Daily Archives: January 2, 2005

Upcoming Kirby – Bicentennial Battles TPB

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Just a quick note that while looking through Amazon’s listings, they have a book called CAPTAIN AMERICA: BICENTENNIAL BATTLES due next summer. These early listings on Amazon are always subject to change, and there are no content listings, but I would imagine this will include the tabloid format book of that title, along with some issues of the regular run of CAP from that era (maybe ANNUAL #3).

Other upcoming books noticed that hadn’t been announced elsewhere, ESSENTIAL FF v4 and a paperback edition of Ronin Ro’s TALES TO ASTONISH.

The Greatest Golden-Age Stories Ever Told [1990]

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THE GREATEST GOLDEN-AGE STORIES EVER TOLD was a 1990 DC hardcover collection various stories from the 1930s to the 1950s DC comics, plus those of other publishers they acquired. Simon&Kirby are represented by a reprint of the 12-page Boy Commandos story from DETECTIVE COMICS #69 (1942), “The Siege of Krovka”.

After a great opening splash of the Commandos on a fanciful ice sled (and I have to say, the splash-page logo use for BC stories is excellent), we get the mood of the times with a scene of Hitler ordering his troops to take Russia, never mind the cold. This speech is nicely delivered as Hitler exits “Der Fuehrer’s Steam Bath”. We’re then told that “the fear of their Fuehrer’s wrath drives the brutal, moronic Nazi legions forward”. Moving from the Nazis, we see the brave Russian defenders, as epitomized by one particular group, the Vanin family. FDR also makes a cameo, with a radio speech. When the town is under siege, young Tanya sneaks out to send a message, getting shot in the process. Struggling on, she gets found by Rip Carter and the Boy Commandos with their sled. After getting her message, Rip and three of the boys go off with a plane and glider to help hold Krovka until reinforcements can arrive, while Brooklyn and Tanya get left behind and take the sled, blowing up some German munitions convoy.

krovka

Tanya earns Brooklyn’s respect thanks to her skill with a tommy-gun on the way over, and she seems taken with him as well, although she does give him language instruction book so she can understand him. A book on learning English, that is.

Very fun story, although focusing a little bit less on the boys than usual. The art is excellent, very well rendered and fast-moving.

Author bios in the back also have a short blurb about S&K as well.

As far as I know, there was only a hardcover edition of this book, unlike most of the books in DC’s GREATEST… STORIES EVER TOLD series.

Published 1990

Marvel Spectacular #1 [1973]

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In 1973, MARVEL SPECTACULAR picked up the Thor reprints from SPECIAL MARVEL EDITION left off the previous year (with enough of a gap that they added an apology for it on the first page). “The Power of Pluto” is reprinted from THOR #128. As we open, Thor is recovering from the battle with Seidring. I find it amusing that his bed is in the shape of a viking ship, as it makes me think of those race-car beds made for five-year-old boys. Anyway, proud papa Odin visits, actually feeling guilty for weakening Thor, leading to his injuries, and dispenses ironic Odinic justice to Seidring. Meanwhile, on Earth, Hercules proves to be as smart as a bagful of hammers, as he lets Pluto convince him to sign a “movie contract” that really consigns him to rule the netherworld in Pluto’s place (although, to be fair, that movie set Pluto built for the ruse was spectacular). After recovering with some hunting and dueling in Asgard, Thor seeks out Hercules to avenge his honour from his defeat two issues before, only to see Herc under siege from the denizens of the netherworld, and comes to his aid.

Marvel Spectacular #1 [1973]

They’re victorious after Pluto departs, but Hercules knows he’ll still have to deal with Pluto taking his contract to Zeus, which even Thor knows is a bad thing.

This whole sequence with Hercules is rousing good fun, with some of the best fight scenes Kirby ever did. I’ve got it all in scattered formats, so I’m looking forward to seeing it straight through in black and white (and I find Colletta somewhat improved without the colour, as long as they’re able to get a solid reproduction source) in the upcoming ESSENTIAL THOR v2.

They also pick up the “Tales of Asgard” reprints, which were running a year behind, so this issue has “The Challenge” from JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #116. This is one of the stories where Loki tries to trap Thor, this time by encouraging King Hymir of the ridiculously big crown to challenge Thor to various tasks. Thor almost fails, but thanks to his charm with the ladies and his willingness to kill the King he triumphs, much to Loki’s frustration. And I have to say, those Asgardians let Loki get pretty far before they finally realized he was a villain.

This was one of those eras where they apparently thought word balloons on the cover were what sold comics, so this issue reprints the original cover from THOR #128, but with some superfluous dialogue and much brighter colours.

All inks by Colletta.

Published August 1973