A.X.E.: Starfox

 

Comic: A.X.E.: Starfox

Where Purchased: Comic Hunter in Montreal, Quebec

When Purchased: October 23, 2022

When Read: November 12, 2024

Starfox is another one of those characters who joined the Avengers when I started collecting.  I didn't know ANYTHING about him.  He was introduced with a little bit of a mystery that was fun to see get explored at the time.

To non-comic readers, he is the character that Harry Styles was playing in one of the post-credit scenes in The Eternals.  

Another fun thing about Starfox was when Smacky discovered a little resemblance back in 2016...

All of which leads to me seeing this particular book on the shelf with a variant cover.  It is a one shot from another event that I did not follow.

This issue was...impenetrable.  I know the mantra of "every issue is somebody's first" no longer applies at Marvel but criminy this was just too much to process.  I don't know why it wouldn't have been a part of the main event series.  Why a one-shot?

Perhaps I have been away from this character for too long.  I did find a copy of the She-Hulk issue pictured above.  Perhaps when I give that series a read I will come back to this because I did not recognize this character at all.

I bought this variant covered A.X.E.: Starfox at one of my top three favorite comic shops, Comic Hunter in Montreal.  It is such a great place to spend some time scouring the back issue boxes for great comics.  The exchange rate always helps and they offer some cool promotions during your birthday month.

They have a neat shelving system for back issues, a dollar section, action figures, and so much more.

They were able to obtain a copy of Conan #1 for me during the height of my pursuit of birthday month comics.  Knowing why I was looking for the book, they got me a good deal on a decent copy.

Looking at the stats of my collection, I have purchased exactly 100 comics from them.  I grabbed this during the last time I visited.  Before we moved, it took me a little over an hour to reach Montreal.  Now Google Maps says it is more than a five hour trip.  C'est la vie.

My only caveat for visiting is that parking is a BEAR.  But it is a great shop with the friendliest of staffs!

Generations: Miles Morales Spider-Man & Peter Parker Spider-Man

 

Comic: Generations: Miles Morales Spider-Man & Peter Parker Spider-Man

Where Purchased: 9 Planets Comics and Collectables in Dearborn Heights, Michigan

When Purchased: September 20, 2023

When Read: November 17, 2024

When I returned to collecting comics in 2003, Brian Michael Bendis was the hot writer.  I really enjoyed the slew of books he was writing....Alias, Daredevil, Ultimate Spider-Man.  Solid stories and got me into characters that I hadn't really collected before.

He moved on to MY title, The Avengers, and started spearheading all of Marvel's yearly events.

It did reach the point where I noticed that he didn't give each character their own voice.  In books with multiple characters, it often felt, to me, that you could switch around word bubbles or eliminate some characters and there would be no impact to the overall story.  I also noticed characters would have really weird parenthetical asides all the time.

So I drifted away from his work when he started a series called All-New X-Men, which had an intriguing premise but just didn't click with me.  After nearly 600 issues of Bendis-penned stories, I moved on.

This comic is part of a ten-issue anthology limited series that spun out of a Marvel event that I did not read. The overall idea of all of these Generations one-shots sees modern heroes being sent through time on a journey of self-discovery, each featuring a team-up of different incarnations of ten different superheroes.  The goal of the series was to examine who these heroes are and suggest where they might be heading in the future.

I stumbled across several issues in a dollar bin at a Books-A-Million and liked the variant covers as well as the characters involved.

From there, I picked up most of the others, with this being the last of them I wanted.  It is a fun read.  It seems like there have been some changes to Bendis's writing and the art is evocative of early Marvel.  A solid 8.

I picked this up on a 24 hour work trip to the greater Detroit area.  I flew in, arriving at 8:30 AM local time for an event that started at 5:00 PM.  Needless to say, I had some time on my hands.  I was able to visit 5 stores throughout the day and grabbed about two dozen books.

I also ended up with a hundred dollar traffic ticket....which is a story for another time.

Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe (One Shot)

 

Comic: Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe

Where Purchased: JAF Comics in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

When Purchased: June 20, 2024

When Read: November 17, 2024

When I first started collecting comics, Fred Hembeck was the guy who drew a little 3-panel comic strip that appeared in DC comic books. Usually funny, always irreverent.

Along with the "Ask The Answer Man!" column on those Daily Planet promotional pages, Hembeck helped me deepen my understanding of the history that came before.

He also featured prominently in the Marvel Age publication, contributing a 2-page humor strip for most of the comics run.

I also own a few of the black and white magazine-sized format books that FantaCo published back in the day (a rare exploration of something non-Marvel or non-DC for me back then) and I love love LOVE the Fantastic Four Roast that he wrote and laid out the artwork for from Marvel to commemorate the FF's 20th anniversary. 

It features one of the first wraparound covers I had ever seen. 

I always felt he rather cleverly recounted the FF's origin... 

One of my favorite sequences from the story is the X-Men page.

So when I came across "Fred Hembeck Sells the Marvel Universe" I had to pick it up.  I am glad I did as it is a hoot.  While not for everyone, this is a fun flashback to the early days of collecting for me.

I snagged this during a work trip in Pennsylvania this past summer.  All in all, I think we've made four or five trips that had us driving across most of the state in the last two years.  There are only a few spots where there are any comic shops worth popping into.  Mostly we have hit antique stores.

I visited JAF Comics in Bethlehem, PA this time.  It was a little out of our way but Nan was determined I would find some comics on this particular trip.  It was worth the stop, as I found this book as well as two decently priced, gap-filling issues of Super- Villain Team up and an issue of Captain America.

  

Post Script: Seven Secrets

Comics: Seven Secrets #2-18

After my last post, I spent the next two evenings completing Seven Secrets.  It was a solid series.  I could see an adaptation making its way to the small screen at some point.

I rated the majority of the issues at a 9.  One or two dipped to an 8, which was probably more my fault but sometimes the art and layout confused me and dulled some of the impact that was intended.

I often bemoan how most television shows these days seem to really be chopped up, season long movies.  I miss the days of having a favorite episode because many shows I watch now seem to really need the episode before and after to fully flesh things out.

This was the first comic book series that I read that was essentially one long 480 page story.  No recap pages.  Cliffhanger-esque endings that rolled right into the next issue.  I did like it but probably could've gotten away with just grabbing the trades.  As it was, reading twelve issues on 11/13 and wrapping up the final five on 11/14 might've actually blunted my overall enjoyment.  I am glad I didn't read it month to month as it was published!

Seven Secrets #1

 

Comic: Seven Secrets #1

Where Purchased: Online at Rubber Mallet Comics via Comic Collector Live

When Purchased: May 2, 2021

When Read: November 12, 2024

I am not sure if I mentioned that I like Tom Taylor's writing.  He has a strong handle on characters and his stories really pop.  Somehow I missed this series when it started in August of 2020 and it looks like I bought the first 7 issues in May of 2021 from two different vendors on Comic Collector Live before adding it to my pull list in June of that year with issue 8.

From there, I finished buying the series and bagging and boarding them....and setting them aside.

And now having finally read issue one...wow!  I wish I had jumped into this sooner.  The book just STARTS and doesn't let go.  There is no cabbage-heading here.  Buckle up and let's see everything unfold.

The overall premise is that there are "seven powerful secrets-words, wonders, weapons, and worse-with the power to change the world."  According to a press release from publisher BOOM! Studios:

In the world of SEVEN SECRETS, the Order has trusted in Keepers and Holders to guard the Secrets in seven briefcases against all harm for centuries but when their stronghold is attacked and the secrets put in peril, the entire Order must face their greatest fear—an enemy who knows too much and is willing to kill to get what he wants.

Now, the Order’s newest member, Caspar, must discover the truth of the Secrets before the enemy does, or risk losing everything.

This was a solid 9 out of 10.  I'm going to make time over the next week to finish this series.  I will probably skip reviewing each issue but maybe do some sort of wrap up post when I finish.

Feeding into my collector mentality and coupled with the overwhelming fear of missing out that often accompanies it, I went with the variant cover for this issue.  I did the same with four of the others that I bought online three and a half years ago.

This issue's cover is by InHyuk Lee.  According to the interwebs, InHyuk Lee is an illustrator from Seoul, Korea, who is known for his digital artwork.  He has contributed covers to 8 comics in my collection...five of which are variants and three of which are the main cover.

E-Man #6

 

Comic: E-Man #6

Where Purchased: The Joker's Child in Fair Lawn, New Jersey

When Purchased: September 4, 2024

When Read: November 11, 2024

I do not know anything about E-Man.  When I started collecting comics, I stuck mostly to mainstream superhero books you could find on the newsstand.  

As an unabashed fan of John Byrne and currently on a quest to collect all of his published work, I purchased this comic for its back-up story which features his professional comics debut.  It is about what you'd expect from a recently turned pro who would go on to have a nearly 50 year career in comics.  It is enjoyable but a far cry from the artist he would become.

As of the time of this post, I only have one more John Byrne drawn book on my want list.  It is a 1992 colorized reprinting of a story that first appeared in 1980's "The Art of John Byrne".

I have never seen a copy in the wild.  There is one copy for sale on the comic marketplace "Comic Collector Live" right now for only $2.00 and the seller has 2 other books on my wish list but the three in total does not meet their minimum order amount.  It is way too expensive on eBay.

A recent work trip had me in New Jersey with a lot of extra time on my hands.  The Joker's Child had popped up in my research for other trips but it was either too far from where I was going or it was closed on the day I was near enough to justify stopping in.

It is a neat little shop.  The day I visited there were several kids with their parents poking around.  Back issues were reasonably priced and the layout was conducive to browsing.  In addition to this issue, I was able to get two decently priced issues of X-23 that I needed.

This was one of five (!) stops I made this day.

Marvel Two-In-One #23

Comic: Marvel Two-In-One #23

Where Purchased: Anytime Antiques in Wells, Maine

When Purchased: May 30, 2024

When Read: November 11, 2024

Another recent addition to our lives has been finding antique stores during our travels.  In all honesty, I don't think I ever really shopped at one until Nan discovered Five Corners Antiques in Essex Junction, Vermont before we moved.  

I can't remember why or when exactly she went but she texted me pictures of comics that she found there.  After that, we went somewhat regularly and I would try to find something worth picking up.

From there, and especially while we were house-hunting and after the move, antique stores have become a fairly regular staple for us.  On longer trips it gives us a chance to stretch our legs and get some steps in.  There is more than enough for Nan to search for and I can speed through to find any hidden cache of comics.

Most places are hit or miss.  Often times places will vastly overprice the most common or worthless comic.  Some times I will find something worth purchasing but it comes with a degree of impulsivity or regret later at the condition or price I paid.

But I do enjoy looking and the thrill of just finding some is always a treat...even if it is rare for me to find something that is actually on my want list.

All of which brings us to this past May where we decided to take a mini-vacation to Maine.  After checking in to our hotel and before meeting Haley and Brian for dinner, we found an antique store in Wells.  We arrived right before closing so I did a hurried search through the boxes of comics they had.  I was happy enough with what I found that we went back the next day before leaving the area.

This issue of Marvel Two-In-One was on my want list in that I was actively trying to complete the series at this point.  I found three MTIO in total here, in addition to a slew of Captain America issues and a Rom Annual.  This was one of three issues I probably overpaid for but it is balanced out by the deals I got on the Captain America issues.

As far as issues go, this one is actually the conclusion of a three-part story.  That is fairly unusual for this book, as I always thought part of the appeal of this series (and Marvel Team-Up) was to rotate guest stars and focus on one-off stories.

It isn't a bad story.  It is fun to see The Thing team up with Thor and have them visit the Egyptian gods.

The Thing # 35

 

Comic: The Thing # 35

Where Purchased: Double Midnight Comics in Manchester, New Hampshire

When Purchased: May 10, 2023

When Read: November 10, 2024

I 100% picked this up on a whim.  I have the next issue, like the art on the cover, and the concept of the second Ms. Marvel always intrigued me.

The issue itself is...underwhelming.  Perhaps because it is the penultimate issue of a canceled series but I also remember one of the reasons I didn't collect this back in the day was the whole wrestling angle which was never really my bag.

There are some interesting themes here, as the new Ms. Marvel, Sharon Ventura, visits a shady figure in the Marvel Universe know as the Power Broker.  I surmise, as the Thing's potential love interest, she felt a need to find a way to enhance herself.  Her character is a stunt woman and always shown to be quite capable.

But it is another product of its time with some stilted writing and interior art doesn't live up to the cover.

I purchased this issue during our team's annual in person meeting last year.  I think it was about a week before we moved.  

Double Midnight is a great shop in Manchester, NH.  I've visited them nearly two dozen times over the years.  They recently moved closer to downtown and I really like the new spot.  I think they still have a second location in Concord, NH which I have been to once.

One of my first visits ever was sometime shortly after my son was born.  I remember chatting with one of the owners and telling him we named our son Logan.  He shared that his last name was Parker and was sorely tempted to name his son Peter.

Thing & She-Hulk: The Long Night

 

Comic: Thing & She-Hulk: The Long Night

Where Purchased: Time Capsule in Seekonk, Massachusetts

When Purchased: June 21, 2023

When Read: November 10, 2024

I think I mentioned that I have always been a fan of She-Hulk.  She was a member of the Avengers when I started reading comics.  After the events of Secret Wars in 1984, she joined the Fantastic Four, taking over for The Thing, who stayed behind on Battleworld.  As I was collecting the Fantastic Four at the time, this just meant I got to see her written and drawn by my favorite creator, John Byrne.

I also collected She-Hulk's solo book in, a comedy series that broke the fourth wall, when it debuted.  

But, there came a time where I stopped collecting and when I returned, it took me quite awhile to start gathering things I missed.  As I made an effort to collect the original She-Hulk run, I also started hunting down the more recent relaunches.

At some point, I was made aware of this title and added it to my want list.  I couldn't recall many stories with these two together and I really like the artist so it was a no-brainer to pick this up.

It really is a fun romp.  It requires a little more knowledge of Marvel history than one would expect from a one-shot and I am not entirely sure how self-contained the story really is.  But all things being equal it is a solid 7 out of 10.

I had forgotten that artist Bryan Hitch took over on the Sensational She-Hulk series when John Byrne quit in the first year.  There had been a rumor that the art for this book was from unpublished issues of Bryan Hitch's earlier run on Sensational She-Hulk.  It seemed likely, as he only drew the fist 25 pages, with the final 14 drawn by Ivan Reis, with inks by Randy Emberlin.

However, Bryan Hitch himself explained that these pagers were originally intended to be part of a Thing/She-Hulk miniseries that had been announced in the late 1990s.  That project was canceled before it could be completed.

You can read all about the origins of this one-shot here: https://www.cbr.com/she-hulk-thing-bryan-hitch-mystery/

I bought this issue on my first work trip after we moved last year.  Time Capsule has two locations, one in Seekonk, MA and one in Cranston, RI.  I have been to both of them twice over the years.  They are great places to stop for back issues.

Infinity, Inc. Annual #2

 

Comic: Infinity, Inc. Annual #2

Where Purchased: Online - DMosco via Atomic Avenue

When Purchased: October 8, 2024

When Read: November 7, 2024

One of the first comics I ever bought off the newsstand was a Justice League of America issue.  It was part of what I later learned was an annual team up of the JLA from Earth-One and their counterparts from Earth-Two, the Justice Society of America.  This time, they were also teaming up with the All-Star Squadron, another group from Earth-Two to fight a group of evil beings from Earth-Three.

I am probably not the best person to explain the whole Earth-One/Earth-Two situation but I will try.  The first superhero comics came out in the 1930s.  This was when Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and other heroes hit the scene.  They eventually became embroiled in World War II.  

When The Flash #123 was published in 1961, Earth-Two was created to explain differences between the original Golden Age and then-current Silver Age versions of characters.  It shunted the versions who had fought in World War II off to Earth-Two and the modern versions now occupied Earth-One.  This also allowed both versions of the same characters to appear in stories together.

All-Star Squadron retroactively introduced new stories into DC's Golden Age history, mainly during World War II.

All of this fascinated me.  I gobbled up the All-Star Squadron back issues and started collecting it in earnest.  I loved stories that took place on alternate Earths.

Once the multiverse concept became unwieldly, DC Comics made an effort to clean up their continuity, resulting in the multiple universes combining into one during 1986's Crisis on Infinite Earths mini-series.  With that, the All-Star Squadron series had to end.  It was succeeded by a series called Young All-Stars.

I am not doing any of this justice (no pun intended) but it is background for this issue.  Infinity Inc. first appeared in All-Star Squadron #25.  The group is assembled when a number of JSA protégés were denied admission to the JSA and instead formed their own group.

Infinity, Inc. was a direct sales only title so it wasn't easily available to me when it first came out.  It became another case, recently, of a series that I had enough issues of that picking up gap-fillers were an easy way to make a sympathy buy at a comic shop that didn't have much for me otherwise.  Now I am trying to finish it off.

And that is how I discovered that there was a second annual issue!  I was psyched because the bad guy on the cover, Per Degaton, was one of the villains in that first JLA/JSA crossover I picked up!

The title page of this issue indicates that it is the sequel to Young All-Stars Annual #1, which is in my collection but I am not sure if I read it.  See, Young All-Stars was one of those series I bought out of habit.  Even after I stopped enjoying the writing or the art, I kept buying it because of the "completist" mentality.  I did stop shortly before the series was cancelled but it never made it onto my "must complete" list.

This issue...is not very good.  The writing is a bit stilted and the art is stiff.  I tried a few times to get into it...setting it down, walking away, and starting over.  But it's just so disappointing.

There is a back up story called "The Private Life of Wildcat" which isn't any better.  There are quite a few embarrassing cheesecake shots and a story that is so "80's" it is painful.

Alas, this whole thing gets a 2 out of 10.

I do not buy many comics online anymore.  I really like the thrill of finding issues out in the wild.  However, if the FOMO creeps in on something, I will snag them if I find them online.  That was the case with a bunch of issues of a different series recently.  I had stopped at a few stores on the way home from a work trip and hadn't found everything I had been looking for so I logged into Atomic Avenue and found a few books at a decent price.  I threw this in to lower the overall shipping cost because I hadn't had any luck finding it in the wild.

Oh...and I am only missing issue #16 of Infinity, Inc. to complete the whole run.

Joe Hill: Rain (Complete Series)

Comics: Joe Hill: Rain 1-5

Where Purchased: Earth Prime Comics in Burlington, Vermont

When Purchased: 1 - January 13, 2022 // 2 & 3 - March 19, 2022 // 4 - May 7, 2022 // 5 - June 29, 2022

When Read: November 3, 2024

I picked up this series as it came it out on the strength of the author's name.  Though I had not read anything by Joe Hill,  I knew who he was and had heard good things about his Locke & Key series.   It still took me over two years to sit and read this.

It is very good.  The story is from Hill's original novella, adapted by David M. Booher with art from Zoe Thorogood.  It fits into world-ending apocalypse genre but is a really intimate look at how that world-ending apocalypse impacts one person on the cusp of beginning her real life.

It involves a mini-journey through the ruins and focuses on only three characters.  There is a twist that I did not see coming.

The art is gorgeous but might not be for everyone.  There are some gruesome scenes.

I still get my comics in their traditional format but this might've been one to pick up in a collected edition. I am surprised that this didn't make a bigger splash when it came out. It is a solid 8 out of 10.

And a minor nitpick...the publisher lists this as Joe Hill's Rain while mycomicshop.com calls it Rain (2022 Image) Joe Hill's and my database software has it as Joe Hill: Rain.  The covers just say Rain, while the indica has both Rain and JOE HILL'S RAIN.

Here is the official write up from Image Comics (https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/rain):

On a seemingly normal August day in Boulder, Colorado, the skies are clear, and Honeysuckle Speck couldn't be happier. She's finally moving in with her girlfriend Yolanda. But their world is literally torn apart when dark clouds roll in and release a downpour of nails-splinters of bright crystal that shred the skin of anyone not safely under cover. RAIN makes vivid this escalating apocalyptic event, as the deluge of nails spreads across the country and around the world, threatening everything young lovers Honeysuckle and Yolanda hold dear. So begins a gripping 5-issue presentation of New York Times bestselling author JOE HILL's acclaimed novella, adapted by rising stars DAVID M. BOOHER , ZOE THOROGOOD, and CHRIS O'HALLORAN.

 

Marvel Team-Up #13

 

Comic: Marvel Team-Up #13

Where Purchased: Most Excellent Comics & Gaming in Enfield, Connecticut

When Purchased: September 26, 2024

When Read: November 2, 2024

I've never been a huge Spider-Man fan.  Only one series ever was in my pull list and that was 2019's  Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.  And that I picked up because of the writer...which I am pretty sure I told him on social media when it was coming out and had a pleasant back and forth with him.  

Marvel Team-Up is another one of those books that I had picked up issues here or there...when a character I liked would guest star or if I needed a sympathy buy at a store I stopped in.  And then it reached the point that I had enough of them to justify adding the missing ones to my Want List in an effort to complete the series.

Which brings us to issue 13.  This was a fun little romp.  I like the way the story unfolds in that Spider-Man comes across some bad guys who exclaim "No...not him!  Not him, too!?!" when they see him.  I like that, in theory, there could've been a whole other comic running parallel to this that meets up at this point (ala Avengers Annual #14 and Fantastic Four Annual #19 in 1985) as Spider-Man finds out a few panels later that Captain America is fighting them.

I am not sure why I didn't pick this up sooner in my collecting history.  Avengers were my go to group (despite not collecting any of the solo titles) and the villain of this issue is the Grey Gargoyle who was the baddie in some of the first back issues I ever bought.

All in all, a story indicative of the time and a way to show the interconnectedness of the Marvel Universe.  I gave it a 7 out of 10 in the database.

I bought it at a cool little store in Connecticut called Most Excellent Comics & Gaming.  I first visited the store on Nan's birthday in 2019, at which time I picked up 15 gap filling comics.  I went back in November 2022 while Nan attended a photography class in Brattleboro.  I grabbed 33 gap fillers on that trip (and more at three other stores the same day!).  I am pretty sure I snagged a few action figures, too.

When we moved last year I was closer and able to go again in October after giving blood nearby.  The shop had changed a bit...back issues were a little less organized and a little less robust.  I was still able find some comics I wanted.  And when I stopped in around a work trip this past September, I found this issue along with some other issues on the want list.

As of today, this was the most recent issue of the title I have purchased.  With being able to check this off my list, I am only missing issues 2, 3, and 15.  All are obnoxiously hard to find at a reasonable price right now.  But my fingers are crossed.

Marvel Two-In-One #90

 

Comic: Marvel Two-In-One #90

Where Purchased: Richie's Comic Cabana in Waterbury, Connecticut

When Purchased: May 4, 2024

When Read: October 29, 2024

For the longest time, for series like this or Marvel Team-Up, I would get the issues that either had characters I liked as guest stars or featured a creative team that I enjoyed.  And then titles like this became easy books to snag if I visited a shop that didn't have much to offer me but I wanted to buy something to support them.

Then I'd assess my collection and recognize that I was getting near a full run so the missing issues would end up on my want list so that I could complete the run.  This series is now on the "Need to Complete" list so when I found this in the wild it was an easy pick up.

This is a fairly standard, straight-forward comic from the era.  Basically, Spider-Man and the Thing team up to fight a medieval wizard that possess a Renaissance Fair magician. Written by Jan Strand who also wrote a mini-series about the Atom for DC around this time that I really liked and have been hankering to reread for a while now.

I gave it a solid 6 out of 10.

I picked it up on Free Comic Book Day this year.  One of the benefits of our move is the proximity to so many comic shops.  I'll save the big story about this year's adventure for another time.

One of our stops was at Richie's Comic Cabana.  I had ordered a few comics from Richie's via eBay the previous August.  I'll share all about that purchase sometime soon, too.

But I knew about the physical location and we made it one of our three stops.  It was delightful chaos.  So many great books and such great prices. 

And after a few other recent purchases, I am only missing issues 2, 3, 6, and 8 of this series!  Nothing too crazy so I should stumble across them any day now!