Spawn: The Poster Child of The Dark Age of Comics

Spawn, created by Todd McFarlane, was THE comic book character that ushered in the 1990's Dark Age of Comics. He has his antecedents and the precedent for characters like him were set by the culture of the late 80's. Not only was Spawn (and characters like him) brought about because of the sophistication and mature themes of comics like The Dark Knight Returns and Watchmen, but also popular rock music of the time and the youth-centered culture of MTV.

Debuting in May of 1992, Spawn #1 sold 1.7 million copies and, for a long time, was the biggest selling indie-comic of all time. The book tells the story of Al Simmons, a mercenary that works for the U.S. Security Group, a government agency commanded by Director Jason Wynn. When Wynn sets him up, he is killed and goes to Hell. Making a deal with the demon, Malebolgia, Simmons agrees to become a Hellspawn and lead Hell's army if he is allowed to see his wife, Wanda, one last time. Simmons returns to the living realm, badly burned and under supervision of Violator, a demon disguised as a clown. After his death and subsequent rebirth, Simmons is now Spawn, a powerful Hellspawn who is thrust into several adventures where he takes down street gangs and organized crime in the city of New York.

I was about 7 years old when Spawn debuted and completely missed out. I was most intrigued by the action figure line of the the mid to late 1990's. By that time, McFarlane Toys was a powerhouse in the toy industry and Spawn figures were everywhere. The character always intrigued me for his darkness and edginess. His storyline was always very intriguing, but I would not read the comics until I was much older.

I did catch the 3-season Spawn animated series at various times as a kid. It debuted in 1997 on HBO and seemed so adult, mature, and sophisticated at the time that I was instantly a fan. It was made for mature audiences but was not very sophisticated. The animation is very well done by 90's standards but the story can be very deliberately paced. I still enjoy it when I see it these days, though I recommend watching it in one 6 hour block. It unfolds very well if you watch it in one sitting and tells a compelling story. If you watch it over time, it is not as easy to digest.

Also in 1997, the Spawn movie was released in theaters. I watched it for the first time in the late 1990's and thought it was well done. It's a basic origin story with a decent plot. Even with it's bad CGI and mediocre special effects, by today's standards, it's an entertaining, dark actioner. There are some corny bits but, if you're a comic book fan, it can be enjoyable. It does routinely get thrown on the "Worst Comic Book Movies of All Time" list. I disagree. It's fairly well done for a 90's action film and is a decent adaptation of the early Spawn book. I think at the very least, if you're a Spawn fan, you should get something out of it.

There are some comic book readers, veterans of the hobby, who dismiss Spawn as a product of the 90's, an edgy, overblown summation of the comic book Dark Age. For many, he belongs in the 90's and is not very compelling. I disagree. For me, he's far more than that. Spawn is a timeless character who sells his soul so that he can reunite with his loved ones, a violent man at war with himself.

I would recommend watching the animated show at least. If you want to read the comics, start at the beginning with issue #1 and read until about issue 50, at least. If you still like it, keep going. The comic is quite well done, especially the early issues, some of which were written by Grant Morrison and Alan Moore. That said, as with any back issue comic book, it can be dated. But what do you think? Do you like Spawn? Is he a cool concept or, does he amount to nothing more than the ultimate edgy, dark antihero?

Galactic Guardians Presents: The Fear

I have been spending a lot of time lately watching various episodes of Batman: the Animated Series. The show is, of course, so good that it got me thinking about Batman's history in cartoons. Batman debuted in cartoons during the 1960's thanks to the now infamous company, Filmation, as part of the Batman/Superman Hour. The Batman bits of that show eventually got repackaged as The Adventures of Batman. This of course led to the better known ABC broadcast, Super Friends, in 1973 that lasted until 1985. Batman had a starring role in the Super Friends series, which was animated by Hanna-Barbera. A short-lived cartoon ran concurrently with that called The New Adventures of Batman. 

The final season of Super Friends got rebranded for ten episodes as The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians. Pre-BTAS, this is the most serious that superhero shows ever really got. Which brings us to The Fear!    

This screenshot from The Fear shows the first ever "dark" Batman in animation.

The Fear is the first time ever, outside of comics, that Batman ever got dark. Of course, it wasn't as dark or sophisticated as anything that Bruce Timm and Co. would give us in the 90's but, for 1985, this was well done. They couldn't really do anything beyond the level of  cartoons for 8-year-olds because Standards and Practices in children's animation back then was far more conservative. The Fear raised the bar for superhero cartoons and is probably the best DC superhero cartoon made before the 1990's.

Here, Batman is terrified of Crime Alley, the place where his parents were murdered. The Dynamic Duo chases Scarecrow and his Strawmen (because, what else would you call Scarecrow's henchmen, LOL) towards Crime Alley but once Batman realizes where he is, he freezes. Scarecrow gets away and Batman and Robin spend the rest of the episode dealing with his trauma and the Scarecrow tries to exploit his fear. At a party at Wayne Manor, Diana Prince (Wonder Woman) shows up and notices Bruce is not his usual self. At the end, the rest of the Super Friends show up and help Batman work out his trauma so that he and the Boy Wonder can stop Scarecrow's scheme. 

This is 21 minutes of superhero storytelling that rivals some of the darker toons that came later. Granted, this is still a kid's cartoon, and, when watched today might seem simplistic, but it's still important. It's the first time in animation where Batman is more than one dimensional and his humanity is explored. The episode is a gem in a series of otherwise saccharine and campy cartoons. Alan Burnett, producer of BTAS and other shows in the more modern DC Animated Universe also wrote this episode. He was one of the main writers on the Super Friends show. 

Because of the Super Friends legacy, the history of Batman in animation is really pretty weak until BTAS. That said, The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians is a fairly watchable, and sometimes entertaining show. The Fear remains its best episode and is a neat little artifact for fans, new and old, to discover. Anyway, I just discovered it and for those who have never heard of this episode, I highly recommend it for all Bat-fans!

The Blacksad Series - Review and Analysis

Blacksad is a series of wonderful noir comics that combines some of my favorite elements: detective fiction, anthropmorphized characters and period pieces. The comic is the brain child of the Spanish writer/artist team, Juan de Díaz Canales and Juanjo Guarnido. These guys are former animators who, at one point, apparently worked for Disney. Their love of film noir and detective stories spawned one of the greatest comics in years. These were originally published in French but have been translated to Spanish and English.

John Blacksad is a cat in a world inhabited by animals. He works as a private detective in New York City during the 1950's. His stories feature themes that were true to life in the 50's as well: racism, atomic age paranoia, and post-war economics. The series is dressed with jazz music, gangsters, booze and dangerous women as well, to better illustrate the noirish flavor of this amazing  series.

Blacksad begins with the story Somewhere Within the Shadows. Debuting in 2000, this is where we meet John Blacksad, a hard drinking "Private Eye" in the vain of Phillip Marlowe or Sam Spade. He investigates the murder of a famous actress. The artwork is expressive, detailed, and perfectly captures the mood of a pulp detective story. It's probably my favorite story in this series.

Artic Nation, the second book in the series, came out in 2003. This one features some heavier subject matter. Blacksad searches for a missing girl named Kaylie. She has been kidnapped by a racist political organization called Arctic Nation. Their members are various animals, all with white fur, to draw allusions to the KKK and white supremacy. Another gang called the Black Claws generate themes of interracial conflict as well. Blacksad's struggle to find the missing girl is interspersed throughout these heavier themes.

The next in the series, Red Soul, was released in 2005. This features themes of America's two biggest fears during the era, nuclear annihilatioin and the communist "Red Scare." This story sees Blacksad mingling with all sorts of characters in the city's social scene to get to the bottom of a mystery. It's not as heady as the previous story but it's still very intriguing.

Dark Horse Comics would later publish these first three stories as a single volume in 2010, simply titled Blacksad, and translated into English. 

Book four, A Silent Hell, also appeared in 2010. This story, set in New Orléans, features Blacksad and his pal Weekly (a reporter who's also a weasel) traveling there to meet Faust (a goat who's also a failed musician). The goat has a terminal illness, and is treated by voodoo high priestess. Faust commisions Blacksad to find an old friend of his. This story was a lot of fun and the artwork captures vintage New Orleans very well. 

The final tale (so far) is called Amarillo. Amarillo is Spanish for "yellow." Released in 2014, this one concerns two beatnik types: a lion named Chad, and his hotheaded bison friend, Abraham. Blacksad is still in New Orleans on holiday but Weekly goes back to New York. This is one of those stories where the adventure finds the protagonist. Blacksad just kind of falls into the plot. Our hero is approached by a wealthy Texan (a steer) to drive a vintage yellow car  on a cross country road trip from New Orleans to Amarillo, TX to Denver, CO, and finally to Memphis TN, where we meet Blacksad's sister. The whole thing culminates in a murder that has to be solved. And what does Luanne, a Siamese cat with psychic powers and a knife-throwing boyfriend, have to do with this? It's another very good story that has all the trappings of a great pulp-inspired adventure, though it seems brighter than the other stories, in both tone and artwork.

All in all, the Blacksad stories are probably the greatest pulp detective stories in modern comicdom. The artwork is reminiscent of storyboards for a Disney film and the writing is as sophisticated as any pulp novel. Rumor has it, there are supposed to be more stories on the way but they have yet to be published. This series is truly unique and highly recommended for anyone who loves comics.

The Wrath of The Spectre!

In the 1970's, DC Comics resurrected one of their darkest and most powerful characters, The Spectre. In the 1940's Jim Corrigan (as created by Jerry Siegel and artist Bernie Baily) emerged as one of DC's first detective/superhero characters. His stories were dark even for the Golden Agee, a time when comics were less censored and unafraid of telling edgy stories. In the 1970's he was brought back in this series, masterfully written by Michael Fleischer and drawn by Jim Aparo. These stories were groundbreaking in that they were considered very violent for the time. This series established The Spectre as one of the darkest and probably the most vengeful of all superheroes.

Beginning with the 12-page "The Wrath of ... the Spectre" in issue #431 of Adventure Comics, writer Michael Fleisher, and artist Jim Aparo produced 10 stories through issue #440 that became controversial for what was considered gruesome, albeit bloodless, violence. Joe Orlando plotted these stories with writer Michael Fleisher, and they emphasized the gruesome fates of criminals who ran afoul of the Spectre. The Comics Code had recently been liberalized, but this series pushed its restrictions to the limit, often by turning evildoers into inanimate objects and then thoroughly demolishing them. Jim Aparo's art showed criminals being transformed into everything from broken glass to melting candles, but Fleisher was quick to point out that many of his most bizarre plot devices were lifted from stories published decades earlier in various Golden Age comics.

This series made me an instant fan of The Spectre and I became someone who sought out the work of Michael Fleischer (his 1970's Jonah Hex run needs to be read by all). And then, of course, there's the art by Jim Aparo. Anything with Jim Aparo's immortal name attached to it is instantly going to be good. Anyway, this series was printed in trade paperback in 2005 and went quickly out of print. DC just released an omnibus of this run (with some supplemental material), so it's available again. If you're a fan of darker heroes, like horror comics or ghost characters, you should definitely check out this run.

Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy (2005-2012) - Review and Analysis

Many of my followers have been waiting on my thoughts on this beloved trilogy. So, here we go!

Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy that ran from 2005 to 2012 is a master class in dramatic storytelling. These films tell stories of dark, noir-ish, urban crime that are filtered through the lens of the DC Comics character, Batman, in a Post 9/11 world. While these are well-crafted crime dramas they may suffer as Batman movies, depending on one's perspective or preference, due to a hard re-imagining of character and mythos as well as an emphasis on realism. The goal of this series is to place Batman in a less heightened reality, which limits what villains can be used. As a result Gotham City is recast as Chicago with gothic elements, and plot and character motivations are explained to us through dialogue so that we can understand specific intent.

The series starts with Batman Begins, released in 2005. In my opinion, this is the best film in this series, and this is the only exception to the idea (proposed by more than a few fans) that these are not really Batman movies. As the title suggests, this movie focuses on the origin of Batman and to date is the best-adapted origin story of a major comic book character since Superman: The Movie in 1978. This is because the film draws heavily from the popular origin story, Batman: Year One, by Frank Miller, which ran in Batman #404 to #407. The reason this works as a Batman movie is because it mirrors the Year One storyline, which was a grounded and more realistic take on the origin of the character. The other storylines that are drawn from include The Demon Saga from the 1970s, which introduces Ra’s Al Ghul and the League of Assassins (here called League of Shadows), as well as The Man Who Falls, both written by Denny O’Neil. Blind Justice, Batman’s 50th anniversary story from 1989, written by Batman screenwriter, Sam Hamm, is where the character of Henry Ducard originated.

The middle part of the trilogy, The Dark Knight, released in 2008, continues the theme of realism in a crime drama setting. This is where the series ceases to be less about adapting Batman and begins to tell its own story featuring supporting characters of the Batman mythos. Sure, characters from the comics appear, and the portrayal of the Joker character by Heath Ledger is phenomenal, but the heightened comic book world is abandoned in favor of a Law and Order style approach. Unfortunately, Ledger’s Joker portrayal is so defining that it steals the show and places the Harvey Dent/Two-Face character, as well as Bruce Wayne’s love triangle with the Rachael Dawes character, far in the background. Particularly brilliant is the fact that the Joker character comes straight out of Batman #1 from 1940. This is the only way that the filmmakers could produce a realistic Joker, though they seem to mistake Joker’s randomness and criminality with anarchy. The Joker should not ever be politically motivated and has nothing to do with left wing ideologies such as anarchism, both in this film or in the comics. It's also interesting to see the introduction of the batcycle, known here as the “Bat-pod”, in this movie. I also appreciated that The Long Halloween was referenced narratively in places as well. 

The third film, The Dark Knight Rises, from 2012 is the furthest departure of comic book Batman yet. We are introduced to the cat burglar/master thief version of Catwoman and loose adaptations of both the Bane character and Talia Al Ghul. Bane’s motivations are similar to Ra’s in the first film but he seems more bent on a genuine redemption for the oppressed than Ra’s ever was. In this film Bane is a terrorist, in line with Talia and her father and, while his motivations deserve sympathy, his actions are appropriately condemnable. The new version of the Batwing, known here as “The Bat”, is a nondescript aircraft, resembling neither plane nor bat. This film brings the story from the first film full circle and wraps up a rather uneven trilogy.

All in all these films are very well made, thought provoking and entertaining as crime stories. The casting of Bale was great for Bruce Wayne, though his Batman leaves something to be desired. His voice should have been closer to Michael Keaton’s gruff whisper than the throat-cancer version that was delivered. Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox was inspired casting, even if the character was slightly different from the source material. Gary Oldman delivers what is perhaps the definitive portrayal of James Gordon. Ledger’s Joker was great and is rightly deserving of all the praise he gets. The score, highlighted by an anthemic march by Hans Zimmer, fits this trilogy well though it will never compare to the operatic Batman theme by Danny Elfman.

A Retrospective of The World's Greatest Comics Magazine!

The very first issue of Fantastic Four in 1961 ushered in the "Marvel Age of Comics." It signaled more than just the beginning of a new comic book company, it meant a new way to write and draw stories. American comics up to that point had been very one dimensional and, thanks largely to the Comics Code of the 1950's, lacked any real depth. Before the F.F. readers were subjected to Lois Lane trying to figure out Superman's identity every issue or Batman and Robin going to the moon. Comics just weren't very challenging.

Enter Stan Lee and Jack Kirby to kick the comics industry in the pants. The story goes that Stan had grown tired of working in comics and was going to quit. His publisher, Martin Goodman, hearing about the success of the Justice League comic, a book about a team of superheroes from the rival, DC Comics, gave Stan a mandate to write one more story. Stan was disillusioned and, upon advice from his wife Joan, he wrote exactly the story he wanted. But who would draw it? Art duties fell to none other than Jack Kirby, the "King of Comics." In fact, it was the Fantastic Four (often abbreviated as the FF) that helped build his legend.

So, starting with issue #1, the "World's Greatest Comics Magazine" was born. And comics would never be the same. The Fantastic Four featured the first appearance of Reed Richards (Mister Fantastic), Susan Storm (The Invisible Girl.. later called The Invisible Woman), Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), and Ben Grimm (The Thing). It was a book with an edge, a gamechanger that is as important to comic book history as the first appearance of Superman. Stan and Jack lasted an astounding 103 issues on the title.  The 1970's stories were dominated by writers such as Roy Thomas and Len Wein. The highlight of the 1980's was a run by John Byrne. Over the years, as with any long-running serial narrative with numerous creative teams, it's had its ups and downs. My favorites tend to be classic FF stories but there are a few modern gems too.

With all this in mind, I present my favorite stories of The Fantastic Four.

"The Galactus Trilogy" - FF #48-50... It's been called "the indisputable pinnacle of the so-called Silver Age of comic books" and fans have debated whether it's the greatest Marvel Comics story of all time. It features the coming of an eater of worlds known as Galactus. His herald, the Silver Surfer, debuts and ultimately turns on his master. As a result the Surfer is banished to Earth, having his "space-time powers" removed. The greatest FF epic of all time stands the test of time more than 50 years after its publication. A true masterpiece.

"This Man, This Monster" - FF #51... More than just an exploration of The Thing, this one-off story exemplifies how the best stories were written in the Silver Age. The story solidifies Ben Grimm's personality as he finally comes to terms with what happened to him on that first trip to space. An impostor version of The Thing, from the "anti-matter universe" helps Ben to realize  that Reed has always had the best intentions for those he cares about. Ben finally understands that being fated as The Thing is not so bad, as long as he has his family to lean on.  Stan Lee and Jack Kirby delivered a brilliant character piece about selflessness and heroism with this one, and it probably is the greatest single issue story of the FF ever.. 

"Terror in a Tiny Town" - FF #236... Perhaps the best story of the entire John Byrne run. The story sees the Fantastic Four revisit their origin, all while facing an evil plot of ol' Doc Doom. A terrific story by Byrne and one of the best drawn FF tales of all time. 

"A Small Loss" - FF #267... In this FF landmark, Sue suffers complications with her pregnancy due to the cosmic rays that gave her superpowers. Reed has gathered the world's foremost experts in radiation research to no avail. He then does the unthinkable and turns to Doctor Otto Octavius. Can the infamous Doctor Octopus help the Invisible Girl, or is his mind too unstable to be trusted? Read to find out. For FF fans, this is not to be missed. This Marvel classic, "A Small Loss," guest-stars Bruce Banner (the Hulk), Walter Langkowski (Sasquatch), and Michael Morbius (the Living Vampire), with a cameo by Spider-Man.

"The Overthrow of Doom" - FF #192-200... The tale begins after the FF have disbanded because Reed has lost his powers. The team go their separate ways and do their own thing until a plot in which Reed regains his powers and ultimately has to rescue his family from the clutches of Victor Von Doom takes over. It's an intriguing mix of genres that collects neatly into a cohesive whole. It is part mystery, political intrigue, contemplative soul-searching and redemptive drama with superhero action mixed in.

"Remembrance of Things Past" - Marvel Two-In-One #50... In the first ever Byrne FF story (before he was actually on the FF title), Reed has invented a cure for Ben Grimm. The trouble is that the cure will only work on Ben as he originally was. His appearance has been changing since he first transformed (a clever in-story reason for the varying art styles on The Thing). So, Ben decides to go back in time and cure himself when he originally transformed. He meets himself and the two Things battle it out. The modern Thing beats the original, more lumpy version and forces him to take the cure. When he gets back however, nothing has changed. Reed explains that you can't change the past. Instead, an alternate timeline was created and the original Thing, in that time, is now cured.  The Thing decides he's ok with his failure because Lumpy Thing made him realize that's he's evolved past the worst of the monster look. It's a very touching issue and is a must read.

"The Origin of Doctor Doom" - FF Annual #2... In my estimation this is the greatest supervillain story of the Silver Age. Doctor Doom is one of the greatest villains in the Marvel Universe, perhaps THE greatest! In this tale we learn all about Victor Von Doom's motivations and what twisted him into the arch-villain that he has become. It's a tragic tale but also, even by today's standards, an entertaining epic. 

Fantastic Four #1 (1961)... The one that started it all. This is the story that introduced the team and founded the Marvel Universe. Some have said that there is a naiveté to the writing and that the story is too simple and dated. By today's standards? Maybe. Remember though, this was written in 1961. It does so much though. It introduces our protagonists, takes them on an adventure, shows the origin of their powers and shows the formation of the team. As Stan Lee himself might say, 'Nuff Said!   

"The Wedding of the Fantastic Four" - FF Annual #3... Dr. Doom reads about the wedding of Reed and Sue in the Daily Press. He then decides to ruin their wedding by using his Emotion Charger to cause just about every super-villain in the marvel universe to attack the FF at their wedding. The Watcher intervenes and Reed uses his "Time Displaccer" to return all the baddies back to their immediate past. The wedding of Reed and Sue ensues and cameos from all over the Marvel Universe abound. Talk about the best possible hook book for new readers to Marvel because it gives appearances by every major character. And, it's a hell of an adventure too.

"A Blind Man Shall Lead Them"- FF #39... The pre-Frank Miller Daredevil, the swashbuckling crusader, comes to the aid of the Fantastic Four when a nuclear blast drains their powers. Doc Doom wastes no time in trying to destroy them but Reed has a plan. He whips up a gadget that mimics their powers and with the aid of Daredevil they can now battle their nemesis.

 

"The Battle of the Baxter Building" - FF #40... Part 2 of the Daredevil/FF Fight against Doom, who has now seized control of The Baxter Building, the headquarters of the FF. Reed uses Daredevil to distract Doom and then the FF step in and take him down. By the end, their powers return and with his plot foiled, Doom escapes. These two issues really showcase that the FF is an established team in the Marvel Universe and in cases like this, when they need a little extra help, they can lean on their friends to solve their problems. A great two-parter that stands as one of my personal favorite Silver Age stories. 

"Inside Out" - FF Vol. 3 # 60... Mark Waid wrote an acclaimed run with artist, Mike Wieringo. This is probably the best single issue of the bunch. It's a one-and-done that recaps the origin of the FF while also illustrating why the team does what they do and why they're so... fantastic!

* A few full runs that I think are deserving of everyone's attention... Obviously Stan and Jack's run is A-1... the best! 2nd, check out John Byrne's run. The 70's has some standout stories and the runs of Roy Thomas, Len Wein, and Marv Wolfman all deserve to be picked over. Mark Waid is the best modern FF writer and his run with Mike Wieringo and Karl Kessel deserves a look. After that, Jonathan Hickman’s Fantastic Four epic needs to be checked out too.

My Favorite Classic Spider-man Stories

Listed below are just a handful of what I consider to be the definitive classic Spider-man stories. This includes any story from the so-called "real" Marvel Universe, a.k.a the Earth-616 Universe. This does not include any "Ultimate" stories, alternate-Spider-men etc. (sorry Miles). This is just an excuse for me to geek out on one some of my favorites.

Spider-man: Visionaries by John Romita Sr. - This trade paperback collection features several stories, drawn and handpicked by arguably (he may be tied with Steve Ditko) the greatest Spidey artist himself, John Romita Sr. Featuring iconic moments from Spidey's classic era, including the first appearance of Mary Jane Watson, the "Spider-man No More" story, the first meeting between Spider-man and Doctor Strange and many more. All stories written by "The Man" himself, Stan Lee!

Spider-man: Sinister Six - The trade paperback of this story reprints the first appearance of The Sinister Six in Spidey's first annual (The Amazing Spider-Man Annual #1 (January 1964) and then continues with The Return of the Sinister Six, published nearly 30 years later in The Amazing Spider-Man #334–339. The original story by Lee and Ditko features Spidey's greatest rogues (Dock Ock, Electro, Kraven the Hunter, Mysterio, the Sandman, and the Vulture) teaming up to take revenge on our beloved wall-crawler. Through some clever wit and quick thinking, Spidey brings down their scheme. It's follow-up tale, under the team of David Michelinie and Erik Larson, brings in a rebranded Six (Kraven died and was replaced by Hobgoblin). The story puts Spidey into a compromising situation, while also juggling his shaky relationship with MJ, at this point his wife. It's one of Michelinie's best stories.

Spider-man: Death of the Stacys - This is the set of twin-stories that most people hail as the "greatest Spider-man saga ever told." It truly is Spider-man's turning point! If you want to understand the character of Spider-man, this is the one story you should read. The death of Captain Stacy was one the most intense deaths for Peter after Uncle Ben. To then compound that with the death of the teenager's first love, Captain Stacy's daughter, Gwen, ramps up the pathos and drama to the Nth degree. It cements both Doc Ock and the original Green Goblin (Norman Osborn) as Peter Parker's two greatest nemeses. Gwen's death is Spider-man's moment of realization that his life will never really be without great conflict. The Captain Stacy story was written by Stan Lee and drawn by Romita Sr. Gwen's death was written by Gerry Conway and cements him as one of the greatest Spider-man writers of all time. Art was done by Gil Kane (probably the 3rd greatest Spidey artist after Ditko-Romita Sr.)      

Spider-man: Return of the Burglar - Written by Marv Wolfman with art by Keith Pollard, Al Milgrom, and Sal Buscema, the story told in Amazing Spider-man #193-200 brings Peter Parker full circle, back to the day he caught the burglar that killed Uncle Ben, back to his earliest time wearing the webbed mask. It features a somewhat odd Kingpin interlude, the first appearance of The Black Cat and then it all evolves into a decent Mysterio story. There's a reasonable amount of repetition and it does drag a little though compared with some of the earlier stories it's a lot tauter. Pete is really put through the paces here and, ultimately learns an important lesson, that you can't really ever escape your past. 

Spider-man: Blue - This story is the best of the "Marvel Color Books", written by Jeph Loeb with art by Tim Sale. It is a retelling of Peter Parker's reaction and response to The Green Goblin's murder of Gwen Stacy. It's a touching romantic tale. Well-paced and heartfelt, it balances action and drama carefully and helps Peter resolve the loss of his first love.

Spider-man Vs Doctor Octopus - This is a trade paperback reprinting the best Spidey/Ock encounters ever. It's another cheat because it features multiple stories. Featured are Amazing Spider-Man # 3 (Doc Ock's first appearance), 54-56 (reprinted as MARVEL TALES) and 130-131 and Annual 15. It was collected in conjunction with the Spider-man 2 movie. This book gives you every major important Doctor Octopus story from the silver and bronze age. After the origin story (one of the best Spider-man stories by Stan Lee) Ock swindles May Parker into almost marrying him (the start of the legendary and wonderful Octopus/Hammerhead war by Conway/Romita) and convinces an amnesia-ridden Spider-man to work for him (this story was adapted as an episode of Spider-man: The Animated Series in the 1990's). Plus: the debut of the short lived and comical Spider-mobile. Great work by the legendary John Romita Sr. on art and wonderful writing by Stan Lee and Gerry Conway. And then there is the annual... Annual #15 is one of my favorite Spider-man stories of all time. It's Spider-man vs The Punisher and Doc Ock. This was written by the delightful Denny O'neil and remains one of the few Frank Miller drawn Spider-man stories.

Amazing Spider-man #241: "In the Beginning"- Published in 1983, this story reveals the origin of Adrian Toomes, The Vulture, one of Spidey's earliest and greatest villains. It's a compelling origin and culminates in a very entertaining battle between Spider-man and Vulture. It's beautiful to look at to, considering John Romita Jr. drew the story. It also happens to be written by one of the greatest Spidey scribes ever, Roger Stern.  

Spider-man: The Origin of The Hobgoblin - Probably the greatest mystery story ever published featuring the Wall-Crawler, this one introduces one of Spidey's most memorable foes, The Hobgoblin. Spidey fans in the early 80's had been begging to see the return of Norman Osborn as The Green Goblin. Roger Stern and John Romita Jr. gave them something new and different. A new "Goblin" who steals all of Norman's tech. This is one of the greatest Spidey stories of the 1980's and, the only trouble with it is, you don't find out the actual identity of this new Goblin, until much later, and under a new writer. Stern would return later to pen a story that features the true identity of Hobgoblin 

Spider-man: Nothing Can Stop the Juggernaut -  This two-issue Spider-Man tale, again by the Roger Stern/John Romita, Jr. team was published in The Amazing Spider-Man #229–230. It is the ultimate underdog story. Juggernaut verses ol' Webhead features Spidey using his wits to stop Juggernaut, despite never really being able to defeat him. It's action-packed, humorous and inspirational.

Amazing Spider-Man #248: "The Kid Who Collects Spider-man"- Published  in 1984, it's yet another Roger Stern story, this time with art by Ron Frenz and inks by Terry Austin, in which Timmy Harrison, a terminally ill child and Spider-man's biggest fan, meets Spidey and reminds Spider-man why what he does is so important.  

Spider-man: Best of Enemies - Spectacular Spider-man #200 shows just how mad Harry Osborn has gone after losing his father, inheriting the Green Goblin role and finally confronting Peter Parker over his deep-seeded resentment. Peter has always felt very guilty over what happened to his best friend and things finally come to a head in probably the best story published in 1993. J.M DeMatteis always writes some of the most psychological comic book stories. This is no exception. The gorgeous art by Sal Buscema only helps.   

Spider-man: Kraven’s Last Hunt - Another J.M. DeMatteis masterpiece, this is the darkest Spider-man story ever told. It's less about Spidey and more about obsession, particularly the obsession of Kraven The Hunter.  Published as "Fearful Symmetry" in 1987, it shows Kraven desperately trying to understand Spider-man's motivation. It culminates in the the final battle between Kraven and Spider-Man. SPOILER ALERT: Kraven dies. Originally published in Web of Spider-Man #31–32, The Amazing Spider-Man #293–294, and The Spectacular Spider-Man #131–132 during Spider-man's dark age. The art by Mike Zeck is delicious and DeMatteis doesn't forget to lay the psychological drama on thick either. 

The Adventures of Tintin: Europe's Greatest Adventure Comic Strip

The Adventures of Tintin, as created by Belgian cartoonist, Herge, is, in my estimation, the greatest adventure comic strip to ever come out of Europe. First appearing in a 1929 issue of Le Petit Vingtième (a French magazine called The Little Twentieth), the character of Tintin and his supporting cast, would go on to become a legendary myth in Europe. The series spans 24 albums (or volumes) and was originally published between 1929 and 1976. 

The early stories feature colonialist attitudes and give off negative stereotypes and connotations in regards to The (former) Soviet Union, Africa and its people, and early twentieth century American life. They were written by a very young man (Herge was only 23 when he began Tintin) who was politically motivated in his early years; very Euro-centric and perhaps even xenophobic. As he matured however, he began to tell some amazing adventure stories. 

Today, the Tintin strip is regarded by comics aficionados as probably the greatest children's comic of all time (to European audiences anyway) but during it's heyday it was read by both children and their parents. In America, this strip's greatest rival is probably Carl Barks' Duck comics (Uncle Scrooge, Donald Duck etc.). Now, what makes them great is not just the deliciously detailed art by Herge, but also the brisk pacing and sprawling sense of adventure that the character and his supporting cast always seem to go on. 

Tintin is a young Belgian reporter who, along with his dog, Snowy,  a white Fox Terrier, becomes embroiled in dangerous cases in which he helps solve crimes, recovers lost treasure or generally just saves the day. Throughout many of his adventures he is aided by Captain Archibald Haddock, a drunk fishing boat captain, the absent-minded Professor Calculus, and the incompetent detectives known as Thomson and Thompson, who provide much of the comic relief in the series. Herge also used real life events and real people to influence and enhance his stories. Famous figures sometimes appear in the strip (such as Al Capone in Tintin in America). World War II also served as an infuence during the war years. 

The series twenty-four volumes are listed below. My favorites, the ones I feel tell the best stories, are in bold.

1. Tintin in the Land of the Soviets - (Tintin au pays des Soviets) (1929–1930)
2. Tintin in the Congo - (Tintin au Congo) (1930–1931)
3. Tintin in America - (Tintin en Amérique) (1931–1932)
4. Cigars of the Pharaoh - (Les Cigares du Pharaon) (1932–1934)
5. The Blue Lotus - (Le Lotus bleu) (1934–1935)
6. The Broken Ear - (L'Oreille cassée) (1935–1937)
7. The Black Island - (L'Ile noire) (1937–1938)
8. King Ottokar's Sceptre - (Le Sceptre d'Ottokar) (1938–1939)
9. The Crab with the Golden Claws - (Le Crabe aux pinces d'or) (1940–1941)
10. The Shooting Star - (L'Etoile mystérieuse) (1941–1942)
11. The Secret of the Unicorn - (Le Secret de la Licorne) (1942–1943)
12. Red Rackham's Treasure - (Le Trésor de Rackam le Rouge) (1943)
13. The Seven Crystal Balls - (Les Sept boules de cristal) (1943–1946)
14. Prisoners of the Sun - (Le Temple du soleil) (1946–1948)
15. Land of Black Gold - (Tintin au pays de l'or noir) (1948–1950) ¹
16. Destination Moon - (Objectif Lune) (1950–1953)
17. Explorers on the Moon - (On a marché sur la Lune) (1950–1953)
18. The Calculus Affair - (L'Affaire Tournesol) (1954–1956)
19. The Red Sea Sharks - (Coke en stock) (1956–1958)
20. Tintin in Tibet - (Tintin au Tibet) (1958–1959)
21. The Castafiore Emerald - (Les Bijoux de la Castafiore) (1961–1962)
22. Flight 714 to Sydney - (Vol 714 pour Sydney) (1966–1967)
23. Tintin and the Picaros - (Tintin et les Picaros) (1975–1976)
24. Tintin and Alph-Art - (Tintin et l'Alph-Art): Unfinished work, published posthumously in 1986, and republished with more material in 2004.