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Author	Topic: The Greatest DC Stories Ever Told
Old Dude Member	posted February 06, 2002 12:02 AM A toss-up between it and the 1961 Death of Superman. IP: Logged
Steven Utley Member	posted February 14, 2002 08:43 PM Down on the Wonder Woman message boards, The Lone Tiara posted the following list of "Possible WW anthologies, both hard and softbound." I'd really like to see that last item. "WW: The Silver Age" "WW: Twelve JLA Trials" "WW: Golden Age Revisited" "WW: Diana Prince" "WW: Whackiest Tales" "WW: Tales of the Wonder Family" "Steve Trevor: The Man Who Wouldn't Stay Dead" "WW: Sensation Comics Anthology" "WW: The Colan Years" "WW: Countdown To Crisis" "WW: The Perez Reboot" "WW: Menace To Society" (a collection of some of Marston's most 'inflammatory' work...the stuff that got Wertham in a froth) IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted February 15, 2002 01:03 PM Except for "Whackiest" and "Wonder Family", I'd kinda like to see all of those. Mostly not in hardcover, though. IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted February 22, 2002 01:15 PM So, in the interest of bumping this thread, is there any other character that we realistically think deserves a Greatest Stories book--Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and Aquaman have been mentioned often, and Captain Marvel (excuse me--Shazam!) and Plastic Man seem to be naturals. Anyone else? Sixties Stories is obvious, and Seventies could be a nice collection if attention is paid to selecting by creator rather than just by character. Adams, Simonson, Chaykin, Rogers, Perez, even Byrne and Miller all did nice stuff for DC in the '70s that would make nice constituents in an anthology. IP: Logged
Steven Utley Member	posted February 22, 2002 05:59 PM The Greatest 1970s Stories Ever Told could be a fine collection if the right balance were struck between characters and creators. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman have[/] to be in it, of course; fortunately, the decade produced worthwhile stories in all three series -- "The Island That Invaded Earth," "Night of the Stalker," and "Wish Upon a Star," to cite some favorites. I could do without an 837th reprinting of the O'Neil/Adams Green Lantern/Green Arrow, however, and as for the rest of the DC pantheon, I don't recall many stand-out issues. But Jack Kirby's "The Pact," Jonah Hex, Sergio Aragones, and [i]U.S.S. Stevens certainly deserve to be included. IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted February 23, 2002 04:26 AM quote: Originally posted by Steven Utley: The Greatest 1970s Stories Ever Told could be a fine collection if the right balance were struck between characters and creators. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman [i]have[/] to be in it, of course... Of course. And the '70s were a particular low point for The Flash, Green Lantern, The Atom and Hawkman especially. Batman, though, had a lot of good stories by outstanding artists in the '70s--he'd have to be represented by several, I'm sure--something by Adams, one by Rogers, and the Toth story at a minimum. Maybe the Simonson Dr.Fate story from First Issue Special. A Manhunter story by Simonson for sure. Swamp Thing by Wrightson. Some stuff from House of Mystery of House of Secrets--there was Wood, Wrightson, Kaluta, Kane, Toth and more to choose from there. Kubert's Enemy Ace/Viking Prince story was just barely into the '70s. One of the later Skeates/Aparo Aquaman stories. The Fleischer/Aparo Spectre. Chaykin's and Kaluta's best DC work of the period was unfortunately on licensed properties (except for Ironwolf, which was unfinished and too long to include in an anthology anyway),but perhaps the licensing fees wouldn't be too stiff to include a Kaluta Shadow at least. Or even a Kubert Tarzan--that seems unlikely though. There's lots of good stuff there. IP: Logged
Steven Utley Member	posted February 23, 2002 01:57 PM And if there is a Greatest 1970s Stories Ever Told collection, dare we hope for a Greatest 1980s Stories Ever Told? Be still my heart. IP: Logged
Old Dude Member	posted February 25, 2002 09:57 PM quote: Originally posted by James Friel: Chaykin's and Kaluta's best DC work of the period was unfortunately on licensed properties (except for Ironwolf, which was unfinished and too long to include in an anthology anyway)... DC reprinted Chaykin's Ironwolf stories about 20 years ago. It made a not-too-thick comic that wouldn't take up THAT much anthology space. But you're right, much of the really good '70s stuff was licensed properties. IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted February 25, 2002 10:33 PM I have that Ironwolf special--Chaykin even painted a snazzy new cover for it. I'm waiting for Dark Horse (or DC, or whoever) to get around to doing collections of the Kubert Tarzan (and the rest of the Manning Tarzan, for that matter...). Sword of Sorcery would make a nifty little trade, too. IP: Logged
Steven Utley Member	posted February 28, 2002 07:09 PM I loved Russ Manning's Tarzan (and his other work for Gold Key, too), but I have thus far resisted buying the reprints. I don't don't think the artwork is well served by that small size. IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted February 28, 2002 07:12 PM I can't say that the size delights me, but of all the great artists of the '60s, Manning may be the best able to withstand that degree of reduction. He used a bold line that actually holds up pretty well. I'd still rather have a nice set of full-size hardcovers, of course... IP: Logged
philkchomsky New Member	posted March 01, 2002 07:16 PM The trouble with this sort of thread is that it makes you realise just how many great collections there could be, and how we're not likely to get to see any of them at all. Still, in my dreamland collection, I'd plump for 'Greatest Superhero Deaths' stories, though I'd need a snappier title than that. Let's see; 1. The imaginery story 'The Death of Superman', with Luthor so sure he'll escape the vengance of the Kandor court and not realising, despite his super-genius, that he's the DC Universe's Adolf Eichmann .. 2. The death of the Earth-2 Batman in Levitz's JSA 3. Invisable Kid's death in the fist of Validus ... 4. The truly touching take on Chemical King's passing by Fleming ... 5. Supergirl and Flash's sacrifices in 'Crisis' .. 6. ... and the Brennart Supergirl/Deadman' story which showed us Kara still active in the DC Universe .. 7. The OWAW end of Diana's mum ... 8. The death of Terra in the Titans ... 9. Deadman's death .. 10. Jason Todd's phoned-in assasination .. 11. Jonah Hex's fate as a stuffed exhibit in a theme park ... 12. The Loser's last charge ... And so on ..... IP: Logged
Osgood Peabody Member	posted March 01, 2002 09:47 PM In my book, the greatest super-hero death story will forever be "The Beginning of the End?" from Doom Patrol #121 (Sept/Oct. 1968) by Arnold Drake and Bruno Premiani. IP: Logged
Cave Carson Member	posted March 01, 2002 11:17 PM As much as I love the original Doom Patrol series, that last issue always makes me sad. Arnold Drake (along with others) was unceremoniously booted from DC when they approached management about a pension plan. In retaliation, his likeness was ordered removed from that issue of DP and replaced with Murray Boltinoff (if memory serves.) It's great he was allowed to write such a demise for his beloved DP, but this act makes the whole issue leave a bad taste. On a lighter note, he will be writing the foreword for the Archives edition. I salute whoever it was that arranged this! IP: Logged
Steven Utley Member	posted March 02, 2002 05:33 AM Re: Arnold Drake, it is as I have said before -- the True and Terrible history of comic books is all about labor and management. IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted March 02, 2002 08:52 PM Kinda like American history that way... IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted April 03, 2002 06:54 PM This is a long thread, but I bet people have more to add--BUMP IP: Logged
daytripper Member	posted April 05, 2002 12:35 AM It's lucky for publishers of comics that readers don't base their purchases on how well they have treated their talent. Marvel and DC would be out of business. Of course, current regimes have, more or less, cleaned up their act, although as Jemas vs. David proves, publishers and creative talent still have their disagreements. ------------------ Allen Smith IP: Logged
REKLEN Member	posted April 07, 2002 10:58 PM I have to differ with James about the 70s anthology. The Flash was one of the highpoints of the 70s. Bates and Irv Novick only added to the wonderful mythology from the silver-age. The Flash's book was always of high quality, from it's inception in 1956 to its demise in 1985. Superman, in my opinion was done best when Schwartz was the editor, the same period of the Bates/Novick Flash. Wonder Woman had some good yarns in the period, and to a lesser extant, Green Lantern. I think the JLA had lost its way in that decade, but even it had stories worthy of inclusion in the title. The problem would be Batman. The character, in my opinion, was the most inconsistant from 1970 to 1980. Was he the Superfriends Batman, the New Look Detective, the Neal Adams' Grim Avenger? Even the greatest Batman Stories ever told didn't know what to print (Why two stories featuring Bi-planes, and one featuring the Alex Toth Superfriends Batman?) Other things to include would be Kamandi Superfriends Shazam Plastic Man Rima Aquaman Freedom Fighters Warlord Stalker Richard Dragon Hawkman and Atom (Their are a number of good backups with them and oh ya, Green Arrow Superboy The Legion Supergirl I guess I could go on, and on, and this doesn't include the licensed books of course. Reklen IP: Logged
chris zickrick Member	posted April 07, 2002 11:03 PM quote: Originally posted by REKLEN: I have to differ with James about the 70s anthology. The Flash was one of the highpoints of the 70s. Bates and Irv Novick only added to the wonderful mythology from the silver-age. The Flash's book was always of high quality, from it's inception in 1956 to its demise in 1985. Superman, in my opinion was done best when Schwartz was the editor, the same period of the Bates/Novick Flash. Wonder Woman had some good yarns in the period, and to a lesser extant, Green Lantern. I think the JLA had lost its way in that decade, but even it had stories worthy of inclusion in the title. The problem would be Batman. The character, in my opinion, was the most inconsistant from 1970 to 1980. Was he the Superfriends Batman, the New Look Detective, the Neal Adams' Grim Avenger? Even the greatest Batman Stories ever told didn't know what to print (Why two stories featuring Bi-planes, and one featuring the Alex Toth Superfriends Batman?) Other things to include would be Kamandi Superfriends Shazam Plastic Man Rima Aquaman Freedom Fighters Warlord Stalker Richard Dragon Hawkman and Atom (Their are a number of good backups with them and oh ya, Green Arrow Superboy The Legion Supergirl I guess I could go on, and on, and this doesn't include the licensed books of course. Reklen I would buy most of these (especially Aquaman) but got to point out that the Legion Archives is already into the 70's material. IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted April 08, 2002 03:20 AM quote: Originally posted by REKLEN: I have to differ with James about the 70s anthology. The Flash was one of the highpoints of the 70s. Bates and Irv Novick only added to the wonderful mythology from the silver-age. The Flash's book was always of high quality, from it's inception in 1956 to its demise in 1985. Superman, in my opinion was done best when Schwartz was the editor, the same period of the Bates/Novick Flash. Wonder Woman had some good yarns in the period, and to a lesser extant, Green Lantern. I think the JLA had lost its way in that decade, but even it had stories worthy of inclusion in the title. The problem would be Batman. The character, in my opinion, was the most inconsistant from 1970 to 1980. Was he the Superfriends Batman, the New Look Detective, the Neal Adams' Grim Avenger? Reklen Different strokes, as they used to say. I'm afraid we're just about 180 degrees apart on what was good about DC in the Seventies--but we do agree that there was a lot of it, whatever it was! I actually thought that JLA held up far better than Flash, that the only good Wonder Woman was the Sekowsky and the Colan periods, and that Batman was the most consistently excellent (if stylistically inconsistent) superhero feature of the decade. The Schwartz Superman always seemed boring to me. Wrightson, Chaykin, Simonson, Kaluta, Rogers, Golden, Kirby, Adams, Perez, Aparo. THAT's what I thought made DC great in the '70s. IP: Logged
REKLEN Member	posted April 08, 2002 09:12 PM James, The artists you mentioned didn't stay on a title long (Maybe Aparo on Brave and the Bold, but that title lost it's fun long before 1970. You seem to only like the Mystery Anthologys then, and experimental books, like Sekowsky's Wonder Wonder Woman. Don't you like any character with long runs, with the same creative team? I think the 70s stuff is just as diverse as the Golden Age and Fifties stuff, but none of it is as good as the 60s DC. No other company, not even Marvel can touch DC's 1960s output for quality, diversity, or sales. Reklen IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted April 09, 2002 03:11 AM Actually, by the mid-sixties I was pretty much converted to being a Marvel fan, and by the Go-Go Checks era had stopped buying most DCs (exceptions being Doom Patrol, Metamorpho, and JSA appearances). That didn't last long, and by the early '70s I was getting most DC titles again too, beginning with the Giordano-edited titles in '68 and slowly spreading back across the whole line. Still, as far as long runs went, my strongest affection remained with Marvel for years. DC's inability to keep the artists I favored on a title for long at a time during the '70s (Joe Kubert being an exception--I particularly liked his Tarzan) was frustrating. The long-running DC titles that held my attention best were JLA and the Batman titles. My favorite DC period is from about 1958 to about 1964--after that, I get picky. IP: Logged
James Friel Member	posted April 09, 2002 03:16 AM It occurs to me that those years I mentioned as my favorite DC period fell for me between the ages of 12 and 18, which may have a lot more to do with how I feel about the material than the material itself does.... I do in fact like long creative runs by the same teams--early Silver Age JLA, Adam Strange, Flash, Green Lantern and Atom (and Fantastic Four, Thor, Spider-Man, Doctor Strange....) all held my attention and my deep affection when they were current. IP: Logged
Steven Utley Member	posted April 17, 2002 08:54 PM Did the Batman in the Fifties trade paperback go on sale today, as announced? And does anyone have a list of the stories reprinted therein? IP: Logged

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