11 O'Clock Comics Episode 203

[Wood]

I'd like to know how Chris happened upon the single issues so easily.

He was so nonchalant when Vince mentioned the cost, I was picturing Chris walking down the Chicago sidewalk and stumbling, only to look down and find Flex Mentallo back issues just lying there. 

[David]

I'd like to know how Chris happened upon the single issues so easily.

 

[Wood]

You can get reader copies for about $40 it seems:

http://www.mycomicshop.com/search?TID=101831

[legion of daves]

the way he kind of glossed over it made me think he either
a. spent a TON of money on the issues (single issues are routinely $20+ on ebay).
or
b.

downloaded them.  

or
c. borrowed them from someone that for some reason wanted to remain anonymous.

otherwise, if he caught a crazy deal in a back issue bin or something, he probably would've been excited to talk about it, right?  

[Wood]

the way he kind of glossed over it made me think he either
a. spent a TON of money on the issues (single issues are routinely $20+ on ebay).
or
b.

downloaded them.  

or
c. borrowed them from someone that for some reason wanted to remain anonymous.

otherwise, if he caught a crazy deal in a back issue bin or something, he probably would've been excited to talk about it, right?  

I guessing Chris borrowed the issues. I heard he knows a few other folks who like comics. Even a few store owners.

[Stupendous Man]

I'd like to know how Chris happened upon the single issues so easily.

He was so nonchalant when Vince mentioned the cost, I was picturing Chris walking down the Chicago sidewalk and stumbling, only to look down and find Flex Mentallo back issues just lying there. 

I found one issue, I think it was the third, at a Half Price Books for a quarter.

[legion of daves]

other folks that like comics eh....   

[badartdog]

I had no idea Flex was so scarce - pretty sure my copies are in the loft. I sold most of my Doom Patrols after the collected editions came out, but I think I still have Flex.

Anyway - thrilled the new podcast is here. I've been listening to other comics podcasts on my journey to work this week. Not a patch on you guys, not a patch. I was trying to figure out why and, besides the chemistry, I concluded that you manage to paint a picture of what the books you are discussing are actually like. I can listen to you review a book that I haven't seen and know whether it's going to be for me or not - you outline the stories without giving away too much, you are even able to convincingly describe the artwork - helluva job considering this is audio. The others I've listened to have left me pretty clueless unless I already knew what the art looked like.
Pretty much every book I've bought in the last 6 months has been down to your recommendations. I don't think any have disappointed me. 

[S. Earl]

JOYGASM!!!

The Flaming Lips played the entire Soft Bulletin here 2 weeks ago and I missed it. Kind of still bummed about that. Though I stand by my opinion they can't Top Yoshimi.

[slurmo]

I have the Flex Issues. Bought them off the rack. They're in decent condition. I've read them at least 5 times over. At least.

  DAP always dissapointed about Steve Lightle leaving DP. To be honest I started DP late and only went back as far as when Morrisson started.

DAP are you a fan of Lightles' LOSH work?

because it is 

[NeverWanderer (Joey Cruz)]

Oy, I've got so many that I haven't read yet... or that I started reading and, for one reason or another, never finished.


Preacher (Someday)
Sandman (Hesitant, but someday)
Flex Mentallo (SOMEDAY!!!)
Powers (well, I have the script book, but that's it)
Cerebus (read a few issues from the first phone book and a few issues from the second and just couldn't get into it)
Maus (read the first book, not really interested in the second)


Born Again is an amazing story, and, strangely, took me the longest to read. For me, though, the quintessential DD story is Man Without Fear. Maybe I just love me a good origin story.

[Sean M.]

I bought Flex Mentallo off the shelves back when it came out (ang got them signed by Frank Quitely two years ago ) and have re-read it many times. But I have never read Born Again (I had it in my cart last year when I had a gift card but chose to get Zak Smith's 'Pictures showing what happens on each page of Thomas Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow' instead). It's currently sitting in my cart (another birthday voucher) and will make amends

[Christopher Stark]

Yours is a different case then, say, Steve.  I'm just giving you shit because you admitted it and are an Iron Man fanatic.

Oh I know it was all good fun. But it does bring the question..

I am a huge Iron Man fan but I don't read every single thing he is in. But I've also been called out before for that. So the question, do you read everything Spidey rolls through, and to everyone else, do they read every book of their favorite boy?

[bean6344]

I have the Flex Issues. Bought them off the rack. They're in decent condition. I've read them at least 5 times over. At least.

  DAP always dissapointed about Steve Lightle leaving DP. To be honest I started DP late and only went back as far as when Morrisson started.

DAP are you a fan of Lightles' LOSH work?

because it is 

Bean

[Steve Raker]

....I never read Bat-Man Year One or Man Without Fear, either

Mainly because these books came out while I was out of comics during the second half of the 80s, and I didn't go back and read everything I missed, y'know?

I had read and really loved DD during Miller's run, then during the ONeil run with Janson/Johnson/Mazzuchelli...it was towards the end of ONeil/Mazz that I bailed (Secret Wars II).  I think Mazz's run ended with Born Again (then the kooky Ditko issues, and eventually the Nocenti/JRjr run, which I also never read much at all of!).

What makes Born Again NOT a must read for me is the religious/catholocism angle I understand the material is heavy with.  If a comic writer is going to explore religion in his work, I'd prefer it be on a cosmic, abstract level ala Starlin than street level.  I don't want to read about nuns in my comics, y'know?

[David]

DAP are you a fan of Lightles' LOSH work?

You... You don't...  slurmo don't hear me, though.

Lightle's the reason I was picking up Doom Patrol.  Solely because of his Legion of Super-Heroes and Tales of the Legion of Super-Heroes work (and reprints and covers).

And I was rather giddy to see he did a variant cover for one of the Star Trek/LoSH issues.

So the question, do you read everything Spidey rolls through, and to everyone else, do they read every book of their favorite boy?

 

I was actually thinking about this on the drive to work this morning after my reply to you.  Because the Avengers are barely a cameo in this and you'd be disappointed if you thought Iron Man swoops in and saves people by the armload while saying he could use a drink but can't because yadda, yadda, yadda...

But to answer your question, I'll say I've yet to read an issue of the Fantastic Four spinoff, FF.  Or New Avengers after the initial Immomen/Von Grawbadger-illustrated arc.  So, no.  There are things Spidey's appeared in that I haven't bothered with.

But I also don't have a shrine dedicated to the wall-crawler complete with webshooter replicas.

Now if you're asking if I have every Kevin Matchstick appearance, or if I'm working to complete a Hardware or Icon collection, that's different...

[Christopher Stark]

I was actually thinking about this on the drive to work this morning after my reply to you.  Because the Avengers are barely a cameo in this and you'd be disappointed if you thought Iron Man swoops in and saves people by the armload while saying he could use a drink but can't because yadda, yadda, yadda...

But to answer your question, I'll say I've yet to read an issue of the Fantastic Four spinoff, FF.  Or New Avengers after the initial Immomen/Von Grawbadger-illustrated arc.  So, no.  There are things Spidey's appeared in that I haven't bothered with.

But I also don't have a shrine dedicated to the wall-crawler complete with webshooter replicas.

Now if you're asking if I have every Kevin Matchstick appearance, or if I'm working to complete a Hardware or Icon collection, that's different...

True, I do have quite the "shrine". Probably a little uhealthy.  And I am working on a complete Iron Man run, and when that's done,  I will be trying to continue with Tales of Suspense.

[David]

....I never read Batman Year One or Man Without Fear, either

Wait, what?

Mainly because these books came out while I was out of comics during the second half of the 80s, and I didn't go back and read everything I missed, y'know?

This is where I think I find things difficult to grasp.  Year One isn't hard to find.  It's not Miracleman or something that's readily available only if you have a Demonoid account.  It's everywhere.  And it's only four issues.  So we're not talking Long Halloween here or The Dark Phoenix Saga.

I get it...  There's only so much time in the day and there are so many things to read, some of them even new.  But this is something that's over twenty years old.   And pretty much universally enjoyed.  I could understand better if we were going on about Superman For All Seasons or a story where you'd get mixed reactions with some fans saying, "eh, you can skip it".  But Year One?  Born Again?  These two don't walk near the same neighborhood of mixed reaction stories, let alone fall into that category.



I'm begging someone - ANYONE - do not let Steve leave Boston without some Miller and Mazzucchelli.

[bean6344]

Now if you're asking if I have every Kevin Matchstick appearance, ...

Tell me about it.  One day I will have one of these again (I lost mine when I moved to FLA in 89).



Or this which I never have owned. My buddy Denis has the one sent to our old LCS (The Funny Farm In Vandalia, OH R.I.P.).


Bean

[David]

Plus, this whole I was away from comics at the time doesn't fly if you ever went back issue diving when you were first enjoying the hobby.