Moore started on issue #20 and continued on with #21-58, 60-61, 63-64, Annual #2. DC Comics are four volumes in and it looks like it’ll go six total. So far it’s a journey into mystery, ecology, religion, magic and even superheroes. Here in Book 4, Moore has hit his stride. By now he has established an updated origin for Alec Holland and introduced all the key players including Abby, John Constantine, Arcane, Matt Cable, Deadman and The Phantom Stranger. We now enter Holland’s search for his true meaning in life and his place in “the green”. In these pages is the multi-part story called American Gothic where Swamp Thing must fight the battle of good vs. bad with many of his superheroes friends including Zatanna, Dr. Occult, Etrigan, Sargon, Dr. Fate The Spectre and others. But in-between comes the seminal Parliament Of Trees story from #47 where we meet other earth elementals including the original Swamp Thing Alex Olsen from House of Secrets #92. Holland ultimately leaves with more questions then answers but he does get an understanding of what he must do – it basically boils down to fighting evil.

As far as the book, itself, goes, it’s quiet special. It has a very nice Introduction by pop culture writer Charles Sharr Murray and a Forward by Neil Gaiman, who knows something about mystery and macabre. It also collects #39, which is the tie-in issue to Crisis On Infinite Earths. Why special? Because DC has yet to collect the crossovers in any sort of manner. Perhaps DC will publish a nice set of trade paperbacks complete with all 106 Crisis issues someday. The book also collects #50, an Anniversary double sized issue and the last comic in Book 4.

With Swamp Thing coming back to DC Universe proper, there is no better time then now get caught up with a classic character and one of the greatest comic book runs of all time.

Saga Of The Swamp Thing Book Four
Written by Alan Moore
Art by Stephen Bissette, John Totlebon, Stan Woch, Rick Veitch, Alfredo Alcala, Ron Randall and Tom Mandrake
224 pages, $24.99, DC Comics
Collects Swamp Thing #43-50 (Volume 2)

Recommended reading:
Roots Of The Swamp Thing

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.

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/

Please visit my site sponsors: In-Stock Trades, Forbidden Planet International (UK), and Library Binding Company.

2. Bloom County Complete Library by Berkeley Breathed Volume 1 HC (IDW)
IDW comes through this time with a newspaper collection not too big and not too small (or thick, or heavy). I’m sure Chris Ryall and his staff looked at what is right and what is wrong when reprinting newspaper comics. The result is the first collection (of five) that is easy to read and belongs on every shelf. Let’s hope that Outland and Opus are in the works.

3. Will Eisner’s The Spirit Archives Volume 26 HC and Volume 27 HC (DC Comics and Dark Horse Comics)
A very nice collaboration of DC and Dark Horse, with lots of help from Denis Kitchen to complete the entire series. They all line up so nice on the bookshelf that friends of mine, who have never read comics, are drawn to it’s size and magnificence. Let’s hope DC makes a Volume 28 starting with the newer Darwyn Cooke run.

4. Blazing Combat HC and The ‘Nam Volume 1 TPB (Fantagraphics and Marvel)
There was a time when War Comics told War Fact. They showed us the blood, death, comradery and horror. These two series did just that and didn’t hold back. Much like our Veterans, they are too often overlooked. It’s so good to see these “real war comics” back in print. I hope DC will get the hint and finally reprint USS Stevens, Fight The Enemy by Mike Sekowsky (Tower Comics, 1966) would also be nice to see.

5. George Sprott (1894-1975) HC by Seth (Drawn And Quarterly)
Originally released in the New York Times Magazine over a two year period, Seth has taken is work and expanded the story. It’s now a complete contemporary classic, oversized, and easy on the wallet. A fine addition to any strong coffee table.

6. Captain Britain by Alan Moore and Alan Davis Omnibus HC (Marvel)
Captain Britain had everything going for himself in 2009: A fan favorite series and a giant Omnibus showcasing his early adventures. Unfortunately, the Omnibus was released 3 months late and his series only lasted a total of 16 issues included an Annual. Never-the-less, the two Alan’s go together like, like fine wine and brie, aged better over time.

7. The Complete Essex County HC (Top Shelf)
Way back in 2008 we all knew that Jeff Lemire would have a great 2009. Not only did his magnum opus (for now) get published in a complete edition, but he also released The Nobody and launched his new series Sweet Tooth. Now is your chance to get caught up and to tell all of your friends that you’ve been reading Lemire for years. Shhh. It’ll be our little secret.

8. Strangers In Paradise Omnibus Limited Edition HC (Abstract Studios)
Terry Moore’s soap opera has been packaged in a way that should be the mold matched by other publishers of Oversized Collections. Sure it’s a bit expensive but it’s well worth it. Unlike other giant one-volumes, the comics are split it up into two volumes and a third volume that had the cover gallery and extras. It’s also nice to have Moore oversee his own project instead of handing it off to unnamed editors and interns.

9. Absolute Death HC and Criminal Deluxe Edition HC (DC Comics and Marvel)
Death was suppose to have been published as a Deluxe Hardcover and Criminal was suppose to have been published and an Omnibus. Both turned out perfect, I wouldn’t have them any other way. Neil Gaiman’s Death makes a very good “fifth” Absolute Sandman and Ed Brubaker’s Criminal is a great first foray into a new format for Marvel.

10. Chew Volume 1: Taster’s Choice TPB (Image)
The sold out hit of the summer was collected as a very affordable $10 trade paperback. Among the sea of glorious Oversized slipcase books that Image (and everyone else) offers, this small trade paperback is has it all art, story and affordability. No reason not to pick this book up.

• Randy Dahlk, has posted his design work for The Complete Rocketeer Deluxe Edition HC, a book that sold out in a matter of two days. Chris Ryall, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of IDW, said that, “Unfortunately, all the deluxe editions are allocated to Diamond. We overprinted it but knew that retailers under-ordered it so a sellout was likely”.
• Win A Signed Bill Willingham Copy Of Fables Deluxe Vol. 1 from Vertigo. You have until January 3, 2010.
• Check out some preview pages of Naomi Nowak’s Graylight (NBM).

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A funny thing happened when I was at the comic shop last Thursday. I wasn’t able to buy The Nobody by Jeff Lemire (Vertigo) or Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli (Pantheon) and I forgot that Parker: The Hunter by Darwyn Cooke wasn’t due for another two weeks. Instead, I picked up Too Cool to Be Forgotten by Alex Robinson (Top Shelf), which reminded me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney; and with all that – Voilà! – I have the topic for today’s show.

Also on the show, we do a little more eBay digging, including Wolverine: Weapon X Marvel Premiere Classic Hardcover Variant Vol. 5 by Barry Windsor-Smith that I picked up for only $11.00.

All this and the New Releases of the Week.

Chris

Please visit my site sponsors: In-Stock Trades, Forbidden Planet International (UK), and Library Binding Company.

http://www.collectedcomicslibrary.com/

Four years. Every week for four years, I’ve been producing this podcast. I say it annually that I never thought I would last this long, but here I am and here it is. And I really owe it all to you the reader of this blog and listener of the podcast. I can’t thank you enough.

As usual, for special shows, I focus on big books, events or characters and today is no different. Many of you have been collecting The Absolute Sandman volumes and just as many of you will probably be buying The Absolute Death when it is published in October. I’d like to recommend another book to add to your collection and that is Sandman: Kind Of Dreams by Alisa Kwitney. Published in 2003, it’s an in-depth retrospective of the series including artwork, op-ed pieces and even an Introduction by Neil Gaiman, himself.

Also on the show, I go over a new section to the CCL site: Marvel Premiere Classic, you can find it on the Library Page. All this and the New Releases of the Week.

Chris

Please visit my site sponsors: In-Stock Trades, Forbidden Planet International (UK), and Library Binding Company.

http://www.collectedcomicslibrary.com/

Vertigo Comics takes center stage on this installment of the CCL. First there is an actual solicit of the Absolute Prometha. It is slated for September 30 and will collect Promethea #1-12, (328 pgs, $99.99). Then, for the feature, I take a look at the two upcoming Swamp Thing Hardcovers: Roots of the Swamp Thing and Alan Moore’s Saga of the Swamp Thing Book 1. Not only do I cover the contents and basic information, but also what is conspicuously not collected, such as the pre-Moore work on Saga from Marty Pasko. And I ask the questions: Will that run ever get collected and, more importantly, should it ever get collected.

Also on the show this week, there’s information on The Spirit Archives Volume 26, Superman: Kryptonite Nevermore, The Wolverine Omnibus HC and the Alias Ultimate Collection 1 TP, collecting issues #1-15 (360 pgs, $34.99, May 20).

All this and the New Releases of the Week.

Chris

Links of Note:
Wordballoon: The Bendis Tapes Winter 2009 Part 2
Windy City Comicon

Please visit my site sponsors: In-Stock Trades, Forbidden Planet International (UK), and Library Binding Company.

• The Forbidden Planet Blog is always full of great and useful information. This week is no exception including tidbit on a possible Absolute Prometha, another planned FPI Alan Moore interview by
  Pádraig Ó Méalóid (who BTW needs your questions!), and even a special little gem from me – thanks Joe!
• 2008 Top 10 Graphic Novels and Trade Paperback (Collected Editions).
• Walt Disney which recently released their first The Walt Disney Animation Studios The Archive Series with Story, will be publishing follow-ups that include: Animation (October 2009), Layouts and Backgrounds (2010), and Concept Art (2011).
  Disney will also continue to publish other books about its animation heritage like this past October’s Disney Editions – Don Hahn’s The Alchemy of Animation: Making an Animated Film in the Modern Age. Also, animation historian John Canemaker is writing a new book called Two Guys Named Joe (2010) about animation story men Joe Grant and Joe Ranft.
• Complete Free Comic Book Day checklist released.
• Collected Editions Blog has details for Batman: Black Casebook and Final Crisis Companion.
• Michael Patrick Sullivan, CBR, talks with Ted McKeever and his Library Editions of Classic Works (Image).
• CBR has the Official Press Release for the Flash Gordon HC (Ardden Entertainment) collection celebrating the character’s 75th anniversary.
• News on the The Official Simon and Kirby Library due to be released in the summer of 2009.
• Warner Home Video To Release Collection Of Fleischer Superman.
• Review: Caleb, Every Day Is Like Wednesday, on Ten things I really liked about Essential Man-Thing Vol. 1.