Date: 1986 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: 75¢ 2013 NM Price: $4.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads Writer & Penciller: John Byrne Other Artists: Dick Giordano, Tom Zuiko, John Costanza Notable Notes: The start of the bad blood between Superman and Lex Luthor!
I wonder how many enemies in this world actually started off on relatively good terms with each other? It seems like a common thread that people who get along reasonably well can end up hating each other with a burning passion when they perceive that the other one has intentionally hurt them. The world of comics and super-heroes is no different it seems, and in this issue we learn how Superman’s biggest enemy came to dislike him so much.
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Date: October 1986 Publisher: Gladstone Publishing Cover Price: 75¢ 2013 Price Range: $3.00 – $26.00 Stats: 32 color pages plus Gladstone info and 2 house ads Writer & Artist: Carl Barks Notable Notes: The first issue by Gladstone!
After reading Uncle Scrooge and the Prize of Pizarro as the first review for this blog, I realized that I enjoy adventure stories – especially ones that are set in the jungle. This comic is another classic adventure story from the early days of Disney comics. It reminds me of the Indiana Jones films, but with Donald Duck and his nephews filling in as the down-on-their-luck main characters. This is an excellent book and a prime example of how classic comics can be better than modern ones!
Date: February 1984 Publisher: Marvel Comics Group Cover Price: 60¢ 2013 Price Range: $2.00 – $16.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads, Bullpen Bulletins and “The Spider’s Web” letters page. Writer: Roger Stern Artists: John Romita Jr., Dan Green, Joe Rosen, Bob Sharen Notable Notes: The Kingpin saves Spider-man?!
Have you ever had a really good friend that has stood by you through thick and thin? One who knew the pain you’d been through and stuck with you through terrible mental anguish? Harry Osborn sure has a friend like that in Peter Parker! This issue shows what a good pal Peter is – and that is especially significant considering what will eventually happen!
Date: 1986 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: 75¢ 2013 NM Price: $4.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads Writer & Penciller: John Byrne Other Artists: Dick Giordano, Tom Zuiko, John Costanza Notable Notes: 1st appearance of Magpie the jewel thief!
I would love to read the actual comic book where Superman and Batman meet up and work together for the first time. I did a little bit of web searching and it seems like that might have been in issue #7 of All Star Comics back in 1941. I just hope that they took on a better criminal than they did in this issue!
Date: January 1984 Publisher: Marvel Comics Group Cover Price: 60¢ 2013 Price Range: $1 – $10, depending on condition Stats: 22 color pages plus ads, Bullpen Bulletins and “The Spider’s Web” letters page. Writer: Roger Stern Artists: John Romita Jr., Ron Frenz, Brett Breeding, Diana Albers, Bob Sharen, Terry Austin, Joe Rosen, Christie Scheele Notable Notes: A double story issue!
I feel kind of bad for the younger readers who may not truly understand the references to magazine and newspaper clippings. It seems that is an all-but-vanished art in this age of electronic media. Did you ever clip articles about anybody or anything? I did – and I remember cutting pictures out of magazines to hang on my bedroom walls too! That’s not something you really see now-a-days. Oh well, in all reality there probably won’t be too many younger readers reading this comic book anyway – and that is even more sad.
Date: October 1986 Publisher: Harvey Comics Cover Price: 75¢ 2013 NM Price: $6.00 Stats: 24 color pages plus ads, letters page, table of contents, letter from publisher and poster. Writer: ? Artists: ? Notable Notes: Hot Stuff returns after a 3 year absence!
When I was 12 years old I realized that I could no longer find Richie Rich, Casper or Hot Stuff comics anywhere! It was kind of shocking, because they were my favorite ones and I totally loved them. After asking around at several comic shops I found out that they weren’t publishing comic books anymore. I was sad… but a few years later I was delighted to find that Harvey Comics returned after some reorganizing at their company. This was the first issue I picked up in 1986, and it was a sweet reunion indeed!
Date: July 1986 Publisher: Archie Comics Group Cover Price: 75¢ 2013 NM Price: $5.00 Stats: 23 color pages plus “Dear Betty” letters column, word search, hairstyles and ads Writers: George Gladir Artists: Stan G, Rudy Lapick, Bill Yoshida Notable Notes: Betty tries her darnedest to snag Archie!
Ah, Archie – the envy of men everywhere! Is there any guy luckier than the man who has not 1 but 2 beautiful women chasing after him? I was jealous as a teenager reading these issues, and now as a middle aged man – well, I’m still a little bit jealous! Oh well, joining in on all the fun, hi-jinks and plain good luck of Archie is half the fun of reading these issues… right?
Date: 1986 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: 75¢ 2013 NM Price: $4.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus “Meanwhile…” letters column Writer & Penciller: John Byrne Other Artists: Dick Giordano, Tom Zuiko, John Costanza Notable Notes: Introducing… Lois Lane!
I’m not sure how many other times the early Superman stories have been retold in comic form, probably a lot, but I sure enjoyed reading them in this series. Since I’m way too young to have been around during the Golden and Silver Age of comics, my main reference for Superman’s origins came from the 1978 movie, so it was very fun to read about all those “big” moments in a comic book – and one that didn’t cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to boot!
Date: 1986 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: 75¢ 2013 NM Price: $4.00 Stats: 32 color pages plus “Meanwhile…” and “Superman: A Personal View” columns Writer & Penciller: John Byrne Other Artists: Dick Giordano, Tom Ziuko, John Costanza Notable Notes: Superman’s origin re-told
About a decade ago a friend and I were discussing the Superman cartoons of the day, and he mentioned how he didn’t like the current version of Superman – you know, the one who wasn’t invincible and who had to work for his victories. I liked it and thought it made for more interesting stories, but neither of us were aware of this ground-breaking series from the mid 1980s. It wasn’t long after that conversation that I purchased this series and learned for myself why Superman had weaknesses. If you’ve ever wondered the same thing then read on my friends!
Date: 1988 Publisher: DC Comics Cover Price: $3.50 2012 Price Range: $2 – $20 Stats: 48 color pages (but listed as 52 pages) Writer: Alan Moore Artists: Brian Bolland, John Higgins, Richard Starkings Notable Notes: The issue where Joker cripples Barbara Gordon.
Have you ever wondered why Barbara Gordon / Oracle is in a wheel chair? (Or at least “was”, until the New 52 re-launch) Here is the infamous story from the late 1980s in which we find the disturbing answer to that question.
Date: February, 1986 Cover Price: 75¢ Current NM Price: $4.00 Stats: 22 color pages plus ads and bulletins Publisher: Marvel Comics Group Writer/Penciler: John Byrne Other Artists: Glynis Oliver, Jim Novak Notable Notes: I don’t know, but it does have the worst “beauty parlor” scene I’ve ever seen!
I Tried to Like It: Oh, Fantastic Four, how I’ve tried to like thee! Seriously, every few years I give “The World’s Greatest Comic Magazine” a try, and I really do want to like it, but it never grabs me. I don’t know what it is either. I mean, I *do* realize the historical importance of the FF, and the characters seem likable enough, but I guess it just isn’t meant to be. Well, at least not until the next time I try!
Date: February 1986 Cover Price: 75¢ Current Price Range: $3.00 Stats: color; 22 pages plus ads and letters column Publisher: Marvel Comics Group (Epic imprint) Creators: Wendy and Richard Pini
A Bit of History with this issue: As a kid I read a lot of comics, but I only knew a few other people who read them. One such person was my good friend Peter, and his favorite series was ElfQuest. He liked it so much that he got me to try a few issues, and I enjoyed them too. I only ended up buying one issue (because I read all of his instead!) which was this one. I thought it was high time to give it a try again – and I’m glad I did!
November 1986 Gladstone Publishing, Ltd. 75¢, color, 32 pages Writers: Carl Barks, Byron Erickson Artists: Daan Jippes, Carl Barks, John Clark, Ken Feduniewicz
The Comic Experience:
I retire to the quiet solitude of my room and pop the scotch tape off the back of my mylar bag. After carefully removing the book, I gently flip through its pages, inhaling that slightly musty scent that only comes from old comics. Ahhh!
