Ken Aldred

I've always preferred Avengers 4. Fantastic Silver Age cover, the reintroduction of one of my all-time favourite characters, and who's also my favourite Avenger. Storywise, for me, issue 4 has the slight edge; a very powerful revival scene compensating for a fairly mediocre second act involving the 'Medusa' alien, whereas I find issue 1 a bit average throughout.

I've met BitterOldMan. Somewhat misleading a name as he actually has a great sense of humour.

The market has spoken.

When I read this I start imagining a William Shatner voice. Bendis's dialogue would be great for a Star Trek comic. Born to write it.

Not just one. Too many at currently inflated prices that I'm not willing to pay. It would be a pity if I never acquired them, but compared to being persistently gouged by speculation it's the lesser of two evils.

I liked Bendis when he first moved to Marvel after his indie work such as Torso and Jinx, at the time of Powers and Ultimate Spider-Man, but got tired of his often dragged-out, very decompressed style. An important creator for me back then, not so much now.

Fair enough reason to start a thread. A thug who was misguided enough to go public with it.

Worth mentioning that a Chub is another freshwater fish, also from the Carp family. I've caught a few of those.

If you find it tasting a bit fishy, I would recommend some Chablis wine, which works well to counter that, and with carp as well, I would imagine, though the only freshwater fish I’ve actually had the wine with is Rainbow Trout.

Very interesting. I’d assumed a more northerly diet and a sugar rush or two being involved.

I’m impressed by how well the ancient Visigoths looked after their teeth. Aric’s are in quite amazing condition, all considered.

I already have that one. IIRC, it cuts out the Inhumans finale at the beginning of 48 to focus solely on the Galactus saga.

The Mangog storyline is really good. Fond memories of reading that as a kid, when it was in oversized Treasury format.

Forgot about him.

Definitely a great pick for enthusiasts of top-quality comic art.

I'd also include the classic Swamp Thing Annual 2. One of the all-time best horror comics. To get around the Nightwing appearance, I'd also include the excellent "Who is Donna Troy?" story from New Teen Titans 38.

I wasn't aware of that. As an EC fan, one of the most interesting covers I've seen in ages.

I ignore the speculation frenzy by enjoying reading books from all Ages in physical reprint or digital format; first appearance or run filler, it's pretty much irrelevant. What's going on presently hasn't lessened my opinion about how there's something incredibly cool and special about the stories and artwork you can find across all Ages. The way I do it, for me, creates little in the way of disillusionment or stress.

Pre-code 50s material has a number of expensive issues based upon having a particularly gory cover rather than anything much to do with specific internal content , such as Crime Suspenstories 22. Another example from the era would be Weird Science-Fantasy 29's Frank Frazetta cover; not one of the better EC science-fiction issues overall. A Bronze Age example is Batman 227, with its excellent Neal Adams cover over quite mediocre content, and a long on-going discussion here about it being more significant than the first Ra's Al Ghul in 232 or the brilliant artwork and psychopathic Joker in 251.

Yup. Bonfire Night. Guy Fawkes. Remembering the execution of England's most famous traitor.

The LCS here has a couple of boxes of remaindered newer comics a few months old at 50p each. Few UK shops stock older back issues any more.

Nearly November 5th over here, so lots of sulphurous firework explosions throughout the weekend.

It appears that Cockrum and Grell's Bronze Age Legion of Super-Hot Super-Heroines is proving very popular indeed.

I'd already stopped following Liefeld's work, with X-Force 2 being my last, and so I dodged this particular bullet.

Vivian Solis, then Penny Century. Already in my mid-twenties by the time I was reading Love and Rockets, so not something from those early, formative years.