Sunday

Sunday Review – The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1

January 23, 2011
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When it comes to comic book collected editions, I am a completist. That is to say that once I start on a series, I start from issue 1 and read straight though to the most current book published. But since 99.9999% of my reading audience collects and read comics, you already know what I’m talking about because many of you are in the same category.

A few weeks a go I mentioned that I would be finally be picking up my Superman Archives and Superman in Action Comics Archives from DC Comics and reading the Golden Age issues for the first time. What I didn’t mention is that I have also started on The Adventures Tintin by Hergé. In the past I have read a few of the tabloid sized stories that were given to me by my brother-in-law, who not only collected the English versions but also the original Belgian comics. Sadly, they were all lost in a flood a few years ago. This past Christmas he gave Tintin Volume 1 HC (of 7) published by Little, Brown to my, 11-year-old, son. I immediately commandeered the book and read it in one night. The next morning I did give it back to the boy.

These newer editions are 6 x 8 ¾, full color and are easy to hold and carry with you. There are three stories in each of the seven volumes. The first collecting Tintin in America, Cigars of the Pharaoh and The Blue Lotus. These are actually stories 3-5 of the Tintin canon. The first two being Tintin in the Land of the Soviets and Tintin in the Congo, which are not reprinted in the Little Brown series for reasons of their polemical themes.

That’s not to say that racial stereotypes do not play a part in other Tintin comics. Take Tintin in America for example. Native Americans are portrayed as unintelligent savages with a weak language that is sometimes hard for our hero to decipher. Cigars of the Pharaoh and The Blue Lotus offer similar overtones when Tintin comes across Middle Eastern men and locals from Shanghai.

As for the stories themselves, Hergé stops at nothing to give us adventure on every page. Ace reporter Tintin and his trusty fox terrier dog Snowy move at an extremely fast pace and the pair find themselves in trouble everywhere they go. This makes for a quick read and if you’re like me you’ll be able to finish the entire canon with plenty of time for the The Adventures of Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn film slated for December 23, 2011. Incidentally, the movie will be based on The Crab with the Golden Claws, The Secret of the Unicorn and Red Rackham’s Treasure (stories 7, 9 and 10) and can be found in little Brown Hardcover Volumes 3 and 4.

For further Tintin reading (satirical, historical or otherwise) consider:
X’ed Out by Charles Burns (Pantheon)
Tintin: The Complete Companion HC by Michael Farr (new printing July 2011, Last Gasp)
The Adventures of Tintin Breaking Free (new printing August 2011, Freedom Press)

The Adventures of Tintin Volume 1 HC by Hergé
Little, Brown, 2007
192 pages, $18.99

Sunday Review – The Simon and Kirby Superheroes

January 16, 2011
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As the reprint industry continues to grow, quality of the reproduction and completeness of the work by artists and writers is at an all time high. Every week scores of brand new books come out from no less then a dozen publishers. Some of these books are massive undertakings with editors sifting through forgotten heroes of yesteryear and restoring the old beat-up originals so a new generation can relive and, in some cases, revive great characters from the Golden and Silver Ages.

That’s the case with Steve Saffel who continues his reprint series on Joe Simon and Jack Kirby. Titan Books recently released a follow-up to 2009’s The Best of Simon and Kirby with Simon and Kirby Superheroes. This book collects everything just as it says it does and in a wonderful full color fashion. Saffel took his time in constructing the 480 page hardcover pouring his love into every page he edited. The well crafted book shows that he cares for the preservation of the material and is not out to get a quick buck from releasing cheap and easy reprints and where getting the book to market is more important then the quality of the work. Some restoration had to be done to a few of the comics but rest assured it was done with the hands of Harry Mendyk, who worked with Saffel on the first book.

Any fan of either comic book legend will want to buy this and add it to their shelf that would undoubtedly include work from major publishers like DC and Marvel. The Simon and Kirby Superheroes also contains an insightful introduction by Neil Gaiman that gives us an account of just how and why he optioned to do his own revival of Sandman. Gaiman also reminds us that not only has there never been another Jack Kirby, but there has “never been another Joe Simon, as well”. Another person to take us our journey through time and art is Jim Simon, Joe Simon’s son. He recounts the 1940’s and 1950’s and offers us an uncommon family viewpoint of these two great men and there process.

Sadly, a few of the series are short lived so as fast as you get acquainted with a hero, he quickly goes away. Below is a listing of how the book is broken down by character and the issues collected:

  • The Black Owl, Prize Comics #7-9, 1940-41
  • Stuntman, Stuntman #1-3, 1946
  • The Vagabond Prince, Black Cat Comics #7-8, 1946
  • Captain 3-D, Captain 3-D #1, 1953
  • Fighting American, Fighting American (Volume 1) #1-7, 1954-55, and (Volume 2) #1-2, (1966
  • Private (Lancelot) Strong, The Double Life Of Private Strong #1-2, 1959 and Adventures Of The Fly #2, 1959
  • The Fly, Adventures Of The Fly #1-2, 1959 and The Double Life Of Private Strong #1, 1959

Some of these stories have never been published and also included are rare and unseen artwork. As good as this book is, I do have two issues to take to task:

  1. The dimensions of The Simon and Kirby Superheroes is 11.2 x 7.9 while The Best of Simon and Kirby is 12.2 x 9.1, therefore the two are different when lined up on my bookshelf. For a reprint  series of this importance, I’m surprised that they do not have coherent uniformity.
  2. Besides Simon and Kirby’s names there is no listing of other Artist or Writer credits. The only way I knew that Steve Ditko was involved on Captain 3-D was to read the text provided by Neil Gaiman and Jim Simon. I’m curious as to who else worked on these comics and the only way to do that is to hunt each individual comic down on the comics.org database.

Those two things won’t be a hindrance for me with future Simon and Kirby projects from Steve Saffel and Titan books. In fact here is a rundown of future volumes:

  • Joe Simon: The Man Behind The Comics
  • The Simon and Kirby Library: The Birth Of Romance
  • The Simon and Kirby Library: Crime Drama
  • The Simon and Kirby Library: Oh! The Horror

The Simon and Kirby Superheroes
Titan Books, 2010
480 pages, $49.95
A copy of this book was supplied to me by Titan Books

For more information on The Best Of Simon and Kirby, please listen to Collected Comics Library Podcast #233 – Interview with Steve Saffel, August 26, 2009

Sunday Review – Shazam! by Chip Kidd

January 9, 2011
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It’s hard to believe that there was a time when Captain Marvel (Fawcett Publications) was more popular in every way to his famous forerunner – Superman (National/DC), but that was the case. Partially because the young boys of the World War II era had to become men overnight; to become the man of the house while their brothers, uncles and fathers were away; just like Billy Batson had to do in order to fight crime and injustice.

Long before the merchandising boom of Star Wars in the late 1970′s, Captain Marvel coveted the nickels and dimes of young kids. They read Captain Marvel comic books, they went to see his movie serial (the first for any superhero) and they bought the stuff – lots and lots of stuff: figurines, wrist watches, beanbags, decoder rings, beanie hats, neck ties(!) and they signed up for the fan club in droves.

Author and graphic designer extraordinaire, Chip Kidd and photographer, Geoff Spear who first collaborated together on Bat-Manga!: The Secret History of Batman in Japan (Pantheon Books, 2008), have teamed up again to document a forgotten era. Culled from the impressive collection of Harry Matetsky, one cannot help but wonder if Kidd and Spear did indeed capture everything that was ever made regarding the Golden Age Captain Marvel. Kidd adds his own commentary to the rich, full color photos that capture every detail whether it be the most cared for item or the lost and forgotten belongings from years of neglect. The aforementioned movie serial is also dissected along with its promotional stills, costumes and other pieces. There are also chapters to other Marvel Family members: Mary Marvel, Captain Marvel Jr. and Hoppy the Marvel Bunny. There is also a section on the hero Spy Smasher, who was considered to be the Batman of the Fawcett characters and counter to the Captain Marvel, Superman. Unfortunately, the two never met up, save for the covers.

It’s not just statues and cut-out Shazam flying helicopters that are in this book, some of the art contained has never been seen in years including some wonderful work by Mac Rayboy (Flash Gordon). There is also one full comic story collected here, the first feature from Captain Marvel Adventures #1 (1941) by none other then Jack Kirby and Joe Simon (Captain America, et al.). Several other single panels and cover art is strewn about adding to the lore.

Kidd does and excellent job describing everything that we are fortunate enough to see and spares us from the litigation between Captain Marvel/Fawcett and Superman/National (DC) of old. He is wise to treat us with intelligence and respect the fact that we are well aware of the history.

Shazam! The Golden Age of the World’s Mightiest Mortal
Abrams ComicArts, 2010
246 pages, 12 x 9, $35.00 US
A copy of this book was supplied to me by Abrams ComicArts

If you would like to read the comic books of Captain Marvel, DC Comics has four Shazam! Archive volumes and even one for the Marvel Family featuring Captain Marvel Jr. and Mary Marvel.  There is also the (not too hard to find, if you look for it) Shazam! From The 40′s to the 70′s HC (Harmony Books), which is worth every penny. I even typed up a new Table of Contents, because the book lacks a sufficient one of its own (available for download). More recently, DC published Showcase Presents: Shazam! which reprints the characters’ return to comics in 1973 and Shazam!: The Greatest Stories Ever Told TPB, a nice overview of Captain Marvel throughout the years.