Mood:
caffeinatedTopic: Comic Books - New
TODAY'S FEATURE - Blog #3220: A while back I blogged about picking up several back issues of 'Alter Ego' that is published by TwoMorrows Publishing, and in particular about issue #95, (as seen here). Today I'm blogging about a different 'Back Issue', that of issue #42 of the magazine 'Back Issue' itself, by the same Publisher! Why? Well, the 'theme' of this special issue really grabbed me! That's because it is the 'WILD WEST ISSUE!', of which I have a special fondness for this genre in comics. So what's this issue about? Here's the promo blurb about this issue: August 2010 - 84 pages Now shipping 8 times a year, with 16 color pages each issue! DC Comics’ latest movie star, Jonah Hex, headlines BACK ISSUE #42 (84 pages with color, $7.95) our “Wild West” issue, in a rare interview with the bounty hunter’s long-time writer, MICHAEL FLEISHER—plus Hex art galore by TONY DeZUNIGA, LUIS DOMINGUEZ, JOSE LUIS GARCIA-LOPEZ, KEITH GIFFEN, ED HANNIGAN, and a posse of popular artists! Plus: TIM TRUMAN’s Scout, the Two-Gun Kid joins the Avengers, HERB TRIMPE’s Rawhide Kid, DICK AYERS’ original Ghost Rider, DC’s Weird Westerns, Red Wolf, Caleb Hammer, Charlton’s Westerns, and the Vigilante’s 1970s revival. With art and/or commentary by NEAL ADAMS, JIM APARO, CHUCK DIXON, GEORGE EVANS, BILL KUNKEL, GRAY MORROW, FABIAN NICIEZA, BEAU SMITH, and more. Featuring a gorgeous but gripping Jonah Hex cover by Tony DeZuniga. Edited by MICHAEL EURY. Whew! That's a lot to chew on, pardners!
So I'm really pleased to see that Tony's work from years ago is being truly appreciated today. And that he and Tina are having fun at comic cons selling original artwork and doing new sketches for new fans as well as old! And that's a really good illustration by Tony on the front cover of this 'Back Issue' magazine! So, that's another reason to blog about this issue today. Although it is Michael Felisher that discusses 'Jonah Hex' in a rare interview, not Tony, in this issue. Here's 'My Take' on each of the main articles: Michael Felisher And Jonah Hex - Pages 3 to 15 - I would agree that Michael's Jonah Hex stories are what are most remembered today. Even though he wrote nearly 700 comic-book stories in his 20 year career. I enjoyed this cover feature, as it truly is a 'rare' interview that was given here. The Vigilante - Pages 16 to 22 - I never really picked up on this character before reading this interview. Interesting article. Two-Gun Kid: Right Between The Eons - Pages 23 to 30. Now this I really enjoyed. Because during these years I was a 'Marvel Zombie', reading even their Westerns, HoRRoR Comics, etc., as they hit the newstands. A really good put together article by Jarrod Buttery! Tells why Two-Gun was in the 'Present' as well as the 'Past' in the Marvel Universe. All-Star Weird Western Heroes of DC Comics - Pages 31 to 40 -Again, I never read all of these issues as they came out. I have read them when purchasing collections for resale. I knew that Jonah Hex started here. Other characters were in this series. A good read for those that are into DC Western heroes, by John Wells. Jonah Hex Art Gallery - Pages 41 to 43. In color presentation. As a center fold presentation it fits well with the cover feature. Wild West Mego Men - Pages 44 -45. You know, I hadn't known of this series by Mego. Of course I had the Fantastic Four dolls, ooops, I mean action figures! Red Wolf - The Saga of a Man Torn Between Two Worlds - Pages 46 - 53. You know, I really enjoyed reading the history of this character. I was there when these first came out, but distribution was a little spotty in my area. Good read, written by John Schwirian! Rough Stuff - by Tom Ziuko - Pages 54 - 59. Interesting article with several illustrations. The pencils are very interesting to see. Ghost Rider / Night Rider - Originated by Dick Ayers - Pages 60 -61. A way too short article on the Ghost Rider by Marvel. I didn't like what happened in the continuity in the West Coast Avengers years later...Oh, well... Charlton 1970's Western Roundup - Pages 63 - 65. Another way too short article! I've read several of these titles in the years since they were first published. I didn't read them when they were first published for the most part, because they were not distributed evenly out here on the West Coast. I just couldn't put together a decent collection at that time.
The Coming of Caleb Hammer - Pages 68 -69. This was an overlooked story from years ago, but his character has been used in the years since. The Savage Future of Timothy Truman's Scout - Pages 70 - 77. Never read these stories...and after reading this article I still have no big motivation to search them out...but for those of you that are fans of this series, 7 pages are a goodly amount of reading for you! Back Talk - The letter pages - which take up the rest of the issue. It's nice to see a letters column page(s) in print. Again...All I have to say is 'Whew!", as there is a LOT to read in this magazine! This issue was like a runaway locomotive in its presentation style. On and on and on. But with 95% of topics that I had an interest in! So for me, this was a Great 'Theme Issue'! My comic book grade for this issue #42 of 'Back Issue' is a NEAR MINT (NM) 9.4 grade out of a 10.0 grading scale. Definitely a 'Must Issue' for those that like the Westerns Comic Books Genre, no matter what company you mostly read. BTW, We have will have this and other back issues of 'Back Issue' Magazine listed for sale in our online shop in the near future! --------------------------- Again, my thanks to John Morrow of TwoMorrows Publishing for publishing his line of magazines. I really appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in the TwoMorrows Publishing Empire that puts out such quality titles month after month! Plus it was great to see you at the San Diego Comic-Con again this year! PLUS...My thanks again to all of YOU reading this blog and our archived blog posts, now at the 3,215 total posts in number! I do appreciate your continued reading and support of this Blog! ~ Michael D Hamersky @ ComicBookCollectorsBlog.com
http://www.comicbookscircus.com/
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For those of YOU that read my blog on a regular basis, you'll know that I've been running into Tina and Tony DeZuniga at a lot of comic cons recently! It's getting harder to see them for a visit at their booths...Especially with the theatrical release of the 'Jonah Hex' film based on the character that Tony co-created for DC Comics!
Herb Trimpe Remembers the 1985 Rawhide Kid Miniseries - Pages 66 - 67. I enjoyed this miniseries when I came across it years later. One of Herb's best drawn series, IMO.
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