Comics Buyers Guide by Laura Kammermann

March 2013 #1699

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S GUID E March 2013 #1699

THE WORLD’S LONGEST RUNNING-MAGAZINE ABOUT COMICS!

BU Y ER

BY: ANDREW SMITH

KIRKMAN ON THE WALKING DEAD

C OMICS

CROSSOVERS COMMAND 2013

BY: ALEX LANGLEY

TABLE OF CONTENTS

BUY E RS GUI D E

4 11

COMIC NEWS

04 Crossovers Command 2013 by Andrew “Captain Comics” Smith

Hints, rumors, and portents continue to rumble in for what’s to come this year, and , if there’s one thing we can expect, it’s lots of crossovers and a few from unexpected precincts. That’s not all 2013 offers by a long shot, but it’s a good place to start.

NOSTALGIA 11 The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman

An indepth interview with Robert Kirkman the mastermind behind The Walking Dead series.

OPINION

14 Top 10 Comic Book Covers by Alex Langley

With the help of Alex Langley author of The Geek Handbook and Alan Kistler viewers can have a look into the past with the most renown comic book covers.

COLUMN

21 Full Frontal Nerdity by Aaron Williams

A sneak-peak of Aaron Williams internet comics masterpiece and a quick look into how viewers would spend $1,000 to find their favorite comic books.

14 21 CBG #1699 March 2013

CREDITS Magazine Layout, Front Cover, Back Cover, and Table of Contents Illustrations Created By: Laura Kammermann Table of Contents Background Texture Created By: www.psdgraphics.com

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CROSSOVERS

COMMAND By Andrew â&#x20AC;&#x153;Captain Comicsâ&#x20AC;? Smith

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Major events new creators and much more!

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2013

ARCHIE If you think about it, all the Archie titles are something of a shared universe already. So, when Archie Comics announces two crossovers, it’s taking the concept to another level. “Between Archie Meets Glee and Sonic / Mega Man: Worlds Collide, Archie Comics has claim to 2013’s biggest, most exciting crossover events,” Archie comics President Mike Pellerito told CBG. “With no sign of slowing down, 2013 is primed to be Archie’s biggest year yet.”

dangerous of all) a return to high school. “Sit tight, the second strike is coming. Our heroes have only been heroes for, what, a week? And already they’ve been through hell and back. We’re going to be exploring just how deeply that hell has burned this team (pun fully intended) and just what in the world Brain Emperor is after. Or should I say what in the world(s)?”

In the first crossover, the kids from Riverdale meet their counterparts from TV’s William McKinley High School in a four-part story beginning in Archie #641. “This crossover is going to be huge, and we can’t wait for Archie and Glee fans alike to read it,” Archie Co-CEO John Goldwater told CBG. “Archie and Glee are two sides of the same coin, so to put the two together was a no-brainer. Roberto AguirreSacasa, who is just a genius writer (also a writer / producer on Glee), came to me with this idea, and I immediately agreed. Dan Parent tackled art duties on our last major crossover, Archie Meets Kiss, which was a smash hit for us, so he was the natural choice to draw it.”

“Harbinger Wars” is Valiant’s first inter-company crossover.

Elsewhere, it’s Capcom meets Sega, beginning in Mega Man #24 and continuing in Archie’s two Sonic titles. “This is the comic book crossover event of 2013!” Executive Director of Editorial Pail Kiminski told CBG. “Video game icons Sonic the Hedgehog and Mega Man meet in the pages of Archie comics for the first time in history, in a 12-part epic beginning in March and exploding across the Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Universe, and Mega Man titles! The way these two universes collide is going to be a spectacular, world-shaking event for the blue blur and bomber and their universes!” And, while not technically a crossover, the New Crusaders — characters that have been published under the DC Comics, Impact! Comics, Mighty Comics, MLJ, Radio Comics, and Red Circle banners — are back online and in the relaunched Red Circle label in print. What started as New Crusaders: Rise of the Heroes in 2012 continues in New Crusaders: Dark Tomorrow in 2013. “The New Crusaders are back!” Kaminski said. “After the cataclysmic events of Rise of the Heroes, our teen heroes must Archie President Mike Pellerito now face the biggest challenge of their lives — living up to their parents’ legacy. Dark Tomorrow tells the story of kids struggling with huge obstacles, whether they be attacks from the vicious Brain Emperor, the emergence of deadly new gang violence, or (maybe the most

“2013 is primed to be Archie’s biggest year yet.”

5Comics Buyer’s Guide #1699 • April 2013

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VALIANT

MARVEL

Valiant spent 2012 building up its revived universe, populating its five titles with faces old and new. But 2013 promises to thin the herd a bit, when Bloodshot cracks open Project Rising Spirit and sparks an all-out war between Toyo Harada and Peter Stanchek. “Harbinger Wars” runs through an eponymous four-issue mini-series plus four issues each of Bloodshot and Harbinger. It more or less begins with a zero issue of Harbinger. “Joshua Dysart is a fantastic writer and he has completely reinvented the Harbinger mythos,” Associate Editor Jody LeHeup told CBG. “With Harbinger #0, he’s diving into the character of Toyo, Harada and telling the back story of this very important character for the first time ever. Much of the issue is set in the aftermath of the bombing of Hiroshima, and not a single punch is pulled. You’ve never quite seen super-powers used like this. Truly devastating stuff. Associate Editor Joshua Johns carried the story from there for CBG: “Believe me when I say that this is going to bring the Valiant Universe to its boiling point. New characters, the return of some familiar faces, and more than a few twists and turns will make this a series that you can’t afford to miss. The creative team of Joshua Dysart, Duane Swierczynski, and Clayton Henry make a fearsome trio - and, if you haven’t tried out a Valiant book yet, this is the place to start.” And, while it has nothing to do with “Harbinger Wars,” Publisher Fred Pierce indicated he couldn’t resist bragging a bit about the company’s flagship character and the upcoming epic “Planet Death”: “X-O Manowar has always been the character I followed most closely in the early days of Valiant, and now he’s finally going to get the one thing he never could back then — revenge. Robert Venditti and Cary Nord have done a phenomenal job redefining and launching this series last year. Now, they’re gearing up this series to previously unseen heights with the ‘Planet Death’ story arc. It’s immensely exciting to have such talented creators delivering such awe-inspiring work with such a dynamic character month in and month out.”

One place you can expect gi-humongous crossovers is Marvel, and the publisher clearly has such plans scheduled for 2013. Back in June 2007, when Mighty Avengers was launched, the first storyline involved Earth’s Mightiest Heroes being recruited by Kang to a future, blasted Earth where Ultron had wiped out most of humanity. This “Age of Ultron” — hinted at ever since — will come to fruition in 2013. Marvel released some of the details in a Nov. 19, 2012, “Next Big Thing” telephone conference, including information that Age of Ultron will run 10 issues on an accelerated schedule from March to June. Written by Brian Michael Bendis, the first five issues are by Bryan Hitch, with Brandon Peterson and Carlos Pacheco on the final five. And, even though it begins with The Avengers, Bendis said, it “was almost meant to be a Marvel Universe book. It stars everyone, not just The Avengers.” Such titles as Fantastic Four and Superior Spider-Man will have Ultron-related issues, with special “AU” numbering. Speaking of Bendis, Jonathan Hickman has already assumed the writing gig on Avengers, while Bendis has moved to All New X-Men as part of the ongoing rollout of “Marvel Now!” Coming in February as part of that initiative, Sales and Communications Coordinator James Viscardi told CBG, are a new Nova series by Joseph Loeb and Ed McGuinness and a new Guardians of the Galaxy title by Bendis and Steve McNiven.

DC As for DC, its latest mega-crossover has already begun: Scott Snyder’s epic “Death of a Family” pits The Joker against the Dark Knight in Virtually all Batman titles, including such peripheral titles as Red Hood and the Outlaws and Suicide Squad (thanks to Harley Quinn). Snyder told CBG that The Joker sees Batman as

the king of Gotham and himself as the court jester who can tell the king unpleasant truths - such as the fact that, deep down, The Joker thinks, Batman would rather be without the responsibility entailed by his extended family. So the Clown Prince of Crime goes after Batman’s “false royal court” in a way he never has before. “This is really him looking them in the eye for the first time - or almost the first time,” Snyder said, “and saying ‘I’m coming after you individually to break you the way I would break Batman.’ The result will have long-term effects on everyone who wears a bat, Snyder said, as well as on such supporting characters as Alfred and Commissioner Gordon. “It definitely has consequences, especially emotional consequences, and fallout between them,” he said. “The Joker, as horrifying as we’re trying to make him, isn’t the horror- movie villain, the slasher villain that leaves some kind of scar on you that’s physical, or some sort of horrible situational death. That might happen; don’t get me wrong. But what we’re really going for is a sort of intrusive, emotional attack on the family. What he’s saying, essentially, is that ‘Batman loves me more than you and I can prove it to you. I have evidence to prove it. And I’m going to prove it, and so you’re gonna look at it and know that I’m right so you might as well leave the table.’ Elsewhere in DCv’s “New 52,” Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and David Finch will launch Justice League of America, which will include Simon Baz (Green Lantern), Catwoman, Green Arrow, Hawkman, Katana, Martian Manhunter, Stargirl, Steve Trevor, and Vibe. (Yes, Vibe.) And John Constantine will receive a new solo series by Robert Venditti and Renato Guedes; it arrives, set smack in the DC Universe, in March.

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“I’m coming after you individually to break you the way I would break Batman.”

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NBM “NBM is starting 2013 with several truly special works in both the medium and the marketplace,” Publicist Stefan Blitz told CBG. Among them are the Louvre series, which continues in 2013 with An Enchantment by Christian Durieux. “This one tells the tale of the retiring museum director in a fugue from his retirement dinner through the vast halls of the museum, eloping with a muse,” Blitz said. ”It’s a wonderful addition to the Louvre Collection and, like the previous volumes, is truly an amazing and special piece of work.” March brings The Initiates, by Etienne Davodeau, an autobiographical tale exploring the nature of vocation from the perspectives of a cartoonist

and a winemaker who “realize they both have that precious and necessary power to bring people together,” Blitz said. The book also features cameos by cartoonists Lewis Trondheim, Emmanuel Guibert, and Marc-Antoine Matthieu. Blitz described May’s Family Ties by writer Eric Hobbs and artist Noel Tuazon as “The Godfather meets Shakespeare.” In a story inspired by King Lear, an aging Alaskan mob boss attempts to divide his empire among three heirs, with disastrous results. “It’s an epic tale that’s both thrilling and tragic,” Blitz said, “and a must-have for fans of the crime genre.” July brings Persia Blues Vol. 1 by Dara Naraghi and Brent Bowman. The series explores the life of a young Iranian Woman, both in her struggles under an oppressive regime and in a fantasy world that blends modern America and ancient Persia. Blitz described it as “a character-driven slice-of-1ife tale, combining fantastical elements With contemporary politics, ” one that “explores the universal themes of tradition, family, guilt, and freedom.” NBM finishes the summer on a lighter note, with Zombiellennium Vol. 1: Gretchen by Arthur de Pins, in which vampire Francis Von Bloodt manages a theme park whose employees are a actual monsters. The first volume features a mortal hire and the witch assigned to train him.

DC’s “New 52,” Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns and David Finch will launch Justice League of America in March 2013.

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2013

DARK HORSE “One of the most exciting parts of 2013 for me is the sum of everything we have going on with Brian Wood Conan, The Massive, and the new Star Wars series,” Senior Managing Editor Scott Allie told CBG. “We’re building something special with him.” Meanwhile, he said, the Mignola books are “exploding.” In addition to Hellboy in Hell, “Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon are coming back to Dark Horse for a BPRD series, simply called Vampire, which takes them back to characters from the last BPRD story they did for us.” Ongoing creator-owned series include Mike Oeming’s adult super- hero book The Victories and Matt Kindt’s Mind MGMT. New books include Francesco Francavilla’s Black Beetle (spinning out of Dark Horse Presents) in January, Mike Norton’s The Answer, and Jai Nitz’s Dream Thief. Music based books include The House of Gold and Bones, with Slipknot’s Corey Taylor and Gerard Way’s Killjoys, which, Allie said, is “the comic that led to the My Chemical Romance album of the same name.”

IDW If team series count in our crossover countdown, include IDW, which has ambitious plans for both the G.I. Joe and Transformers franchises. “G.I. Joe is getting a massive relaunch in February,” Editor John Barber told CBG. “The amazing creative team of Fred Van Lente and Steve Kurth fires with both barrels on GI. Joe #1, pulling the team‘ out of the shadows and into the spotlight. After Cobra publicly outs them, Duke leads an all- star squad against the Baroness on U.S. soil - and the World is Watching. “March sees the debut of G.I. Joe: Special Missions by Chuck Dixon and Paul Gulacy,” Barber continued, “telling the classified stories of top-secret G.I. Joe operations, and April brings us GI. Joe: The Cobra Files by Mike Costa and Antonio Fuso, digging deep into the world of espionage and counterintelligence in the comic Brian K. Vaughan calls ‘one of the best comics being published today.’ Combine this with the ongoing continuation of the 198os G.I. Joe continuity in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero by the legendary Larry Hama and S.L. Gallant, and there has never been a better time to be a G.I. Joe fan.” Transformers, which continues from 2012, is expanding, as well. Megatron and Bumblebee collide in Transformers: Robots in Disguise by Barber and artist Andrew Griffith. Rodimus battles Overlord in Transformers: More than Meets the Eye. “Both of these comics have been getting huge acclaim from fans and newcomers alike,” said Barber. “And later in 2013 comes the biggest event that has ever occurred in Transformers comics - I can’t say more, but worlds will be changed. Plus, we’ve got the continuation of the original 198os Transformers continuity in Transformers: Regeneration One by Transformers legends Simon Furman and Andrew Wildman.” IDW, currently the #4 publisher, is still expanding, and Editor Chris Ryall told CBG, “We’re continuing to diversify our line in ways that set us apart from all other comics publishers. Whatever your tastes, we’ve got something good coming your way.” In addition to revivals of Ghostbusters, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Ryall hinted at

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“another beloved property that I can’t quite talk about just yet.” Look for the archival series by Craig Yoe and Dean Mullaney to continue, he said, as well as a number of creator-owned projects. The latter includes such releases as Fever Ridge, Wild Blue Yonder, January’s Jinnrise, and John Byrne’s The High Ways. Ryall himself will contribute The Colonized, “a story of aliens, zombies, and militiamen, featuring covers by Dave Sim, John Byrne, and others. Drew Moss and I are having a lot of fun laying siege to a separatist camp in fun, and hopefully unexpected, ways.”

ONI Coming in May, the color reissues of the Scott Pilgrim series continue with Scott Pilgrim and the Infinite Sadness Vol. 3 hardcover. Meanwhile, Director of Sales and Marketing Tom Shimmin told CBG about two more Oni releases: Coming Feb. 20 is Mermin, a young-adult book by Joey Weiser, previously published as a series of mini- comics. “This book is cute, funny, and teaches the value of friendship,” Shimmin said. “Mermin is a fish- boy from Mer, who washes up on shore, only to be found by a group of

boys. Adventure and friendship begin, followed an epic sea battle, when Mermin’s past comes back to find him.” Coming March 27 is Bad Machinery, collecting John Allison’s webcomic of the same name, which won the 2012 British Comics Awards for Best Comic. “It’s oversized and contains all the beauty and all-ages hilarity that has made badmachinery.com such a well-known and respected webcomic in the industry,” Shimmin said.

IMAGE Image staple Joe Casey is launching two new series in 2013: the subtly named Sex (with Piotr Kowalski) and The Bounce (with David Messina). No word yet on what those will entail, but Image — which was on a creative roll in 2012 — continues in that vein in 2013. “We’re really excited to see Mara by Brian Wood and Ming Doyle continue in 2013,” PR and Marketing Director Jennifer de Guzman told CBG. “Its first issue is in stores the day after Christmas, so in a way it’s our first new series of 2013, since it’ll be out too late to make all of the end-of-the-year lists. Mara is an exploration of super-celebrity and the pressures put on young women to conform to beauty ideals. “We have a new ongoing from Jonathan Hickman, East of West — with art by Nick Dragotta — starting in March, and Hickman’s work, especially his creator-owned titles, are always something to be excited about. This one is a dystopian, apocalyptic (as opposed to post-apocalyptic) science-fiction Western. Of course. “Farther out, we have Pretty Deadly by Kelly Sue de Connick and Emma Rios, a Western about a female gunslinger with a disfigured face that gets into how beauty (or lack of it) is both an advantage ¬and a liability for women.”

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ROBERT KIRCKMAN

THE WALKING DEAD By: WHITNEY GRACE

Exclusive Interview about the Comics and Hit TV Show 11

2013

ROBERT KIRKMAN

THE WALKING DEAD Robert Kir¬¬kman is the mastermind behind ‘The Walking Dead, the dystopian zombie epic featuring Rick Grimes, a former police offer, trying to protect his son and other survivors. Fans are eager to devour Kirkman’s brain for details about the characters and future story lines. CBG caught up with Kirkman and licked er picked his brain for the latest on The Walking Dead comics series and TV show.

while others love it. I use the comic books more as a framework for the TV scripts, and that wiggle room allows me and the other writers to surprise the audience. The comic book is always moving forward just like the TV show, and it is an exciting working process for both.

CBG: You have successfully written for comics and television. What are the biggest differences writing for each?

Kirkman: I plan to be with the show till the end. I don’t see why I would leave. It doesn’t keep me from writing comics. I’ll write for the show and then I’ll write a comic another day. As long as they keep filming, I’ll be on set. CBG: Will you ever make a cameo on the show? Kirkman: I despise cameos. I feel that, whenever a director writes himself into the script, it ruins the movie. I was watching Lord of the Rings, there’s the fellowship on their quest, and all of a sudden Peter Jackson is on-screen. What is Peter Jackson doing in Middle Earth? I don’t know. So I won’t be appearing on The Walking Dead.

CBG: Do you prefer one type of writing to the other?

CBG: Do you see the TV show as a direct adaptation of the comics or is it in its own separate universe? Kirkman: The show is adapted directly, but we’re not going to put in every single scene or incident for the show. There are some fans that hate what I’m doing,

Kirkman: A lot, but not a laundry list. I love to keep fans guessing and I’m not going to hold things up just so I can get that one scene on TV. I much prefer the fans to be waiting in suspense, rather than them predicting what’s going to happen. Again, I do have a hit list but I won’t mention it. CBG: Do you plan to be involved in the entire run of the show?

Robert Kirkman: Comics writing is a solitary job. Sometimes you work with an editor or an artist on a project, but it’s mostly you getting your ideas across. For The Walking Dead show, I work with a group of writers. Working with them is like the writing process itself: You brainstorm ideas, write drafts, etc. We use the meetings to create a framework for the story. There are also a lot more revisions — lots more. In comics, I can write down my ideas, sometimes the artist will have input, but mostly they just turn my ideas into drawings. Comics also include directions in the script that explain what the characters are doing, but that’s frowned on in TV scripts. The actors are given the freedom to play out the scene as their characters would without instruction from the writers.

Kirkman: No, I don’t really have a favorite. I bounce back and forth about what I like. Sometimes, I want to hang out with people and I enjoy tossing out ideas with other writers. They may take one of my ideas and approach it from an entirely different angle that is better than my original idea. They’re the ones who would get credit for it and vice versa. Again with comics, I can take my writing in the directions I want, and on occasion it’s good to be alone with my thoughts.

CBG: Are there any specific scenes from the comic book that you want to see in the show?

CBG: What about throwing in references to your other work in the show?

“

Kirkman: I’m always trying to get my other stuff on the show, if it makes sense. In the first episode, there was an Invincible comic the kid was reading, but you couldn’t see the cover. Carl also wears a Science Dog T-shirt in the first episode.

The Comic book is always moving forward just like the TV show, and it is an exciting working process for both.

”

CBG: What are some of your favorite behind-the-scenes stories? Kirkman: In the background scenes, We have a lot of dead zombie bodies and you can’t make out their faces. We use a prop company that has made dummies of famous people and these are reused in the background. You can be walking around and suddenly see Johnny Depp or George Clooney lying on the ground. Also Whenever the woman who edits the clips together gets a good take, she makes

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ROBERT KIRKMAN

2013

people give a high- five to a bloody zombie hand. What’s funny is that she won’t leave you alone until you do. Then our props guy is always asking us if we would like to shoot some guns.

CBG: Will you continue writing comics?

CBG: Do you consider The Walking Dead the pinnacle of your career or do you see yourself working on bigger and better projects?

CBG: What’s the fixture for The Walking Dead comic? How far do you want to take it and can you give us any hints about what will happen in new storylines?

Kirkman: I don’t consider The Walking Dead the highlight of my career, but it will probably be what I will be best known for. I don’t want to stop working and trying new things. I want to write for other genres. If I were asked to write a Desperate House Wivesesque series, I would do it. I don’t want to pigeonhole myself into any one thing.

Kirkman: I want to take the comic as far as I can. We just reached #100, and I would be willing to take it to #500. As for future story details, I will never reveal what will happen. I like keeping the readers in the unknown.

Kirkman: I will always write comics. I love it.

TOP 10 FAVORITE COMIC BOOK COVERS CHOSEN BY: ALEX LANGLEY

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K O O B D N A H K E E G E H T F O R

AUTHO

lex Langley is the author of The Geek Handbook, released recently by the books division of Krause Publications, which publishes CBG. He is co-creator of Rocketllama.com, where he discusses geekdom from videogames to comics to movies and more. He has more than 13,000 followers on Twitter and is lead writer on videogames for the entertainment geek-focused news site Geek-Nation.com. He has appeared on programming at such conventions as WonderCon and Comic-Con International: San Diego. Asked for a list of his 10 comics covers, he wrote, “Comicbook covers are an art form unto themselves: They provide a slice of story, a microcosm of the tale found within the pages of the comic itself.dipsam Often, they’re just Pereperc hilluptate aut aliquae pernate veror aut pretty pictures to excite harchilique nonbut pero ex enitiam are enduntthose laborepudam verumquae few comic-book covers readers, there beautiful lis nossirepresent dolore conet asitsomething alitaqui a dolupturem quiswhich eos coribus that later, resonate far past the shelf ilis doloreperro volorem re volupta temquatem faccaborrum ab ius life thetorrocomics on volo which Narrowing down the dolupisof nis dus, omniae sinciant cuptaqu they oditat. Escame. ullaut rero quas ut discomic-book reiusda nimagnate sed moditametto et fugita pa 10 was a Herculean feat, greatest covers the sita just pos sammade utemper ciist, solorerchil magnatisto etur? Bitatur, aut dolore one easier thanks the contributions of the good buddy volupta nos cus idunt. and nerdologist supreme, Alan Kistler. Anyway, without further Ut offici ullatis conem venis modit, qui nescius, ado, I give you…” aliquidest alique dolupta debistis exerchil int ulparchil magnate omnihite dit quos simet offici sinim res eatia comnihicabor arcipsae. Epedi aciur moluptat ius e Pereperc hilluptate dipsam aut aliquae pernate veror aut harchilique non pero ex enitiam endunt laborepudam verumquae lis nossi dolore conet asit alitaqui a dolupturem quis eos coribus ilis doloreperro volorem re volupta temquatem faccaborrum ab ius dolupis nis dus, torro omniae sinciant volo cuptaqu oditat. Es ullaut rero quas ut dis reiusda nimagnate sed moditamet et fugita sita pa pos sam utemper ciist, solorerchil magnatis etur? Bitatur, aut dolore volupta nos cus idunt. Ut offici ullatis conem venis modit, qui nescius, aliquidest alique dolupta debistis exerchil int ulparchil magnate omnihite dit quos simet offici sinim res eatia comnihicabor arcipsae. Epedi aciur moluptat ius e

15 Comics Buyer’s Guide #1699 • April 2013

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Captain America Comics #1

Wonder Woman #1

There is no better way to start off a list like this than to make metion of a cover featuring Hitler getting punched in his Nazi-loving face!

Wonder Woman set the stage for the many heroines who follwed, from sarah Connor and Ripley to Buffy and Samus Aran. Before that most cover-featured women were helpless victims or vilians.

Orig. Price: 10â&#x201A;ľ Current NM Price: $120,000

Orig. Price: 10â&#x201A;ľ Current NM Price: $17,000

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Fantastic Four #49 You know what the message of this Pereperc hilluptate dipsam aut aliquae pernate veror aut harchilique is? non pero ex enitiam endunt The laborepudam cover Dooooom! art verumquae conveys lis nossi dolore conet asit alitaqui a dolupturem quis eos coribus ilis doloreperro volorem re volupta temquatem faccaborrum ab ius how small and powerless our heroes dolupis nis dus, torro omniae sinciant volo cuptaqu oditat. Es ullaut rero quas utcompared dis reiusda nimagnate moditamet seem tosedthis foe.et fugita sita pa pos sam utemper ciist, solorerchil magnatis etur? Bitatur, aut dolore volupta nos cus idunt. Ut offici ullatis conem venis modit, qui nescius, aliquidest alique dolupta debistis exerchil int ulparchil magnate omnihite dit quos simet offici sinim res eatia comnihicabor arcipsae. Epedi aciur moluptat ius e Pereperc hilluptate dipsam aut aliquae pernate veror aut harchilique non pero ex enitiam endunt laborepudam verumquae lis nossi dolore conet asit alitaqui a dolupturem quis eos coribus ilis doloreperro volorem re volupta temquatem faccaborrum ab ius dolupis nis dus, torro omniae sinciant volo cuptaqu oditat. Es ullaut rero quas ut dis reiusda nimagnate sed moditamet et fugita sita pa pos sam utemper ciist, solorerchil magnatis etur? Bitatur, aut dolore volupta nos cus idunt.

Orig. Price: 12₵ Current NM Price: $400

Action Comics #1 While the image may be confusing , if you overanalyze it, one thing is clear: This is a comics story about a super man — someone able to do what others can’t.

Orig. Price: 10₵ Current NM Price: $1,258,900

Ut offici ullatis conem venis modit, qui nescius, aliquidest alique dolupta debistis exerchil int ulparchil magnate omnihite dit quos simet offici sinim res eatia comnihicabor arcipsae. Epedi aciur moluptat ius e

17 Comics Buyer’s Guide #1699 • April 2013

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Captain America Annual #8

Crisis on Infinite Earths #7

Even to someone unfamiliar with comic While this cover is badass in and of itself (just look at that trail of flames on books, or Superman himself, this cover Wolverineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s claws!), itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also indicative tells a story. of the times.

Orig. Price: $1.25 Current NM Price: $25

Orig. Price: $1.25 Current NM Price: $6.50

2013

X-Men (First Series) #141

Iron Man #128

Few comic-book covers are as iconic. This, too, tells a story in one simple image.

People tend to like characters with a little more gravitas, which is why we needed a story like “Demon in a Bottle.”

Orig. Price: 50₵ Current NM Price: $64

Orig. Price: 40₵ Current NM Price: $28

Comics Buyer’s Guide #1699 • April 2013

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Batman #9 Here, Batman may look like a criminal, and Robin may look a little strange in those shorts, but they’re heroes forced into hiding from the law they’re trying to uphold.

Orig. Price: 10₵ Current NM Price: $4,200

Amazing Fantasy #15 Like a good kids’-show theme song, this cover tells you everything you need to know about this new hero.

Orig. Price: 12₵ Current NM Price: $65,800

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FULL FRONTAL NERDITY

2013

BY: AARON WILLIAMS

Ron May

A Numbering Theory

hilluptate aut aliquae veror aut I wouldPereperc target my $1,000 todipsam acquiring originalpernate John Fishel harchilique non pero more ex enitiam endunt laborepudam335 verumquae art. I am sure I have wall space somewhere S. Pleasant Ave. lis nossihere. doloreAnd, conetofasit alitaqui a dolupturem eos coribus PQ 17313 around course, I would need a quisDallastown, ilis doloreperro voloremSan re volupta temquatem faccaborrum ab ius ComicCon International: Diego badge to peruse dolupis nis dus, torroof omniae sinciant volo cuptaqu oditat. ullaut Nolans’s articles are the best part of Artists Alley in search just the right piece. Es Michelle rero quas ut dis reiusda nimagnate sed moditamet et fugita sitaher pa article in the December issue (#1696), CBG. In pos sam utemper ciist, solorerchil magnatis etur? Bitatur, dolore why the long running Charlton title sheaut wondered volupta nos cus idunt. True Life Secrets was canceled at #29 (Jan 56). . with the numbering apparently going to Long John Ut offici ullatis conem venis modit, qui Silvernescius, with #30 (Aug 56). aliquidest alique dolupta debistis exerchil int ulparchil magnate I think I have the answer. dit quos simet comnihicabor omnihite I’d complete the offici holessinim in res myeatia Defenders arcipsae. True Life Secrets was converted around this Epedi aciurthen moluptat ius eawesome library of ‘80s collection, get an time into a full-size romance magazine. I am not graphic novels and small-press graphic novels from sure of the date of the first magazine-sized issue, Pereperc hilluptate veror aut Vol. 4 #38 (Nov 58). as a bi-monthly at the last decade or so. dipsam aut aliquae pernatebut I do have harchilique non pero ex enitiam endunt laborepudamthe verumquae time. apparently the numbering was continued lis nossi dolore conet asit alitaqui a dolupturem quisfrom eos coribus the comic book to the magazine. The cover ilis doloreperro volorem re volupta temquatem faccaborrum ius the same - although, later in the logo isabexactly dolupis nis dus, torro omniae sinciant volo cuptaqu oditat. 1960sEsitullaut was redesigned. rero quas ut dis reiusda nimagnate sed moditamet et fugita sita pa originally the numbering continued Perhaps pos sam utemper ciist, solorerchil magnatis etur? Bitatur, to aut Longdolore John Silver and then, after a gap of several nos$1,000 cus idunt. volupta I’d use to scrounge yard sales and flea months, when True Life Secrets, the magazine, markets. For me, it’s as much the hunt as owning. was up and running, the numbering also resumed I’d use it Ut offici ullatis modit, qui So to do both. I hopeconem I’d findvenis something there.nescius, Of that I am not sure. aliquidest alique dolupta debistis exerchil I’d int fill ulparchil good. If I had to pit in down to specifics, magnate I have about 25 issues of the magazine version quos simet officiTeenage sinim res eatia comnihicabor arcipsae. inomnihite the lastdit few holes in my Mutant Ninja of True Life Secrets. The latest that I have is Vol. 26 Epedi aciur moluptat ius e Turtles collection. #53

Mike Gagnon

Steven Boyd

21 Comics Buyer’s Guide #1699 • April 2013

(Aug 80), although it may have run longer than that. Interestingly, in the mid-to-late 1960s, the numbering was evidently restarted at #1. There may have been a gap in publication during this time, as well, which may explain why the numbering was restarted. I have Vol. 11 #74 (Oct 65); then, the next issue I have is Vol. 15 #13 (Oct 70). I hope that helps shed more light on the Charlton romance series. Brent: Thanks for the additional information, John. The publishing eccentricities of that era, especially at Charlton, are diffucult to track. Many have speculated that Long John Silver’s numbering comes from the earlier canceled Terry and the Pirates, which is possible but not as probable, since that series ended with #28 (Oct 55), while (as you and Michelle show) True Life Secrets ended its comics run with #29, dated several months later.

2013

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Comics Buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide COMMAND

Established in 1971, was the longest-running English-language periodical reporting on the American comic book industry. It has also awarded its annual Comics Buyerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide Fan Awards since 1982, with the first awards announced in #500 (June 17, 1983). It was announced on January 9, 2013, that publication would end with the March 2013 issue.

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Magazine By Laura Kammermann

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Is it better to be feared or respected? I say, is it too much to ask for both?â&#x20AC;? - Tony Stark