably be a precursor for the film Poltergeist if you replace ghosts for zombies. Vic Donahue did some tremendous work on that story. #18's Friend echoes a theme found in many '50s Pre-Code Horror comics: the double cross. This Bob Powell penned and penciled tale has an extra bite to it. That same issue's House kicks the traditional ghost story up a few notches.

#19's iconic cover by Lee Elias was used by The Misfits for the cover of their Die, Die My Darling single and T-shirts, which “punks” today buy at Hot Topic. The issue itself is spectacular. Happy Anniversary by the godlike Bob Powell is an EC-caliber love story.

This stuff is a lot of fun to read. It's lighter on text than EC was so there is less depth, but that honestly would work more for fans of modern comics who dislike reading words and prefer light reading. I am glad that PS Artbooks has compiled the entire series across four books. Owning this series was nothing more than a pipe dream until a few years ago.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- I enjoy huffing these Chinese made books. PS Artbooks smell the best. Whenever I crack one open I sit there and snort it...oh yeah, that's the stuff.

Linework and Color restoration: Raw scans of varying quality with minimal tinkering. They remove all color from the word balloons, leaving them as bright white as the paper stock. A bit of tinkering with photoshop and higher resolution scanning would have been a great help. As it is some of these are tough to read, especially #15.

An example of the poor quality of the scans of #15. The original printing process was primitive, resulting in line bleed and off register printing. My complaint is not due to that, only to the lower scan resolution used on that issue over the others in this book. 

Paper stock: Uncoated bright white stock. Given the yellowed nature of the scans an off-white would have worked better.

Binding: Smyth sewn binding. Lays mostly flat.

Hardback cover notes: No dustjacket. Image printed on casewrap with matte finish and spot varnish. Very mild scuffing with handling.

Review- SOCIETY IS NIX

SOCIETY IS NIX (Sunday Press Books, 2013; Hardcover)

Collects newspaper strips from 1895-1915

Writers: Too numerous to list

Artists: Too numerous to list

Wow. As much a lesson in comic strip history as it is a collection of vintage strips from the Platinum Age of Comics, Society Is Nix is required reading for anyone who wants to know how it all began. There is a lengthy introduction which traces the origin of the newspaper strip to England and Germany in the 19^th century, showing numerous examples as well as the origin of the comic book, which was originally a way for publishers to reprint newspaper strips in book format. These were also the very first collected editions, if you will. 

There are many of these strips that I would love to see full blown collections of, such as Buster Brown and Pore Lil' Mose. Due to the racist caricatures found in those strips, it will likely never happen. Folks could never look past that and see these for the historical curiosities that they are. There are several examples in this book of racist caricatures which were common occurrences in newspaper strips of the day, and it seems like something out of The Twilight Zone. Those who believe that race relations have not progressed need look no further than examples found here to see how far things have come.

The comic jam and crossovers, things which I loathe and associate with the worst of modern comic fandom, actually originated during this era. Granted the crossovers were limited to characters within the same newspaper, but happen they did. The more things change...

This was done in clay and then photographed. Amazing!

As this was the dawn of the artform, the rules were made up as they went along. Some of the early strips had numbered panels so that people could understand how to follow along, a tradition continued in the early Golden Age comic books.

There are some brilliant artists in this book. F.M. Howarth's bizarre big-headed characters and thick black lines. Jack Bryans' silhouette style of storytelling. R.F. Outcault is another seemingly forgotten genius. A.D. Reed, whose style was a precursor if not direct influence on Robert Crumb and the underground “comix” of the 1960s. Ed Carey's Simon Simple, which is worthy of it's own line of books. Of course no overview of this era would be complete without a handful of examples of Winsor McCay's genius. Norman E. Jennett is an artist whose work needs to be rediscovered and collected. Penny Ross' Mamma's Angel Child is also brilliant. I can go on and on and on but won't. Suffice it to say that I want to see more of this stuff. 

Mamma's Angel Child. 

The Katzenjammer Kids are the most represented in the book, which makes sense since they were also among the most popular of the day as well as the longest running of these strips. I love the melting pot aspect of the early strips, with artists catering to the various immigrants in their respective cities.

I am beyond thankful for the people who thought to save what was essentially disposable entertainment. If not for the collectors and pack rats of the world this stuff would have been lost entirely. As it is, much of it is gone forever. This book certainly belongs in your collection.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5. 

The Smashing Pumpkins used this turn-of-the-20th-century font for their 1995 double album Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness. 

The OCD zone- This book is an absolute beast. It is presented in the original strip size, and newspapers were fricking huge back then. It is an awkward, unwieldy read. If you lay it flat it is difficult to see the top of the page. If you read it laying on your back then you will feel it crush your rib cage as it is heavy.

Linework and Color restoration: These are high resolution scans. The yellowing has been removed and it looks as good as can be without full blown restoration. All imperfections found in the original comics (line bleed, off register printing, etc.) are found here.

Paper stock: Thick off-white uncoated stock. Perfect.

Binding: Smyth sewn binding, lays flat. This book is a beast. You need to lay it on your bed or your kitchen table (once you place freshly laundered towels under it on the table, of course- this is the OCD zone, you know!).

Hardback cover notes: Matte casewrap, fairly resistant to scuffing. Cloth wrap around the spine. Classy.