Posts Tagged ‘ neil gaiman ’

4-volume Annotated Sandman by Leslie S. Klinger Announced

October 11, 2010
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A ton of comic news came out of this past weekends New York Comic Con. Ranging from digital, price drops and movie and TV updates. But the most exciting thing for me is the announcement that Leslie S. Klinger will be undertaking the massive 4-volume Annotated Sandman. This will be a fantastic companion piece to the Absolute Sandman 4 Volume set and Absolute Death. Don’t forget that DC/Vertigo has been re-releasing Sandman in trade paperback form all this past year and that project is expected to continue.

I hope you’re familiar with Neil Gamain’s Sandman. If you’re not – get to it!. For the rest of you, you may not be familiar with Klinger and that’s OK, rest easy because he is an expert researcher and commentator. I’ve long been a Sherlock Holmes fan going all the way back to my high school days, I guess that why I’m such a big Batman fan-boy now. I first heard of Klinger a few years back when he undertook the monumental task of the The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes (WW Norton) – a 3 volume set. The first two consisting of the Arthur Conan Doyle’s 56 short stories and the last volume being the 4 Holmes novels. Klinger also published The New Annotated Dracula in 2008. Not coincidentally Gaimen did the introduction for the book. So it come to no surprise that they are collaborating on Sandman.

Early details of this project is limited at best. It’s unknown if it this series will be released by DC/Vertigo, WW Norton or a combination of both. No release date is set nor is there a price. I’m sure everything will come out in due time. For now you may want to go out and pick up those Absolutes (or at least the trade paperbacks) so you can read along.

 

 

 

The Art of the Introduction

July 5, 2010
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Introductions have become a staple in just about every collected edition published these days. They are designed to give the reader insight into what to expect, what to look for and why the following is important. It sets the stage as to what’s to come and to give you an overview of why the book is appealing and worthy of your time.

I tend to read the introduction (or forward or commentary) not only as the first thing but also as a follow up after the book is finished. For me, it make it more complete. Some introductions have stuck with me over time and it makes me want to read the book over and over again. People like Alan Moore can do this. He did so inside the pages of The Complete Frank Miller Batman. Moore is a master himself and him commenting on Frank Miller’s work elevates it. Not only is the story a masterpiece but somehow, but it somehow exemplifies it and makes it more important.

Speaking of Moore, I’m currently reading, for the first time ever, his run on Swamp Thing with DC’s Deluxe Editions. Volume Two has a wonderful intro by Neil Gaiman, who offers up not only his friendship with Moore but he’s one of the few people who can get inside and understand just what Moore is conveying to the reader. Gaiman had me primed and ready by the time I turned the page to Swamp Thing Annual #2 which featured Deadman, Phantom Stranger, The Spectre and Etrigan, The Demon – all of whom are favorites of mine. Also, I would have been completely lost if Gaiman was not there to explain Saga of Swamp Thing #32 which was an homage to Walt Kelly’s Pogo. Moore’s use language alone is baffling, unorthodox, and incomprehensible all the while being beautiful and full of meaning. I had no idea that after Moore was done writing the story he had a hard time going back and writing in plain old English!

You wouldn’t get that from reading the monthly periodical.

What are some of you favorite introductions?

CCL Podcast #260 – Jack Kirby’s The Losers HC (DC Comics)

March 3, 2010
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Collected Comics Library Podcast #260
23,774Kb; 25m 15s

There’s a buzz in the comic book community about the upcoming movie The Losers (April 23rd). This team of oddballs is a live action version of the Vertigo comic book series created by Andy Diggle. But did you know that it is loosely based on another group of military misfits called The Losers?

Although this particular group, consisting of Captain Storm, Gunner and Sarge and Johnny Cloud, did not form until G.I. Combat #128 (October/November 1969) they all have been characters in the DC Universe as early as 1959. Enter Jack Kirby at DC in the early 1970′s and besides creating and working on such great titles as The New Gods, The Demon, and OMAC, Kirby did a stint on The Losers in Our Fighting Forces #151-162 (1974-75). These stories have been collected in a very nice hardcover and I go over it and the complete history of The Losers on the show.

All this and the New Releases of the Week.

Chris

Links of Note:
CCL Podcast #55: DC Comics Fireside America At War TPB
Collected Editions Blog Fifth Anniversary
Forbidden Planet International Blog Fifth Anniversary

Collected Comics Library iTunes App/
http://www.collectedcomicslibrary.com/

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Jack Kirby’s The Losers HC
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Essential Wolverine Vol 2 TPB
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Marvel Visionaries John Romita Jr HC
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Marvel Visionaries Stan Lee HC
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The Comic Book Podcast Companion
Jack Kirby’s The Losers HC
Losers Volume 1 and 2 (Vertigo)
Marvel Masterworks Golden Age Sub-Mariner Vol 2 HC
Fantastic Four Omnibus Volume 1 HC (2nd edition)
Doctor Solar Man of the Atom Vol 4 HC
Original Encyclopedia of Comic-Book Heroes Vol 3 Superman
Marvel Masterworks: Captain Marvel Volume 2 HC
Captain America by Ed Brubaker Omnibus Vol 1 HC
Avengers/Defenders War Premiere HC
EC Archives: Two-Fisted Tales Volume 2 HC
Marvel Masterworks Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD Vol 1 HC
Marvel Zombies/Army of Darkness HC
Shazam Monster Society of Evil Deluxe Edition HC
Essential Punisher Volume 2
JSA All Stars Archives Volume 1 HC

Sandman To Get A New and Recolored 10 Volume Trade Paperback Set

December 18, 2009
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Beginning next year, Vertigo will publish new trade paperback editions of Neil Gaiman‘s  Sandman in ten volumes – remastered and corrected versions of the comic (same as the Absolute editions), featuring newly designed covers using Dave McKean’s spectacular and innovative art. Here are the covers to Volume 1: Preludes and Nocturnes and Volume 2:  The Doll’s House.

TwoMorrows Tune-In #15: George Khoury – Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore

December 4, 2008
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TwoMorrows Tune-In #15 (MP3)

On the show this month, host Chris Marshall talks with George Khoury. This December George presents us with a revised edition of The Extraordinary Works of Alan Moore – Indispensable Edition. George also talks about other hot Alan Moore related topics such as Miracleman and The Watchmen!
Chris also goes over all of the December releases.

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e-mail Chris with questions and/or comments.
He may even read it on the next Tune-In!