A BIT OF COMIC HISTORY / ALTER-EGO #4

[Larryw7]

i've had this copy in it's original mailing envelope for 42 years and i still open it from time to time and remember what it was like back in the beginning......

 

 

I've read some of the old 'zines from way back when, and I can't get over how innocent this hobby was, once upon a time. I think I read in one of them that no old comic book should ever be priced higher than ten bucks! And I love reading about the collectors hanging out at the Cherokee bookstore and the Collectors Bookstore...I wish I was there!

[burntboy]

Interesting to see that FLASH #123 was chosen as best book that year, as I just ordered a 2.0 copy from Comic Link. And, believe it or not, I've never read the story. I'm looking forward to seeing what my impressions of the story are.

 

it was one of the better DC stories of the time (IMO). not nearly as goofy as some (even surrounding Flash issues). but the concept at the time was totally cool and it gave DC a way to reintro all of the old JSA characters (even those that had new incarnations in the SA).

 

i'm sure it doesn't carry the same kick as it did when it was groundbreaking, but it should still be a decent read. hope you enjoy it.....

[Larryw7]

i'm sure it doesn't carry the same kick as it did when it was groundbreaking, but it should still be a decent read

 

 

When I read these great old stories, I always try to read it from the viewpoint of someone reading it at the time it was released. You get that sense of wonder that only a great comic book can give you.

[Bronty]

 

i'm sure it doesn't carry the same kick as it did when it was groundbreaking, but it should still be a decent read. hope you enjoy it.....

 

I think you must be right, because I first read the book when I was about 16 (gulp - twelve years ago now), and I was somewhat disappointed with it.. I actually preferred the goofier flash stories to this one - at least they weren't trying to be serious. I just found the pacing of the story on a lot of the old dc's woefully slow. Some of the JLA stories I found to be nearly criminal. I mean festering and putrid acts of mischief. You'd have like five chapters with five different team members facing off against the same bad guy and a sixth chapter that tied it all together. Needless to say, you had to read the same thing six times and I'd be bored stiff halfway through the second chapter

 

Don't get me wrong, I do love silver DC, but some of the stories were god-awful, at least from an adult perspective. I do fully appreciate that they were aimed at kids though, and the art from that era is beautiful, very clean and uncluttered. And there are some great stories in there too, like the grodd issues of flash (I love the story in #127) and some of the non-superhero titles like House of Mystery from that time had good yarns as well. And Viking Prince and a whole host of others that were very entertaining... but the silver DC stinkers you can smell for miles

 

Story-wise, I think late-silver and early bronze DC is light years ahead of the early silver age stuff (although those eras had some stinkers too). But again, the improvement is probably because it was aimed at a much older audience.

[burntboy]

 

i'm sure it doesn't carry the same kick as it did when it was groundbreaking, but it should still be a decent read. hope you enjoy it.....

 

 

 

And Viking Prince and a whole host of others that were very entertaining... but the silver DC stinkers you can smell for miles

 

Story-wise, I think late-silver and early bronze DC is light years ahead of the early silver age stuff (although those eras had some stinkers too). But again, the improvement is probably because it was aimed at a much older audience.

 

i'm a HUGE Viking Prince and Silent Knight fan. those first 24 issues of Brave and Bold are some of my all-time favorites. some great covers (including some KUBERT classics) and cool stories.

 

now i'd love to see some of those babies in 9.0 and above. hell, i'm happy with my 5.0's and 6.0's.........those are truly rare in HG

[namisgr]

This is great stuff, Harry. Thanks!

 

It is truly amazing to see material from the origins of comic fandom, especially in light of the state of the field today. Got any more fandom-related gems?

[Bronty]

Me too... those viking prince stories are awesome, and Kubert is in my top five all time

[burntboy]

This is great stuff, Harry. Thanks!

 

It is truly amazing to see material from the origins of comic fandom, especially in light of the state of the field today. Got any more fandom-related gems?

 

some of the rest of that 'Zine has decent articles and i do have some old newletters with books and prices. i'm also thinking of posting some pages of the Overstreet Priceguide issue #1 - that's always good for a

[Bronty]

I'll say! I've never owned a #1, but I have that abridged version put out with overstreet's FAN #3 and boy does it make one cringe..