vaillant

How’s that? I would love to read it, I loved the parts where Jim Steranko speaks of the early Timely heroes in his "History of Comics"…

This thread is awesome by definition, since it has been started by Jim! I am trying to read too many books at once, mostly essays, and I end up reading just bits of them – I must willingly stop jumping across them! One is this one from 1959 – it does not exist in english as it’s more closely related to italian history, although not merely on Italy per se: http://books.google.it/books?id=UmIwAAAAYAAJ&q=subject:%22Societ%C3%A0+della+giovent%C3%B9+cattolica+italiana%22&dq=subject:%22Societ%C3%A0+della+giovent%C3%B9+cattolica+italiana%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ZWhEU67bBu714QSDsoGQDQ&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA

I need to save the content and read it with attention. I’ve continued to collect material for my own research – only tough thing is to find time and appropriate setting to read history books and study the comics. Interesting that the Hawkman stories had no reference to the war events up to 1944.

Hi Comicopolis (I really like your avatar!), yes, and like all the other issues (of the various titles) published in A.S.E. they opted for a cover frame design. Where the cover wasn’t originally a cover frame (previous or subsequent time frame) they turned it into a cover frame. I have this copy available, but if wdb23 wants it, I’d give precedence to him as he asked first. I have a good number of the other Defenders-related italian titles, but up to now I have kept them and I’m still unsure if I should let them go… If either wdb23 or yourself is interested, send me a PM. I think it would not be exaggeratedly difficult to find another copy in decent grade, if needed.

The Beyonder sucks, so I don’t care what Superman does with "him". The Living Tribunal is a supernatural entity, so it can’t be kicked (and time travel is useless)… Franklin Richards… as it originally was – I think it could have potential against Superman.

The Beyonder sucks. How about Merlyn and Roma (used also by Pacheco when he had to make the Fantastic Four reasonable again)?

Dark Phoenix was not a consistent concept, in my opinion. But the Beyonder was infintely worse… Not to mention what they have been doing in the last years…

So you’re in the Dutch part of Belgium, Chromium? I could use some Suske & Wiske oddities at some point…

Hi Comicopolis, you have a big Defenders fan here! The series was published initially on Albi dei Super-Eroi (confidentially A.S.E.) of which our friends lscomics, Define999 and Liaton-9000 already have some issues. It was an antology title, so the Defenders appeared in rotation with other titles, but just to give you an idea here’s #1 (reprinting Marvel Feature #1 and #2). Then, given the success of certain characters (including the Defenders), the italian publishers launched a shared title called "Hulk e i Difensori" which lasted for … issues: Finally, there was a 15 issues Difensori series which was interrupted when the publisher experienced economical problems, and then went bankrupt: We had to wait until the early 1990s to have a new title (also an antology) presenting the Defenders. Title was called "All American Comics": This was a special "Marvel Collection" issue picking up a batch of stories initially left out to bridge the gap between the "I Difensori" series (ended in 1982) and the "All American Comics" run in the 1990s (which starts with issue 14 above):

This one will be in the hands of Tim soon… but it’s about a VF in my grading. I still miss the original one, and must remember to locate a decently priced copy after Easter. I have the #121 but not the #122.

The copy I sent to Matthew is pretty remarkable too, I think a 9.0 or so. I’m not sure about pressing. Federico (XXXPHOENIX) told me he pressed some books, but I don’t know if he was talking about US books or italian ones. YKOil told me he wished to press a pair of Corno books I sent him, but from what I recall I think he had them graded without pressing because they are structurally different and the person who should have pressed them advised him to leave them as they were. I think the highest grade I have among Corno books (so far) is my Fantastici Quattro #12, which I tentatively graded as a NM. One of the few I am keeping.

I reply for Federico. L’Uomo Ragno v2 #59 never saw the light, because the publisher went bankrupt – the last issue is #58 which has an internal ad announcing the #59. The cover of what should have been v2 #59 was ultimately used as the cover of v3 #1 when Star Comics (not related to Marvel’s US children imprint) restarted to publish Marvels in Italy in 1987. What I knew is that a group of collectors made, mostly as an homage, the #59 as Federico has shown, in that limited number of copies, but Federico seems to know more. I have no clue on the "street" value, but being more an homage than an actual book I think it’s more a curiosity than a collectible.

Oh right, you had also Danguard (within the Force Five "imprint") – although I guess a good number were aired incomplete (judging from the schedule of Grendizer, of which only a number of episodes was dubbed).

Very cool Matthew, thanks! @Matteo: You’re slightly younger than me, but you may remember the very first to reach Italy (aired on private TV stations) was Danguard by Leiji Matsumoto (and I loved it). I must admit that although they have been an important part of my formation, I have little memories of the TV anime series, Astroganger is one of the few exceptions, although it has not been released as in Japan had limited commercial success and unfortunately is largely forgotten. Besides Italy Astroganger was huge in the Arab Emirates, anyway, where many people remember the series with fondness.

Of all the writers Porcu mentioned, I think the only ones which you could find "invasive" in terms of "philosophical" content would be Thomas Pinchon and maybe Sartre. Some of the others are writers whose literary quality puts them above that, and I think it’s also important to make a strong distinction between 18th, 19th and 20th century writers. Good literature, even if perceived as "negative" (like could be in the case of Sade) helps to understand better specific historical context, times, places and your human experience as well. But of course, it requires reflection. If one think so called "escapist" fiction is "neutral" I’d say a good essay or literary work gives you a lot more than bad fiction. Neil Gaiman, in comics, is often an example of bad fiction. Many of his works read like pamphlets.

Each and every italian aged between 35 and 50 years old now, grew up with Grendizer, while in the US it was partially aired on local TV stations, mostly in New England. I do have the english dubbed episodes on DVD (obtained in a trade), BTW, it’s interesting to hear the english dubbing and they are pretty much rare to get, I guess.

Beautiful #10, Gino! Who cares about the missing corners? I love the #7, BC, but brittle pages make me shiver…

It may be difficult to debate mostly on impressions, but what I was very disappointed by, as Marvel scrambled the titles all over (before X-Tinction agenda) were the stories. As far as the art goes: Jim Lee: his style appeared immature, with some pleasing traits, but showed clearly he was unable to draw human beings in all their variety, ethnicity, or age. They looked like fashion models, all the same age, and mostly in pose – and his "acclaimed" Beast had nothing specifically new or original. Rob Liefeld: No comment, although "Hawk and Dove" looked better. He might have benefitted from having to discuss with an inker, and learn, instead of being idolized. Marvel is the chief responsible of what happened afterwards. Whilce Portacio: was definitely more interesting, but again I have not followed him afterwards.

Among the best golden age heroes are surely the Lev Gleason Daredevil and Steel Sterling, two creations of Charles Biro. (thumbs u

In terms of stories or of art?

But in his defense we may say think Portacio was (is? where is he now?) more interesting – he seemingly put more effort in actually conveying the characters' expressions and narrating the stories through the drawings. "Legion of night" is an interesting work, for example, as it is earlier and written by Steve Gerber (basically the opposite than Marvel fad "writers"). What is inconsistent about all these titles (with almost no exception) is that deliberately rejected essential consistency with what has happened before, and even in the less ravaged titles, the true content (the story) was discarded in favor of the simple element the new drawers ("artist" is a big word) were gaining a great exposition and success – they, we would more appropriately, were "meeting a taste". Question is: what informs taste, and what is its qualitative nature? Topics which are constantly avoided (or overlooked at best) in today’s (apparent) debates. In every field.

If by "quarrel", you mean opinion liberally sprinkled with insults vs. hard data, sure. At some point, people, you need to stop tolerating this kind of behavior, and stop giving equal weight to both sides. I am not giving any weight to sides, I was just joking… BTW, you know what I think about insults…

That's the story of many Liefeld New Mutant runs. The (italian) friend that gifted me the #98 made me a joke, and when he brought me the few issues I was missing (including #98) told me: «Ah, the #98 wasn’t there… I must have not bought it back then», and then he pulled it out.

@Doc: Loving the envelope, and the text. If I was in the USA, I’d be pestering you to own that Thing/Ant Man board! (thumbs u