Frostbite Review: A Story Worth Reading

Frostbite #1

Of all the comic books that have been in the reading stack over the past few months, I was probably intrigued by Frostbite a little more than most. It’s a Vertigo title, and that label carries with it the Hellblazer and Swamp Thing cred that I have come to adore.

If you’ve seen Frostbite on your local comic book store shelves, then you already know the details. The story is by Joshua Williamson with art by Jason Shawn Alexander, and the duo is presenting some pretty riveting things in this series.

Frostbite #2

Basically, the earth has entered another ice age, and a mysterious disease called (you guessed it, frostbite) freezes people from the inside out. There was no cure, until a doctor and his daughter found one. You get where this is going, because it’s a storyline that a lot of us have seen before in comics, books, movies, and much more. The two need to get the cure to a location and hire a team of professionals to get them there. Unfortunately, (and a bit cliché) there is a big bad hunting down the doctor and his daughter. So out to the frozen tundra they go, being pursued on all sides by adversaries. Not exactly what anyone would call a good time, unless of course you’re simply reading the book.

The thing that puts Frostbite on the next level is the depth of Williamson’s story. There are heat booths, which emphasizes the mini-economy that has popped up around something we all take for granted—simply being warmed. There are breakouts of society, Jack Frosts, Snow Queens, Firemen, and much more that have taken root to find a new way of life. That depth is what helps sell, what is probably a pretty much well-trodden dystopian tale. The frozen world is a bit unique, but in a lot of ways the books is Mad Max in Antarctica with a bunch of crazy people running around.

Still, the art from Alexander is something that is pretty interesting all along the way. The characters take on lives of their own, which is really the point of a good comic book. When the writing and art combines effortlessly, the result can be something borderline poetic. Does Frostbite succeed? Well, it’s too early to tell only three issues in, but the early returns look promising.

Frostbite #3

Williamson manages to draw readers in by giving them a stake in the characters. Unlike the superhero books stacked up in reading piles across the world, the independent world is loaded with characters WITHOUT fifty years of canon backing them up. Simply caring about what is happening to these characters is a challenge many books aspire to, but simply fall short.

It’s not a knock, just a note on the state of the industry. It’s easy to care about Batman and Spider-Man, because they’ve been a part of your life for decades, Keaton (one of the main characters on the contracted transport crew in Frostbite) has earn years of respect in a few short pages or the book stays on the shelf never to be opened.

Without giving too much away, because I hate spoilers and the corresponding alerts, the story moves fast in issue number one and only accelerates from there, and that is exactly how a comic book should read. Put the action into the pages and let the narrative develop, this exceeds my Vertigo anticipation.

So by all means, give Frostbite a chance if you’ve liked the Mad Max worlds, Highlander stories, or even some of the Star Wars stuff. The world isn’t as well-developed as those, but it holds all sorts of potential and possibility. From an investment standpoint, Frostbite is probably a buy and hold. Without a major movie or TV series, it’s going to be limited in appeal based on the darker story and strong imagery. That alone should grant it some collectability, but in the end, this a story that I’m going to see through to the end. And the eventual sequels that is.

Classic Comic Book Cover of the Week: Star Wars #42 First Boba Fett

Star Wars Vol. 1 #42

A few years ago you could walk into just about any comic book shop and pick a bunch of the original Marvel Star Wars comic book run. Then, something tremendous happened, a new movie came out. A new comic series was released, and then another, and then another. Then another movie came out, and now another movie is due to come out. See the trend.

Star Wars is one of those entertainment properties that spans genres. Just about every type of memorabilia or collectible you could shake a stick at has some type of value. As far as comics book go the popularity of the original 1977 Marvel Comics series is pretty much unparalleled throughout all of the Star Wars books.

A few of the issues have experienced a tremendous uptick in price and demand, and one of those issues in particular is the first appearance of Boba Fett in Star Wars Vol. 1 #42. Granted, it’s not the first appearance of the famous bounty hunter, because he made his debut in “The Empire Strikes Back” in May of 1980 (that would be a movie ladies and gents) and wouldn’t grace the comic book world until December of that year. Still this issue has climbed into the $100 club, according to Comic Book Realm. Toss in a CGC grade and prices go further north from there.

With cover art by Carlos Garzon, the issue has become a hotly traded commodity among collectors. The white background is especially prone to yellowing and general discoloration issues, which makes higher grade copies very scarce. A quick look at the CGC population report reveals 737 versions in the 9.0 to 9.6 range, but only 167 in the 9.8 grade and there is even one with a ridiculous 9.9.  What that really means is there are a little over 900 copies of this book graded out at VF/NM. That’s actually pretty impressive. Please note that those totals include signed copies that have been slabbed with the yellow "Signature Series" plate.

The popularity of Boba Fett helps sell this book, because he is after all on the cover. The interest in bounty hunter with few actual lines in the movies has soared to heights for a lot of different reasons, and this is as close as collectors can get to one of the first real limited release collectibles of the character. There’s that equation again of popularity versus limited supply, which equals a higher price.

In the end though, it’s a cool cover that can have major condition issues, which is one reason why discerning collectors might be able to argue down a price or avoid a purchase altogether. That background and the white pages are key to solid investment grade book, anything else loses that 9.0 possibility for the most part.

The 1977 Star Wars Volume 1 is set to heat up the charts for years to come. In you or anyone you know is a fan of the Fett you should probably check this book out.

The Max Bemis Foolkiller Finally Makes the Reading Pile

It’s been a while since I talked about anything I was currently reading. Sadly, my reading list has been trimmed due to lack of free time. However, I’ve been enjoying and buying a number of titles. Tokyo Ghost has been a fave, Frostbite has been interesting, Walking Dead has been okay, and the usual staple of Detective Comics, Batman, Flash, etc have been interesting since Rebirth.

Foolkiller #1

The one book I’m going to focus on today is one that a lot of people have likely seen but maybe have not quite popped on, and that is the new Max Bemis written Foolkiller. Three issues in and the current incarnation of the Foolkiller is still a bit unsteady but enjoyable.

Hot off his appearance in Deadpool: Mercs for Money, the Greg Salinger Foolkiller has taken up evaluating villains for SHIELD and deciding whether or not they should be, uh, vigilanted? Okay, murdered. Given the rather questionable morals of Salinger, it’s pretty easy to say that most of the fools, err, patients simply don’t make the grade. And there are some colorful and creative patients at that.

Of course, there is a big hiccup in the process that is revealed when the 1990’s Foolkiller (that would be the third version of the character Kurt Gerhardt) becomes a patient. In issue #3 some things are brought to life and the zaniness really gets going.

Foolkiller #3

Bemis is doing okay by the history of the character, making keen references and such. The pencils by Dalibor Talajic is interesting and just crazy enough to make the book fun to read. The covers by Dave Johnson have been equally as great. It’s not George Perez, but then again, this isn’t exactly a hot selling character book either.

This version of Foolkiller is very different from the dark world of the 1990’s version and a bit more tame than the Marvel Max version that popped up in the 2000’s. No this is a bit more of a zany Deadpoolish take on the character, at least so far. Does it have impact? Well, probably not so much. It’s been fun though, and the throwbacks via covers and characters are pretty cool.

Bemis is doing his take on the character, and I’m going to see it through before I pass a final judgement on it. I’m enjoying it so far, because of the irony of an insane person acting as therapist. I mean, that alone is a pretty interesting Dexter type of swing. I have a feeling it’s only going to get darker and a little more crazy.

The verdict is pretty simple: if you like Deadpool or have fond memories of the Foolkiller, this probably a book you'll want to check out, but if you prefer your heroes a little more on the Captain America side, this is likely a pass. Long-term investment potential is likely minimal, which makes it a work of passion.

Classic Comic Book Cover of the Week: Amazing Spider-Man #583 with Barack Obama

Amazing Spider-Man #583 second printing

After nearly three decades of collecting comic books, I’m still a sucker for a cool cover. Some covers have made more of an impact than others, with a few even managing to be iconic. There is little doubt that the cover exists to get the book off the rack and into the hands of the buyer. In highlighting great covers of the years, it’s pretty easy to get caught up in a lot of different hoopla and fads.

So this week, a book that hasn’t been out for years garnered my attention, mostly because of the upcoming presidential inauguration but more because the outgoing president is right on the cover. Amazing Spider-Man #583 has the recognition of having Barack Obama on the cover, and there are few people that were not swept up in the Obama-mania of the president.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the issue sold morethan 350,000 copies, which is about five times the normal rate of ASM during that time frame. The funny part is the Obama cover is a variant cover, and the actual cover of the issue is significantly lesser known. Hey, even Wall Crawlers need a little help sometimes. Of the five printings (all with different backgrounds and graphics) of the book (that’s five printings of the variant cover), the first printing is the most valuable fetching a $60 price tag according to Comic Book Realm, but there is some value throughout the different issues. Plus there is the added question of "how many of these survive in good condition?".

This book is less about the story and continuity of Amazing Spider-Man, Obama does not just appear on the cover. The story involves the Chameleon taking on the form of the soon-to-be president only to be foiled by Peter Parker’s alter ego. Amazing Spider-Man #583 is more about being the first time a president appears on a comic book cover and in a comic book. That kind of Americana is tough to come by in any industry.

The cover itself has the potential to be iconic and the fact that it has held a $60 tag for years is testament to the power of celebrity, even a political one. Is this a comic that everyone needs to own? Probably not, but the cool tie in from actual events and historical relevance make it one of the cooler covers from the 2000’s era.

That, and just about anyone that sees it will be asking about it. That makes it a great wall book for any collector.

Never Underestimate the Power of Pop Culture

The influence of pop culture can be a powerful thing. When you are talking about the world of comic books, that influence can turn into a stirring storm of popularity that results in some truly high prices. At its heart, the comic book world is an entertainment business meant to dazzle, inspire, entertain, and display the talents of some of the most creative people in the world.

However, there is a second side to the industry that many people associate with it—collectibles. After all, comics have a limited print run, which translates into scarcity. Like any great collectible story, when that scarcity is combined with issues that get tossed, damaged, stored improperly, or generally destroyed, the number of copies of a certain title can vastly diminish. All of this underscores the limited supply.

Pop culture can light a character or property on fire. A television show, a movie, a cool animated series, or whatever your particular entertainment poison might be, has the ability to drive a character into the consciousness of the public as a whole. This process creates more fans. If those fans decide to pursue the comic book part of the equation, demand increases. All the while, supply stays pretty much the same.

While a certain part of that supply supposedly dries up when collectors have placed their comics into bags and boards and put them awaynever to be seen again, those issues can resurface in later years and often do. Of course, depending on how bright the fire of demand is, that can result in some terrific prices.

Think about it, if everyone kept a pristine copy of Action Comics #1, and there were millions available, would the book still be worth hundreds of thousands (and often millions) of dollars? Probably not, because it would be easy to get. So why is Action #1 worth a ton of cash? Why is Detective #27 legendary? What about Amazing Fantasy #15? They are first appearances for sure, but they are first appearances of Superman, Batman, and Spiderman. The pop culture hat trick of richness.

The characters where everywhere, and that’s kind of the point. Take a look at the current pace of pop culture. Five, maybe six years ago, the Flash was a difficult title to sell. Pop a hit television show onto the airwaves, and poof, any issues featuring the Scarlett Speedster are incredibly difficult to come by. The list goes on and on, but any little boost in popularity can have a dramatic impact on prices.

The caveat is that it can decades for that boost to happen. New Mutants #98, the first appearance of Deadpool, was the most valuable issue of New Mutants for years. The Deadpool game and movie happened, and a $70 book was elevated into the $300 to $400 price range. That being said, there is a New Mutants movie coming out, which has ignited interest in that series.

There are comic book series that follow the further adventures of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, and more, there are also series that fill in the gaps of popular television series, Flash and Arrow, and even the Vampire Diaries. Heard of show called The Walking Dead? Yeah, that comic book series is incredibly collectible (read: expensive).

Like all collectibles, values can fade. Like some fads, values can dive quickly. In some cases, those values can be salvaged, in others, well, not so much. Pop culture is a fickle girl or guy to take to the big dance, and comic book collectors know this and comic book dealers, successful ones anyway, have made their lively hood on it.

Just like every other aspect of business, timing is everything. Quality is everything. However, entertainment endures. There is a reason why comic books can trace their ancestry back nearly a century, they are fun. The blip of movies, TV shows, shirts, and toys, are all small hits on the radar of history. All it takes is one hit to drive something huge, it’s all about being relevant.

So never underestimate the power of pop culture, because that can be something that leaves collectors of any level really appreciating their collections for the long and short term. Having fun, well, that’s the plus side of any hobby and business, because chasing those issues is what really makes it a good time. Meeting some cool and interesting people along the way? Well, every industry has its bonus.

Comic Books You Need to Own: The Infinity Gauntlet #1

The Infinity Gauntlet #1

Comic book crossovers can be a tedious thing. Picking up a number of issues of series that you normally would not just to continue a story is a way that companies try to expose different characters to a new audience. One of the most interesting methods to compliment this strategy is to offer a limited series in a stand alone title with a number of adventures or tie-ins offered in other books.

Without a doubt, one of the most popular limited series of the past few decades features Thanos, Silver Surfer, Mephisto, and several other Marvel characters fighting over a glove. What? That’s right, this week’s edition of Comic Books You Need to Own centers on The Infinity Gauntlet #1. This was already one of the hottest back issues of 2016 and it will likely continue that run into this year.

Admittedly this one features one of my favorite openings of any comic book in the history of comic books. However, this book is the first adventure of all the characters in the Marvel Universe banding together to fight off the threat of the Infinity Gauntlet, and it was a pretty deal then.

Now with “Avengers: Infinity War” coming to theaters in the next few years, fans have caught on to just how important this series is. It’s already difficult to find, and will likely become impossible to find. With a current value of $35, according to Comic Book Realm, the first issue is this series (with art from the legendary George Perez BTW) is pretty much the most valuable in the run. The cover is pretty amazing as well featuring a number of Marvel heavies.

Infinity Gauntlet #1 was released in 1991, and the entire series has been available a few times in trade paperback form which is a great way to experience the story, but there is nothing like owning the original. It can still be found for $10 or so occasionally, but those are rare instances. Plus, with Thanos and company making appearances in the Marvel films, this book will likely join the $50 club before the end of the year.

The interesting thing with this issue is the two part formula being used for the film. This will be the first big time two-part comic book movie release, which means things that pop up in the first part might just skyrocket in value prior to the second installment of the film. It’s always hard to say about value, but this is one comic book that is loaded with potential and ready to climb quickly in value.

All the ingredients are here: great art, great writing, fabulous characters, decent opening value, etc. This is one comic book that belongs in everyone’s collection, and it might just be the crown jewel of the collection one day.

Second Printings and Reprints: Whats the Difference?

One of the more common questions to come up with new collectors, speculators, or buyers in the comic book collecting world is the subject of second prints. When a book sells in high velocity with relation to its anticipated print run, the publisher inevitably orders up a second printing. So the question arises: Are second printings worth buying?

The Difference Between Reprint and Second Printing

The Flash New 52 #1 Second Printing

In a world where terminology is pretty much everything, reprint and second prints can get a bit
confusing. The basic difference is that second printings, third printings, and even in some cases fourth printings are released in rapid succession of the first printing. Plus, the issue is nearly identical to the first printing. That "nearly" is important, because there are usually notations in the UPC code, the color of the book, or some other inkling to let buyers and collectors easily identify the comic as a second print or beyond.

Action Comics #1 50th Anniversary Reprint

Reprints can be printed at a much later, sometimes years later, date. For example, the Marvel Milestones collection is a reprint of some of the most key issues in Marvel Comics history. While still ranging in value from twice cover price to the $15 range, the Milestone issues with those awfully sensitive gray borders BTW, are worth a fraction of the actual issue being mirrored. The same can be said for Action Comics #1 which has seen a few different printings over the years, which is important because not a lot of collectors can plunk down thousands (and yes sometimes millions) of dollars for a comic.

So Really What’s the Deal?

Like all things in the comic book collecting world, the value of second printings is something of a crap shoot. In most cases, the second printing is not nearly as valuable as the first printing. However, like every other industry, there are exceptions to this rule where the second printing (or any additional printings) can dwarf the first printing in value simply because of scarcity.

One example in particular is Gotham City Sirens #1, where the second printing is worth about $10 more, according to Comic Book Realm, and another example, and one of the most sought after examples, is Superman: Man of Steel #18 (the first full appearance of Doomsday) where the fourth printing is way more valuable than even the first.

That’s the Opposite of What I Thought Though?

Hold on there buddy, and cool off those jets so to speak. Just because there are exceptions to the rule does not in any way mean that exception applies to all second printings and beyond. The vast majority of second printings hold a fraction of the value of first printings, especially on books with large print runs. The downside is that it’s really too late when the second printing arrives to know if speculators and hoarders have driven the price of an issue out of the stratosphere or if the book is really valuable. There’s always a catch after all.

The thing is, the number of copies (aka the print run) of the second printing can be a serious factor in driving up the price of a second print, or a third print, or beyond. It's all about the scarcity factor and demand for that particular issue.

So the final word is pretty much the only word-- Buy what you like and buy what you can afford. Collect what you like, and let your geek show on your own terms. The secondary market always sorts itself out after a while, and that can take weeks or even years. Second printings and reprints are great ways to experience some great stories without investing a ton of cash--usually.