Crossfire by Evanier and Dan Spiegle was my jam at Eclipse, and it crossed over with DNAgents --even lingered after the Agents went into hibernation. Always loved me some Spiegle artwork.
Tracing the history of Airboy might be interesting. And a lot of us don't know much about Todd McFarlane or why he's such a big dog in comics with one comic that spawned a single mediocre live-action film.
Looking forward to reading this. McFarlane going from average DC house artist on infinity Inc, to improving (greatly) artist on Hulk, then ASM - is a needed recounting. I remember seeing him on Batman Year 2 and once they let him do his own inking it was like night and day.
I’m a little older than your cohort, last of the boomers, and I remember that one stop nerd shop in the late seventies where as a teenager I bought R. Crumb and other very subversive comics. They also sold amyl nitrate poppers. I’m sure such a store could not exist today for many, and some very good, reasons! Like you I got my start as a preteen reading comics from the turnstile at the local 7-11 where I would blow my weekly allowance on the Hulk, Spider-Man, Superman and candy and also try to beat the record on the pinball machine. Good times!
Anyone who was into the Golden Age of early 20th century aviation (and every Generation Xer I knew had at least one model of a P-51 MUSTANG in his bedroom) would have LOVED The Rocketeer (which the writer correctly identifies as beginning as a PACIFIC COMICS title - the B-Side of Mike Grell's STARSLAYER - does anyone remember that?) as well as Airboy. They were my introduction to both the late and great Dave Stevens and Chuck Dixon. And Bettie Page!
We still have two comics shops in this general area. They are both about 20% comics and 75% games with the rest renting out rooms for your miniature campaign. I go more to look at the games than the comics.
I loved the style and idea behind The Rocketeer and was pleasantly surprised, when the movie came out, that the changes made turned Cliff and Betty/Jenny into much more likeable characters. I guess I should have read Airboy too.
I remember seeing adds for DNAgents all the time (plus TMNT) but didn't know it was a Gen X team. Hell, I didn't even know I was Gen X. I grew up immersed in Boomer culture and knew I wasn't one of them. I also knew I wasn't one of the next generation whose parents escorted them trick-or-treating, either. But what was I? I really didn't know.
I would like to read more about Eclipse (and other indies) if you decide to do it.
Those years were great. West Side Comics had a sale flier taped to the lampposts - get 3 60 cent Marvel comics for a dollar. My mother gave me $5 and that was all it took. I was a Marvel superfan, but I remember Eclipse and some of their titles. I wish now I'd picked more of them up. In my area of NYC we had 3 comic book stores: West Side Comics, Big Apple Comics, and Funny Business. Those were some good times for a middle schooler in UWS Manhattan.
Crossfire by Evanier and Dan Spiegle was my jam at Eclipse, and it crossed over with DNAgents --even lingered after the Agents went into hibernation. Always loved me some Spiegle artwork.
Tracing the history of Airboy might be interesting. And a lot of us don't know much about Todd McFarlane or why he's such a big dog in comics with one comic that spawned a single mediocre live-action film.
I'll have that one up next week.
Looking forward to reading this. McFarlane going from average DC house artist on infinity Inc, to improving (greatly) artist on Hulk, then ASM - is a needed recounting. I remember seeing him on Batman Year 2 and once they let him do his own inking it was like night and day.
I too am kind of curious of the comparisons between airboy and rocketeer.
I’m a little older than your cohort, last of the boomers, and I remember that one stop nerd shop in the late seventies where as a teenager I bought R. Crumb and other very subversive comics. They also sold amyl nitrate poppers. I’m sure such a store could not exist today for many, and some very good, reasons! Like you I got my start as a preteen reading comics from the turnstile at the local 7-11 where I would blow my weekly allowance on the Hulk, Spider-Man, Superman and candy and also try to beat the record on the pinball machine. Good times!
Trying to remember why I remembered Eclipse, since I was not the market for Rocketman...
The Dirty Pair and Mai the Psychic Girl.
We only kept one longbox after the move. GNs aren't collectible, but they're easier to read.
Anyone who was into the Golden Age of early 20th century aviation (and every Generation Xer I knew had at least one model of a P-51 MUSTANG in his bedroom) would have LOVED The Rocketeer (which the writer correctly identifies as beginning as a PACIFIC COMICS title - the B-Side of Mike Grell's STARSLAYER - does anyone remember that?) as well as Airboy. They were my introduction to both the late and great Dave Stevens and Chuck Dixon. And Bettie Page!
I also remember Whisper. Was that Eclipse or First?
We still have two comics shops in this general area. They are both about 20% comics and 75% games with the rest renting out rooms for your miniature campaign. I go more to look at the games than the comics.
I loved the style and idea behind The Rocketeer and was pleasantly surprised, when the movie came out, that the changes made turned Cliff and Betty/Jenny into much more likeable characters. I guess I should have read Airboy too.
I remember seeing adds for DNAgents all the time (plus TMNT) but didn't know it was a Gen X team. Hell, I didn't even know I was Gen X. I grew up immersed in Boomer culture and knew I wasn't one of them. I also knew I wasn't one of the next generation whose parents escorted them trick-or-treating, either. But what was I? I really didn't know.
I would like to read more about Eclipse (and other indies) if you decide to do it.
Those years were great. West Side Comics had a sale flier taped to the lampposts - get 3 60 cent Marvel comics for a dollar. My mother gave me $5 and that was all it took. I was a Marvel superfan, but I remember Eclipse and some of their titles. I wish now I'd picked more of them up. In my area of NYC we had 3 comic book stores: West Side Comics, Big Apple Comics, and Funny Business. Those were some good times for a middle schooler in UWS Manhattan.