Yesterday’s discussion regarding Brennert has led me to thinking about his Daredevil story, which has led me to thinking about Klaus Janson, which has led me to Frank Miller by way of the single K.G. Murray Federal Comics Daredevil issue in my possession.There was a time when reading a monthly Frank Miller superhero comic was a lot of fun. When his art seemed a delicious invocation of Eisner, Toth and Kirby. When studying his layouts and pencils was pleasurable and rewarding. When reading a Miller superhero comic was exciting.
But somewhere along the line...
Let me put it this way - I’d quite happily settle for a Miller sketchbook, but the pleasure I get from reading All-Star Batman and Robin The Boy Wonder can only be described as ironic and perverse. And Jim Lee's art doesn't do much for me either.
But why be distracted by rubbish? No good reason at all! Enuff! This may be a junkyard, but it's not the local tip!
But why be distracted by rubbish? No good reason at all! Enuff! This may be a junkyard, but it's not the local tip!
This issue of Daredevil is #6, it's from 1985, it reprints Daredevil #’s 170-172, and is still better looking than most of the Marvel comics on the racks today.
Now, if only Miller would illustrate a Brennert script…
In the meantime, reckon I might just start hunting down some of these black and white Federal Daredevil comics. They look like a lot of fun. Even if they do have the unfortunate habit of dropping splash pages...
Now, if only Miller would illustrate a Brennert script…
In the meantime, reckon I might just start hunting down some of these black and white Federal Daredevil comics. They look like a lot of fun. Even if they do have the unfortunate habit of dropping splash pages...
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4 comments:
It's not just splash pages that the Federals drop - they drop entire pages, condense panels, crop, add artwork to the bottom of end panels - all the good stuff really.
I have several Federal comics in my collection and while some of them are great to have (Simonson Thors, Miller DDs etc etc) most of them make me want to cry, especially when I see three pages reduced down to one in a Hulk comic.
Approcah the Federal comics with a lot of caution and don't say I didn't warn you when you see the mess some of them are.
Yeah, by the time Federal was trying to contain multi-issue storylines in one issue the razor gang (remember that neologism!) was well and truly institutionalized.
A nice fat Essential Daredevil volume of Miller’s first run would do me nicely, but until then a few Federals will fit the bill, crude edits and missing splashes notwithstanding.
Question: was the Miller and Mazzucchelli “Born Again” storyline reprinted in Federal/KGM issues? I certainly don’t recall seeing the covers at all in the Australian editions, but I do recall seeing a Mazzucchelli splash page in black and white somewhere (I think from the second issue of the arc). Of course, this could have been in a magazine, and not in an Australian comic. This arc was published 1986, and although the KGMs did cough up a few more issues after 1985, they were certainly on their deathbed by then, and it would really be cutting it fine to expect this arc to have made it into the final issues. Just wondering/hoping.
If they did print those stories then I don't have them. By that time Federal were printing stuff in colour, so it'd be highly unlikely that they'd print that storyline in black and white.
The last Federal DD I have is numbered #8 and reprints the contents from (USA) DD #176, 177 & 178. As the Born Again storyline started in about issue #223 (or so) in the US I doubt very, very highly that Federal would have printed it.
One of the better ones is DD #6 which reprints #170, 171 & 172 without any interruption.
I think you're right Danny.
Also, I mistakenly dated Daredevil #6 as 1981 (dated as such for the Marvel copyright on the top left hand corner of the cover). It's actually from 1985, so even if there were more than another couple of issues, the Mazzucchelli issues are but a pipe dream.
I'd love to see black and white prints of Mazzucchelli's Daredevil or, better still, Batman: Year One. Maybe somewhere out there is a UK Titan edition or a European reprint.
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