Redartz: Welcome to the Holiday Season, everyone! Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, retailers everywhere are literally working overtime to get us into the stores. "Black Friday", the traditional big kickoff to the Christmas shopping season, drives millions of dollars in sales. Of course, if you are one of those folks who have to brave the crowds, lines, and occasionally psychotic shoppers, Black Friday might not be your 'cup of eggnog'.
So today, we will consider Black Friday from the perspective of our interest in comics. Here's the bit:
You have one person to buy a gift for. You only know that this person has never read a comic or graphic novel before, but wishes to give one a try. So our little group here is heading to the Largest Comic Shop in the World, where they have Everything in four-color wonderment. Now, what one comic or graphic novel would you give for that all-important first experience? And just to keep it within reason, we'll set a fifty dollar limit (so no purchases of Amazing Spider-Man number 1, sorry).
To start off: after much browsing and consideration, I'm selecting a graphic novel: Darwyn Cooke's "New Frontier". Wonderfully illustrated, very friendly to the eyes. The story also serves as a great introduction to DC's Silver Age heroes, and has enough historical reference to appeal to any student of culture. Now all I have to do is gift wrap it; that's the hard part..
Martinex1: That's a challenging question and also a great gift choice on your part Redartz. A dozen options run through my mind, but I am going to grab something a bit low key: Essential Marvel Team-Up Volume 3. It may be in black-in white, but it includes great Spidey stories with guest stars ranging from the X-Men to Warlock to Yellowjacket to Captain Britain. It has plenty of Sal Buscema and John Byrne art with scripts by Conway, Mantlo, and Claremont. I think it is a great primer for the uninitiated and makes the color versions seem that much more fantastic. And typically found for under $20, that leaves room for other volumes or a fruit cake.
Redartz: A fine choice there, Martinex1! Some lucky recipient will get a great introduction to a lot of characters. Ah, we are approaching the checkout, gang. So what's in your basket?
9 comments:
Good morning, all!
Great question today. After some thought, and I'll probably change my mind later, I am going with the Avengers Epic Collection "The Final Threat". Below are the tome's contents:
COLLECTING: AVENGERS (1963) 150-166, ANNUAL (1967) 6-7, SUPER-VILLIAN TEAM-UP (1975) 9 & MARVEL TWO-IN-ON E ANNUAL (1976) 2
It has so many heroes, tons of great villains, excellent characterization, and covers street level and cosmic Marvel. A fantastic primer!
Doug
Well, I could always get a reprint of Amazing #1 :)
This is a hard question to answer, since it would depend on who I was buying for; I'd try to pick something suited to their taste.
But if I was just buying for some generic person and didn't know them too well ... maybe something like Eisner's "Contract With God" or Satrapi's "Persepolis" or Alex Robinson's "Box Office Poison". Something that almost anyone can relate to or find interesting.
Mike Wilson
I'm going to say a new one: Velvet by Brubaker and Epting. The 3 TPBs come out to $40, so I've got some left over. I think the art would appeal to the average non-comic buyer, as it has a realistic look and beautiful colors (by Elizabeth Breitweiser). The writing is great, with good characters, dialogue, and mystery twists and turns. The main character is a secretary/spy, and the time period will appeal to the group here-- 1973, with flashbacks to earlier decades. This creative team also did Captain America a few years back, and I think this one's better. One 15-issue story: https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/velvet
New Frontier is a really good choice...
I'm assuming that the we're paying cover price for this hypothetical gift (with no dealer markdowns or discounted used copies coming into play), so your $50 limit pretty much precludes omnibuses and Masterworks volumes. My first answer was going to be the first Fantastic Four by John Byrne Omnibus, but that's too costly.
So I'll just go with Batman and Captain America: great art and a fun, action-packed story, featuring two iconic characters from both of the major superhero universes - a perfect primer.
Hey Edo, I just read a book drawn by Croatian artist Tonci Zonjic- nice stuff! It's Lobster Johnson, pulp type hero from Mike Mignola's universe of characters. The TPBs 2 and 4 have Zonjic's art, and many sketches and notes by him in the back. He says he's a big fan of Noel Sickles and you can see it. Fun story, not too groundbreaking but with some colorful characters.
Garett, yep, there's this whole crop of Croatian comic book artists who've been working for American publishers since roughly the mid-1990s. Zonjic is quite good; I actually prefer the work by Goran Sudzuka, Dalibor Talajic (full disclosure: I know both of them) and Stjepan Sejic.
Thanks Edo, I'll check 'em out!
Thanks for commenting, everyone!
Doug- that Avengers book sounds perfect. Excellent range of stories.
Mike W. and Garett- not too familiar with some of your pics, but that's all the more reason to check them out.
Edo- an Omnibus would make a terrific gift; maybe finding a price break online! And your Batman/Captain America would surely bring some lucky recipient a fine read...
My "go to" intro graphic novels for others tend to be non-superhero. I'd at least ask them what TV shows they like, and then give a couple TPB's of the best option in light of that. Some past ones that have worked: Any Terry Moore -- Strangers in Paradise (if they like drama/soapy stuff) (or Echo (sci fi) or Rachel Rising (horror); another past success is Fables (twice people have read the whole run at the time, right into individual issues); Bone (can also be shared with their kids). If superheroes, maybe Alan Moore's Miracleman first tpb's (reprinted), just to blow their minds...
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