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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2014 22:06:43 GMT -5
This is a thread to highlight comics, trade collections, etc. that contain stories or bits you think might interest folks here on the CCF, but that they might not have heard of..whether it be a small press book, a book released outside normal comic distribution, an overlooked gem, a forgotten classic not talked about or whatever. They do not necessarily have to be 10 years old to qualify for this thread, but should contain the works of creators who are considered "classic creators" if they are newer (a book on Ramona Frandon or Joe Kubert for example). My first contribution is a pair of anthology trades published in 2001 by Renaissance Press called The Forbidden Book. There were 2 volumes...Volume 1 was Journeys into the Mystic and Volume 2 was Into the Uncharted Realm. I see them at times sitting lost and forgotten in bargain trade boxes at cons or on shelves at various Half-Price Books I have been to but they include work by a virtual who's who list of artists & creators I like.  Volume 1 contents: Front Cover: Michael Cohen Back Cover: Charles Vess Alison Gross by Charles Vess Mutter the Scribe by Dennis Fujitake I Bled the Sea by Jeffrey Jones Three Black Hearts by Colleen Doran Generations by Marv Wolfman & Taillefer The Parchment of her Flesh story by Michael Sherman and Michael Cohen, art by Dave Hoover The Clay Dog by Jean-Marc and Randy Loficier, art by Philip Xavier Pilgrim Shadows by David Gaddis Subtleman by Rick Veitch Book Bound in Human Skin by Mark Sherman and Stephen Blue Kara, Kali and the Wind by Michael Cohen  Volume 2 Contents: Front Cover: Michael Cohen Back Cover: David Wenzel Astral and the Dragon by Frank Brunner Jhafnyr by Michael Cohen and Tom Yeates Dragon Fodder by David Wenzel Coal Face by Al Davison The Eye of Jar-Jargathat by Craig Taillefer The End by Eric Shanower When Larry Met Allie story/pencils by John Workman, inks by Al Williamson The Gold Mask by John Workman The Mesmerist by Nicholas Burns The Turning by Craig Taillefer Hobblesmith by James Owen it's pretty much all fantasy/horror/folklore type stuff, but there is some gorgeous work by some very talented creators. -M |
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Post by fanboystranger on Jul 4, 2014 23:54:06 GMT -5
Wow. That's some line-up. I'm surprised I've never heard of this book before.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2014 0:04:58 GMT -5
My friend Brian, who used to run Buried Under Books in Manchester, CT, pointed them out to me because he knew I was a fan of Brunner, Vess, and Shanower, so I bought them new in 2001/2002. I would not have known of them otherwise, but that's the kind of retailer Brian was. I see them around every so often still, but because people don't see a brand on them they recognize, and there's no capes and tights, a lot of people turn their noses up at them, and they have some really great stuff.
The Vess story is along the lines of what you find in Books of Ballads and Sagas, the rest of the stuff is pretty much unique unto itself.
-M
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Post by Ish Kabbible on Jul 5, 2014 3:33:07 GMT -5
Gil Kane and His Hidden Treasures Gil Kane was one of the few comic artists looking to expand the artform beyond the floppy newstand format.First he created the magazine His Name Is Savage in 1968 with Archie Goodwin's help in scripting.The hero looked exactly like movie star Lee Marvin and was a two-fisted espionage agent.Kane released it under his own Adventure House Press imprint and had difficulties getting it on newstands in competition with the major publishers.200,000 copies were printed but Kane thought only a tenth actually made it to the newstands.Subsequent reprints had revised art rendering the hero's face less of a Lee Marvin duplicate Then in 1971,he swung a deal with Bantam books to release the paperback graphic novel Blackmark.A sword-and-sorcery story also scripted by Archie Goodwin.It was to be a series of 4-8 books but after the first books' underperformance,Bantam cut off communications with Kane and what was to be Book 2 wound up in a Marvel Preview magazine   |
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Post by thebeastofyuccaflats on Jul 5, 2014 13:35:01 GMT -5
Here Come The Big People-- penned by MST3K performer Trace Beaulieu, with art provided by Amanda Conner & Jimmy Palmiotti-- a strange one revolving around a mad(ish) scientist with Mommy issues. Beaulieu signed my copy when Cinematic Titanic came to town a couple years back.
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Post by hondobrode on Jul 5, 2014 22:03:55 GMT -5
Wow. That's some line-up. I'm surprised I've never heard of this book before. QFT
Haven't heard of half of those creators, or these books, but worth checking out !
Thanks mrp !
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Post by Jasoomian on Jul 6, 2014 21:24:12 GMT -5
I've flipped through Blackhawk at the bookstore; it's mostly illustrated prose more than comic-book. I bought Big People autographed new from Trace directly. Never saw it in an LCS.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 6, 2014 22:05:43 GMT -5
I have that Blackmark book, and it is illustrated prose for the most part-it's reviewed in the From the Sorcerer's Scroll thread starting here if people want a more detailed reaction to it. -M |
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Post by DubipR on Jul 7, 2014 8:22:59 GMT -5
Nathaniel Dusk (mini series and ND II)
Don McGregor's one of those comic writers that doesn't get enough credit where credit's due. I love his Jungle Action run and his stint writing Killraven, and most importantly the birth of the modern Graphic Novel with Sabre. But its here with Nathaniel Dusk where I became a McGregor fan. I'm a fan of noir and hard boiled detectives and here Dusk is one in spades. Also having Gene Colan doing the art doesn't hurt either. Both minis worth picking up.
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Post by The Captain on Jul 7, 2014 8:47:52 GMT -5
Nathaniel Dusk (mini series and ND II)
Don McGregor's one of those comic writers that doesn't get enough credit where credit's due. I love his Jungle Action run and his stint writing Killraven, and most importantly the birth of the modern Graphic Novel with Sabre. But its here with Nathaniel Dusk where I became a McGregor fan. I'm a fan of noir and hard boiled detectives and here Dusk is one in spades. Also having Gene Colan doing the art doesn't hurt either. Both minis worth picking up.
I just read McGregor's Jungle Action run recently and was really impressed by how deftly he handled the first ongoing storyline, which took the better part of 12 issues. Never heard of this one before, but with McGregor and Colan on it, it is definitely worth putting on the Want list. |
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Post by Cei-U! on Jul 7, 2014 9:26:35 GMT -5
A book I never see get the praise it deserves is Kurt Busiek and Dave Wenzel's original graphic novel The Wizard's Tale. A clever premise and charming characters, with stunning art and the smoothest, most euphonious scripting Kurt's ever produced (and considering how much I love his scripting in general, that's no small compliment).
Cei-U!
I summon the unheralded treasure!
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Post by fanboystranger on Jul 7, 2014 10:28:19 GMT -5
A book I never see get the praise it deserves is Kurt Busiek and Dave Wenzel's original graphic novel The Wizard's Tale. A clever premise and charming characters, with stunning art and the smoothest, most euphonious scripting Kurt's ever produced (and considering how much I love his scripting in general, that's no small compliment). Cei-U! I summon the unheralded treasure! I picked this up on a whim a few months ago, and I have to agree. I think it's a remarkably charming book, and definitely something that should appeal to an all-ages audience. I know it had a checkered publication history, but I'm surprised that it's so overlooked in Busiek's ouevre.
Wenzel's one of those guys that just gets overlooked in general. I think most people know him as the artist who took over after George Perez left in the middle of the "Korvac Saga", which was not his best work. He's really a great fantasy artist, and I'd also recommend his adaptation of The Hobbit, scripted by Chuck Dixon. He also had a ton of work in Marvel's Savage Sword of Conan that was very strong-- I especially remember his Solomon Kane stories.
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