I received an email today from a listener requesting more information on the new leather-bound EC Archives. I admitted to not knowing anything about them and quickly wrote J.C. Vaughn, Executive Editor of Gemstone Publishing. He wrote back:
Limited to 300 copies, ($150), signed by Al Feldstein, leather-bound, gilded edges. All the volumes we’ve produced thus far are in the works and we expect to continue with the series, trailing the standard editions, as long as demand is warranted (which we hope will be for the entire series).
They are being offered through Diamond Comic Distributors and from Gemstone.
They are expected out this summer and should start with Weird Science Archives Volume 1. I think that this is incredibly good news! I’m probably not in the market for such a book, since I’m already getting the regular hardbacks. But if I had the extra cash and I was starting over, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second.
I’ve stated many times on the Podcast that every fan of comics, casual or serious should be picking these books up. Not just for their art or writing, but for the history. Comics changed in the 1950′s and Max and Bill Ganies’ EC, Frederic Wertham’s Seduction of the Innocent and the United States Congress were at the forefront. Born from these comics, books and hearings was the Comics Code Authority and from that the birth of the Silver Age. If what I’m writing comes across too simplistic, it is. There is so much more to talk about, listen to and most importantly read about. The EC line of Archives is the best place to start.
Monthly Archives: April 2007
It’s True, Limited Edition Leather-Bound EC Archives
Comic Book Blog browsing on a Thursday afternoon
- David Lamham talks with Michael Lorah at Newsarama regarding his Silverfish GN. I’m really looking forward to this book. I really liked Stray Bullets material from a few yeas ago. I think this book will be just as good.
- Image Comics has issued a Press Release on the upcoming Complete normalman. It will include every single normalman story, including all 13 issues of the original series, plus the normalman/Megaton Man crossover, the normalman 20th Anniversary Special, rarely seen convention strips, advertisements, covers, and more. It will come out in July be 432 pages, black and white trade paperback with a cover price of $19.95. I read this on Newsarama, too. You’d think that Image would post this on their site before issuing to a News Blog.
- Joey at the Graphic Novel Review has a wonderful write-up of the recent Popeye Vol. 1: I Yam What I Yam from Fantagraphics. I don’t have this book. But I plan on getting it. Since I started collecting classic Golden Age reprint comics (DC Archives and Marvel Masterworks), I’ve been slowly getting into more and more newspaper strips. Peanuts and Dick Tracy are two other collections that you should be picking up.
- Here’s a neat cool new Blog, DC TPB Timeline Updates. It’s a the Blog for the DC Comics Trade Paperback Timeline. Both of these sites are connected to the Collected Editions Blog, a review site that has been around for a few years now.
- The long awaited and delayed Wonder Woman: Who is Wonder Woman? HC is up for pre-order on Amazon.com. But as always be careful when ordering books that have not been officially solicited. Especially this book.
- Jason Rodriguez talks to Chris Arrant at Newsarama regarding Postcards: True Stories That Never Happened. I first heard about this book while listening to NPR a few months ago. Why was I listening to NPR? Your guess is as good as mine.
- J. Caleb Mozzocco of the Every Day Is Like Wednesday Blog reviews some of the best that Top Shelf has to offer over at Newsarama. But over at his site Caleb calls for a reprint if the Golden Age Captain Marvel/Monster Society of Evil serial. I’ve been calling for a reprint of this for a few years now. Sure you can go on eBay and hunt down the Graffiti Designs one for $150-$200 if you want, but it won’t be in very good condition. I really hope DC will bring out either an Absolute or hurry up with the Shazam Archives and reprint it there.
- One of my favorite sites, Comics Worth Reading did a review of my Podcast some eight months ago. I feel bad that I just found out about it now. Thanks, Johanna!!!
For something a little more recent, Johanna blogs about the upcoming Dr. Fate Archives and the price that was posted on Amazon. As far as I know it’s on schedule for a June 27th release.
CCL Podcast #118 – Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World’s Greatest Comics
Collected Comics Library Podcast #118
20,627Kb; 21m 53s
At last I get a show down to the 20 minute mark. I shoot for it every week, but sometimes there’s just so much good news in the Trade industry that I just have to run over. Remember though, it’s all for you – the listener.
On this week’s installment there are a bunch of DC books that are back to print, and some reprint news from Yaoi Press. Small news on the Eisner Awards, but nothing you don’t already know.
As always, I rundown the New Releases of the Week and I have a recommendation, not a review, of Marvel: Five Fabulous Decades of the World’s Greatest Comics.
Chris
Music by Hot Club of Detroit
Links of note:
Indie Spinner Rack
Discuss this topic on the CCL forum
Trade Secrets 11 – Jeff Parker and his Agents of Atlas
Trade Secrets 11
46,566Kb; 46m 28s
This is a conversation with Jeff Parker. Jeff has been one of the busiest guys in the comic book community. He is putting on the final touches of his run on Walk-In from Virgin Comics and is currently working on X-Men First Class and the four issue Spider-Man/Fantastic Four from Marvel. Jeff is also responsible for the return of Jimmy Woo and other classic characters in the smash hit Agents of Atlas. That collected edition, which is loaded with extras, is due out in stores this week.
Chris
Links of note:
ParkerSpace – The base station of Jeff Parker
Discuss this topic on the CCL forum
ComicsPro Summit Ends In Vegas
First off, what is ComicsPro?
ComicsPRO is the only trade organization dedicated to the progress of direct market comic book retailers, allowing us to move forward together. The goals of ComicsPRO are for direct market retailers to speak with a single, strong voice on important industry issues, providing educational and mentoring opportunities to current and future retailers, and offering opportunities for retailers to reduce some of the fixed costs that we all incur.
- President, Joe Field
Here are a few articles about last weeks meeting in Las Vegas :
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