Tuesday, January 10, 2012

IDW Publishing from Diamond Distributors for January 11, 2012

IDW PUBLISHING

SEP110346 ADVENTURES OF HUCKLEBERRY FINN HC $19.99

OCT110428 ARCHIE BEST OF DAN DECARLO HC VOL 03 $24.99

SEP110345 BROOKLYN DREAMS HC $39.99

NOV110272 COBRA ANNUAL 2012 ORIGIN OF COBRA COMMANDER #1 $7.99

NOV110325 DOCTOR WHO ONGOING VOL 2 #13 $3.99

NOV110307 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS 100 PAGE SPECTACULAR $7.99

NOV110270 GI JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO #174 $3.99

NOV110330 HP LOVECRAFT THE DUNWICH HORROR #4 (OF 4) $3.99

OCT110386 INFESTATION HC $34.99

NOV110277 SNAKE EYES ONGOING (IDW) #9 $3.99

OCT110325 TRANSFORMERS CLASSICS TP VOL 02 $24.99

NOV110264 TRANSFORMERS MORE THAN MEETS EYE ONGOING #1 $3.99

Dark Horse from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

DARK HORSE COMICS

NOV110021 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #5 JEANTY VAR CVR $2.99

NOV110020 BTVS SEASON 9 FREEFALL #5 MORRIS CVR $2.99

NOV110029 DARK MATTER #1 (OF 4) $3.50

NOV110043 KULL THE CAT & THE SKULL #4 (OF 4) $3.50

NOV110011 LOBSTER JOHNSON THE BURNING HAND #1 (OF 5) JOHNSON CVR $3.50

SEP110044 NGE SHINJI IKARI RAISING PROJECT TP VOL 10 $9.99

NOV110027 ORCHID #4 $3.50

NOV110022 PC CAST HOUSE OF NIGHT #3 (OF 5) $2.99

NOV110030 STAR WARS AGENT O/T EMPIRE IRON ECLIPSE #2 (OF 5) $3.50

NOV110034 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC WAR #1 (OF 5) CARRE CV $3.50

NOV110035 STAR WARS KNIGHTS OF THE OLD REPUBLIC WAR #1 (OF 5) WILKINS $3.50

SEP110025 STAR WARS LEGACY TP VOL 11 WAR $19.99

AUG110054 TARZAN THE JESSE MARSH YEARS HC VOL 10 $49.99

NOV110024 THE OCCULTIST #3 (OF 3) $3.50

NOV110023 THE STRAIN #2 (OF 12) $3.50

Image Comics from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

IMAGE COMICS

NOV110441 ACTIVITY #2 $3.50

OCT110535 AVENGELYNE #6 CVR A LIEFELD $2.99

OCT110536 AVENGELYNE #6 CVR B GIENI $2.99

OCT110537 AVENGELYNE #6 CVR C ROSSMO $2.99

NOV110384 BLUE ESTATE TP VOL 02 (MR) $12.99

SEP110458 DARKNESS #97 CVR A HAUN (MR) $2.99

JUL110518 DEADLANDS BLACK WATER ONE SHOT $2.99

SEP110461 EPOCH #1 (OF 5) SDCC VAR CVR (MR) $10.00

NOV110454 HEART #3 (OF 4) (MR) $2.99

NOV110395 INTREPIDS TP VOL 01 $16.99

AUG110526 INVINCIBLE #87 $2.99

NOV110396 INVINCIBLE TP VOL 15 GET SMART $16.99

NOV110458 LAST OF THE GREATS #4 CVR A PEEPLES $2.99

NOV110459 LAST OF THE GREATS #4 CVR B FRISON $2.99

NOV110461 MORIARTY #8 $2.99

NOV110465 PIGS #5 (MR) $2.99

NOV110466 REED GUNTHER #7 $2.99

NOV110467 SEVERED #6 (OF 7) (MR) $2.99

NOV110468 SPAWN #215 $2.99

NOV110469 STRANGE TALENT OF LUTHER STRODE #4 (OF 6) (MR) $2.99

NOV110360 WHISPERS #1 $2.99

NOV110449 WITCHBLADE #146 COMIC CON EXC VAR $10.00

Comics and Magazines from Diamond Distributors for January 11 2012

COMICS

SEP110963 21ST CENTURIONS TP NEW CLEAR DAY $19.95

NOV110801 7 WARRIORS #3 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

OCT111215 AMAZING AGENT JENNIFER GN VOL 02 $10.99

OCT110810 ARCHIE DOUBLE DIGEST #225 $3.99

OCT111191 ASTERIX OMNIBUS SC VOL 11 NEW PTG $19.95

SEP111234 AYE TAKEO WEBCOMIC COLL TP $12.99

OCT111137 BEFORE THE INCAL CLASSIC COLL DLX HC (MR) $99.95

OCT111252 BOKURANO OURS GN VOL 05 $12.99

SEP111245 BURKE & HARE GN $12.99

OCT111255 CASE CLOSED GN VOL 41 $9.99

SEP110695 CRYPT OF HORROR #13 $29.95

OCT111216 DANCE IN THE VAMPIRE BUND GN VOL 11 (MR) $11.99

OCT111080 DF AVENGING SPIDER-MAN #1 HAESER REMARK ED $49.99

SEP111071 DF FLASH GORDON ZEITGEIST #1 EX VIRGIN CVR $12.99

AUG111031 DF VAMPIRELLA #12 VIRGIN EXC CVR $7.99

OCT111074 DF VAMPIRELLA ANNUAL #1 EXC RED CVR $14.99

AUG111035 DF WOLVERINE & X-MEN #1 ROMITA SR SGN ED $50.00

SEP111247 FALL GN $7.99

OCT110764 FUBAR II EMPIRE O/T RISING DEAD (MR) $14.95

OCT110766 GARGOYLES CLAN BUILDING TP VOL 02 (O/A) $19.95

NOV111055 GERONIMO STILTON HC VOL 09 WEIRD BOOK MACHINE $9.99

SEP110717 GOLD DIGGER PLATINUM TP VOL 03 $14.95

OCT110767 HAUNTED MANSION HC VOL 01 WELCOME FOOLISH MORTAL (O/A) $49.95

NOV110808 HELLRAISER TP VOL 02 (MR) $14.99

OCT111257 HYDE & CLOSER TP VOL 07 (OF 7) $9.99

SEP110750 JIM HENSONS DARK CRYSTAL HC VOL 01 CREATION MYTHS $19.95

OCT111253 JORMUNGAND GN VOL 08 (MR) $12.99

OCT110865 KANNAGI GN VOL 03 (OF 6) $11.99

JUN110911 LOGANS RUN AFTERMATH #4 (RES) $3.99

NOV111045 LORDS OF DEATH AND LIFE GN $10.00

OCT110817 MEGA MAN #9 REG CVR $2.99

JUN110912 MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #2 (MR) $3.99

JUL110911 MISADVENTURES OF ADAM WEST #3 (MR) $3.99

NOV111056 MONSTER MESS HC $9.99

NOV110860 NEIL GN $15.00

NOV110825 OPERATION BROKEN WINGS 1936 #3 (OF 3) (MR) $3.99

OCT111366 PHANTOM DETECTIVE JUN 1938 REPLICA ED $14.95

OCT111213 PHAZER #1 $3.99

SEP118164 POKEMON BLACK & WHITE GN VOL 05 $4.99

MAY110901 POLITICAL POWER JON STEWART $3.99

NOV110684 REX LIBRIS TP VOL 01 (O/A) $14.95

NOV110685 REX LIBRIS TP VOL 02 BOOK OF MONSTERS (O/A) $17.95

NOV110840 ROGER LANGRIDGES SNARKED #4 $3.99

NOV111057 SMURFS GN VOL 10 RETURN OF SMURFETTE $5.99

NOV111058 SMURFS HC VOL 10 RETURN OF SMURFETTE $10.99

AUG110809 SPERA HC VOL 01 $19.95

NOV110831 STAN LEES SOLDIER ZERO TRAVELER STARBORN #1 SGN VAR SET $399.99

JUN110917 STEVE JOBS CO FOUNDER OF APPLE (ONE SHOT) $3.99

JUN110823 THE WINGMAN GN (MR) $14.95

OCT110768 TRON TP VOL 01 GHOST IN THE MACHINE (O/A) $19.95

OCT111019 VAMPIRELLA #1 1969 COMM GOLD FOIL ED $39.99

OCT118115 ZEN OF STEVE JOBS GN $19.95

MAGAZINES
AUG111760 BRICKJOURNAL #17 $8.95
OCT111335 DR WHO MAGAZINE #442 $10.99
SEP111378 FREAKY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #7 $9.95
OCT111365 LONE RANGER MAGAZINE JUL 1937 REPLICA ED $14.95
NOV111222 RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #119 $9.95
NOV111223 SCARY MONSTERS MAGAZINE #81 $8.95
OCT111357 SFX #217 $10.99
NOV111254 STAR WARS FIG COLL MAG #43 SNOWTROOPER $14.00

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Review: Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 4

FLASH GORDON COMIC BOOK ARCHIVES, VOLUME 4

DARK HORSE BOOKS
WRITERS: John Warner, Gary Poole
ARTISTS: Carlos Garzón, Frank Bolle
INTRODUCTION: Arthur Lortie
ISBN: 978-1-59582-717-3; hardcover
224pp, Color, $49.99 U.S., $54.99 CAN

Flash Gordon and the science fiction, newspaper comic strip that shares his name debuted on January 7, 1934. Created by Alex Raymond, the strip followed the adventures of Gordon and his companions, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov, on the planet Mongo. There, they battle the evil despot, Ming the Merciless.

The first Flash Gordon comic books were published in the 1930s and 1940s and were reprints of the comic strip. In the 1940s, Dell Comics began publishing Flash Gordon comic books with original stories from the mid-1940s to the early 1950s

Published by Dark Horse Books, Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives is reprinting Flash Gordon comic books that were produced by various publishers, including Dell Comics and Charlton Comics. Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 4 reprints Flash Gordon #19-27, which were published by Gold Key Comics from 1978 to 1980. Prior to Gold Key, there had not been a Flash Gordon comic book series since Charlton Comics’ Flash Gordon #18 hit newsstands in 1970.

According to the introduction to this volume by Arthur Lortie, Gordon’s nemesis, Ming the Merciless, was deposed as ruler of the planet, Mongo, in the 1930/40s continuity of the comics strip. Gold Key Comics staff writer, John David Warner restores Ming to power and returns Gordon, and his companions, Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov, to Mongo to battle Ming. Warner sends the three on an odyssey through Mongo’s myriad regions as they try to build a coalition of kingdoms to defeat Ming.

Warner wrote issues #19-24, and writer/editor Gary T. Poole wrote the last three issues of the Gold Key series, #25-27. Columbian-born comic book artist and comics illustrator, Carlos Garzón drew every issue of the Gold Key series, except for two issues. Garzón was also an assistant to Al Williamson, a noted Flash Gordon comic book artist who had grown up idolizing Flash Gordon creator, Alex Raymond. The two issues not drawn by Garzón were drawn by New York City-born and bred artist and illustrator, Frank Bolle.

I received a review copy of Flash Gordon Comic Book Archives Volume 4 because Dark Horse was doing some shelf cleaning, getting rid of some books to make way for review copies of newer titles. I didn’t expect to like this because I mistakenly associated Gold Key Comics with substandard material, mainly because it has been decades since I’ve read a Gold Key comic book. I was wrong to prejudge these Flash Gordon comic books because I actually had a great time reading them.

Warner and Poole stick to the pulp fiction and weird fiction roots of Flash Gordon without being hokey. These are smoothly-written sword-and-fantasy tales that recall Silver Age DC science fiction and fantasy comic book titles. Both writers build tension by spinning Flash Gordon’s fiery, man-of-action nature: never use words when fists can be just as articulate, in diverse conflict scenarios. That is contrasted against the personalities of Gordon’s co-stars. Dale Arden is quick to lay her head on Gordon’s strong chest, but she is something of a woman-of-action herself. Combine her with the eccentric Zarkov, who is also not above kicking some butt, and the Gold Key Flash Gordon is unpredictable. This is because the co-stars are not window dressing simply meant to make Gordon look like the great White hero; Arden and Zarkov are also capable of moving the story forward and resolving problems.

Plus, Warner and Poole are quite inventive when it comes to creating settings and plots. Two that stand out for me are. Flash Gordon #21’s “Wolf in the Fold” is rousing political suspense thriller and moving love story (surrogate father and son). “The Enchanted City” from issue #27 is quirky and engaging.

Both series artists produce good work. Carlos Garzón’s compositional style and design recall both Raymond and Williamson, especially the latter. In many ways, the art is Williamson-inspired or has his visual sensibilities. Garzón’s art on issues #19-20 is not good. After a two-issue break, he returns in Flash Gordon #23 and hits his stride with his best Williamson-inspired work.

However, I prefer Frank Bolle’s two-issue run (#21-22). His solid figure drawing and draftsmanship give Warner’s scripts, for those two issues, added dramatic heft. Perhaps, I like Bolle’s work here so much because it reminds me of one of my favorite artists, the late and still great, Gil Kane.

I am glad to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this collection. I think Flash Gordon fans should definitely consider either purchasing this pricey volume or finding the originals through online dealers. The “pleasant surprises,” like this one are the books that justify archive editions.

B+