All About Comic Book collection

Look Out, DC Comics, is here to Stay!

2006-07-26T10:29:00.000-06:00

DC Comics began the 1990s Launching Vertigo and Milestone, two groundbreaking imprints. Vertigo was created for the more mature and sophisticated comic fan. And this imprint was not designed to fit with the traditional superhero-dominated mainstream comic lines. Milestone was the first line of comics starring multicultural heroes. It made its debut with the titles such as Icon, Hardware, and Static.

To further expand the breadth of their publishing line, DC Comics acquired WildStorm Productions. This was a leading independent comics publisher with books displaying a refreshingly modern take on action/adventure superheroes. See why DC Comics is here to stay !

DC Comics, the Sage Continues!

2006-07-24T08:07:00.000-06:00

DC Comics went through some radical changes during the 1970s and 1980s. Known as Nation Comics still in 1969, they were merged with entertainment giant, Warner Bros/7 Arts. With this new management position and style they grew tired of, then editor, Infantino’s less than spectacular track record.

A form children’s magazine publisher, Jenette Khan replaced Infantino in 1976, but was apparently not much more successful. At any rate, during this time period, DC Comics tried to compete with the more successful Marvel Comics, by dramatically increasing their output of characters. Some called this the “DC Explosion”. New characters such as Firestorm and Shade, the Changing Man, and several non-superhero titles were featured. Still frustrated through, Warner pulled the plug and dramatically cut back on titles and fired many staffers in what industry watchers dubbed "the DC Implosion".

With Warner no longer allowing the market flood of new titles, the new DC Comics management of publisher Jenette Kahn, vice-president Paul Levitz and managing editor Dick Giordano needed to come up with new ways to boost sales. They decided to address the problem of their current talent instability. DC Comics and Their Trials and Tribulations!

DC Comics, Comic Book Mega Force!

2006-07-21T07:37:00.000-06:00

DC Comics is one of the two largest comic books, etc publishing companies known today. Over the years DC has been recognized under several names. Originally called Detective Comics, it then became National Comics in 1947 and later National Periodical Publications in 1961. But fans have always known them as DC Comics.

Today they are a subsidiary of Time Warner and have been responsible for well-known characters as Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman and their teammates in the Justice League. More DC Comics and Their Influence!

Marvel Comics: Editors-in-Chief, Wow What a History!

2006-07-19T08:42:00.000-06:00

Marvel Comics editor-in-chief oversees and acts upon all large-scale creative decisions that affect the company. I guess the first thing that comes to my mind when I hear editor-in-chief is Perry White from the Daily Planet. Of course this is the fictitious position in the world of Superman, being a rival character to all of Marvel’s creations.

Many may not be interested in the real world mundane issues of writing and editing hierarchy within a publishing company. But I thought it would be interesting to reveal the history at Marvel Comics. While the fabled Stan Lee held great authority during the decades when publisher Martin Goodman privately held the company, of which the comics division was a relatively small part, his successors have been to greater and lesser extents subject to corporate management.

The top dog editor position evolved sporadically. In the earliest years, the company had a single editor overseeing the entire line of comics. As the company grew, it became increasingly common for individual titles to be overseen separately. More Marvel Comics Editors!

Marvel Comics, 1980 and Beyond!

2006-07-14T08:50:00.000-06:00

Marvel Comics continued it meteoric foothold in the comics industry. The 1980s saw some continued advancement and major changes (for the good or bad may depend on your point of view).

It was at this time period that Jim Shooter was Marvel's Editor-in-Chief. Shooter had, what many consider, a controversial personality, but he cured many of the procedural ills plaguing Marvel at the time (including repeatedly missed deadlines). He continued to oversee a creative renaissance at the company.

This renaissance included institutionalizing creator royalty and starting the Epic imprint for creator-owned material in 1982. But, in the long run, Shooter was still accused by many creators, especially near the end of his tenure, of exercising his job in a draconian manner and interfering with the writers' creative processes. More Marvel Comics!

Marvel Comics, Becomes Official in the 1960s!

2006-07-13T12:07:00.000-06:00

Marvel Comics, now under its official banner, was setting out to revolutionize comic superheroes. With DC Comics’ success at reviving superheroes through the 1950s and early 1960s, Marvel decided to jump back on that bandwagon.

Now editor and still writer, Stan Lee and freelance artist Jack Kirby set out at creating or reviving new characters that are a mainstay with the comic book industry today. They created such memorable superheroes as The Fantastic Four, Hulk, Spider-Man, the X-Men and Daredevil. Other notables were The Mighty Thor, Ant-Man and Iron Man.

Through these stories, sprung up some of the greatest bad guys of all time. There were Doctor Doom, Magneto, Galactus, the Green Goblin and Doctor Octopus (Doc Ock). The most successful new series was The Amazing Spider-Man, by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. And look at how successful and popular Spider-Man has remained over the years. He still reigns as one of my favorite characters. Marvel Comics rights here!

Marvel Comics, the Marvelous Beginning!

2006-07-12T08:50:00.000-06:00

Marvel Comics is an American comic book institution. These days they are part of a corporate conglomerate, known as Marvel Entertainment, Inc. Although not starting out as a capitalist mega-force, they are now well known for highly popular (and, I might add, profitable) characters such as Fantastic Four, The Amazing Spider-Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Daredevil, Captain America, and X-Men. Since the 1960s, Marvel has become one of the two largest American comic book companies in history, along with DC Comics.

Here is a generous description of what Marvel has to say about itself: "With a library of over 5,000 proprietary characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused in four areas: entertainment (Marvel Studios), licensing, publishing and toys (Toy Biz). More amazing Marvel Comics!

Anime Genre and Media Expanse!

2006-07-10T07:03:00.000-06:00

Anime features a wide variety of artistic and story line styles differing from artist to artist. Stark colorful graphics and colorful images can characterize various styles. Images are often depicted as vibrant characters in a variety of different settings and story lines, aimed at a wide range of audiences.

Genres Abound

Anime transcends many genres, almost as many as traditional, live action cinema. Such genres include action, adventure, children's stories, comedy, drama, erotica (hentai), medieval fantasy, occult/horror, romance, and science fiction (I’m sure superheroes are included). Discover more anime now!

Comic Strips on the Internet!

2006-07-06T07:40:00.000-06:00

Comic strips have made quite a splash on the Net since the World Wide Web came into play in the 1990s. This led to an explosion of amateur webcomics, comic-strips created solely for Web sites.

Webcomics differ from published comic strips, in that anyone can start his own strip and publish it on the Web. No longer is there any need for a creator to meet the approval of a publisher or syndicate. Currently there are hundreds of webcomics. Many of which are low quality and sporadically updated. However, a number have endured, and the best ones rival their newspaper and magazine counterparts in terms of quality and quantity. Megatokyo, Penny Arcade, PvP, Sluggy Freelance, and User Friendly are considered to be among the best of the webcomics. More on Webcomic Comic Strips!

Anime, the Japanese Comic Sub-Culture!

2006-07-03T06:57:00.000-06:00

What is anime? For all intents and purposes, this is a style of
cartoon animation that has its beginnings in Japan. This
particular genre has a distinctive character and aesthetics
background that visually sets itself apart from other forms of
animation.

While some anime is entirely hand-drawn, computer assisted
animation techniques appear to be quite common. Story lines are
typically fictional. Examples can be found in most major genres
of fiction. Story lines can be found on television, distributed
on media such as DVDs, or included in console and computer
games. Anime has been influenced by Japanese comics known as
manga.

The English word "anime" is a transliteration of the abbreviated
version of this Japanese term. It appears there are two accepted
ways of pronouncing this word. It can be pronounced as "ANN ih
may" or many may also verbalize it as "AH nee may".

The history of anime got its start at the beginning of the 20th
century. Japanese filmmakers started experimenting with the
animation techniques that were being explored in the West.

During the 1970s, further development was seen as the genre was
separating itself from its Western roots. Unique genres such as
mecha were coming into being. In the 1980s, anime became widely
accepted in the mainstream in Japan and therefore, experienced a
boom in production. The 1990s and 2000s saw an increased
acceptance of this form of expression in overseas markets.

At one time, the genre was also known as Japanimation, but this
term has fallen into disuse. More usage of this term was seen
during the 1970s and 1980s. This was the time period, which saw
the first and second waves of anime fandom.

In more recent years, anime has been referred to in Europe as
manga. This practice may have stemmed from the Japanese usage:
In Japan, manga can refer to both animation and comics (although
the use of manga to refer to animation is mostly restricted to
non-fans). Among English speakers, manga usually has the
stricter meaning of "Japanese comics".

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built around
one of his childhood passions. Discover more about Anime and
while you are at it pick up your free 5-day course on comic book
collecting! Anime

Fan Fiction for the Comic Book Reader

2006-06-26T08:08:00.000-06:00

Fan fiction, quite admittedly, is a concept I hadn't thought about. That is until the article below came across my desk. I recognized the author because I have been communicating with him. He is building another comic book site, with the same philosophy I am using on this site. Smart fella (har, har). This is a topic I thought you might enjoy, so I decided to include his article here for your reading enjoyment. Hope you enjoy it.

Dave

Fan Fiction-To Do or Not to Do

Copyright (c) 2006 Gideon O

Fan fiction is fiction written by people who enjoy a film, novel, or other media work, using the characters and situations developed in it to create new plots in which to use these characters.

Fan fiction has been going on for decades, centuries, I'm sure even millenniums. It could be noted as far back as the ancient Egyptians. For example, the ancient Egyptians lauded many gods in their society and even wrote literature on these gods, such as Horis and Isis. When the Egyptians came in contact with the Greeks many centuries later, the Greeks picked up some of the Egyptian gods as their own and wrote stories on them. When the Romans came into the picture, they picked up some of the Greek gods as their own and wrote new plots for them. Up to this day many of the mythological gods people are aware of are usually seen as Roman or Greek myths and fiction. Some people don't even think to link them back to Egypt. Of course this is thousands of years ago when copyright didn't exist and the population of the world was a lot smaller. There wasn't any technology like the Internet. Most literature creators at that time probably did not worry too much about infringement. I mean, it's not like the Egyptians could have rode to Greece in their chariots and accuse them of violating copyright laws. However, even back then people faced severe punishment for changing or misrepresenting a story or literature renowned in their society, and the law was not kind on what we call fan fiction today.

We are in the twenty-first century; technology is at an all time high and increasing. Fans can get access to almost any media work published in an instant. And, the copyright laws of course still favor the originator. Okay, what about fanfiction in the twenty first century? The simple answer is it is still frowned upon. Then, is there any spot for fan fiction publishing? Of course there is. What I believe is that fanfiction keeps the world of literature revolving. I've observed that this is especially true for popular published literature. Usually when a book hits the shelf or a story is told, may even be on historical facts, despite the popularity and liking of the story, everyone is not satisfied. Many fans may think to themselves, "what if it happened this way?" Some fans even go out and create a fiction based on how they think the story should have happened. Some of these fans share their version with others in chat groups, message boards and so on. The effect of these fans actions? We now have more text and a wider audience.

If fan fiction makes the world of storytelling go round should fanfiction be allowed to broaden audiences and possibly allow economic growth due to the purchasing of the fictions by the curious minded? Or maybe the stories should be left as was created. But what if the story is unfinished? Should the curiosity of the audience be quenched by imaginative family members, friends, hired publishers or most of all, fans? I believe this is up to the originator to decide. If the originator doesn't want any changes to his story then the fans have to respect that.

Due to infringement many creators are afraid to tamper with any original copyright work. Nobody wants to get in trouble for plagiarism. What creators have to know is that fan fiction is usually frowned upon when it misrepresents the original character and mostly when the creator tries to commercialize it. You can think of it this way, it is like taking money from your boss. Most publishers are cool when fan fiction is in the closet, meaning hidden, not commercialized and intended for your group of people or family like setting. Doing this is just like telling a story to your family or friends.

Fan fiction creators must remember that the only reason your fan fiction exists is because of the originator of the fiction or story. Fan fictions have an audience because the original had an audience. As mentioned before, think of it like working for a boss. People are usually at their job because their boss hired them. I'm saying this because writing fanfiction is a good way to get noticed as a writer or creator. Some people make a living off writing fanfiction. This is alright as long as fan fiction creators respect the requests of the original author or publisher and not try to commercialize it.

I've always considered comic books a very interesting and intelligent way of storytelling. This has caused me to research what has made some comic books and characters popular. I share this info at http://www.comic-book-and-strip-service.com/ for anyone who wants to create successful comics.

Hope you enjoyed Gideon's article and his site really does merit taking a trip to! When you get there, tell him I sent you over. I think he would appreciate the visit very much.

Dave
Comic Book Collection Course

Comic Strips and their Place in Society!

2006-06-24T06:05:00.000-06:00

Comic strips not only provide us with the laugh each day or week that we must have to start the day. They also give a political platform to some of the strip creators in which they can pass on their social and political opinions.

Comic Strips and Their Social and Political Influence

An excerpt from Wikipedia puts comments into a great perspective:

"The comics have long held a distorted mirror to contemporary society, and almost from the beginning have been used for political or social commentary. This ranged from the staunch conservative values of Little Orphan Annie to the unabashed liberalism of Doonesbury. …More on Comic Strips in society!

Comic Strips are Almost as Well Read as Comic Books!

2006-06-23T09:10:00.000-06:00

Comic strips are almost as popular as comic books in some circles. So I would be remiss if I didn’t have a couple of pages about them. Strips have ended up in a multitude of newspapers and other media all over the world. Most people who read the Sunday paper can’t pass up the comic section. I know I sure can’t.

Comic-strips are short strips or pieces of sequential art, telling a story. They are drawn by cartoonists and are published on a recurring basis (usually daily or weekly) in newspapers, magazines or on the Internet. In the UK and Europe they are also published within comic magazines. A strip's story can continue over three pages or more. They usually communicate to the reader via speech balloons. What are your views on comic strips?

Sin City; Antagonist Fatalism or the Ultimate Good vs. Evil?

2006-06-22T11:25:00.000-06:00

The Sin City DVD blew my mind, or maybe I should say,
warped my mind. I haven't been a great fan of Graphic
Novels, but this movie encouraged me to purchase a few of
the Sin City books. Frank Miller's now famous, series
creations have taken us into the world of a bizarre surreal
environment of death, destruction and gallows underbelly
lifestyles.

Is the story telling and artistry supposed to show a world
we hope would never exist in our white bread world? Or is
it an ultimate achievement of good (disguised as part of
the underbelly) trying to subdue evil? I prefer to think
the latter.

The film itself is a work of pure cinematography genius.
With the classic film noir overlay and the visual tricks
and special effects, it looks as if you would open the Sin
City graphic novel and have the pages come to life. This, I
do believe, is the closest I have seen a movie come to the
actual artwork and content of the original paper versions.

The very concept and style of Sin City, whether it be the
movie or the novels, is not for everyone. The plot and
violence are very graphic and definitely not for younger
audiences. But as graphic as the movie is, due to the
nature of the moving comic book background, it doesn't
bring out the reality and gore that could have been
pictured. Personally, I enjoyed this toning down. I would
hate to think that I could actually condone this kind of
violent activity.

Robert Rodriguez in collaboration with series creator,
Frank Miller have ingeniously intertwined four of the
Graphic Novels into the making of Sin City. "The Customer
is Always Right", opens the movie even before the credits
starts. Then "The Hard Goodbye", "Big Fat Kill" and "That
Yellow Bastard" make up the rest of the movie.

I for one was impressed with the casting and how the actors
seemed to fit the characters to perfection. I am starting
to see a pattern though, in that certain actors are
starting to show up in various comic book related movies of
the new Hollywood features. The Kingpin (Michael Clarke
Duncan) from Daredevil, for example, is also a character in
Sin City. Do you think you can spot him? He is pretty hard
to miss.

It looks like by now, Jessica Alba may be vying for the
Title "Queen of the Comic Book Movies" (ha ha). She also
came out this year in The Fantastic Four and will be in the
sequel when it comes out.

With the new outcry for realistic comic book character
movies and the new Hollywood technologies that make them
possible, it looks like the original character creators
want to reap some of the exposure. Stan Lee, of Marvel
Comics fame, manages to get a cameo appearance every now
and again in his character creation movies. And now, in Sin
City, Frank Miller was justified in putting his mug on the
wide screen. He appears as the, shall we say, sinister
priest that Marv (Mickey Rourke) decides he is justified in
blowing away. How many more comic book character creators
do you think we will see in cameo rolls as more movies are
produced?

If you are an avid fan of Frank Miller and, in particular,
Sin City, then you will quite probably feel this one of the
best movies to come out of Hollywood in 2005. If you are
unfamiliar with the entire Sin City theme and series,
advance with caution and don't watch it with the young or
the young at heart (ha). The movie, in my mind, is
definitely a visual sensation. And I hear that Sin City II
may be ready for us in the summer of 2006. Enjoy.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success with this
free 5-day course: Sin City

Superheroes, Which Ones are our Passions and Desires?

2006-06-21T09:19:00.000-06:00

Superheroes are the main type of characters that make the comic book industry go ‘round. There are definitely other types of comic book characters that are very much in demand. But in my mind, super-heroes drive the show.

Look what Hollywood has done with the comic book industry. Their blockbuster movies have been about super-heroes. This page is a hub to several of my favorites and some of the more popular comic book heroes over the ages. Are any of your favorite superheroes here?

The Incredible Hulk in the Media Spotlight!

2006-06-20T08:53:00.000-06:00

The Incredible Hulk has been popular enough over the years to remain in one form or another on television and later the movies. There have been numerable adaptations of the character. Included are several animated television series in the 1960s and then in the ‘80s and ‘90s.

The Hulk first started out in animation as part of the Marvel Super Heroes animated television series in 1966. The 5-10 episodes were shown and were based on the early stories appearing in both Hulk and Tales to Astonish comics. More about the Incredible Hulk on TV and in the Movies!

The Incredible Hulk, Multiple Personality Disorder?

2006-06-19T07:24:00.000-06:00

The Incredible Hulk, as we all now know, is the alter ego of Dr. Robert Bruce Banner, a genius in nuclear physics. As a result of exposure to gamma radiation, Banner often becomes one of a number of large, superhumanly strong, green or gray creatures. Over the years, Marvel has created several Hulk manifestations to increase readership appeal.

The Hulk has always been classified as a superhero, but he and Banner have shared a Jekyll/Hyde type of relationship. The most well known Incredible Hulk personality has little intelligence or self-control and can cause great destruction. As a result, the military as well as other superheroes have hunted him. Bruce Banner considers the Hulk a very burdensome curse. Read more about the Incredible Hulk and his Changing Personalities!

The Incredible Hulk, The Ultimate Mean Green Destroying Machine!

2006-06-17T07:37:00.000-06:00

The Hulk, who is most notably called the Incredible Hulk, is a Marvel Comics superhero. Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Incredible Hulk Vol.1 #1 in May 1962. This character has since become one of Marvel's most iconic characters and in many instances, ranked second only to Spider-Man in terms of name value.

The Hulk was inspired by the story of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and Robert Louis Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The duel personality of the simple-minded and emotional brute springing from a quiet intellectual is the inner dynamic at work here. Indeed, in contrast to the quiet Dr. Bruce Banner, the most famous version of the Hulk is a childlike persona who just wants to be left alone, but is continually forced to battle foes determined to hunt him down. This is also somewhat similar to that of Universal Studio’s 1931 film, Frankenstein. Read more about the Incredible Hulk and his Fascination!

Daredevil and His Creators!

2006-06-16T06:41:00.000-06:00

Although Daredevil was created in 1964 by Stan Lee and Bill Everett at Marvel Comics, he was not an extremely popular character with comic book fans. He was somewhat a second string character that appeared to be similar to Spider-Man with great acrobatic skills and swinging among the towering structures of New York City.

The Daredevil title did have limited success in the hands of noteworthy artists just as Wally Wood. Wood was responsible for changing the costume from the original yellow and black to the now familiar, classic red. And as another talented artist, Gene Colan, took over, the title enjoyed limited success through the 1960s and 1970s. Sales though, were never as strong as Marvel would have liked. Read more about Daredevil and his Creators!

Daredevil, The Blind Can See Again!

2006-06-15T09:08:00.000-06:00

Daredevil has weathered the comic book industry storms and sunny days for the last 40 some odd years. His personality and persona have taken some unique twists over those years. He and his mortal half, Matt Murdock, belong in the Marvel Comics camp of superheroes. Created by Stan Lee and Bill Everett in April 1964, he debuted in Daredevil #1. Read more about Daredevil!

Comic Book Industry Errors, Part 2

2006-06-14T08:42:00.000-06:00

Although lacking in popularity for years, the mid-50s
through early 60s brought back a resurgence of the
superheroes. This in itself was not bad, especially since I
like superheroes. But as the publishers wanted to cash in
on this rebirth, all other genres within the comic book
industry started to fade. The romance comics, the westerns,
the hard-boiled detectives, the war comics and science
fiction comics all started to pass by the wayside. The
superhero was being driven by the market forces, which
became to exist in the US comic book industry. Suppliers
and consumers alike developed an obsessive preoccupation
with superheroes, which ultimately became a detriment to
the medium as a whole. By catering too much to the limited
market of superhero lovers, a much broader audience became
neglected. One analogy presented in the past was that
superheroes are like really good desert. We all like
desert, but who can eat it all the time?

Another concern with this market saturation was the
aesthetic merits under the weight of the superhero
longevity itself. This was not necessarily the fault of the
genre itself, but of the market upholding its lone cash
cow. The very nature of art of storytelling within the
superhero arena, was greatly affected. We all have learned
from the time we were young, the fundamental elements of
storytelling. There is the beginning, a middle and an end.
The telling of superheroes defies these fundamentals. There
is a beginning, a continuous middle and NO end. The most
obvious (and arguably most drama killing) story telling
convention is that a leading superhero character can not
die, at least, not for long.

Where is the sense of suspense in knowing the peril of the
superhero against the super villain, will not last for
long. Knowing that to sustain the market popularity, the
hero must return issue after issue. While thrilling, it
becomes and unconscious exercise in waiting to see how our
hero survives. This does not command the drama as that of a
character whose outcome you are uncertain of for any given
issue. This leaves no ending to an otherwise great story
line, and thus a paradox. How could our superhero
characters continue, as we would have them, if they were
truly to die?

Cognitive psychology has demonstrated that memory retention
is stronger with beginnings and endings. We wonder then,
how can a story be memorable if there is no ending? It can
be theorized, that to keep comic books good, and this
includes super heroes, they have to ultimately come to an
end. It has been quoted before that all good things must
come to an end. Would this help to keep the comic book
industry on a more successful track? This can now only be
to the speculation of each of us as individuals. Think
about what your opinion is.

One of the easiest mistakes to spot in the comic book
industry, but the hardest to avoid, was the creation of the
Direct Sales Market. This was intended so dealers could
purchase direct from the publishers, for a lower cost and
in bulk. This in turn would allow the dealers to make their
own profits. Not a bad idea. Isn't this how
wholesale/retail transactions operate? Apparently though,
this became the only method of distribution and eliminated
mass venues and comic books were only sold through small
isolated venues. What do you think would happen if Time
Magazine, for instance, took itself off the newsstands and
sold only through these small outlets?

Imagine, although pure profits for the publishers, turning
a mass publication into a niche market publication. Who
would deliberately do this? Who would be that crazy? Well,
apparently the comic book industry did. Over 70 odd years
they had managed to always make the wrong decision, by
looking at the shortest-term results and throwing every egg
into that basket.

And if all this is not enough, the final mistake made by
the industry was to shift from Product to Personality. This
entailed the move toward selling who was doing the book
instead of what the book was all about. While a few bright
lights in the comic book writing field shined and some over
the short term prospered, can an industry in general,
continue to be successful? If none but the most well know
and successful writers can prosper, what would become of
the bulk of the comic book genre, if this attitude
persists? Many otherwise excellent magazines may go down
the proverbially flaming tubes. Do keep this in mind.

Can the comic book industry be saved? Very possibly, but
when the individuals in charge of the saving are as eager
as ever to make the same mistakes all over again, what will
the outcome be? They don't even appear to be cleaver enough
to make new mistakes.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success with this
free 5-day course: Comic Book Industry Superheroes

Captain America, One Patriotic Bastard!

2006-06-13T07:57:00.000-06:00

Captain America was the most prominent of a wave of patriotically themed superheroes, which American comic book companies introduced during World War II. With his sidekick Bucky, Captain-America faced Nazis and Japanese troops during his 1940s heyday, but the hero faded into obscurity after the war.

Captain-America, the alter ego of Steve Rogers, is a Marvel Comics superhero. Created by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby, he first appeared in Timely Comics' Captain America Comics #1 (March 1941). See more Captain America!

Blunders the Comic book Industry Brought on Themselves

2006-06-12T07:38:00.000-06:00

What has gone wrong within the comic book industry and can
it be fixed? The rape and pillage, in the eyes of some, may
have left the comic book industry gasping for life support.
It seems that for an industry that has seen so much
success, the history of comic books, has apparently been
confounded by seemingly dumb mistakes.

The first could have very well been the coining of the name
"comic books". The earliest versions of the so-called
half-tab (for half tabloid) reprints of the Sunday funnies
(the comics) became known as "comic books". This led to the
thinking in general, that comic books contained comic or
funny material, which we all know, is a far stretch from
reality. Comic books can be very somber, dark or
adventurous magazines. It has often been suggested that
there should be another term coined to better describe this
literary package we all know as comic books. To date, no
other user-friend term has been suggested for use in the
comic book industry.

A second misdirection came when magazine prices started to
rise. Instead of increasing comic book prices, like other
successful magazines did, the comic book industry decided
to cut pages to keep the then current price tag of 10
cents. This brought on the impression that comic books were
"cheap" by definition, and neglected the fact that a dime
was a lot of money at one time (steak & eggs cost 35
cents). This presented the image that comic books were just
for kids. It also made the product increasingly less viable
for retail merchants to stock. Why take up the same shelf
space, when a higher priced magazine would do more nicely.
Again the perceived value of the comic book was loosing
credibility.

Then as the 1950s rolled around, an individual by the name
of Dr. Frederick Wertham, published a book entitled
"Seduction of the Innocents". Through the use of
unscientific research and assumptions, he stated that all
the nation's ills were directly related to kids reading
comic books (ah hmm, what?). Central to his thesis, was the
misassumption that comic books were strictly for kids. The
more adult material, it was irrationally assumed, was aimed
at our sweet, naïve innocent children. Yes, we do have to
protect our children, but it still bothers me to no end,
that certain self-righteous individuals believe their lot
in life is to make the rest of the planet adhere to their
own personal beliefs. If this were the case, then our great
country would have never been founded.

With this wildly irrational attack on the comic book
industry and many congressional leaders jumping on the
bandwagon, comic books were gaining a bad reputation. The
comic book industry publishers at this point, could have
banded together and declared that comic books, like movies,
were not "just for kids". It should have been stated that
the wide range of comic book genres represented was target
to as wide a range of readers. All but one of the
publishers (William Gaines, publisher of EC Comics) buckled
under to this Congressional Investigation and the Comic
Code Authority was created. This governed the content of
comic books and ensured that for the next 15 years or so,
the literary content would not rise much above that of
pablum for the mind. Therefore another slide into
incredibility for the comic book industry took place. Can
the comic book industry be saved? Very possibly, but when
the individuals in charge of the saving are as eager as
ever to make the same mistakes all over again, what will
the outcome be? They don't even appear to be cleaver enough
to make new mistakes.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success with this
free 5-day course: Comic Book Collection

Batman Begins and the Mighty Fantastic Four. Who's Your Favorite?

2006-06-10T08:11:00.000-06:00

Well, it looks like Hollywood keeps it continual pot of
revenue filled with, guess what, comic book heroes. Batman
Begins and The Fantastic Four have been duking it out on
Hollywood and Vine. An age-old comic book company rivalry
is yet renewing the heat this year. I guess all of us comic
book aficionados always wonder who would win the battle
between such and such superheroes.

Well at least in the next few months one way to keep score
is to watch the revenues generated between the recently
released "Batman Begins" and "Fantastic Four", which were
both childhood fascinations of mine. Not only are there
superhero "what ifs" going on here, but which comic book
company will stand to gain the most economic
substantiation? Batman Begins punches the daily time clock
at DC Comics and the Fantastic Four was the brainchild of
Stan Lee and crew at Marvel Comics.

And don't tell me there is a small comic book hero market.
Batman Begins claimed the number one spot in gross revenue
on its opening weekend. Hollywood is definitely increasing
the thickness of its silver lining these days with comic
book hero movies. Batman Begins took in almost $49 million
it's opening weekend. How many mint condition old comic
books would you have to sell to make that kind of dough?
Are we in the wrong end of the comic book world (ha ha)?

The rivalry between Marvel and DC used to be a major
dividing line amongst the tight knit group of comic book
collectors. When comic book interest started to decline in
the 1970s, this issue became largely irrelevant. But now as
video games, online role-playing games and major motion
picture productions are spreading across the globe, the
classic Marvel-DC conflict is springing back to life.

Superman is coming back to life on the big screen as well
as Wonder Woman. Marvel has been riding high off their
major successes with the X-men and Spiderman. They are now
digging deep into their catalog of characters and are
working on screen adaptations of Iron Man, the Submariner,
Thor and Silver Surfer, among others. Have we entered a new
comic book age that will have to be defined around major
motion pictures? Maybe it could be call the "Greenback
Age". Do you have another definition?

And as computer literate as so many are these days, Marvel
and DC will have to start developing more online games and
virtual universes of all their characters that you and I
will be willing to pay a monthly fee to access through our
computers and game consoles. Ka-ching, Ka-ching. DC has
already announced a deal with Sony Online Entertainment and
Marvel is working with Vivendi Universal Games. With the
massive successes of the X-Men and Spiderman movies, this
has proven that the Marvel characters still have life and
relevance in today's pop culture.

While DC may be playing a bit of catch up, they are quick
to point out that they and Warner Bro. have been more
successful on the small screen with TV shows like
"Smallville" and several animated cartoon series. And
further since their TV and film projects are filmed and
aired by the Warner Bro. conglomerate, DC gets to keep more
of the profit than Marvel does on their projects.

What do we, the consumer public, get out of all this? Well,
for one, we get to see our heroes in a more realistic light
than ever before. We can grab that popcorn and maybe an
extra drink and watch our comic book heroes and characters
come to life in a real world setting, at least for a few
hours, and walk out with a little more joy in our hearts.
Go out and get immersed in Batman Begins and hold your
breath for the Fantastic Four. And besides, this new
revelation in Hollywood may just increase the value of our
old mint condition comics. We can only wait and see.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success with this
free 5-day course: Comic Book Collection

Stan Lee, Does he Deserve Marvel's Wrath?

2006-06-09T09:07:00.000-06:00

Stan Lee, in my mind, has to be one of the all time most
recognizable individuals in the "Comic Book Industry". Most
lovers of comic books have known his name all their
collecting lives. For those of you who don't know Stan Lee,
I am sure you have heard of his creations. The X-Men, the
Fantastic Four, the Incredible Hulk, Daredevil, and the
very well known Spider-Man are all from the mind of Stan
Lee. For the last forty years or more and as an employee
of Marvel Comics, he has entertained us through the art of
comic book imagination.

Well, by now you would think that an individual of this
caliber would be taken seriously and treated with respect
from his employers. Apparently not! In 2002 Stan Lee
decided he had to file a lawsuit against the comic giant,
Marvel. It appears the agreement between Lee and Marvel was
that 10% of the income generated from TV and movies using
Stan Lee characters, was to be his. Seems Marvel didn't
see it that way. Typical of conglomerates, isn't it? The
boys in the suits seem to want to make all the rules. Stan
Lee, at one time, had even been a suit himself. Among other
positions held at Marvel, Lee had even been president of
the company for a while.

Years ago when Stan Lee had created most of his characters,
he had done it through a write-for-hire agreement, so he
doesn't own the characters. Stan was then, just a "meat and
potatoes" kind of guy, trying to put meat and potatoes on
the table. But over the years, he was very instrumental in
putting Marvel Comics on the map.

When the 10% deal was formally put together, apparently
most individuals involved didn't realize the windfall that
comic book character movies would become. Now is that any
reason to hold back Stan's piece of the pie? I think not.
Just corporate bigwigs trying to increase their lot in
life. Now this is just my opinion so don't rant back at me
as being unfair.

As luck would have it, a federal judge agreed and ruled in
favor of Stan Lee. How much monetary compensation does this
mean? Well to put it in perspective, the two Spider- Man
movies thus far, have reaped on the order of 800 million
dollars apiece, in world wide ticket sales. This settlement
could mean tens of millions of dollars for Lee, but the
battle is not over. Marvel, will quite probably appeal the
verdict and the case may be tied up in the courts for years.

Now don't go feeling too badly for Stan Lee. He is still
pulling down a salary from Marvel on the order of a million
dollars. Still not to shabby in my mind. And Lee has mixed
feels because he has been loyal to Marvel for 60 years. To
have his lifelong employer trying to, shall we say, stiff
him, for being so loyal, I'm sure, does hurt. Had it not
been for Stan Lee, Marvel may not have been in the
financial position they are today.

At 82, Stan Lee does have a comfortable and successful
life. And if even his settlement is held up in the courts
for years, Stan won the first round. He didn't bow down to
the corporate hammer. Just another "Joe working class hero"
yelling out, hey guys, let's play by the rules.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success with this
free 5-day course: Stan Lee and Marvel

Ghost Rider, Cowboy or Biker?

2006-06-08T06:11:00.000-06:00

Ghost Rider has had an amazing character change from the days of first creation to what is common today. The original Ghost-Rider was a cowboy in the American Wild West, whom many think, first appeared in 1967 in Ghost Rider #1. He battled evil as a gunfighter, while dressed in a luminescent white costume, complete with a mask and the requisite white hat.

The character’s original creation actually dates back to 1949 where he first rode onto the scene as a back up feature in the old Tim Holt series in issue #11. He was Rex Fury a federal marshal in the Old West dressed up in a luminous white outfit complete with a glowing cape and Stetson. Learn more about Ghost Rider, the Biker!

Green Lantern and the Amazing Power Ring!

2006-06-07T07:47:00.000-06:00

Thousands of years ago before Green Lantern, a mystical "green flame" fell to Earth. The voice of the flame prophesied that it would act three times: Once to bring death, once to bring life, and once to bring power.

By 1940, the flame had been fashioned into a metal lantern, which fell into the hands of Alan Scott, a young engineer. Following a railroad bridge collapse, the flame instructed Scott how to fashion a ring from its metal. It gave him fantastic powers as the superhero Green Lantern. He adopted a colorful costume and became a crime-fighter. Green Lantern Ring Powers and Abilities!

The Green Lantern, So Many Faces for One Character!

2006-06-06T07:32:00.000-06:00

Quite frankly I had not touched base with the Green Lantern character since my youthful days of comic book bliss. I was quite unaware of the deeply entwining multifaceted character history. Several separate individuals have taken on the Green-Lantern role over the years. There has even been a League of some 3600 characters that have intrigued fans throughout the character history.

A DC Comics superhero, created by Martin Nodell and Bill Finger, the original Green Lantern debuted in All-American Comics #16 (July 1940).

Several individuals have assumed the character identity over the years. Each of them possessed a special ring called a power ring, which gives them great control over the physical world as long as the wielder has sufficient willpower. How many Green Lantern identities are there?

Hellboy, Sinister Demon or Renegade Do Gooder?

2006-06-05T08:56:00.000-06:00

Quite frankly I had to ask myself, who is Hellboy anyway. I had not been up to speed on this rather interesting and bizarre comic book superhero until recently. I have now seen the DVD and rather enjoyed it.

He is a comic book character who has been classified as the 'World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator'. He is a large red-skinned quasi human/demon type with a tail, horns on his forehead, which have been sawed down to stumps and a big stone right hand (called the Right Hand of Doom). His creation is attributed to Mike Mignola. Hellboy's adventures have been chronicled in a sequence of comic book mini-series (commonly called graphic novels) published by Dark Horse Comics. A brief history of Hellboy!

Action Figures, They’re Finally on the Shelf!

2006-06-03T08:00:00.000-06:00

The final manufacturing steps to putting your prized action figures at your disposal are now discussed. Again, these are general steps in the entire processing plan and may vary depending on individual goals and design.

Step Eleven: Inserts, Decals, etc. – It is now time to prepare any and all manuals, flyers, decals, bagging material, etc. that will be needed in the final package. The creative department usually supplies all of the copy and artwork that is required for the production. This information is then passed along to the selected vendor/factory previously chosen for this project. The factory will then provide proof sheets on each item for review and approval by the client and licensor if necessary prior to going into production. See the Final Steps of Action Figures Manufacturing Processes!

Action Figures, How the Heck are They Produced Anyway?

2006-06-02T06:55:00.000-06:00

Action figures, like any other production line product, have certain steps or processes, which need completion, before they end up on the toy shelves. Have you ever wondered how your valuable little gems came to be? I will attempt to cover the basic manufacturing process and philosophy. This is just a general overview and a certain given action figure may vary from these procedures, depending on the requirements and goals that need to be met.

Some of these steps appear a little more familiar to me than maybe most. In another life (ha ha), I was a mold engineer for a while. And most action figures are manufactured in some kind of molding process. So grab a favorite beverage, sit back and absorb the creation process of your favorite collectibles. Action Figures Manufacturing Processes!

Action Figures Collecting, Production and Marketing Methods to Look For!

2006-06-01T08:10:00.000-06:00

Action figures production has, due in part, during the 1990s, to the success of "Spawn" and the resurgence of "Star Wars", made some major advancements. Production became an "art form" and action-figures are remarkably better than ever before.

When figures first became popular, the ability to create poses was of paramount concern. This separated the action figure from the common doll. With the introduction of the 3 3/4" sizes, the need for more diverse vehicles and playsets became a market draw. And the 5" figures allowed the integration of interactive features.

However, if you pay close attention to the industry's marketing tactics today, you will find that action figures are starting to come full-circle back to the 8-12" format. This can be seen in such collector lines as Playmates' "Star Trek", Kenner's "Star Wars", McFarlane's "Spawn" and Hasbro's "Classic Collection G.I. Joes".

Many marketing tactics are starting to target the collectors these days. Below are a few of the marketing strategies that you may want to be aware of from the collector’s point of view. At any rate, it's a fabulous era to be a toy collector! Inside Tips on Action Figures Collecting!

Action Figures Collecting, a New Hobby Emerges!

2006-05-31T07:39:00.000-06:00

Action figures in general, were established as one of the top-selling toy categories as far back as 1965. Collecting them started to become a serious hobby as the 1970s emerged. The reasons for action figures collecting became quite clear as some of the best pop-culture icons started coming from movies, television and comics.

If you are new to collecting these enticing little jewels or have your own collection started, I would like to give you some rules of engagement. These are some general rules of thumb and common sense ideas, but they will help give you some basic collecting etiquette or knowledge. And as we all know, knowledge is power. Tips on Action Figures Collecting!

What are Superhero Action Figures?

2006-05-30T08:56:00.000-06:00

Action figures have gained quite and enormous popularity over the years. Although there is a wide variety of characters that have hit the toy store shelves, superhero figures comprise a large share of this popularity. It seems that those interested in comic books are many times, also interested in superhero figurine collectibles. Learn more about the fascinating world of Action Figures!

Comic Book History, Fascinating!

2006-05-29T05:29:00.000-06:00

The origins of the comic book are somewhat controversial
and perhaps the jury is still out on comic book history. So
lets go back to the cartoonish broadsheets of the Middle
Ages, which were parchment products, created by anonymous
woodcutters. These could have been the very beginnings of
the comic book.

As mass circulation of these broadsheets became possible,
they soon developed a market, particularly at public
executions, popular events for centuries (ugh), which drew
thousands of happy spectators. Many of these spectators
would invest in an artist's rendering of a hanging or
burning, and thus making a very lucky day for the
broadsheet seller.

The broadsheet evolved into higher-level content as humor
was introduced. Eventually, all types of broadsheets
emerged, which were eventually bound in collections, the
prototype of the modern magazine and thus the comic book.
Magazines formatted like the popular Punch, an elegant
British creation, became the primary focus of documentary
accounts of news and events, fiction and humor.

One can see in Punch, the sophisticated evolution of a
comic book style, particularly in respect of the evolution
of comics in Great Britain. Still and all, from an
historical standpoint, the comic strip, and later the comic
book, stood in the alley, waiting to be born. And then some
say Great Britain's Ally Sloper's "Half Alley" was the
first comic book. This was a black and white tabloid that
had panels of cartoons mixed with a sliver of news; circa
1884.

Now while all this was going on in Great Britain, this
inching towards the comic book, the United States had its
own brand of evolution. Instead of magazines, US newspapers
took the lead in creating the comic book industry.

Newspapers, with their first steps, took their single image
gags and evolved them into multi-paneled comic strips. It
was during this period that William Randolph Hearst scored
a knockout with the Yellow Kid, which was actually printed
in yellow ink.

So where did the actual comic book begin? Some say it was
with reprints of Carl Schultz' Foxy Grandpa, from 1901 to
1905. Although others say it was Great Britain's Ally
Sloper's Half Alley. In 1902, Hearst published the
Katzenjammer Kids and Happy Hooligan in books with
cardboard covers.

For a time, the Yellow Kid himself was a top contender. But
it depends how rigid you are in your description of a comic
book. These examples, for sure, were predecessors to the
modern comic book, which exploded in the 1930's.

The Whitman Publishing Company, in 1934, became one of the
pre-launchers for the modern comic book. They published
forty issues of Famous Comics, which was a black and white
hardcover reprint. The first regularly published comic book
in the more recognizable modern format though, was Famous
Funnies. It featured such memorable characters as Joe
Palooka, Buck Rogers and Mutt and Jeff.

Superheroes as we know them today took a strong foothold in
the 1930's. In 1938, Max C. Gaines, who was one of the
comic industry giants, brought "Superman" to Dell Comics
publisher, Harry Donenfield.

Donenfield scored the comic coup of the century when he
published a story written by two teenagers, Jerry Siegel
and Joe Shuster- and so "Superman of Metropolis" (the title
of their short story they wrote in their own fanzine) was
born. Superman was to set a standard for comic book heroes
that persist to this day.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success with this
free 5-day course: Learn more about the comic book collecting!

The Fascinating and Informative World of Comic Books, A Collection of Articles

2006-05-27T08:06:00.000-06:00

I decided to compile all of my musings about the comic book industry from the last several months. Together in one special report are the articles I have written on numerous comic book related issues. Among the topics are:

Tips and tidbits on comic book supplies

Happenings in Hollywood

Stan Lee and his Hollywood woes

The thrills of comic book collecting

And more...

This report has taken months to build, and it is not finished. As I create and/or find more articles of interest, the report will be updated. And you will have free access to the updates as well.

This comic book gem is worth the total price of admission, but is included here free of charge if you take action today! Learn more about the fascinating world of comic books!

Comic Book Collecting, I Can't Get Enough!

2006-05-26T07:33:00.000-06:00

Have you ever read a comic book before? I imagine just
about everyone, at some time in their life, has read at
least one comic book. But do your interests and enjoyment
level go beyond that? You may have said to yourself, at
sometime or another, I would like to start comic book
collecting some day. Heck, you may even have several comic
books lying around that you have just never organized.

What do I do to start comic book collecting and what all do
I need? Well, as I am sure you realize, you need to start
with a passion. You have a comic book collecting passion,
you say, but you don't want to be labeled a "comic book
collecting geek" and remain alone in your enjoyment. Well,
my suggestion to you is "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" and
believe me, you are not alone. You would be amazed at the
multitudes of individuals who have a passion for comic book
collecting. And there are a plethora of related sites on
the Web.

I couldn't get enough of these colorful action-packed
little devils when I was young. But like any supposedly
responsible individual, I lay my comic book collecting
passion aside when I got older and went to college and got
a good job. Well in the last several months, I have
rekindled that childhood passion and have spent a good
share of my time researching and creating my own comic book
collecting website. And what a rush it has been
reintroducing myself to myself. I am finding quite an avid
interest in all the new comic book hero movies Hollywood is
cranking out. I have even started my own comic book hero
DVD collection. And this is big business, so I know there
are throngs of people out there with my same comic book
collecting interests and I hope to connect with many of
them through my comic book collecting website.

I ran into a major thrill the other day glancing through
the want ads of my local newspaper. Lo and behold, someone
was selling a comic book collection. A quick call and a
meeting in the shopping mall parking lot and I was the
proud owner of 189 comic books kept in beautiful condition.
And get this; it cost me $50.00 for the whole comic book
collection. I have as yet to determine the actual worth of
the collection, but it has got to be substantially more
than what I paid for it. As time goes on, I will be
organizing all of these comic book collecting items in a
spreadsheet and using my trusty copy of the Overstreet
Comic Book Collecting Price Guide to determine my new comic
book collection's total worth. As I do that, I will be
reporting results on my website.

Through all my research over the last many months, I have
even created an ebook product on how to start comic book
collecting, which is filled with Internet resources. I want
to have an inexpensive resource available to help others,
with the same passion I have, to get started. If you care
to see what the book is about, you can check it out at

http://www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com/comic-book-collection.html

and let me know what you think.

When you start your comic book collecting, you will need to
start thinking about sources to purchase your comic books
from. You will want to start learning about comic book
supplies to help preserve and organize your magazines. You
will want to learn how the rest of the industry goes about
grading physical condition and what your individual comics
are worth. Personally though, I believe some of the
greatest worth in a comic book is what it means to you and
the enjoyment you receive from owning these little pieces
of art. You may even what to find where all the great comic
book conventions are and if there are any close to you. All
of this information is available on the Net and I am hoping
to build a central hub to all this other great info.

Want to start comic book collecting? Come on over and visit
me. Kick your shoes off and stay for a while. I don't think
you will be disappointed. You may even want to bookmark my
site. Have something of value you want me to add or a
question that needs an answer? I am all ears. So start
scanning the want ads and I will see you at my site. Flame
on! Or was that "Up, Up and Away"? Learn more about Comic Book Collecting!

CGC Comic Book Authentication, To Certify or not to Certify?

2006-05-24T10:03:00.000-06:00

What is all the hubbub about CGC authenticated comic books? Should you purchase CGC comics? Should you have your own comic book collection slabbed and verified? These questions, I am sure constantly plague collectors world wide. This special report addresses some of the pros and cons to CGC authentication. In this report you will find:

Opinions of top comic book experts

What CGC comics are

CGC services and prices

An alternative to CGC

Internet resources to discover all you need to know about CGC graded comic books

There are 27 information packed pages in this report. This will give you enough knowledge to formulate your own rational informed opinion about CGC comics. This free report can be yours in a matter of minutes. Learn more about CGC Comics now!

CGC Comics, What’s all the Hubbub?

2006-05-23T07:45:00.000-06:00

CGC comics authentication, to slab or not to slab! Is this the question? It appears to me that there has been an onslaught of controversy over the whole concept of slabbing comic books by Comics Guarantee Corporation. CGC has been in operation now since 1999 and has developed quite a position for themselves in the comic book industry. Read the entire article at CGC Comics!

The Proper Use of Comic Book Supplies will help you Maintain a Top-Notch Collection

2006-05-22T08:50:00.000-06:00

If you want to keep your comic book collection in tiptop
shape, comic book supplies will become part of your
collecting life. As soon as a magazine is printed there are
natural environmental forces going to work to try and
destroy the ink and the paper. You have put in a lot of
time, effort and enjoyment in acquiring all your comics.
You don't want them to turn back to the dust and elements
from which they came do you? So the proper use of comic
book supplies is essential.

Elements such as humidity, temperature, pollutants, human
skin oils and even the chemicals of the printed materials
themselves, will start to deteriorate and discolor your
comic books from day one. Comic book supplies and tools
that have been developed over the years to help us combat
these natural forces are de-acidification paper, polymer
type storage bags, stiff backing material, storage boxes
and desiccants (dehumidification materials). Not only will
these comic book supplies protect your comics for your own
enjoyment, they will add to reinforce the future value of
each comic book.

Most all of these comic book supplies can typically be
located down at your local comic book shop. But as I have
discovered lately, there can be a world of difference in
preservation abilities depending on what materials are used
in the manufacture of comic book supplies. Quite typically
what you may find downtown will be of sufficient protective
quality to protect your comics for quite a while. Although,
polybags, to put your comics into, are quite common and
fairly cheap, Mylar bags are definitely the way to go. They
will protect for 100 years (that may be a little overboard)
as opposed to 2 or 3 years for poly.

There has been a lot of elaborate science, particularly
chemistry, which has gone into comic book supplies
preservation material manufacturing the last several years.
MicroChamber material has been developed that will increase
preservation from de-acidification and environmental
breakdown for a vastly superior time period as opposed to
typical comic book supplies materials available today.
Beware though, comic book supplies manufactured with this
new material can become quite costly. But if you have some
serious collector's items, which you feel are worth a
significant amount of cash, isn't the investment worth it?
It is also no secret that CGC uses these comic book
supplies materials in every comic book they grade.

I have created a page at my comic book site, which
incorporates links to some rather technical scientific
articles on preservation and using MicroChamber materials.
You can read an in-depth discussion at Comic Book Supplies!

First Issue Superman eBook, Rare Find!

2006-05-20T07:39:00.000-06:00

I can't believe I found this. An ebook rendition of the comic book that started the illustrious career of one of the most popular comic book heroes of all time, Superman. Action Comics #1, released in 1938, introduced Superman to the comic book industry and the rest is history. Superman eBook!

Mylar, The Superior Comic Book Protection Sleeve of Choice!

2006-05-19T06:38:00.000-06:00

Mylar or more preferably, Type D is as good as it gets for protecting your comic books individually. If you are going to keep your magazines for any length of time, you will need to bag each one of them separately. While many collectors typically use polyethylene and polypropylene bags, Type D’s protection qualities will far outlast these materials. Other plastic material may protect your comic books for several months before they need replacing, but Type D will protect for years. More like hundreds of years. Your collection will definitely outlast you. Read more about Mylar sleeves!

Hollywood's Fascination with the Comic Book Superhero

2006-05-18T08:23:00.000-06:00

The public fascination with comic book superhero characters
have been exploited by movie production companies for
years. Hollywood has been creating feature length comic
book movies, movie serials and TV shows to continue to whet
our appitites. But as special effect technology and costume
designs became better and better, Hollywood kicked it up a
notch with feature-length high budget productions.
Superman, the Movie and the 3 sequels started in the 1970s
and the '90s and beyond brought us Batman, The Hulk, the
X-Men and the now infamous Spider-Man, to name a few.

Why all this interest in producing comic book superhero
movies? Big bucks!! The two Spider-Man movies alone have
netted about 800 million dollars apiece in worldwide ticket
sales. That's not chicken feed. This kind of income could
not be generated without an avid public interest in comic
book movies. So if you feel you are alone in your voracious
passion for your own comic book collection, think again.

And now a new twist has been added. Directors, screenplay
writers, and even actors are writing for, of all things,
comic books now. Big name Hollywood writers are helping to
sell more comics. For example, Joss Whedon, perhaps best
known for creating Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has written
stories for Marvel in the series Astonishing X-Men. Back in
the 90s, who would have known that all these fan boys had
been hiding in the Hollywood woodworks waiting for comics
to gain some cultural credibility?

If you haven't followed some of the comic news of the last
several months, Stan "the man" Lee has been fighting his
personal battle with His life long employer, Marvel Comics.
Stan is probably one of the most well known character
creators in the comic book industry. He has characters like
Batman, Spider-Man and the Hulk credited to his creative
imagination.

Seems Stan had a contractual agreement with Marvel for 10%
of any revenue acquired by Marvel from comic book superhero
movies and TV projects centered on Stan characters. But
apparently the high dollar superstructure of the corporate
mind doesn't want to part with all their income. Now this
is nothing new, but Stan Lee managed to win the first round
for the little guy. The judge presiding over Stan's case
agreed that Stan should receive his share of the agreed on
profits.

Now maybe Stan will get his share and maybe he won't.
Sounds like Marvel will be appealing the decision. At any
rate, if there weren't big bucks involved in the production
of comic book superhero movies, this case would not have
been such an issue.

I believe the near future is going to bring many more of my
favorite comic book superheroes to the silver screen. I
have already started my own DVD collection and as more
comic book superheroes get transferred from the screen to
round disc, I will continue to increase the size of my
collection. Do you think a DVD comic book movie collection
will be worth as much as a comic book collection in the
future? Probably not, but that won't stop me from building
my collection anyway.

What does the future hold for comic book superhero movies?
It almost seems that we can call the present and near
future the Golden Age of the comic book movie. I spend a
lot of time researching comic book superheros and creating
new content for my comic book site. Is there a movie in the
planning stages for your favorite comic book superhero? A
frequent visit to my site may inform you as to when you can
expect the next comic book movie. See you there.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success. To receive
your free 5-part mini course visit: Collecting Comic Books!

Discover the Truth about Comic Book Collection; Nerdy Geeks or Shrewd Investors?

2006-05-17T07:10:00.000-06:00

It is unbelievable when one says, yeah, I collect comic
books, what the general public response might be? Oh no, a
slightly off the wall geek. Here is someone who has lost
touch with reality. Or someone that is in his or her own
little world. I think not. Yes, comic book collectors may
sometimes march to the beat of a different drummer, but who
says we all have to be cut from the same mold. Comic books
are big business.

Back in the days of my youth (what, several millennia
ago?), I loved reading comic books. And so did a lot of my
friends. Whenever we had an extra dime or sometimes a
quarter, we could run up to the local small town grocery
and spend some very happy times at the comic book rack.

We would even go out and find small odds jobs for pocket
change, which was enough then to purchase 2 or 3 good
flights of adventure and fantasy. I can even remember
crawling under our house to retrieve a cat that had the
misfortune of dying there. My Dad couldn't stomach the
smell and enticed my friend and I to accomplish the chore
for ample pocket change. We braved the spiders and other
crawly creatures to retrieve and bury the unfortunate cat.
Not long after that, we were the proud owners of yet,
several more intriguing comic books. Even the local bully
(who was really a pretty good guy) would purchase our worn
out or unwanted magazines for far more than they were
worth, so we could purchase new ones.

I didn't know much about collecting then. I just liked
saving what I enjoyed. I had a large cardboard box that I
kept under my bed, filled with all my little treasures. I
didn't realize that I had the beginnings of what could have
been something very lucrative. In later years when I headed
off to college, I dragged my large cardboard box with me.
At one point in time, I left most of my belongings in the
charge of what I thought were trusted friends. When I
returned from my forest firefighting adventures, my box
full of magazines were no where to be found. And needless
to say, were my trusted friends either. Others had seen the
value in what I had and wanted it for themselves. Oh well,
live and learn. That limited collection of comic books and
other magazines would have been worth a small fortune today.

Are there big bucks in the comic book genre? Just look at
what Hollywood has been up to for the last few decades. As
far as I can tell, the really big blockbusters started back
in 1978 with the release of Superman, The Movie. And since
then there has been comic book hero after comic book hero
to hit the silver screen. And they all make tons of money.
The Hollywood moguls may or may not be "into" the genre,
but they can smell large profits. And these kinds of
profits aren't harvested from a small out of touch with
reality niche. It take large numbers of individuals forking
out 5 to 10 dollars a pop, to accumulate the astronomical
profits that Hollywood is seeing these days. Made up bu
individuals who may or may not want to admit their avid
interest in comic book characters. I will stand up and say,
I enjoy watching these movies and have even started my own
collection of comic book character DVDs. Who knows, maybe
some day my DVDs will become as valuable as comic books.
Probably not.

Although, not every individual's collection has magazines
worth thousands of dollars, there are a sizable amount of
collections that can be worth hundreds of thousands or even
millions of dollars. These are not people that have lost
touch with reality. A while back, the actor, Nicholas Cage,
put his comic book collection of about 400 magazines up for
auction. Word was that he might have realized a value into
seven figures. That ain't chicken feed.

It is not uncommon for single additions to be worth several
hundred to several thousand dollars. Some comic books can
enter the realm of several hundred thousand dollars for one
magazine. Now the owners have to be some pretty rich
economically savvy geeks. Are these the types of small
niche individuals who have lost touch with reality or don't
want to confess they like comic books? So the next time
you hear someone profess, yeah I collect comic books, you
may want to look inside yourself and say, how do I release
my hidden passion and start collecting myself?

Now that you know this, isn't it about time you start a
comic book collection for yourself? It is fairly simple,
but there are several things to take into consideration. To
get started on the right step, I am accumulating some of
the best information on the Net about comic book
collecting. Come on over and satisfy your curiosity.

Dave Gieber is the owner and editor of a website built
around one of his childhood passions. Learn the basic
essentials to comic book collecting success. To receive
your free 5-part mini course visit: Collecting Comic Books!

Comic Book Collection - The Ebook!

2006-05-16T08:17:00.000-06:00

Comic book collection, are you seriously thinking about starting one yourself or do you want to continue the one you have? Then "Comic Book Collecting, a Starting Point" was written just for you. This book was designed to help you jump-start your collection using Internet resources!

Yeah, but what is this going to cost me?

Well, glad you asked! I am offering this to the general public for a steal at $37.77. BUT, because you found my site and this page, you can have it for only $27.00. A savings of almost 11 bucks for just visiting my site (Oh, by the way, you may want to bookmark it. You will be glad you did). In many cases, this is less than the cost of 5 comic books! You have to see to believe at Comic Book Collection!

Comic Book Prices

2006-05-15T06:38:00.000-06:00

And again, as I have stated on another web page, having your own copy of Overstreet’s Comic Book Price Guide at your fingertips is another invaluable resource. You can receive it in a matter of minutes and you can spend hours and hours reading about all the exciting comic book prices information.

This inexpensive download can make you a comic book pricing expert in your own right. You can then help all your friends with their pricing information. And it is right on your desktop at a moment’s notice. That is where I keep mine. Actually, I have two copies, the 2004 edition and the new 2005 35th edition. Hey, what can I say, I am a glutton for punishment. There is so much valuable info that I couldn’t resist. Learn How to Price Comic Books!

An Excellent Online Comic Book Pricing Resource

2006-05-13T06:49:00.000-06:00

One of the most useful bits of information I have found for comic book online enthusiasts is www.heritagecomics.com. I guess I can’t rave about the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide enough. I thoroughly enjoy my copy. It is delivered electronically and has a wealth of comic book online information that can keep the newbe, as well as the experienced enthusiast satisfied for hours. For comic book pricing, collecting, selling and buying, Overstreet is the best resource around. Discover the Overstreet Comic Book Price Guide Now!

Graphic Novels are Comic Books Too!

2006-05-12T07:07:00.000-06:00

In my quest to understand graphic novels, I took a trip down to my local comic book store. One of the employees there was gracious enough to spend some time with me discussing the benefits and drawbacks to comic book graphic novels. It seems that these days, these extended paperback books have become quite popular. He estimated that they account for possibly half of their total sales. There were sure rows and rows and even racks of these popular books. Learn more about graphic novels!

Graphic Novels; What the Heck are they Anyway?

2006-05-11T09:29:00.000-06:00

What the heck are graphic novels? I had to do a little research into this topic as I didn’t have a clue as to what they are, at first. I’d never heard of them when I was gobbling up comic books in my youth. These types of novels have become very popular in the comic book genera. Learn more about graphic novels!

Batman Begins VS the Fantastic Four. What Next?

2006-05-10T08:42:00.000-06:00

Well, it looks like Hollywood keeps it continual pot of revenue filled with, guess what, comic book heroes. Batman Begins and The Fantastic Four are about to duke it out on Hollywood and Vine. An age-old comic book company rivalry is yet renewing the heat this year. I guess all of us comic book aficionados always wonder who would win the battle between such and such superheroes. More Batman Begins!

Comic Book Collecting, Oh what an Enjoyable Past Time it is!

2006-05-09T10:55:00.000-06:00

Comic Book Supplies, Necessities of the Serious Collector

2006-05-08T06:49:00.000-06:00

Comic Book Supplies; Required Items for Collectors!

2006-05-06T07:56:00.000-06:00

Comic book supplies! Any serious collector is going to need various supplies and paraphernalia to preserve, maintain and organize their collections. I have had the dubious pleasure of coming into contact with an individual who is very knowledgeable in this area. James Tyler has had much input to this particular page of my site. Jay, as he likes to be called, is presently serving a tour of duty in Iraq, and I highly commend him for his services to our country. He has though, maintained an interest in comic books and found me through this site. He is currently developing his own comic book supplies business and as he advances in this project there will be future updates at this site. Some amazing comic book supplies info!

A Comedy of Comic Book Industry Errors

2006-05-05T07:38:00.000-06:00

Comic Book Industry Blunders

2006-05-04T13:23:00.000-06:00

What has gone wrong within the industry and can it be fixed? The rape and pillage, in the eyes of some, may have left the comic book industry gasping for life support. It seems that for an industry that has seen so much success, the history of comic books, has apparently been confounded by seemingly dumb mistakes. Can the comic book industry survive?

A Word on Comic Book Pricing

2006-05-03T07:59:00.000-06:00

The going worth of individual comic books can range all over the board. Some issues have been know to bring in monetary value of six figures, while other issues aren't even worth the price you paid for them. Action Comics #1 (the introduction of Superman) in mint condition has been quoted at being worth $650,000. A pretty tidy piece of change. Then Weird Science, issue #13, in near mint condition can command a respectable price tag of $5,750. There are also multitudes of back issues purchased at a newsstand price of around 5 bucks, that are now worth even less than that.
Find out more about comic book pricing!

Stan Lee, Even the Comic Book Great Ones Have Problems

2006-05-02T09:02:00.000-06:00

How Did the Comic Book Get Its Start?

2006-05-01T07:23:00.000-06:00

The origins of the comic book are somewhat controversial and perhaps the jury is still out. So lets go back to the cartoonish broadsheets of the Middle Ages, which were parchment products, created by anonymous woodcutters. As mass circulation of these broadsheets became possible, they soon developed a market, particularly at public executions, popular events for centuries (ugh), which drew thousands of happy spectators. Many of these spectators would invest in an artist's rendering of a hanging or burning, and thus making a very lucky day for the broadsheet seller. Comic book history in the making!

Hollywood's Fascination with the Comic Book Superhero

2006-04-29T08:50:00.000-06:00

Movie production companies and TV have been creating feature length movies, movie serials and TV shows for years exploiting the public fascination with Superheroes. But as special effect technology and costume designs became better and better, Hollywood kicked it up a notch with feature-length high budget productions. What is your favorite superhero movie?

Comic Book Collectors; Nerdy Geeks or Shrewd Investors?

2006-04-28T09:57:00.000-06:00

When one says, yeah, I collect comic books, what is the general public response? Oh no, a slightly off the wall geek. Here is someone who has lost touch with reality. Or someone that is in his or her own little world. I think not. Yes, comic book collectors may sometimes march to the beat of a different drummer, but who says we all have to be cut from the same mold. Comic books are big business.

Comic Book Articles

2006-04-27T10:58:00.000-06:00

This section of my site is a focal point for the comic book articles that I write periodically. I post these articles around the Net for others to read. I also want them here for your reading enjoyment. Read on for more comic book articles…

Learn About the Fascinating World of Comic Book Collecting.

2006-04-26T12:11:00.000-06:00

Comic Books, Then and Now!

2006-04-24T06:15:00.001-06:00

Comic books have been around for as long as I can remember. Have you ever wondered how they got their start? Why has this form of printed literature become so popular?

A brief history

The first regularly published comic in the more recognizable modern format was Famous Funnies in the early 1930s. It featured such greats as Joe Palooka, Buck Rogers and Mutt and Jeff. Comic book history continued…

Comic Book Collection: Terms Of Service

2006-04-22T08:38:00.000-06:00

We have taken every effort to design our Web site to be useful, informative, helpful, honest and fun. Hopefully we’ve accomplished that -- and would ask that you let us know if you’d like to see improvements or changes that would make it even easier for you to find the information you need and want. Read more.

OUR PRIVACY POLICY

2006-04-21T08:56:00.000-06:00

www.comic-book-collection-made-easy.com is committed to protecting the privacy of our online visitors. We strive to offer our visitors the many advantages of Internet technology and to provide an interactive and personalized experience. We may use personally identifiable information (your name, email address, street address, telephone number)subject to the terms of this privacy policy. “We will NEVER sell, barter, or rent your email address to any unauthorized third party. Period." Read more.

Got a Question or Comment!

2006-04-20T08:13:00.000-06:00

Want to contact me? Hey, I would love to hear what you think about my comic book site. Think something should be added, or maybe deleted?

Have you found a good site that I should make reference to? Think I should provide a link to it?
If you have a good idea for a comic book article that would fit the theme of my site, I would sure love discussing the concept with you.

Interested in writing an ebook and want to put an affiliate link on my site? That would be a great concept.

Any questions or comments you have, I would feel honored to hear from you. I want to make this site the best resource site on comic books, anyone can find. Talk to me.

Comic Book Prices; One Dollar or Five Thousand Dollars?

2006-04-19T08:11:00.000-06:00

Comic book prices! Are you a collector or investor of comic books? Do you know the difference? Well, a collector is an individual who has a comic book collection with the intent to keep and display. A comic book investor is one who makes a business or practice of collecting comic books with the intent of selling to others. Many collectors these days are a hybrid of the two. They have some comics they intend to keep for themselves while others are to be sold at some later date. And thus, there is a higher degree of interest in comic book prices. Wow, a comic book stock exchange!

Stan Lee; The Saga Continues

2006-04-18T08:04:00.000-06:00

And in some more resent activities, Stan Lee had to fight for his own creative rights in the courtroom. You would think that an individual of his caliber would be taken seriously by now and treated with respect from his employers. Apparently not! In 2002 Stan Lee decided he had to file a lawsuit against the comic giant, Marvel. It appears the agreement between Lee and Marvel was that 10% of the income generated from TV and movies using Lee's characters, was to be his. Seems Marvel didn't see it that way. Typical of conglomerates, isn't it? The boys in the suits seem to want to make all the rules. Stan at one time had even been a suit. Among other positions held at Marvel, Lee had even been president of the company for a while. Trials and tribulations of Stan Lee.

Stan Lee; Comic Book Superhero Genius

2006-04-17T07:24:00.000-06:00

Interesting Comic Book Industry Blunders

2006-04-15T08:27:00.000-06:00

The Comic Book Industry! I have paraphrased and combine two rather informative articles, one by Edward Pontee and the other by John Byrne, on some of the trials and tribulations the industry has seen.

What has gone wrong within the industry and can it be fixed? The rape and pillage, in the eyes of some, may have left the comic book industry gasping for life support. It seems that for an industry that has seen so much success, the history of comic books, has apparently been confounded by seemingly dumb mistakes. Read about some of the comic industry blunders.

ThunderCats, Feline Avengers!

2006-04-14T07:47:00.000-06:00

ThunderCats, an animated children's television series, was developed by Rankin-Bass in 1983. There were two series running from 1985 to 1987. Originally created for its merchandising power, the series became quite popular, with Comic books still being created.

The premise was structured with a simple and predictable story line. The age-old battle of good (the ThunderCats) and evil (the Mutants) was set in a milieu that combined high technology and hand-to-hand combat. The ThunderCats while considered humanoid, have distinctly feline (cat like) appearances. The Mutants, on the other hand, are a rag-tag bunch of uglies. Read more ThunderCats now.

Catwoman, Heroine or Villainess?

2006-04-13T09:24:00.000-06:00

Catwoman, alias Selina Kyle, has been amazing readers for over 50 years now. As part of the DC Comics superhero universe, she is a female cat burglar who literally dresses in a cat-like costume while on her capers. Although originally introduced as an opponent for Batman, the status of Catwoman as hero or villain is ambiguous; she has her own moral code and has occasionally teamed up with Batman against greater threats. Catwoman, Heroine or Villainess? You decide.

X-Men, Renegade Superheroes!

2006-04-12T07:06:00.000-06:00

The X-Men are a group of mutant superheroes, and among the most enduring and popular comic books published by Marvel Comics. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby originally created them in 1963. A band of mutant misfits, they were looked down on by society’s elite. And thus creating yet another minority group to become bigoted and hated by others. Read About the Original X-Men!

Fantastic Four, Pass the Torch Johnny!

2006-04-11T06:31:00.000-06:00

The Fantastic Four is a team of comic book superheroes in the Marvel Comics universe. Stan Lee and Jack Kirby created them in 1961. One of the most important comics of the Silver Age of comic books, the first issue began the so-called "Marvel Age of Comics". Lee and artist Jack Kirby produced a groundbreaking book featuring a family of superheroes who were far more fallible and human than anything seen in the medium to date. See the exciting Fantastic Four character overview!

Batman, Lord of Darkness!

2006-04-10T08:45:00.000-06:00

Batman, undoubtedly, has been one of the most popular superheroes over the years, second only to “The Man of Steel”, himself. Created in 1939 by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, “The Caped Crusader” went on to become one of DC Comics most popular characters.

Unlike most of our favorite superhero characters, Batman has no super human powers. He relied on his sharp mental and physical capabilities. And of course on his acquired economic resources as his alter ego, millionaire industrialist, Bruce Wayne. See the exciting Batman character overview!

Wonder Woman, Amazon or Princess?

2006-04-08T07:17:00.000-06:00

Wonder Woman was created in 1941 by William Moulton Marston, who was an educational consultant for Detective Comics, Inc. (now DC Comics). At the time, the genre was dominated by male masculine superheroes. Marston, as history reports, was the creator of the systolic blood-pressure test. Because this later lead to the polygraph or lie detector test, Marston was convinced that women were more honest and reliable than men and could work faster and more accurately. In an issue of The American Scholar from 1943, Marston was quoted as saying:

Superman, The Man of Steel!

2006-04-07T07:18:00.000-06:00

Superman, since his debut in 1938, has become world renown. Just about everyone on the planet (no pun intended) has gained familiarity with the man of steel and his home planet Krypton.

Did Max Gaines, the man most instrumental in bring Superman to the comics, really know what a worldwide splash he was going to make with his suggestions? It was Max C. Gaines, who brought the character to Dell's publisher, Harry Donenfield. Donenfield scored the comic coup of the century when he published a story written by two teenagers, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster- and so "Superman of Metropolis" (the title of their short story they wrote in their own fanzine) was born and the rest is history. Read on for a Superman history lesson…

Spiderman, Reluctant Superhero!

2006-04-06T07:42:00.000-06:00

Why has Spiderman remain so popular over the years? Could it be that there is a little more we can identify with, than others of our favorite superheroes? Extreme ability beyond human powers was thrust upon a totally unsuspecting youth. Strength and agility beyond any mortal. Yet still containing all the inner frailties, which all of us suffers from.

Wrapped up within one dynamic human physique are the powers we would all crave to have, with the uncertainty and turbulent emotions that we all suffer from. Spiderman, a superhero, yet so much like us. That combination increases the popularity of the Spiderman character.
Read on for more about Spiderman…

Comic Book Online; Boy There is Great Stuff Now!

2006-04-05T08:18:00.000-06:00

Comic book online. Now there is a term that has generated a reasonable amount of activity on the Internet! It got you to my page didn’t it?

With the advent of the Internet, there has been a world of information open up. One might say, too much information. How do I find what I am looking for without information overload? Well, comic book online got you to my site and I have resources here that I have found quite interesting and very informative. Take a look at comic book online.

Comic Book Collection 5-Day Course

2006-04-04T11:31:00.000-06:00

Well, I am extremely glad you found your way here. You must have an interest or desire to start a comic book collection. Or maybe you have already started one and could use a few helpful hints. Today is your lucky day. I have developed a 5-day e-course on the basics of collecting comics, especially for you. All I need from you is your first name and email address where you want the course to arrive, in the simple form below. I will never share your name or email address with anyone else at any time or for any reason. Get Started Now!

Comic Book Store; Where are All the Comic Books

2006-04-03T08:28:00.000-06:00

Comic book store! Where the heck can I find the magazines I am looking for? There are two main reasons for your search. You want comics! Or you want to find out where to turn your particular investment into cash. Actually you may have a few other reasons also. But you are looking for actual physical locations. Step in to the Comic Book Store.

Comic Book Resources; Useful Stuff

2006-03-21T07:43:00.000-07:00

Comic book resources! This page will give you some resources and information that haven’t really fit on any of my other pages. What do resources mean to you? I hope I give you some of the info you were looking for. I consider “comic book resources” as a general catch all for interesting news, where to get comic books, maybe some updates in the industry and comic book supplies. So let’s touch on comic book resources.

Comic Book Conventions; A Wealth of Hidden Wonders!

2006-03-14T09:02:00.000-07:00

Comic book conventions! A convention is a gathering of individuals who meet at a pre-arranged place and time in order to discuss or engage in some common interest. The most common conventions are based upon fandom, industry, and profession. Fan conventions usually feature sales, people dressed up as their favorite characters, and guest celebrities. Trade conventions (comic book conventions?) typically focus on a particular industry or industry segment, and feature keynote speakers, vendor displays, and other information and activities of interest to the event organizers and attendees. Professional conventions focus on issues of concern to the profession and advancements in the profession. Such conventions are generally organized by societies dedicated to promotion of the topic of interest. Discover comic book conventions now!

Comic Book Artists; Who are They!

2006-03-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

Comic book artists! You sure couldn’t have a comic book without an artist, right? Who were some of the more famous artists over the years? Who actually drew some of our favorite superheroes? All interesting questions. I will attempt to enlighten you on a few of those wizards with a pencil and give you resources to some of their great artistry.

Some of the most popular comic book heroes over the years, in my mind, are Superman, Batman and Spiderman. Who were the masterminds in the creation and visual conception of these characters? Let’s find out about the great comic book artists.

Comic Book Posters Galore

2006-03-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my own little comic book poster online store. Here, you will be able to search though all comic book and superhero related posters from this one page. AllPosters has quite a selection of posters for everyone’s taste and favorite superhero. Look through the store and odds are, you will find just what you are looking for. Don’t know exactly what you want? There are some great ideas here. Search Away for Comic Book Posters!

The Comic Book Collection Made Easy

2006-03-03T07:29:00.000-07:00

Hi all. Welcome to the Comic Book Collection Made Easy site search page. Wonder where you saw that Spider-man information? It is here within all of these information packed comic book pages. The comic book site search is here to solve your problems.

In the comic book search box at the bottom of this page, simply enter comic book followed by the particular search term you are interested in finding. For example, “comic book superman” will find pages where Superman is the prominent authority on those pages.

You can even search the web. Just enter comic book and your search term(s). Hey, maybe you will find me again!

Thanks for searching,

Dave

Ready, set, comic book search…

Comic Book Movies-Why all the Fascination

2006-02-28T07:57:00.000-07:00

Comic book movies! Grab some popcorn, your favorite drink and hopefully, your significant other. Sit back and watch what Hollywood has concocted this time.

Isn’t it amazing that movies about comic book superheroes have fascinated use for so many years? Hollywood has been making movies about this genre all most as long as comic books have been popular. It goes back to the serial cliffhangers that were so popular during the 1930s and 1940s.

I guess for me, it was thrilling to watch the characters in those little boxes in my magazines come to life on the big screen. And as movie making technology got better and bigger, the special effects and costume design became more and more believable. At least while I was in the frame of mind to let my imagination soar. Let your imagination of comic book movies loose also!

Fan Fiction for the Comic Book Reader

2006-02-23T08:58:00.000-07:00

Comics Galore; Comic Book Ezine

2006-02-20T10:33:00.000-07:00

SUBSCRIBE To...

One of the greatest comic book ezines on the net-For Free!

I've got a simply fantastic periodic newsletter that comes out whenever I have something of serious interest in the world of comic books to report or when one of my readers has asked a question that I can actually answer. Take a moment now to sign up. I will never share your name or email address with anyone else at any time or for any reason. It is not their newsletter, it is ours. Sign up for Comics Galore today, for free!

What Are Comic Books Worth?

2006-02-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Wondering just how much your individual comics are worth? Would a good comic book price guide help me out? Where do I get one? Glad you asked.

The individual value of comic books these days are all over the map. Values can range from a few dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. The upper limit, though, is quite rare.

Individual value has so many factors involved, that many collectors may not have a clue as to how to evaluate their own magazines. You came to the right comic book place.

The Fascinating World of Comic Books

2006-02-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the world of comic books and comic book collection. I
hope you are as fascinated with the concept as I am. Comic books have held a place in my heart from the days of
my youth. There are others who hold this same passion as I
discovered years ago when someone stole my box of magazines. Oh, I would have had an asset worth a fortune
today.

Are you seriously thinking about starting a collection or do
you want to continue the collection you have? No matter what stage
you are at or how intense your passion, this website was created to
give you all the information on comic book collection and comic books
you need. Visit My Comic Book Site for an in depth discussion.