Reprint This! The Adventures of Alan Ladd

Remember the good old days when comics were often about real people? Or at least about the type of people that we, the public, thought they were? Neither do I. I'm too young that that stuff, but I have always been intrigued by them ever since I spotted them in the Cover Gallery section of the first Overstreet Guide I ever owned. I've also always been fascinated by Alan Ladd as he had an interesting life, both professionally and personally. This series featured Ladd in a variety of adventures, many of them drawn by the great Ruben Moreira. The likes of Curt Swan, Carmine Infantino and Nick Cardy also chipped in so it must be a treasure trove of fine art. Some sites that I have seen claim that these stories are in the public domain, and are likely available in downloadable format but I want a nice hardcover, with glossy pictures of Mr. Ladd throughout. Someone get on this, please!

Reprint This! Bobby Benson B-Bar-B Riders

First, let's acknowledge the fact that Stan Lee was not the only person in love with alliteration. This name of this series has never easily rolled off my tongue (nor my keyboard). This is a terrific series. I was getting close to a full run until I needed some money and changed gears and sold them all. The Riders are based on a radio serial and their adventures are pretty typical for the era - think post-WW2 Boy Commandos on the frontier. For lovers of Bob Powell artwork, this is heaven. His stuff looks amazing here, serving as evidence that he is a true master. You also get terrific features such as The Lemonade Kid and Ghost Rider, with some early Dick Ayers art. I know that many of these stories have been reprinted a various points by AC Comics but it would be tremendous to see them all collected in a single volume.

Reprint This! The Fly

The Impact line of comics was introduced the summer after I graduate from high school. I read a small handful of them at the time, but for some reason assumed they were targeted at a younger crowd and largely ignored them. As I have aged, I have learned to appreciate the simple things in life. Mike Parobeck's artwork is something that falls beautifully into the category or simple things that I have grown to love. This series is 17 issues (and 1 annual) of high energy Parobeck pencils that work very nicely with the Len Strazewski scripts. The series seems to be going for a 'early Lee/Ditko Spider-Man' vibe and, overall, it works quite well. From an early 90s perspective, it is a nice piece of counter programming, contrasting with the grim and grittiness that was prevalent at the time. I have been finding back issues in the 50 cent bin at a local shop, but I think a simple, affordable trade would look nice on my shelf.

Reprint This! Charlton's Wander

Wander was a very unique little strip, created by Denny O’Neil (as Sergius O’Shaugnessy) and Jim Aparo. Despite that pedigree, not too too many people are aware of its existence as it was buried as a back-up in Cheyenne Kid, perhaps the blandest of all Charlton westerns. Needless to say, Wander was infinitely more entertaining than its lead-in. Why should this one be reprinted? Well, it’s not every day that you get the opportunity to read an ongoing saga about and alien dressed as a cowboy. Did I mention that the alien spoke in pseudo-Shakespearean English? I really find early Aparo art to be quite fascinating, and I enjoy tracking his evolution as an artist. It would be a slim volume, but I would absolutely love to see all of the Wander stories collected in one place.

Reprint This! Mr. & Mrs. Superman

Never heard of this series? You're likely not alone. Unless you were a reader of Superman Family in the late 70s and early 80s, you were probably not aware that there was a series featuring Earth-Two Lois and Clark in a state of marital bliss. It was a charming little series, with fun scripts by Cary Bates and E. Nelson Bridwell with clean, almost retro artwork by the always underappreciated Kurt Schaffenberger. In these stories, trouble always seems to find its way into the Superhome, and we get plenty of guest appearances including Alan Scott, Bruce Wayne and both Mr. Mxyztplk and Mr. Mxyzptlk. I understand that these stories had zero value to the powers that be at post-Crisis DC, but I honest believe that a collection of these 8 page gems would find an audience in today's market.

Reprints This! Rima, the Jungle Girl

I know quite a number of people who are big fans of this short-lived DC title from the mid-70s, and it seems to be quite well regarded amongst critics so I am confused as to why it hasn't been collected in one format or another. That slim Bat Lash Showcase trade looked just fine to my eyes and is all we really need. The stories are entertaining and the artwork by the team of Joe Kubert and Nestor Redondo is unbelievable, ranking among the very best of the decade. It would also be fun to include the Classics Illustrated version of Green Mansions as well as the issue of Super Friends that featured an appearance by the Jungle Girl herself. Perhaps it would not be a best seller, but I am certain that there are thousands of fans out there who would like all the stories in one volume up on the bookshelf. It is a genre that is woefully under served in today's reprint market.

 

Reprint This! Ziff-Davis Science-Fiction

Ziff-Davis comics featured some of the greatest covers of the Golden and Atom Ages. To be perfectly frank, the interior stories and artwork rarely lived up to the gloss promise of the painted covers. From what I have seen, the science fiction line was probably Ziff-Davis' strongest funnybook product. These titles, which include Space Patrol and Crusader From Mars, among others, rarely lasted more than a couple of issues. I know that some were been reprinted by Malibu in the 90s, but I think this is a great opportunity to gather them all together in a beautiful hardcover volume. These stories are drawn by the likes of Berni Krigstein, Murphy Anderson and Gene Colan. This is a treasure trove and it should not remain hidden any longer.

Reprint This! Zane Grey's Stories of the West

There were a lot of western comics published in the 1950s, but one series that was of a consistently high quality was this 13 issue Dell series. Mix in the ZGSotW installments found in Four Color and you've got quite a volume. The covers are gorgeous and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they were reprinted from Dell paperbacks. Inside, the artwork by Albert Micale is very handsome. He was perhaps best know for his work on Dell's Roy Rogers series, but was always a talented painter. Google him to see some of his western images. I am not sure who wrote the bulk of these well paced and entertaining stories - Gaylord DuBois, perhaps? They are ripe for rediscovery and I'd love to see a hardcover collection on the shelves.

Reprint This! Spy-Hunters

In the 50s, 60s and 70s it seemed as though spy based movies, TV shows and books were everywhere. There were also a number of comic book titles focused on espionage and international intrigue. For some reason, this genre has been poorly served by the reprint market. I'd like to rectify that by lobbying for a volume of ACG's Spy-Hunters. This would make for a wonderful trade paperback, as it ran for 24 issues (when you include the 2-issue predecessor Spy and Counterspy) and features artwork by Golden Age stalwarts such as Ogden Whitney, Charles Sultan and the great Leonard Starr. How can you possibly pass up on reading stories with titles like 'The Spy Who Bluffed a Price' and 'Carribean Counterstroke'? While I would love to see these covers and stories recreated in colour, I would be more than happy to settle for an inexpensive black and white 'Essentials' type volume.

Reprint This! Jungle War Stories

We live in a Golden Age of comic book reprints. I am delighted to see collections of many Dell and Gold Key titles on the shelves of comic book stores. I do, however, still believe that there is still a lot of potential material out there that should be collected. Dell published a number of good quality war books, but I thought the best place to start is Jungle War Stories. If you include Guerrilla War, the continuation of this series, you have 14 issues worth of material, making for a nice sized introduction to Dell's war books. Jungle War Stories was the first war title to focus on the Vietnam War and, while the stories may not be 100% factually correct, it does give insight into how the various players were perceived at the time. While the bulk of the art chores are handled by the steady, but uninspiring, Maurice Whitman, keen eyed readers will spot work by the likes of George Evans, George Tuska and Reed Crandall scattered throughout the series. It's not at the level of a DC or Atlas war book, but still a good series deserving a the reprint treatment, if only for the gorgeous painted covers.

Reprint This! Hot Wheels

Like so many titles I have previously discussed in this column, this one is likely stuck in licensing hell. DC got into the TV and Toy tie-ins during this era (see Captain Action and Bomba), but this one was a real standout. Hot Rod comics had been around forever, and were on the decline by the time the first issue of Hot Wheels hit newsstands. Still, it was a valuable property and DC knew exactly which creative teams to bring on board. Alex Toth had done plenty of work for Drag Cartoons and had a way with cars. They also made sure that they got some fantastic Adams/Giordano covers to help pump sales. Jack Keller and Ric Estrada, both strong auto-artists, also made contributions. Apparently, none of this worked as the series was short-lived. They can be found, but it may take you a while. I have been buying these off and on for years and I am still a two issues short of a complete run. I would love to have it all in one volume so that I could revel in the amazing artwork.

Reprint This! Nemesis

As I may have mentioned before, Brave and the Bold is my all-time favourite comic book title. The final 60 or so issues of this series were published during the peak of my childhood comic book reading. The thing is, I never really had much time for Nemesis. I didn't care for complex espionage stories and I felt that Dan Spiegle's artwork was downright ugly. Yes, I had a lot to learn. So, now I have come to love Spiegle and these kinds of stories. The problem is that I need to dig out my floppies and read these stories 8 pages at a time (save for the two team-ups with Batman). By my count, there is well over 200 pages of material here, and it would make for a terrific collection. Sadly, DC does not seem to realize that there is a market, albeit a limited one, for its non-superhero stories. Put Batman on the cover it you need to, but let's get this done!

Reprint This! Blonde Phantom

Between the Essentials, Masterworks and various other TPB collections, Marvel has traditionally done a very good job keeping much of its superhero fare in the public eye. I can understand why some of its more obscure titles, such as Blaze the Wonder Collie, may never been reprinted, but it astounds me that we haven't see a Blonde Phantom book. Now, I don't exactly follow all of the latest comic book 'news', but as far as I know there are no immediate plans to put out a BP volume. That's crazy. The entire concept is cool, and she has one of the best female character designs of all-time. The back issues are far too expensive for most collectors to even consider. This would be a great chance to showcase the artwork of Syd Shores at the top of his game, as many of us have only seen his work on early 70s titles like Red Wolf and Gunhawks. We'd also get a chance to see work by the likes of Ken Bald and Vernon Henkel. Where is this one? It has got to be just around the corner.

Reprint This! Ghost Comics

We all love those pre-Code horror stories produced by the gang at EC. The thing is, how many times do we need to see the same titles reprinted? There's a plethora of untapped pre-Code goodness out there, waiting to be discovered by a new generation of horror fans. Why not start with Fiction House's Ghost Comics? Fiction House produced some of the very earliest horror stories in comics, and many of the issues of Ghost Comics actually include reprints from titles such as Jumbo Comics and Rangers of Freedom. While the roster of artists may not be up there with the bullpens of EC, Atlas or even Harvey, these stories are drawn by solid professionals such as Maurice Whitman (terrific covers), Jack Kamen and Jack Abel and they all have that Iger Studios feel to them. Some of these stories have been reprinted here and there, most notably in that 'Mammoth Book of Horror' collection and some of the , but I think the time has come for a handsome hardcover of Fiction House horror to take its place on my bookshelf.

Reprint This! War is Hell

Now this would make for an interesting collection! The first half dozen issue of this series consisted of Atlas-era reprints from titles such as Battle Action, Battle and Battleground (hmmm, do I detect a theme?). This is a great opportunity to get familiar with some of the lesser known members of the Atlas bullpen such as Vic Carrabotta and George Woodbridge along with some true legends like Al Williamson and Jay Scott Pike. For some reason, the series featured a couple of random Sgt. Fury reprint issues before entering a phase consisting of some interesting new material. The protagonist, John Kowalski, is something along the lines of a WW2 era Deadman. His spirit moves from body to body, dying over and over again. I've only read one issue, but it was quite good. Many of the stories were written by Chris Claremont and artists include Val Mayerik and Herb Trimpe. They've reprinted just about everything from this era, so why not throw me a bone with this one?

Reprint This! Have Gun, Will Travel

Yet another title caught in licensing purgatory. There's a slim ray of hope, however, as we've seen more and more licensed stuff has been finding its way onto the shelves at comic book stores. This is a TV show that has maintained its popularity for 50 years, and can certainly be counted among the best remembered TV westerns of all-time. There's a lot to like about the comic book series as well. Including the three issues published as part of the Four Color anthology, the series lasted 14 issues, each of which features a Richard Boone as Paladin photo cover. The majority of the artwork was done by the great Alberto Giolitti, with the underappreciated Frank Bolle filling in on a few issues. As far as I can tell, the bulk of the stories were written by Paul S. Newman. Now, I'm not familiar enough with the TV show to know whether the stories were adapted from the screen but it doesn't really matter to me. I'd pay a pretty nice sum to get a a collection of Giolitti drawn western stories into my collection.

Reprint This! Buccaneers

I love pirates. You love pirates. Kids love pirates. Why aren't there more comic books about pirates and life on the sea. Once upon a time there were a number of titles filled with sea faring tales. One of the most successful was Quality Comics' Buccaneers. This series took over the numbering from Kid Eternity and ran for 9 issues. The lead character is the Errol Flynn inspired Captain Daring, a man who is apparently afraid of one one thing: shirts. Much of the artwork is provided by Reed Crandall, at the top of his game. Bill Ward and Doll-Man artist Al Bryant also contributed to the series. Israel Waldman obviously thought there was something to this series, as issues #20 and #23 were resuscitated for the IW/Super series Buccaneer in 1958 and #21 was reprinted in 1963 as Buccaneers. Original copies fetch insane prices, so there's obviously interest in the series to this day. I've only seen a copy or two in electronic format, and it has made me hungry for more. Someone please get me a nice TPB right away.

Reprint This! Caught

There are many lot of superb titles published by Atlas during the 1950s, many of which are not likely to be seen in a nice, shiny trade paperback. One of those series is Caught, a fun crime-themed book that ran for a mere 5 issues from August, 1956 to April, 1957. Some people focus only on pre-Code crime, and that's a shame as there were still plenty of fun, albeit less violent, stories to be told. These pages are filled with inventive 4 or 5 page morality plays featuring all kinds of low-lifes and shady characters. In my opinion, many of these have a noirish feel that was absent from a lot of the 'rob a bank/hideout/shootout with police' stories that populate so many crime comics.

A collection of these stories would evidence the fact that, during this period, Atlas had as good a bullpen as any company at any point in four color history. Each and every issue of Caught featured a terrific cover by John Severin. On the inside, you will find stories drawn by the likes of Berni Krigstein, Don Heck, Reed Crandall and Joe Maneely. Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't think a single story from this series has ever been reprinted. This would, of course, be a fairly slim volume coming in somewhere around 125 pages, but that would be 125 pages of pure bliss. Come on, Marvel - I'll be willing to bet that there are tens, if not dozens, of people out there who'd buy this.

Reprint This! Foxhole

Mainline was a very short-lived company started by Jack Kirby and Joe Simon in an attempt to publish their own material. Distribution issues led to its demise (ain't that always the case?), but not before they left behind a number of interesting books. One that has always intrigued me is Foxhole, as it was an attempt to bring more realism to the war genre with stories written and drawn by veterans. Kirby saw a lot of violence during his time in the service, and I'm sure he felt that comic book readers would appreciate stories with a bit more gravitas. Four issues were published by Mainline, and the title was sold to Charlton. The 5th and 6th issues features Mainline inventory but I believe that the 7th and final issue was new material assembled in Derby. Some Foxhole stories appeared in the early 80s in Charlton's Battlefield Action title, but I truly think that it is high time someone put together a nice volume reprinting this tough to find (and harder to afford) material.

Reprint This! Electric Warrior

Ok, I know absolutely nothing about this mid-80s series, but the blokes at the Slings & Arrows Guide raved about it. They don't do that very often, so I am officially intrigued. The concept sounds good, as it seems to share some concepts with Fritz Langs' Metropolis. I like Doug Moench's stories more often than not. I am not familiar with Jim Baikie's artwork, but if he knows how to move the story along - I'm a fan! Sure, I could probably down individual issues via bargain bins, but I am getting lazy in my old age and a bare bones TPB has become my preferred method of funnybook consumption. That way, I've only got one book gather dust under my side of the bed, rather than 18 floppies. You'll probably lost money on this one DC, but do it for me anyway!