And speaking of upcoming Ditko, looks like DC will reprint some Creeper next year in SHOWCASE PRESENTS THE CREEPER, which will presumably be a black and white book, though slimmer and cheaper than the existing SHOWCASE PRESENTS books. Listed at 296 pages, my count of Ditko's stories, including the one intended for SHOWCASE #106 comes to 254. Add in the non-Ditko half of BEWARE THE CREEPER #6 and some non-Ditko covers gets us up to 269. On the other hand, there are some other non-Ditko stories (BRAVE AND BOLD team-ups, a JLA issue, some solo stories in ADVENTURE) which might be included, so I wouldn't take it as a given that all the Ditko, including the unpublished story, will be included, though that would be a big selling point. Book's not out until next summer, so details won't be out for a while.
[note, this appears to have been canceled, and a colour hardcover appears on DC's schedule for 2010]
wasn't there an issue of the mid-70's Joker series that guest-starred the Creeper? I remember really liking that series at the time - I actually bought more issues of the Joker book than I did the regular Batman books. There were also some backup strips in one or more of the Dollar Comics (World's Finest maybe?).
ReplyDeleteThe WORLD'S FINEST backups were all by Ditko, so included in the 254 page count (along with FIRST ISSUES SPECIAL #7 and the unpublished SHOWCASE #106). Though I'm not sure if the SHOWCASE PRESENTS line still has a cut-off line that would keep the 1978/1979 stories out (I don't think so, I saw a BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS volume which would be after that).
ReplyDeleteI forgot the JOKER story. That was in #3, pretty decent. And just checking now, a few guest bits with Batman in DETECTIVE and a SUPER-TEAM FAMILY story with Wildcat that they might choose to include. So while I'm still hoping that they make including every page of Ditko the first priority, guess we'll have to wait and see.
On the other hand, this is stuff I'd like to see in colour someday, so if they held back some Ditko stuff to make a later complete Ditko Creeper colour hardcover more attractive, I wouldn't complain.
It would be nice to see a Creeper collection. My only exposure thusfar to this character has been through the old WORLDS FINEST comics. I collect mostly reading grade copies of 70's comics, but I always enjoy running across the occasional Ditko jem in the horror comics. Of course there are the Spidy reprints of his run there which came out in the 70's too.
ReplyDeleteThe wikipedia article on Showcase presents list these stories for the Creeper Showcase volume:
ReplyDeleteShowcase #73
Beware the Creeper #1-6
Brave and the Bold #80, 143, 178
Justice League of America #70
Detective Comics #418, 447-448
The Joker #3
First Issue Special #7
Adventure Comics #445-447
World's Finest Comics #249-255
Cancelled Comics Cavalcade #2 (unpublished Showcase issue)
The Flash #318-323
That looks pretty complete, EXCEPT for the Super-Team Family story.
That Wikipedia list sounds more like fan speculation than based on anything actually announced from DC, since the page count of all that stuff would be over 100 pages more than what the book is listed as.
ReplyDeleteHas DC ever included anything from Cancelled Comics Cavalcade in a reprint volume?
You mean other than "The Seal Men's War on Santa Claus," which was reprinted in Best of DC Blue Ribbon Digest#22?
ReplyDeleteWell, considering DC included the unpublished Charlton materials that saw print in CPL stuff (unpublished BB #6 in Chartlon Portfolio [really CPL #9/10] and unpublished CA #90 in Charlton Bullseye #1 & 2), there is precendence.
ReplyDeleteThey promised to include the unpublished Secret Society of SuperVillian material in that Showcase Presents volume.
New DC announcement gives the list of what will be in the volume:
ReplyDeleteShowcase #73
Beware the Creeper #1-6
Brave and the Bold #80, 143, 178
Justice League of America #70
Detective Comics #418, 447-448
The Joker #3
First Issue Special #7
Well, kind of disappointing that they aren't including all the Ditko, but still sounds like a good book for $10. Hopefully some future colour edition includes the balance of the Ditko.
ReplyDeleteI'd much rather see a full-colour edition in the style of the Jack Kirby Fourth World publications than a b&w phone book edition.
ReplyDelete