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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 15, 2019 20:01:09 GMT -5
On the Third Day of Classic Comics Christmas I give unto thee...a book not likely to appear on anyone else's list by a mile Actually, I'm really bummed you beat me to it! I'm surprised at the love the book is getting. |
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Post by DubipR on Dec 15, 2019 20:25:25 GMT -5
On the Third Day of Classic Comics Christmas I give unto thee...a book not likely to appear on anyone else's list by a mile Charles Barkley Vs. Godzilla  Dark Horse, 1993 I know, I know, I can hear you say it, "How the F@#$ is this better than Dracula Vs. Frankenstein or Conan Vs. Solomon Kane!?" but the answer is simple: the sheer, unapologetic absurdity of it is just so damn fun. It's definitely one of those books where I think you just had to be there to enjoy it, it's the confluence of what was arguably the NBA's most popular era, a resurgence of Godzilla mania and lucrative team up comics which gave us the tale of how Godzilla got defeated by Sir Charles in a game of one on one. That's really the plot, Godzilla is destroying LA, a kid gives Charles Barkley a magic coin that makes him giant size because he believes only Charles Barkley is tough enough to beat Godzilla and then intead of laying the smack down on Godzilla's scaley tail Charles decides to play him in hoops. It's just that stupid...but it doesn't pretend to be other wise so it's just awesome. :format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/12410789/barkley5.0.jpg) I had this on Top 40 but went off after the first cut. Nice to see someone else put this up here! |
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Post by DubipR on Dec 15, 2019 20:26:29 GMT -5
On the third day of Christmas Ostrander brought to me the Ghost of Christmas vengeance... Spectre Annual #1 (DC; 1995)  by John Ostrander and Patrick Oliffe The Spectre and Doctor Fate against a Lovecraftian horror, yes please. Ostrander weaves a tale of Jim Corrigan's first year as the Spectre, a meeting with Doctor Fate leading to an adventure together involving an elder god, occult conspiracy theories surrounding the Pentagon building, Nazi occultism, a Madame Xanadu cameo, a JSA cameo, Percival Opp, and an Indiana Jones/Raiders of the Lost Ark Easter egg. So many things in comics I love wrapped up in a single package ensures this team up makes my list. -M Overlooked this one. I love Ostrander's Spectre run so much |
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Post by DubipR on Dec 15, 2019 20:28:11 GMT -5
10- Blaze of Glory: Last Ride of the Western Heroes 1-4 I find this to be very interesting but I don't recognize the characters. Did they strip them of their costumes for the event ? Some of the costumes are there, just need to look closer. I like that some of them are stripped down to look more real than comic-y. |
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Post by MWGallaher on Dec 15, 2019 20:50:02 GMT -5
Sandman Mystery Theater #29-32 (DC/Vertigo 1995). Sandman & Hourman One the third day of Christmas Vertigo gave to me a tale from the forties. This is one of my favorite books and there were a few possibilities. I ultimately went with this arc because it had the most things that really make me love Sandman Mystery Theater (Guy Davis art, great interactions between Wes and Dian, and a true feel for the time period). This one introduced Rex "Tick-Tock" Tyler who has been advertising in the newspaper to help the down-trodden as "The Man of the Hour." Wes and Rex meet up at Bannermain Chemical where Wes is considering an investment and Rex is the star chemist. That better living through chemistry also allows Rex to begin acting as a very different kind of hero than Wes. Whereas Wes/Sandman is a detective first, Rex takes a very hands on, straight-forward approach to his work that isn't always nuanced or successful. Of course their paths cross, as they will in funnybooks and part of the interest is the difference in style of heroics and personality. Not that their weren't other options. The Mist storyline has a pre-Starman Ted Knight developing the Gravity Rod. And the Blackhawk storyline has...Blackhawk. But I think this one really was the best combo of guest and the overall aesthetic of the book. Probably the best Hour-Man story ever. As I remember it, Rex carefully set up his strategy in advance, preparing things so that his hour of power would be employed effectively, like a perfectly timed operation in a heist moive. This is a terrific approach; hard to maintain on an ongoing basis, but I always dig seeing complex plans being implemented! |
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Post by brianf on Dec 15, 2019 23:16:47 GMT -5
 #3 of the 12 days of Deadman teamups Generations 2 #2 (2001) W / A / C - John Byrne Deadman pops up on Byrnes sequel to his neato Generations Elsewolrds mini - the idea here is what if comic book characters aged normally? So if Batman and Superman were in their 20’s and active in the 1940s then they’d be in their 50’s in the 1970’s and have adult kids, etc…. In 1975 the 3rd Batman is Bruce Waynes son, after Dick Greyson was killed by the Joker. The Joker is an old balding decrepit wreck and is being haunted in Arkham, so Deadman is called out to figure out what’s going on. The pages where DM experience’s the psychedelic madness that’s the Jokers consciousness is wonderfully done. I’m a fan of John Byrne when he’s hitting it, and man he’s doing it good here.  |
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Post by Reptisaurus! on Dec 15, 2019 23:28:47 GMT -5
Sooooo... we are doing really bad at the thing where we edit the pictures out when we quote something.
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Post by foxley on Dec 16, 2019 1:38:32 GMT -5
10. The Shadow/Doc Savage, "The Case of the Shrieking Skeletons", The Shadow and Doc Savage #1-2 (Dark Horse, 1995) Because it's good. What's that, Cei-U? I have to say more that? Oh well, if you insist... If you're a publisher who has the rights to both the Shadow and Doc Savage, the temptation to do a story having them team-up must be nigh irresistible. However, this is not as easy it sounds. Despite them being the two preeminent pulp heroes, they are very different characters, and their stories follow a subtly different dynamic. This two issue mini (does two issues qualify as a miniseries?) manages to hit the mark. Writer Steve Vance manages to strike the balance between Doc and the Shadow; giving each sufficient 'screen time' without allowing one to overshadow (excuse the pun) the other. He also manages to get personalities right, and establishes that they are uneasy allies at best. Doc distrusts the Shadow, and disdains his willingness to use violence in his crusade, while the Shadow regards Doc's idealism as a weakness. The plot itself is nothing special, but involves most the aspects one would hope for in this kind of tale: Nazis, zombies, auto-gyros, damsels in distress, dames with killer gams in silk stockings and suspender belts... There was another Shadow/Doc Savage team-up that got serious consideration from me (I'll elaborate in the Near Misses thread), but what ultimately tipped this one over the edge was the art. The glorious Dave Stevens covers speak for themselves, while the interior art is by Stan Manoukian, although veering towards the cartoony, does fit the pulp sensibility of the over-the-top plot.  This pitch perfect, pulse-pounding potpourri of pulp protagonists proudly procures place #10 on my list. (This should be last time Doc appears on my list, but not the last time a pulp character does so.)
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Post by berkley on Dec 16, 2019 2:35:18 GMT -5
10. Iron Fist & Captain AmericaChris Claremont & John Byrne + Dan Adkins Iron Fist #12 (Marvel 1977)  I remember feeling doubtful about the idea of introducing superheroes into the Iron Fist series, which up to then had been a nice variation on the martial arts genre. But Claremont and Byrne made it work pretty well, though even after all these years I think I still would have preferred it stayed separate from the superhero world. This is a classic superhero team-up, where the heroes mistrust each other and CA thinks IF is a bad guy. Claremont and Byrne did a nice job showing how out-classed both heroees were against the Wrecking Crew's Asgard-derived power.
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Post by brutalis on Dec 16, 2019 8:22:26 GMT -5
Day 3. Warlord Travis Morgan and Green Arrow Oliver Queen. Green Arrow 27/28 November 1989. The battle of the beards finally begins. Two of the most iconic chin hairs ever meet when Morgan is mistaken for Queen and becomes embroiled in a Green Arrow adventure. Mike Grell and Dan Jurgen who are no strangers to the Lost World's Warlord. If you think a hero fighting crime with a bow and arrow seems archaic just wait until Travis draws his sword on the villainous gangsters!!! Modern day swashbuckling fun and adventure in a modern setting. Two Grell favorites that fan's were anxiously awaiting for their meeting and Iron Mike delivers in every way. Think of it as if Flynn and Power had made a movie together and you get the sense of special excitement and thrills found between the covers! ADDENDUM: nice to see some of my faves making the cut this year! Good to know others enjoy the Godzilla/Barkley fun and Western heroics and other classic heroes making the cut for the 12 days and showing up outside of just my own list 
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Crimebuster
CCF Podcast Guru
Making comics!
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Post by Crimebuster on Dec 16, 2019 10:45:40 GMT -5
Day 3. Warlord Travis Morgan and Green Arrow Oliver Queen. Green Arrow 27/28 November 1989. We'll be seeing this again! |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 16, 2019 10:54:26 GMT -5
Good to see some John Byrne here. I will be including him at some point!
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Post by brutalis on Dec 16, 2019 13:18:09 GMT -5
Two-Gun Kid #89 (Marvel, 1967) just missed my listing Cei-U! since it was a later find for me in the 90's. Since i already have a fondness for the dual/duel Kids Colt and Rawhide original teaming against Iron Mask from my youth and another coming up later on I didn't want to place too many westerns. Especially as "most" of those Marvel western teaming's fall into the same kind of story idea. |
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Dec 16, 2019 15:12:39 GMT -5
Random thoughts on Day Three. Because I said so!
Two-Gun Kid #89. As I stated I was never a fan of Marvel's westerns...until...see below.
Amazing Spider-man Annual #14. I bought this one off the spinner. I had seldom purchased Annuals before that because the initial outlay was so steep. I suspect I've not read it since some time in the 80s. I do recall Miller having a good handle on Dr. Strange type artwork.
Fantastic Four # 73. I know I made it this far when the Essential volumes were coming out and I was reading through them. That said I only vaguely remember it.
Giant-Size Spider-Man #4. This is one of the few Giant-Size Marvels I never managed to snag. I did read it in Essential Punisher. I don't, however, remember it.
Daredevil #276. I was largely on a Marvel hiatus at this time (still pissed about X-Factor). This is not a run I've managed to visit.
Conan the Barbarian #24. Great choice. I had considered a Conan/Sonja team-up but it wasn't in the cards for my list.
The Brave and the Bold 52. I should probably try to find this book. I find DC's war books generally more readable than the average SA DC super-hero books as long as they aren't in big chunks.
Lois Lane #70. Yeah...ummmm...yeah. Well good for you.
Wonder Woman #202. I considered this, though not super hard. It's a weird book. But I'm a big fan of Fafhrd and the Mouser.
Marvel Two-in-One Annual #2. I was generally not buying Annuals at this point. And I've not managed to read this issue at any point.
Blaze of Glory: Last Ride of the Western Heroes 1-4. This is in fact not the last ride of the western heroes.
Marvel Team-Up #82-85. I bought MTU fairly sporadically at this time. I did not pick up any of these issues.
Incredible Hulk #271. I don't think I've read this.
Jonah Hex (vol. 2) #44-49. I looked for a Jonah Hex/Bat Lash team-up but just didn't remember any that stacked up. I did read this entire run, but I have only done so once. I should probably revisit it. I also remember it excelling at one-and-dones.
Sensational She-Hulk #39-48. Huh! Well that's something. I've not read Byrne's She-Hulk.
Superman vs. The Amazing Spider-Man. I did not buy this at the time. Way too much money for Superman. I've read it since. Have I mentioned I hate Superman?
Spectre Annual #1. Another one of my favorite series. I wanted to include an issue but couldn't put my finger on one. I eventually went a different way to include Ostrander. I need to re-visit this series and issue. At this point @mrp's list could be Slam 2.0.
Charles Barkley Vs. Godzilla. Huh. Well that's a thing that I've never seen before. Whatta ya know about that?
Generations 2 #2. I really liked the first mini. I know I've read the second but I don't really remember it well. I should re-read it.
The Shadow and Doc Savage #1-2. Shadow and Doc Savage seems like a no-brainer but it is hard to make work well. I own this, but it's been a long time since I've read it. Good pick.
Iron Fist #12. I'm not sure I made it this far through the first volume of Essential Iron Fist. I find Claremont's writing to be a slog at this point and the second person narration made it worse.
Green Arrow 27/28. I didn't think about this. And I should have. It likely wouldn't have made my list, but I loved Grell's run on Green Arrow, especially early on. So glad to see it here.
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Post by thwhtguardian on Dec 16, 2019 16:35:32 GMT -5
Random thoughts on Day Three. Because I said so! Spectre Annual #1. Another one of my favorite series. I wanted to include an issue but couldn't put my finger on one. I eventually went a different way to include Ostrander. I need to re-visit this series and issue. At this point @mrp 's list could be Slam 2.0. Charles Barkley Vs. Godzilla. Huh. Well that's a thing that I've never seen before. Whatta ya know about that? Yeah, I've been loving MRP's choices as well. And you need Godzilla playing B-Ball in your life, the ending was the best part:  |
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