12. 2001. A Space Odyssey (series) - Jack Kirby



Kirby took inspiration from the Kubrick film to create what was really a loosely collected anthology science fiction series - if you can use that term when there was only one story per issue. Opinions will vary as to how necessary that connecting concept was - personally, I don't have a problem with it: even it wasn't completely in line with the film, it's one possible line of inspiration and one that gave Kirby an opportunity to write and draw some really nice SF stories.

It's odd that what ended up becoming the most popular figure from this series, Machine Man, was probably the one I found least interesting. Machine Man became something of a minor breakout success and the series morphed into a solo book that character. I much preferred the earlier issues.

BTW, since they have a new Devil Dinosaur series, isn't it time someone revived Marak or better yet, Vira, the She-Demon?

Following Slam's lead, these overview responses are part of the tradition.

Oz Treasury-I've seen ads for these but never read them.

Captain Video-this is new to me

Blade Runner-I have the 2 issue mini rather than the Super Special, and it has been in my to read pile for a bit, but I still haven't gotten to it.

Three Musketeers-I have the Marvel Classics Comics issue that reprints this (it has a Gil Kane cover iirc) and it is a solid, fun adaptation, but aside ofrm the Kane cover not much stood out about it for me, but I first encountered it as an adult so there is no nostalgia factor in it for me either.

Gotham by Gaslight- my favorite Elseworlds and one of my favorite Batman stories, but I didn't think of it for this event.

Rainbow-new to me

Unexpected-love the cover but haven't read this story

Infinite Horizon-hadn't seen this one. I really dig Noto's art overall, but everything I have read by Duggan has left me feeling meh (but it's mostly been work-for-hire stuff rather than creator owned and a lot of writers who I like their creator-owned stuff have underwhelmed me with their big 2 stuff). This does look interesting though.

The Phantom by Don Newton-I only have a couple of Newton's issues but I really dig them, and I am working on acquiring this series as a whole when I can find them at good prices.

Superman Adventures-I picked up the first two trades last year at the Ollie's sale and it's good stuff. I don't have the specific issue thwhtguardian mentioned, but it sounds like something I would really dig.

Aparo's Phantom-redux of comments about the Newton Phantom

MTU w/Not Ready For Prime Time Players-I am familiar with this issue but don't think I have ever read it (I think I owned it but if I did it got sold off with most of my Marvel stuff before I moved out here 15 years ago). I think I would wind up liking the idea of this comic better than I would the comic itself though.

Marvel Super Special-Kiss-I had a friend when I was young that was a huge Kiss fan, but I never really got into them despite his efforts to turn me on to them, and really only like a handful of songs by them, so I've never tracked down any of their comic appearances.

Batman: Golden Streets of Gotham-I don;t think I have ever seen this Elseworlds, but the art shown here does look beautiful.

Star Wars #38, it's been nearly a decade now since I read through the Marvel Star Wars run via the Dark Horse omnibuses from our local library. I do remember that particular issue standing out (mostly for the Golden art).

The Nibelung in Thor-I've not read those issues of Thor, though I did own them at one point when I had put together a large Thor run, but that too was sold before moving cross-country.

Dark Horse Tarzan-I picked up the entire run at last year's Bell Book and Comics warehouse sale in a fill a short box for $x along with a lot of other stuff, but I haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I had hoped to get to them to consider them for this event, but alas Kurt didn't give us advance warning in July so I didn't have time to get to everything I wanted to consider fo this year's topic.

Shadowman-I've not read any of the original Valiant run except an issue or two of BWS's Archer and Armstrong, as none of it really appealed to me at the time, so I haven't seen this issue.

Detective 572-I was buying Tec off the stands at that time and remember enjoying that issue but I haven't read it since them and no longer have a copy (the Batman stuff got sold along with the Marvel stuff 15 years ago)

I really love the Shanower Oz books and they were on the initial list of things to consider for this year's topic, I just couldn't find a spot for everything I loved in the top 12. Really glad someone included these.

Judge Dredd Cursed Earth-I've not read a lot of Dredd, I've been intrigued by it but never gotten around to it, so I've never read this one.

Star Trek The Early Voyages-I was a huge Trek fan as a kid, watching the show in syndication an playing with my Megos, and then Star Wars hit and Trek took a back seat for me. I've always liked Trek, and I read a ton of the novels during my freshman year of high school, but for some reason I have never really gravitated toward Trek in comics. I read a few of the Gold Key ones as a kid, and a few of the DC issues, but not any of the Marvel stuff except the X-Men x-over book. I should check these out if I get the chance though.

Buffy Season 8-my wife is a huge Buffy fan and won a dinner with the actor who played Spike at convention shortly before we started dating, and I have watched all of the seasons with her (I preferred Angel) though I am not a huge fan per se. That said, I've not been inclined to check out the comics and the ones I tried to turn my wife onto just didn't catch her fancy (she didn't like the art on the ones she sampled).

Mad Look at the Movies-when I was a kid, my cousins were really into Mad Magazine, and I read some of their issues, but the cover price was too rich for my allowance or my parent's willingness to buy them, so I never really had any as a kid (a Star Wars issue being the only exception I remember). I preferred the recurring gag strips like Spy vs. Spy to the actual parody strips when I did read it though.

Kirby's 2001-I love the treasury adaptation of the film, but I have only read the first 2 or 3 issues of the regular series. It was another I wanted to get to before finalizing my list but I just didn't have the time.

-M