Book Description

As the adolescent sidekicks of the world’s most powerful heroes, Robin, Superboy, Wonder Girl, and Impulse have fought alongside their mentors in many battles. But when Cyborg, a former teen hero, realizes that this new generation of super-heroes needs to be guided and trained, he recruits the young adventurers into the new Teen Titans. Now as Earth’s future champions begin working together as a unified team, they quickly learn the true consequences of the path they have chosen. Featuring Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and the Flash, this action-packed volume includes the Teen Titans inaugural adventures as they face off against the deadly mercenary Deathstroke, contend with the fanatical villainy of Brother Blood and take on the heroes of the Justice League. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

WAY Better than that Teen Titans Go Crap!
I was originally turned off the Teen Titans comics because of the atrocious TV series, but the front cover of this collection intrigued me because of the inclusion of Robin and the former Young Justice group. When I bought it, it totally exceeded my expectations. The story starts after the death of Troia, and it chronicles the first adventures of the newly formed Teen Titans, with Cyborg, Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash (Formerly Impulse) and Superboy as they take on Deathstroke and the JLA. Now I am a Teen Titan Fan, and I can't wait for the next Teen Titan graphic novel. (It's kinda hard to get subscriptions to comics in the Philippines.)

Titanic Tempest
I first got hooked on Teen Titans when my best friend's father gave me some issues of The Titans. I really got interested when I heard that they were re-launching Teen Titans. One day, I was in a comic-book store and I found Teen Titans: A Kid's Game sitting on a shelf. I waged an internal debate as to whether or not I should buy it, and the side that wanted the collection won. So I bought it, and I haven't regretted it at all. I loved everything about this collection: the union of the new Teen Titans, the character development, and the unexpected twists. If you ever see this collection, buy it! Don't take my word for it; buy it and read it for yourself.

A Superhero Team Book Done Right
Geoff Johns has always been a master of telling these sort of classic superhero stories, while making them exceptable for today's readers, whose tastes have changed, and this tale of young superheroes joining together and trying to find their way in the world with the guidance of those who were once in their position is some of the best work he's done.

The stories in this collection are fun and exciting, but still have emotion and character development. There are twists and cliffhangers, and some classic moments, some comedic, and some eery. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A rare classic from the Silver Age
A wheelchair-bound mentor gathers unique individuals with extraordinary powers, to defend the world against evil adversaries. No, this is not the introduction to the Uncanny X-Men, but to a group which was formed a few months earlier by DC Comics, The Doom Patrol.

Comparison with the X-Men are inevitable, where we have the wheelchair bound leader, The Brotherhood of Evil (Mutants). But there is also a twist here. For while the X-Men are treated as outcasts, the Doom Patrol are treated as heroes.

The X-Men won over The Doom Patrol I think because the readers wanted more 'super-hero' stories which is what they got, and they were also able to expand into other Marvel titles like The Fantastic Four, Thor, Avengers, and so on. Reading The Doom Patrol here, it feels as if they have their own DC Universe with hardly any mention of other DC characters. I felt that this was a good point, as the characters are able to develop on their own, we get to know them more, the plots are more character driven, more down to earth.

The art is a joy to look at, and Bruno Premiani is a vastly under-rated artist, who when asked today, most people would never have heard of. When people talk about the great Silver Age artists, especially from DC, people would mention Gil Kane, Curt Swan, Murphy Anderson. Bruno Premiani deserves to be ranked alongside these artists as well.

This is a beautiful edition to add to your DC Archives collection. These stories are from an era where they have never been surpassed in the quality of their stories, the Silver Age.

I do hope that a second collection of The Doom Patrol is not far away.

Silver Age Classic
Ahh.. The Doom Patrol. The original outcast crimefighters. Let's hope DC reprints the whole run, because this is essential reading for super hero fans. Decades later, the strangeness of this title lingers; from the oddball villians to the twisted humor, the Doom Patrol was unlike anything published at the time. The characters are memorable and the artwork is stunning. If you've never seen Bruno Premiani's work, you're in for a treat.
This was the first silver age comic I collected, and it's nice to have these early DP stories in such a great package. Buy it today.

Great read all the way around.
Found this to be one of the best archives that DC has to offer. And from one of the least popular series they had. The art and stories are superb. And still stand today. I had reservations about getting this. But when DC announced that there was going to be a new Doom Patrol series coming I decided it was time to get to know these characters all over again. And guess what. Not a single disappointment.
Pick this up if you get the chance. You will not be disappointed. So glad I did. Already ordered Vol.2. So enjoy.

Most human and humane super-heroes ever created
I'd never read any Silver Age Doom Patrol cartoons, and picked this up just because I liked the idea of a team of freaks banding together. But they're so much more than freaks, they're individual characters, each with his own personality, which was unusual in a DC comic from the 1960s. And they do their best, sometimes fail, and in the final story of this book they recommend therapy and treatment rather than incarceration for one villain because he is mentally imbalanced! Wonderful stuff. Can't wait for Volume 2!

Fabulous Freaks
The Doom Patrol was one of the great lesser known DC series of the Silver Age. A group of "freaks" joined together to form a super-team. The Chief was the wheelchair bound genius leader. Robotman was a human being with his brain trapped in a robot body. Negative Man could cause a radio-energy being to leave his body at the speed of light, but had to keep his body wrapped in bandages to protect people from his radioactive skin. Elasti-Girl could grow really big or really small. (Actually, she not all that "freakish". No more so than any other super-hero, anyway). Besides being considered "outcasts", the Doom Patrol was different than other DC heroes in that they actually had personalities. Robotman and Negative Man often had arguments with each other, and they both had moments when they felt bitter about their situations. This book features the Doom Patrol's first ten comics. Besides meeting the heroes, you will also meet their legendary enemies; General Immortus, The Brotherhood of Evil, and Animal-Vegetable-Mineral Man. (Yes, that last one has a goofy name, but he's still a pretty cool villain.) I think that anyone who is a fan of Silver Age comics should get this book. While it's true that the stories aren't as "sophisticated" as today's comics, they have a charm that most of the current comics can't duplicate. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

The Ultimate Spider-Man versus the Ultimate Green Goblin
"Legacy" collects issues #22-26 of "Ultimate Spider-Man" and continues the "re-imagining" of the character in the capable hands of writer Brian Michael Bendis. These trade paperbacks are thematic collections, which explains why the number of issues included each time varies. "Legacy" is about the new and evolved Green Golbin and the question of Peter Parker's secret identity. It is the latter that is becoming one of the defining features of "Ultimate Spider-Man."

The recreation of the Green Goblin in the mode of the Hulk makes sense to me; I always had a bit of a problem with the idea that insanity and a costume could allow the Goblin to slug it out toe-to-toe with Spidey (note the armor upgrade of the Goblin's costume in the blockbuster film version). But even more impressive is the way Bendis reworks the whole secret identity issue between the two; a lot of super villains have found out the secret identity of their arch enemy, which almost always involves an attempt to kill the superhero in question. However, the Goblin has a different plan, of sorts, for Peter. At the end of "Double Trouble," the Volume 3 collection, Spider-Man actually enjoyed a moment of glory. Of course it is all going to get dashed big time in this collection.

As is the case with the previous collections in this series, "Legacy" plays off of our knowledge of what happened in the first ten years or so of "The Amazing Spider-Man." The result is what might be the biggest shock he is ever going to throw our way and if you every think Bendis has gone too far this may well be the point. While your jaw is dropping at that point do not neglect to pay attention to the double look at a pivotal conversation between Spider-Man and the Green Golbin that Bendis creates; that was a nice little replay he threw into the mix.

Mark Bagley continues to provide the distinctive pencils for the series with Art Thibert's inks; hopefully this partnership with last longer than the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko partnership. For those of us who have a comprehensive understanding of the Spider-Man mythos it is impossible for "Ultimate Spider-Man" to really stand on its own terms because we can also see the additions, deletions, and alterations. But if your familiarity of the good old days comes mainly from the movie, then I can certainly see where you could enjoy this all at face value.

At this point in the series Peter has told Mary Jane Watson that he is Spider-Man, but Norman Osborn knows the big secret, the Kingpin and Electro have seen Spider-Man unmasked, and Doctor Octopus is mumbling Peter Parker's name in his unconscious state. In "Legacy" we discover that somebody else knows the secret as well and that this has some rather significant implications for our hero when he turns eighteen (Peter is still about sixteen at this point). One thing you have to say for the story Bendis is spinning here is that he is always on the edge in terms of his re-imaginings. You might accuse him of going too far, but you cannot dismiss this series as a pedestrian reinterpretation of the Spider-Man saga. To date, I like it a lot.

Maximum Ultimate
The action is picking up with this collection of issues 22-27 of the Ultimate Spiderman, and shows no signs of slowing down.

Things go from bad to worse for Peter Parker, who has just finished battling both Doc Octopus and Kraven the Hunter, only to find that Green Goblin is back from the dead.

Green Goblin's character is much improved from Ultimate Spiderman's first story arc. The grunting and growling is gone, replaced with the very sadistic persona of Norman Osborn. Of course, Osborn's first priority after coming back from the dead is to completely wreck Spiderman's life. Naturally.

Brian Michael Bendis' work on this title is really extraordinary, he has such a grasp and feeling for these characters. The talent Bendis shows for dialogue is really out of this world and adds such a natural feel to his stories. Time has made Bendis very familiar with these characters and it shows.

Over time, Mark Bagley has gone from the weak link of this title to an integral contributor. I just love his pencils in this one, but I think some of his success comes from Art Thibert, the inker. Something has changed about the art in this title. I'm not sure which of these guys is responsible, but I love it.

Ultimate Spiderman is top-notch, have no doubts about it. Bendis isn't doing anything that hasn't been done before, but you'll be hard pressed to find a better written superhero story written in this day and age.

Great Goblin Grapple
The green gobin is back and he knows peters secret and he wants peter to kill for him and he is willing to destroy peters family to get it. This has one of the best fight s in the series.

BEST SPIDER-MAN BOOK EVER
I'm not really a huge fan of spider-man, but a friend introduced me to the ultimate universe. The first couple volumes of ultimate spider-man were really good, but Legacy has to be by far the best one. I cannot begin to explain to you how great this is.... WOW!. This book definetly goes down in my list of favorites. The characters written are so well developed and in some parts you just want to scream in excitment. During one scene of the story my jaw acctually dropped and I could not turn the page for a couple of minutes in the shock of what was happening. Bendis just [does awesome]in this book. Peter Parker is just amazingly well done. I think the reader acctually begins to fall in love with Mary Jane while all at the same time hating Norman Osborn. WOW! Read this book, it doesnt matter how just read this book. Even if its just for the well drawn art, read this book!

What can I say about this book than...
WOW! It was awsome! This is the best Ultimate Spiderman thus far. I really like how they showed just how insane Norman Osbourne aka the Green Goblin has become. But I don't want to spoil too much for you. All I can say is get this book and enjoy it, I know you will! ... Read more

Reviews (3)

One of the Finest Archives so far...
Wow.
i was waiting and hoping that someday DC would do right for this character and these stories and they have.
i first ran into Infantino stories from reprints in late 60s/early seventies Strange Adventures.
i used to buy beat up copies at the local flea market on the cheap purely for reading material and became hooked by Infantino's slick, fine lined, modernistic style- which for once perfectly complements the characters and milieu, as well as for the tight, fast paced, and very creative scripting.
i quickly realized that Adam Strange stories were just plain fun to read with oodles of wit and a refreshing lack of the usual cheese found in DCs pre-Denny O'Neil/"relevant" work.
While a good chunk of the book (the first 87 pages) features the first stories illustrated by Mike Sekowsky, the Sekowsky on display here looks a little more refined than the Sekowsky that i know from Justice League.
he seems to be operating in a Ross Andru/Al Toth mode, and his page breakdowns look a tad more sophisticated, and his anatomy less clunky.
not bad, but once the Infantino work kicks in the book really soars.
i've purchased about 10 of the archives so far- there is a ton of great work reprinted in these from Jack Cole to Joe Kubert, CC Beck to Gil Kane, Reed Crandell, Jack Burnley, etc but the work here- both story and art, puts this book at the top of the heap for me.
i agree- Vol 2 can't come soon enough!!!!!

just one request, if anyone from DC is listening- how about collecting the Gil Kane Batgirl back-ups form the late 60s/early 70s Detective Comics?
great work in there, would be a shame to let them gather dust in the vaults.

One of the Best Archives so far!
Of all the characters in the DC Mythos, Adam Strange is one of the most endearing. He has no super powers, yet he is a super hero. He has a combination of Jet Rocket flying (like Commando Cody); teleportation to his work site via Zeta Beam (like John Carter to Barsoom); and lots of cleverness and brains to work through those everyday drab problems that menace his planet (smarts like Batman). He has a REAL girlfriend (dare I say 'lover'?) as an equal in every adventure, so there is a romantic twist in every story.

What more could you want?

Well, there is a LOT more. The stories, for the most part, are fantasticly scripted by that master Gardner Fox. And the artwork-- ah yes, the artwork! As the series evolved so did the art! It started with covers by Gil Kane and interior pencils and inks by Sachs and Sekowsky, (later of Justice League of America fame). Then in came Carmine Infantino. While this improved the artwork immensely while his pencils were being inked by Joe Giella and sometime Bernie Sachs, it was when the brilliant Murphy Anderson stepped in to embellish the flamboyish Infantino that comic book art hit it's zenith. Once those two also started doing the covers, Adam Strange adventures became something to treasure whenever they hit the comic book racks. It was, and is to this day, inspirational.

This first archive of Adam Strange starts with his appearances in Showcase, and then his evolution as the recurring and starring character in Mystery in Space. For the most part in this archive, all of the stories are about nine pages in length, so there are a LOT of stories here. Gardner Fox practically drove many youngsters to desire previous issues they may have missed, because it would seem that each story had at least ONE back reference to a previously published story; and if you missed it, you were not getting the entire idea of what was going on! This only made us youngsters collect every Adam Strange story they could, and may have been the start of the comic-collecting days in our society!! So to have these first stories collected in one place is like finishing a puzzle you put down 40 years ago because you lost a few pieces. Very satisfying.

Towards the end of the archive you will see Adam Strange as what he will be remembered as; heroic, brave, smart, well-drawn, and always under control. Not one of those 'retcon' figures.

Here's hoping that the DC Archives publishes volume two soon! Many of us have been waiting YEARS just for this one; don't make us wait too much longer for the next one!!!

Out of this World Archive Edition
One of the best Archive Editions of DC's secondary characters. Rereading these wonderful stories starting in 1958 Showcase and moving into a long run in Mystery in Space brings a real appreciaton for the creative team of Julie Schwartz, Gardner Fox, and Carmine Infantino. Adam had no superpowers other than a cool jetpack and raygun. He generally overcame the threats to his adopted home of Rann by outhinking his opponents in clever and unusual scripts by Fox. The relationship with Alanna is unique because she is an equal partner with him in his battles-way ahead of the 1960s womens lib movement.Their relationship is integral to the stories and always bittersweet because Adam inevitably returns to earth when the Zeta-beam wears off. Infatino's artwork is elegant and lyrical with beautiful futuristic cities and alien landscapes. This book shows the effect of different inking styles on Infantino's pencils with Murphey Anderson stealing the show. Even though Adam owes his heritage to Buck Rodgers and Flash Gordon, there is a unique cold war post-sputnik tinge to these stories that is interesting to ponder from the vantage of 2004. Quirky, wonderful scripts, art by Infantino at his best, and one of the best Silver Age love stories ever-Please get volume 2 out fast! ... Read more

Book Description

The powerhouse team of Brian Michael Bendis and David Finch take on Earth's Mightiest Heroes! It begins with the return of a team member thought dead - and by the time it's over, everything you know about the Avengers will have changed! The event that will rock the entirety of the Marvel Universe starts here! ... Read more

Reviews (11)

quite sad, miss the REAL AVENGERS
I have been a fan since 1979. I've always loved the avengers more than their Dc counterpart, the JLA. The AVENGERS ARE HEROES who aren't perfect and live in a world much similar to ours, full of tragedy and hatred, but where darkness, exists, there is still light, and that is what these heroes are all about. This book collects the stories wherein they have to disband and were attacked unexpectedly from within. I only gave it 3 stars because once again it was the scarlet witch,who unwittingly destroyed the Avengers(done before).A lot of characters suffered in this issue, 3 died and the heroes are no more.(of course NEW AVENGERS came out) Then they were replaced with a weaker version with only 2 heroes seasoned to handle major menaces like THANOS, GALACTUS etc. SENTRY is a major firepower but DAREDEVIL, CAGE, spider-woman and SPIDER MAN? THEY ARE NOT HEAVY HITTERS!
To wrap it up, I miss the line up of THOR, HERCULES, THE VISION, WONDER MAN, SUB-MARINER, PHOTON etc. I don't know if the NEW AVENGERS has what it takes.

At least it's better than Austen's run
I agree with other reviewers who say that this story is poorly done.There are a lot of continuity errors and unnecessary deaths.However, after having read the two stories written by Chuck Austen which immediately preceeded this one, this book looks like a masterpiece by comparison.

Pretty decent
i'll have to agree with some of the earlier reviews.the story is a bizarre mix of idiocy and random deaths.the "She Hulk segment" is the core of the book.the pain the avengers feel is pretty strong throughout the book and the artwork is powerful.

the first 15 pages are strong, but the rest of the book is a chore to read and the ending...ugh.buy it if only for the art and beginning fight sequence.

ain't so bad
I'm not a monthly comics fan, that went out as soon as I got my driver's license, but I did manage to collect Avengers around 50 through nearly 300. However, 25 years later, I can count on one hand, more like three fingers, the series I've bought in real time since then:Miller's two Dark Knight tales and Watchmen. I browse a lot in book stores. I bought Batman Hush on the strength of its reviews and wished I hadn't. Avengers Disassembled was even dissed by the mainstream media, such as Entertainment Weekly. But yesterday, I was browsing again, scanned the TPB of Disassembled from cover to cover, spoiled the ending for myself, but guess what, I bought it and I think it is at least as good as Hush.What it isn't, is the Kree-Skrull War, but nothing is ever going to top that. I think Brian Bendis did an admirable job trying to craft a story that would appeal to multiple generations of Avengers readers. I don't think the plotting is random. I think the Vision and Ultron have always been flip sides of each other, so it was rewarding to see them back for the big finale. I like the symmetry between the Avengers beginning and ending with the Hulk's rage. The Kree coming back is an obvious acknowledgement of the title's glory days, as is the prominence in this arc of Hawkeye, the Scarlet Witch and Captain America. The more I re-read Disassembled, the more I like it. It feels like "The Godfather III" of comics, a flawed final chapter that doesn't come close to the greatness of the earlier, groundbreaking work, but a necessary act of closure all the same. Bendis is no Roy Thomas or even Kurt Busiek, but he did the job he needed to do. Oh, and the art is just fine, even Jim Lee is guilty of having all his male characters look alike. The Ultrons were awesome, the breaking down of the Vision truly horrific. Hey, the cheesecake shot of Jan getting up by the pool is worth half the price of the TPB itself.

THIS IS JUST PLAIN SICK.....
IT ONLY SUPPORTS MY THEORY THAT COMICS ARE DEAD. IF SALES WERE BETTER, THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE MAKING PIECES OF TRASH LIKE THIS.ANYWAY BENDIS AND FINCH ARE LET LOOSE AND OH MAN DO THEY RUIN EVERYTHING.IT MAKES YOU ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED THAT MARVEL HAS RESORTED TO THIS JUST BECAUSE SALES ARE NOT GOING ANYWHERE.IT'S LIKE WHAT JOE QUESADA TOLD ME AT LAST YEARS SAN DIEAGO COMICS CON, "I REALLY LIKE THESE HEROES BUT SALES ARE SO BAD THAT WE HAD TO DO SOMETHING, EVEN IF IT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO." IT WAS WRONG, SO WRONG. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Beautiful art, overdone plots and a lack of cohesion.
The obvious selling point of this volume is the MAGNIFICENT and unique art of Frank Brunner, who worked in comics only a short time (Why do so many of the talents who come into comics with a nearly complete style seem to stay such a short time, ala Brunner, James Sherman, Mike Nasser, even Barry Windsor-Smith for a long time). Brunner's art was simply a decade ahead of it's time, at least, and this is probably the first time it has even been showcased on paper that befits it.

The stories are a mixed bag here. To be sure, the plots are about as cosmic as cosmic gets, but the execution isn't always. It always seemed to me that the best Dr. Strange stores (which are invariably the Steve Ditko ones) succeed because the emphasize the humanity of the hero, even if only through the mechanism of stressing how INHUMAN his opponent is. That's not really the case here, as he is very detached from his humanity during this era. There is some nice interaction with the Ancient One, but even that isn't as emotional as it ought to have been for someone who was Strange's de facto "second father".

The plots themselves borrow a bit from Lovecraft and even Michael Moorcock at times, which seems logical for Doctor Strange, I suppose. The only really weak story here is the one with a magician who essentially "becomes God" (or becomes absorbed BY God, depending on how you read it). The tales seems to jump about ten magnitudes of cosmic at the last minute without any natural flow. One minute the guy is a ho-hum villain, the next he's becoming God. Huh?

That aside, this is a really fine collection of Brunner art and, certainly, some of Steve Englehart's most...innovative... stories.

Absolutely Magnificent
Dr. Strange is one of Marvel's most original and unusual superheroes. The stories represented in this volume are some of the best in his almost 40 year career.

This collecton presents Engelhart and Brunner's tales from the early seventies, reprinting the tail end of Doc's run in Marvel Premiere and the beginning issues of his second solo magazine. Englehart spins tales of the sorceror's most difficult times where he must make incredibly painful choices. You will read as the doctor must choose between killing his mentor or allowing evil to overtake the planet, travelling back in time and witnessing history with a being who will become God, and finally, realizing that all things come to an end and even he will not win every battle. Dr. Strange will die, only to be reborn more powerful than ever.

The dialog is as spectacular as the inspiring plot. The Doctor's lines show him as somewhat disconnected and aloof, without being ridiculous like the Roy Thomas days of the late sixties. This is as believable as comic fantasy gets.

Brunner's artwork is breathtaking. He gives us a solid view of reality and manages to incorporate the weird and fantastic seamlessly. It is truly a shame that these two are not working on the title today. Barring the Stern/Rogers/Austen run in the early eighties, this is the best since the original Stan Lee/Steve Ditko stories.

Dr Strange Gets Cosmic!
This is the pinnacle of 1970s "cosmic comics." Along with Jim Starlin's Warlock and Captain Marvel, this defines the brief but wonderful period when comics dared to tackle such weighty matters as Death, God, Religion, Life and the Occult. The writing was combined with an art style that straddled the line between the stream-of-consciousness style of the undergrounds and the ultra-polished mainstream look these comics broke new ground and expanded both the medium and the minds of its readers.

The early 1970s were a time of experimentation, both personal and artistic-in music, movies and even comics and nowhere does that experimentation bear more fruit than with these issues of Dr Strange. This slick, but affordable reprint is the perfect way to read these stories. Reprinted here are Marvel Premiere #s 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, and Dr Strange (2nd Series) #s 1, 2, 4, 5. The missing issues were reprints that had nothing to do with the story line (common in those days), and so this flows as one continuous tale. It was co-conceived and plotted by Frank Brunner and Steve Englehart (during long of sessions of "getting cosmic" and hashing ideas out). Brunner is the artist and Englehart is the writer. Both are masters in the comic field and at the top of their game. Brunner's art is absolutely stunning-on the slick pages of this full-color reprint his beautiful poetic imagery is even more sumptuous than on the faded pages of my originals. His art is smooth and flowing and yet eye-popping. Englehart's writing is top-notch. His Dr Strange has his own voice which may sound a bit stilted, but then, the "Master of the Mystic Arts" shouldn't sound any other way.

The story provides a lot to chew on, Dr Strange's mentor, the Ancient One dies (actually he becomes one with the universe) and passes the mantle of "Sorcerer Supreme" to Strange. Soon he finds himself pursuing a powerful magician backward through time. This particular time traveler has a curious scheme to go back in time absorbing all the magic until he himself is...God. Before it is all over Strange experiences death and takes a trip through his own personal Lewis Carroll-esque unreality before confronting mortality.

My only complaints with this compilation are that the wonder Brunner covers (nine in all) are crowded onto two pages. There is a one page introduction by comics historian Peter Sanderson, but little else to give this the deluxe treatment it deserves. Last, but not least, there is (GAH!) an ad page in the very back! Still, this is a slick, cheaply priced, convenient way to read some of the best comics of the 1970s-and I read it cover to cover and enjoyed every moment of it! ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Loeb & Sale Do it Again!!
Sweet mercy! Nothing can stop the creative team of Jeph Loeb & Tim Sale! Every book they've ever done is nothing short of a hit. Few writers in the comics business manage to make the characters sound as authentic as Jeph Loeb can. As always, the characters' dialogue was well-written and thoughtful but still sounded realistic. And Tim Sale's cartoony/realistic hybrid style of art was just gorgeous, helped here by the colorist, Hollingsworth.

The framing sequence of each of the 6 chapters is Matt (Daredevil) Murdock writing letters to Karen Page as he re-examines his past. We see the beginnings of his tenure as the costumed hero Daredevil, back when he wore the Yellow costume. There's such a great human tone to the whole story. We, the readers, can justify and rationalize doing what Murdock does. We can easily believe that losing your father to a two-bit con-man may make a strong, trained man don a costume, even if this man is blind.

The few guest-stars in this book (including the Fantastic Four, Electro, and the Owl,) seem well placed and not shoe-horned in.

I've said it several times before. Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale could very easily write a mini-series about a head of cabbage and I'd buy it and enjoy it. I recommend this book without any reservations. You won't be sorry.

An Outstanding Retelling of the Daredevil Origins
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have produced another great book, but this time they deal with Daredevil and his origins. In particular, they bring back the yellow union suit and retell they story on how Daredevil went from Yellow to all red.

The book is a retelling because the authors do not go back to Matt Murdock's (Daredevil) childhood like Frank Miller did in his 1993 epic "The Man Withot Fear." The story gives enough background for a newcomer can follow the story. The authors intent seems to be to deal with the entire Karen Page episode and the values of doing the right thing that his father instilled in him.

The dialogue and artwork are great and the story moves quickly and enjoyably. This story deals with Daredevil coming to terms in regards to Karen's death and he travels back to the time he met her. I do prefer Miller's origins story. It is slower, more detialed, and much more psychological, but this does not in anyway should take away from Loeb and Sale's book.

A fun book and a must for us Daredevil fans.

Daredevil ; Yellow
Well I've just got round to reading it and thoroughly enjoyed it . DD has probably been , over the years , my favourite solo Marvel character . From his launch , through the glorious Colan years , and then the revitalisation under McKenzie , Miller and laterly Smith and Bendis.

I think Frank Miller did the definitive origin of his version in the Man Without Fear book but for us old-timers this is the origin of the character we were first introduced to by Stan , Bill and Wally which would later lead us to the swashbuckling Romita and Colan version.

Going back and expanding on Stan's origin , and the artwork too , especially , turned back the clock to those days I'd cycle round looking for tha latest issues in the local newsagents.

I don't think there's too many heroes out there who have had two such great books written in recent years re-telling their origin as DD.

Terry

Yellow to Red...
A friend recommended this to me and the first thing that struck me was the funny title. Daredevil, the man without fear - YELLOW?. What an irreverent oxymoron. It's like saying "Superman Weakling" or "Flash Slowcoach". A look at the book allayed my fears - he really WAS yellow, but perhaps only in costume, not in character. I opened this book reluctantly, expecting to see a travesty of one of my heroes. Five minutes later I walked out of the store with a fine addition to my comic collection.

PLOT:
Jeph Loeb has outclassed himself yet again. The slow yet beautiful story recounts Daredevil's origins and his gradual rise to fame as "New York's favorite son". It reads like a personal diary with beautiful introspective monologue, especially the references to boxing and his dad. Essentially it's one long flashback explaining why the costume changed from yellow-and-red to all-red, with our hero remaining mired in tragedy all the time. Along the way Daredevil/Matt Murdock meets his first love, battles a few guest supervillains and there is even a cameo appearance by some other Marvel uberpeople.

Daredevil's blossoming relationship with Karen Page is explored deeply throughout, yet I found the denouement to be unsatisfactory. After developing one phase of the man's past so well, the ending is a little rushed and abrupt. The book's conclusion is squeezed into 3 brief pages starting with "the rest of the story you know too well". At this point the book was already too big and needed to end soon, but the main threads (e.g. just how did one of the important characters die?) are left dangling in unsavory suspense for the DD newcomer.

ART:
Exquisite water colors! There are loads of full-page panels and several double-page spreads. In fact each page has at the most 3 to 4 panels, which is appropriate becuase this is not an action thriller. The attention to detail can vary from a monochromatic background to a full-paged intricately pencilled Manhattan skyline stretching away to the horizon. There are unforgettable scenes like DD ruminating on the Empire State Building's spire. And there is good use of the color black (yes black is a color!) though there aren't too many dark moments here.

OVERALL:
Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale have proved themselves a formidable team once more. Adrenaline junkies will be disappointed with the book if they're expecting a series of senseless bashemups. This tale is not fast-paced or action-packed. The plot is a "year-one" rewrite lacking twists and turns. There are no hysterias or histrionics. The book is a carefully designed work of art. Those who appreciate subtlety or visual poetry will dig this title. Overall, this is one colour-changing trip you'd want to experience at least once.

Great book full of emotion
This book was good. If you've read Essential Daredevil, you see that Matt Murdock is in love with Karen Page. But you only saw it...u didnt feel it. This book truly captured all the emotion. You see Foggy's heartbreak. Truly will make a lump in your throat. This was my first Loeb/Sale book. I'm sure Spidey Blue is great too. All in all..this book is great and really gives you their feelings. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

The Infinate Saga......
I wish that Jim Starlin had the oppertunity to illustrate this one. It brings all his former characters together. Warlock, Thanos,Pip the Troll. George Perez brings a new perspective to his characters.

This one has it all. The destruction of the universe as we know it. It doesn't get any better than this! Lady Death returns for a shock ending that should have stuck. If Marvel didn't revive Thanos, it would have been have a fitting end to the deadly character. He exists at the end of the story.....but there is a twist I won't tell you about.

Thanos vs. Warlock in Epic Showcase of Cosmic Entities
Marvel so rarely gets epic crossovers right. For every "Dark Phoenix"(Perfection!) there is one or more "Secret Wars" (sadly dissapointing). "Infinity Gauntlet" does a nice job of showcasing not just Earth's mightiest beings, but the Universe's as well. Galactus, Living Tribunal, Watcher, etc. all make appearances.

Anyone who enjoys a story on a cosmic-scale will certainly enjoy this one. It wasn't on par with "The Inhumans" but it brought together characters I hadn't seen since the Silver Surfer's solo comic in the late '80s and its worth the read. Recommended.
Also recommended: "Avengers Forever", another not-quite-perfect all-star hero fest.

Wonderful!
When the Infinity Gauntlet saga originally happened, I was in my comic collecting prime. I missed out on most the saga, sadly, because I was in an area where it was quite hard to get a good selection of comics. I bought a few tie-in issues from other series and sort of pieced together what was going on. The only thing I remember is knowing the Infinity Gauntlet was coming in advance, because an issue of Quasar (my favorite comic at the time. Please don't laugh at me about that.) showed Thanos with the Gauntlet, as he attempted (unsuccesfully) to destroy a super-powerful villian you've never heard of called Maelstrom. (If you care at all, the Quasar series was called Cosmos in Collision and ended with the universe nearly being destroyed. I really wish they'd reprint that one as well, but Quasar has never been, and likely never will be, popular enough to warrant something like that.)

This collection, though, is great. All of the original issues of Infinity Gauntlet in one. All the "intergalactic biggies" are there like Uatu (The Watcher), Galactus, Eternity, Death, Living Tribunal and a few more. (Noticeably absent are Infinity and Oblivion.)

I particularly enjoyed the scene where all the galactic biggies ganged up on Thanos and started beating him senseless. Or they tried to, anyway.

As far as I know, this is one of Marvel's earliest multi-comic title sagas. (Secret Wars came before it, though. And DC also had done Crisis on Infinite Earths in 1985.) Whereas Secret Wars was kind of disappointing, Infinity Gauntlet showed how it should be done. Not bloated and taking well over a year to play out (as CoIE did) and not having a misuse of a good idea (as Secret Wars did), Infinity Gauntlet was nearly as perfect as a concept like this can be.

So, now all I'm waiting for is a graphic novel of it's followup story (happening a few years later on), Infinity Crisis. (Not nearly as good, but gives a certain closure and definitely ends the chance of anymore Infinity storylines. Well, as definite as you can get in the Marvelverse, anyway.)

disapoints
This is supposed to be one of those classic Marvel storylines. You can tell they were trying to write it that way. And it does have some interesting moments (turning Wolverine to rubber) but as a whole it isn't just that great. You get a lot of minor characters who are all powerful doing major things. It's just not that great of a story.

Starlin's Madness
I grew up reading the author's Warlock series reprints in the eighties. Those were masterful and powerful stories. The series climaxed with a cosmic battle involving the Avengers, the Fantastic Four, Spider-man and Warlock. If you're a teenage brat it doesn't get any better than that.

Until this story. Starlin writes this one so deftly and so utterly over the top that you walk away stunned. The premise? The dark demi-god Thanos controls the fate of the universe with his Infinity Gems. The players include X-Men, Avengers, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, Warlock, Dr Strange. If you like to see things blow up, Starlin delivers. (The universe becomes an immense battlefield for the alien gods.) If you want to see someone at last handle the psychology of a super-villain in a convincing manner, Starlin delivers. (Why is Thanos so bad? Jim answers loud and clear.) And if you want a plot that's both formulaic but new, this one delivers. (Like Star Wars.)

I also enjoyed the Infinity War series, so I hope Marvel reprints that one. ... Read more

Book Description

This hardcover volume features many key introductions, including Proteus (the evil son of Professor X), Gambit (who enjoyed a large fan-following in the hit X-Men cartoon) and Phoenix (the dark split personality of Jean Grey). The X-Men are cut to the emotional core as they battle their way through an obstacle course of deadly trials. First, Professor Xavier -- the mentor of the X-Men -- is forced to confront his past sins when his own son explodes into a destructive force. The question is, will he sacrifice his team to save his son? Then, the X-Men face another internal conflict when Jean Grey turns to the dark side.To save themselves, and the world, will the X-Men strike down their own teammate? ... Read more

Reviews (9)

New generation of writers out to destroy comics....
These new stories by Millar contain terrible Kubert drawings and story plots that go no where. They play more like a video game rather then a comic and are the work of people who are more like internet geeks then serious writers. No wonder comic book sales are dead and less then 2,000 comic book stores are still open nationwide.

Los mutantes recontados
La idea del Universo Ultimate que tan bien le esta saliendo a la Marvel, es adaptar sus historias clasicas al entorno actual con la finalidad de atraer nuevos lectores. Es decir, todos sabemos lo geniales que son los mutantes de Stan Lee pero reconozcamos que no atraen lo suficiente a nuevos lectores.
Asi, esta version Ultimate incorpora varios cambios menores que al final hacen un gran cambio, por ejemplo en las personalidades de los personajes, su origen, etc. Y todo eso hace una gran lectura. El escritor es Mark Millar, la actual estrella de la editorial Marvel que ademas ha escrito a los geniales Ultimates y los dibujantes son los hermanos Adam y Andy Kubert que se complementan muy bien el uno al otro. En resumen, buenos autores logran una estupenda historia.
Este tomo de tapa dura tiene los primeros 12 numeros de la coleccion Ultimate X-men:
- del #1 al #6: Tomorrow People, como se reclutan a los nuevos X-men y la pelea contra la version mas malvada de Magneto que se haya visto.
- del #7 al #12: Return to Weapon X, con la aparición estelar del Ultimate Samuel Jackson, perdon, quise decir Nick Fury.
Altamente recomendable para quienes pensaron que no se podian hacer nuevas historias de mutantes, para quienes no tienen nada de los X-men en su coleccion y para quienes llegan a los X-men por la pelicula.

Keep it real
The creators of Ultimate X-men did a very smart thing. They started all the way over. Considering Ult. X-men starts off anew, they can do what they wish with the story. Unlike X-treme and New X-Men which have plots so Twisted, it doesn't feel like the X-Men at all. They changed a few things in this series, like how Wolverine joined. Also Colossus and Storm take Angel's place as one of the first X-men. Making a team of 6 instead of 5. Magneto and the Brotherhood are pretty much the same. These books are solely based on story. Theres action, but its kinda far between.

The Weapon X Program tries to "recruit" the X-Men
Despite the title and the cover art for this second trade paperback volume in the "Ultimate X-Men" series (collecting issues 7-12), "Return to Weapon X" does not focus on the character of Wolverine. True, he is a key part of the solution for the predicament our Merry Mutants have found themselves in this time around, but Weapon X is now a big time secret government program run under the auspices of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Nick Fury that has a rather impressive little roster of mutants in its service: Juggernaut, Rogue, Nightcrawler, and Sabertooth. Think of them as the government's answer to the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and that pretty much accounts for all of the mutants belonging to groups at this point in the series.

Despite being on a first name basis with the President of the United States, Xavier's School for Gifted Children is hit by Colonel Wraith and his shock troops, both human and mutant. Now Cyclops, Marvel Girl, and the others will serve the greater good and help the government fight fire with fire (the only good mutant is a mutant with a neural implant). Of course, since this is a comic book, the person in charge of this government program is psychotic and perfectly willing to do anything to do anything to get the job done (or did I mention already that Wraith was in charge?). The main part of the story arc has to do with the X-Men regaining their freedom, but this is also mixed up with Wolverine's search for his past and Nick Fury's search for an illegal genetic operation violating the Superhuman Test-Ban Treaty.

I think that one of the main strengths of the Ultimate comic books is that they emphasize story arcs that take multiple issues (six in this case) so that a dozen issues into the series we have only dealt with two major stories instead of a self-contained episode with a new villain every single month. This should help the well from running dry too quickly. Writer Mark Millar along with Penciller Adam Kubert (with Tom Raney & Tom Derenick) and Inker Art Thibert (with Scott Hanna, Joe Kubert, Danny Miki, & Lary Stucker) are having fun tweaking the "original" X-Men stories and creating some new dynamics (e.g., Storm is interested in Hank McCoy, Nightcrawler does not speak English) so I think that those who have been reading the X-Men since issue #1 of "The Uncanny X-Men" (or issue #1 of "The Giant-Size X-Men") will enjoy the differences more than neophytes and appreciate the way key stories resonant (e.g., Jean Grey is Marvel Girl and not Phoenix when she steps over the line this time around).

"Return to Weapon X" is not as good as the first volume in the series, but it is hard to compete with Magneto when you talking about the X-Men, whichever version of the group is involved. Millar's story is certainly complex enough and you can see all sorts of things being set up for down the road. As long as you are not offended by the very existence of the series, you should find "Ultimate X-Men" or any of the other titles in the Marvel series to be at least entertaining and quite possibility compelling. At the very least, you should be able to appreciate the tweaking.

Awesome!
An alternate X-Men universe is perhaps the best way for newer readers to come to terms with the characters that have amazed many throughout the years. The familiar characters get a stylish upgrade. Jean Grey with red, spiky hair? Cyclops with a goatee? Iceman with a bandana? You get them all here! Fantastic artwork with a reasonably paced storyline. The X-Men's battle with Magneto's Brotherhood of the Evil Mutants opened its first chapter. A highly recommended read. ... Read more

Book Description

When a bomb explodes in a Hell's Kitchen pub, Frank Castle embarks on a deadly mission that pits him against two rival gangs.One thing is certain: The Punisher won't be pulling his punches!One of comics' most provocative writers takes one of comics' most provocative characters in a new direction - any direction he wants! Collecting PUNISHER #7-12. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Stands the test of time
With the exception of the much more recent "Avengers Forever" by Kurt Busiek and Carlos Pacheco, this yarn is the pinnacle of Avengers "big" storylines. Marvel's most popular -- and infamous -- interstellar races, the Kree and the Skrulls, are going at it yet again, and this time Earth is caught square in the middle (literally -- it's at the midway point between both empires, although astronomy buffs know this is actually silly!)

The Kree Supreme Intelligence, even though a captive of the malevolent Kree Ronan the Accuser, has used his mental might to maneuver one Rick Jones into his possession. He unlocks Jones' "Destiny Force" (whose effects are played to much greater detail in "Avengers Forever") to ultimately quell the cosmic war and become the rightful Kree ruler again.

Featuring guest stars out the wazoo (Captain Marvel, The Inhumans, Super Skrull), this compilation also showcases one of the greatest artists of all time, Neal Adams, as well as one of the premier scripters, Roy Thomas. This is easily in the top three Avengers stories of all time, if not THE best.

Rascally Roy's Best Superhero Work
Although one might classify Roy Thomas' work on Conan as his highpoint, this effort is certainly up there. Roy was a master at pulling in loose ends from the past and making a story out of them. In this, he goes back to Fantastic Four #2 which introduced the Skrulls, a shapeshifter race. At the end of that story, the Skrulls are hypnotized into changing into and spending life as cows. Roy notices that although there were four skrulls, the final panel only showed 3 cows. From a small mistake, Thomas crafted an epic. The Avengers are drawn into a war between the Kree and the Skrull in which the missing 4th Skrull plays a major part. Along the way, there are battles with all manner of alien villains, another "breakup" of the Avengers, a hero vs hero battle against the FF, and the search for BlackBolt, king of the Inhumans. The climax is perennial superhero sidekick Rick Jones serving as a conduit for a group of Marvel's original WWII heroes. With art by John Buscema and Neil Adams, this epic is a can't miss for vintage marvel fans.

This is Why we love the Avengers
the avengers throught out there history have basically have had "Moments" this is one of them ! this is some of what i think are Gems is the gravel pit of comics. its a great read-compare to recent Avenger stories- which if your not reading shame on you.

A Retro Dud That Just Didnt Do It For Me
Unlike the X-men's "Dark Phoenix Saga", I missed this story as a kid (Avengers were for popular kids -Spidey, the Defenders and X-men were for misfits like me), but I was a fan of that era of Marvel, plus I loved cosmic stories and even liked old Mar-vell (Cpt. Marvel). Despite all those things going for it, including me wanting to like this story, I was greatly dissapointed. There are plenty of graphic novels out there, both old ('Dark Phonix Saga', 'Dark Knight', 'Crisis') and new ('Astro City', 'Planetary') which are money better spent then on this cosmic flop. I'd easily take "The Morgan Conquest" or "Avengers Forever" over 'The Kree-Skrull War' anyday.

Those who read the original and remember it fondly (and maybe your childhood to) might enjoy this. Otherwise, I suggest looking elsewhere - there's too much good stuff out there to waste time here.

Finally!!!!
Marvel is starting to release bound volumes of their classic issues. Neal Adam's artwork is stellar, however his interpretation of the Thing is somewhat lacking. This is a great story, marred only by the issues that Adams did not pencil. This is a perfect companion to the Avengers: The Celestial Madonna volume just released. If you like the Avengers now, you would have liked them then. No angst, no beserkers, minimal teen presence; just great storytelling and a sense of adventure. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bad scanning
I was terribly disappointed with the printing of this book. Jack Kirby's wonderful art was spoiled by bad scanning. I suggest you don't by this book without seeing it.

The F.F. meets the Inhuman, Galactus and the Silver Surfer
"Marvel Masterworks: Fantastic Four, Volume 5" is the highpoint in the history of the title that has proclaimed itself to be "The World's Greatest Comic Magazine" for the simple reason that once you face down "God," which is basically what the F.F. does when it tackles Galactus, it is all down hill from there. Volume 6 is very good and represents the point where Jack Kirby's artwork was at its peak, but this volume, which collects issues #41-50 plus Annual #3 where Reed Richards and Sue Storm get married, is still just that much better.

The first three issues continue the on-going battle with the Frightful Four, showing the emphasis writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby had on multi-part story lines rather than rotating villains each month: #41 "The Brutal Betrayal of Ben Grimm" has the Thing, still reeling being transformed back into a monster, becoming the pawn of the Frightful Four in their ongoing battle against the F.F.; #42 "To Save You, Why Must I Kill You?" continues the story with a fight between the Thing and Mr. Fantastic; #43 "Lo! There Shall be an Ending" ends the epic battle between the good buys and the bad guys; we then interrupt our regularly scheduled comic for Annual #3, "Bedlam at the Baxter Builder," as Reed and Sue's wedding day arrives and so do all of the superheroes in the Marvel Universe and Doctor Doom along with a host of super villains. At least Sue does not wear her costume to the ceremony (although Reed does), and S.H.I.E.L.D. agents keep stan and Jack from crashing the reception. If Doctor Doom did not show up for the wedding this would have been the first of these volumes not to have a battle between the F.F. and the Lord of Latvaria.

The honey moon starts another storyline involving the Inhumans: #44 "The Gentleman's Name is Gorgon" starts off with Madam Medusa fleeing from Gorgon and asking the F.F. for help; #45 "Among Us Hide...the Inhumans" introduces us to Triton and Karnak; #46 "Those Who Would Destroy Us" has Black Bolt finally showing up and moping the floor with the Thing; and #47 "Beware the Hidden Land" concludes the battle on the Inhumans' home turf. However, this is just the prologue to what is to come: #48 "The Coming of Galactus" has the F.F. returning home to find the Watcher violating his oath not to get involved by trying to find a way of hiding Earth from the Silver Surfer who arrives and promptly summons Galactus; #49 "If This Be Doomsday" finds the F.F. scrambling to come up with some way of defeating Galactus, who is planning on eating the planet, while Alicia Masters, Ben Grimm's blind sculptress girlfriend befriends the Silver Surfer and convinces him to battle Galactus; and #50 "The Startling Saga of the Silver Surfer" finds the herald turning on his master and the Watcher helping the Human Torch find a device that will get Galactus to leave the Earth alone. However, not before the Silver Surfer is exiled to the planet he chose to defend. This allows Johnny Storm to go to college and meet his new roommate, Wyatt Wingfoot.

If you take the wedding issue out of the equation then you have three story lines taking up the ten issues of "The Fantastic Four" included here, which is why these issues stand out more than your ordinary superhero fights a different villain every month comic book. The other thing that makes these stories stand out is that the villains get equal time throughout, exemplified by the Silver Surfer playing a key role in stopping Galactus from snacking on planet Earth. Of course the Inhumans turn out to be merely a misunderstood meta-race rather than mortal enemies, so that prevents the proceedings from deteriorating to the standard battle between good and evil. Meanwhile, Ben Grimm continues to suffer with the curse of being the Thing, Johnny finally heads off to college, and Reed and Sue try to build a happy home in the Baxter Building. You can date the point in time when this really was the world's greatest comic book magazine to a couple of issues before this point, when the Frightful Four stripped the F.F. of their powers and Daredevil helped them against Doctor Doom, but if you want to see them at their best, Volume 5 is the one that has those classic stories reprinted in color. ... Read more

Book Description

Earth braces for its final destruction in a collision with an onrushing planet, and only Dr. Zarkov can prevent doomsday. Taking Flash Gordon and Dale Arden captive, he takes off in a rocket to deflect the hurtling planet and save the world. The mad Zarkov, Flash and Dale survive a crash landing on Mongo, only to be captured by the diabolical Ming the Merciless. And the true adventure begins. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great start for this series
Checker has another hit on their hands with their reprint series of Alex Raymond's FLASH GORDON. Presented in oblong 12 x 9" hardcover format, this makes for an attractive, if somewhat awkward, format for collecting these classic strips. I say "awkward" because oblong editions don't store easily on the bookshelf, but the benefit is that you get the strips in their original format. In any case, it's great to see Raymond's original strips back in print. This edition introduces Flash Gordon and his travelling companions Dale Arden and Dr. Zarkov, as well as the interplanetary comrades and enemies we all know and love (or love to hate). Reproduction is fair: the linework is a bit light, and the colors are too soft for my tastes. Better reproduction quality, plus a higher page count, would have netted this book five stars.

Back to the 1930's with Flash Gordon on Mongo!
Finally, with the publication of this book, I have had the chance to see and read the original color comic strip of the famous Flash Gordon serial that was eventually made into the successful Buster Crabbe series! Looking back at the original illustrations and storyline is a benefit for any fan of Flash Gordon because we get to see the germination of the ideas and EXPERIENCE the thrill that weekly readers must have felt when they bought their newspapers. The colors are interesting, the storyline of course is great, but perhaps the best is that we get to understand the names of various beasts and races that existed on the Planet Mongo better than the Crabbe series on film. The scientific interpretation of technology is fascinating and the order of the planet will make much more sense to you after reading this book. It will also most likely cause a more appreciative view of those old Buster Crabbe serials of Flash when you see them again! A real gem and I am looking forward to the next volume of a projected 3 volume series. The only problem encountered is that some of the text was a little hard to see because of the colors behind them but to those who are familiar with the story it should not be much of a burden.

Great
When I went to my local comic shop and saw this book, I bought it without even checking the prize. I first saw Raymond's work on the History Channel series of programs retelling the history of comics, and being a fan of the animated series and a comic book artist myself, I set out to find his work. No success.
Now, it is available in this hardcovers and I can only thank Checker for doing this. The artwork reproduction is fairly good (being strips from 1934), and the panels are printed in a good size, at least for me (regarding the previous reviews). I don't know the original measures and the up to date quality of the strip, but in this collection, I think you'll be able to thoroughly enjoy Alex Raymond's stunning artwork, wich is a reminder of an era and a great source of inspiration to artists, both up and coming and professionals.

Publisher's Note on the PW review
Normally, Checker does not rebut reviews, but in this case I felt the need to clarify some points brought up in the Publishers Weekly review above. First, every criticism within the review is 100% valid FOR THE REVIEW COPY PROVIDED TO PW.

As readers may or may not know review copies are provided the media four to five months prior to publication. With full color comic strip collections the quality of the REVIEW COPY is a difficult thing to measure. Subsequent to Checker mailing review copies, we chose to delay the publication of the collection and revamp the book format and design to better reflect its original published format. The end book is something wholly different than what we provided to the editorial staff at Publishers Weekly. We are confident that fans will relish this watershed of comics history in their collections. ... Read more

Book Description

Marvel's critically acclaimed The End line continues with a look at the final days in the life of Logan - the man called Wolverine! It's the distant future, and a series of strange events sends the aging Wolverine on a globe-spanning quest to find the final truths behind his origin. But when he encounters a mysterious figure from his past, everything he thought he knew is turned upside-down! It's the end of a legend, written by the man who brought you the beginning of the story, Paul (Origin) Jenkins! ... Read more

Book Description

Following exciting new developments in the XMen universe, this revised edition of Ultimate XMen includes the best of the two feature films and the animated television series. Watch the evolution of the XMen superheroes from their conception in the 1960s to what they are today. Each chapter focuses on a different decade in XMen history, revealing new characters and their powers, the major stories and their settings. ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Outstanding book for the money
This book is a must for anyone who ever read the X-men and saw the movie an wanted to learn more about the characters and history. True...it does have everything a die hard X-men ( Comic book) would want, but covers enough the story line and characters that it will not confuse the newer reader.

I'm sure the author and publisher struggled with the fact that they wanted a complete history of the X-men but also wanted the book to be affordable for the average consumer.

Yes, I fan of the X-men would pay $50-100 for a complete history, but would a young child? Would you Mom and Dad fork over $50 dollars when you were a kid for a comic book based book?

They also made the book very user friendly for people of all ages. The children in my life will be fasinated with the images in the book and its is my hope that this will prompt them to attempt to read the book.

I think they made a great comprise and created a Must have book for any X-men fan.

Not everything if you are a fan.
If you like nice big pictures without going to the full details of the x-men, this book is for you. If you are a long time fan, I would recommend get the previous edition, it still includes the annoying "behind the scenes" of the first movie (as if there were not enough DVD's with such feature) but includes more about the characters of the comics.. This updated edition includes just a few more pages but, some mutants don't appear or are not fully well described as in the previous edition, which you can still get here in Amazon. It's a nice book indeed, the cover and the quality of the paper and great illustrations, but they really need to get in touch with the fans to meet their needs. There is the need of a REAL X-men guide to all the characters, organized alphabetically prefferably.

Incompetence
I picked up the original edition of this book because the "updated" version isn't updated at all and actually contains less information. Anyway, it ended up not mattering since both versions are crap. Like others have mentioned, there are all sorts of problems with the poor layout and incorrect information in this book. In addition to that, most of the art is pretty bad, and there are tons of omissions that kinda defeat the purpose of an "Ultimate guide" (and are not corrected in the "updated" version). The book is slim. The Updated verion is only 8 pages longer (it's not 192 pages as listed here, it's 184 pages.) and those pages are dedicated to the new X-Men movie and lame stuff like X-Statix (which no one likes and doesn't sell, not that that matters to those geniuses at Marvel). To make things worse, each profile of X-Men characters featured in the movies contains a sidebar giving a history of the MOVIE version of that character! That's a complete waste of space and goes against the continuity of the X-Men mythos for a cheap commercial (when you can already buy books and endless DVDs with info on the movies). I can see the feature on the movies at the end of the book, but to interrupt profiles which were (way) too small to begin with for even more advertisements for the movie was too much and ruined this book. Another wasted opportunity, another failure for DK. You guys - and the current powers that be at Marvel - are utterly incompetent and clearly couldn't care any less about the fans. The best guide so far has been the Spider-Man one, which had major problems of its own, but stuck to the COMIC BOOK continuity, not a bunch of stuff about the movies.

great for the X-fans
There isn't a whole lot to say about this book. It's an 'encyclopedia' of the X-Men. It covers them and their history pretty well and also delves into some of the alternate X-Men. If you are an X-Fan, I'd definitely get this book, otherwise, go to something else.

Awesome Book on the History of X-Men
This book and the series gives good in depeth look at the X-Men and all its characters, friends, enemies, homes, and everything else. Anything you wanted to know of the X-Men. Hopefully they'll make more books like these. ... Read more

Book Description

Witness classic cosmic clashes between the God of Thunder and his evil stepbrother Loki, the Absorbing Man, the Destroyer, and more of his most fearsome foes! Plus: Thor's first journey into the Black Galaxy and a reporter's firsthand account of Asgard! Guest-starring the Avengers and featuring the first appearance of Hercules! Collects Journey Into Mystery #113-125, Thor #126-136 and Annual #1-2. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Lee and Kirby take a while to get the god of thunder right
Volume 1 of "The Essential Thor" provides the stories of the Thunder God that appeared in "Journey Into Mystery" #83-112, including the five-page "Tales of Asgard" that started appearing in issue #97.In the Sixties I did not start reading Thor until the comic had taken on his name, so this was the first time I had read most of these stories, although I did pick up the "Tales of Asgard" collection that Marvel put out way back when.In retrospect it is hard to ignore that the original conception of this particular superhero was rather lame.However, once Stan Lee, Larry Leiber and Jack Kirby began to take the Norse mythology aspects of the character more seriously, the dynamic of these stories changed considerably.

The initial story is that Dr. Don Blake, an American physician vactioning in Europe, is fleeing from Stone Men from Saturn who have landed in their spaceship when he stumbles into a cave and discovers an ancient cane.When he strikes the cane against an immoveable boulder it transforms into a hammer and Blake becomes the legendary god of Thunder.The hammer has an inscription, in English no less, proclaiming "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of...THOR (yes, the inscription even includes the elipses).

Don Blake, with his bum leg, and his secret affection for his pretty young nurse, Jane Nelson, is set up in the mold of mild mannered Clark Kent and bookworm Peter Parker, where he is two-thirds of a love triangle all by himself (and his alter-ego).On the one hand the first couple of issues clearly give Thor the powers of the Norse thunder god--he not only calls forth rain and thunderstorms, but makes a volcano erupts--but the stories do not deal explicitly with whether he is indeed a deity.However, all of that begins to change in the third story when Loki, god of mischief, shows up and starts living up to his name.

Loki's arrival is crucial in Thor's transformation, not only because it is the beginning of taking the Norse mythology angle seriously (and the Thor comics would provide a scholarly fidelity to the subject), but also because the god of mischief became Thor's major foe.The opposition was ideal because unlike Thor's human opponents, such as the Cobra and Mr. Hyde, Loki could keep coming back for more issue after issue, either directly or through a proxy.Loki only arrived on earth after sneaking by Heimdall, the warder of the rainbow bridge called Bifrost, and once that door was open Odin, Balder and the rest of the Norse gods and goddesses were close behind.

Unfortunat