In Retroactive I’ll take you on a visual comic cover tour of the past covering all the covers for a particular series. Each entry will cover an entire year and I’ll always have one comic from DC and one comic from Marvel. At the end of each edition of Retroactive I’ll select my overall favourite cover for that year for each series. Last time on Retroactive we covered Detective Comics 1956 and Amazing Spider-Man 1980. If you need a refresher, just click HERE. Below you’ll find the two series that I’m currently covering. Click on that specific logo to be instantly taken directly to that series. The last section is reserved for my Top Picks from each year. Click the logo or travel to the third page to view them.
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Detective Comics 1957
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Amazing Spider-Man 1981
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The Speech Bubble 
The tragedies written by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides used to make their leading character face a “tragic choice”: he/she had to choose between 2 possible decisions, knowing in advance that both of them would have implied tragic consequences.
In Detective Comics # 249, Dick Grayson must face a tragic choice: if he talks, Batman’s secret identity is gone; if he remains silent, Batman dies.
The writer used the “tragic choice” cliché you routinely find in the greek tragedies, but the interesting thing is that, while in those plays it was the leading character who had to choose, here it’s a supporting character who makes the “tragic choice”. The writer used an old cliché in a completely new and nonconformist way, and I love it.
I know that maybe that writer didn’t know anything about the greek roman world, but I like to think that the analogy with the greek tragedies was intentional.
As for Spidey, I pick ASM Annual # 15, because of the Punisher.
“The tragedies written by Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides used to make their leading character face a “tragic choice”: he/she had to choose between 2 possible decisions, knowing in advance that both of them would have implied tragic consequences.”
You teach me something yet again. wwayne = a wealth of knowledge! Also, another solid choice. Funny how your top Batman concerns Bruce going to jail while my top Spider-Man has Parker in jail. Odd coincidence?
“As for Spidey, I pick ASM Annual # 15, because of the Punisher.”
Surprise, surprise. 🙂 I like this cover as well: Doc Ock going through the morning paper, a cup of coffee in one…tentacle. What evil plot is he concocting I wonder?
“Funny how your top Batman concerns Bruce going to jail while my top Spider-Man has Parker in jail. Odd coincidence?” I didn’t think about it, but you’re right: both of us appreciated a cover showing the “undeservedly charged” cliché.
“What evil plot is he concocting I wonder?” I asked myself the same thing. I love when a villain concots an evil plot, because this way the superhero will be forced to fight him by using his mind, not only his muscles and weapons.
When a superhero uses his mind AND his muscles and weapons, you have the ideal action packed comic book.
Talking about old fashioned Batman, I will probably give this new series a try, if DC publishes it in a paper format: http://www.comicbookresources.com:8080/?page=article&id=44437.
Also, yesterday I went watching Silver Linings Playbook, and I do suggest you to watch it too if you haven’t. The first part is quite boring, but later on it becomes a very enjoyable movie.
Thank you for your compliments and for your reply! : )
“Talking about old fashioned Batman, I will probably give this new series a try, if DC publishes it in a paper format”
I’m down for that and they did mention it would have a monthly release which is the route I would take for sure. I hope this and the soon to be coming action figures are just a precursor to the eventual DVD release of the TV show!
“Also, yesterday I went watching Silver Linings Playbook, and I do suggest you to watch it too if you haven’t. The first part is quite boring, but later on it becomes a very enjoyable movie.”
I’ve been meaning to check it out considering it has both Lawrence and Cooper in it. Nice to know you enjoyed it.
I enjoyed so much that I wrote a post about it! : )
Also, did you think about the replacements for Detective Comics and Amazing Spider Man when they are ended? My suggestions are Green Arrow (starting in 1988) and Daredevil (starting in 1964).
Notice that I wrote “suggestions”, not “orders”: even if you choose some series I couldn’t care less about, like Aquaman or the Hulk, I will go on supporting the Retroactive section as much as I can.
Thank you for your reply! : )
P.S.: Now that I think about it, it’s not necessary to change the characters featured in the Retroactive section. You could go on with another Bat – title for the DC part, and another Spider – title for the Marvel part.
You can take your pick, since both DC and Marvel exploited their most successful characters as much as they could in the past, and they’re still doing it (especially DC).
I think I will probably go with the Batman series after Detective Comics runs its course (though that will take about 56 more weeks!). As for the Marvel replacement I haven’t decided (I still have 32 weeks left) but I’ll take your suggestions under advisement. Deciding between Uncanny X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Daredevil. Thinking about it the Amazing Spider-Man ones are eventually going to get pretty huge when they move up to 2-3 issues a month! Giant editions for sure. Thanks again!
Thank you as well for your reply! : )