Every section of pop culture has a certain mythology about
it. There’s Bigfoot, Mary Black, trolls, dragons, and the New Dimension Comics
Legendary Basement Sale. You know, you’ve got to see it to believe it.
What’s that? You’re not familiar with the NDC Basement Sale?
Well, to make a long story shorter (okay, it’s not that long anyway), the
basement of the Ellwood City mega-store of New Dimension Comics catalogs and
curates over a half-million comic books. Two or three times a year, that
basement is open for the shopping public.
Since I am an honored employee at NDC, I’m largely
responsible for filing into what I consider the personal collection of the
owner and probably the finest selection of back issues that I have EVER seen.
Factor in three decades worth of collection up and down the East Coast, and
that statement should really mean something.
The New Dimension Comics Basement contains pretty much all
the popular titles you would expect, Spider-Man, Hulk, Avengers, etc, but this
place is also home to some of the more obscure and difficult to find titles.
Looking for The Human Fly? We’ve got that. Looking for Starriors? Yep, we’ve
got that too. What about such modern hard to find fare like Rick and Morty,
Beavis and Butthead, or even Alf? Yep, we’ve got those too.
What about the people behind the books? Garth Ennis, George
Perez, Ron Lim, Todd McFarlane, Warren Ellis, Frank Miller, and many many more
are all represented in the basement with various works associated with each
artist or writer. Your favorite is probably there as well.
The best thing? All of these issues are only $1 each. Now
that’s cool.
This is one of the best chances collectors, fans, and enthusiasts
have to pick up runs of titles without spending a ton of cash. This is likely
the last chance of the year to have some ease plucking those issues you’ve been
trying to get your hands on for years.
The New Dimension Comics Legendary Basement Sale starts at
8AM and runs until 7PM on September 30, 2017, and with Fall Fest taking place
around Ellwood City that day parking might be a bit of a challenge, but this is
one date that collectors should try to make.
After all, seeing is believing. So grab your checklist and
stop by, you might be surprised to check off some pretty impressive boxes. I’ll
be there to help you find as many treasures as possible so feel free to ask or
just say hi. There is A LOT to see and pick through.
One of the hottest comic books heading into 2018 boasts a
familiar storyline and a bunch of familiar characters. Infinity War #1 is
starting to trend in chat rooms, forums, and comic shops across the country. Yes,
the Jim Starlin story combined with art from Ron Lim (on a really cool gate-fold cover) has taken on something of
a minor hot streak in the world of collectability. Of course that all stems
from a little movie due May 4, 2018 called “Avengers: Infinity War Part One.”
So why all the fuss over a comic book that is priced at about $8 according to Comic Book Realm. The fun part is that this particular
series has actually maintained a little bit of affordability over the years.
While the original tale of “The Infinity Gauntlet” remains the measuring stick
for Marvel cross-overs in this particular series, this second take on the glove that everyone seems to be
after is definitely worth a read and an investment. Oh, and the big reason is that next year's third Avengers movie is titled: Avengers: Infinity War.
The really huge caveat associated with this book is that the story will have pretty much nothing to do with what takes place on the screen in the Infinity War movie. Doppelgangers and evil twins take center stage in the story (and the associated Marvel crossover books), and it seems like the film will be a bit closer to the "Gauntlet" story, but with several key players in the comic book series not being introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe major changes are likely going to happen.
At a sub-$10 price, this issue has the ability to double in
price heading into the spring or summer of 2018. Speculators will without a doubt drive
the price of this book into the $20 level come February and March of 2018, and
all of that is simply based on the name. While “Infinity Crusade” and “Infinity
Gauntlet” can expect some minor bumps in price as well, all eyes will be on the
rather easily obtainable “Infinity War” series.
While the set is still most desirable, Infinity War #1 will
be the one most collectors will start chasing. After all, those number ones are always high on everyone's checklist. So with that in mind, collectors should keep an eye out for this issue at their local comic book retailers with a keen eye pointed at the price tag. Not only is this a great issue thanks to Starlin and company, but the story helps drive a lot of the friction seen across a lot of series in the Marvel Universe for the time period.
Collecting and reading comic books is one way to experience
a number of different storylines in a fast and furious manner. The cool part is
that several of the books can escalate in value, which gives collectors a
little something to bank on. Of course, since comics are a print medium,
reprinting classic and popular stories allow readers to experience some great
issues without the added cost of putting together those scarce runs.
Here is a look at my top five recommendations for trade
paperbacks for July of 2017. All are available at Amazon (some are selling
fast), and just about all of them will likely be available at your local comic
book shop. Here’s a look:
Of all the Batman stories that have been told over the
years, and there are A LOT of them, “The Killing Joke” remains extremely
popular among collectors and readers. The story was actually made into a grittyanimated film in 2016 for anyone trying to skip the reading assignment, but
experiencing the words of Alan Moore on a new level can help readers appreciate
the fine line between Batman and The Joker a little bit more (see what I did
there?). After Barbara is on the receiving end of some nasty business from Mr.
J, Batman embarks on a new level of brutality against a foe that just might be
capable of pushing him to his limits. Simply a great read from cover to cover.
Of all the questions I get about comic books, this six issue
limited series is among the most popular. “The Infinity Gauntlet” brings
readers closer to the madness of Thanos and his quest to kill off half the
population of the universe. With his trusty Infinity Gauntlet, he accomplishes
the task with a literal snap of his fingers. With some major players in the
Marvel Universe taking center stage, this story brings the Silver Surfer, Adam
Warlock, and more to the front of attention for readers of all ages. Of course,
with a major movie being released next year, this one is more homework
assignment than anything else. The original issues are increasing in value and
will likely retain those lofty levels.
Of all the superhero books around, there are so many
characters that can trace their roots to the Fantastic Four. This series
launched some of the heavyweights for sure, and the first twenty issues are
combined here for the enjoyment of readers of all ages and budgets. Since
putting together the actual first twenty issues will set you back like twenty
grand, picking up the trade paperback for under twenty dollars is a pretty safe
way to experience some of the golden age of comic book lore and set the tone
for decades of great things to come.
A lot different than the movie that received some praise and
some criticism, the original “Days of Future Past” story from Uncanny X-Men 141
& 142 involved a whole lot of Kitty Pryde. While going back in time to
prevent a terrifying future is one of the staple storylines of several
properties (the Terminator, Flashpoint, etc), the X-Men offer up their own take
on internment camps, sentinals, and the brink of extinction. The story is quite
legendary in the Marvel world, and is a must read for any X-Men fan.
I’m always amazed that Daredevil has achieved a level of
notoriety that equals a lot of other top tier Marvel characters. It’s not that
he’s a bad character, it’s that he toiled as a second or maybe even third tier
character for decades, and I’m not really sure why. He’s brought several great
characters along for the ride, including Bullseye and Elektra. Of course,
Elektra gets reintroduced to the Marvel Universe in this race against the clock
to stop the Hand from taking over the world (at least New York anyway) with a
super-virus. This story is a great time for any fan of the Netflix fan, because
it showcases the character in one of his greatest stories.
So there you have it folks, five great stories with some of
the most legendary characters around. All available on one of the largest
websites around and ready to be delivered to your door. Experiencing one or two
of these trade paperbacks is something that every fan should check out. Better
yet, they might inspire you to chase down the actual issues they were printed
in, and that my friends is a very very good thing indeed.
Let’s get one thing straight out of the gate, the Inhumans
are not the X-Men. These characters can probably not even lay claim to being as
popular as the Fantastic Four. In fact, Black Bolt, Medusa, Lockjaw, and the
other characters that make up the “team” are at best third tier characters in the
Marvel Universe.
Now before all the hate comments start, there have been some
great stories including Black Bolt and crew. Along those lines, anyone that
likes the characters can relax, because I’m not going to hate on the Inhumans.
Quite the opposite. Like any comic book based characters, the tools are only as
good as the creative team behind them.
The upcoming television show on ABC (which seems to be a
place for the other Marvel shows) dropped its first trailer recently. As you
can tell from watching the few minutes of footage, you are likely in line with
what many Marvel fans have thought. It looks, well, not very good.
Of course, it’s unfair to judge a series, even one with a
theatrical debut ahead of a television debut (seriously, what is that all
about~$$$$$), but right now Inhumans looks as good as Iron Fist. Since they are
both from pretty much the same showrunner, fans can be forgiven if they take a
pass on this one.
Marvel had been pretty flawless on Netflix until Iron Fist
trotted on by, and now Defenders looks to be okay in the early going, but this
ABC marriage does not look to be going so well. While Agents of Shield
continues to build, err, momentum (okay, we will go with that), this particular
offering looks a little stale.
Again, the lack of costumes and masks are a little glaring, and since Black
Bolt offers nothing in the way of the spoken word, there will be A LOT riding
on his facial expressions and general skills of the actor. The returns look
sub-par in this trailer, but who knows, this could end up being the show of the
year.
It’s weird how DC shows are excelling on broadcast and the
movies (at least until Wonder Woman) were average, but Marvel has been redefining
movies and less than stellar on anything but Netflix. Quite the head scratcher?
Anyway, the first trailer is here for Inhumans, and after
that Black Panther footage, well, fans were expecting a little more. Hard to say
where this one will end up.
One of the more interesting trends to pop up in the world of
pop culture and collectability over the past few years is the emergence of
Funko Pop figures. The little cartoonish plastic figures have become a hit with
collectors of all ages and niches. Like any trend staying on top of what seems
like thousands of figures can be a challenge for anyone, and that challenge is
about to be stepped up even further.
The big item that everyone seems to be talking about is the
Bob Ross Funko. Yes, the “Happy Trees” guy from the show “Joy of Painting,” that
became a Netflix phenomenon. The tween and teen section of collectors has been
buzzing about this figure for a few weeks, and pre-preders are already
skyrocketing in demand. Make sure you order yours, or one for a Christmas
present, very soon. Amazon is currently offering a nice pre-order price.
The other series that is getting some traction with collectors
of all ages features the “Terror that flaps in the night.” That’s right,
Darkwing Duck is making a Funko Pop debut along with Launchpad, Gosalyn, and
even Negaduck. While admittedly, the Darkwing set of characters will not be
nearly as popular as the Bob Ross, the chase and variant crowd is likely in for
an adventurous fall collecting season.
With limited editions, exclusives, and chase variants also
making waves, just about every Funko Pop has the chance to offer some sort of collectability.
What really drives that market is variants and versions of popular figures.
While it’s always tough to gauge popularity, these fall releases seem to be
generating a whole lot of interest.
Pre-orders at comic shops and collectible centers are
heating up, and it seems likely that the pre-order price will get altered on
Amazon at some point. Bob Ross has managed to jump into the pop culture
conversation, and his popularity will likely make these impossible to find
around the holiday season. Jump on them now collectors, or pay the price (quite
literally) in a few weeks.
Anyone that has been to a comic book shop or book store has
likely realized something that gets missed a lot—There is a lot of stuff on the
shelves. Comic books present a lot of options for readers of all tastes and
personalities. Not everything is for everyone. Since comic books are built
around on going stories, readers are also presented with another interesting
challenge, and that is jumping into a title without knowing what is going on.
It’s intimidating jumping into like issue #300 or so of a
series and playing catch up with characters, events, and other situations. This
is something that has become less of a problem these days thanks to what seems
like a brand new #1 every other week or so. Is it working? Well, I don’t really
have the answer to that.
The easiest way to get caught up on a series are those trade
paperbacks that can be found in most comic shops. These hard or soft-bound tomes
contain a year or more of the designated series. Furthermore, these
cost-effective books can get readers acquainted with special events or
crossover events. Stories like The Infinity Gauntlet and more can be picked up
for one low price rather than collecting each individual comic, which can cost
significantly more.
Of course, trade paperbacks (trades or TPB as they are often
referred to) have a pretty big downside for investors in the hobby. The
secondary market value of these types of publications rarely rises. It’s not
that they don’t (a few in fact do climb in price over the years), but from an
investment perspective trades are rarely worth it. From a reader’s perspective
though, trades are invaluable.
So Can Trades Affect Collectibility?
This is a tricky question. It’s no secret that supply and
demand drive the prices of comic books, so along that line a trade can affect
the price of a certain issue. The thing is, most collectors want the actual
comic rather than the trade containing every other issue as well. After all,
anyone can buy the TPB of early Amazing Spider-Man comics, but few can actually
own those books.
The reverse of that equation is also true. In talking with another comic book
professional recently we touched on the subject of the Marvel Comics mainstay Alf.
That’s right, Alf the fifty issue run that dates back to 1988. There is a TPB
of these books somewhere, several different ones comprising a whole lot of the
issues, but the chances of Alf being reprinted are pretty slim. Therefore, the
chances of Alf comics holding value is a bit better than say, some nominal
X-Men run, that could be trotted out at any given moment in TPB form. Does that
mean Alf is going to skyrocket in value? Well, probably not, it just means that
demand is going to stay fairly steady. (Unless he joins the Marvel Cinematic
Universe~again, unlikely).
So there you have it. Instead of plunking down what could be
thousands of dollars for a classic comic book run, think about picking up the
trade paperback version to experience some great stories. Find an issue you
like? Hey, try to pick up that original issue.
Trades are a great part of the hobby, and while some
collectors take a solid pass on them, others are happy to scoop them up. It’s
all about what you are into and what you like, because there is no wrong way to
collect and no wrong way to read. Just take a look at what you might be
missing, you might be surprised.
Well, it’s a been a while since any updates have been made
to my geeky side of the world. Life and work have taken their toll on my
availability, it happens. Still, it’s okay to dive right in and see what the
latest and greatest things are that are shaking in the world of pop culture.
As you might expect, over the last twenty-four one new
trailer is dominating talking points in a lot of circles. That would be the
newest trailer for the Marvel Netflix series “The Defenders.” Take a look:
At first glance, the sixteen second spot seems a bit on the
boring side. After all, seeing all four characters standing together in an
elevator with Danny looking a bit more worse for the wear BTW, is really
nothing special. Luckily, the folks at Fnga Bang have dissected the trailer and
uncovered a few Easter Eggs. Here’s a look at the break down:
I don’t want to steal their thunder and credit where credit
is due, but like most of the Marvel fan population, a lot of those hidden gems
were right there in your face. Still, lots of folks likely missed them the
first or even the second time around. The real important one is probably the
expected release date of 8/18/2017, because that means “The Defenders” will be
dropping during those hot August nights where most of us just want to curl up
with a blanket and the AC blasting with some popcorn, Butterfingers, and a
Coke. (Okay, maybe that’s just me, but you can’t blame a guy).
I’m excited for “The Defenders” on a few levels: Four
interesting characters, a villain from the off-the-page world, setting up a
larger world.
Four Interesting Characters
Daredevil, Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Jessica Jones really do
make quite the team. Each character has seen their individual Netflix series
received with a fair bit of acclaim and even a touch of criticism. Yes, Iron
Fist was a bit slow, Luke Cage was a bit uneven, etc, etc. Seeing these four
interact, and probably especially how they meet should be pretty entertaining.
An Off-the-Page Villain
While The Hand will probably pop up with several ninjas (or
is it just ninja for plural?) for the characters to do some fighting with, news
of Sigourney Weaver will be playing Alexandra, the main villain of the series.
Since Alexandra is not a Marvel villain, this off-the page concept is a bit on
the daring side as Netflix is going with something that is an unproven
commodity. How’s it going to work? Who knows, but this could be magic, as
Weaver’s reputation precedes her, I know I’m expecting something great.
Setting Up the Larger World
The Netflix world of Marvel characters is set to expand with
“The Punisher” series later this year as well, and with characters getting
their own series after appearances in other Netflix series, the “network” has
proven to be a launching pad of entertainment. I look at Netflix as the first
real live-action comic book publisher. I think of “The Defenders” as an 8-issue
limited series from a larger line of products. After all, it all started with
comics, so it might just launch some additional stories.
All the positive set aside, there are a few reasons to be
nervous about “The Defenders” as well: that villain, the length, and how big
can the world really get?
The Villain
Yep, excited and nervous about anything that has not been
established (in some form or another) on the comic book page. Maybe it’s my
age, maybe it’s something else, I’m not sure. One thing I do know from just
about every form of entertainment imaginable is that a property is only as good
as the villain. That hangs quite a bit of responsibility on the writers of the
show to really do it some justice.
The Length
Eight episodes is not a lot of time. With four great
characters, one new villain, and hopefully some great deep storylines, there is
A LOT that is going to be packed into “The Defenders.” With so many faces
needing to chew up some screen time, this could be a competition more than a
show. Directors and writers are going to have to make sure everyone has just
enough to do without shadowing everyone else.
How Far is Netflix Willing to Go?
I often wonder about just how far Netflix is willing to go
with these Marvel properties. You could say that the company has been
successfully mining the C-List of characters for a few years. Sorry fans,
Daredevil and Frank Miller were brilliant, but the character has had more
valleys than peaks. Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, and Iron Fist are all great
characters, but aside from outworldly geeks like myself (and no doubt several
of you reading this right now) the characters were largely a mystery before
their Netflix bows. So I ask Marvel and Netflix, who or what is next, because
the big screen is going to be packed with Avengers and Guardians over the next
few years. That’s a lot of A-List (and B-List) characters shaking up the world
(quite literally in a few cases), Netflix and Marvel seem committed to a darker
grittier world than the unicorns and cotton candy at the box office, just how
far are they willing to go?
So, “The Defenders” will be dropping this summer, it’ll be
binged by millions of fans, it’ll be judged by thousands of them, it might
work, it might not. With more than four months to go, more trailers are likely
on the way. This is more of a pivotal point in the Marvel/Netflix partnership
than many people realize, and there is a lot riding on the success (or failure)
of this single series. I’m rooting for the show to be a runaway (see what I did
there?) hit. Seems like the answer is not all that far way.
