Personal blog - and temporary home page until new website is finished - of writer, editor and graphic artist Christopher Mills


Sunday, July 29, 2012

The Good Old Stuff

I'm quite certain I'm repeating myself, but I very rarely buy new comics. As much as I love the medium, I just can't afford to keep up with the books that might interest me, and with the costs of today's books, I usually find that what little money comes my way is better spent on my DVDs/Blu-rays. Just seems like more value for my money.

I do, however, like DC's Showcase Presents line of vintage reprints. These black & white, telephone book-sized collections usually run less than $20, and with some careful internet prowling, can even be found new for less than $10, sometimes. My most recent purchases were Showcase Presents: The Spectre (600+ pages) and Showcase Presents: Sea Devils (500+ pages). The Spectre volume collects the majority of the supernatural avenger's solo adventures (as well as a few team-up stories) from the late Sixties through the early Eighties, with lots of gorgeous artwork by the likes of Murphy Anderson, Jerry Grandenetti, Neal Adams and Jim Aparo.

The Sea Devils book collects every undersea adventure of the titular team of explorers, nearly all of which were drawn by the astounding Russ Heath. The stories are silly stuff, but a lot of fun.

Best of all, with around a 1,000 pages of great, classic DC comics between these two books, I should have plenty to read for a good long while...

2 comments:

El Vox said...

I'd be interested whenever you perused these DC collected books if you'd let us know what you think of them. Since they are so big, I understand if you can't get thru the whole thing, still I'm curious about them. You are right, that's the way to go. I can't afford new comic books either, except on a limited scale. I don't know how anyone does that has other commitments. Which is not to say I don't have interest in them. I find my comics in bargains sales here and there.

Christopher Mills said...

I'm still working my way through both volumes, but I can recommend them wholeheartedly and without reservation.

Good, old-fashioned, adventure stories with all the fun left in!