What -- Me Worry? - 2016 Edition!

As a new year beckons, this blog will forge ahead also. There are plans, but as Burns so eloquently said, such things "gang aft agley"-- we'll see.

This month look forward to a detailed look at the greatest crossover ever done when the Avengers at long last crossed swords with their inspiration the Justice League of America. I waited pretty much my whole life to read this adventure and the ultimate presentation by Kurt Busiek and the mighty George Perez was nothing short of spectacular, nearly meeting the epic expectations which had built up for decades. The Avengers and the JLA have moved on in the years since this event, but they have not been better, nor do I expect to ever be. I hope to look at other crossovers from the companies as well. The Favorite Cover feature will run those juicy Amalgam Comics covers. What a great conceit that was!

One thing that I do hope to read are the highly excellent Marvel Firsts series, beginning with the 1960's volume and continuing into the three-volumes from the halcyon 70's. The conceit I hope to maintain as I read each book and comment upon them is to try as much as possible to view them from the historical perspective they originally appeared, to attempt to see them with fresh eyes. Expect to see these off and on throughout the year.

I also want to read again Strikeforce Moritauri, the vivid saga by Peter B. Gillis and Brent Anderson.  It's one of Marvel's best ever tales, though it falls outside the parameters of the sprawling Marvel Universe.

And toward the end of the year I hope to celebrate Halloween this year by taking a close look at Wayne Howard's delightful romp of a comic Midnight Tales from Charlton. Howard, a devotee of Wally Wood, is one of comics most fascinating creators and this comic was unlike anything else from the era. I've been wanting to do a close read of this comic for years and this is the year I hope to get it done finally. (By committing to it here, I feel bound to do it now.)

Also this year will see the end of one of my most sought after events, the publication of the last of the Doc Savage novels from the classic 30's-40's series. I've been dutifully collecting these for a decade now as they appeared from Anthony Tollin's Sanctum Books and this year should see the publication of the final original Doc Savages. It's going to be a hoot.

And the last volume of Sax Rohmer's Fu Manchu saga from Titan Books hits the racks and I finally finish this evocative yarn which spanned decades and shifting political attitudes. A lot of things I've been following for several years now will wrap and whether I find new passions or merely rest on my laurels is an open question.

Also set to wrap are the reprints of vintage Phantom stories from Hermes Press, who have slagged around for years now dripping out one volume after another. The arrival of the Don Newton stories from the end of the Charlton years will conclude my interest in this vintage set of reprints. It will be nice to have these in a nice format at long long last. They are deserving.

And I'm not quite sure how all of it will unfold but I hope to be able to read vintage Captain Marvel (pre-Starlin for the most part) from Marvel Comics as well as other key Kree story lines from across the Marvel mythos. Likely to keep that one fresh I will do it in stages, but all that's unclear at this time. 

All this and more from the Dojo this year, if God is willing and the creeks don't rise.

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