A slightly late week this week…
Three Valiants, three weeklies, and a TMNT. I also snagged the new Serenity hardcover, as–at $19.99–it is a very reasonable value even at “full price,” so I opted to “support” this sorta thing via the LCS…
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Weekly Haul | Tagged: DC Weeklies, Firefly, Leaves on the Wind, Ninja Turtles, Serenity, Valiant | Leave a comment »
I’ve come to take it for granted having a number of great comic shops nearby, amazing bargain-bins, and when I can’t find stuff in-person, the ease of eBay, and several online retailers.
But…in classic Archie TMNT, I’ve found a major hole in everyone’s stock, where I’m having to actually branch beyond usual sources and/or prices…and the simple point-and-click of online purchasing.
I was able to order these TMNT Classics Digest issues from Mirage Licensing for a very reasonable price. Unfortunately, I’m left several issues shy of the 7-issue set, and “no one” stocks ’em.
And I more than DOUBLED the amount I have EVER paid for ANY single issue of a comic, bidding on the TMNT: Intergalactic Wrestling issue (and this without even the audiocassette it was originally packaged with).
But I’m relatively determined to finish my Archie collection of TMNT, and have just a handful of issues left to do so.
Definitely a bit of “fun” to the “hunt,” and a bit more satisfaction and sense of “reward” than with ordering something simply, common, that I can compare prices across multiple sources to save a couple dollars, etc.
And it’ll be cool to complete an “active subcollection,” a finite body of books, in the Archie TMNT stuff.
Just a little further to go…
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: archie, Archie Adventure Series, Classics Digest, Intergalactic Wrestling, Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures, TMNT, TMNT Adventures | Leave a comment »
Last weekend, I stopped by a Half-Price Books location I hadn’t been to for awhile, half thinking to find some X-Men comics for convenience rather than digging through a bunch of my boxes.
I was disgusted to see all their single-issue comics in bins marked as $1 or whatever some sticker says if more than $1. Considering these comics are primarily ’90s books people are dumping, and in crappy condition to a large degree (“reading copy” at best), and stuff I find in quarter bins all the time locally.
But I was ESPECIALLY disgusted when I–with interest in possibly blowing my “budget” on it–spotted the oversized hardcover edition of Avengers Forever. I figured it’d be $15-$20 depending on whether it was a $30 or $35-$40 book…and was rather shocked to find it was priced at $30…a mere $5 under cover price (hardly 15% off…a far cry from HALF off)!
Even more, it has the hand-written note “OUT OF PRINT” like that’s supposed to be enough.
What gets me is that Half-Price Books–to me–is supposed to be just that: HALF-price books. The premise of the store is half-off the printed price on the books. Because they’re USED. And the store is NOT a Barnes & Noble or Borders or Booksamillion or such. They’re a used bookstore, set apart from just any other used bookstore or chain by the idea that the books they sell are half off cover price.
I don’t begrudge them having a separate section in the store for rare or first editions or otherwise COLLECTABLE stuff. Ok, fine, they’re in a specifically-marked SECTION of the store, that doesn’t bother me. But everything in the main/general part of the store–to me–should stick to the rule the name of the store implies.
If they’re gonna be in the “collector” business, then curate the collection, and keep the stuff they consider “collectors’ items” in their OWN section, and everything ACTUALLY half-off in the main/general section.
And while $1 may be MORE than half-off the cover price of MANY of the comics…these bins were 25-cent and 50-cent bins, now bumped up TO the $1 point. And I’d be REALLY curious how many they actually SELL, at that price. Again–I don’t see them as a “collector’s place” kinda store–they’re “supposed to be” neutral. And comics for $1 just because they’re comics? I’m NOT impressed, and will stick with the higher-quality selection and runs in local shops for 25-50 cents.
Of course, while I grouse about the scale tipping to the upper end away from the half-way mark…I have no problem if they choose to offer something for well over half-off.
I bought the Infinity Gauntlet Aftermath, as it was ALSO a book I’ve been interested in…AND it is priced exactly to a bit better than I would “expect” to find it in good condition at a Half-Price Books.
I can’t think of any comic shop where I’ve seen collected volumes arbitrarily priced higher for being “out of print”–they just sell the thing, in-print or out, and if it’s out of print they simply aren’t able to restock the volume. If it’s in-print, they note the book has sold and restock.
Though where a comic shop will typically have a lot of “back issues” that are “arbitrarily” priced usually at least 25 cents above cover price (what I consider a “storage/convenience markup”) that is generally EXPECTED.
A store dealing in used books and selling itself on the idea that its wares are half-off, one does not EXPECT to find a book nearly full cover price amidst everything that actually is priced at half-off.
Not that my opinion matters or should singly influence a chain…but I’ll continue to vote with my wallet, so to speak. Just as they have the right to price stuff ridiculously like this, I have the right to not buy from them…and to grouse about the matter in public.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: books, comics, half price, Half-Price Books, pricing, used books | 1 Comment »
Untapped Potential
Words: Scott Lobdell
Guest Penciler: Steve Epting
Inkers: Dan Green & Tim Townsend
Colorists: Buccellato, Becton, Hicks
Editor: Bob Harras
Published by: Marvel Comics
Cover Date: December 1994
Cover Price: $1.95
There’s something simply “familiar” about sitting and reading this issue, that brought back a lot of memories, and a certain feeling. This came out in late 1994–I was 13 at the time. (I’m 33 now). To that barely-a-teenager me, this was just another issue of an X-Men series I’d been following for over a year even as other X-books had lapsed.
Now looking back, this was a key issue on a number of fronts–primarily being a pre-prologue lead-in to Legion Quest, which itself was a prologue to the four-month Age of Apocalypse saga. This was–at least as I recall from having just re-read this issue but nothing earlier, recently–the issue Archangel and Psylocke officially became “a thing,” a relationship that carried across the next 16 or so years til The Dark Angel Saga in Uncanny X-Force a few years ago.
We have three main plots running through this issue: Rogue and Iceman are traveling to Bobby’s parents’ house for a visit. Bobby obviously has stuff eating at him, and Rogue tries to be a friend and get him to open up on the issues. She doesn’t get the greatest welcome from Bobby’s dad, though his mom tries to be a lot more hospitable. The visit overall does not go well, and Bobby storms out on some angry words. Rogue leaves as well with a calmer (but no less sharp) sharing of words.
Meanwhile, Warren (Archangel) and Betsy (Psylocke) are on a date that goes quite well, and leads to the two going back to Warren’s place and (verbally) officializing their relationship.
Finally, we follow Xavier in a dream in which he speaks to Magneto, reminiscing on their time in Israel some 20 years earlier. As the discussion progresses, Xavier begins to realize something isn’t quite right, as the dream moves from reminiscence to nightmare, resulting in Beast jolting Xavier awake–and Xavier explains that he fears his son Legion has recovered and is now more dangerous than ever before.
The art team presents a strong issue. The look was familiar, I had no problem recognizing any of the characters…and really, I quite enjoyed the way they looked. While I could not have said off the top of my head that Epting did the art for this issue, had done art (guest penciler or otherwise) on X-Men stuff from ’94, I recall the look of the issue, and as I re-read it this latest time, the only problem I had at all was disliking the shift from upright pages to “widescreen” pages where I had to physically turn the book in order to read a page. (Of course, I’ll take that over umpteen pointless double-page splashes).
Story-wise, this kept things moving, and while three simultaneous plots only allow a few pages for each, they were woven together well, and I didn’t feel any of them were particularly shorted or such–they and the issue as a whole just “worked.”
Back in the day, I was not familiar with Legion, so reading this the first time I doubt gave me any particular cause to think something big was up just from story context. I imagine I knew a bit about Legion and such, though, from other issues that flashed back, or at the very least from stuff about the then-upcoming “death” of Xavier and all that.
As noted above, I simply ENJOYED rereading this issue. It was cool to see Rogue and Bobby hanging out, and I recognized/identified with the two as they interacted, in a way I never did before. I’d forgotten about their time here, remembering only their “roadtrip” after continuity returned from the Age of Apocalypse stuff. And it was the characterizing of Xavier/Magneto’s relationship heading into the Age of Apocalypse that is certainly my favorite, and was at the time instrumental in DEFINING their relationship to me.
Though this issue works well enough just on its own–perhaps aided by my own memories–it’s also helped by my diving in here just before Legion Quest and remembering the impact that story had on me and looking forward to key moments and then the Age of Apocalypse saga itself.
Filed under: The '90s Revisited | Tagged: Archangel, Becton, Bob Harras, Bobby Drake, Dan Green, Hicks, Iceman, Legion, Legion Quest, MARVEL, Marvel Comics, Psylocke, Rogue, Scott Lobdell, Steve Epting, Tim Townsend Buccellato, Uncanny X-Men, x-men | 1 Comment »
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Full Post at TMNT Revisited |
Filed under: The '90s Revisited | Tagged: archie, Eastman, Laird, Ninja Turtles, TMNT, TMNT Adventures | Leave a comment »
Several weeks ago, I posted about finding the Original Comic Book Leonardo and Original Comic Book Michelangelo figures. I was surprised at the lack of Raphael and Donatello, and figured I’d be “hunting” for those for awhile. Thankfully, the packaging is distinctive from the rest of the line, making it very easy to spot the Original Comic Book Turtles over any other figures in the set without having to poke through all the figures on the pegs.
Over the first weekend of November I came across the Raphael and Donatello figures at a Toys R Us and bought ’em immediately, rather than risk them disappearing for awhile…especially with the “holiday shopping season” fast intruding.
As of present, now having all four of these, I may track down the Michelangelo and Donatello “Battle Shell” turtles (aka “Storage Shell”), and then Tiger Claw. Otherwise, I’m pretty much set, outside of (someday) talking myself into buyig the Shellraiser (aka “Turtle Van”) for this line.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: Donatello, Ninja Turtles, Original Comic Book, Original Comic Book Donatello, Original Comic Book Raphael, playmates, Raphael, TMNT, TMNT 2012, TMNT 2014, toys, turtles | Leave a comment »
I truly wish I knew what/why/who it was, determining if a home-media-release movie would have a BluRay/DVD combo pack. (+ Digital, too, even!)
I was in Target, and happened to notice these two new releases:
And I just happened to further notice the formats.
UNLike the recent Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the upcoming Guardians of the Galaxy (or Fox‘s X-Men: Days of Future Past, but that’s Fox and not Disney)…
Maleficent, a live-action (like the Marvel films)…Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital. EMPHASIS…on the Blu-Ray and DVD!
And an animated film, Planes: Fire and Rescue. Again with the Blu-Ray/DVD/Digital.
So really…WHAT THE HECK?!?
Why include a DVD for SOME films and not others, along with the Blu-Ray and Digital grouping?
I mean…WHAT makes it seem like a “good idea” or anything the public would want?!?
I have personal reasons for not really wanting either of these two films, but I’d be inclined otherwise to buy them specifically to “support” the three-format combo while I refused already to buy the Captain America movie and will likely refuse to buy Guardians first-hand (If I buy Guardians I’ll likely go with a second-hand/”used” copy since that won’t be a sale Disney can track/count as “support” for an inferior product).
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT | Tagged: Blu-Ray, bluray, brd, combo pack, Disney, DVD, Fire & Rescue, Maleficent, Planes | Leave a comment »
Kicking off November with a decent haul this week!
The latest Batman Essentials issue, this month chapter one of Year One. And of course, the three weeklies.
Valiant and Gold Key books from…Valiant and Dynamite. Different flavors at this point, but same nostalgic motivation, even though Valiant already seems to have a better track record, and I’m embarrassingly far behind reading the Gold Key stuff. I’m still not sure whether or not to “trust” Dynamite to keep these titles around longer than a year or so…though they’ve been doing a pretty good job so far of keeping these timely!
Along with the new stuff, I raided the quarter-bin for a mere 4 issues ($1)’s worth of stuff this week. I think the GI Joe issue brings me 1 issue closer to a complete Marvel run of the series. I’ve wanted to read the final chapter of the Spider-Man Clone Saga for far too many years to pass it up for a mere 25-cents. And I snagged the Prophet/Cable issue to go with my Cable collection.
I passed on a near-complete run of Supreme vol. 2…not wanting to hassle with “having to” track down isolated issues…plus already being quite “over budget” for the week not having expected the Gold Key issues.
Filed under: NON-REVIEW CONTENT, The Weekly Haul | Tagged: Clone Saga, comics, DC Comics, G.I. Joe, Gold Key, MARVEL, Prophet/Cable, Spider-Man, Valiant, weekly | Leave a comment »
Full Post at TMNT Revisited
TMNT Adventures: The Reprints, part 1
Filed under: TMNT Adventures Revisited | Tagged: archie, Ninja Turtles, TMNT Adventures, TMNT Revisited | Leave a comment »
This past summer, I was rather excited at the announcement of the first-ever Valiant Omnibus volume, featuring the complete classic Quantum and Woody series.
It just seemed such a great concept to me…and almost immediately I decided it was definitely a volume I was going to want to own. Rather than “only” 8 or so issues like the classic Bloodshot or Ninjak volumes I got a couple years ago, or even going back several years to the X-O Manowar, Harbinger, and Archer & Armstrong hardcovers….I loved the idea of the ENTIRE SERIES being collected into a single volume.
And now several months later, my copy of the volume finally arrived, and I’m quite pleased with it!
While there are 20-some issues in the volume, it doesn’t seem OVERLY thick or unwieldy…as volumes like this go, it seems a nice, sturdy size. Larger than a “standard” oversize hardcover content-wise, with double the pagecount of the 12ish-issue volumes, but not some ginormous wrist-breaking thing, either.
I like the look of the the book in general, the cover, and overall, I’m just very happy with this. EXCEPT that now it makes me want the upcoming X-O Manowar Classic vol. 1.
But…Valiant just continues to put out excellent product that rewards the fans. So long as they don’t rush a bunch of these out, I could see picking up the later omnibii editions…and as long as they keep their deluxe hardcovers in-print awhile longer, I certainly want to get those–particularly the Harbinger Wars one.
Filed under: 1990s, 2014, Quantum and Woody, Valiant | Tagged: Bright, Complete Classic Omnibus, omnibus, Priest, Quantum and Woody, Quantum. Woody, Valiant | Leave a comment »
Comic Reviews by Walt 