When a two-volume edition of “The Generations Saga” was solicited a few months ago, the first thing I did was to begin re-reading the entire Infinity, Inc. series in order. Back in the ‘80s, I started reading right around the time of Crisis on Infinite Earths, maybe a few months beforehand,but had soon acquired all of the previous back issues. For whatever reason, I stopped reading at issue #31 (and stopped buying shortly thereafter, however I later acquired all the rest of the issue in the series at a quarter sale. I still haven’t read most of them (except those which would later be tied directly into Neil Gaiman’s Sandman), but it was my intention to do so when I started my re-reading project. Oddly, though, I must report, I stalled at issue #31 again.
I knew I wanted the collection, though, because even if I have trouble getting past #31, the “Generations Saga” is something I’m likely to re-read occasionally in the future. I did not, however, re-read the All-Star Squadron lead-in at the time, and was curious to learn whether it would precede the modern series (as it “happened” and was published) or be slotted between issue #2 and #3 (as it occurred from the Infinitors’ POV) in the collection. The editor decided (and Roy Thomas agrees) that the best spot is before the “Generations “Saga” begins in Infinity, Inc. #1. Although I quite enjoyed reading All-Star Squadron #25-26 and Annual #2 for the first time in many years this morning, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed in the collection.
For one thing, it’s slim enough that the entire GS could have fit between two covers, and if not, the All-Star story (truncated as it is) could have been dropped and/or published in a collection of its own. I have always felt that JLA 195-197 make for a better introduction to Infinity, Inc., anyway, but as I (re)discovered today, those issues (because of the time-traveling antics of the Ultra-Humanite) make a good introduction to the story in the All-Star issues as well.
Minor quibbles aside, it’s still a crackin’ good collection if you haven’t read it in a while, or especially if you never have. As I have come to expect from a Roy Thomas introduction, the one to this volume reveals the genesis of this team from the “Time Titans” to “The Centurions” to, finally, Infinity, Inc. The second and concluding volume collecting this story has not yet been solicited.
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I hope to get to JLA #195-197 eventually as I think it was the last great self-contained JLA/JSA team-up ever.
I can add comments about All Star Squadron as well. I feel that it's under-rated because of the subject matter and Roy Thomas' sense of nostalgia and verbose prose. But I'll follow your lead, Jeff.
I really wasn't planning to say anything further about JLA #195-197 at this time, but I've been anticipating discussing it in your JLA/JSA team-up discussion thread. If you don't have it, there is a hardcover (volume two of the complete George Perez JLA) which reprints #195-197, #200, and some other odds and ends as well. I know you've expressed an interest in an Infinity, Inc. discussion before; perhaps I'll host one here (if I can get beyond issue #31, that is) in the near future.
The first volume of this two-volume set contained the All-Star Squadron material and the first four issues of Infinity, Inc. I had assumed that volume two would include issue #5-10 (or perhaps #11) since that where the “Generations saga” ends. But according to the solicitation (July 18), the second volume will go all the way up to Crisis on Infinite Earths (i.e., #5-18 and Annual #1)!
The second volume of Infinity, Inc. has officially been cancelled. I find this somewhat surprising as even Secret Society of Super Villains (a blander story I cannot imagine) got its second volume.
It's probably a result of some belt-tightening in the collections department, and SSOSV slipped in under the wire. Or maybe pre-orders for SSOSV were simply higher; the story isn't as good, but it's probably a bigger name, character-wise.
I'll be rereading Generations soon, too -- I just finished the group's introduction in my rereading of All-Star Squadron.
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I hope to get to JLA #195-197 eventually as I think it was the last great self-contained JLA/JSA team-up ever.
I can add comments about All Star Squadron as well. I feel that it's under-rated because of the subject matter and Roy Thomas' sense of nostalgia and verbose prose. But I'll follow your lead, Jeff.
The first volume of this two-volume set contained the All-Star Squadron material and the first four issues of Infinity, Inc. I had assumed that volume two would include issue #5-10 (or perhaps #11) since that where the “Generations saga” ends. But according to the solicitation (July 18), the second volume will go all the way up to Crisis on Infinite Earths (i.e., #5-18 and Annual #1)!
The second volume of Infinity, Inc. has officially been cancelled. I find this somewhat surprising as even Secret Society of Super Villains (a blander story I cannot imagine) got its second volume.
It's probably a result of some belt-tightening in the collections department, and SSOSV slipped in under the wire. Or maybe pre-orders for SSOSV were simply higher; the story isn't as good, but it's probably a bigger name, character-wise.
I'll be rereading Generations soon, too -- I just finished the group's introduction in my rereading of All-Star Squadron.