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Wow, No Lump of Coal

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It was a great Christmas this year. Though I missed not getting home to see my parents and brothers, I had a lovely time with my girlfriend’s family, and the holiday held a number of wonderful surprises. I have a variety of wonderful new toys to play with, such as a great new, larger, flat monitor for my computer (thanks, honey!) and satellite radio for the car. When it comes to comics gifts, I’m not easy to shop for from my loved ones’ perspective, as they’re not into comics, and just about every peripheral, comics-related item that I really want, I tend to get for myself anyway. My girlfriend did well with picking up the DVD box set of the various Superman movies. But my parents — who at one time really wanted me to cast off comics as a relic of my childhood — really surprised me this year with an unusual, inexpensive little gift: a grab bag of old DC and Marvel comics from the 1970s and ’80s.

They’re dog-eared. They’re marred by ink and various unknown stains. They contain cheesy stories and clunky dialogue. And I absolutely love them.

I’ve received comics as Christmas gifts in the past, but they’ve been generally relegated to newer comics, bought at a newsstand and stuffed in my holiday stocking. And inevitably, they’d be books I’d already acquired. Furthermore, I don’t family and friends looking in comic-shop back-issue bins for hermetically sealed, Mylar-protected comics from yesteryear. No, my parents struck upon a great idea for a cheap but pleasantly surprising gift: beat-up, used-bookstore comics.

Among the obscure little nuggets in the small pile of old comics was DC Comics Presents #66, notable for a couple of reasons. By coincidence, my folks had happened upon one of the few gaps in my DCCP collection. Furthermore, the issue is illustrated by the legendary Joe Kubert, and writer Len Wein’s script bills the adventure as the first encounter between Superman and Etrigan the Demon. The plot and dialogue are a bit awkward at times, and Wein paints the ancient druids as a group of magical villains. But the art is stunning. Kubert’s style works surprisingly well at bringing the Demon to life, and the artist offers up a great “widescreen” perspective of the museum backdrop that serves as the setting for the opening scenes. Furthermore, Kubert’s loose style suits the organic manifestations of the villain’s elemental powers. One can really see the elder Kubert’s influence on his sons’ future pencilling styles as well. Speaking of whom, current Action Comics artist Adam Kubert is credited as the letterer on this issue, published in December 1983.

The selection of yellowed comics also included another DC team-up story: “Junkman — the Recycled Superstar!” from Action Comics #455, published in November 1975. Elliot S! Maggin’s plot is designed to bring Superman together with the stars of the title’s rotating backup features at the time: Green Arrow and the Atom. To say that the premise is forced is putting it lightly. The story is atrocious, but given the context of the plot and the campiness of the presentation, it entertains all the same. The great thing about these old comics is that readers are subconsciously free to judge them by different standards. The story is pencilled by the consummate Superman artist, the late Curt Swan, but the plot shows that even legendary talents have their weaknesses. While Swan’s style was perfect for Superman, he’s clearly not as comfortable with Green Arrow.

Also included in my small stack of six old comics was The Amazing Spider-Man #249. The December 1983 comic book was released before I developed an interest in Marvel Comics (which came a few years later, when a friend insisted I check out Marvel Super-Heroes: Secret Wars #5). Penned by Roger Stern, the issue sparked my interest now because it features some earlier work from John (Eternals) Romita Jr. Romita’s art is quite strong, and I was especially impressed with his take on the Hobgoblin. He also manages to offer strong visual storytelling despite the encroachment of Stern’s extremely wordy script; the first half of the issue seems focused entirely on exposition, which makes for an accessible but somewhat jarring read. The visual highlight of the book — at least from a cheesy retro perspective — is a bit of 1980s fashion, Marvel style, as we’re treated to a vision of Peter Parker walking around a housewarming part in a midriff-exposing muscle-shirt with the word “ANIMAL” emblazoned across the front.

The other comics in my unexpected gift pack boast equally odd, ham-fisted yet impressive storytelling as well, and I’m getting a great deal of entertainment value out of what I suspect cost my family a handful of change to purchase (if any money changed hands at all).

Today, publishers are making a lot of material from yesteryear — from the 1940s right up to the ’90s — available to their 21st-century audiences. I’m pleased these old stories — classic or otherwise — are being brought back into print — in some cases at low prices, no less. But there’s something about the experience of thumbing through the original comic, about smelling the worn paper, about seeing the child-like printing of a previous owned on the cover or first page… those are things no Marvel Essential edition or DC Showcase book can replicate.

December 29, 2006 Don MacPherson

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6 thoughts on “Wow, No Lump of Coal”

  1. Palladin says:
    December 30, 2006 at 12:35 pm

    Your parents are so cool! My Mom was like that, she passed away a few years back. Thankfully my Dad has enough sense to not try and pick anything, he gives cash and teh ability to go dig in those old boxes and smell those books.

    Been down the family comics gift route as well. It is the thought that counts, but sometimes it shows just how off they are about knowing you.

    Happy New Year.

    (I am working on my Best of as well. Not as elaborate as yours, but my small tatse. Been sick so it has been slow work.)

  2. Don MacPherson says:
    December 30, 2006 at 1:47 pm

    Well, since I’m in my mid 30s, I’m beyond the “my parents are so cool” stage. I suppose what’s so touching about this small gift isn’t that it was a stack of comics, per se, but a symbol of our my relationship with my parents has evolved. It was a gesture, an acknowledgement of something I love, even if it is a bit outside of the norm for most people. The gift is a symbol of acceptance of who I am as much as it is an effort to please and entertain me.

    The real gift is that acceptance, I suppose — thus, the warm tinglies it evokes.

  3. Kevin Hines says:
    December 31, 2006 at 1:45 am

    I have the same issue with comic book gifts. Any new comic I want – I already have. So folks can’t buy me comics as gifts.

    But last year my girlfriend bought me an issue of Amazing Spider-Man with the coverdate of my birth month (feb. 1975). And that was very very cool. I’ve read it in reprints – without thinking much of it, but now I framed it and hung it on my wall and it is a great little gift. My favorite super-hero from the month I was born facing mysterio, doc ock, the vulture (and more?). It looks great.

  4. Bronn says:
    December 31, 2006 at 1:58 am

    My parents never liked my gaming habit as a teen, so I can identify with the evolution theme. I was in my 20s, and working at a game store as a side job, when my parents finally took the plunge and went in and asked my boss what I might like. It was the first time I’d received anything gaming related in the ten or so years that I’d been doing it, since my cousin gave me D&D at 13. I think they finally realized it wasn’t a fad, and came to terms with my love of it.
    They were slightly more accepting of comics in my teens, luckily, but then, I read anything that wasn’t nailed down, so comics were just one form of reading I did, and they didn’t mind me spending my allowance on them, since I read more than “funny books’.
    That was a sweet present. 🙂

  5. Jon says:
    January 1, 2007 at 1:01 pm

    First off, Merry (Belated) Christmas Don! Thanks for the nice editorial. That Spiderman issue was one of the comics I bought as a kid so your review was a fun trip back in time for me. Another issue of DC Comics Presents was my first ever comic (Superman teaming up with the Unknown Soldier), so it was great to see that series highlighted as well.

    Ever think of writing the occasional “Retro Review” for Eye on Comics? I know those are some of my favorite features in CBG every month and, being about the same age as you, I would love to see your take on some of the book and storylines from our youth.

  6. Don MacPherson says:
    January 1, 2007 at 1:25 pm

    Jon wrote:
    Ever think of writing the occasional “Retro Review” for Eye on Comics? I know those are some of my favorite features in CBG every month and, being about the same age as you, I would love to see your take on some of the book and storylines from our youth.

    Actually, I had considered Retro Reviews, especially after receiving those old comics. However, I don’t get as many reviews of new material written as I’d like, so I decided not to add to my “workload” with flashback reviews.

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