Mood:
a-okTopic: Comic Books - New
TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3118: This is a review of a .pdf copy of Comic Fan #6 sent to me by the publisher, Jim Main, for possible mention / review in my blog. The .pdf version was already listed for sale on his web site, and the square bound print version was added late yesterday, as it just came in from the printer. Details after this review! (Please Note: As of Comic Fan #6, (this issue), several of my review blog posts are being re-printed in the 'Spinner Rack' review section of this magazine. Thus I am considered a 'contributor' to this publication. Please be aware of this.) First, I have not yet seen this magazine in print form before, although it is now up to issue #6. I am thus reviewing this in a format that some prefer, although I am more 'tactile' in my reading habits. I don't believe this will affect my thoughts of this magazine as I read and review it. Second, here are my thoughts as I read through the magazine: Front Cover: This is an interesting and compelling front cover for this issue, especially if you are interested in what appears to be the major feature of this magazine's issue. That being the JLA, (Justice League of America). Of course, there is a major following of both the individual characters portrayed on the cover, as well as their joint involvement in the JLA. So the cover should attract the attention of quite a few. The "In This Issue" blurb states that the JLA article is on 'Evolutions'. Plus the other articles featured on the front cover are: Capt. George Henderson, and Mike Sekowsky, and the 'Spinner Rack' review section that I mentioned above. So there appears to be enough material presented on the front cover for a browser at a LCBS to want to immediately pick up the magazine and thumb through it. What they would find would be the following: Inside Front cover - by John Lambert is in a style that I have seen before, (see my review of 'Chase'), and I enjoyed this pencilled and inked illustration, which could be considered a tribute page to Jack Kirby. I had not seen John illustrating 'mainstream' characters before and enjoyed this cover! The Splash Page - was laid out well, and showed me there was a lot more content on the inside, as the front cover had promised. The next page was titled: "Comic Fan Comments" which was basically a 'Letter from the Editor' page. I generally like these features, and this one gave me the insight to the next issue's features that I want to come back for... Atlas / Seaboard article and an article on Charlton Comics. So I've made a note on that! The next item was a one page 'Eulogy for Rusty Haller' - a very informative piece by Robert J Sodaro. 'The Low Down' - which is the 'letters section' for Comic Fan! was next. I'll let you read that on your own... "Justice League Evolution" by Glenn Walker was next. With this being the main feature shown on the front cover, I wanted to pay special attention to this article. I'm not going to bore you with complete details, but I did want to say this. Even though I was a 'Marvel Zombie' in the truest sense of the term, I did see several other comics in my formative years. Especially since the Fantastic Four was supposedly inspired by Martin Goodman learning of DC / National Comics good fortune on bringing back a super hero team. So I had to see those early JLA issues in the 1960's for comparison. Plus as I grew older, and started dealing in comics, of course I would read individual issues to see what I was also selling! So I enjoyed this article, what with the early history of the JLA, and then the author delving into the periods when additional artists had their turns illustrating DC's premiere team of superheroes! This feature article was well written, and illustrated profusely. Good job! "(Super) Boys And Their Toys!" by Jeffery Vavra was the next article. It was an examination of the devices used by the super folks. I gotta admit it... As a kid, I was fascinated by the special pin-up style pages on Batman's utility belt, Daredevil's billy club, and other special features that were printed in either Annuals or an extra page in the monthly comic book. Well, those two above mentioned examples are covered in this article, as well as paragraphs on the Two-Gun Kid, Ghost Rider, Iron Man, and more! This was another article that I enjoyed reading! Thanks, Jeffery Vavra for sharing that in those pages! But wait... There's more! LOL, kinda sounds like a commercial, but it's true! "Comic Fandom Profiles: Carl Taylor" was written by Lance "Doc" Boucher. If YOU don't know who he is... well, that's a good reason to at least pick up the .pdf copy of this magazine! "The New Mike Sekowsky: Appreciating His Radical Years" by Jason Sacks - And yes, I do admit to reading Wonder Woman comics that Mike illustrated during her "New Wonder Woman" period! Several comics covers are shown along with info on this period. Plus the article delves into 'Metal Men', 'Supergirl In Adventure Comics', (which I also picked up as a dealer and read), plus 'Jason's Quest' and 'Manhunter 2070', which I have not yet read. So this article covered an interesting period of Mike Sekowsky's life. If you don't already know, Mike passed away in 1989 at the age of 66 after complications from alcoholism... "Blast From The Past" Featured "An Interview with John Byrne" - Conducted and Transcribed by Rick Limacher. Rick first printed this in his own fanzine "Visual Show Case" in 1976. Rick was 16 years old, and a high school student at the time. The interview was conducted after John Byrne had left Charlton Comics, and was working for Marvel Comics. He had already started drawing 'Power Man / Iron Fist', 'The Defenders', and was starting his run on 'Marvel Team-Up'. I had not seen this interview before, and was pleased to see it reprinted here. Whew, I am going to be running out of room for this review of Comic Fan #6 and am only through page 47 in this review! So, with what I've covered so far in this review... I gotta admit... there is a LOT to read for your money here! So, definitely I would suggest to at LEAST purchase the .pdf version of this magazine for the low price of $2.00 that YOU can read now, or go ahead and order the print copy which would be mailed to you shortly. The print version was added yesterday after Jim came back from last weekend's S.P.A.C.E. where the print version debuted as it had just come in from the printer! The price on that format and how to obtain it can be found in this link: Click here to view and order the Print Copy to be mailed to YOU! Click here to view and order the PDF version to be e-mailed! My thanks to to Publisher, Jim Main, for sending me this preview copy for review. Plus my thanks for including my reviews starting with this issue! AND My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now over the 3,100 total posts in number!~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com
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