HNY from sunny, frosty Moray! I climbed to the site of the ancient castle, Ladyhill, the foot of the Duke of Gordon's monument on New Year's Day and took these snaps.
My previous post was written in my 2016-17 stamping grounds in Giffnock. Although I didn't see a Xmas panto - not even of the post-modern kind I enjoy most- I caught up with lots of people, from my Easterhouse community centre days nearly a decade ago to my callcentre years of the mid-to-late 90s. Perhaps best of all, I ran into Iain, my lodger from 96-98, whom I last saw in 2002 and 2006! It's nice to be reminded of why you liked people after a long, long time. Glasgow was a-go-go but hame'll dae me.
With the return to routine, post-Scottish Bank Holidays, I had planned to post about Marvel UK annuals of the Seventies- but this post turned out to be about my Christmas comic book reading. I've watched some BFI Xmas Ghost Stories; the spooky HTV Children of the Stones; and Local Hero at Hogmanay, which I first saw in May 1983 in my last weeks as a teenager. But it's all about the superheroes today. (Posts on the Tenth Doctor audios and Blackhawk the movie serial later in the month!)
I enjoyed reading classic Jean Grey appearances in the Marvel True Believers reprint format- from X-Men 101, through Bizarre Adventures by John Buscema to Byrne's resurrection of Jean in FF ( So much. exposition!)
I also read a couple of 90s-00s DC Xmas comics and the conclusion of the Kamandi Challenge and Bug- Adventures of Forager limited series ( which deserve their own blog posts).
This was the year I decided to trade-wait, living back up North. Although I visit Aberdeen fairly regularly, its three fine comic shops in the city centre only ever carry about seventy per cent of what I'd like to read every month. But nonetheless, I picked up some comics to try before I buy the collection.
This December, I particularly enjoyed Waid and Samnee's Cap 696, reintroducing the Swordsman. When buying comics for my classroom, I used to enjoy Daredevil from this creative team ( although I possibly didn't blog about it) and I'm encouraged to sample their Black Widow series further.
I also intend to trade wait Mystic U which is a Harry Potter homage starring Zatanna, the Enchantress, Mr. E and other DCU magic users. It reminds me a great deal also of Jason Aaron's late, lamented Wolverine and the X-Men, which also thronged with character cameos.
There's a new Sargon the Sorceror, so it seems this one's non-canonical ( at present).
Finally, in a year where the Legion of Super-Heroes made a couple of comedic appearances, this Scooby-Doo Team Up was a sheer joy. <<SPOILERS ON>>
It riffs on the 1960s Death of Ferro Lad tale and features the Fatal Five.
I always liked DC's all-ages comics and I think I'll explore this delightful series further. I am such a LSH fanboy, however, that I was irked to see Projectra lumped into the " oh, everyone on my planet has this power" brigade. Despite growing up in the "disco era" of the Legion, I nevertheless enjoyed seeing their classic Forte/Swan costumes and wonder if, when the next return it will be as a more humorous, retro feature?
I think DC would benefit from more humour and less horror. On Ne'erday evening, I was invited to a houseparty in Elgin and was talking to a young guy in his twenties who is reading the Kirby Fourth World collections for the first time. He was extolling the virtues of DC's Rebirth to me and since our school is taking part in the Excelsior Award this year, I think I might give some of the Trinity's collections another try.
However, I was a little cool in my initial response to the DC Holiday Special 2017: "Eleven festive fables" at $9.99
This comic, similar in size to the giant format of the mid-70s, opens with TV's John Constantine (the Sting looky-likey who share initials with Yuletide's own Jesus Christ. Alan Moore, you slay me.) It also features Bibbo, the Popeye looky-likey Metropolis bartender. Denny O'Neil, never a favourite of mine, returns to write cheerless, modern, Bat-Tank driving Batman.
Ollie & Dinah wear Santa suits; Flash dispatches Rainbow Raider in order to spend Xmas with Wally West; Sgt. Rock tells a grim tale to Tom King, the hot new property writer, whose Mr. Miracle title fascinated and repelled me.; there's a poignant, almost macabre Deathstroke family Xmas; the Atomic Knights reach an understanding with those Triffid-like Plants Who Hated Humans from Strange Adventures.
The Teen Titans are very like their recognisable, cartoon incarnation although Justice Leagure Cyborg is replaced by both gay mixed-race Aqualad and the black Kid Flash (also confusingly named Wally West). Swamp Thing is on a space station; Wonder Woman and Bats talk -a lot -and we go full circle to see Constantine spending the festive season with the Kent-Lanes.
.
Unsurprisingly, perhaps, my favourite strip was the 47-year-old reprint of Neal Adams/ Mike Friedrich's "Silent Night of the Batman". Actually, I only read this legendary tale from the tail-end of the Silver Age for the first time in a DC Treasury a few years ago. Who wouldn't love Bats carolling with the boys of the GCPD choir ( singing "Galway Bay", no doubt)?
I'm not back at work until next Monday, a whole five days away! The next post will feature Dracula, dinosaurs and volcanoes.
All images presumed copyright of their respective owners
No comments:
Post a Comment