The first, from Marvel, is the MASTER OF KUNG FU OMNIBUS volume 3, continuing the cult classic run from the seventies and eighties. I'll remind readers that volume 1 and volume 2 are both still available, but that it really seems as if this is a limited reprint deal, so once these books are gone, it's probably not likely (but don't hold me to this; I'm only try to read between the lines) that this material will ever be collected again in any format. There will be a fourth and final volume to close out the series, but as of yet it hasn't been solicited.
And from DC, it's BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS volume 1. This series, by Mike W. Barr and Jim Aparo (later replaced by Alan Davis), is one I've had interest in for some time, but until now the only reprint available was a black-and-white SHOWCASE PRESENTS volume from a few years back. Now, however, it's arrived in full color and I look forward to finally reading it. Hopefully this initial volume sells well enough to warrant enough follow-ups to collect the full series (or at least the full run of issues featuring Batman as the team's mentor). At the moment there are no further installments solicited, so time will tell...!
Looking forward to your thoughts on BATO. It's one I've always enjoyed, having had some original issues, getting rid of them, rebuffing, getting rid again and eventually buying the B&W showcase reprint, and then filling in the gaps with back issues. Currently only need one issue of the Davis run. It's good fun, with echoes of the 'grim' Batman to come!
ReplyDeleteMattb
Thanks! I don't know when I'll get around to actually reading BATO, but I do want to jump in when I can. I know I'll be pleased artistically -- Aparo and Davis of this vintage can do no wrong with Batman as far as I'm concerned -- but I'm curious how I'll like the writing. A few years back I wrote about the Barr/Davis DETECTIVE COMICS (Part 1 | Part 2), and I found Barr's interpretation of Batman to be kind of a mixed bag.
DeleteYeah, I agree with you on Barr's solo Batman. He has that grimness, but aso calling Robin 'chum' and being lighthearted at the same time! I think (from memory) he's more consistent in this, and it's nice to see how he uses the Bruce wayne persona... Quite right about the art. Aparo is a fantastic batman artist, possibly for me the best! I am always regretting getting rid of/not collecting all off the run he did in the '80s with Starlin writing. I've only got a couple of collections (Ten Nights of the Beast and Many Deaths of....) to remind me of those issues! Wish I had more. The only problem with the earlier (pre-Davis) BATO is the fill-in art can sometimes be a bit rubbish, as you will see.
DeleteMattb
I want those Master of Kung Fu omnibi, but the series is a 3 volume set that they stretched out to 4. At a cover price of $125 each that's more than I am willing to let Marvel gouge me.
ReplyDeleteWell I certainly wouldn't pick them up for full price. I've grabbed them so far at a 50% discount from InStockTrades/DCBS. And I agree; this should've been a three-volume series. In fact, I could've sworn it was originally announced as three volumes, and that's what I was expecting initially, so I was quite surprised at how small volume 1 turned out to be! I went back and saw that it was indeed always supposed to be a series of four, so I think I had just assumed three because that felt logical.
DeleteIf I thought the series would find its way into Epic Collections or even Marvel Unlimited, I would've passed -- but I've heard so many wonderful things about the series, and I've really gotten the impression this is a limited reprint license from the Sax Rohmer estate, that I just had to to it even if it is a gouge-job.
(Of course, thanks to chumps like me the sales will probably be good enough that Marvel will be able to expand their license and get it into Epics or some other cheaper format after all!)
I always look forward to these monthly unboxing posts of yours, Matt! :)
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to share that Hachette's latest catalog came out on Thursday, and it includes an October solicitation for MoKF v4. The final volume will collect the following:
MASTER OF KUNG FU (1974) 102-125; MARVEL COMICS PRESENTS (1988) 1-8; MASTER OF KUNG FU: BLEEDING BLACK (1990) 1
Thank you, James! I'm glad you enjoy the monthly Unboxing. I really like doing them!
DeleteIt's funny; only a couple days after I posted the above, stating that volume 4 hadn't yet been solicited, it magically appeared. I thought about updating the above, but ultimately decided not to.
It's bizarre how they slammed the brakes on this series. Volumes 1 and 2 came out basically quarterly (June and September), then it was a six-month wait for vol. 3 and now a seven-month wait for vol. 4! I guess maybe they're cycling in DEADLY HANDS OF KUNG FU to maintain the quarterly schedule (November and June with MOKF vol. 3 in between in March), but it still seems odd to me.
Oh well! By year's end, I'll have it all.