What Comic Books Have You Read Today?

[Wandering Sensei: Moderator Man]

Report what comic books you have read today--and tell us a little something about it while you're here!

[The Baron]

Oh, I loves me some I Hate Fairyland!

Mark Sullivan (Vertiginous Mod) said:

2. I Hate Fairyland, Vol. 1: Madly Ever After was also hilarious (and vulgar). Skottie Young tells the story of a little girl stuck in Fairyland, frustrated and killing every cute creature she encounters. I plan to read the rest of this series.

[Julian Gift]

Crossover has not lost its steam with regards to being one of the best reads of fiction. It is a ltd series that I would not mind being given another run. The 11th issue has Negan coming on as he meets the Powers policer officers as the fantastic fiction is not limiting itself to superhero fantasy. So right. It reminds me of Planetary that featured fiction of various genres (Superhero, Horror, Mystery and pulp..to name a few).

[Travis Herrick (Modular Mod)]

I said:

I'm also reading Legion of Super-heroes: The Silver Age vol 1. This is all of their first stories, and some of them I have read before, so I don't mind skipping the first appearance of Mon-El since it hasn't been that long since I read it. Now the story from Superboy #86 I haven't read since 1987 or 88.

I finished this yesterday while working at my LCS. Which kind of surprised since I was less than halfway through. I really liked it, which should come as a surprise to no one, as I am a huge LSH fan. It was still fun to be able to finally read them.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

LEGION OF SUPER-HEROES - "BEFORE THE DARKNESS" Vol. 2:

With this collection, 26 years worth of Legion of Super-Heroes stories, from 1958-1984, have at least been offered in hardcover (although some are no longer in print).

LSH Archives: From 1991-2012 this was the primary source of LSH reprints (through #233, 1977); 13 volumes.

Superboy & the LSH: After a a five year hiatus, this new series of LSH reprints picked up when the archives left off, with #234 in 2017. A second volume in 2018 brought this series to a close with #259.

LSH: Before the Darkness: Another two years would pass before the first volume of yet another new collection series reprinted #260-271. The second and final volume shipped today, reprinting #272-283. 

The Great Darkness Saga: This 2010 series reprinted what is (arguably) consider to be the height of the LSH, #284-296. I don't know about everything on this list, but "The Great Darkness Saga" at least is still in print.

The Curse: "The Great Darkness Saga" Deluxe Edition was followed by a volume in 2011 collecting #297-313 in the same format, bringing the series to a good end point.

This list does not include an omnibus (soon to be two) of the "Five Years Later" LSH. (The second volume has been solicited to ship April 13 of this year.) There is still a great gap between where they left off with #313, more than the "five years" in-story. Will it ever be reprinted? At this point, I tend to doubt it. The best material (using whichever yardstick you'd care to use) has already been reprinted, plus DC as a company doesn't seem to interested in reprinting its older material. Even if it was, this "every other year" pace is none too impressive. 

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

I kind of think we're going to get those post-Curse/pre-5YL Legion books reprinted. The stumbling block is the next logical one, from 314-325. I like those stories, but there's not a huge fanbase for them, and they've always been overshadowed by the Legion of Supervillains story that launches the Baxter series. There's not a big tentpole story to name this volume after. Artwise, they look pretty great -- Terry Shoemaker and Dan Jurgens inked by Karl Kesel is honestly a treat, but their names don't have the cache of Keith Giffen with this franchise. And ideally, it's the next volume -- with the LSV story -- that should get the new volume 1. But The Great Darkness and The Curse had no volume numbers; they were just given titles. Maybe that's possible for this next volume as well. It's a problem for the marketers, to be sure.  

But DC isn't printing these hardcover collections of Legion books out of the goodness of their hearts. They might not be making tons of money on them, but they've been making enough to keep them going (at a slow pace) for 10 years now. And a Legion animated show on HBO Max is in the works. I would think they'd definitely want to get a hardcover with the LSV story into production soon(ish); the question is, will the last of the newsprint issues be collected, or will they remain a gap?   

One other thing you've missed is the upcoming Tabloid Edition hardcover volume, reprinting the Lighting Lad/Saturn Girl wedding; that's coming out in a month or two, IIRC. That's already available in an Archive or an Omnibus, but it'll be good to see it full size.

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Yes, that's "All-New Collector's Edition C-55" and it's included in Superboy & the LSH v1. I didn't forget it so much as I just included the numerical runs of the main series for ease of reference. For the record, other comics I did not mention which are included in the above sets include...

DC Super-Stars #17

DC Comics Presents #13-14

Secrets of the LSH #1-3

Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest #24

DC Special Series #21

I pre-ordered the tabloid-size reprint as well. I think it was originally solicited for mid December 2021 release (for whatever that's worth). I'm not certain whether or not it's still on the schedule. 

[Lee Houston, Junior]

Has there been or will there ever be collections of more recent era newspaper strips like the Spider-Man, Howard the Duck, and Conan offerings from Marvel or The World's Greatest Superheroes that eventually became a solo Superman strip from DC?

[Jeff of Earth-J]

Spider-Man and Conan, yes; Howard and World's Greatest Superheroes, no.

IDW has released five volumes of Spider-Man covering 1977-1986.

The Conan strip didn't last very long (just one year), but Dark Horse released a single volume collecting the entire run in 2010. The production is not great, though. The dailies are HUGE, bigger than the Sundays, but the linework is a little murky. The Sunday's are fine.

I remember reading both Howard the Duck and World's Greatest Super-Heroes in my local paper back in the '70s. I wish there was a Howard collection; that one didn't last long, either. the only WGH collection I know of of was a Pocketbook paperback edition back in the day. 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

"I kind of think we're going to get those post-Curse/pre-5YL Legion books reprinted. The stumbling block is the next logical one, from 314-325. I like those stories, but there's not a huge fanbase for them, and they've always been overshadowed by the Legion of Supervillains story that launches the Baxter series."

The solution I would like to see is those LSH stories collected in DC's "compendium" format. The Starman one was comic book dimensions, softcover, and 56 issues of continuity, in color. That comes to $1.07 per story. The perfect place to start would be the beginning of the Baxter series, but that still leaves #314-325. 

[Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod)]

The Tabloid reprint is still on the schedule; Amazon says mine should arrive March 8.

Jeff of Earth-J said:

Yes, that's "All-New Collector's Edition C-55" and it's included in Superboy & the LSH v1. I didn't forget it so much as I just included the numerical runs of the main series for ease of reference. For the record, other comics I did not mention which are included in the above sets include...

DC Super-Stars #17

DC Comics Presents #13-14

Secrets of the LSH #1-3

Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest #24

DC Special Series #21

I pre-ordered the tabloid-size reprint as well. I think it was originally solicited for mid December 2021 release (for whatever that's worth). I'm not certain whether or not it's still on the schedule. 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

FICTIONAUTS #1: This new series is published by either Stonebot Comics or Red 5 Comics (both mentioned on the cover) or by Punkbot Comic Books LLC (mentioned in addition to the other two in the indicia). I think "Red 5" may be like an imprint...? Doesn't matter. This is like a mash-up of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen and Tom Strong as a '50s-era adventure team. The art reminds of of frank Quitely's in a way, but all of these comparisons do a disservice to the concept which is unique. This is my "Pick of the Week." Highly recommended. 

MY BAD #4: A previous "Pick of the Week." Like the cover blurbs say: "The important new superhero universe continues to begin right here!" and "ACID CHIMP! Unquestionably the most SPECTACULAR new character of the year!"

MAESTRO #1: With Maestro: War and Pax I thought this series on mini-series was running out of steam, but I now think  it was just suffering the transition story blahs. I bought this series hoping to see the Pantheon (who haven't appeared yet), but it does feature the Abomination and the Sub-Mariner and the original Human Torch (as well as a special surprise character who has been working from within the Maestro's ranks since the very beginning). The ten-year-old in me is very pleased as is the twenty-year-old. Peter David uses the text page to write a heartfelt tribute to George Perez. 

SPIDER-MAN #89: Queen Goblin isn't a particularly interesting villain; they changed the Green Goblin's color (to red) and sex (to female). Spider-Man doesn't appear this issue, but Peter Parker does. He does don his red & blue longjohns in the  end, setting up his return.

SUPERGIRL: WOMAN OF TOMORROW #8: For all you trade-waiters out there, your wait is almost over. This is the last issue.

FLASH GORDON DAILIES: 1940-1942: "Radium Mines of Electra" is the first of two volumes which will reprint Austin Brigg's (dailies) run in it's entirety. Hmm... when I finish up with Tarzan, I may post a "Flash Gordon Comic Books and Comic Strips" discussion.

ALLEY OOP BOOK ONE: DINNY: This new series reprints Alley Oop dailes from the beginning... from before the beginning, actually. the daily strip began from NEA on August 7, 1933, but an earlier version, from Bonnet-Brown, ran for 20 weeks. I didn't even know that! This first volume also presents an overview of the series, profusely illustrated with sample strips, through 1949. Future bi-monthly volumes include "War with Lem," "Invasion of Moo," "Sawalla," "Chief Bighorn" and "Mootoo." (I may also post a guide to Alley Oop reprints.) 

[Jeff of Earth-J]

AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #90: "Beyond ends with a bang!" says an add for #93. "The last pages of this comic won't just shock you--THEY'LL TRAUMATIZE YOU!" So there's that to look forward to. After that, the Peter Parker Spider-Man is slated to start over with a new #1. This is issue #90 (LGY #891). If I've got this right, the next issue after #5 will be #900, and the one after that will be #100. 

BEN REILLY: SPIDER-MAN #2 (of 5): As much as I'm enjoying this story by J.M. DeMatteis, the art really hurts my eyes. I don't know if I'll be able to stick it out for three more issues. 

SILVER SURFER: REBIRTH #2: If you liked Ron Marz and Ron Lim's Silver Surfer back in the '90s, you'll like this.

CAPTAIN MARVEL #36: The final chapter of "The Last of the Marvels."

BLUE & GOLD #6: I don't remember whether or not this has already been revealed or not (I think it has), but Booster Gold is Rip Hunter's father.

EDGAR ALLAN POE'S SNIFTER OF DEATH #5: Good.