We’re not going to be talking about new comics this time. Nor will we delve into a typical retro-review posting. There’s a third category of comics reading I engage in, or maybe it might be more appropriate to say I’ve been neglecting it of late, and that’s why we haven’t discussed it here.
For almost a year, I concentrated my back issue purchases on completing the runs on Warlord and Jon Sable, as well as securing some coveted individual back issues fondly remembered from childhood. Those books were placed where they belong in my collection, and I’ve been reading them for the first time as I go back through everything in “chronological” order. Obviously that process started before I was regularly posting about comics on my blog, but maybe someday we’ll go back and do some retro-reviews on stuff even older than the mid-1980s.
Anyway, once I started going back through re-reading my collection, I didn’t stop buying back issues. Other old titles have become available and been snatched up. Trade ads in some of these older comics have prompted me to go in search of other titles and/or issues. In cases where I’ve bought something else and already passed the point where it should be inserted in my collection, I’ve set those issues aside as something to read once I’ve finished this initial run through. For instance, I’ve always been curious about Infinity Inc., but never purchased an issue except for #45 which was part of a crossover with The New Teen Titans. Recently I found a good deal on the first 12 issues of that title and bought them to finally give it a try. The title began in the early 80s, however, and our current retro-reviews have us in 1986, well past where these books “occurred.” So they’ve been added to the stack of stuff to read later.
Also in this stack are trades or hard-bound collections which are not “in continuity” such as Marvel Essentials or DC Showcase reprints. I have several of each of those, as well as a couple Marvel Masterworks and DC Archives editions. There’s also copies of Batman Illustrated by Neal Adams vols. 2 and 3. And some comics-themed magazines, both current and back issues which were of interest. Basically, it’s a hodge-podge stack of anything I’ve bought which either doesn’t fit nicely into continuity or is older than where I’m currently reading. And all of these books are set aside in this stack to read when I finish going through my collection in “chronological” order.
Except, that’s taking longer than I expected it would.
And the stack of other stuff is getting very large.
Very, very large.
Almost rivaling the stack of prose books I haven’t gotten around to reading yet. But that’s a whole other issue, and, of course, I’m working on it, too.
But I digress.
Back to the stack of comic “also-rans.” I decided I needed to start working on that stack, even if only occasionally, so that it doesn’t become too overwhelming. And at the top of the stack was ...
The Essential Tomb of Dracula, vol.1 (Marvel Comics) — This huge black-and-white trade collection assembles Tomb of Dracula #1-25, Werewolf By Night #15 and Giant-Size Chillers #1 for an entertaining romp through the most popular early 1970s Marvel Monster title. The tales are set in then-contemporary times and begin with American Frank Drake traveling to an ancestral castle in Transylvania, Castle Dracula. He brings along his girlfriend, Jeanie, and his “friend,” Clifton Graves. The trio are hoping to cash in on Drake’s infamous family name. Of course, the corpse of Dracula is discovered, the remaining stake is removed, the dark prince of the undead is revived and once again unleashed on an unsuspecting world. Many of these tales take place either in Transylvanian or London, and an assortment of vampire hunters are introduced to challenge Dracula. Some are descendants of famous vampire hunters, such as Quincy Harker and Rachel Van Helsing. This collection also includes the introduction of Blade, another vampire slayer who has gone on to a successful movie series starring Wesley Snipes.
Tomb of Dracula is a fun read, and I’m not even a fan of vampires, typically. And, the Essentials volums are a great price for this much comics reading. Well worth the price of admission.
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