So, on my not-so-long weekend, I was out for a walk and stumbled upon a small bookstore near my house in Toronto. I went inside to see what kind of (if any) Graphic Novels they had. Well, half an hour and $100 later, I walked out with some real finds, at way less than the cover price. There’s some classic stuff, some classic-er stuff, and some really classic stuff. So read on in this week’s installment of The Catchup!

IRON MAN: DEMON IN A BOTTLE

This is the classic tale from 1979 that first defined Tony Stark as an alcoholic. While that might not seem that big of a deal these days, in 1979 it was virtually unheard of to present mainstream characters in a situation of addiction. This story revolutionized the character of Tony Stark and Iron Man, and I believe that this fatal flaw is one of the reasons he has continued to endure as a major player in the Marvel Universe. While this edition somewhat lacks in the special features department, I think that it’s an essential part of Iron Man, and comics, history and one not to be missed.

Buy IRON MAN: DEMON IN A BOTTLE at Things From Another World

SHAZAM AND THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL

I have never been a huge Captain Marvel fan, but I have always been a huge Jeff Smith fan. Best known for the black-and-white epic Bone, Smith here takes on one of DCs most iconic characters in bright, bold colour. Smith’s natural humor and lightheartedness lends itself perfectly to the magic world of Billy Baston and his superpowered alter-ego. Even the Seven Deadly Sins on the Rock of Eternity make the reader smile. This is a well written, fun, and artfully executed story, and my only regret is waiting until now to read it! This book, by the way, is perfect for those who have youngersters in their lives that they would like to introduce into the world of comics.

Buy SHAZAM AND THE MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL at Things From Another World

SUPERMAN: THE DAILIES 1939-1942

Wow. Superman was a bit of a jerk out of the gate. This collection of the classic Superman newspaper strips from 1939-1942 is an absolute treasure. We get to see The Man of Steel just as he was concieved by those two kids from Cleveland (one by way of Canada). I think it’s extremely important to understand where characters come from to know who they are, and this collection is extremely important, not just to Superman fans, but comic fans in general. Also, in these strips, Superman isn’t the All-American Boyscout we know and love. He’s stark, quick to action, and quite often quick to leave too. He sometimes comes across as downright mocking towards those he works with and battles, which is a bit strange given the Superman we know now, but it makes for a great read.

Buy SUPERMAN: THE DAILIES VOL.1 at Things From Another World

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This entry was posted on Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 at 12:35 am and is filed under Extras, Reviews, The Checklist. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.