Welcome back, Donist World Denizens! For those of you new to our site, I’m Donist, and I am joined by Donist World CFO the Reverse Obie* (my friends’ Boston terrier whose fur recently swapped colors) and by our marketing director/administrative assistant/party planner/chicken soup sous-chef Tulip (my dog, Reverse Obie’s sister). Well, it’s been a long month after losing my grandma, ending a position at my company, starting a new position at my company, having two harrowing weeks with the Thomas Fire, dealing with the holidays, and now dealing with a knock-down, drag-out cold. Let’s just say that we at Donist World are ready to see some good times roll for a change. Anyhow, mind your health, drink plenty of water before enjoying that beer, cherish the ones you love, and read some great comics. Thank you for reading!
*Obie, through his dabbling in arcane magiks mixed with ancient corrupt business practices, has had not just the colors of his fur switched, but a complete overhaul of his work ethic as well…I think I’m kinda okay with the mishap.
Not sure what “Comics Lust” is about? Take a look at the Introduction to “Comics Lust” post or take a look at the static “Comics Lust Table of Contents” page to jump to a topic.
Comics Lust
Top Ten Comics for a Deserted Island
I ain’t gonna lie denizens, this brutal cold has me feeling quite a bit brain broke, so I’m going to…borrow…a recent idea from my favorite comic book podcast, 11 O’Clock Comics. Today, I’m going to list the top ten books I would want with me were I to be stranded on a deserted island. Now, there are some rules that I have to adhere to, namely nine of these books have to be collected editions that have been offered or will be offered in the near future. For the tenth spot, I can have a custom omnibus collection of the series of my choosing; I actually own just such a custom bound series, but we’ll get to that towards the end. For now, in no particular order, the ten books I would need to keep me entertained for a good, long while.
1) Mage: The Hero Discovered (Everythinged by Matt Wagner, published by Image Comics)
There were a ton of titles that thrilled and wowed me back in the ’80s, books that are part of the most revered period of comics history. But even with such a wealth of material, if I had to choose one to accompany me to my deserted island, it would have to be Matt Wagner’s Mage: The Hero Discovered. 15 issues in length, and revitalizing a mythical character in the form of Kevin Matchstick, Mage kept me desperate for each subsequent issue and never let me down despite breaking my heart on more than one ocassion—dang, I love those characters—all the while reminding me of the hero who dwells in us all. The third and final chapter of this fantastic trilogy is currently being released.
There were a ton of titles that thrilled and wowed me back in the ’80s, books that are part of the most revered period of comics history. But even with such a wealth of material, if I had to choose one to accompany me to my deserted island, it would have to be Matt Wagner’s Mage: The Hero Discovered. 15 issues in length, and revitalizing a mythical character in the form of Kevin Matchstick, Mage kept me desperate for each subsequent issue and never let me down despite breaking my heart on more than one ocassion—dang, I love those characters—all the while reminding me of the hero who dwells in us all. The third and final chapter of this fantastic trilogy is currently being released.
I’ve mentioned before that I suggested a friend have his son read the incredible Bone collection…he heard my suggestion as me giving him my copy. That’s cool, though, his son loved the series and probably read this hefty collection until the pages fell out. Still, I need a replacement copy so I can bring this fun, all-ages, fantasy-adventure comic along for my long period of isolation. Cartoony, whimsical, and fun, this oh-so-gorgeous series also held some gravitas and danger. Bone has been on my mind for quite some time now and looks like I need a replacement copy asap. Bones, and dragons, and rat things, oh my!
At over 1000 pages, you might have to have a spotter to help your heft this beast of a book. One thing I love about the immensely successful Age of Apocalypse event is that it broke away from the painfully complex continuity of the X-titles and created its own alternate universe free of the constraints of decades of stories. At the time the issues were coming out, I had not touched anything X-Men related in years, but because of the many recognizable characters, as well as plenty of intriguing new ones, and a new world, I gave most of the revamped series a chance, and I’m so glad I did. The entire event has a beginning, middle, and end, and although I had no idea of what led up to this event, I was able to follow along just fine. Oh, and for the record, I LOVE the new Sunfire design.
Oh, how my brother and loved this storyline. Oh, how we still do. Jeff and I were already huge Legion of Super-Heroes fans, with its massive roster of cool good guys and bad guys, but when you bring Darkseid and his genetically altered clones into the mix…we had struck comic book gold. The cool thing about this volume is that it contains the issues leading up to the arrival of the first minion, which were issues we had somehow missed the first time around. It also contains all of the glorious issues we did have, the ones that have practically disintegrated from hundreds of rereads. It’s the Legion’s darkest hour, and It’s one of the brightest spots on my favorite bookshelf, as this treasure more than stands up to the test of time. Not bragging—which means I’m about to brag—but my copy is signed by Mr. Levitz, as well, and will some distant year join me in my tomb.
Dang. I knew I had to put either Planetary or The Authority on this list, and given that Ellis and Cassaday’s Planetary is the longer of the two—27 issues versus 12 issues—I was able to make the difficult choice. The fact that the end of Planetary is so touching that it brings me to the verge of tears with every single reread also doesn’t hurt. Elijah Snow, Jakita Wagner, The Drummer, and Ambrose Chase are all some of my favorite comic book characters because of this masterfully told and illustrated love letter to pop culture; there’s no way I’d leave home without it. My only gripe is that this supposed omnibus doesn’t also collect the Planetary/Batman standalone tale, but whatchagonnado. (pssst...you can, however, get the recently released Planetary: Book One trade and then the Planetary: Book Two trade in March, and you’ll have the whole kit and kaboodle for cheaper.)
Since starting “Comics Lust” I’ve mentioned that Wein and Wrightson’s Swamp Thing is what made me fall in love with comic books. I could not go without this treasure. Not only does it contain all of the material they created together, it also contains the stuff that came after Wrightson left the series (which I have sadly not yet read), as well as The Saga of the Swamp Thing material before Alan Moore came aboard (which I have read and definitely love). One of my all-time-favorite characters as created by two of my all-time-favorite creators, my life would be lessened were I not to have this 724-page beauty by my side.
I was close to putting Jim Starlin’s Infinity Gauntlet on the list, but even though I love that storyline, Starlin’s early work on Adam Warlock and Thanos won out in the end. I LOVE that stuff, but when you wrap that treasured material In a monster burrito of content containing the likes of Groot, Gamora, Star-Lord, Rocket Racoon, Drax the Destroyer, and many of the mainstream heroes we know and love, there’s plenty to be happy about with this 1100+ page beast. What’s even better about this collection is that I haven’t read a bunch of it, so with the sun at my head and the surf at my toes, I will have something new to while away the time.
Speaking of stuff I haven’t read before…I’ve actually only read some of the New Gods material, and have not read a single issue of Mister Miracle or The Forever People, so this 1500-page behemoth would be a welcome addition to my deserted island or to the comfort of my home. I love Darkseid from the Legion books and for being a menace to the DCU in general, while Mister Miracle, Big Barda, Orion, and the rest have all appeared in so many titles throughout the years that they are practically family. Unread comics: check. Jack Kirby material: check. Cool characters I dig: Check. Now that I’m on the subject, I really want this ultra-groovy tome.
I really enjoyed Johns’s run on Green Lantern: Rebirth, but his “The Sinestro Corps War” storyline is one of the best DC events…ever. Why should the Green Lanterns be the only ones with rings of power? Why is Sinestro the only one with a yellow ring? Are there rings that harness the power of the other colors in the spectrum? Well, this beautiful collection answers all those questions and more and succeeded in turning this Donist from someone who always liked the character into a Green Lantern fan. Dang, I really need to reread this run and I will probably continue on to the material that can be found in the Green Lantern by Geoff Johns Vol. 2 collection.
Here is my cheat book. Many years back, I took my treasured collection of The Micronauts and had them library bound into a three-volume collection. As I mention often to anyone who will listen, this is the series that made me a comic book collector: I love it with all my heart. For this deserted island, I would want one collection to rule them all of the Mantlo penned issues, including the four-issue miniseries of The X-Men and the Micronauts. I also painfully realize that because of the nightmarish licensing purgatory that is The Micronauts property, it will be a while before we see any sort of legit collection or omnibus of this Donist World Darling of a series. The Micronauts…don’t get stranded on a deserted island without it.
What’s your “Top Ten Comics for a Deserted Island” list?
This Week’s Reading List
Oh, my gosh! I am LOVING Doomsday Clock. I had completely written off any attempt at a sequel to Watchmen, but Johns and Frank have not only accomplished the impossible task of following up a masterpiece, they are also merging two comic book worlds into one! I love the new villains of Marionette and the Mime, and this issue (again) knocks it out of the park with both the story and the art. You need to be reading this. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
I freaked out about the first issue, and I am freaking out about this second issue as well. Again, Piskor flawlessly takes the quagmire that is the X-Men’s continuity and focuses it into an enjoyable, coherent, and accessible story. The art and production are beyond gorgeous in this double-sized, must-own treasure. I can’t wait for the summer when the next chapter is set to arrive. Come late March, Marvel will be releasing a collection of these two issues, which I fully intend to pickup…I'm just hoping it ends up being oversized despite what the Amazon.com specs currently say. This is must-own material in every form that sees release. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
I love Russell’s Prez. I love Russell’s The Flintstones. If this impressive first issue is any indication of what is to come, then it’s safe to say I will love Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles as well. Set in the ’50s, Snagglepuss is a closeted gay playwright about to become the target of a “Subversives” hunt. At one issue in, this comic is a historical, satirical look at the base elements of McCarthyism, while taking a shot or two at the stupidity of today’s toxic political climate. Exit Stage Left: The Snagglepuss Chronicles is one you best grab right away. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
No comments:
Post a Comment