Funky pretty much summed up my feelings on it; but I’d add that fifteen dollars is WAY too much. It sounds like it’s just a trade paperback reprinting the original Detectives Inc. story — there were two, the second one was drawn by Gene Colan.

Only two?
I remember thinking their must have been a story before 'Threatening Green' when I read it, the characters felt established when I read it.
Guess I always rated it higher because I assumed there must have been stories leading the characters to those points (isn't one obsessed and repulsed by Lesbian fantasies or something?), not just starting them there.

That said, I'm very pumped for AMBUSH BUG. Good call.

And I'm glad you're picking up ATOMIC ROBO. You are a wise man.

As far as Mouse Guard goes, I believe that Archaia actually passed on the softcover version. The publisher (I forget his name) apparently likes the aesthetic of hardcovers and that's all he's interested in. So with absolutely no hard feelings Petersen took the trade version to Villard. As far as I know, he's still very happy with Archaia.

Damn, fast typo-fingers.

~P~
P-TOR

I just got two TPB's in my recent shipment:

- World War Hulk tpb (marvel) - 224pgs - $ 24.99
&
- The Illuminati tpb (marvel) - 128pgs - $ 14.99

They both reprint 5 issues of their respective mini-series', but does 96 extra pages really warrant the $ 10.00 price increase?

Looking at the math of it all, I guess so.
If each 100-pages = $10.
But, then that would mean that the extra 25 or so pages would be $2.50, not $5.00.
But then they charge the same $ 4.99 for either the 24-pages of WWHulk or the 28-pages of Illuminati.
So, are we getting a "deal" on Illuminati or overcharged on WWHulk?

And, yes. I know that WWHulk was priced at $ 3.99 per comic.
But traditionally, haven't TPB's been a BETTER deal?
Usually quite a bit cheaper than buying all the "floppies"?
So, then why is this trade an EXTRA $5.00?

Illuminati was a $2.99 comic, right?
So, that would place the issues at $ 16.00 (rounded).
The trade is a buck cheaper.

Hell, I get my stuff at a great discount (does ANYONE really pay full-price - except for maybe at a book store?), so it's not a huge deal for me.
But it made me blink when I saw the original price on the book.

Poor kids today.
That don't have a chance.

~P~
P-TOR

Youi didn't mention the second Spider-man Loves Mary Jane Hardcover! for shame! Them's good comics!

Detectives, Inc., with art by Marshall Rogers. Desperado is offering this for 15 bucks. As always with old-school comic book stuff, I turn to Greg Hatcher to tell us if it’s any good. He’s the man when it comes to this!

Funky pretty much summed up my feelings on it; but I'd add that fifteen dollars is WAY too much. It sounds like it's just a trade paperback reprinting the original Detectives Inc. story -- there were two, the second one was drawn by Gene Colan.

The original trade was in black-and-white, and later Eclipse colorized it and printed it as a two-part mini in the standard monthly format. That's the version I have here, the two floppies. And you can find those for WAY cheaper than fifteen dollars. I think mine came out of a quarter box. Or you can get the original graphic novel from Amazon for $3.60.

So unless there's new content -- like a LOT of new content -- fifteen dollars is ridiculously high. We're talking maybe 64 pages of story. If the Gene Colan follow-up is included, that might be worth a look, at least that would bulk up the book to five issues' worth.

Also, for those that are fussy about this sort of thing, it's worth noting that although the book is titled Detectives, Inc there's almost no detecting going on. The mystery is minimal and not very well constructed in either story, though the Colan one's a little better than the original Marshall Rogers one. It's all mostly Don McGregor musing on relationships and so on and so forth, intercut with the occasional bout of fisticuffs. Again, I don't know if that's fifteen dollars' worth of a good time. The art is gorgeous, though, particularly the Rogers stuff.

Danielle: Have at it! The only reason I don't go over the manga stuff is because I'm such a neophyte when it comes to it. I don't think reading Kurosagi Corpse Delivery Service, one volume of Octopus Girl, and The Ice Wanderer makes me an expert on manga, so I just skip it. That's why you're here, and I will read what you have to say to see what manga sounds neat.

I'm not sure about the She-Hulk collection, Lucion. Since I buy the single issues, I skip over the solicitations for the collections.

I missed the Maze Agency story, Andrew. I don't know why the comics don't do better, and a prose story might work well. I'll have to check that out!

Damn, that means no THE KILLER.

Grrrr.

I never picked up "Local" in single-issue form so I'm all up for a collection of that (also Berlin Book 2 comes out and that is a must have).

There’s another old-school Don McGregor book on page 256: Detectives, Inc., with art by Marshall Rogers. Desperado is offering this for 15 bucks. As always with old-school comic book stuff, I turn to Greg Hatcher to tell us if it’s any good. He’s the man when it comes to this!

It's McGregor, so it feels dated and awkward, but you can almost feel the excitement of comics 'growing up' that Greg Hatcher mentions they felt in the late 70's early 80's.
Bit self important, tries a bit too hard to be edgy and street - but you know what, I'd still read another (only read one story of Detectives Inc).

This is a very good series, with the exception of the last story arc, which inexplicably requires you to read one of the novels. I will not be manipulated that way, Greg Rucka!

Preach it Brother!

I really don't see any appeal in crossing mediums to tell a story - I know Moorcock tried to make it trendy and all, but what's wrong with just telling it in comics?

I am glad Marvel is putting out the new ClanDestine mini in hardback since I bought the first in hardback. I hate it when they switch formats in mid-run. It's kind of an irrational fear. I noticed that the latest She-Hulk collection is coming in hardback, was that true of the previous? I just wish I didn't have to wait for Moon Knight to go from hardback to softcover. I could go on and on...

I ordered Skyscrapers of the Midwest because of Brian's reccomendation. If it doesn't work for me I'll join your crusade. Should I bring the pitchfork or torch?