Comic industry offerings remain hot as weather cools

By ANDREW A. SMITH
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
I'm going to blame global warming: November's comic-book offerings are just as hot as those in the summer months. What happened to the old days, when the industry would go into a coma during the winter? Now I have to stay alert year-round!

Speaking of the old days, November's most important offering is a reprint: the second of Gemstone's hardback EC Archives series, "Shock SuspenStories" Vol. 1 ($49.95).

For those of you who missed last month's epic EC column, I explained therein that EC Comics was a groundbreaking company that was the first to approach the comic-book medium as something that adults could enjoy. EC pushed the envelope in such genres as horror, science fiction, crime, war, satire and psychological thrillers - but had the misfortune of trying these things during the buttoned-down '50s, when everyone believed comics were for kids (or caused juvenile delinquency). EC began its grand experiment in 1950, but was essentially chased out of business by the draconian, reactionary Comics Code of 1954.

Last month's offering, "Weird Science" Vol. 1, reprinted the first six issues of that seminal sci-fi comic comic book, which came at the beginning of EC's run. This month's hardback collects "Shock SuspenStories" Nos. 1-4, which came closer to the middle (Feb 52-Jan 53), when publisher Bill Gaines, writer Al Feldstein and artists Jack Davis, Graham Ingels, Jack Kamen, Joe Orlando, Marie Severin and Wally Wood were at the peak of their game.

"Shock SuspenStories" was technically a sampler, offering one story per issue in four genres for which EC was quickly becoming known (horror, "crime suspense," war and sci-fi), but almost immediately the book began substituting a "shock suspense" story that gave the title its name. And they truly were shocking for the time, usually stories condemning racism, anti-Semitism, police brutality, super-patriotism, the Ku Klux Klan and intolerance of all kinds. The moral lessons of these stories were considered radically liberal at the time, and might still be controversial in some quarters today.

If nothing else, it's a real shock to see what these men dared to print 54 years ago!

_ EC-mania: Seasons 3-5 of "Tales from the Crypt," based on the EC comic book, are available on DVD this month ($39.98 each).

Elsewhere in November:

_ Homicidal Birthday: Ten years ago, Marvel Comics tried an experiment where it outsourced some of its most famous characters to outside creators, primarily at Image Comics. To do this, they introduced a "Big Bad" named Onslaught, who essentially killed the Fantastic Four, the Avengers (including Captain America, Thor and Iron Man), Hulk and a few other big names - who were immediately re-created in a parallel universe as similar, but updated, versions of themselves. These new variations on the FF, et al, were published in four titles under the umbrella imprint "Heroes Reborn," and lasted 13 issues each before being axed, whereupon the characters returned to their previous incarnations at Marvel Comics proper.

Which brings us to "Onslaught: Reborn" No. 1 (of 5, $2.99), which restores the Big Bad to life, and hungry for revenge on the elementary-school mutant who destroyed him a decade ago: Franklin Richards, the son of Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman of the Fantastic Four.

The miniseries is written and drawn by two men associated with the 1996 storyline, Jeph Loeb ("Heroes," "Smallville") and Rob Liefeld ("Captain America"). I asked them for a one-sentence description in a telephone interview:

Liefeld: "The villain that wiped out the entire Marvel universe has returned, and now the one thing the heroes have feared since their return is back."

Loeb: "A big, high-rollicking adventure and, at the heart of it, is this story about a father trying to save his son."

_ That's The Spirit: The Dark Knight teams up with comics legend Will Eisner's greatest creation in "Batman/The Spirit" #1 ($4.99). Created by Darwyn Cooke and the ubiquitous Jeph Loeb, this is a much-anticipated launch for a new, ongoing "Spirit" series.

_ Psst!: DC adds another Super-title, this one retelling seminal events in Kal-El's life, in "Superman Confidential" ($2.99).

_ Stalker: The ramifications of Peter Parker revealing his secret ID continue as a vengeful ex-girlfriend crawls out of the woodwork with a tell-all book, "How Spider-Man Ruined My Life," in "Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man" No. 14 ($2.99). Oh yeah, I think we can all relate.

_ Happy Feet: For those who say there are no comics for girls, here's "To Dance: A Ballerina's Graphic Novel" (Aladdin Comics, $9.99 softcover, $17.95 hardback).

_ Faux Anniversary: "Incredible Hulk" hits issue No. 100 this month, which I don't really consider significant, because by my count it's really issue No. 579 (including the two previous incarnations of the title). But it gives me an excuse to mention Marvel's Nov. 6 announcement of a new Hulk movie (due July 27, 2008) that will ignore 2003's "Hulk" and start the franchise over (like "Batman Begins"). Sorry about that, Ang Lee.

_ Ugly Is As Ugly Does: How DC's disfigured Western gunslinger Jonah Hex got his scars has been explained a number of times, usually in contradictory ways. Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti saddle up for another shot in "Jonah Hex" Nos. 13-15 ($2.99 each).

_ Christmas Already? The flood of holiday-themed books begins this month with "Marvel Holiday" (digest, $7.99), "Punisher X-Mas Special" ($3.99) and "Simpsons' Winter Wingding" ($4.99).

(Contact Andrew Smith of the Memphis Commercial Appeal at capncomics(at)aol.com or visit www.captaincomics.us)