"Into The Last Month of Winter"

Hallelujah! Not only did I finally reach my 700th. Feedback today on eBay, but even SURPASSED it! Really, I figure I'm about 140 FBs behind since I've been on eBay for nearly 9 years. I really need to buy more from different sellers since my overall FB number is well past 1300.

In today's mail: Some of the auction wins have started coming in. Yesterday I got the full set of the 1984 DC reprint series of Kirby's original New Gods. Each of these 6 issues reprinted two stories (1-2, 3-4, etc.) of the 11 issue run, save for the last issue number 6 which has a reprint of the final published issue of #11, and then a new story by Kirby. (which is the main reason I wanted these since I have all of the original 11 issue run).

I'll have to admit that I was somewhat disapointed in the new material. Probably it's because these pages were done several years after the last published issue (1973). The artwork is more crude and unrefined. Looks like hacked or rushed Kirby, and just not enough dialogue. Maybe it's because it wasn't published on "newsprint" anymore like the originals. Whatever the case, it certainly wasn't Jack Kirby's finest achievement, but I still look forward to the time when I can finally own a copy of his Hunger Dogs graphic novel and see how "the king of comics" meant the story to be finished.

Also in, a full run of the 1994 Dark Horse limited series by Eddie Campbell, Hermes VS. The Eyeball Kid, which I did very much enjoy and have already read previously as serialized in various issues of Bacchus. Mainly I wanted these for the color covers which weren't included in the reprints.

Another comic I got was a copy of Action Comics (DC) #251 (1981), which is the first actual comic book appearance of "Vixen" (having only previously appeared in Cancelled Comics Cavalcade). Nice Curt Swam artwork as usual. Brings up an interesting point that, in a way, she's more powerful than Superman since her powers are based on a magic talisman. I'm afraid the Aquaman-Atom backup story was only "so-so" in that issue.

And the last one in so far is a copy of the 1984 DC Justice League of America Annual V1 #2(pictured ABOVE). This is a pretty inexpensive comic, but important in several ways to the JLA's history.

For one thing, it was the first new team. Their space HQ satellite had been destroyed (in JLA V1 #230), and Aquaman decided (as its current chairman, being the only original of the seven members who founded the team) to disband The League. However, "J'onn J'onzz" steps up and asks it's current former members to start a new JLA. This was important due to it being the beginning of The Martian Manhunter being much more a part of the JLA storylines & becoming the new chairman (an aspect which continued for some time (even into the animated series).

This is also the 3rd. app. of "Vixen" (after the before-mentioned Action 521, and her second app. being DC Comics Presents #68) and she joins the team. Plus we have the first app. and introduction of two new characters which join The League and continue as members pretty much on up until the cancellation of JLA V1 (Issue #261), being that of "Gypsy", and "Vibe".


In other things...my mom made is back home today after her week in Indiana. She certainly didn't miss much around here save some bad weather (of which she had her share near Indianapolis). Nice to have mom and my aunt back down here safe and sound and perhaps things can get back to their norm.