Okay, so maybe I exaggerated that (slightly), but it is certainly the best OA update for my personal collection I've ever had. Some really nice gems have just found a new home with me and I really wanted to share that with you all. So, please check out what's new and let me know what you think. Personally, I couldn't be more pleased! Hope you enjoy the show!

I like the New Titans cover the best. Great detail.

T

Thanks. Yeah, Bill Jaaska, as I noted on the piece, was one of those underappreciated talents that never really got his due, and was much more expressive and creative than fans ever gave him credit for. I truly do feel honored to have been able to update this piece today, of all days, as it marks the one-year passing of his. A more fitting tribute, I could hardly imagine.

You have a very cool collection! The Spectacular Spider-Man cover of Tombstone takes me back. I was about 13 at the time and the scene at the end where Tombstone breaks Joe Robertson's back freaked me out.
I believe Gerry Conway was writing it at the time(The Spider titles could sure use him these days) and I loved Sal Buscema's art(easily the best Spectacular Spider-Man artist ever, probably one of the best Spider-Man artists, period).

I'm not a "the old days were better" kind of guy, but comics like this do remind you that there was a time when Spider-Man was about cool villains and good storytelling, not pointless gimmicks and mindless crossovers.


-J

Yeah, that was Gerry Conway writing at the time. I agree with a lot fo what you said, not just about how cool the story to this issue was, or how much the comics need writers as skilled as Conway is, but also with how progressively downhill modern comics are, story-wise, to those that came before them. Too many gimmicks, too much worrying about the trade and not telling a solid story every issue, too much use of lower end talent and superstars who can't meet a deadline, it's all come back to take a lot of the shine and luster from comics. It really isn't much of a wonder to me why comic sales today are in the dumper. But at least we have our back issues, and can remember and revisit great stories like this one.