Joker The Bronze Age Omnibus

I've gotten out of the habit of posting recently mainly because I'm not buying many comics or collections or getting the time to read the stuff I already have, My reading time has been spent on RPG books and sometime the latest Robin Hobb trilogy which I'm halfway through,

I did buy this a few weeks ago when it first came out. Some of the stories I already had but there is a good amount of new Bronze Age Batman related material for me to get my teeth into when I eventually get the time to read these collections.

It's a nice looking book too which is well put together. I'm fine that it doesn't match the style of the other Omnibus editions as it's a character themed collection rather than a title. Just like the Diana Prince edition I got at the beginning of the year.

One last point, it seems strange NOT to have any omnibus editions on pre-order. I'm really running short of room and, to be honest with myself, I've probably got enough DC collections for me to have a good idea what DC was like in the silver and bronze age. I do have two more books due before the end of the year though. These are a bit different from anything I've bought before. More on them soon.

Batman Ego and Other Catwoman Tails

I've been wanting to read "Ego" by Darwyn Cooke for a bit and decided to give it a go as a change of pace from Bronze Age Conan stories.

Also "Ego" was good I preferred "Selena's Big Score" which was also included in the collection. That led me to continue reading Catwoman stories and I've now finished Vol 2 of Catwoman by Ed Brubaker.

Although Darwyn Cooke is no longer on art, these were still great stories and just proves what a fantastic writer Brubaker is.

DC Bronze Age Omnibus and Marvel Epic Thor

Some big collections have arrived through the post recently,

The Swamp Thing Omnibus has been on pre-order for over a year but due to DC re-solicitations and Amazon confusion I had to re-order it at a slightly higher price to make sure I got it.

This large volume covers all the issues up to the Alan Moore run which I will also buy in this format although I've got some of the original issues.

I've been coveting the Brave and The Bold Bronze Age Omnibus Vol 1 for some time but had been undecided about whether or not to buy it because I had a few issues already in other collections (particularly my Jim Aparo books) I own. However, this is a great format with oversized pages and covers before each issue (unlike the other ones I had) so I finally succumbed. It looks fab.

The Thor Epic collection is volume 3 which means when combined with my other Epics, Masterworks and original comics I currently have all the issues up to issue 267. Which is enough to be going on with.

I've a couple of other DC Bronze Age Omnibus editions on pre-order but things are generally looking pretty good in my collection right about now and I predict that 2018 will be a year I read more than I buy!!

Update on new purchases

 OK, I'll admit that it looks like I've been on a bit of a spending spree over the last month but some of these were long standing pre-orders. They are all newly published stuff too!

Catwoman by Jim Balent was only published this week.

 So was Dark Knight Volume III collection. Which looks very nice by-the-way and will definitely go to the top of my to-read pile.

 I couldn't resist this 2nd volume of the Flash Silver Age Omnibus and the New Teen Titans volume 7 collects "The Judas Contract" so it's where I'll probably finish collecting.

 I've always been curious about Planet of the Apes comics and I'd seen positive stuff about this recent collection so I went ahead and ordered it. Along with 40+ issues of the old Marvel weekly going cheap on ebay.

Speaking of going cheap, Amazon are currently running another mad sale on Marvel stuff so as well as getting a dozen or so Masterworks volumes I picked-up some "new to-me" stuff too.



  



All for crazy prices! I wish DC would do the same as I am seriously running out of space on my bookshelves!

So that's plenty to keep me going and together with reading RPG rulebooks etc I should have enough to last me for years!

More hardcovers and trade paperback collections

It's been a busy time with purchases recently although fortunately I've not spent too much as all the books were bargains. These three purchases were via the Book Depository and were approx 1/3 less than Amazon prices even accounting for P&P.

Quite a range of titles here from Bronze Age Superman, to Batman from 2000s and very recent Marvel series. In fact, I'll read the Vision Vol 2 very soon as Vol 1 was so good.

More Silver Age DC Omnibus editions

I'm still keen on the DC omnibus editions and a couple have arrived this week.

The JLA is Vol 2 (I've not got Vol 1 yet as I've not seen it for a good price) and it's massive. It's 1056 pages and collects #31-#76 and Mystery In Space #75

World's Finest Vol 1. is a bit thinner at only 626 pages and collects Superman #75 and World's Finest #71- #116. It was only recently that I realised that this comic was the Superman-Batman team-up book. They first teamed-up in Superman #75 and that was so well received that DC decided to change the lead story in WF to be Superman and Batman each issue.

I'm loving finding out about all this early DC history.

Harley Quinn...(from the beginning)

Now I've finished my Star Wars comics, I've decided to read all my Harley Quinn stuff in-between the New Teen Titans.

I began with these two collections. Both contained various material from a number of years collected together to form the book.

The first story in "Batman: Harley Quinn" is supposed to be the first proper HQ in the DC comics universe. It's the best story in the collection. However, I prefered "Harley and Ivy" collection as that was more fun. However, by the end the theme was getting a bit repetitive.  It goes to show what an excellent job Palmiotti and Connor have done on what is/was essentially a one trick character.

The Dark Knight Returns (slipcase edition)

So I've just finished reading this new edition of the DKR. I'd already read my trade a number of times but it is one of my favourite and I wanted it in hardback. This edition has each individual comic in hardback and all collected in a nice slipcase.

A bit extravagant but well worth it. I still love it.

Christmas Arrivals

I got Rat Queens volume 2 for Christmas and DKR: Last Crusade has been on order for sometime but just happened to arrive over Christmas. Nice!

Some very nice collections

Some very sweet additions to my bookshelves.

The Dark Knight Returns deluxe slipcase edition is a straightforward reprinting of the original issues but oversized and each issue is hardcover. And all contained in a nice slipcase. Lovely.

The Doctor Strange epic collection reprints lots more issues than the trade collection I read in 2013 and in a better format with proper cover reproductions etc. I didn't have to wait until 2019 as I thought back then.

Finally, another oversized collection by Moebius. I didn't have anything my this comics master and I was keen to try him out as what I've seen of this art I've always loved. Can't wait to see what this is like.

Two new hardbacks

Harley Quinn Vol 5. The next volume (due in Feb 17) is the last before the DC Rebirth. Although I enjoy this series, shelf space might mean that Vol 6 is a good place to stop.

The Fade Out is the deluxe (or omnibus) edition. A very nice package and I'm pleased I've waited for this format.

More Atomic Robo and a Marvel/DC crossover??

Two new purchases to report.

Firstly, volume 3 in the softcover Atomic Robo omnibus collections. It's nice to have these but it's a shame that they are not hardcover collections like the recent Kickstarter. The postage was wayyy too expensive on that one so these will have to do.

This is the last omnibus for now and I really am looking forward to reading them.

I have read the Batman and Captain America Elseworlds crossover story by John Byrne. Set during WW2 it's a good read. I picked this up via ebay for £5 after a nice review on Bronze Age Babies as I don't usually go for this sort of thing. I'm pleased I did this time.

Tales of the Batman Alan Brennert

A new purchase based on the glowing review by Greg Hatcher on CBR.

I don't have any of the stories reprinted so it looks like a good volume to own.

Nice shiney new hardcover collections - Waid and Brubaker

Just received:

The fifth and final volume in the nice oversized edition reprinting Mark Waid's recent Daredevil run.

The weighty Gotham Central Omnibus by Brubaker and Greg Rucka. It needs more than one pic to to the size of this justice.

Two lovely looking collections for my shelf and I'm sure they will be nice to read too when I get the time.

Can't get enough Harley Quinn

One brand new collection and one relatively old one but both reprinting essential early Harley Quinn comics appearances.

More trade collections added - Atomic Robo and Brubaker's Batman

More trade collections have just arrived.

Very pleased to have another Atomic Robo Omnibus. I think there needs to be one more and we'll be up-to-date but I've not seen that solicited as yet.

And I know that I have plenty of Brubaker collections to read,

There is Catwoman, Fatale, Velvet and Criminal and I also have a massive Gotham Central Omnibus on pre-order. I'm waiting for a deluxe edition of "The Fade Out" to be published before I purchase that. So lots to read and that's great because he's a great writer.

Harley Quinn Vol 3: Kiss, Kiss Bang, Stab

The next Harley Quinn collection.

Arrived on the day of release!

Not bad for free shipping. :-)

Neil Adams Batman

Just finished reading all three volumes of Neil Adams Batman which feature stories from the various Batman titles from the early 1970s.

One thing I can say is 1970s DC was so different to Marvel at the same time. The majority of the stories were done-in-one. There were no sub-plots and except for the Ra Ghuls stories not much of a complex plot to anything at all.

BUT Adam's art was fantastic from Vol 1 and, at last, I can see the influence he had on other artists particularly John Byrne,

I was thinking of reading some Jim Aparo Batman next but I think I need a break from 1970s DC. I'll pick up that in a little while.

Batman Silver Age Classics

I'm about to start reading some trades of old Bronze Age Batman stories and it suddenly occurred to me this was the perfect time to read these two reprints of some key Silver Age material of the Dark Knight. I've had these for years and never read them.

Historically very interesting. Amazing to see how DC comics from 1955 and 1964 were put together.

Not my cuppa tea - Batman and the Outsiders

Oh this is a shame. i wanted to like these 3 issues of Batman and the Outsiders so much but I just couldn't despite competent art from Jim Aparo and great art from Alan Davis.

There was nothing for a new reader to the series to connect to. No explanations and various characters thrown around with hardly an introduction. So despite me saying I might get more, I think not.

This three issues was the start of a long Batman related run of comics I'm going to embark on over the next few months. Not a good start.