Tis the Season. Merry Happy Ramadan Christmas Vodun Kwanzaa Hanukaa Festivus!!! :)

Holidays are upon us.

That we, reading this, have the luxury of celebration and remembrance and family, is a blessing. Many do not.

 

And we are stuck in the middle.

Time keeps on rolling… rolling… rolling… into the future.

 

Sorry bits of archaic, near forgotten song lyrics, stuck in my head. 🙂

 

Glad for so much here at the end of this cycle of days.

Here at the end of days, glad for so much.

But also aware of so much… that I should have made better.

 

We are almost a hundred years removed from the wonders and horrors of 1920, and almost a hundred removed from the wonders and horrors of 2120.

Here is hoping that in 2020, that our wonders transcend our horrors. That the places where we aspire, transcend the places where we tear down.

Speculative.

All speculative. All we have of any real import, is our pressure on the moment.

Is our will… applied.

Do we make a better world or a worse one.

Depends on you.

It ripples outward.

Intent.

Will.

No guarantees, but we fall down going forward… it matters. The intent transcends the fall.

Rambling.

Slightly.

All this to say… embrace… better. ‘Deliberate cruelty is not forgivable.’, Blanche DuBois said in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE. We are all at times cruel, and petty, but I try to always remember that line, and not be.. cruel, or petty.

Because Tennessee Williams was right, right in his 1947 Pulitzer prize winning play, and right in the Elia Kazan, nearly x-rated for the time, 1951 Academy Award Winning movie… deliberate cruelty is not forgivable.

But it is avoidable and it is correctable.

Here at the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, with change like the stuff of science fiction upon us, we must hold to that one true thing… to aspire to better. To be better. And to spend less energy trying to make things (our phones, our tablets, our tv, our refrigerator, our voice operated Alexa assistants, our drones)… human, and more time making humans… humane.

God, whatever God or Gods you bend your knee to, bless you and yours, and give you the wisdom here at the figurative ending of days and at the beginning of a new cycle of days, to judge your wrongs… right.

Be well.

 

 

 

If you enjoyed this rambling, but heartfelt, post, then like and subscribe to this blog, and click the link below and peruse some great gift ideas (ideas for 2020, it is too late to make it for the 2019 holidays). Your purchases keep the proverbial doors open, and are greatly appreciated. And you get great stuff. (ie Everyone should have an emergency bag , one in their car, and one in their house. It’s good karma to be… prepared. )

Today’s Deals of the Day.

SATURDAY SLABS : Key/Investment Grade Comics – SGT ROCK/OUR ARMY AT WAR Issues 1 to 100!

SLABS –slabbing is slang for getting a comic professionally graded and encased in an un-openable hard plastic shell from CGC, PGX, or CBCS. A slab therefore is that graded comic, encased.

I’m not a big one for getting books encapsulated (the more technical term for slabbing), especially for modern books. But I do understand the benefit of third party grading, especially when it comes to older books. Ensuring the book is complete, annotaing any issues, and providing a grade from an outside third party, eliminates much of the haggling regarding condition that would otherwise occur when buying or selling a comic book.

So for reasons of liquidation, I see the benefit of comic book certification (including encapsulation), but again, I see the benefit as it relates to older or scarce books (real scarcity, and not this manufactured scarcity of variant covers on modern books). Now that said while I can see the use of grading and slabbing for select investment grade books, I DO NOT agree with the fad of pressing comics.

What is pressing comics?

It is a relatively new bit of snakery, people attempting to make the cover of their book look better, by actually applying moisture and heat to their comic, to ‘press’ out wrinkles, creases, folds, rounded spines etc.

And while it will make your cover lay better and arguably get you a slightly higher grade, based on a nicer cover, ‘pressing’ does this as the expense of the interior which in older books is newsprint. You can not apply heat and moisture to newsprint without shortening the life and speeding up the degradation of that pulp paper.

Period.

No ifs, no ands, no buts. Heat+moisture+newsprint = nothing good. That comes from the Library of Congress.

Now no specific long term studies have been done to show the damage of ‘pressing’. In 10 years when you open up that sealed book, will you find it is more degraded and corrupted then a say non-pressed book? Have those previously white pages started to brown rapidly due to the excess moisture pressed into those pages? have you induced mold growth into your valuable collectible.

There is no science to pressing comics, no agreed upon heat settings, or moisture exposure times, or drying times, it is a bunch of disparate people making it up as they go along, giving you short term results, at the expense of the longevity of your book. Why on earth would you let your collectibles be the guinea pig for such untested experiments.

Just say no to pressing your comic book.

That public service announcement out of the way, onto this installment’s investment grade books.  Out of the first 100 issues of the ground breaking DC War Series OUR ARMY AT WAR, here are the issues worth adding to your collection… and why.

 

 

15 MUST OWN ISSUES OF OUR ARMY AT WAR!

 

You do not expect sophisticated storytelling from a nearly 70 year old comic book, but this debut issue of OUR ARMY AT WAR offers up just such a compelling and surprising reading experience. Particularly in the story ‘DIG YOUR FOXHOLE DEEP’. OUR ARMY AT WAR #1 is a pricy acquisition, but one worth acquiring if you have the disposable income.

Next of the must have issues would be #15:

Just based on that striking cover with its beautiful use of yellows and purples.

For similar reasons, the following issue, #46, makes the must own list:

 

Next up, #50:

This issue is notable in that, from here forward, the cover art gets far more sophisticated. It is also the first taste of the letterbox covers that would come much later,

The next 50 issues, from 50 to 100, with one or two exceptions, are all worth owning.Standouts being:

53,54,56,57(1st Grey Wash Cover), 61(Wonderfully desperate and emotive faces by Frank Robbins I believe), 71(Great, you-are-there pov camera angle), 74,75,80,81,82,83,87,89,90,92,94,95,96!

 

Well those are my collectible/investment picks for this installment.

Now you can actually pick up some of the aforementioned issues via one of my current favorite comic book stores, LONE STAR COMICS. Better known by there website presence, MY COMIC SHOP. Please use the link below to order from them, and when you do you will earn this blog a few pennies, that will be greatly appreciated and go back into the blog, and more content you can use.

So Thanks to anyone who supports this blog, and this specific post, via the following link:

https://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=180591&AffID=200301P01

Thank You for looking and come back next Installment for more great selections!

Excelsior!

RIP To Stan Lee 1922 to 2018.

Pandora’s Box: EBAY PULP EC HORROR DEALS OF THE DAY… THE TWELVE

DEALS OF THE DAY: THE TWELVE

ONE

TWO

THREE

FOUR

FIVE

SIX

SEVEN

EIGHT

NINE

TEN

ELEVEN

TWELVE

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE! Recommendations & Reviews Comic books, Graphic Novels, DVDs, CDs, Books!

Hola

Glad you stumbled in here! In this pretty snazzy section you’ll uncover things I love, things I like, and things I find intriguing, all available here for sale.

I hope to make this page a one-stop shop for people looking for interesting items on a daily basis.

And the idea is to update this page daily, YES I SAID DAILY, with new items! So after this week I’ll probably move this page to the list over there on your right. So while the blog proper, will not be updated every day, this specific page will be. But you’ll need to probably bookmark it, just so you can check it easily on a daily basis.

To keep me honest if I miss a single day and you point it out to me via email (“heroictimes at safe dash mail dot net” or by leaving a comment on this post), along with a suggestion for an item I should have posted that day, you win a free comic! Yes a free surprise comic of my choice!

Also the person who buys the most items through this page, in any given month wins the prize of the month.

This month’s prize is a copy of the acclaimed, and Out of Print film noir book called THE BIG BOOK OF NOIR. A fantastic book edited by Ed Gorman, and packed with interviews, anecdotes, reviews, opinion, gossip on all things noir, from book to film to comics. (Since I’m posting this in the middle of December, we’ll call January 15th, the end of this month, for contest purposes.)

So onto todays items for sale:

If you see an item you’d like to try, please use the following links to buy the items as they help me generate revenue. So it’s a win-win situation. You get great items and I generate pennies to help keep this blog going and growing.

Thanks and Tendras un gran fin de semana.

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David Lapham- is one of those writers whose reputation, for me at least, is made on the strength of one book.

That book is STRAY BULLETS #1. I remember that issue, when it came out, nearly two decades ago if I’m not mistaken, and I remember being completely blown away by it.

No one had seen anything like that first issue. It predated SIN CITY, PREACHER, everything.

It was a dark, bottomless scream… with no end. With no end. And it changed the face of comics.

No one will admit to it. But overnight, everyone knew the bar had been raised.

Twenty years ago STRAY BULLETS #1 was the most powerful gutshot the comics world had ever seen. Unfortunately the 20+ issues of STRAY BULLETS that followed that opening, never equaled it, never came close.

And the medium in the 20 years since, has grown beyond STRAY BULLETS. And the medium is the better for it.

But that first issue of STRAY BULLETS remains a favorite, and its creator Dave Lapham, on the strength of that issue, remains a name I’m always ready to support.

That long winded intro brings us to the just released TPB of Dave Laphams, YOUNG LIARS. I’ve heard some good word of mouth about this series, and at $7.99 for six issues worth of material that’s a fantastic deal and one I’ll be picking up. Try a copy for yourself here!

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Next recommendation:

A book that has not been far from my corner table and I whole heartedly recommend is:

SIGHT UNSEEN- by Robert Tinnell and Bo Hampton, is an Original Graphic Novel published by IMAGE COMICS. It’s slightly an odd choice for a holiday stocking stuffer, but if someone likes horror movies (specifically ghost stories) and Graphic Novels, you’ll have a hard time trying to find a better combination of the two, to give them as a present.

Horror movies, the adrenalin inducing scenes/scares that compose them… are very medium specific. They depend on pacing, and sound, and sudden motions… so it’s not something that translates into the static medium of slims (comics/graphic novels).

To generate a sense of momentum, and pacing, and unease, and perhaps even horror… is perhaps the hardest thing to do in comics.

Most horror comics, are about horrible contexts, but the book itself has no horror in it. It either leans toward the campy or tongue in cheek, ala EC comics, or just the wonderfully rendered image, ala the Warren books, and this is because making something that elicits feelings of trepidation out of words and static pictures, takes a unique melding of the craft. A unique marriage of the words and the images.

WALKING DEAD to its credit has done it. And SIGHT UNSEEN to its credit, is equally effective.

SIGHT UNSEEN might just be the most effective example, of Graphic Novel as a book of horror.

Robert Tinnel crafts a truly engaging, and compelling narrative, married to absolutely effective visuals… visuals that almost… move, by the great Bo Hampton.

It’s a fantastic ghost story that I will not go into details about, except to say… I keep looking for another Graphic novel half as good, and as effective… and have yet to find one.

Pick up the hardcover if it is available, this graphic novel deserves the hardcover treatment. It’s one you’ll want a copy to give as a present, and a copy to keep for yourself. Order your copies here before it sells out. You’ll thank me later. :).

You can fit what I know about Tori Amos on the head of a pin, but I know a good value when I hear it, and Tori Amos’ COMIC BOOK TATTOO clearly qualifies. A wealth of talent, and a fantastic price point makes this book one that has been selling out all over the place. Pick up your copy here.

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I’m a real big fan of interactive books. I got hooked when I was a kid, on the “choose your own adventure type ” books. Books where depending on what you want to do, you jump to a particular page and read your ending of choice.

Just a great book for a kid, pre-video games. And I think even in our 21st century CGI, video-game obsessed society; it is still a good present.

So anyhow, huge fan of interactive books. So when I saw new publishing company, QUIRK had started putting out Interactive Mystery books starring iconic characters, I had to order them, and I think they’ll make a great present for adults and kids alike.

The titles are Dracula’s Heir HC (2008 Interactive Mystery) available here, and Batman Murder at Wayne Manor HC (2008 Interactive Book) available here! So go pick em up, and tell them Heroic Times sent ya! 🙂 .

Rex Libris Vol I- A book about a 2000 year old, Alien and Demon fighting, Librarian. What’s not to love? 🙂 . Amusing, fun, and with a nice intro by Dave Sim. Collects the first half dozen issues. Click here to get it on sale!

Books For Kids of all ages!

AMELIA RULES- I picked an issue of this comic up for free, along with free versions of SIMPSONS, SCOTT PILGRIM and OWLY and a few other kid friendly comics; and while all those books are good, AMELIA RULES clearly stood out from the pack.

It was just such a fun, endearing book. So much so that I decided to pick up the AMELIA RULES: WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY? trade. I have to say, that book will make you happy. It hits the Charlie Brown note of telling stories of a pack of neighborhood kids, but is its own animal, by including the misadventures of the adults as well.

It is a bittersweet, at times biting satire, but always heartwarming chronicle of a young bunch of friends, and their wonder years.

There are three trades currently and the fourth is on the way. Jimmy Gownley has yet to place a foot wrong, and if you’re looking for a great read for kids, as well as layered humor that will also make adults laugh out loud for different reasons then these are the books you want to buy. Highly Recommended!

(Example of that layered storytelling: In the Ninja Battle story of WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY, there’s a line shouted by the character REGGIE as he tries to hold onto his presidency. It’s a line that kids will laugh at because it’s just a funny line, but politically savvy adults will laugh out loud at, because it satirizes a recent political reality. That is unbelievably difficult to do, write a multi-leveled work, that can be many things to many people. But Gownley in AMELIA RULES pulls it off.)Click here to buy Amelia Rules! Your funny bone will thank you!

K-CHRONICLES-by Keith Knight. And speaking of satire. I had the great pleasure of meeting the author and artist of the K-CRONICLES, Keith Knight at a recent con, and purchasing two of his books from him. The books are Just funny, fantastic, insightful looks at the world, from a most unique 20something protagonist.

From making a living as a Michael Jackson impersonator to the finer points of Frat parties and beer bongs to that oddest of things called Californication (where people from California, want people from other states to stay the heck away) it’s just a great strip, to touch base with often.

Cartoons and cartoonists like this give me hope for the future of the medium. And thankfully there is now a thick compilation of all the previous slim K-CHRONICLE volumes. THIS IS A MUST HAVE! Because it might go out of print, then the used prices will shoot up, and you’ll be kicking yourself you didn’t buy it when you had the chance.
So highly recommended the complete K-CHRONICLES.Click here to buy THE COMPLETE K-CHRONICLES! 500 pages of goodness!

And finally wrapping up this installment, please support the following auctions. You can find all the following items pictured below and more being auctioned off here!