Counting Comics - 14

Here we go with another of my weekly counts of some of my comic books, I started off with

DC = 3803

Marvel = 59

Others = 53

Aquaman (2003 - 07)

5 - 57

This is Volume 6 with the King of Atlantis, Arthur Curry, most commonly known as Aquaman in his own title book. It re-establishes Aquaman as a prominent hero in the DC Universe, following his harrowing resurrection during the "Obsidian Age" storyline in the pages of JLA. With issue #40, the series changes its title to Aquaman: Sword of Atlantis and switches the focus to Aquaman's successor, Arthur Joseph Curry. The series continued under this format for another seventeen issues until its cancellation with issue #57. Prominent storylines include Aquaman: The Waterbearer and American Tidal, it crossed over during it's run with Infinite Crisis & Omac Project.

Martian Manhunter (2006 - 07)

1 - 8

Volume 3 of J'onn J'onzz in his own book was an 8 parter that followed on from the preview story in the Brave New World which itself showed characters in the wake of Infinite Crisis. I think the writer may have been a fan of British football as all the villains were named after Manchester United players!! Especially funny is Rio Ferdinand a beautiful young woman totally unlike their namesake. Rio used to play for my team West Ham United too and was an excellent defender. Written by A.J. Lieberman with art from Al Barrionuevo and Bit, the series portrayed a Manhunter more mistrustful of humanity and their actions towards each other. The miniseries focuses on J'onzz's search for other survivors of Mars

Red Hood: The Lost Days (2010 - 2011)

1 - 6

Jason Todd was infamously killed at the hands of The Joker in the Death in the Family storyline. He returned, resurrected after the pounding of Superboy Prime's fists on the barrier keeping him captive in the paradise dimension caused temporal ripples. Jason awoke in his coffin and had to tunnel his way out, he had amnesia and spent time in a coma and living rough on the streets. He was identified as the Ex-Robin and Talia Al Ghul took him in eventually dipping him in the Lazurus Pit to restore his memory. 

Red Robin (2009 - 2011)

1 - 26

Dick Grayson grew up and became Nightwing, Jason Todd got killed, resurrected, grew up and became Red Hood and Tim Drake grew up and became Red Robin... I kind of think he could have come up with a better name but hey ho, what he may lack in name imagination he makes up for in being a nice guy and a kick-arse crimefighter. I'm not sure what he is up to, was he used in New 52? Has he been Reborn along with the rest of DC? I sure hope so.

Robin + Impulse #1

Robin and Impulse meet up at a Virginia Ski-resort, Robin (Tim Drake) is tailing a former Soviet spy, Impulse (Bart Allen) is on a school trip. They team up with the mysterious Mystral to foil a scheme involving missiles in a hidden bunker belonging to White Heat a violent militia group.

Robin + Fang # 2

Trying to boost sales of the Scare Tactics book, DC allied the individual members of the team with various bigger players in the company's roster. The idea didn't lead to increased sales and the title folded a couple of months later. Scare Tactics was part of a short lived group of books called the Wierdoverse alongside Challengers of the Unknown, Nightforce and The Book of Fate.

Robin (1991)

1 - 5

Just prior to becoming Batman's partner Tim Drake is sent around the World to complete some final training with the greatest masters of martial arts to make him ready for the streets of Gotham. This story arc introduces the characters of Lynx and King Snake.

Robin II (1991)

1 - 4

The Joker's Wild!

With Batman away Tim is faced with a dangerous challenge as the deranged killer Joker escapes from Arkham Asylum. The last person to wear the red breast of Robin met their death at the clown prince of crime's hands and he is looking to bag a brace.

My covers to these books all seem to be variants I think, they aren't worth anymore though but I do think they look cool, the orignals had picture cards on them I think.

Robin III (1992 - 93)

1 - 6

Cry of the Huntress 

I got 2 sets of these books now as in a video coming soon you'll see that my mate gave me some of these books with different covers to what I have. I think mine are the Newsstand editions whilst the direct market had 'movable' cover enhancements. In the story Robin teams with Huntress during a gang war and takes in battles with KGBeast, Lynx and the Ghost Dragons gang and her boss King Snake who wants revenge after being bested by Tim in Vol #1.

Robin (1993 - 09)

0 - 183, 1 Million

Robin's 1st ongoing title and it didn't happen until the 3rd person to wear the Robin Suit came along! It ran for good length of time though, before Tim became Red Robin when Damien Wayne came along. In this run, he lost his father, his best friend Superboy, Kon-El and seemingly his girlfriend Spoiler, (Stephanie Brown), though thankfully that turned out to be a fake death.

Robin/Spoiler Special (2008)

A couple of stories in this book, 1st things get complicated as the 2 investigate a kidnapping, and in the 2nd story we have Spoiler, (Stephanie Brown) during her time in Africa working with Dr Thompkins taking on a witch hunter.

Robin Annual

3 - 7

So by my count that is another
DC = 301

Making the new total after this week's count of...

DC = 4104

Marvel = 59

Others = 53

Oh yes during my talking in the video I mention that Fredric Wertham the guy who wrote Seduction of the Innocent the book that led to the creation of the Comics Code Authourity had some sort of involvement with a serial killer! I thought it was Ed Gein but I double checked and it was Albert Fish the child killing cannibal that Wertham testified as being 'insane' at trial. 
One of Fish's nicknames was The Gray Man, which is pretty much the same as my YouTube channel name TheGreyMan.... co-incidence? I hope so!

Come back Friday to check out a more in-depth look at some of my 'Birthday Books' and join me again next Wednesday for another count of some of my comics.

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Movie Review - Justice League

OK my review is in the video really I just want to go over some of the history of Justice League, not the characters as such, more of the team itself. It was 1st put together by writer Gardner Fox in Brave and the Bold #28 in March 1960, (3 years before Marvel's The Avengers formed). 

The seven original members were Superman, Aquaman, Flash, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Due to various re-write and shuffles for continuity this origin has altered a number of times with different people attributed to the original team. At one point Superman, Batman & Wonder Woman were retconned out of the 1st gathering of the league and in 1994 a new character Triumph was invented, it turns out he formed and led the team but a dimensional limbo led to him being erased from history and the memories of the team!

In November 1960 the team got it's 1st ongoing book, Justice League of America which ran until 1996 when it was renamed just JLA for a time. With a couple of relaunches the Justice League comics are now on their 3rd Volume and are the premier team book of the DC Universe.  The team line-up has changed over the years with pretty much anybody who is anybody of the DC universe getting an outing in the team. Check out the full list HERE.

Some of my favourites over the years have been - 

Red Tornado

I just love his look and the way his powers manifest in the comics, he's a robot too! I wanted a good 70s picture but couldn't find one 😞

Blue Beetle

Ted Kord the 2nd Blue Beetle, (See BLOG) was great in his own book but at first I disliked the jokey nature of his run in the League.

Firestorm

Hello!! His head is on fire!! That makes his the coolest or should that be hottest look EVER!!

Over the years the Justice League have branched out at various times as the occasion required it, resulting in incarnations such as Justice League International, Justice League Europe, Justice League Dark, Justice League Taskforce, Extreme Justice, Justice League Antartica!!, and even Formally Known as the Justice League!

This is Koryak the son of Aquaman, I mentioned in the video that I thought Jason Mamoa's take on the king of the oceans looked like a cross between Arthur Curry traditional Aquaman and this bloke. For some reason I thought he had tattoos but it seems it was a case of my addled brain lying to me again. Old age huh? It sucks, unlike the Justice League film which kicked arse!!!

Cyborg was originally a member of the Teen-Titans and still is in the cartoons and possibly in the comics too, but with his ever increasing powers he became a strong member of the team as of the 2011 reboot and made it into the movie. He's also in the much lighter hearted Teen Titans animated movie which is coming soon and is slated for his own feature length film in 2020, cool! 

The New Teen Titans # 1 - November  1980

Poor old Green Lantern possibly due to the criminally poor acceptance of his movie never made the JLA cut and that other green fellow the Martian Manhunter although strongly represented in the cartoons never got to be in the movie either though he is in the Super Girl TV series on CW.

As we know from the comics the team roster is open to change, perhaps when/if we get a 2nd movie in the franchise we'll see some new heroes entering the fold. I am hopeful and excited to see what comes in the future.

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