tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post7032667536991067109..comments2024-03-19T10:41:35.976-05:00Comments on Bronze Age Babies: BAB Book Review: Marvelous MythologyDoughttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-63161825040589609952014-12-22T09:36:16.460-06:002014-12-22T09:36:16.460-06:00One of things I like most about early Marvel versu...One of things I like most about early Marvel versus DC was the continuity. The whole reason that the original Avengers all left (and then Hank returned) was so that continuity could be maintained across the whole Marvel universe as it expanded. So to see it evolve in this way is, I think, a very valid perspective. As continuity shaped the evolution, that evolution itself shaped a lot of the creativity.<br /><br />If you look at Steve Englehart a bit later, all of those wonderful Avengers stories he wrote were driven by tying up loose ends, explaining what had come before and ret-conning new explanations of existing characters & plots. He wrote history. <br /><br />Todd’s book seems to be intentionally a history of the Marvel Universe rather than Marvel publishing, which I think is great as we have plenty of the latter in Howe, Daniels and others. <br /><br />Having said that, I’m not so sure it will pull in non-fans or indeed that it links that well to the movies. Captain America vaulted about 64 years of publishing in the space of 2 movies, the Guardians were NOT Vance Astro, Martinex etc, the Avengers are proceeding straight to the Infinity War, Xmen to the Age of Apocalypse, Fox are doing Deadpool. We are not proceeding at a steady pace from 1961 to 1975, so a strictly canonical catalogue of that period won’t speak to the movie fans half so well as to the comic book fans. <br /><br />However, that’s an observation, not a criticism and I’ll be buying my copy as soon as it’s out. <br /><br />Richard<br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-59247173563361199692014-12-18T20:39:17.958-06:002014-12-18T20:39:17.958-06:00Personally, I think it's a great idea to chron...Personally, I think it's a great idea to chronicle the formative years at Marvel. It's especially interesting to see how Stan and company were trying to reinvent the superhero genre. I agree that Marvel heroes were revolutionary for their time - you had Spidey, the first teenaged hero to headline his own book, the FF who constantly bickered amongst themselves as opposed to the sanitized JLA, Dardevil, a blind superhero and the Hulk who was a superhero but was also a monster. <br /><br />You could tell these guys were trying something new on the superhero theme, but I'm willing to bet some of those ramen noodles that Stan and the rest of the creators never in their wildest dreams could have imagined how popular these characters like Spidey would become.<br /><br />Todd's book should be an interesting read for Marvel junkies or anyone interested in general comics history.<br /><br /><br />- Mike 'the historian' from Trinidad & Tobago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-86091180538359033962014-12-18T17:07:50.645-06:002014-12-18T17:07:50.645-06:00Good job Doug. Enjoyed the interview.
One thin...Good job Doug. Enjoyed the interview. <br /><br />One thing I had picked in reading the Bullpen Bulletins from my old 70s Marvels was Stan Lee's genuine surprise at the reception he was receiving as he visited college campuses. As this book starts putting the formative stage into perceptive, those 8 to 12 year olds from the mid 60s were now your college aged kids in the 70s. Throw into that mix 1978's Superman and you had a veritable Gamma Bomb explosion of comic fandom. Upon that bedrock was layered our generation of the mid 70s who were not only reading current Marvel but all those "classic" tales through their reprint line. (Quick aside, it was only recently that I learned that for some of those reprintings, pages were trimmed!!!). Now you have the second explosion, ours this time, of the mid 80s which I think really saw the growth of not only comics but the fan magazines. Some might argue that Wizard was both the birth and death of that industry. IIRC, the 80s was also that time when the industry started to reinvent itself for the "new" generation. Some might say, the "Byrne" years. (Who keeps saying these things?)<br /><br />Not to tell a man how to chew his cheese but this subject, the reinvention period might make a good follow up book.<br /><br />Well, True Believers, until next time, Make Mine Mid 70s to early 80s Marvel!!!!<br /><br /><br />(I'll have a Blue Christmas without you I'll be so blue just thinking about you decorations of red on a green Christmas tree won't be the same dear, if you're not here with me).The Prowlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16047156663144096329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-193041892527787292014-12-18T13:22:52.341-06:002014-12-18T13:22:52.341-06:00Thanks for the interview Doug. New book sounds i...Thanks for the interview Doug. New book sounds intriguing. I am very interested in the modern mythology and how that evolved. Enjoyed the discussion. Good luck Todd.Martinex1noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-15088796399612021962014-12-18T08:34:18.701-06:002014-12-18T08:34:18.701-06:00Got the Thor and Deathlok books. And yes, the two ...Got the Thor and Deathlok books. And yes, the two Thor books collect everything from Kirby's last issue to about issue #198. The Deathlok volume has me a bit miffed, by the way, because it collects all but one of the original stories in Astonishing Tales - that last issue is being saved for the next volume. Really annoying.<br />I'm on the fence about that Cap book, though, because it looks like it also includes the three Steranko issues, which I have elsewhere.<br /><br />However, as you noted, you can't beat the price, and the Book Depository's free worldwide shipping is why I tend to do a lot of business with them (one thing, though, they mail each book separately - so don't be surprised when you receive them in four different mailers, and they probably won't all come on the same day).Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-66607120894368401012014-12-18T07:36:16.980-06:002014-12-18T07:36:16.980-06:00Thanks, Edo! And -- I was hoping I'd get a cha...Thanks, Edo! And -- I was hoping I'd get a chance to talk to you early today (well, for me anyway). Last night I decided to try out some of the Panini digests you've oft-recommended. I bought four from The Book Depository in the UK. I purchased the Cap/Falc, two Thor editions (looks like the stories right after Kirby left), and the Deathlok book. The were each around $8.25 with <i>free</i> S&H. I'll let you know when I get them and have had a chance to read from them.<br /><br />DougDoughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04248324005584963229noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5293155946761960913.post-38414624866407516382014-12-18T07:31:22.261-06:002014-12-18T07:31:22.261-06:00Nice job on the interview, Doug! And thanks, natur...Nice job on the interview, Doug! And thanks, naturally, to Todd for talking about his book.<br /><br />Also: name-brand Ramen noodles, *sighs longingly* that'll always be the dream...Edo Bosnarnoreply@blogger.com