Best GA GGA comics to READ?

[whomerjay]

I readily admit I collect comics for the cover art. I focus primarily on GGA, but also like horror-Sci-FI, humorous covers, and covers that reflect dated political/sociological issues (e.g. WWII or cold war covers depicting the "enemy" in an unflattering way). Slabbing has only reinforced my focus on covers for obvious reasons.

 

However, for various titles I also want to collect a low grade raw run, with the hope that one day I'll have enough time to read the run. I've read some, but not many of my raw copies of Planet, Jungle, Fight, etc.

 

I often read members noting how good various SA/BA/CA runs/ titles are- the Byrne X-Men run, Miller DD run, FF Galactus/Surfer run, Watchmen, etc. Almost never do we hear analysis of GA readability.

 

I would like to solicit opinions as to what people think are the best GA GGA titles to read, and why . I don't mind dated ideas and rather enjoy seeing insight into our culture's mindset at the time the book was written.

 

I realize that there is great variability in the quality of writing. The first books I read continuously were SS #1-18 (late 60's) and the X-Men in the 100's (1970's) and thought the writing was pretty good. I also liked Flaming Carrot and Cerebus, and any ASM issue. When I later acquired a run of early 60's JLA, I couldn't read more than a few issues it was so lame. It reminded me how in the 60's I was struck by the great superiority of Marvel comics to DCs because of the continuous story line and the more adult writing, themes.

 

So I'd like to work on acquiring a low grade run of a GGA title for the purpose of reading. I'd also be interesting in opinions of the readability of GA Superhero and horror books; if my budget won't allow going after them, I'll consider some reprint format.

 

Be as pedantic as you wish.

[The Black Hand ®]

I like reading the early Airfighter's comics with Airboy and the early Captain Marvel stories. I also thought the full run of Top Notch 1-27 had some of the best stories with very consistant quality. Another thing I've noticed is that generally, but not always, the first 10 issues of just about any series would have great reading, or until they would introduce a funny sidekick. After that it went downhill. A lot of Quality comics had great reading, like Blackhawk, The Black Condor etc. Spirit and Plasticman had some great stories. Fortunately there are some great reprints out there of the more mainstream titles, but for series like Wings anf Fight and Planet you need to find some beaters or independent reprints of some of the stories, I'm sure I've just covered a very small corner of what's good reading out there,

[seank]

I'm with you on the early 1960s JLAs. The art makes my eyes hurt and the stories set my teeth grinding.

 

Here's my recommendations for readable GGA:

 

Jumbo Comics: Sky Girl (68, 70-130) is my favorite, drawn by Matt Baker also. The Hawk is usually readable and fun. Stuart Taylor (?) is also fun. Skip the Sheena stories if you want readable. Most of the ones I've seen (mid to late Jumbo run) are dreadful.

 

Fight Comics: I like Senorita Rio. She's an actress turned spy and managed to remain a spy despite post-war political changes. I just read my Fight 27, produced during the war, and it was amazing. Completely political and racist. Great stuff. Tiger Girl, which came near or at the end of the war is decent. Probably better than the Sheena stories of the time.

 

Planet Comics: Generally pretty good, but pricey.

 

Phantom Lady: We ain't buying it for the stories.

 

Jungle Comics: About 50/50 readable/trash. Avoid Wambi. The lead stories (Kaanga?) are generally good. I remember Camilla as being good also. (I read the Baker stories long ago.)

 

Rulah: I have one issue. Good, but not great.

 

Seven Seas: Decent reading, more sought after for the great Baker art. I do like South Seas Girl.

[rjpb]

Phantom Lady: We ain't buying it for the stories.

 

I find the Phantom Lady stories are far more fun to read than most GA output, and the Matt Baker art is a big plus, but they aren't cheap.. The Fox jungle books have plenty of wild stories with excellent GGA inside and out. All-Top might be worth checking out - Phantom Lady and Jungle type stories, with a little Blue Beetle thrown in as well. Matt Baker and Kamen art. 2.0-3.0 copies often run less than $100 on ebay for most issues, and even the higher valued issues sell for less than guide and won't break the bank.

[selegue]

Phantom Lady: We ain't buying it for the stories.

 

I find the Phantom Lady stories are far more fun to read than most GA output, and the Matt Baker art is a big plus, but they aren't cheap.. The Fox jungle books have plenty of wild stories with excellent GGA inside and out. All-Top might be worth checking out - Phantom Lady and Jungle type stories, with a little Blue Beetle thrown in as well. Matt Baker and Kamen art. 2.0-3.0 copies often run less than $100 on ebay for most issues, and even the higher valued issues sell for less than guide and won't break the bank.

 

I'm still amazed that no one has referred to this as the "Best Playboy articles to READ?" thread.

 

Jack

[*paull*]

On the horror front, you of course can't go wrong with any of the EC output. Gaines and crew produced the highest quality horror books in the 1950s.

 

In my opinion, the Gilmor/Aragon books (Weird Mysteries, Mister Mystery, Weird Tales of the Future), while they have in many cases awesome and gruesome covers, they for the most part have low quality stories. I am of course leaving out the Basil Wolverton stories in that statement. His work in those books was stellar!

 

The Harvey material (Tomb of Terror, Black Cat Mystery, etc.) is pretty good. However, the company that produced the most interesting horror work in the 1950s, in my opinion, is the stuff published by (Ajax) Farrell in titles such as Voodoo and Haunted Thrills. The stories are always readable and the artwork is better than most of the other publishers (Aragon/Gilmor, ACG, etc.).

[*paull*]

I second the nomination for any Matt Baker interiors. His work was a major highlight of the GA.

[seank]

Phantom Lady: We ain't buying it for the stories.

 

I find the Phantom Lady stories are far more fun to read than most GA output, and the Matt Baker art is a big plus, but they aren't cheap.. The Fox jungle books have plenty of wild stories with excellent GGA inside and out. All-Top might be worth checking out - Phantom Lady and Jungle type stories, with a little Blue Beetle thrown in as well. Matt Baker and Kamen art. 2.0-3.0 copies often run less than $100 on ebay for most issues, and even the higher valued issues sell for less than guide and won't break the bank.

 

I'm still amazed that no one has referred to this as the "Best Playboy articles to READ?" thread.

 

Jack

 

 

Of course we buy GGA to read the stories. That's what I tell my wife with every Fiction House book that comes in the door.

[whomerjay]

thanks all for the input thus far. Thankfully, I've been agressive re: Baker and Kamen books these last few years, except for the romance genre books that people like serpi have been bidding through the roof. A good many raw Jungle too.

[adamstrange]

The are words in GGA comics?

 

Who knew?

[Norrin_Radd]

Phantom Lady is THE GGA title. I plan on tracking down some reprints to read this year.

[seank]

Phantom Lady is THE GGA title. I plan on tracking down some reprints to read this year.

 

True. But is it readable? Time to crack open my reprint collection and see if I have to eat my words again.

[HouseofComics.Com]

Crime-wise, try the Quality books like T-Man and later Police Comics.

[Theagenes]

I just got through reading this last night and I thoroughly enjoyed it:

 

 

 

It's not exactly GGA per se, but it does have this great splash of She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed dancing naked in the fire.

 

 

[adamstrange]

Very nice!

 

Reminds of a Virgil Finlay pulp cover.

[Theagenes]

Very nice!

 

Reminds of a Virgil Finlay pulp cover.

 

It is a cool cover. It seems to have been done at least partially with charcoals, something I'd never seen before on a comic.

[adamstrange]

Very nice!

 

Reminds of a Virgil Finlay pulp cover.

 

It is a cool cover. It seems to have been done at least partially with charcoals, something I'd never seen before on a comic.

 

I was referencing the splash page as being reminiscent of a Finlay cover. It may be a swipe but I'm too lazy to check.

[Scrooge]

Very nice!

 

Reminds of a Virgil Finlay pulp cover.

 

Yes, there would be several Finlay images reminiscent of this scene. Finlay had a thing about women in flames. Couldn't quite find a cover with this theme but dug this out -

[adamstrange]

I knew you'd come through.

 

There's color covers he did as well, maybe one will come to mind.

[Theagenes]

It does seem to be a favorite theme of his. Here's a few more of Finlay's women in flames illustrations: