Let’s take a quick look to see what’s arrived in the mail here at the Geek Compound.
Jack Kirby’s The Demon Written by Jack Kirby; Art and cover by Jack Kirby and Mike Royer
Promo copy:
One of Jack "King" Kirby’s most memorable creations returns in this title collecting the entire, original 16-issue series from the early 1970s! Part man, part elemental fury, Etrigan the Demon was bound to Jason Blood by Merlin to defend Camelot, only to become a demonologist in the modern-day DC Universe.
I’m a huge Kirby fan, owning more collections of his work than any other individual artist. The quirky, supernatural tales of Etrigan are among my absolute favorites.
Much like the excellent Fourth World reprints, DC wisely chose a non-glossy paper stock to emulate the originals paper quality. What DC did not do wisely was promote the fact that previously unpublished pages of Demon art are included in this package. I’ll let Mark Evanier explain from his introduction.
| Quote: |
| …and if you read the originals, you may notice some moments you never saw before. At the time these tales were first published, DC was fiddling around with how much of each comic would be devoted to advertising. All the editors, Jack included, would sometimes prepare an issue to have, say, 25 pages of content and then find out that an extra page of ads have been budgeted and a page had to be cut. A couple of pages and panels that weren’t published the first time around have been restored for this volume. |
As if all 16 issues in one hardcover wasn’t enough! At $50, this tome is a steal. Beat up copies of any of the original issues for a minimum of $2. In this kind of immaculate condition, you’re talking at least $5 an issue. You do the math.
Starfist: Wings of Hell by David Sherman and Dan Cragg
Promo copy:
No one captures the action and sacrifice of war better than real combat vets David Sherman and Dan Cragg. Now their blazing space epic Starfist continues as Marines of the Confederation’s Thirty-fourth Fleet Initial Strike Team (FIST) go head-to-head against the deadly Skinks. Of course, Company L’s third platoon has fought these aliens before, but never before in these numbers. . . .
Planet Haulover has been invaded by Skinks. Until now the aliens’ existence has been kept confidential. But Force Recon’s shocking report leaves the Confederation no choice but to mount a military campaign and reveal to the public its biggest secret: the threat of fierce alien predators bent on human destruction. What’s no secret is that the four army divisions and two Marine FISTs sent to Haulover aren’t nearly enough to defeat the well-entrenched aliens, who have a tunnel system second to none.
Back home, the Confederation’s president is being denounced as a warmonger bent on exterminating “harmless” aliens. And if she loses the upcoming elections, the Confederation will have a lot more Skinks than those on Haulover to worry about.
Newly promoted Lieutenant Charlie Bass and his third platoon have more pressing concerns, such as staying alive. But what would be a suicidal mission for most–whether it’s raiding a well-defended Skinks base or destroying the enemy’s most lethal weapons during a desperate firefight–is for them just another job.
Dr. Grave: The Unholy Twelve by Ed Clayton
Promo copy:
Collecting issues #1-4 of the original comic series, DR. GRAVE: THE UNHOLY TWELVE contains an illustrated cover by Guy Davis and an introduction by fellow comic creator Rob Schrab. Grave fights to prevent the Unholy Twelve from unleashing his greatest nemesis, Satan. No matter the amount (or quality) of booze he imbibes, women he seduces, or indignities his manservant Shandar suffers, Dr. Grave will stop at nothing to save us all!