There would typically be some specific reason why I asked to borrow a particular comic book from my grade school friend Donald Sims. Usually, it was because I'd gotten interested in a specific character and was invested in learning more about them. So it was with this 100-Page issue of DETECTIVE COMICS, which I borrowed because at that moment I was fascinated by the history of Plastic Man. I likely had reread the COMIC BOOK BOOK which had a chapter dedicated to the ductile detective and I was keen to experience more.

Despite the overwhelming global popularity of SUPERMAN THE MOVIE, DC for years refused to make any but the most cursory moves towards reflecting that iteration of the Man of Steel in the comics. It's really wasn't until Post-CRISIS when John Byrne took over the character that the influence of the film version came to the fore. But prior to that, Superman kept on chugging along exactly as he'd been before, increasingly feeling out of step with the world around him and the rest of the comic book landscape of the period.

MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER is a well-remembered adventure series published by Gold Key comics during the Silver Age. Set in the far-off year of 4000 AD, it concerned the exploits of Magnus, a quasi-super hero who used his steel-shattering strength to battle threats to humanity caused by the plethora of robots that had been created to serve a society which had become too overly-reliant on them. The real hallmark of the series was the artwork of Russ Manning, who worked on the first 22 issues of the series. However, as the super hero fad of the 1960s waned, MAGNUS, ROBOT FIGHTER's fortunes also took a downturn.

By this moment in time PETER PARKER, THE SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN was past its best days--and even at its highest it had never been a great comic book series. Almost by default, the title was dedicated to providing "more" Spider-Man adventures for readers for whom a single AMAZING SPIDER-MAN release wasn't enough. These stories existed in continuity with the goings-on over in ASM, but it was always clear that ASM was the driver for the character, the place where meaningful developments took place. This series, much like MARVEL TEAM-UP, wound up being more disposable, a couple of minutes of web-headed entertainment every month.

While as we’ve seen, Marvel was relatively quick to begin to self-mythologize its creative staff and editorial Bullpen, rival publisher DC (then known as National Periodical Publications in a…

A post from my old Marvel blog about how everything was beginning to get collected and reprinted, even the crap. Warning: Reprints! April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General I was spe…

Continuing on with more comics that I bought as back issues on my first trip to Bush’s Hobbies in Ronkonkoma. I don’t believe that I had any idea that INVADERS had debuted in a Giant-Si…

Here’s another quick look at some of the assorted products that were offered during the formative period of the Marvel Age depicting or representing the Marvel characters. It’s a bit of…

A post from my old Marvel blog talking about the comics coming out at that moment.. Positivity April 28, 2007 | 1:00 AM | By Tom_Brevoort | In General For a brief change of pace, let’s talk a…

Continuing on with comics I bought during my first trip to Bush’s Hobbies in Ronkonkoma. I was a huge fan of the Golden Age of Comics and the histories of the assorted characters that I was f…

This March, X-MEN UNITED, a bold new ongoing X-Men series by Eve L. Ewing and Tiago Palma, reopens the door to the X-Men’s school for mutantkind!

A remarkable issue in how it introduces Shuvahrak as an eldritch horror and a worthy foe for the X-Men.

Kitty Pryde’s haunting new form becomes the emotional core of a gripping, twist-heavy chapter.

Plus, an eXclusive look at 'Longshots' #3!