The 21st Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: The return of The Gems!

Welcome to the 21st Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast, back with some more uncovered Gems!  Yeah I ain't quite finished yet with my comic book collection.  These are some gems I found recently.  I hope you remember some of these comics.  Hope you'll like them.

I remember posting about the Marvel Comics New Universe Imprint, one of the issues I talked about was a comic called Star Brand.  Well, I found this issue in my closet, it's Star Brand Issue 11.

This issue is unique because John Byrne, at the prompting of New Universe editor Howard Mackie (a close friend of Byrne's), took over both the writing and breakdowns with issue #11.  Shortly after, a meeting between Byrne, Mackie, and DP 7 writer Mark Gruenwald was held to come up with a plot device to raise interest in the New Universe. The idea of the Star Brand destroying Pittsburgh was devised at this meeting and implemented in The Star Brand #12. Following this issue, Ken Connell was reduced to a supporting character, and the series became a more generalized account of the effects of the Star Brand on humankind. The series was cancelled with issue #19.

Okay back to issue # 11,  the title of the book and the cover blurb officially change to THE Star Brand with this first issue by Byrne. The issue was titled: Celebrity. Debbie "the Duck" and Myron Feldman convince Ken Connell to don a costume and become a super-hero. Calling himself Star Brand, he stops a plane hijacking, but the general public still doubts his existence even after seeing him on television. Intent on ending the speculation, Ken flies to the moon and brings the Apollo 11 lunar landing module to the lawn of the White House as a gift to President Reagan. Star Brand becomes a nation-wide sensation. Debbie finds out she is pregnant.  Next we have this little gem.

This is Unity # 0.  As you can see on the cover, this issue is FREE.  I don't quite remember how I got Unity # 0 but I'm pretty sure it wasn't for free.  Anyway this is Unity # 0 published by Valiant Comic, remember them?  The company was founded in 1989 by former Marvel Comics Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter and former Marvel Comics writer/editor Bob Layton.  Valiant Comics was HOT back in the day.  I remember wanting to try out their version of 3D comics with something they called Valiant Vision but i never had the chance to try it.  They were putting out some hot books back in the day and I remember reading Solar Man of the Atom, X-O Manowar and more.

I guess you can call Unity Valiant's Secret Wars or Crisis on Infinite Earths.  This preview was written by Jim Shooter and the art was by legendary artist Barry Windsor Smith.

After some really tough times which included being sold and shut down but Valiant has been going through a resurgence of late which is good to see.

The condition of the book is okay, has alot of nicks all over but this is definitely a keeper being that it's the start of the Unity storyline and I'm a big fan of Barry Windsor Smith, so yeah a keeper for sure.

 Now that looks like a badass cover, That's Wetworks Issue 1. 

The idea for Wetworks came from artist Whilce Portacio and writer Brandon Choi. It ran for four years before ending in 1998. Originally intended as one of the core Image Comics launch titles in 1992, the series was put on hiatus until 1994 due to the death of Portacio's sister. After re-solicitation by Image (through Jim Lee's Wildstorm imprint), the original series ran for 43 issues, from 1994-1998.

In issue 1, the story starts when I.O. sends Team 7 to Transylvania to recover a dangerous biological weapon; Instead, they find the facility they are supposed to be invading already overrun with vampires and large tubes full of a golden liquid; One of the tubes is ruptured and completely coats Claymore; When the coating proves to be bulletproof and, as they are facing down an army of bloodsuckers, Dane decides to crack the rest of the tubes and turn his whole team golden; The team defeats the vampires but Craven double-crosses them, sending in gunships to wipe them out; Mother One betrays I.O. to save the team and joins.

This issue also features a gatefold front cover, inside Portacio  talks about the death of his sister and thanks everyone who made the book possible.

Yeah I'll admit that I got caught up in the Image craze way back when.  Yeah I bought multiple copies, maybe too many copies, hey it's Image, Wetworks was another hot new comic on the block. Say, you want to buy a nice copy of Wetworks issue 1?

But I gotta say this one is a keeper too, a reminder of an exciting time in comics when Image comics was formed and revolutionized the industry.  Thanks for dropping by for The Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast, I'll continue digging for more gems and I'll share them with you right here, so drop by anytime, you'll always welcome here.  

Until next time, take care.