After wading through over 300 pages of comic book entries in the monthly PREVIEWS catalog, it might be tempting to call it a day and skip the final couple hundred pages so you can get your order in before the deadline. However, there are many treasures buried in that final chunk which you'd be missing. Some of my favorites are hidden in the "Magazines" section which immediately follows the comics.
 

COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1227-1233 (Krause Publications, Inc.)

 While COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE (CBG) is promoted as being the weekly trade journal of the comic book industry, it doesn't seem to garner the same attention as the competition. Glossy mags such as WIZARD and COMBO grab the limelight with their promotional giveaways, and others, such as THE COMICS JOURNAL, draw attention by generating controversy. Published in a tabloid newspaper format similar to the NATIONAL ENQUIRER, CBG doesn't look as slick as the rest, but it quietly distinguishes itself through the high quality of the work inside and the uncanny ability to appear on time every week -- week after week, year after year.

 Each week, the staff of CBG assembles a wonderful package of news, feature articles, columns, interviews, comic reviews, cartoons, checklists, and ads -- lots and lots of ads. CBG (like me) tries to have a theme each issue: silver age comics; war comics; JUDGEMENT DAY and the Extreme universe; ELFQUEST and the 25th wedding anniversary of Richard and Wendy Pini; the "Batman & Robin" movie; the Trilogy Tour of Charles Vess, Linda Medley and Jeff Smith; and the CBG Fan Awards. (While I have been a CBG subscriber for over ten years, I'm limiting myself to just seven recent issues for this column.) The latest batch of interviewees included artist Joe Kubert, artist Mike Deodato, and filmmaker Kevin Smith. My favorite cartoons are "Wolff & Byrd" by Batton Lash, "Miep & Patches" by Scott Roberts, "Cow-Boy" by Jay Hosler and "Old Paper" by Mike Bannon.

R. C. Harvey, Dan Tyree, Bob Ingersoll, and Craig Shutt contribute regular, enjoyable columns, but are overshadowed by three columnists whose entries I rabidly seek out each week: Mark Evanier, Tony Isabella, and Peter David.

 Mark Evanier has been in comics, like, forever. He's written BLACKHAWK, DNAGENTS, CROSSFIRE, NEW GODS, SCOOBY DOO, etc., etc., ad nauseum. In addition, he's worked in television on sitcoms, variety shows, and cartoons. He tends to draw upon his innumerable acquaintances and friendships in the comics and showbiz fields to fill his columns. Name a celebrity and Evanier will have an anecdote. He devotes many columns to tributes for icons such as Laurel and Hardy, as well as Golden Age comic book artists and writers. He loves to write of his excursions to Las Vegas and his trips to New York to catch Broadway shows. Heck, he'll even write about the occasional comic book convention. Whatever the subject, Evanier is sure to make it engaging.

 With tongue planted firmly in cheek (I hope), Tony Isabella proclaims himself "America's Most-Beloved Comic-Book Writer and Columnist." Ego aside, I must admit he is a pretty good columnist. The creator and writer of DC's two BLACK LIGHTNING series, Isabella is also a pretty good comic book writer. Isabella is the most likely of the three CBG columnists to actually review small-press and mainstream comics; twice a year he lists his forty favorite current comic book series. Isabella frequently branches out into other subjects though, including Barbie dolls and Godzilla. His favorite subject is his own family -- he can work a reference to his "sainted wife" and their children into almost every column, giving his columns a warm and fuzzy feeling. He also likes to talk about issues in the city where he resides: Medina, Ohio. He often revisits stories about censorship in his local library and the love life of zoo gorillas. I think Isabella aspires to be the Dave Barry of comic columnists, and frankly, his light, humorous tone makes him the leading contender.

 Peter David humbly labels himself a "writer of stuff." His column "But I Digress" (BID) resides on the last page of the CBG, though it is obviously a headliner. David is famous for his scripting on the comics THE INCREDIBLE HULK, SUPERGIRL, and AQUAMAN (to name only his most current regular titles). He has also written many STAR TREK novels and the screenplays of a few minor films. BID is probably the most controversial column in CBG due to David's outspoken nature. His comments on the formation of Image Comics and the work of the Image creators began a long-running feud which culminated in a Peter David vs. Todd MacFarlane debate at one comics convention a few years back.

Things have calmed down now, though David still regularly reviews the work of the Image creators, including praise for A TOUCH OF SILVER and a criticism of CAPTAIN AMERICA's recent portrayals of U. S. Presidents. David also reviews television and movies. "The Lost World: Jurassic Park" was given a drubbing, compared unfavorably to the similar but superior "Aliens." He came out swinging regarding the replacement for Captain Kangaroo. Whenever he is involved in a movie or television project, he'll devote a couple of columns to behind-the-scenes anecdotes. I approach David's column with pleasure each week, hoping he'll say something shocking, knowing he'll definitely say something entertaining.

 The only section of CBG more enjoyable than the above-mentioned columnists is "Oh, So?," the letters column. It is always lively and interesting. Current topics being debated include how to save the comic book industry from its current slump and why large-breasted, small-waisted, ultraviolent superheroines are driving female readers away from comics. (These two topics may actually be related, huh?) CBG readers are literate, opinionated folks, and they make "Oh, So?" a perfect place to discover the burning issues of the comics industry.

 Finally, CBG is most useful because of its ads. Up to two-thirds of each CBG consists of ads. Comic preservation products, upcoming comic books, and back issues are all advertised weekly. Mail order is becoming increasingly important in the field of comics. Most towns don't have comic shops. In those towns that do, the back issue bins in those shops have been constantly shrinking. If you hope to have a complete collection of an older comic book series (or even some hard-to-find recent series), the ads in the CBG may be your only recourse. Every CBG contains hundreds of ads advertising thousands of comics. Prices range from outrageously high to incredibly low. I think it is safe to say that whatever comic you're seeking will be listed somewhere in CBG or in the free catalogs offered by many of CBG's advertisers.

CBG is my hands-down favorite source of comic book news and information. Try an issue or two, and I think you'll agree.
 
 

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Grade: A

(COMICS BUYER'S GUIDE #1253, 1254, 1255, & 1256 are solicited this month in PREVIEWS on page 333!)

(Surf on over to the CBG home page at http://www.krause.com/collectibles/html/bg.html)

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COMIC RELIEF #0-97 (Page One Publishers & Bookworks, Inc.)
FUNNY STUFF #1-14 (Page One Publishers & Bookworks, Inc.)

 Comic books are the bastard offspring of newspaper cartoons and comic strips. Indeed, the first comic book, FUNNIES ON PARADE (1933), consisted of nothing except reprinted comic strips and the early years of comics were dominated by this type of reprint book. ("Chronological List of Key Comic Books for Period 1933-1943," THE OFFICIAL OVERSTREET COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE, 21st EDITION, The House of Collectibles, 1991, page A-33.) Nowadays, however, outside of book collections, newspaper reprints are a rarity in the comic book field. One publisher, Page One, is bucking the trend and has been producing a magazine of newspaper reprints for the last eight years: COMIC RELIEF. About two years ago a second magazine, FUNNY STUFF, was created as a sister title.

 The philosophy behind COMIC RELIEF and FUNNY STUFF is similar to second-run movie houses. Just as second-run theaters offer an inexpensive way to see the movie during the time lag between the first-run movie theaters and the video store, these magazines offer an inexpensive way to catch cartoons and strips without subscribing to a daily newspaper or having to wait years for the book collection. In a world where more and more people are getting their news from television rather than newspapers -- myself included -- Page One is serving a particularly useful function. The only drawback is that Page One's contract prevents it from printing the Sunday strip for all the daily comic strips it carries. (The newspaper syndicates want to make sure you have a reason to buy the collection after all.)

 COMIC RELIEF concentrates on current events by reprinting editorial cartoons and political comic strips. The first part of the magazine is broken into hot topics, grouping panels by a variety of editorial cartoonists on subjects such as Social Security, Paula Jones, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, fund-raising shenanigans, and the balanced budget. The dominating cartoonists are Tom Toles, Jim Borgman, Mike Peters, Kirk Anderson, Mike Keefe, and Jeff MacNelly. All of them are capable of producing insightful, inciteful, and generally hilarious cartoons that skewer the leading newsmakers of the day. Brilliant topical strips like "This Modern World" by Tom Tomorrow, "Rall" by Ted Rall, and "Tom the Dancing" by Ruben Bolling are sprinkled throughout COMIC RELIEF. The political portion of the book is topped off with 6-8 pages of four-month old reprints of Garry Trudeau's "Doonesbury" -- one of the best comic strips of all time.

 Does a particular political slant seem to prevail in COMIC RELIEF? I think it is pretty even-handed. There's a disclaimer printed on the inside front cover of each issue that sums up the COMIC RELIEF philosophy pretty well: "COMIC RELIEF is an equal-opportunity offender, and promises to make fun of all social, political, & religious orientations equally, as long as it's funny! Any seeming bias (either way) is due to our humorists' reactions to the prevailing political & social agendas of the day. Remember, when the winds shift we make equal fun of the guys on the other side of the fence too. OK?! so don't take everything so damn seriously."

 In case you're intimidated or turned off by all the above, COMIC RELIEF also offers some comedy which is not tied to newspaper headlines. Each issue features a couple of strips by cutting-edge comic book creators Carol Lay ("Story Minute") and Peter Kuper ("Eye of the Beholder"). Other top tier cartoons included are "Off the Mark" by Mark Parisi, "Life in Hell" by Matt Groening, "Stonewall Riots" by Andrea Natalie, "Berman" by Jennifer Berman, and "Callahan" by John Callahan. Also reprinted in each issue are columns by Dave Barry, Stephanie Brush and Joe Bob Briggs. With this many stars working under one cover, you are assured to laugh out loud quite frequently while reading COMIC RELIEF. Heck, out of 80 pages each month, there are only two pages of clunkers which I cannot bring myself to read: "Ask Dr. Science" from Duck's Breath Mystery Theatre and "Ernie Pook's Comeek" by Lynda Barry. 97.5% pure quality! That's a damn good percentage for any anthology.

 FUNNY STUFF forsakes editorial cartoons and topical strips for general comedy. It carries five very funny strips and panels: "Dilbert" by Scott Adams, "Bizarro" by Dan Piraro, "Mixed Media" by Jack Ohman, "Foxtrot" by Bill Amend, and "Off the Mark" by Mark Parisi. It also carries the not-so funny "Shoe" by Jeff MacNelly and the downright stupid "Zippy the Pinhead" by Bill Griffith. This magazine first exposed me to "For Better or Worse" by Lynn Johnston, which has become the main reason I anticipate the next issue of FUNNY STUFF. Other features include more columns by Dave Barry and Stephanie Brush and gag panels by dozens of talented cartoonists. The family strips help make FUNNY STUFF a kinder, gentler version of COMIC RELIEF, but not less funny.

 Together, COMIC RELIEF and FUNNY STUFF provide 160 pages of gut-busting humor each month. I think they complement each other perfectly and cannot imagine buying one without the other. And I certainly could not imagine buying neither. Could you? I didn't think so.
 
 

_____	COMIC RELIEF	Grade: A
_____	FUNNY STUFF	Grade: A-

(COMIC RELIEF #98, 99, & 100 are solicited this month in PREVIEWS on page 333!)

(Surf on over to http://www.comic-relief.com/index.htm and you'll find the Page One home page. The on-line versions of COMIC RELIEF and FUNNY STUFF include generous samplings of the cartoons and columns from the printed magazines.)
 
 

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GAUNTLET #1-13 (Gauntlet, Inc.)

 If you love comics, books, television or the internet, GAUNTLET is the most important magazine you may not be buying. Dedicated to "Exploring the Limits of Free Expression," GAUNTLET stands guard against the narrow-minded censors who want to keep you from experiencing ideas which threaten their world order. GAUNTLET reports exclusively on issues concerning the First Amendment to the Constitution.

 GAUNTLET strives to publicize any suppression of writing, artwork or photography. The favorite tactic at GAUNTLET is to accompany any article about suppression with the text of the banned story or pictures of the banned artwork or photography. This allows the reader to make her own judgement on the material. (Warning: The explicit nature of these stories and pictures makes GAUNTLET inappropriate for children.) Sometimes the material is shocking, and sometimes the fact that someone could find the material offensive is shocking. Recent issues of GAUNTLET have highlighted Howard Stern's struggles with the FCC, the outrage over the internet-restricting Communications Decency Act (CDA), and, of course, pornography. The upcoming issue #14 is scheduled to be a sequel to issue #5: "Porn in the USA."

 Actively pursuing comics fans, GAUNTLET frequently focuses on the comic book field. There has been running coverage of the Mike Diana conviction and the Planet Comics bust. (If you don't know these names, you definitely need to be reading GAUNTLET.) Comic book creators who have contributed articles, stories or art to GAUNTLET include Stephen R. Bissette, Kate Worley, Harvey Pekar, Jim Woodring, Roberta Gregory, Angela Bocage, and Reed Waller, Comic book figures who have been interviewed include Gary Groth, Art Spiegelman, and Joe Coleman. Dori Seda, William M. Gaines, and Bobby London have all been the subject of articles. Issue #13, the most recent, had a cover story on the controversy surrounding the politically incorrect attitude of Mort Walker's "Beetle Bailey" comic strip. As a final lure for comics fans, GAUNTLET changed its format with issue #12 to take on the shape and size of a (very thick) comic book.

 First amendment rights frequently cross over with other, broader issues. GAUNTLET has given the cover spotlight to political correctness, media manipulation, sexual harassment, black racism, prostitution, and cults. Issue #12 featured stories about the legalization of marijuana and the role actor Woody Harrelson has assumed as a hemp advocate.

 GAUNTLET is a little rough around the edges and has a few flaws. The biggest problem is frequency; GAUNTLET comes out only twice a year, in May and November. The magazine suffers from some typos and other small glitches on occasion. The layout of GAUNTLET is austere and dull; the pages rarely deviate from two typeset columns. The quality of the writing, on the other hand, varies wildly from article to article, ranging from the highly professional to the barely adequate. While many articles are objective, too many become unbalanced polemics. Articles from opposing viewpoints are sometimes included, but not often enough to keep the magazine's bias from being completely lopsided on any given topic. However, the information contained in GAUNTLET carries it above the drawbacks of the package. Creator/editor/publisher Barry Hoffman can be proud of the passion that shines through in every issue.

 As someone who loves to read, I feel that GAUNTLET serves a very important purpose. It's a wake up call to everyone that every day, somewhere, somebody is eroding the First Amendment. Read GAUNTLET. Become outraged. Then begin contributing to freedom of speech advocacy groups such as the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund (CBLDF) or the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Without these guardians, we may one day find ourselves in a society where the books I discuss in this column no longer exist.
 
 

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Grade: A-

(GAUNTLET #14 is solicited this month in PREVIEWS on page 342!)

(The GAUNTLET web page is at http://www.horrornet.com/gauntletmag.htm)
 
 

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V FOR VENDETTA (DC Comics)

 The problem with putting a specific date in a futuristic story is that one day, the calendar will catch up with it. George Orwell did not live to see 1984 come and go without the overwhelming presence of the Big Brother he imagined in 1948. (Though some fringe militia groups might beg to differ with me on that!) Everyone except the most diehard "Star Trek" fan is happy that 1992-1996 did not see the rise to world power of Khan Noonien Singh and the terrible destruction of the Eugenics Wars as described in the 1967 "Space Seed" episode from the original series. (STAR TREK OMNIPEDIA 2 CD-ROM, Simon & Schuster Interactive, 1996.) And the residents of England can rest easy, secure in the knowledge that since a predicted nuclear war didn't happen in 1989, there probably won't be a fascistic government in power in two months on November 5, 1997 -- the day on which Alan Moore's V FOR VENDETTA begins.

The only thing that can save a writer from total disgrace in such a situation is if he has written something so good, the reader will forgive him the inaccuracy. I quite readily forgive Moore and will now praise V FOR VENDETTA excessively. (Orwell and "Space Seed" authors Gene L. Coon & Carey Wilber can fend for themselves. I'm a comic book reviewer, dammit, not a public relations flack.)

 Celebrating it's 15th anniversary this year, V FOR VENDETTA originally appeared as serialized installments in the British comics magazine WARRIOR in 1982. DC Comics revived and colorized the WARRIOR chapters and commissioned Moore to complete the series in 1988. Upon completion DC collected the series under one cover and has kept the book in print for eight years now. DC has gone to such great lengths for a reason -- V FOR VENDETTA is that good.

 The England of V FOR VENDETTA is not a happy place. Following the nuclear war of 1989, fascists took control. All minorities were sent off to concentration camps and eliminated. The remaining people are tightly monitored and controlled by a six part government. The "Eye" maintains video surveillance while the "Ear" taps everyone's phones. The "Mouth" continually feeds the masses propaganda and mind-numbing sitcoms. The police are the "Finger" of government, dispensing rough justice right on the streets. Agents of the "Nose" are the investigators who handle crimes too subtle for the brutish "Fingermen." The "Head" is the entity to whom all the other parts report. The "Head" is the dictator, a man whose power is cemented by his exclusive access to an all-powerful computer called Fate.

 V is a superhuman anarchist. He believes government must be eliminated and the people freed to find their own way. To topple the tyrant who holds England in his iron fist, V begins a campaign of terrorism. His first public act is to carry out the failed Gunpowder Plot of November 5, 1605. Throughout the series V even dresses as Guy Fawkes, a tribute to the man who tried to blow up the Parliament with gunpowder 392 years ago. V continues his campaign by assassinating political figures and blowing up other prominent buildings. During his quest V befriends Evey, a sixteen year old girl on the verge of a life of prostitution. He tries to educate her in his philosophies -- if he can win over one common person, there is hope he can free them all. Meanwhile, a dogged investigator from the "Nose" is closing in slowly on V's hideout, the Shadow Gallery, where V has gathered copies of all the books, movies, music and paintings the government has banned and destroyed.

 Moore, one of the most gifted writers to ever work in comics, creates a spellbinding character in V -- a character unlike any which has ever preceded it. (Anarky, on the other hand, from DC's BATMAN comics and his own eponymous mini-series, is a watered down version of V "created" just a few years ago. I think it's a shame that DC is allowing this bit of self-plagiarism. It's annoying, and poorly done to boot.) The story could have easily devolved into a typical "psychotic out for vengeance" riff, but Moore makes it so much more. V is despicable in many of his actions, but always noble in his adherence to his ideals. V's actions cause chaos, but for V chaos is a tool necessary for man to achieve his full potential, and it is a tool V uses quite elegantly. V is working on a national scale and personal scale simultaneously, using his terrorism to educate Evey and the citizens of England. V does not seek power for himself, but rather seeks to empower the downtrodden.

 Moore is ably assisted in his masterpiece by a fine group of artists. David Lloyd's linework is appropriately dark. The subdued coloring of Lloyd, Steve Whitaker, and Siobhan Dodds is, well, brilliant. The art and color tone set the stage quite effectively for Moore's dialogue.

 As you can probably tell by this point, V FOR VENDETTA is one of the most challenging superhero stories ever written. Steeped in English culture, literature, and politics, the story does not stop and explain it's every nuance with exposition. The reader is expected to apply himself a little and keep up on his own. In his foreword to the trade paperback, David Lloyd warns, "There aren't many cheeky, cheery characters in V FOR VENDETTA . . . and it's for people who don't switch off the News." However, before you give up in despair or conclude that V FOR VENDETTA is some dry, intellectual treatise, I must point out that the barreling plot carries you quickly past the most difficult points. On the simplest level, the book's raw power can be enjoyed in much the same way as the television show "ER": viewers become totally engrossed in trauma room scenes without understanding the medical jargon which makes up 90% of the dialogue.

In "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow" from SUPERMAN #423, Moore wrote, "This is an IMAGINARY STORY (Which may never happen, but then again may) . . . This is an IMAGINARY STORY . . . Aren't they all?" Obviously, the date of V FOR VENDETTA is irrelevant when the imagination it displays is so original and the story is so perfect. If V FOR VENDETTA is not already part of your comic book library, you are missing out on a genuine classic.
 
 

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Grade: A+

(V FOR VENDETTA is resolicited this month in PREVIEWS on page 109!)

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