Date: October 2012 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: $2.99 Stats: 20 color pages plus ads and 2 pages of #0 covers Writer: China Miéville Artists: Mateus Santolouco, Tanya & Richard Horie, Steve Wands, Brian Bolland Notable Notes: Nelse teams up with Squid to save Manteau!
This issue of Dial H really says a lot about friendship and loyalty. We get to see how when one person is a self-centered jerk it usually ruins friendships, and we also see how a loyal friend can help out someone in need – even if a super hero identity isn’t available!
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Date: August 1996 Publisher: Sirius Entertainment Cover Price: $2.50 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 20 black & white pages plus “Letters to Akiko”, a 2-page mini-story and one house ad Story & Art: Mark Crilley Notable Notes: Akiko and friends discover a mysterious island!
Have you seen the movie The Life of Pi ? It was a great and very fascinating show. This issue of Akiko kind of reminded me of that movie – what with all the crazy different creatures in the same boat, and the magic that eventually happens between them. A cool story – in both cases!
Date: September 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins, fold-out gate cover and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Chris Sotomayor and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap gets another new shield!
The relationship between Steve Rogers and Sharon Carter is kind of weird. It very much reminds me of the one between Matt Murdock (aka Daredevil) and Natasha Romanoff (aka The Black Widow) – meaning that it is always on-again and off-again. I guess that’s the nature of long-term comic stories, but c’mon – those are 2 hot women and I think both men should just go for it! Anyway, here is another issue in which Sharon plays a big part in helping out her former lover.
Date: October 2000 Publisher: CrossGen Comics Cover Price: $2.95 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus a 6 page prequel of “The First”, house ads, “Delineations” letters page and “Generator” news column Writer: Barbara Kesel Artists: Joshua Middleton, Dexter Vines, Michael Atiyeh and Dave Lanphear Notable Notes: Sephie flies back to Meridian.
Have you ever piloted a small sail boat all by yourself? If so then I am extremely jealous! I never have, but I’ve always wanted to do that. It doesn’t help that I live in a land-locked state. The Great Salt Lake is nearby, and there are people who sail on it – so maybe I’ll have to give it a try. Anyway, those are the thoughts that came to my mind as I read this issue of Meridian – because in this book we find a young girl piloting a small air ship all by herself as she tries to flee home. Good stuff indeed!
Date: September 2012 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: $2.99 Stats: 20 color pages plus ads, “Fleet Week at DC Entertainment” and 2 pages of #0 covers Writer: China Miéville Artists: Mateus Santolouco, Tanya & Richard Horie, Steve Wands, Brian Bolland Notable Notes: Nelse and Manteau fix his phone!
Do long, gangely fingers equal alien or monster hands? I think so, at least in the comic book world. This issue has loads of stringy, creepy fingers and I’ll tell you right now they usually don’t indicate that sunshine and happiness are about to follow!
Date: 2012 Publisher: Monkeybrain Comics Cover Price: 99¢ Stats: 13 color pages Writer: Paul Tobin Artist: Colleen Coover Notable Notes: 1st appearance of the artful-dodger known as Bandette!
I enjoy the older, adventure comics in the style of Tintin, so I was pleasantly surprised to discover Bandette! I had been wanting to read some Monkeybrain comics for a while, and this was a great opportunity – so I jumped at it. I’m glad I did because this was one fun book that I recommend you give a try!
Date: May 1994 Publisher: Image Comics Cover Price: $1.95 2013 Price Range: $1.00 – $9.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “The Spawning Ground” letters page, Image Info, fan art and ads Story & Art: Todd McFarlane Other Artists: Mark Pennington, Tom Orzechowski and Steve Oliff Notable Notes: Um… low print run?
Years ago I sold almost all the issues of Spawn that I owned. I only kept 4 issues that I thought might be valuable some day. Over the last few months, as I re-read these issues, I realized why I sold the others off: because Spawn comics suck! OK, I’ll admit that Spawn #9 was pretty good – but that’s it. I have not read another Spawn issue that I deemed worthy of re-reading. This is the last one I’ll review for this site… thank goodness!
Date: August 2012 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: $2.99 Stats: 20 color pages plus ads Writer: China Miéville Artists: Mateus Santolouco, Tanya & Richard Horie, Steve Wands, Brian Bolland Notable Notes: Crazy superheroes battle Darren’s old gang!
Did you ever dream up your own superheroes when you were a kid? (Do you still do that?!) I sure did. Mostly I pretended to be Daredevil, but sometimes I would make up my own super powers – like magical rainbow-colored eyes that could control people! Mwa-ha-ha-ha! Um, anyway, here is comic book with some wonderfully strange superheroes. Give it a try – you may like it!
Date: July(?) 1996 Publisher: Sirius Entertainment Cover Price: $2.50 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 black & white pages plus “Letters to Akiko” and one house ad Story & Art: Mark Crilley Notable Notes: Sea serpents and acid worms!
Do creepy-crawlies give you the creepy-crawlies? I am average when it comes to being squeamish, I guess. I don’t usually freak out around bugs… but if you were to put a spider on me I might do the mad “get-it-off-me” dance! Here is a story where Akiko and her friends must show great self-control to overcome some creepy monsters!
Date: August 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Jason Wright and Todd Klein Notable Notes: Cap battles the Lunatic Legion!
The opening scenes of this comic were reminiscent of a WWII labor camp – a lot like the opening of the X-men movie from the year 2000. It seems that Marvel comics and World War II will forever share a type of “bond”. This issue plays on some of the atrocities of WWII to emotionally suck the reader into the story. I’m not sure it worked so well – see what you think.
Date: July 2012 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: $2.99 2013 Price Range: $3.00 – $4.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads and “The Dark” column Writer: China Miéville Artists: Mateus Santolouco, Tanya & Richard Horie, Steve Wands, Brian Bolland Notable Notes: Strange phone booth creates even stranger super-heroes!
I have been a big fan of China Miéville for several years. After reading the bizarre Perdido Street Station I was totally hooked on his writing style. Embassytown , a wonderfully good alien story, only sealed the deal for me. Anyway, when I discovered that he was writing this comic series I knew I had to give it a go! The series has been getting good reviews and hasn’t been canceled yet so I figured it was time to give it a try. It is hard to judge a series or writer by one issue, but after reading this one I am impressed by Miéville’s quirky and dark humor!
Date: June 1996 Publisher: Sirius Entertainment Cover Price: $2.50 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 black & white pages plus “Letters to Akiko” and one ad Story & Art: Mark Crilley Notable Notes: A dream and a storm!
Have you ever had a very, very realistic dream? You know – the kind where when you wake up you’re shocked it wasn’t real? And maybe even sad that it wasn’t real? I have, and usually I feel a bit disappointed and cheated that I expended so much emotional energy on something that wasn’t even real! Oh well, better that than a nightmare eh? In this issue Akiko, our favorite 4th grader, has just such a dream.
Date: September 2000 Publisher: CrossGen Comics Cover Price: $2.95 2013 NM Price: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus house ads, “Delineations” letters page and “Generator” news column Writer: Barbara Kesel Artists: Joshua Middleton, Dexter Vines, Michael Atiyeh and Dave Lanphear Notable Notes: Sephie finally bucks her Uncle’s tyranny!
Have you ever been pushed too far by someone? Maybe it was a close relative, or a boss or even a complete stranger. Sometimes it can be difficult to stand up to bullies – especially if they are older or in a position of power over you – but the star of this comic proves that it can and should be done! Let’s all hope that her future actions go just as well.
Date: July 1998 Publisher: Marvel Comics Cover Price: $1.99 2013 NM Range: $3.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “American Graffiti” letters page, Bullpen Bulletins and ads Writer: Mark Waid Artists: Dale Eaglesham, Scott Koblish, Joe Rosas, John Costanza (and new creative team of Andy Kubert, Jesse Delperdang, Jason Wright and Todd Klein) Notable Notes: Captain America finally resolves the Skrull crisis!
It seems like whenever Cap gets beaten down he always comes back in a big way. The story in this issue (the last 3 actually) is no different, but this one has a little bit more subdued (depressing?) ending. Not sure I really like it that way.
Date: March 1993 Publisher: Image Comics Cover Price: $1.95 2013 Price Range: $1.00 – $7.00 Stats: 24 color pages plus Jim Lee poster, Image info, letters page, fan art and house ads Writer: Neil Gaiman Artist: Todd McFarlane Colors: Steve Oliff, Reuben Rude and Olyoptics Notable Notes: 1st appearances of Angela, Cogliostro and Medieval Spawn!
In case you didn’t know, there have been some big fights over who owns the rights to the character Angela: Neil Gaiman or Todd McFarlane. (Answer: they both own half now.) Anyway, when I heard that Angela was going to be appearing in an upcoming Marvel comic it got me thinking about this issue – so I dug it out and had a read. It was actually quite good, and probably my favorite issue of Spawn!
