Dionysus Wept is the place to get the latest news on the next sensation in sequential art. As well as the universe-expanding musings of writer Eric C Hayes.
This past weekend I attended the SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY CON at the...wait, that's not true. I actually went to MoCCA Fest 2011. MoCCA, The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, holds this event annually to help fund the exhibits and courses contained in their lower Manhattan building. The festival brings together thousands of the most talented independent writers and artists working in comics. What a perfect opportunity to add some signatures to my bound volumes of Grant Morrison's 30-issue story, SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY. Vol II of my collection already featured character sketches from Yanick Paquette and Freddie Williams II. This weekend I was fortunate to meet two artists who worked as staff letterers for DC Comics when SEVEN SOLDIERS was released. According to his bio, Jared K Fletchermakes designs and pictures, mostly for comics. He has an Eisner, Harvey and Eagle award nomination. But he also has 28 Steven Seagal movies on dvd. He lives and works in Brooklyn, NY. Jared was at MoCCA promoting his web-comic, STRANGER FICTIONS. I bought a mini-comic containing the web-comic's greatest hits. And it's hilarious yo! Subscribe to his rss feed to follow the adventures of Dethicus, the angry one who likes to smoke and watch Steven Seagal movies. And Captain Fantabulous, the other angry one. But back in '06, Jared was putting Grant Morrison's metatextual musings in word balloons and creating ingenius sound effects to suitably compliment the masterful artwork of SEVEN SOLDIERS. I was also lucky enough to briefly make the aquaitance of Phil Balsman. Back in the day he was lettering some of the SEVEN SOLDIERS books, notably FRANKENSTEIN. Phil was at MoCCA supporting his fiancée, and fellow artist Paigey Pumphrey. Lately, Balsman has been working as a Commercial Graphic Artist based in NYC. His work typically focuses on eye-catching, iconic design sense with a high-energy, high-impact aesthetic. Hit him up if you're in need of some amazing design work! Both Jared and Phil were VERY generous with their time and couldn't have been more approachable. I dig hearing behind-the-scenes stories about the books that I groove on. They were even kind enough to provide some sketches with their signatures. Stay tuned for more adventures with the SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY. I will also be giving shout-outs to all the other talented creators whose stuff I bought.
It's been a while since I've checked in with updates on my upcoming graphic novel DIONYSUS WEPT. The simple fact is, I've been focused on charity work. If you're like me and want to give to others, think about making a contribution to THE HUMAN FUND.
In the meantime, check out DIONYSUS WEPT illustrator Marc Borstel's amazing work on DREAM REAVERS, a 4-issue mini-series coming out from Ape Entertainment later this year.
Aside from my tireless efforts to promote DIONYSUS WEPT, I managed to pursue other interests at NYCC. Mostly these involved the two volume set of my bound SEVEN SOLDIERS OF VICTORY issues. SEVEN SOLDIERS is a comic book metaseries written by Grant Morrison and published by DC Comics. It was published as seven interrelated mini-series and two bookend issues. The series features a new version of the Seven Soldiers of Victory fighting to save Earth from the Sheeda. Besides the masterful storytelling of Grant Morrison, the story showcased nine insanely talented artists. The book's pages are saturated with Morrison's coarse words filling up word balloons that sit atop beautifully rendered images of brief sexual content and horrific violence. WHAT MORE COULD ONE ASK FOR? At NYCC I had the privlege of meeting SEVEN SOLDIERS artists Cameron Stewart(Manhattan Guardian), Yanick Paquette(Bulleteer), and Freddie Williams II(Mister Miracle). All three provided sketches of their characters from the book to go along with the Vigilante sketch previously provided by JH Williams III. They were gracious and engaging. It was a great thrill to hear these gifted men talk about their experience on the project that I hold so dear to my heart. Thanks again gentlemen! Sadly my ultimate tribute to sequential art will have to remain incomplete...for now. With any luck, I'll have the chance to meet up with Ryan Sook, Doug Mahnke, Pascal Ferry, Frazer Irving and Simone Bianchi. Never has Grant Morriosn's talent been spotlighted more than in this story. He is able to take obscure characters from various corners of the DC Comics universe and craft a compelling tale that has developed an ardent following. Morrison Rules!
The creative minds behind DIONYSUS WEPT will be attending the final day of New York Comic Con. Get up to the minute details from the con floor by following me on Twitter. Or just check back here for all the groovy news.
The murder-tastic graphic novel, DIONYSUS WEPT keeps chugging along. I've been getting images back from, master-illustrator Marc Borstel and I just can't keep them to myself! As you can see Marc is KILLING! Here we see some of the main players in this "urban tragedy of immense social significance." Look for this mind-assaulting comic from ARCANA STUDIOS early next year.
For anyone that might be interested, I'm posting my original story pitch for DIONYSUS WEPT. Ultimately, Sean O'Reilly at ARCANA STUDIOS saw something he liked. Judge for yourself.
Nietzsche’s Overman exists, but are we ready for him?
DIONYSUS WEPT Submission Proposal
DIONYSUS WEPT is the hard-boiled bastard child of MARATHON MAN meets THE FRENCH CONNECTION meets FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS. Presented in a crime/noir comic style and steeped in mythologically inspired violence, DIONYSUS WEPT focuses on a family of apparent immortals. These seemingly ageless doctors, soldiers, artists and philosophers whose unorthodox lifestyle (consisting of a life-extending diet and drug regimen) and unconventional philosophy (marked by a Nietzschean code of ethics and universe expanding hallucinogens) have forced them to embrace anonymity...until now.
A chance meeting between Dr Robert Staver, and world-renowned Nazi Hunter, Simon Friedman ends in brutal murder. The subsequent NYPD investigation reveals: 1) An unseen ancient order, sworn to protect The Twelve Tribes of Israel by any means necessary. 2) An insidious group of neo-Nazi Hitler worshipers with a deadly policy against those they perceive to be race traitors. 3) An extended family of apparent immortals whose mysterious past has come back to haunt them. 4) A pharmaceutical representative obsessed with profiting from a miracle cure. 5) And the African-American NYPD Detective struggling to uncover secrets that noone wants revealed.
The story’s main character, Dr Robert Staver, runs a small clinic in the economically desperate neighborhood of Manhattan’s Spanish Harlem. Dr Staver is beloved in the community for his tireless effort to provide affordable medical care to its residents. Although a celebrity in the neighborhood, the doctor rejects publicity that might draw unwanted attention to the clinic or himself. And with good reason, for Dr Robert Staver was born Hubertus Strunghold in 1915 near Leipzig, Germany. Dr Strunghold and his unusual family were uprooted as part of a collaborative covert US military operation to smuggle members of Hitler’s elite doctors and scientists into America prior to World War II. Strunghuld’s life-changing decision to betray the Third Reich was made easy upon the Doctor’s horrific discovery of Hitler’s Final Solution. But a decision with consequences, as leaving Hitler’s Master Race Research Team, cost the doctor his identity (not to mention a finger from his right hand.) Dr Staver’s safety and secret identity are permanently jeopardized when Simon Friedman recognizes the four-fingered man outside his clinic.
While maintaining his persona as an internationally known Nazi hunter, Friedman was also a high-ranking member of a clandestine group of assassins dubbed THE CHILDREN OF ESAU. His vicious murder triggers an unrelenting quest for retribution by the members of this unforgiving militant group. The NYPD homicide investigation alerts the hierarchy of Stormwatch, a corporate structured organization of psychotic Hitler acolytes with influence among the city’s police and government. Stormwatch views both Hubertus Strunghold and his family as the ultimate traitors to the white race and therefore subject to the ultimate penalty...death. It’s up to newly promoted Detective Jean-Luc Pedanou to stay alive long enough to uncover the nefarious actions that have set this mystery in motion.
This story was originally conceived as an 8-issue story arc and will appeal to both crime/noir and sci-fi readers. And it has Nazis!
ALL STAR SQUADRON #51 COVER PRICE - $.75 COVER DATE - NOV 85 WRITER - ROY THOMAS PENCILER - MIKE CLARK & ARVELL JONES
We remain on Earth 2 for my detailed analysis of CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. In this issue the ALL STAR SQUADRON goes up against one of my all-time favorite comic villains...Mr. Mind! He was originally a FAWCETT COMICS character and was created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck in 1943. As you might expect Mr. Mind gained notoriety going up against FAWCETT hero Captain Marvel. But here, he's got his sights set on Earth 2's ALL STARS. This issue of ALL STAR SQUADRON is WHY I READ COMICS! Mr. Mind has built a MINDTRIPPER machine and travels the universe like an obseesed TWILIGHT fan in an effort to meet his favorite Earthling radio star, Charlie McCarthy. Poor Mr. Mind soon discovers the awful truth, mainly that Charlie McCarthy is actually a wooden dummy controlled by, the other guy from the show, Edgar Bergen. The pain felt upon this discovery is too much for Mr. Mind to bear. He devises a plan to assemble a MONSTER SOCIETY OF EVIL and destroy his second favorite Earth celebrities...THE ALL STAR SQUADRON. The issue ends during a classic ALL STARS vs MONSTER SOCIETY puch-up.
WHAT'S THIS GOT TO DO WITH CRISIS? During Mr. Mind's epic journey from his homeworld to Earth, he witnesses the inter-dimensional flight of Harbinger and Firebrand continued from the previous issue. Mr. Mind even remarks how "impressive" these females appear. Impressive for mammals...of couse. It is Harbinger's energy trail that ultimately leads Mr. Mind to Earth. But it is the last page that is most CRISIS-tastic! We see a trio of ALL STARS find themselves lost after trying to follow Firebrand through a dimensional barrier. Liberty Belle, Johnny Quick and Green Lantern are suddenly greeted by a surly Captain Marvel. But stay tuned, I have a feeling we'll find out why Shazam is acting so "emotional" soon.
DC COMICS PRESENTS #78 COVER PRICE - $.75 COVER DATE - FEB 85 WRITER - Marv Wolfman PENCILER - Curt Swan My analysis of DC's CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS begins with DC COMICS PRESENTS #78. Written by Marv Wolfman and pencils by Curt Swan. With a run of 97 issues between 1978-1986, DC COMICS PRESENTS was a Superman team-up book pairing the "Man of Steel" with a variety of heroes from the DC Universe. The book begins with a punch-up between the faceless giant Chun Yull and Superman's band of heroes. Chun Yull's hails from Saturn's atom-sized world of Klaramar and he's pissed! Along with his group of "Forgotten Villains," they're fixing to rule ALL time and space with their brand of unpleasant sorcery. Luckily, the heroes(including Animal Man, Congorilla, Immortal Man and others) and villains(including The Atom-Master and Ultivac) are able to break the Triad's ring of evil magic and restore balance to both space and time.
WHAT'S THIS GOT TO DO WITH CRISIS? The final page features a cryptic conversation between Lyla and The Monitor(who is almost completely obscured by a hefty Captains chair.) Looks like they've been "monitoring" the events of this issue. The are also discussing the sham of the council they've been providing for Earth's villains. Hmmm... Seems as though The Monitor began appearing, along with his assistant Lyla, in numerous DC Comics titles beginning in 1982, three years before the Crisis began in July 1985; these appearances made it seem that he was some sort of weapons dealer for supervillains. This was all part of the setup Wolfman and the staff of DC Comics planned for the Crisis, showing the Monitor currying favor with villains such as Maxie Zeus, prior to calling on the heroes. The Monitor was depicted in the shadows for all of his appearances in DC's mainstream superhero titles, and his face was first revealed in one of their few remaining non-superhero titles, the war comic G.I. Combat issue #274.
WHO PULLED A CLAVIN? Easily Congorilla. He may well be a legendary explorer and adventurer, but Congo Bill don't know sh!@ about football. Check him out here making a righteous tackle on Chun Yull. Only to proclaim himself a natural quaterback? C'mon Congo Bill!
As I spend my days awaiting the fate of my comic project, DIONYSUS WEPT. I have decided to delve into the epic DC COMICS universe-shattering tale CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS. Internet source for all things factual, WIKIPEDIA, describes CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS as:
"a 12-issue American comic book limited series (identified as a "12-part maxi-series") and crossover event, produced by DC Comics in 1985 to simplify its then-50-year-old continuity. The series was written by Marv Wolfman, and illustrated by George Pérez (pencils/layouts), with Mike DeCarlo, Dick Giordano, and Jerry Ordway (who shared inking/embellishing chores). The series removed the concept of the Multiverse in the fictional DC Universe, and depicted the deaths of such long-standing superheroes as Supergirl and the Barry Allen incarnation of the Flash."
But if you know anything about me, and you probably don't, a 12-issue maxi-series just isn't gonna cut it. This uber-comic-event at DC COMICS was truly innovative and comprehensive, including almost all of DC's titles and characters. My research led me to what appears to be a definitive CRISIS reading order posted on comic news site COMIC BOOK RESOURCES. Here is the list:
001 DC Comics Presents 78 002 All-Star Squadron 050 003 Crisis on Infinite Earths 01 004 Detective Comics #555 005 Detective Comics #556 006 Detective Comics 557 007 All-Star Squadron 051 008 All-Star Squadron 052 009 All-Star Squadron 053 010 Swamp Thing v2 #039 011 Firestorm - Fury of Firestorm #041 012 Infinity, Inc 18 013 Atari Force 018 [1984] 014 New Teen Titans 013 015 Green Lantern v2 194 016 Detective Comics 558 017 Crisis on Infinite Earths 02 018 Batman 389 019 Batman 390 020 Swamp Thing v2 #040 021 Crisis on Infinite Earths 03 022 Batman 391 023 Swamp Thing v2 #041 024 Green Lantern V2 195 025 Saga of the Swamp Thing #42 026 Crisis on Infinite Earths 04 027 Swamp Thing v2 #043 028 Warlord 097 029 Vigilante 22 030 DC Comics Presents 086 [ Superman & Supergirl ] 031 Omega Men 26 032 DC Comics Presents 087 [ Superman & Superboy of Earth Prime ] 033 DC Comics Presents 088 Creeper 034 Saga of the Swamp Thing #44 035 Wonder Woman v1 327 036 Wonder Woman v1 328 037 DC Comics Presents 094 [ Superman & Harbinger & Lady Quark & Pariah ] 038 Infinity, Inc 19 039 Justice League of America v1 #244 040 Infinity, Inc 20 041 Infinity, Inc Annual 1 042 Legends of DC Universe 80-Page Giant #1 043 Crisis on Infinite Earths 05 044 Saga of the Swamp Thing #45 045 Infinity, Inc 21 046 Swamp Thing v2 - 046 047 Infinity, Inc 22 048 All-Star Squadron 054 049 All-Star Squadron 055 050 All-Star Squadron 056 051 Superman v1 413 052 Crisis on Infinite Earths 06 053 Infinity, Inc 23 054 Infinity, Inc 24 055 Legion of Super-Heroes v3 013 056 Legion of Super-Heroes v3 014 057 Legion of Super-Hereos v3 015 058 Legion of Super-Heroes v3 Annual 01 059 Crisis on Infinite Earths 07 060 DC Comics Presents 095 Hawkman 061 Legion of Super-Hereos v3 016 062 Legion of Super-Hereos v3 017 063 Legion of Super-Hereos v3 018 064 Wonder Woman v1 329(Troia - HQ Scans) 065 Crisis on Infinite Earths 08 066 JLA - Incarnations #05 067 Deadman - Dead Again 01 068 Flash v2 #149 069 Flash v2 #150 070 Superman v1 414 071 Blue Devil 017 072 Omega Men #31 - Crisis Issue 073 Omega Men 32 074 Omega Men #33 075 New Teen Titans 014 076 Crisis on Infinite Earths 09 077 Green Lantern v2 196 078 Justice League of America v1 Annual 3 079 Blue Devil 018 080 Blue Devil 019 081 Firestorm - Fury of Firestorm #042 082 Superman v1 415 083 Crisis on Infinite Earths 10 084 Justice League of America v1 #245 085 Crisis on Infinite Earths 11 086 Green Lantern #197 087 Amethyst - Princess of Gemworld v2 #13 088 Crisis on Infinite Earths 12 089 All-Star Squadron 57 - Kaleidoscope 090 All-Star Squadron 058 091 All-Star Squadron 059 092 Legend of Wonder Woman (1986) #01 (of 4) 093 Legend of Wonder Woman (1986) #02 (of 4) 094 Legend of Wonder Woman (1986) #03 (of 4) 095 Legend of Wonder Woman (1986) #04 (of 4) 096 Oz Wonderland War #3 097 Green Lantern v2 198 098 Infinity, Inc 25 099 The Losers Special #1 100 All-Star Squadron 060 101 DC Comics Presents 096 [ Superman & Blue Devil ] 102 Animal Man #10 103 Animal Man #18 104 Animal Man #22 105 Animal Man #23 106 Animal Man #24
Thankfully, the illusion of collectibility of these comics is gone. They were produced in such large quantities and preserved so lovingly by their owners, that they haven't gone up considerably in value. I purchased the entire 12-issue series in an ebay auction for less than $20 with...shipping included! While they've gone up from their original $.75 cover price, they are still considerably cheaper than their contemporary counterparts. More often than not, I will be using MyComicShop.com as my primary marketplace for the issues from the above list. They offer reasonable prices with a reputation for accurate quality-grading of their product. Check out the SECRET IDENTITY PODCAST, as they have been my inspiration and will be covering CRISIS as their annual Summer Reading Project.
As always, this blog will serve as my tether to reality as I immerse myself in this infinite realm of vibrating universes.
Fresh of the easel of master illustrator John Van Fleet comes the cover to DIONYSUS WEPT. In this single image, John has expertly captured the book's dark mood and rich history. Like any super-talented artist, Van Fleet has exceeded what has been asked of him on this project. The portrait is positively haunting! This fella doesn't appear too happy...does he? All that's left is to design the title logo. And then I'll be presenting it to discerning publishers eager to make their mark on storytelling through the magic of sequential art. I'm hoping that John will be doing covers for the entire series that I've envisioned. Let me know what y'all think!
It is with great excitement that I announce veteran comic book artist John Van Fleet has signed on to provide the cover image for DIONYSUS WEPT! While the interior illustrations of this ground-breaking comic are in the gifted hands of Marc Borstel, Van Fleet will bring his "urban grit" to the cover. Avid comic readers will recognize Van Fleet's mysterious style instantly. That's because he's worked on some of DC COMICS most popular titles, including BATMAN! I met John at WIZARD WORLD/BIG APPLE CON in October '09. He and his partners were there promoting their studio and their innovative techniques for 3D modeling and video game design. But it's his unique painting style that caught my eye.
From a Q&A with Comic Book Resources: Some describe Van Fleet's artwork as moody and mysterious, but the artist doesn't see it quite that way.
"I don't see my stuff as being that dark," said Van Fleet. "I mean I use a lot of black but I use it as a color and as a design tool, so I see it differently I guess. I have been told a lot of things about my art, some I see, some I don't. The most common is it's dark and moody, I like a good urban grit is all."
Fleet trained as an artist alongside an impressive list of others. "I went to Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. We had a great class. George Pratt, Kent Williams, Mark Chiarello, Scott Hanna, just to name a few. [We] were all in the same group and we are all working in Comics."
As a long-time BATMAN collector, it's an honor for me to be working with the man who illustrated one of my favorite all-time issues. BATMAN #663 is remembered by most as a comic/novella written by, master-author, Grant Morrison. Titled THE CLOWN AT MIDNIGHT, this spooky tale chronicles the Joker's bloody escape from Arkham Asylum. The 3D modeled illustrations from Van Fleet that accompanied the prose created a creepy tone worthy of BATMAN'S most dangerous adversary. Here's one of John's haunting images from the book.
Born and raised in the small town of Stanhope, New Jersey, John credits his childhood freedom in the 1960's as the source of his creativity. Now living in North Carolina, John feels blessed to have the company of his wife, kids, dog, friends and family. I hope to have Van Fleet's completed cover available for viewing, along with Marc's completed interiors, at the MoCCA Art Festival the weekend of April 10-11. See y'all there.
Argentina born artist Marc Borstel has spent the last 20 years working in the comic book industry. But he's always looking for new ways to tell killer stories through his art. I had the pleasure of meeting Marc last year at NEW YORK COMIC CON '09 for the launch of our collaborative effort on THE OUTER SPACE MEN Graphic Novel. Marc was kind enough to shed some more light on the creative process involved in DIONYSUS WEPT.
Eric C Hayes: So Marc, give me an idea about the steps in the creative process. Marc Borstel: I start sketching the page (On the computer, using Photoshop, with a Wacom Intuos 3 Tablet) on a virtual blueline white artboard, after the storyboard is done, I do all the panel borders, and I make a cheap copy I use as reference, then, I skip programs, enter the 3D modeling. I use Poser 7 for the characters and Lightwave 3D for the objects. when I do all the renderings, I come back to photoshop where I build every panel using 3D renderings, my own thumbnails and photo references (if needed), when I mesh all the objects in the panel, I add some photoshop filters to melt the artwork. Eric C Hayes: The story starts out with some character development before business starts to pick up. Tell me how you can change the story's mood through your artwork. Marc Borstel: Here's when the things get interesting: At this point, I start toying with the images, retouching, getting dirty, erasing, doing whacky things with all the tools I have at hand. this is the reason for getting something new (and fresh, I hope) in every page, because every panel has a different finishing process. If you like the artistic evolution in every page, but to me, this fact is great, because the story starts in a very specific way, moody, dark, and elegant, and after the page 5, it comes darker, chaotic, sick, very dramatic and moodier. I'm very proud of it. Eric C Hayes: You're also doing the lettering on this project. Can you give me some information on your lettering decisions? Marc Borstel: I'm trying to always keep the same color scheme for the lettering, I tried to make it controlled, because in such chaotic artwork, you need to be grounded with all the captions, to make the message clear for the reader, the only part where I made the lettering different was in the last panel, trying to increase the transformation on the main character. Thanks Marc. If you're interested in Marc's art and the comic, make sure to follow this blog for the latest news on the progress of DIONYSUS WEPT.
Here's your opportunity to take a "behind the scenes peak" at the creative process behind DIONYSUS WEPT (the revolutionary exploration into the internal universe told through sequential art.) This collaborative effort between the muddled mind of Eric C Hayes and the supreme pen of Marc Borstel is in the final stages of preparation for submission to the world of comic book publishing.
But it all starts with the script. The completed script is merely a collection of my disjointed thoughts jotted down in notebooks, book margins and on burrito receipts. Hopefully this witch's brew of musings ends with a cogent story. This blog post will focus on the artistic maturation of PAGE 6 from DIONYSUS WEPT. This information is transported through a system of tubes, called the interweb, to Mar Del Plata, Argentina. By way of "electronic" mail, it is read by master draftsman, Marc Borstel. And even though English is Marc's second language, he nails the script every time. Often sending me back art that is head and shoulders better than I could have imagined myself. Using a Wacom tablet, Marc starts with a blue-line "pencil" sketch. After viewing Marc's sketches, I typically have to, first put my socks back on. Then I green-light the coloring phase. For some time, I've been taking notice of the coloring styles specific to non-superhero comics. I've really been digging the look of today's noir comics. This has been quite a departure from Marc's preferred style, But after some experimenting, it's clear he's created an atmosphere that is both evocative of a crime/noir story while presenting a completely original work of art. Lastly, comes the lettering. The only problems in this area arise from my misspellings in the script. Hopefully, the end result is an entertaining story that doesn't bum too many people out. Everyone should now take a moment and thank Al Gore for creating the World Wide Web. Without him, and it, this process could last decades of frustrating delays. Make sure to follow this blog for further insight into the craft of making comics. And get yourself prepared for DIONYSUS WEPT, the nexus of Greek Mythology meets Nietzchean Philosophy meets Psychotropic Spelunking. See more of Marc's work at his DeviantArt page.
This past Saturday, I was able to sneak away from my coughing, sneezing and wheezing son to take in the sights at Mike Carbo's NEW YORK COMIC BOOK MARKETPLACE. In the old days...the all or nothin days, this would have gone by THE BIG APPLE CON or THE NATIONAL. The strategic signifigance of this mission was to revisit the conception of my interest in comics.
Unlike my son, I cannot boast that I was reading comics at the age of three. My introduction to comics was at a spinner-rack in the local PathMark Supermarket on Long Island at the age of 14. The previous year I was mesmerized by Oliver Stone's Academy Award Winning PLATOON with my Dad. The CBS war series TOUR OF DUTY was just about to kick off. And I had a fever that only more Vietnam related entertainment could cure. That's when I paid $.75 for a beat up issue of THE 'NAM #10 by Marvel Comics. The unspeakable beating sustained by defenseless comics in those unforgiving spinner-racks is akin to waterboarding! The battle scars are evident in the scan of my copy seen above. Notice the Scotch tape in the upper right-hand corner. No doubt dropping it from a Near Mint quality grade.
The story is set in late October, 1966. Just before NATIONAL DAY, one of Vietnam's major holidays. We see soldiers dealing with the loss of fallen comrades. Racial tension among the troops. And the economics of life as a stranger in a strange land. The issue has plenty of ads that set the tone for the time. MILE HIGH COMICS has a two-page ad promoting their sale on Marvel back-issues. Guess I should have picked up that Incredible Hulk #181 for $10. Especially when you consider that HIGH GRADE COMICS is selling one currently for $2000.
Among other things, I brought this issue to the show to have comic legend (and THE 'NAM penciler) Michael Golden sign it. While I've heard stories that Mr. Golden can be cranky, I found him to be refreshingly pleasant. You can see his signature in the top left-hand corner of the photo. So, thanks Mr. Golden. You had the opportunity to prison rape a positive childhood memory regarding my introduction to comic bookery. But you were cool. I'm a little bummed however, as I sas unaware at the show that GI JOE writer, Larry Hama, was an editor on this book. Bummed because Mr. Hama was also in attendance at this show and could have co-signed this treasured work.
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