Review- THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN OMNIBUS VOL. 2

THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN OMNIBUS VOL. 2 (Marvel, First Printing, 2012; Hardcover)

Collects The Amazing Spider-Man #39-67, Amazing Spider-Man Annual #3-5, The Spectacular Spider-Man #1, 2, and the Spider-Man stories from Not Brand Echh #2, 6, 11 (cover dates August, 1966- December, 1968)

Writer: Stan Lee

Artists: John Romita, Sr. with Don Heck, Larry Lieber, Jim Mooney, Marie Severin, Mike Esposito, Bill Everett, and Frank Giacoia

While I love Steve Ditko, I prefer the artwork of John Romita, Sr. a whole lot more. I remember teenage me arguing with some nerds at the comic shop circa 1987. This guy said Ditko all the way. I argued that Ditko is great and laid the foundation, but it was John Romita, Sr. who defined the contemporary Spider-Man that we know and love. This was right before Todd McFarlane would do a hard reset and make Ditko the only acceptable reference point for the character for decades to come. Those of us who were Bronze Age children know Romita's version as the one who adorned t-shirts and luncboxes.

This stuff is art of the highest order. There are too many highlights for me to do a blow by blow, but I'll take a shortcut and tell you that if you are not familiar with this run that it is top shelf material and it belongs in everyone's library.

The OCD zone- This is the part where I go into tactile sensations and materials used in physical media. Those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, or women who are pregnant should exit my blog at their earliest convenience, as their safety cannot be guaranteed beyond this point.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE FOLLOWING APPLY TO THE 2012 FIRST PRINTING OF THIS BOOK.

Linework and Color restoration: There are a couple of issues here which look like they could be improved upon if better source material surfaced. I am uncertain if the second printing of this book used any original artwork which may have surfaced since this book was released.

Paper stock: Coated stock with a slight sheen. This is closer to glossy than matte.

Binding: Sewn binding. Like many older Omniboo, this has developed the dreaded Omnibus sag due to gravity and the weight of the book block. Some folks use post it note pads to prop up the block, others store them spines down. I like to live dangerously and store my books vertically.

Dustjacket and Hardback cover notes: Laminated dustjacket. The hardback has faux leather grain and dye foil stamping. The second printing does not have that.

The hardback has ugly creases on it after reading it.

Review- THE X-MEN EPIC COLLECTION VOL. 1: CHILDREN OF THE ATOM

THE X-MEN EPIC COLLECTION VOL. 1: CHILDREN OF THE ATOM (Marvel, First Printing, 2014; Softcover)

Collects X-Men #1-23 (cover dates September, 1963- August, 1966)

Writers: Stan Lee and Roy Thomas

Artists: Penciling by Jack Kirby, Werner Roth, and Alex Toth, with Inking by Dick Ayers, Chic Stone, Paul Reinman, Vince Colletta, and Joe Sinnott

This is not only the third time that I have read these issues, but the third time that I have bought this material as well. Allow me to explain. I owned the first three hardcover Marvel Masterworks many moons ago but sold them when the hardcover Omnibus came out, as the Omnibus boasted vastly superior linework and color restoration. The Omnibus fell out of print, and when I saw how much it was going for I dumped it a year or so ago and picked this book up. As long as I have the material with the finest restoration I am fine. Plus, I honestly enjoy the paper stock in this Epic over the one found in the Omnibus.

One of the creepiest Stan Lee plotlines ever. Professor X's crush on the teenage Jean Grey (Marvel Girl). This was thankfully dropped. 

OCD upgradeitis/ eBay flipping exploits aside, I enjoyed this material more the third time through. The X-Men were always the red-headed stepchild of Marvel's Silver Age. Neither Stan Lee nor Jack Kirby seemed to give this series much thought out of the gate. Compare these issues to anything else that these two were doing during the same cover month and you will see what I mean.

Kirby's successor was Werner Roth. I disliked Werner Roth's artwork until a couple of years ago, when I read his 1950's Atlas output. I still feel like his style is not as energetic as Kirby's, nor as nuanced as Ditko's, because he draws superheroes that look like regular people. If you read this as a book about normal teenagers who happen to be mutant superheroes his artwork makes more sense. He is a solid artist that was ill-suited to Silver Age superhero comics.

Stan Lee and Jack Kirby lay down the entire foundation for the series here. Professor Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters. Cerebro, Professor X's mutant-detecting device. Magneto as well as the Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants. Future Avengers Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch. The Blob. The Juggernaut. The Sentinels and the first wave of anti-mutant hysteria that Roy Thomas and later Chris Claremont would use to great dramatic effect. It's all here, even if it isn't spit-shined or ready for prime time yet. Like I said, neither Lee nor Kirby nor Thomas nor Roth made this series seem like it was their priority. It falls short of every other book that Marvel was publishing during this time. Reading this for the third time was the charm, though, as I finally got what made it special to a small group of fans back then. It was those fans who would become the creators who would go on to make this one of Marvel's most popular titles a decade or so later.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4 out of 5.

If you enjoy Magneto in the movies, thank Jack Kirby. 

The OCD zone- When I returned to comic books in 2003 after a thirteen year hiatus I discovered the Essential line, which were 500 page black and white phone books. At the time I wished that they were in color. The Epic line is an answer to my prayers. Five hundred page chunks of classic comic books at a reasonable price.

Linework and Color restoration: The absolute best version of this material, using the same files found in the Omnibus and softcover Marvel Masterworks. Excellent linework and a color palette that is faithful to the original comics.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock of sufficient thickness and weight. This is the same stock found in the softcover Marvel Masterworks and Epic line books. This paper is my favorite paper used out of any collected editions from any company.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover.

Review- SPIDER-MAN NEWSPAPER STRIPS VOL. 2

SPIDER-MAN NEWSPAPER STRIPS VOL. 2 (Marvel, First Softcover Printing, 2014)

Collects Spider-Man newspaper strips from January 29, 1979- January 11, 1981

Writer: Stan Lee

Artists: John Romita, Sr. and Larry Lieber (November 10, 1980- January 11, 1981)

I could never get into this strip as a kid because there weren't any super-villains and the story seemed to move too slow for my tastes. As an adult I can really appreciate Stan Lee's more human take on the character. The newspaper strip seems to focus more on Peter Parker and his life, with Spider-Man thrown in to complicate things. There is certainly action, but this is a slower paced read than the comic books from this era. Having said that, Lee's writing is great and the artwork is stellar. The transtion from Romita to Lieber is so subtle that you barely notice the difference. This is why, for my money, “house style” artwork works.

While this is a separate continuity from the comic books it should appeal to fans of Silver and Bronze Age Marvel Comics. After a quick arc where the Kingpin tries to frame Spider-Man for crime, we are introduced to Peter Parker's other major love interest for the duration of this book: Carole Jennings. The competition between her and Mary Jane Watson give this a little more of a soap opera vibe, but a good story is a good story, especially when given the backdrop of The Loomis Cult. Stan Lee does a lot of “ripped from the headlines” type of writing here, making things more realistic and believable than Spidey battling, say, the Rhino or whatever. The Loomis Cult is likely based on the Jim Jones cult which was all over the news at this time.

Carole floats in and out of Peter's life as each arc unfolds, with Spider-Man always throwing a wrench into things in the usual way (i.e. Peter has to leave a date to fight some crime, etc.). After The Loomis Cult is broken up we see the return of Kraven The Hunter. Lee plays up the show biz angle of his shtick, again making it more believable to a non-comic book audience than what would normally be found in a Spider-Man comic.

The next arc is a fleshed out, reinterpreted version of The Prowler's first appearance. Amazing Spider-Man #78, the character's first appearance. It was one of the very first back issues that I owned, costing me .75 in 1983 for a nice reader copy. I have always felt a fondness for a character, and while his '90s revival seemed to flounder I think that maybe it is time for him to get another spin.

Peter wrestles with being Spider-Man, with the strip kinda floating between a handful of events for a bit before the next arc begins. The Kingpin is released from jail, and there is a hilarious guest star in the form of the Kingpin's new neighbor, Richard Nixon. This strip is rife with then-current popular culture references. Younger fans may be confused by some of them, but I assume that it is no different than when I read old comic books from the 1940s. Thank God for smartphones, as I Google stuff all of the time when I am reading them to make better sense of the reference or joke.

Things with Carole come to a head as a result of the Kingpin arc, as the age old Peter Parker dilemma of not being able to marry someone due to the danger that him being Spider-Man comes into play. It may seem like a tired plotline, but Lee is the one who pioneered it, and for my money it still works. We all saw what happened when Spider-Man did eventually get married, and it only proved Lee right. Never give the fans what they think they want.

We see the return of the remnants of The Loomis Cult and perhaps the corniest villain of all-time, The Protector, a local tough with a bullwhip who shakes down money out of the poor elderly citizens of the neighborhood. Stan Lee writes a lot of relatable stories that were real concerns at this time. Remember, New York City in the 1970s had become a cesspool of crime. I am sure that things there aren't perfect today, but my visits there have been wonderful. Lastly, we see Peter Parker fed up with being poor and deciding to use his spider-powers for crime, successfully robbing a museum before his conscience got the better of him and he ends up with a reward that runs true to the ol' Parker luck.

This was a highly enjoyable read. I burned through this book fairly quickly, knocking out all 312 pages in a few sittings. The writing is solid, the artwork is easy on the eyes, and Spider-Man rules. What more could you ask for?

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the most unique Marvel trade paperback in terms of dimensions. It is shorter and wider than their standard books, being presented in landscape format to better accommodate the material.

Linework and Color restoration: The Sunday strips have full blown restoration and look great. Many of these strips are sourced from original art and film which is in good shape. A handful of these strips are from visibly inferior sources, likely scanned from newspapers. The drop in quality when those strips pop in is painfully apparent. Fortunately there are only a few of them.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock of sufficient thickness and weight. This is the same stock found in the softcover Marvel Masterworks and Epic line books.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock. 

Review- SPIDER-MAN NEWSPAPER STRIPS VOL. 1

SPIDER-MAN NEWSPAPER STRIPS VOL. 1 (Marvel, First Printing, 2014; Softcover)

Collects the Spider-Man newspaper strips from January 3, 1977- January 28, 1979

Writer: Stan Lee

Artist: John Romita, Sr.

The road to this book has been long and bumpy. First we had the old Ballantine Books The Best Of Spider-Man from 1986, which cherry picked arcs. I had a copy of it but dumped it on eBay when there were rumblings of a Marvel hardcover collection several years ago. I didn't end up buying those for two reasons: One, they were presented in standard trim size and you had to flip it sideways to read it, and Two because the Sunday strips were presented in black and white. While the latter was not a deal breaker in and of itself it pushed the needle to pass. So I gladly picked this up once initial online reports were favorable. Of course Marvel has since partnered with IDW's Library of American Comics imprint to rerelease this in a properly formatted hardcover, which I bought a few weeks ago for reasons that science has yet to come up with a term for.

This strip is set in separate continuity from the main comics, although the characterizations ring true while some scenarios are altered for the late 1970s instead of the 1960s. Cultural reference points of the day abound (Star Wars, John Travolta, Disco, etc.), adding to the fun factor. Eventually comic book continuity is thrown out the window entirely.

Things start out with this playing out like a straight up superhero strip, with Spider-Man battling Doctor Doom, Doctor Octopus, a new villain, the Rattler, and the Kingpin before breaking for a retelling of Spider-Man's origin. From there the continuity relating to the comic is completely disregarded with Kraven The Hunter and Mysterio. Stan Lee begins inserting more and more of Peter Parker's personal life into the strip, as the soap opera element works well for a daily strip. This leads us into a “ripped from today's headlines!” type tale where Peter falls in love with the daughter of a terrorist. Another real world flavored strip deals with some local street hoods. Then Spider-Man has to deal with a blackmailer who discovers his secret identity. There are lots of great moments here, as Lee's writing is at it's melodramatic best while Romita's artwork is as rock solid as ever. A great pair of creators who, for my money, have done work that few have matched.

As mad as I am at myself for purchasing this material again in hardcover, at least I bought great material again as opposed to crap. You might ask yourself why I am reviewing this softcover when I have the hardcover. I started reading this before the hardcover came out because I wanted to be sure that it was worth another dip, and it is. Plus I cannot dump unread books on eBay. I tend to prune my collection several times a year, keeping it at a svelte 1100 books, and I refuse to dump something that I haven't read yet...even if it is a double dip.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.75 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This is the most unique Marvel trade paperback in terms of dimensions. It is shorter and wider than their standard books, being presented in landscape format to better accommodate the material.

Linework and Color restoration: The Sunday strips have full blown restoration and look great. Many of these strips are sourced from original art and film which is in good shape. A handful of these strips are from visibly inferior sources, likely scanned from newspapers. The drop in quality when those strips pop in is painfully apparent. Fortunately there are few of them. I did a side by side comparison with this and the IDW book, and while IDW used Marvel's Sunday restoration they also found better sources for a handful of the effected strips. Not all of them, but many of them are superior to this book.

Paper stock: Matte coated stock of sufficient thickness and weight. This is the same stock found in the softcover Marvel Masterworks and Epic line books.

Binding: Perfect bound trade paperback.

Cardstock cover notes: Laminated cardstock cover. 

Review- MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE SUB-MARINER VOL. 1

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE SUB-MARINER VOL. 1 (Marvel, 2011; Softcover)

Collects Daredevil No. 7 and the Sub-Mariner stories from Tales To Astonish Nos. 70-87 and Tales of Suspense No. 80 (cover dates April, 1965- January, 1967)

Writer: Stan Lee

Artists: Pencilers- Gene Colan (#70-82, 84, 85, and Tales of Suspense #80), Wally Wood (Daredevil #7), Jerry Grandenetti (#86), Bill Everett (#87), and Jack Kirby (#82, 83); Inkers- Vince Colletta (#70-78), Bill Everett (#79, 85-87), Dick Ayers (#80-84), Jack Abel (Tales of Suspense #80), and Wally Wood (Daredevil #7)

Marvel's distribution deal in the 1960s was limited to eight comics per month, so they retrofitted the old Science Fiction/monster anthology Tales To Astonish as a split superhero book. Sub-Mariner and the Hulk co-headlined the book, with each issue being split as follows: 12 pages for the Sub-Mariner and 10 for the Hulk.

Stan Lee's writing rules. Modern comic fans have painted him as a greedy, credit stealing monster, which I completely disagree with. I credit much of my vocabulary to his writing, as I used to sit there with a dictionary by my side as a kid reading those '60s Amazing Spider-Man reprints in Marvel Tales every month. He writes in triplets a lot, which I am a sucker for, and his character dialogue is very Shakespearean. Everyone in Atlantis talks like they are on stage in a play. 

This series riffs hard on Alex Raymond's Flash Gordon, with Warlord Krang playing the role of Ming The Merciless and Lady Dorma being Marvel's doppelganger for Dale Arden. While that dynamic is aped repeatedly, the whole Atlantis versus the surface world Cold War metaphor keeps things from being too derivative. Prince Namor (the Sub-Mariner) goes from being outright villain to semi-hero. Namor started out as a sort of anti-hero in the pages of Motion Picture Funnies Weekly #1, (which was quickly reprinted in Marvel Comics #1) back in 1939. The Bill Everett created strip became a regular feature in that title, and it is fun to think of this being a continuation of those old comics.

Speaking of ol' Bill Everett, he does some of the artwork in this book. I wonder how it felt to be a walk on guest for a character that you created. First he was given the job as an inker, and only in the final issue in this book did he get to do full artwork. And what artwork it is! Unlike many artists of his generation, Everett's craft was continually refined and improved as he aged, and his work in the '50s and '60s outshines what he did in the '30s and '40s.

Gene Colan provides most of the artwork in this book, and his brilliant work is marred by hack inker Vince Colletta. Colletta never met an eraser he didn't like, and destroyed many great artists' work during his career. He must have had naked pictures of Stan Lee or something, because there is no way that he could continue getting work based on his talent, of which he had none. It is Colletta's work that keeps this book from getting a 5.

I found it interesting that Sub-Mariner's rampage through New York in Daredevil #7 was reported on the front page of the New York Daily Press and not The Daily Bugle. Has this fictitious(?) newspaper been used elsewhere in Marvel Comics? It's this type of minutiae that makes my OCD world go round. The subplot of Warlord Krang overthrowing Namor's throne while he was away is introduced in this issue and would run until issue 76.

Issue 77 is interesting in that it guest stars Hank Pym (Ant-Man/Giant Man/Goliath/Yellowjacket) and Janet Van Dyne (the Wasp) in their civilian identities. More interesting is that they do not turn into superheros when Namor attacks their deap sea exploration drill. I enjoyed the battle with the Behemoth, even if the character didn't make a lot of sense. This stuff is great if you don't overthink it. My suspension of disbelief is great.

The first crossover in the history of comics occurs here, with the story which began in Tales Of Suspense #80 ending in Tales To Astonish #82. I really enjoyed that crossover battle with Iron Man. I am a sucker for the Secret Empire, and those old the-hero-has-amnesia-and-is-tricked-into-doing-the-bad-guy's-bidding stories always make me smile. Number One tries tricking Namor into battling the Hulk, who defeated the Secret Empire recently, but the battle never occurs because even though they are both in New York City at the same time their paths never cross.

This was a great read that serves to remind us all why Marvel ruled the 1960s. This stuff still rules. Make mine Marvel!

Junk Food For Thought rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This line of books serve as a textbook example why Marvel's collected editions department does a better job than DC's does. Whereas DC will prepare material for Archives, they will never, ever revisit and remaster that material, even when superior sources surface. This is the third (and likely final) time that Marvel has released this particular book, with the restoration being worlds better than the original 2002 hardcover edition and the 2004 “ReMasterwork” edition. Barring original art surfacing, I seriously doubt that superior source material will ever emerge.

DVD-style Extras included in this book: Introduction by Stan Lee from the original 2002 hardcover edition. (2 pages)

Creator biographies by John Rhett Thomas. (3 pages)

Linework and Color restoration rating: 5 out of 5. To the unwashed masses, buying Masterworks can be a confusing and frustrating thing. Older printings used inferior file sources and had lackluster, often unfaithful, coloring. I use my “rule of 2007”. If it was made prior to Marvel cataloging their film at the Sparta warehouse then buyer beware. While the restoration was pretty tight in 2006, there were some terrible mousetrap bindings on those hardcovers.

Many of these softcover Masterworks, such as this volume, boast the most “high def” restoration available for these comics. Everything is as perfect as it is likely ever going to get barring original artwork surfacing. The color palette is 100% faithful to the original publications, and you can almost see the eraser residue from Vince Colletta's “inking”.

Paper rating: 5 out of 5. This paper is perfect. Dull matte finish coated stock with almost no sheen. It is not too thick and not too thin. It feels like “real” comic book paper but is nice enough that it doesn't feel like cheap toilet paper.

Binding rating: 4 out of 5. Perfect bound trade paperback. I really enjoy these softcover Masterworks. They tend to lay pretty flat in one hand while reading, almost like a giant periodical.

Cardstock cover coating rating: 5 out of 5. The usual thick waxlike lamination that Marvel uses.

Buy MARVEL MASTERWORKS: THE SUB-MARINER VOL. 1 TP at InStockTrades!

Variant cover TP also available at InStockTrades!

Original 2002 edition hardcover also available at InStockTrades!

2004 edition hardcover also available at InStockTrades!

Review- MARVEL MASTERWORKS: FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 6

MARVEL MASTERWORKS: FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 6 (Marvel, Second Edition, Second Printing, 2007; Hardcover)

Collects Fantastic Four Nos. 51-60 and Fantastic Four Annual No. 4 (cover dates June, 1966- March, 1967)

Writer: Stan Lee

Artists: Jack Kirby (Penciler) and Joe Sinnott (Inker)

Buyer beware: Only the Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2 Hardcover, this particular printing of the Masterwork hardcover, and the 2011 (and forward) softcover printings have this superior, “high def” presentation. There is a second printing of the Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2 Hardcover coming later this year. There are also economical black and white phone books called Essentials for those on a budget. No matter which way you read it, the Lee/Kirby era of Fantastic Four is essential reading for any serious comic book fan.

Issue 51's This Man...This Monster! is a powerful story about a scientist named Ricardo Jones who uses his Duplication Apparatus to steal the Thing's rocky hide and powers while turning the Thing back into ordinary Ben Grimm. He did so so that he may infiltrate the Fantastic Four and destroy Reed Richards, a man of whom he is insanely jealous of because of his accomplishments. Issue 52 introduces the Black Panther, the first black superhero in comic books. The thing that I love about the character is that he was introduced near the height of the civil rights movement, and his native country, the mythological Wakanda, was wealthier and more technologically advanced than the United States. That took balls in 1966. 

One issue before the Black Panther was introduced Johnny Storm was at the Kozy Kampus Koffee Shop where had a run-in with Whitey. KKK...Whitey?? Oy.

The Fantastic Four had a great supporting cast in this era. The Silver Surfer, the Inhumans, and Wyatt Wingfoot are all recurring characters. Some long-term villains are introduced, such as Klaw and the sentient computer Quasimodo (Quasi-Motivational Destruct Organ). It was introduced in Annual No. 4, which also features the Mad Thinker, who revives the original android Human Torch, whom Ultron would go on to revive as the Vision. 

Stan Lee's writing may be a tad dated for today's so-called sophisticated readers, but his characterization was great. The then-newlywed Reed and Sue dynamic being a prime example. Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic) was basically a neglectful asshole to his blushing bride. The Johnny Storm (Human Torch) pining away for Crystal plotline was also great, even if it seems silly that he could be so obsessed with a girl that he barely knew...at least what we saw “on screen”. I'm sure that some hack has gone into way too much detail over what really happened over the years.

The highlight of this book is Doctor Doom stealing the Silver Surfer's power in issues 57-60. Kirby's Doctor Doom is second to none. No one can draw Doom as great as The King did. 

The Inhumans escape from the Great Refuge during these issues when Blackbolt finally speaks. This is just great stuff, and holds up well on the re-read. I read these issues in the Omnibus, which I cashed in on when it was out of print and going for stupid money. I sold that off and bought the softcover Masterwork for Vol. 4 (the hardcover has inferior restoration), and the 2007 printings of Vols. 5 and 6, all of which used the same state-of-the-art restoration as the Omnibus, pocketing a hundred or more bucks after buying those.

Junk Food For Thought rating: 5 out of 5.

The OCD zone- This era of US made Masterworks were okay but aren't as nice as the 2008-on Chinese made ones.

DVD-style Extras included in this book: Jack Kirby's first costume design for the Black Panther (1 page) and unused cover art for issue 52 by Jack Kirby and Joe Sinnott (1 page).

Linework and Color restoration rating: 4.75 out of 5. This printing uses the same color and linework restoration as the Fantastic Four Omnibus Vol. 2. It is excellent except for a page or two in issue 55, specifically Page 4 (page 88 of the book), which has visible pixelation on panel 3. Still, one or two pages out of 232 is not bad at all. Most folks wouldn't even notice or know what the Hell I rant about anyways. Your mileage may vary.

There is a softcover version of this book available, but I am uncertain if it has had any upgrades in terms of restoration. Some of the softcover Marvel Masterworks have had additional spit shining, even after being remastered a third time for the Omnibus.

Paper rating: 5 out of 5. They used a really nice, thick coated stock with a slight sheen at this time. The paper has since gotten thinner.

Binding rating: 4.25 out of 5. While the binding is sewn, there is way too much glue used in the casing. It's stiff when compared to a Chinese made Masterwork.

Buy MARVEL MASTERWORKS: FANTASTIC FOUR VOL. 6 HC at InStockTrades!

Also available in softcover.