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!

She-Hulk #11

 

Comic: She-Hulk #11

Where Purchased: Earth Prime Comics in Burlington, Vermont

When Purchased: May 6, 2023

When Read: October 27, 2024

When I first started reading comics, She-Hulk was new to the Avengers.  I didn't know much about her but she fit into the group well.  I was intrigued when she joined the Fantastic Four and thought Byrne did a great job using her in that group's dynamic.  Her second solo series by Byrne was a delight.

She was on the Avengers again when I started collecting again in 2002 but her solo books didn't hit my radar again until a few years ago.

I am pretty far behind on a lot of books, hence this one sitting on my shelf for over a year.  Which is a shame because it looks like I was really enjoying this series when life got a little out of hand and reading new comics wasn't a priority. 

Which is a bummer because this issue reminded me of how much I've missed it.  Rainbow Rowell has a good grasp on this character and the supporting cast.  It is a lot of fun, there is a little bit of mystery, some romance, some fighting.  I gave it an 8 out of 10 and will be back before too long!

I have more comics in my collection that were purchased at Earth Prime Comics in Burlington, Vermont than any other store.  About 1 out of every 6 comics I won came from Earth Prime.  It was the first comic store I ever visited, shortly after they opened in 1983.  When I was growing up, the folks at Earth Prime would hold direct sales only books (like Dark Knight and Watchmen) for me and my two best friends that my grandfather, who lived in Burlington, would pick up and hold on to until I visited.

I had a pull list once I moved to Burlington to attend college but when the two owners had a falling out, I followed one to their new venture (Crisis Comics) across town.

I stopped collecting for a while even before Crisis closed down in the late 90s.  When Nan convinced me to start getting books again in 2002, I went back to Earth Prime and started back in.

Early on, Earth Prime was great for back issues.  When I went back in 2002, it was for new books.  Back issues weren't their thing.

And there were some rough years.  It wasn't always inviting to "others"...especially women and kids which was...odd.  But through a host of managers and employees, I always liked shopping there.

The last year before we moved was harder, as employee turnover and changes to the business made me start to feel like an outsider.  But the place is ingrained in my DNA...even if I'll probably never visit it again.

The post script for this story is that Chris Farrell, one of the two original founders, passed away recently.  It was a poorly kept secret that she had a complete collection of every DC Comic ever published.

I wrote her a letter before we moved and I hope the employee I gave it to sent it to her.  While she would have no idea who I was, she was a very important person in my life.  From the kindness she showed my grandfather all those years ago up to providing me a place to keep up with my love of comics, I will forever be indebted to her.

Here are a few links about the store (https://sevendaysvt.com/arts-culture/origin-story-how-burlingtons-earth-prime-comics-helped-unite-vermonts-comics-lovers-35006000), about Chris (https://vtdigger.org/2024/10/11/with-a-massive-comic-book-collection-up-for-sale-fans-remember-the-woman-behind-it/), and about her collection (https://www.sevendaysvt.com/arts-culture/a-look-inside-christine-farrells-rare-comics-collection-42069251)

Saga #55

 

Comic: Saga #55

Where Purchased: Alliance Comics in Silver Spring, Maryland

When Purchased: February 24, 2022

When Read: October 27, 2024

Saga is one of those comics that show you the medium can be more than just superheroes but it is definitely not for everyone.  

I've liked Brian K. Vaughn's writing since I picked up "Y: The Last Man" on a whim.  About a year into that run, he did "Runaways" for Marvel and I was hooked.  Since then, I've added over 350 issues he has written to my collection.

Saga #55 is the beginning of a new chapter.  The previous issue came out in July 2018 and wrapped up everything in a heartbreakingly, beautiful and glorious manner.

And with this issue, just like that, we are back in it.  There is little to no cabbage heading...no "Previously On..."...you are dropped back into things and have to keep up.  

I gave it an 8 out of 10.  It is a solid issue.  The art and lettering is something to behold.  Everything is elevated.  

It is a marvel that the same 3 person creative team that started this journey in March 2012 have stayed together and produced every issue.  According to the letters page, we are now on the downward slope as we head towards the end of this planned 108 issue adventure.

I bought this comic at Alliance Comics in Silver Spring, Maryland during a solo work trip in February 2022.  The store was a little underwhelming...focusing more on Pop Figures and merchandise.  This was pretty much a sympathy buy, as the back issues were poorly maintained and I struggled to find something to purchase.  It was one of 5 stores I stopped at on this day, a total of four of which each only had 1 issue for me.

It looks like Alliance Comics closed within a year of my visit.  It is possible another shop is now open in the same location.