Friday, September 30, 2011

New Releases (Golden Rage Variant) (October 2011)

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The Avengers 1959 limited series debuts in October with not one but two issues. I can hardly wait! Namora is still part of the team, which is reason enough (at least for me) to pick up the series, but now we get the Blonde Phantom, too.

Blonde Phantom had a pretty impressive run back in the day, starring in 11 issues of her own series as well as back-up stories in other titles. There weren't many female heroes at Timely and fewer still with their own titles. Some, like Namora and Sun Girl, only ran for three issues. Miss America ran for five (if you count the four magazine format issues). And Venus led the pack with a 19-issue run (though admittedly not standard super-hero fare).

I'm looking foward to writer/artist Howard Chaykin's spin on the Blonde Phantom. She's his kind of gal, so he ought to knock her characterization right out of the park.

AC COMICS


MEN OF MYSTERY #86
Superhero stars of FAWCETT in the spotlight this issue, with not one but TWO full reprintings of complete Golden Age comics—the ultra-rare MINUTE MAN #1 (Fawcett’s answer to CAPTAIN AMERICA) and SPY SMASHER #5—plus additional stories starring COMMANDO YANK and MR. SCARLET!! Virtually ALL never previously reprinted!!

DARK HORSE COMICS


FLASH GORDON COMIC BOOK ARCHIVES VOLUME 5 HC
Flash Gordon—hero of Mongo, gentleman scientist, two-fisted fighter, and now savior of the universe! Join Flash, the lovely Dale Arden, and Dr. Zarkov as they make a last desperate stand against alien monsters, corrupt kings, ravenous sharks, and the ultimate supervillain, Ming the Merciless! This volume collects Flash Gordon #28–#37, plus the three-issue adaptation of the cult favorite Flash Gordon movie!


TARZAN: THE JESSE MARSH YEARS VOLUME 10 HC
Tarzan faces his most harrowing adventure yet when his treehouse is targeted and destroyed by slavers, who kidnap Jane and Boy! This volume sees Tarzan battle lion-sized wasps, outwit ivory poachers, brave giant spiders to find desperately needed medicine, become stranded in the Valley of Monsters, and even track a murder cult for the British government. Reprinting Dell’s Tarzan #47–#51, from 1953, for the first time.

DC COMICS


ACTION COMICS #2
In his weakest moment, Superman is taken down – but by whom? And if the world wasn’t ready for a man with super powers, they’re utterly unprepared for the rage of a Superman cornered! The cornerstone character of the new DCU continues his debut adventure!


ALL-NEW BATMAN: THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #12
Batman and Zatanna have to take a walk on the weird side if they’re going to solve a break in at The House of Mystery! Before you can say “boo,” some of the spookiest bad guys around come knocking – and they’re not looking for treats!


BATMAN #2
Bruce Wayne is back in the cowl, hunting a new and deadly killer in Gotham City – a killer with a vendetta against Bruce Wayne! But who is this mysterious killer in an owl skull mask? And is he the key to unlocking one of Gotham’s oldest and most terrifying secrets? Be there for their first brutal encounter!


BATMAN & ROBIN #2
Batman’s fears about Robin’s tendency to dish out more pain than necessary are growing! And who is the man named NoBody, visiting Gotham City to say hello to his old friend Bruce Wayne and find out where he went wrong in his battle against crime.


BATMAN: ODYSSEY Vol. 2 #1 (of 7)
It’s finally happened: Batman must kill or be killed. The threat is real and can’t be stopped by man or hero. To combat it, Batman must bring time itself to a standstill so that he can embark on an odyssey of self-discovery to a place unknown to mankind, where he can find himself. But is this a place where only failure awaits?


BATMAN: THE DARK KNIGHT #2
Something sinister surges through Arkham Asylum, and Batman finds himself bombarded by his greatest foes… Bigger, meaner, and more powerful than ever before, the inmates of Arkham Asylum run rampant as the entire Bat Family struggles to keep the walls from falling down, unleashing Gotham City’s worst criminals on the unsuspecting population. And you won’t believe the jaw-dropping final page! Just keep repeating, “It’s only a comic book. It’s only a comic book...”


CATWOMAN #2
She’s a thief who lives to steal just for the thrill of breaking the law. He’s The Dark Knight, obsessively driven to battle evil with every ounce of his strength. They should keep each other at arm’s length, but...they just can’t seem to help themselves! Don’t miss this issue – things are gonna get messy!


DETECTIVE COMICS #2
Batman sets his sights on the Gotham Ripper, who in turn has his sights on Batman. Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne explores a budding romance with television journalist Charlotte Rivers, who’s visiting Gotham City to cover the gruesome slayings – while also trying to uncover Bruce’s own mystery. But time is running out as both Commissioner Gordon and Batman work to uncover the true identity of this new serial killer.


GREEN ARROW #2
Super Hero executions will now be televised! After taking down members of a “celebrity” gang – privileged, decadent teens who buy their powers and stage fights with unsuspecting victims – Green Arrow finds himself in the crosshairs of the entire team! It’s Ollie Queen vs. a dozen thrill killers while the world watches – live!


PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE #1 (of 5)
In this exciting new miniseries from novelist Gregg Hurwitz (You’re Next) and rising star artist Szymon Kudranksi (Spawn), the painful and dark past of one of Batman’s most devious foes is examined. How did young Oswald Cobblepot go from being the apple of his mother’s eye to the leader of underworld gangs and adversary of The Caped Crusader? Find out in PENGUIN: PAIN AND PREJUDICE!


THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN #2
When the alien creature known as Morphicius starts draining the life force from Carter Hall, a.k.a. Hawkman, he learns that there’s more to his new victim than meets the eye. The mysterious properties of the Nth Metal protect Hawkman – but in the process, they are also making Morphicius powerful! With innocent lives in the balance, can Hawkman turn the table on his enemy, or are Morphicius newfound powers too powerful to stop?


SUPERMAN #2
The all-new adventures of Superman continue! Everyone can see the new villain who’s attacking Superman – except The Man of Steel! How can he stop a threat that none of his super-senses can detect? Meanwhile, a Daily Planet reporter starts digging up some dirt on Superman, including a secret that could ruin him forever!


WONDER WOMAN #2
Hera, Queen of the Gods, does not take her vengeance lightly – and if Wonder Woman is so foolish as to stand in the way of her whim, then Wonder Woman is her enemy. But it’s Hera’s daughter Diana should truly fear – the goddess of discord is coming to Paradise Island, and murder always follows in her wake!

REPRINT COLLECTIONS:
Batman and Robin: Batman vs. Robin TP
Batman: No Man’s Land Vol. 1 TP New Edition
Batman: The Streets of Gotham – Leviathan TP
DC Comics Presents: Batman – Blink #1
DC Comics Presents: Batman – The Demon Laughs #1
DC Comics Presents: Catwoman – Guardian of Gotham #1
DC Comics Presents: Superman – Secret Identity #1
JSA All-Stars: The Puzzle Men TP
Showcase Presents: Batman Vol. 5 TP
Superman: Grounded  Vol. 2 HC
Superman: Last Stand on New Krypton Vol. 1 TP
Superman: The Return of Doomsday TP
Tales of the Batman: Don Newton Vol. 1 HC
The Wonder Woman Chronicles Vol. 2 TP

DYNAMITE ENTERTAINMENT


GREEN HORNET #21
This standalone story is jam packed with malevolent Mixed Martial Arts mayhem, as Green Hornet and Kato enter a cage match with the baddest men in Century City! Britt Reid and Mulan have decided to enjoy a nice, street clothes night out at the fights. When an old college buddy of Britt’s is seriously injured in the octagon, our heroes join the fray. Now, Green Hornet and Kato have to stay alive in a bloody cage match to the death against the very fighters they bought tickets to see.


GREEN HORNET VOL 3: IDOLS TRADE PAPERBACK
Picking up right where Kevin Smith’s Green Hornet left off! The Black Hornet is history, but a new, even deadlier threat has grown right in the heart of Century City, and it may already be too late for The Green Hornet and Kato to stop it. How can Green Hornet scare a street gang out of business when the gang members themselves have no fear of anything — even death? Is the horrifying power behind their fearless ferocity truly supernatural? And just who is Saint Death?

Collects issues #11-15 in one volume, along with complete cover gallery and an introduction by Ande Parks.

MARVEL COMICS


ALL-WINNERS SQUAD: BAND OF HEROES #5 (of 8)
Guest-starring Captain America! One of the biggest initiatives of World War II was Operation: Firefly – a project so top-secret, not even Captain America was briefed. But how did it involve the super-powered soldiers of the U.S. Army? And why is it still a mystery in the present day, when Cap, its own survivors, and even Loki, the Norse god of mischief, are all looking for answers?


AVENGERS 1959 #1 & 2 (of 5)
EXPLODING FROM THE PAGES OF NEW AVENGERS...

It’s the tail end of the fabulous fifties. NICK FURY and his AVENGERS roar into their secret mission, hunting down NAZI SUPER VILLAINS...men and women relentlessly preparing to unleash hell on a troubled world barely holding onto peace...only to find the Avengers have what appears to be serious competition in their manhunt for these escaped ubermenschen...when their mission is suddenly compromised by interference from an unlikely source.



CAPTAIN AMERICA #4
Brubaker and McNiven continue their heart-stopping run on Cap with a nightmarish trip down memory lane - and that's bad news when your memory lane goes right through World War 2!


CAPTAIN AMERICA & BUCKY #623
Behind enemy lines! Bucky and Cap have faced the horrors of war on many fronts, but this issue, they go further into the depths of evil than our young heroes realized possible. And what is the secret that connects the Cap and Bucky series to the modern day stories - the clues begin to add up this issue, as Brubaker, Andreyko, and Samnee keep the pedal to the medal.


CAPTAIN AMERICA CORPS #5 (of 5)
YOU DARE NOT MISS THE CORPS FEAR-FRAUGHT FINALE, “INTO THE INFINITE!” Deep within the heart of Valhalla Mountain, Cap Corps battles to stop the twisted machinations of the AmeriCommand! Five generations of Captain America must rescue an Elder of the Universe or the Multiverse itself will fall!


RED SKULL #4 (of 5)
The life of Johann Schmidt has been a tragic, tortuous road. As his destiny and doom drag the future Red Skull to his inevitable crossroads, Johann plots a shocking assassination...one that could change the course of history...

REPRINT COLLECTIONS AND OTHER ITEMS:
15-Love GN-TPB
Captain America: Forever Allies TPB
Captain America: The Trial of Captain America TPB
Invaders Now! TPB
Marvel Masterworks: Atlas Era Tales to Astonish Vol. 4 HC
Young Marvelman Classic Vol. 2 Premiere HC

As always, please let me know if I’ve overlooked anything.

And this concludes daily blogging at The Golden Rage. We now return you to a weekly schedule.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Star Sapphire, Take 2

Yesterday, I shared the debut adventure of the Golden Age Star Sapphire. And today, we look at her second and final appearance of the era, from Comic Cavalcade #29 (November 1948).


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All that's left is her one-and-only modern appearance in Brave and the Bold #6 (March 2000), which provides an origin for Star Sapphire and even connects her with her Silver Age namesake.

I probably won't be posting the story here, but I encourage you to check it out when you get the chance.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Retro Debut: The Amazing Star Sapphire

After sharing the Super-Villains Then & Now retrospective the other day, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the original Star Sapphire's first appearance (All-Flash #32, December 1947-January 1948). I only have a fiche scan of the original, so these pages come from a reprint in Flash Annual #1 (Summer 1963).


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After this, Star Sapphire appears next in Comic Cavalcade #29 (November 1948) before disappearing into comic book limbo for over 50 years. And her one modern appearance (Brave and the Bold #6, March 2000) -- was more than a decade ago and probably isn't canon since the DC relaunch. So she's ripe for a comeback when Earth-2 stories start again.