Hidden Gems: Marvel Super Action #4

Here's a bit of an oddball comic from Marvel in the late 70s. Right in the middle of a run of Captain America and Avengers reprints, Marvel decided to reach into the Timely/Atlas archives and pull out a couple of old Marvel Boy stories. The character had made a couple of appearances in Fantastic Four and also in What If...? but I don't believe there was any indication that he was being groomed for a series, or else they likely would have featured him in a try-out book such as Marvel Spotlight. Marvel Boy is an interesting character because, much like DC's Captain Comet, he was introduced during that awkward stage between the heyday of the Golden Age superhero and the Silver Age revitalization. The stories themselves are a bit hokey and the dialogue strains the limits of the word balloons, but it is very interesting as a historical artifact, especially the blend of sci-fi, super-heroics and espionage. As a bonus, the book features art by Bill Everett and Russ Heath, so that's not a bad problem to have. If you see this in a bargain bin, snag it as it will give you a taste of that era for a very small investment.

Hidden Gems: Wonder Woman 80 Page Giant Annual (2003)

Just over a decade ago, DC published a bunch of this sweet retro-comics filled with Golden and Silver Age goodness. I will admit that I was put off by the price tag at the time and admired them from a distance. The beauty of the back issue market is that, for most recent books, the prices will eventually come down. I picked this up for $1.99 and was delighted with it. It gives the reader a great sampling of two eras in Wonder Woman history: the lunacy of the Golden Age stuff from the minds of Martson and Peter and the charm of the Silver Age, featuring the inventive storytelling of Robert Kanigher and beautiful artwork from the Andru/Esposito team. This is a great way to get a sense of early Wonder Woman stories without having to spend a ton of money on Archive collections. I am now wondering if the all-star team of villains in the Villainy Incorporated story from 1948 represents one of the first super-villain team ups in DC history. If you ever stumble upon this while flipping through back issue bins, I recommend picking it up.

Hidden Gems: Ms Tree Rock & Roll Summer Special #1

Let's be honest, every single issue of Ms. Tree is a hidden gem, but here's one that may not have hit your radar. Published as a standalone special, this book has a musical focus from start to finish. The main mystery is a decent tale but, as far as Ms. Tree stories go, it is probably no better than average. The issue's final segment is an interest piece as Max Allan Collins reminisces about his time in a garage band that never quite 'made it'. The middle chapter is why I wanted to bring this book to your attention.It is a terrific biography of Bobby Darin and Collins' relationship to his music. It is an incredibly effective piece and showcases how comic books are a wonderful way of telling a wide variety of stories.

Hidden Gems: The All-New Batman: Brave and the Bold #14

I was plowing through a TPB of this newish B&B series I got for my kids and I was absolutely blown away by this particular issue. The original Brave and the Bold is my all-time favourite series and the animated series is pure gold. All members of my family love it. I have always liked the Ragman character and his interactions with Batman here are wonderful. This story centers around Chanukah and writer Sholly Fisch does a superb job of condensing the Chanukah story into a page or two - the perfect way to give a child an introduction to the history of the holiday. In the end, however, the story is about more than a local synagogue. It is about the importance of community and finding value in what is around you. It is a great message, delivered in a very subtle and heartfelt manner. The opening gag with the trio of colour-based foes isn't half bad, either. Don't mistake this for a kid's comic. It is one you will be happy to have in your collection.

Hidden Gems: Countdown

Attention Robert Altman fans! Yes, Mr. Altman's work has been adapted for the Four Color world. It wasn't The Long Goodbye, nor Quintet but rather this nearly forgotten film starring a super young James Caan and Robert Duvall. It makes you wonder if Francis Ford Coppola was a fan. The film itself is perhaps the least Altmanesque of all Altman films but I have a soft spot for this type of story, and it translates very well to the printed page. Jack Sparling may not be Neal Adams, but I have always found him to be a decent storyteller and his does a good job with the likenesses of the cast members. If you know the film, you know the ending is quite suspenseful and the final few pages here are a real treat. This is a Silver Age (space) oddity that should be scooped up by fans of sci-fi films of the era.

Hidden Gems: The 'Nam #41

I know quite a few people who rave about this series, but this is the only issue I've ever owned. I am pretty darned happy with it, too. Why is it a hidden gem? Well, let's start with the lovely John Romita cover. It's may be odd to see three key Avengers bursting through a map of Southeast Asia, but it sure is cool. This issue comes across as a quasi-What If? as the soldiers imagine what the war would be like if superheroes had been involved. It is all quite light hearted, or as light hearted as a book about Vietnam can get. What I really like however, is how the same soldiers absolutely skewer the John Wayne-starring Green Berets. They take that film to task and some of the panels are recreations of scenes from the movie. All in all, this is a bit of an oddity and one I think you'd be happy to have in your collection.

Hidden Gems: Shazam & Shazam Family Annual #1 (2002)

Wow, just typing 'Shazam Family' makes my skin crawl. It's the Marvel Family, dammit! Ok, deep breaths. Deep breaths. No one wants to read a rant about semantics. In the last decade, DC did a pretty good job producing these nice, albeit slim reprint volumes as a sort of retro 80-Page Giants. The problem I had with them is that I had read many of the Silver Age DC stories before and they carried a premium price tag ($9.99 in Canada). As we all know, deflation has a habit of kicking in after a few years and I'm seeing this at much more reasonable prices ($2.99) in back issue bins. This particular issue is pure Golden Age gold. It includes some pivotal tales from the heyday of the Marvels and provides a good sampling of the artists working for Fawcett at the time, including Mac Raboy, Marc Swayze and Bud Thompson. What I love the most is that DC saw fit to include the full Sivana Family story from Marvel Family #10. If you have already wanted to get a taste of the Big Red Cheese but did not want to shell out for originals or an Archives volume, this is a great option.  

Hidden Gems: Marvel Super Special #29

Sometimes a little research can go a long way. Had I looked into this one more carefully, I would have bought it years ago. For some reason, I had always assumed this was an adaptation of the Christopher Lambert starring movie (or even worse, the Miles O'Keeffe starring one!). I was wrong, so very wrong. This fine magazine contains a wonderful adaptation of the first half of the initial ERB book. Like any sane person, I'm a big Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle team, but had no idea that they had worked on this. As far as adaptations go, it is quite faithful and Spiegle excels at mutinous seamen and angry apes. I have the magazine edition, but it was also published as a two-part standard sized micro series. Does anyone know the story behind this book? Was it an aborted start to the start of something larger? I have a feeling that's there is more to the story.



Hidden Gems: Marvel Classic Comics #8

Marvel's attempts at a Classics Illustrated knock-off was pretty hit and miss. The first batch of these were mostly, if not all, reprints of adaptations produced by Vincent Fago for Pendulum Press. While the covers are generally quite strong, the interior artwork and the awkward word balloons made for a bait and switch experience. This adaptation of Moby Dick, however, is an exception. I read the novel for the first time earlier this year and am happy to report that this telling manages to capture all of Melville's exciting atmosphere. Much of the credit goes to Alex Nino's pencils, which are perfectly suited to this kind of tale. The integration of the words are also done in a unique and seamless manner. Compare this to the Dracula issue and you'll see what I mean. This is certainly one of the best issues of this series that I've read, and fans of the book will find it to be a nice companion piece. Oh yeah, the Gil Kane cover is all kinds of awesome, isn't it?

Hidden Gems: Wanted, The World's Most Dangerous Villains #5

Today, we live in a world of glossy reprint volumes and online comic databases. Once upon a time, tracking down Golden Age stories was much more difficult. DC did Golden Age fans a huge favour back in the 70s when they started digging through their vaults and putting history into their readers' hands. It was great to see all the Golden Age Flash and Hawkman stories in those 100-Pager Super Spectaculars but I think the real treat was to see Quality Comics characters return to the spotlight. Even today, we've see a ton of reprints from DC, but they tend to avoid the folks from Earth-X. I've owned a number of Doll Man and Feature Comics issues over the years and feel that Doll Man was a one of the most consistently great strips of the 40s and 50s. This particular issue contains one of only four Doll Man stories reprinted by DC in the 70s (I think my math is correct on this one). Until the time comes when we see a Doll Man Archives (my fingers are crossed), issues such as this one will have to do the trick. Oh yeah, it's also got a pretty great Green Lantern story.

Hidden Gems: Walt Disney Showcase #34

There are a number of hidden gems in this Gold Key reprint series, and I'll touch on a few more down the road but I thought that I should begin with this amazing issue. It looks as though the folks at Western Publishing wanted to kick off America's bicentennial year in style, and how better than with the tale of Paul Revere. What makes this one so special is that the story features 32 pages of gorgeous Alex Toth artwork. This story was originally published in 1957 as part of Four Color #822 and, while there are a few extra bits and pieces by Toth that didn't make the cut for the reprint, the main story is here to see in all of its glory. This is my favourite era in terms of Toth's artwork, as it lines up with his run on Zorro. There are several similarities here, including lots of shadowy action - one of Toth's true strengths. Walt Disney Showcases aren't all that easy to find these days, but when you do find them, they are still pretty affordable. Happy hunting!

Hidden Gems: Secret Origins Annual #2

How many times will this series appear in my 'Hidden Gems' feature. I must admit to all but ignoring the series when it was first released, thinking it merely contained rehashings of origins stories with which I was already all too familiar. Little did I know the modus operandi of the title was to expand and ameliorate the origins, adding all sorts of new details and characterizations. The lead story in this issue, involving Wally West and his psychiatrist, is average at best. Sure, it is good to infuse some literature into a funnybook tale (Kipling's If... in this case), but it seems to be trying too hard. What makes this issue special is the reunion and possible (by my count, at least) final appearance by the art team of Carmine Infantino and Murphy Anderson. I'm not a big fan of post-1975 Infantino has his style got too loose for my tastes, but Anderson helps tighten that like and make the reader feel as though they'd stepped on the Cosmic Treadmill. Their stories focus on a few key events in Barry Allen's life and culminate in a rather touching coda to the Crisis saga. I'm not sure if it is all part of today's canon, but it works for me.

Hidden Gems: Metal Men #21

Truth be told, this is actually a below average Metal Men book. We all know that their adventures tend to be quite silly, but silly can be fun. This is mostly dull. The main problem is that the Plastic Perils are not all that perilous. Before you think that I actually meant to slot this into the 'You've Been Warned' category, let me tell you why it is worth owning. What makes this issue special is that it features some brief, yet charming cameos by some of the DCU's biggest stars. Batman & Robin, Wonder Woman and the Flash all make appearances, declaring their admiration for the Metal Men and wishing they all had more time to hang out. This is a good one for fans of crossovers, as it serves as a good example of the powers that be at DC trying to shoehorn big name characters into lesser known titles.

Hidden Gems: Legion of Super Heroes Annual #1

I really love the Legion, but I'm not one of those hardcore fans who knows the badge number of every single member of the Science Police. I'm also a bit fuzzy on post-1983 Legion stuff, so I always approach hoping that I won't come out the other side with a headache. I found this annual in a dollar bin, and could not resist the value I was getting on a 'pennies per page' basis. I had lowish expectations, but must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised to find a well told mystery tale that did not require an advanced degree in Legion Studies as it provides an accessible and intriguing look at the 31st century. The artwork is sharp throughout and, without spoiling too much, there's a really crafty tie-in to the DCU of the 20th century. It's a solid 'one and done' tale and that's one of the reasons I find myself seeking out Annuals from the 80s and 90s these days.

Hidden Gems: Logan's Run #6

Hats off to my good friend Mickey for reminding me about this particular hidden gem. The first five issues of the Logan's Run comic book series is a pretty solid adaptation of the film. With the sixth issue, however, an attempt was made to keep the momentum going. With a Paul Gulacy cover and Tom Sutton pencils inside, Marvel was certainly giving it the old college try. Sadly, the series would only last one more issue. There is a real surprise buried in the back of this book. It's a 5 page back-up featuring Thanos and Drax the Destroyer entitled "The Final Flower". You never know where Marvel is going to decide to drop an inventory tale. This one is drawn by Mike Zeck, and I would imagine it was some of his earliest work for Marvel. The story has been reprinted here and there, but having the original in your hands is a bit more satisfying.

Hidden Gems: DC Special #23

I love the Three Musketeers - who doesn't? Between the Richard Lester films and the candy bar, the Musketeers were experiencing quite the renaissance during the 70s. DC decided to jump on the bandwagon with this issue of DC Special. It is the 2nd of three books under the Three Musketeers/Robin Hood banner. This issue took me by surprise as I thought it would be 100% reprints. There is actually a rather fun 17-page story written by Bob Haney. I know that Lee Elias is not a huge selling point for many readers (I happen to love him), but this is some his cleanest, most accessible work of the decade. Speaking of reprints, there are some terrific ones here. The first of two Robin Hood story from 1957 features gorgeous artwork by Russ Heath. Check out his duds and tell me that it didn't impact Neal Adams' redesign of Green Arrow. The second tale is not quite as spectacular, but it is still enjoyable with solid art by the Andru/Esposito team. Overall, it's a great book and a very nice change of pace for 1976.

Hidden Gems: Invaders Annual #1

Many of you may already know all about this book, but those of you who do not are in for a real treat. I don't know the full story of how Roy Thomas pulled it off, but he managed to put together a group of incredible Golden Age talent for this issue. Granted, it may not the greatest story ever told, but fans of Timely and Standard/Nedor will be thrilled to see the Alex Schomburg cover. They will be even more thrilled to discover that there are also 6 pages of Schomburg artwork inside. The maestro had not done any work for Marvel for more than a quarter century, so it was quite a coup. Not only that, but the underrated Don Rico was brought to draw the Captain America story and I don't think he'd done any work for Marvel since the early 1960s. Two other Golden Age greats (Lee Elias and Frank Robbins) also contributed chapter, but they were still going strong at Marvel at the time. Kudos to Mr. Thomas for putting this group together and paying homage to the past.

Hidden Gems: DC Comics Presents #84

Let me begin by saying that this is not a great comic book. It's fine as far as mid-80s DC superhero books go, but nothing Earth-shattering occurs. What makes this one notable, however, is that it contains artwork by two of the greatest comic book artists ever to put pen to paper: Jack Kirby and Alex Toth. I don't really want to call it a collaboration, as DC was simply using up the Toth drawn part from inventory leftover from the short-lived Challs feature in Adventure Comics. As for Kirby's contribution; this was one of his final jobs for DC. While I don't think Greg Theakson's inks really adds much to the pencils, he does help bring a fairly consistent look to the artwork and makes the transition between artists less jarring. This is not and essential book to own, but it certainly a curio.

Hidden Gems: Man Bat #1 (1984)

Here's one that I didn't know even existed until a few weeks ago. I was flipping through a bargain bin when I saw this familiar image from Detective Comics #402. I thought to myself: What? 3 Chilling Conflicts? All in one place? Robbins? Adams? All for a dollar? Count me in! I am not sure why DC decided that 1984 was the perfect time for a Man-Bat reprint book. Was there some sort of animation project on the horizon? Were they just trying to milk those Adams pencils for all they were worth? In any event, I am glad they did, because it is nice to have these stories in an affordable format on nice, high quality paper. I know that they have appeared elsewhere, but for those looking to avoid shelling out the big bucks on an Adams hardcover book, this might be the solution for you. I kind of wish they'd included the Robbins drawn stuff, but I understand the polarizing effect he has on people, and we at least got a Robbins pin-up in this ish. Great, cheap stuff!

Hidden Gems: Jack Kirby's Green Arrow

This volume is a bit too slim to review as a Trade Paperback, so I thought it fit in best as a Hidden Gem. Back in 2001, DC put out this inexpensive ($5.95) collection of Jack Kirby's little seen work 8 Green Arrow stories that originally appeared as back-ups in Adventure Comics and World's Finest in the late 50s. It features a terrific Mark Evanier penned introduction in which we learn that even the King himself had a tough time finding enough work to keep himself busy. This stuff is about as far from The Longbow Hunters as you can get, but it's a lot of fun as you get to see Green Arrows from around the world (as well as from another world), a mechanical octopus and an one of those islands populated by out of touch Japanese soldiers. I actually received my copy of this book from one-time Green Arrow artist Alex Saviuk, who was kind enough to slip it in with a package of artwork I'd purchased from him. If you like Kirby's work on those early Challengers of the Unknown stories, you will likely enjoy this book. It's also a much more affordable way of reading them than tracking down those original issues.