CSBG Archive
Scott’s Classic Comics Corner: DC’s Bureau of Missing Reprints Pt. 1
When you have a history as deep and as rich as DC’s, the amount of choice material available for reprinting is staggering. Over the years, I’ve compiled a list of great DC strips or story arcs that are just begging to be collected in TPB format. To their credit, the powers that be have checked a few of my list in recent years – notably Bat Lash, Kirby’s The Losers and Vigilante: City Lights, Prairie Justice, among others. Still, there’s a ton of stuff out there that I need to get on my bookshelf. Here’s the first half of my list of Top 10 from the Bureau of Missing Reprints.
NOTE: I’m not exactly up on recent solicitations etc… so one or more of the may have been announced recently.
10. I… Vampire
A wonderful early 80s soap opera that ran during House of Mystery’s final years. Seeing as how vampires are everywhere these days and how Marvel had great success with its Tomb of Dracula reprints, I’m surprised that DC hasn’t jumped aboard the bloodsucking bandwagon. Andrew Bennett is a wonderfully tragic character, who attempts to right past wrongs by tracking down his former lover and her band of vampires. Throw in some perfectly gothic Tom Sutton artwork and you’ve got an underappreciated classic.
9. Danger Trail
Bits and pieces of this extremely tough to find (and therefore expensive) series have been reprinted here and there, but the 5 issues series truly deserves to be given a nice TPB treatment. I wouldn’t limited it to the King Faraday stories, but also include all of the back-ups. You’ve got fantastic artwork here, by the likes of Infantino, Toth and Lee Elias. A 5 issue series may seem a bit short for a trade, but keep in mind that this is the 50s and page counts were much higher. This volume would come in at around 180 pages. We need more spy stuff!
8. Blackhawk (1980s)
I’m talking the amazing early 80s relaunch by Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle here, folks. This is arguably the best take on the team of WW2 aviators. Evanier demonstrates his considerable writing skills, filling the pages with a bleak atmosphere, as the threat of Hitler is brought back to life. Dan Spiegle is one of the all-time underappreciated artists, and his work here is simply astounding. DC is doing fandom a great disservice by keeping a TPB of this series off the shelves.
7. Star Hawkins
This was a very fun strip that ran in Strange Aventures on and off during the early 60s. Created by John Broome and Mike Sekowsky, Hawkins is a cross between Han Solo and Jim Rockford, charming his way through various mysteries, ably assisted by his robot helper Ilda (the true brains behind the operation). It’s a very entertaining read and serves as proof that Sekowsky is a master of comic book storytelling.
6. Shade, the Changing Man
Considering how many rabid Steve Ditko fans exist out there, I’m shocked that DC hasn’t put out a volume of Shade reprints. In my opinion, it was Ditko’s most artistically successful projects of the 70s. While not perfect (suffers from some stiff dialogues), it’s fun high concept book that is visually stunning. If possible, it would be great if someone could rework the art from the Xerox pages for issue #9, published in Cancelled Comics Cavalcade.
Next week: My top 5
Please drop by my blog Seduction of the Indifferent , where I feature many more reprint candidates from a variety of publishers.
22 Comments
Matt Bird
April 21, 2009 at 9:22 am
I’d buy them all in trade (but not in $50 hardcover), especially Shade!
keith
April 21, 2009 at 10:16 am
i bought the first issue of Ditko’s Shade, and thought it was a great comic. I would definitely buy a trade of that series.
jazzbo
April 21, 2009 at 10:16 am
Yep, I’d buy pretty much every one of these. I’m with Matt though, I’d want them as cheaper TPBs and not spendy hardcovers. I’ve never even heard of Star Hawkins or Danger Trail. Star Hawkins in particular looks great. Can’t wait to see the top 5.
Richard Pachter
April 21, 2009 at 10:29 am
We tend to think of these as fans. Publishers tend to think as… publishers. (Will it sell?0
Just sayin’…
Greg Burgas
April 21, 2009 at 11:56 am
Considering DC still hasn’t gotten around to doing Milligan’s Shade in trades, and he’s working for them currently, I wouldn’t hold my breath on the older stuff. Too bad, too – I’d love to read older comics, but have no interest in searching for them, mainly because of the price.
Richard Pachter
April 21, 2009 at 11:59 am
Most likely they will be digitized and available for download, possibly even legitimately from DC, even.
mrclam
April 21, 2009 at 12:38 pm
I think it should be a law that all Ditko remain perpetually in print. Also, what up with all those never-reprinted Capt. Marvel stories? Man, I am really wanting to read the original “Monster Society of Evil” epic! Heck, I’d even shell out for a fancy hardcover!
rwe1138
April 21, 2009 at 12:55 pm
I really hope your Top 5 includes the DC Comics Presents B&W trades of both The Secret Society of Super-Villains & Ostrander’s Suicide Squad, both of which were solicited then cancelled.
Loren
April 21, 2009 at 1:08 pm
“Considering DC still hasn’t gotten around to doing Milligan’s Shade in trades, and he’s working for them currently, I wouldn’t hold my breath on the older stuff.”
The first tpb of Milligan’s Shade is coming, and scheduled for September.
http://www.dccomics.com/vertigo/graphic_novels/?gn=3933
Cass
April 21, 2009 at 1:24 pm
That trade already exists though (in fact, one is sitting half read on my desk right now). I wonder if this means they’ll now collect the rest of them too.
Andrew Collins
April 21, 2009 at 1:33 pm
That trade already exists though (in fact, one is sitting half read on my desk right now). I wonder if this means they’ll now collect the rest of them too.
Yes, they are. Volume 2 of Milligan & Bachalo’s Shade series is due in November, according to Amazon. Which makes me happy because I feel like the series really took off with those issues that will be in the second trade.
Very much in agreement with the assessment of Dan Spiegle. I LOVE his artwork and have never understood why and how he gets overlooked so much. Anyone just need check out his work on CROSSFIRE with Mark Evanier back in the 1980′s to see how good an artist he is. I would buy any trades of his Blackhawk series with Evanier in a heartbeat.
Andrew Collins
April 21, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Oh, and speaking of 80′s Blackhawk, Amazon also has an October release listed for a trade collecting Chaykin’s 1988 mini-series.
McK
April 21, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Also, what up with all those never-reprinted Capt. Marvel stories? Man, I am really wanting to read the original “Monster Society of Evil” epic! Heck, I’d even shell out for a fancy hardcover!
Coming in December 2009 in a fancy hardcover.
http://www.amazon.com/DC-Classics-Library-Monster-Society/dp/1401225179
Ken Raining
April 21, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Great call on Blackhawk. What a fantastic book that was.
DubipR
April 21, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Thanks for pulling some great memories from my childhood, Scott.
I do agree that those deserve some sort of Showcase reprinting (even though I’ve never heard of Star Hawkins, but I’d get it). I love that DC is giving the readers these great short runs/back-up stories treatment for a cheaper price than the usual price.
I look forward to the next 5… now I have to pull out those I, Vampire issues and give those a re-read.
DavidK
April 21, 2009 at 3:48 pm
I want a TPB or a nice HC of the complete run of ‘Mazing Man, including the specials.
joecab
April 21, 2009 at 8:00 pm
Great selections all. Especially the Evanier/Spiegle Blackhawk comics. Man, those were excellent, especially the one where Blackhawk actually got his chance to kill Hitler, and the story where Chop Chop finally becomes a real Blackhawk.
And if you think that series was great, you will die when you check out Crossfire by the same team. Easily one of my favorite comics series of all time.
C. Adams
April 21, 2009 at 8:21 pm
I would so buy a showcase edition of the Evanier/Spiegle Blackhawk comics. If my memory serves, they were like a super hero team book with planes. Good stuff.
John Trumbull
April 21, 2009 at 9:12 pm
YES YES YES YES YES please give the Evanier / Spiegle Blackhawk a trade, DC!!! One of my all-time favorite comics.
And reprint the Nemesis back-up from Brave & the Bold, too! More Spiegle, more Spiegle, More Spiegle!!!
KAM
April 22, 2009 at 1:20 am
\i{I… Vampire} was an interesting series.
I’d like to see a Showcase Presents: Captain Comet as well as collections that include Star Hunters, Knights of the Galaxy & the Atomic Knights (yeah, a collection with the Knights was announced then it seemed to get pulled, bummer.)
And where are the cheap paperback Chronicles collections for Golden Age characters like Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern, the JSA, etc.?
Scott
April 22, 2009 at 6:41 am
As for sales…
I’ve seen both Marvel and DC run with far worse ideas. I figure in today’s climate – a publisher can get a pretty good sense with advance solicitations of how something might sell. Some of these would sell quite well – perhaps others (like Danger Trail) simply need a very small print run, priced to be profitable.
Realistically Start Hawkins should be packaged with some other sci-fi back-ups (Space Cabby!) into a Showcase Volume. Only crazy people wouldn’t buy that.
As for my top 5 next Tuesday – you may be surprised by some choices but that’s half the fun. SSOSV won’t be there – that series doesn’t work for me. I love the Suicide Squad and it would make my top 15 or 20, and until rwe posted that comment, I assumed it was still slated to be published as a Showcase.
joecab – I’ve got the full run of Crossfire – one of the best series from the 80s, for sure. See my Underappreciated Artist Spotlight on Spiegle from last year.
Judging from these comments, and from conversations I’ve had with others – there’s a huge demand from the Evanier/Spiegle Blackhawk. DC is simply foolish for not giving us that book.
DC Guy
June 2, 2009 at 10:31 am
I, Vampire would be fantastic. They’d need to include the BRAVE & THE BOLD Batman team-up that (if I remember correctly) concluded the series.