Hi all,

We need the Eternals Omnibus released again. This volume, which I missed is going for over $100 online. And is no longer released. I admit I missed this volume and didn’t collect these books then.

But it seems from what I’ve seen online, the demand is there. And prices are really up there.

I really want to enjoy these Kirby issues. I also heard this original volume had glue binding. And the art in the middle was hard to see in some places.

Marvel Comics should issue this volume again, in a new print and use the sewn binding.

Anyone else have similar thoughts or ideas?

Rob

One question I hear is: Blue Beetle, is he Public Domain?

It’s a bit tricky because DC Comics owns Blue Beetle and you don’t want to mess with them!

Here is what I’ve read and learned: Basically DC Comics bought the rights to Blue Beetle from Charlton Comics.

The Fox Comics version of Blue Beetle / Dan Garrett, the vitamin using hero is public domain.

But the version, of Charlton which was different in origin and powers is owned by DC Comics. As is the Ted Kord version.

So to play it safe, just remember: Base your version on the original Fox Comics version. And forget and cross out any ideas of the DC comics version.

It also goes without saying: Change the name and Don’t call him Blue Beetle. It would avoid any possible legal hassle. Call his hero name something else!

Again, I’m no lawyer or legal representative so get legal counsel if you feel you need it. And always look into it more on your own. I just hope to give some good start tips and plant ideas.

I’m hearing that the Iron Man Omnibus is out!

But only in comic shops. I’ve checked Amazon, but it’s not out yet. I’ll wait because I get a better deal online, then I ever get in my comic shop. Which is cover price plus tax. And their is no way I’m paying that. And you shouldn’t either. Online is the best place to buy Omnibus books on discount. Or to wait for a comic convention and see what the dealers have.

Sure, it takes a bit longer to wait online, but it’s worth it if you can save.

So give the Iron Man Omnibus a look if your comic store has a display copy. But order it online if you really want to save. Well, I can’t speak for you but that is my plan and how I order.

Rob

I just want to ask a question, if you are a comic book maker, or hopefully plan to be one day. Are you going to use any Public Domain Superheroes as part of your project?

I plan to, and was a reason I started this website. Because until Project Superpowers came out, I didn’t know there were Public Domain Superheroes. And don’t be fooled: Alex Ross, Dynamite Entertainment, Image comics and others DO NOT OWN These Characters.

And they CANNOT Prevent you from telling your own stories with these characters.

I am no lawyer, so don’t quote me, and of course, consider getting your own legal advice.

But my understanding and research on the issue is this: Once a property is in the public domain. It cannot go back into someones private hands.

With these comic book characters, we logged onto some great heroes. And I don’t think in this day and age, this would ever happen again.

Basically, the work made in the Golden Age, the copyright laws were different. And the rules are not like they were today. A lot of companies went out of business. Or they didn’t bother to register their characters. Don’t forget, comic books were looked down upon then by others. And it wasn’t something people bragged about working in.

But it all adds up to the fact that they are in the Public Domain, and that means they are free to be used by anyone.

But keep this important fact in mind: You must base your version on your own ideas and the only source material you can base it on is the Golden Age original material from the publishers back then.

By this I mean, you can follow strictly this Golden Age material. Or you can spin your own version in a whole new way.

But YOU CANNOT base your stores, ideas, or continuity on that of another publishers version. For example, DO NOT base your Black Terror on the Alex Ross version, in terms of character personality, costume and the elements he brings to it their.

Just stick to the rule of: Basing Your Version on the Original Material. And you cannot go wrong.

Forget Terror Obscura and the Alan Moore version. Don’t even bring it up.

I’d like to mention you can also redesign the costumes, changes the names, the secret identity names, the place they work, the city they live it, it’s all up to you.

Feel free to flex your creative muscle.

But a caution on the look: Stick to the original design and spin your own ideas. Do not copy what Alex Ross has done with his version and decide to make yours look the same way.

Basically I want to mention: Even though it’s public domain, as a publisher, they automatically have created “There Own Version” of that hero. The stories, personality, etc. are owned by them.

Just as Your Version, is owned by you, and another cannot legally base his material, on your version of that hero.

I’d also like to mention names: It pays to check and see what others are doing. I disagree that Marvel Comics has exclusive rights to the Daredevil name, but to play it safe I suggest Changing the name of the Golden Age Daredevil. AC Comics named theirs Red Devil. So don’t use that name either, AC Comics made that up and owns that version.

Personally, Daredevil is not a unique name. Such as Batman or Spider-Man. Like the Matrix movies had Robots called Sentinels. And Marvel Comics has robots called Sentinels. I think the word Daredevil is not unique. Heck, Stan Lee took the name the Golden Ages name to use on his version of Daredevil. Plus both heroes are not alike in terms of a reader being confused as to who they are.

Yet, as I said, to avoid the legal hassle of Daredevil, just change the name. And don’t use that terrible generic Superpowers name Dynamite had for him. They own that name for the character.

In case it wasn’t mentioned, I plan to one day hopefully use these Public Domain Superheroes in stories of mine. I plan to mix it in with my own original creations.

Why not stick to just my own you ask? As I’ve heard other comic creators say, it’s nice to play in others sandboxes. And that’s what these public domain heroes are: A chance to work with someone else’s sandbox. And yet to contribute your own take on the characters.

We may never get the chance to do this with our heroes like Batman, Spider-Man and all the rest. But legally, we can use these characters. And no editor or publisher can restrict us, or limit our imagination and the stories we want to tell with them. The only limits, are those you place upon yourself.
As it is, I’m planning Daredevil, who’ll have a different name my version, as someone who’ll stick close to the original published version in who he is.

The Black Terror though will be quite different from the how he was originally published and his costume altered.

Anyway, feel free to share your thoughts and comments.

Rob

The wait is almost over and Iron Man will be out in theaters.

I think from the buzz I’m hearing, and the little I’ve seen. This is looking really good.

I hope it does well cause Marvel Comics can use a new franchise hit. As it is, the X-men films are about done, and so is Spider-Man. At least for now. And I think overall, the steam and freshness seems to have lost a bit on those properties.

With Iron Man, we have a chance of a breath of fresh air for the Marvel Film properties.
And who knew, they would actually get to make a real suit of Iron Man armor. And you couldn’t ask for a better costume maker for Iron Man then with Stan Winston. Great job he did with that suit.

I am also digging the look of Iron Monger, even if he’s not comic accurate. He just looks big, brutal and kick butt. You can’t ask for much more in a cool Iron Man villain. And this will make for a great battle.

So let’s support Iron Man and make sure we see this film.

Rob

http://www.immonen.ca/news/archives/963

Click that link to read the story. This really sucks. Basically a guy’s website was stolen by a Chinese book publisher and word for word and art page for art page, this material was literally stolen and published and sold as a $100 book with no permission even being asked.

I’ve heard of this happening with video game FAQ guides. Where someone online will write a guide. Then later on, someone literally steals the FAQ word for word and gets it published as a book. Claiming the work as his own.

This really sucks and shows the danger of things online and what can happen in other media. Plus, unless you have money or a corporation to back you up. Which you probably don’t. There is not much you can do about it.

Are you going to spend for a lawyer to handle an international lawsuit? Are you willing to wait years and all that frustration for a settlement?

And what’s worse? The fact that your work is stolen completely and someone else is making money off of what you did? Or the added fact that your name credit as the author will never be mentioned and someone else, the one who stole it will get all the credit?

Just wanted to say that the Hulk Omnibus is planned for June. I’m planning to get the regular cover version. Not the Alex Ross cover variant. But to each their own, right?!

This nice volume will collect:

- Hulk #1-6, the Hulk’s Original 6-issue run before the series was canceled.
-Tales to Astonish #59-101, and Incredible Hulk #102.

Basically it covers all the Tales to Astonish run and then into Hulk #102 as the end point.

The numbering was picked up from Tales to Astonish and changed to the Hulk name for the books title again.

With writing Primarily by Stan Lee and Art by Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Gil Kane, Bill Everett and more. Yeah, it’s a must buy for me.

Hope you’ll like it as well.

I got my hands on the Image Comic called: Fantastic Comics #24, don’t worry there is no #23 by Image. Basically they picked up the title name and numbering sequence off of the original Fantastic Comics comic book which ended at #23 during the Golden Age of comics.

This is a compilation comic with various self-contained mini stories in it. With various Golden Age characters used. I’m glad it’s a different take and not at all like the Dynamite Entertainment version using Public Domain Superheroes.

It was also nice to see in a story, though not mentioned by name and only background material with no dialog. But I saw the original Daredevil, Green Lama, Fighting Yank and other Public Domain characters in it. It also further shows, that as long as you stick to the original versions and visuals, you can legally use these characters. But I’ll talk more about that in another topic.

I’ve noticed this for the past few years and personal experience as well. I remember the old days where if you missed a certain comic. You had to track it down and buy it. Even pay quite a bit more if it was a hot issue. Because for the most part, if you missed that one printing of the issue you needed, that was it.

There was no second print or reprint of that issue.

And sure if it was really hot, you’d get a second print from the publisher. But even now, it’s not the same.

With the Paperback material produced within a handful of months of a storyline, I think it has made the collectible comic, in terms of overall money a thing of the past.

There are pros and cons to this new trend.

I think for the cons:

-It has destroyed the thrill of having to hunt and collect that issue you missed. And the feel you got when you did find it at a good price.

-It has destroyed most of the back issue prices. And if you want to one day sell your collection or book run, you will get less for it. Cause the material is already available and in a better format. It has in many cases made back issue prices of most books almost worthless and not a lot of good money can be made online.

Also reading this from various eBay dealers trying to sell back issues and not getting much. At most they sell lots, and take the per issue loss.

Checking eBay lots and I’ve seen things like: 50 issues going for less then six bucks. Or a hundred issues not even getting thirty dollars.

Oh course it depends on the book run and things like that. And I’m being Overall General Here, so please don’t quote it as fact. Cause it’s not. But overall, most issue lots don’t go for much these days.

It also doesn’t help that comics are so expensive now, $2.99 on average. That when it’s time to sell your collection, you’ll get pennies for it per issue. Not even $1 in most cases. And comic prices will only go up.

The pros:

-Trades offer better quality printing and the material is easier to find.

-I’ve grown accustomed to big volumes of comic art in a trade and many issues. The more the better. No need to take out and read each issue for the next part of the story.

-Trades have no in story ads and are cheaper then buying the individual issues, if you use the online discount stores like Amazon. Or look for 50% off deals in conventions.
-Trades make for a nice bookshelf collection.

Overall
I think Trade Paperbacks are great on the shelf and nice volumes to have. Yet at the same time are destroying the value of your per issue comics, and in the long run you won’t get much, if anything for them.

Add in all this online download comics talk (which is another topic) and that makes comic books per issue even have less value. I think this devalues a comic even more. And when a comic book loses it’s value attachment, the perceived worth won’t be there. Because when people pay for something, they have a more vested interest in reading and caring for what they bought. When it’s Free, there is less value attached to it.

This is a whole other topic, but by value I mean for example: If you were given three books of equal quality and overall are the same. But one was given Free, one you paid $5 for and one you paid $20 for. Which of the three, chances are, would you care for more?

Maybe I’ll post my thoughts on the pros and cons of digital comics next? Let me know.

I can’t wait to get the Iron Man Omnibus when it’s out. I always like the original cover versions and have not bought any variant covers. But that’s just my choice.

This Omnibus will have the much preferred sewn binding.

It Collects Tales of Suspense #39 to issue #83 and Tales to Astonish #82, which was a crossover book and part of a continued storyline.

In this first volume some amazing things happen.

We get to see:

- Iron Man’s origin

- The Ditko design used for the first red /gold armor.

- The evolution from the original gray armor, all the way to the classic red / gold armor that that lasted for decades.

- The start of his rogues gallery, especially the early stories of the Mandarin

- Stan Lee, Larry Lieber writing, with Jack Kirby, Steve Ditko, Don Heck, Gene Colan handling the art.

Yeah, this volume is a must buy for me, and I hope you too.

Bring on the Iron Man Omnibus!