The 64th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Uncovering Gems In My Collection.

You know I wanted to call this post, The Gem Awakens as in The Force Awakens but nahh, I decided that would be too much of a rip off, so I went with the safe title.  As the year draws to a close, I realized that the "little rescue my comics project" I started a few months ago, well, let's just say the comics are STILL on the living room floor.  I've run out of bags and boards and looking at the living room, I am starting to really doubt I'll be able to get this done.  I was optimistic when I moved my comics out of the cupboard but now I'm really starting to doubt I'll be able to complete this task of saving the comics and bagging and boarding them.

Even so, I am still going to try and rescue as many of these comics as I can.  Hopefully over the Christmas holidays, I can move some of these comics to a different location.  It's going to be a huge task but since I was able to move them all out of the cupboard, I should be able to move them again.  Fingers crossed that I won't damage any more comics along the way.  I've found a lot of great comics that were damaged over the years and it hurts to see these comics in such a state.

To get a head start on things, I decided to move them out of the living room in batches and I found a few Gems that I never thought I would see again.  I think I've mentioned this before, for me it's the fun of seeing some old comic that you forgot you had.  well, I saw a few Gems in my collection.  I was so sure that I had lost a few of these Gems, thank goodness they were still in good condition, so lets get to it, Welcome to the 64th Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast: Uncovering Gems In My Collection.

Here's a comic book I thought I had lost, have a look at this:

Do you recognize this comic?  This is Ultraforce # 0A which was a giveaway comic that came with an issue of Wizard Magazine.  Ultraforce was published by Malibu Comics.  Remember Malibu Comics?  They were active in the late 1980s and early 1990s, best known for their Ultraverse line of superhero comics.  Remember Men In Black?  Ultraforce? The Exiles?  If memory serves, Malibu Comics was launched in 1986 (man that seems like ages ago) Malibu began modestly with creator-owned black-and-white titles, but made a name for itself publishing a combination of new series and licensed properties such as the classic characters like Tarzan and Sherlock Holmes. They also published popular TV, Movie and even video game tie in comics.  I also recall apart from the Ultraverse Line, they also had a successful but short lived creator owned line called Bravura.

I think Malibu was noted for being what is known as publishers of record (at the time I just referred to it as piggy backing) for a young upstart creator-run publisher access to the distribution channels.  The year was 1992, the company was Image Comics.  I remember those days, exciting times in comics.  After a while, Malibu Comics was bought over by Marvel Comics who were in acquisition mode those days, they were gobbling up companies left and right and Malibu was one of the companies they bought.  Whatever happened to Malibu Comics?  After the company was bought over by Marvel in November of 1994, there was a lot of press covering the purchase and as usual in those days, a lot of promises were made and all that but in the end Marvel canceled the entire Ultraverse line but they re-launched a handful of the more popular titles as well as a number of crossovers with Marvel characters.  In the relaunch, the "volume 2" series each started with # infinity symbol on them.  However these (infinity) issues and were canceled a short time later. Very little Malibu content was published after 1996. Sad.

So, anyway, this is one of those Gems I thought I lost.  This comic is not in great condition, if you look closely the top left hand corner of the comic is damaged, mostly because of silverfish eating away the cover and pages.  This is Ultraforce # 0A.  0A was a small comic book, about digest size and only contained 12 pages.  When I saw it, I was wondering why I kept it, then I found the answer in this next Gem.

Here it is, isn't that cover a beauty?  Okay this is Ultraforce # 0.  The main reason why I had the little digest version of Ultraforce and this issue is the artwork, no the beautifully stunning artwork by George Perez.  I was hooked by Issue # 0A and when they released Issue # 0, I bought it.  It was a comic drawn by George Perez.  I knew I had to have it and I'm glad I didn't lose this issue.  Meet Ultraforce, this issue featured Hardcase, Prototype, Prime, Ghoul, Contrary, Topaz and Pixx.  Interestingly enough even though the character Topaz (she's the redhead with the err Topaz (???) complexion) was featured on the cover, she did not make her appearance until Issue # 1 which brings me to this next Gem.

This is Ultraforce # 1.  All the issue featured here were written by Gerard Jones, penciled by George Perez and inked by Al Vey.  By the way both Perez and Very would later on be the artistic team on another superhero team book, The Avengers with Kurt Busiek as writer.   I really liked the quality of this title and the main attraction for me was always the art.  Issue # 1 of Ultraforce tells the origins of the team and as mentioned earlier Topaz makes her first appearance.  If you've never read this title, try it out, if nothing else, just have a look at George Perez and Al Vey's artwork before they started doing the art for The Avengers.  If you're a Perez fan, you'll love it, just like I did and still do.  

Okay next I stumbled upon a two issue Limited Series also from Malibu Comics.  As I said before, sometimes when you see an old comic, memories start coming back.  I remember I bought Issue # 1 of this Limited Series first but I didn't get issue # 2.  The reason was the store I bought it from, one day folded and just disappeared into thin air.  I never got issue # 2 but as luck would have it, many years later I saw Issue # 2 up for sale in a Comics Shop and it was going for a song, I bought it and I was finally able to complete the set.  Which title was it?  Here, have a look at Issue # 1!

Does anyone remember this Limited Series?  Break Thru was Malibu Comics' cross over event covering all their Ultraverse titles.  Break Thru # 1 had a cover penciled and Inked by George Perez.  Break Thru was their big summer event featuring all their super heroes.  The whole storyline started in an issue of  EXILES #4 and the story continued in the January 1994 Ultraverse titles.  I tried to get the rest of the titles but I couldn't get any of the titles after the store I bought it from folded.  Many years later I found Issue # 2 of Break Thru, have a look at this.

Another beautiful George Perez masterpiece.  This was the first time I had seen Perez's artwork outside of Marvel and DC Comics.  Break Thru was perfect for Perez.  I doubt any of the other artists Malibu had at the time could match Perez's artwork.  Break Thru Issues # 1 and 2 had a huge stable of writers behind it, there was Gerard Jones (script), Gerard Jones (contributing writer) and Mike W. Barr (contributing writer); Steve Englehart (contributing writer); Steve Gerber (contributing writer); James D. Hudnall (contributing writer); Tom Mason (contributing writer); George Perez (contributing writer); James Robinson (contributing writer); Len Strazewski (contributing writer).  Issue # 1 featured pencils by Perez with inks by John Lowe and Tim Eldred (ink assists).  By Issue # 2 Perez was joined by his collaborator Al Vey.  All these issues are definitely Gems to me, keepers for sure.  

Still on the subject of George Perez, I also came across another comic book he drew outside of Marvel and DC Comics, here, have a look at this:

This is Issue # 1 of Solus which was published by CrossGen Entertainment in April to December of 2003.  Solus was written by Barbara Kesel and penciled by George Perez, inked by Rick Magyar.  Solus ran for eight issues until it was cancelled when Crossgen went bankrupt in 2004.  I remember that Perez didn't pencil the entire eight issues, he left the title in Issue # 4.  Solus was a late comer to the Crossgen line-up but was a pivotal title within the overall Sigilverse history.  Solus was classified as a Science Fiction comic, I bought this issue because of Perez's artwork.  There was no regret when you buy a comic book with the name Perez on it as the always delivers great artwork each time.

If you're a comic book fan like me, then you'll probably remember these next two comics I found.  I was also caught up in the craze of the moment when Image Comics was launched and they were the ones who started releasing special editions, multiple first issues and all that.  Well this next comic was launched with 13 different variants, 13!!! Now that's a lot of variants.  As luck would have it, I couldn't get the variants, I could only afford the normal editions.  Here they are:

Okay this is Issue # 1 of Gen 13, regular cover and this is the Thumbs Up Variant Cover or 1B.

These two were the only ones I got.  There were so many other variants of this issue but this was all I could get or rather afford to get.  Gen 13 was written by Brandon Choi (Script) with J. Scott Campbell (Plot) and penciled by J. Scott Campbell and inked by Alex Garner and Sandra Hope.  While everyone else went nuts for the other variants, I thought I had better keep these two in a bag and board.  They might not be the other more sought after variants but to me they're still Gems.  Condition wise they're pretty good for comics bought in 1995!

The next Gem I found is indeed a Gem.  I was surprised to see this issue in such good condition.  I was sure that silverfish had made a meal of it, thankfully it's not in a bag and board.  This comic was released after the success of movie called Batman starring Michael Keaton.  This was the first Solo Batman comic to be released since 1940, don't take my word for it, it says so right on the cover.

Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight was released in November of 1989, written by Denny O'Neil, art by Ed Hannigan and John Beatty.  This was issue # 1 and this issue alone had a double cover.  The outer front cover came in four colors. The data on this line refers to the inner front cover, which is more in line with subsequent front covers. Dean Motter did the cover design and logo for this first arc. Titled Shaman Book One, Bruce Wayne (pre-Batman) studies with a bounty hunter tracking a criminal in Alaska. He is saved by a Shaman who tells him a story about a bat and a raven, while wearing a ceremonial bat-mask.  The Batman Year One story is expanded a bit in this storyline.  Denny O'Neil explains the logic behind the double cover and importance of the debut of a new Batman solo book, the first since 1940. This appears on the inside front (outer) cover. See?

I loved this 5 part story.  The story was great, classic storytelling by Denny O'Neil and the art was dark, moody and Hannigan even drew Bruce Wayne to look like Michael Keaton.  Interesting and very engrossing comic book.

Now this next Gem, I really thought I had lost it.  I tried to locate it a few months ago, could not find it but I was able to find it.  It's still in pretty good condition and now it's safely in a bag.  Here, take a look at this:

When I bought this comic, I was eager to see the artwork by Mark Texeira.  The cover he did to Issue # 1 was just fantastic.  This issue was released under The Marvel Knights Imprint under the watchful eyes of Joe Quesada and Jimmy Palmiotti.  In this comic, leaving behind unrest among refugees in Wakanda, the Black Panther comes to New York to investigate scandal in the Tomorrow Fund.  Black Panther was written by Christopher Priest who brought something new and fresh to this character.  I'm holding on to this Gem.  With Black Panther starring in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, this comic will definitely be a keeper.  

Well, there you have it, the Gems I uncovered in my collection.  In the next few days, I am going to try and move my collection to another location, hopefully I'll be able to find more Gems and keepers and I'll be sure to share them with you.  

Hey, Christmas is just a few days away, so I'm going to wish all of you who are celebrating, A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  So is this my final post for 2015, I don't know, maybe.  If I can squeeze a bit of time before the end of the year, I'll try and update the broadcast...just before the New Year.  Again Merry Christmas, thanks for dropping by for the Co(s)mic Comic Book Broadcast, as always, take care, see you next time.