2016 Comic Challenge 195 The Tick #11

TITLE-The Tick #11
PUBLISHER-NEC

Yep the next to last issue of Tick creator Ben Edlund's run. Years ago I had an almost complete set of the original 12 issue Tick run. All of them first prints. Then lost them all in a fire. So been wanting to get another run,with them all being first prints. Sure I got the trade paperback that reprints all this stuff. But I want the actual issues.

It was about a month ago,same time I found the Miracleman #24. While digging in the buck bins found 3 issues of The Tick. All of them first prints and all issues I needed.

After a few issues with Tick and Arthur on the road,they finally make it to the city. Were they discover the City has so many superheroes there isn't enough crime for them to fight. After meeting the Mighty Agrippa they get invited to the Comet Club. A superheroes only night club. Arthur being a sidekick isn't allowed in and has to goto the rundown Sidekick's Lounge.

While there we learn of Barry,who is insane,and is a superhero named The Tick. So Barry Tick faces off against the big blue Tick. And after a long and pretty funny battle The Tick wins. Which means he gets the rights to the name The Tick. Plus all of Barry's Tick gear.

Pretty much if you have seen the Tick cartoon episode about the Comet Club this is what that was based on. A few things are changed up. But it is pretty much the same story.

2 more things I wanted to point out about this issue. First up is at least the first prints of the Edlund Tick series are oversized. As in they are closer in dimension to Golden Age comics than modern comics. So finding bags,boards and longboxes to hold these isn't that easy. And secondly is the back cover.

I am assuming Ben Edlund drew that. I do not remember the Tick every wearing any gear like that. But who knows it might have been an idea for a future issue. That never happened after Edlund abandoned the Tick franchise. Yeah I am one of those fans who is still waiting on issue 13 written and drawn by Ben Edlund. And yes I know it will never happen,and that years back NEC put out issue 13. But that issue is just based on Edlund ideas and has someone besides Ben drawing it.

The Tick #11 gets a buy.

2016 Comic Challenge 194 Miracleman #024

TITLE-Miracleman #024
PUBLISHER-Eclipse

Yeah the final,as of the writing,part published of the Miracleman The Silver Age story line.This is actually my 3rd copy of this comic. Got it the first time when it came out. Then lost that copy in a fire. Then right at 6 years ago got lucky and a comic shop I use to goto often had a bunch of Eclipse "File copy" issues for sale. And the owner cut me a great deal. Considering that back then it looked like this issue would never be reprinted. So it was selling for a big amount,since being the final issue and coming out right before Eclipse went under the print run is fairly small. I still have that copy. Now this 3rd copy .... well I guess the patron Saint of Geekdom smiled on me about a month ago.

We recently got a gaming/card/comic shop in town.Sure it is more gaming and cards than comics. But they got about 10 longboxes of buck comics. I was digging through them and saw the above comic. I looked at it closely and while it isn't Mint is is pretty close. I thought,ok this was put in here on accident,and once I get to the counter he is gonna tell me it is way more than a buck. I grab a few more comics. Head to the counter. And as he is going through my stack of dollar comics I said "Yeah was surprised to find the Miracleman issue in the cheap bins. We both know it is worth a bit more than a buck," He just looked at me and kept counting the dollar books. So yep got the above copy for a buck,

Under that gorgeous Barry Windsor Smith cover is a story of Young Miracleman trying adjust to the new world. Plus the revelation that Young Miracleman was/is sexually attracted to Miracleman. The latter plot point had been hinted at as far back as the early issues with Moore writing the series. Kind of neat that Neil Gaiman took something that was pretty much a throwaway line and made it a major part of his second story arch on the title.

What surprises me is even though sometime soon,if not already,this issue is getting reprinted by Marvel.The Eclipse version has still held onto most of it's value.

So yeah unless you are one of those comic fans that can't handle having how childish and cliche most superhero comics are pointed out to ya,this is an issue and a series that is must read.

Miracleman #024 gets a BUY!