The DC Vault: A Museum-in-a-Book with Rare Collectibles from the DC Universe

Author : Martin Pasko Edition : Spi Number of Pages : 192 Publisher : Running Press List Price : $49.95 Amazon Price : $28.02 Used Price : $27.95

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Customer reviews

Perfect! by .. E. Jacobson (Los Angeles, CA)
This book is great. History in its written form, and things that you can touch! Great for any DC fan -- a must for any comic book or comic book movie fan.

dc comic by .. Heather A. Cattanach ()
I bought this for my husband who is very much into comics. He loved it!

Vault of Excelence by .. Tim Lasiuta (Red Deer, Alberta)


The DC Vault

All I can say is WOW!

The team of Martin Pasko and DC Comics (Paul Levitz provides the foreword) has produced a truly remarkable book with few faults. From a historical viewpoint, Mr Pasko has managed to shed new light on the murky origins of Major Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholsons' company. The 'new' information not only includes what little we know of the various publisher mergings, but what fascinated me was the licensing impetus/juggernaut that grew out of DC Comcs/National Publications. With Dr No, the licensing arm behind the scenes kicked into high gear and with the merger of Kinney into a Time-Warner Corporation, DC was not only a publishing company, but a licensing monster!

As comic fans and readers, all we saw was the amazing array of products that came out of the mythcal offices we saw four color images of the heroes who saved the fictional universe again and again. DC swallowed Fawcett in the 1950's, and along with that, the amazing Captain Marvel franchise. Charlton Comics, oncde a major competitor, was also absorbed in the 1980's. The forays of DC Comics into network TV with the Adventures of Superman, Batman (West et al) and Superman films is referenced, but the Flash and Wonder Woman have been glossed over. Major talent movements from Marvel to DC (late 1960's), and the DC Implosion (1977/78) that purged the publishers low selling ranks, are covered by Pasko in a thoughtful, matter of factual manner.

Probably the greatest feature of this book is the wealth of 'vault' material included. Art pulled from files that never published, and actual copies of rare promotional items turn this into a true page turner. Items like the Ashcan Double Action #2, the Batman mask from 1943, the JSA Decoder, Superman's Buddy comic, and the History of the DC Universe poster are stunning. Even my 15 year old daughter was thrilled with the jewels in this publishing crown.

If there is a weakness to the book, it's the last couple of chapters that covers DC Comics from 1980 to present in 20 plus pages. The history of DC is complex, and the last nearly 3 decades is full of developments could fill a book on its' own. Dealing with issues of creators rights, the major Crisis, and DC Universe re-organization, and recently, the creation of specialty imprints such as Wildstorm, and the rise of exclusive creator contracts is either not discussed, or glossed over.

I do love the extensive use of high quality graphics 1935 to 1996 in the book and archive pieces. This is a true hands on book that could easily have been 200 more pages. Alex Ross fans will love the cover, and the note from Alex to Neal Adams.

The big question is, how can you expect to cover the history of such a company in so few pages? And secondarily, why do we nitpick so much. This is a labor of passion, and as such, should be read that way. Enjoy the glimpses into the files that only Paul Levitz can provide. Just enjoy.

Www.runningpress.com

Tim Lasiuta

A must buy for all DC Comics fans! by .. Richard Guion (CASTRO VALLEY, CA USA)
I like this even more than the Marvel Vault, which came out last year. The DC Vault has better content as far as the history of DC is concerned, starting with More Fun comics and leading up to recent history. Martin Pasko, who many longtime DC fans will remember as a key writer during the 1970s, wrote the text that accompanies the multitude of pictures and collectibles. He includes numerous typed and handwritten memos from DC Comics writers and editors that give us a fascinating inside look at how certain decisions were made.

The collectibles that are reproduced here are really, really sweet.

For starters, the cover of the DC Vault is a reproduction of Dick Sprang's "Secrets of the Batcave" lithograph that he produced in 1994. Some of the 1940s items are the Junior Justice Society Decoder Wheel, a Wonder Woman Sensation Comics button, and a Batman 1943 mask that announces the newspaper comic strip. There are some never-before seen items, like Neal Adams concept drawings for a "Superman-land" amusement park, where we could have explored the World of Krypton. A sticker reproduces the "Shazam Is Coming" button that announced Captain Marvel's 1970 comeback into the DC Universe. My favorite reproduction is the History of the DC Universe Jam Poster (shown above), where a few dozen DC artists collaborated to draw their famous characters: Carmine Infantino on the Flash, Neal Adams on Deadman, Joe Kubert on Hawkman, Walt Simonson on Manhunter, Curt Swan on Superman, etc. I had this poster when it originally came out and somehow lost it, glad to have it back now. It even has Dave Gibbons doing Rorschach, which must make Alan Moore's head spin around.

If this wasn't enough, the DC Vault contains tons of preliminary cover and character sketches. There's a really cool Hawkman concept cover sketch by Kubert, as well as a Ragman character description. Brian Bolland's pencils to one of his famous Wonder Woman covers is included. There are a number of covers which had to be altered from their original state, and Pasko speculates on the editors reasons for doing so. There's so much in here that I can't possibly describe...if you're any kind of DC fan, you need to buy this book, now. Nuff said.

History of the DC Universe

Author : Marv Wolfman Number of Pages : 104 Release Date : 2009-05-05 Publisher : DC Comics List Price : $9.95 Amazon Price : $5.10 Used Price : $5.10

Customer reviews

Better when it first came out that it is today. by .. Michael Griffith (PA, USA)
In other words, this book no longer serves as THE history of the DCU.

I am not sure if any one book CAN serve as a history of any comic universe, but just after the Crisis of 1986, this book did just that for DC.

Then, as the years and stories and heroes came and went and changed, so did the history.

And as comic fans know, History (some of us have to give it a capital "H" there, you know) changes with almost every issue of a comic and to some readers it is all-important to their reading of a given series and their enjoyment of comic books.

The art is George Perez at his best.

The text is fine for what it is. It does what it is meant to do: summarize in short blurbs origins and major events.

History of the DC Universe by .. Kevin B. Morgan ()
The book tries summarize the vast (and convoluted) history of the DC Universe. While some of the artwork is excellent, some it is just adequate.
The story line wanders too much because it tries to do excessively much in a limited amount of space. It serves as a minimal primer of the DC Universe.

Lacking by .. Charles J. Rector (Woodstock, IL United States)
History of the DC Universe is the most recent attempt by DC Comics to provide its readership with a guide to the characters who inhabit DC Comics. It is not a particularly well done volume. While the artwork is fairly good, the writing is amateurish. Nor is this book particularly thorough.

Back in the mid-1970's, at the height of comics fandom, DC put out a number of volumes that collectively amounted to a history of the DC Universe. As such, they were superior to this mishmash book.

If all you want is an introduction to the world of DC Comics, then this book will fullfill your desire. However, if you are a comics fan like this writer, you will find this book lacking.

Cleaning up after the Crisis... by .. Blake Petit (Ama, Louisiana United States)
Ever since DC Comics jumpstarted its entire line with 1986's classic "Crisis on Infinite Earths," some people have been confused as to which elements of the pre-Crisis universe survived the transition. This book collects a two-part series DC published soon after "Crisis" that explains that in full.

With text by Marv Wolfman and artwork by George Perez (the same team that brought you "Crisis,") this book outlines the entire timeline of the DCU as it existed in the wake of the Crisis. It explains and clarifies the history of the single universe that remained following the implosion, and while some of the elements touched upon in here have changed in the 17 years since its original publication (the Legion of Super-Heroes in particular stands out, since they were jumpstarted on their own in 1994's "Zero Hour"), the book is still clear and concise enough that the casual comic reader can use it as a primer to reconcile the DCU of today with the multiple universes of the Silver and Bronze Ages. While it may not be a book for anyone, it's a good place for a comics fan to jump back in.

In a loose way, this book acts as the concluding installment of a trilogy, the other two parts being "Crisis on Multiple Earths" and "Crisis on Infinite Earths." All three books are worth reading.

Quick historical overview of the DCU by .. Dave (Dallas, TX USA)
This was originally released in a 2-issue prestige format to put the cap on Crisis On Infinite Earths, presenting the restructured history of the DC Universe. The new cover by Alex Ross gets a thumbs-up, naturally. The artwork by Perez is beautiful as always, and he once again packs the pages with characters. Not to the degree of COIE, but they're still a joy to look at. Cheers to Wolfman for the concept, but the writing gets a bit tedious at times. How many different ways can the narrator, Harbinger, ask "What is a hero?" Too many times, for my taste. I think the book would have benefitted more from a chronological presentation with timelines, rather than a generic narrative. Still, it's a great one to have, especially since you get coverage of many minor characters who didn't get much attention in COIE: Firehair, Neptune Perkins, and of all people, the Viking Commando??? Waa-hoo!

DC Universe Illustrated by Neal Adams Vol. 01

Number of Pages : 192 Release Date : 2009-01-13 Publisher : DC Comics List Price : $39.99 Amazon Price : $26.39

DC Universe Last Will and Testament #1

Author : Brad Meltzer Publisher : DC Comics Amazon Price : $3.50

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DC Universe: Helltown

Author : Dennis O'Neil Number of Pages : 344 Publisher : Grand Central Publishing List Price : $6.99 Amazon Price : $13.10 Used Price : $2.01

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Customer reviews

Uneven but interesting by .. JD (Florida, USA)
First off, yes, this is a book for comics fans, but not your standard capes and spandex variety. Some background: Steve Ditko, best known for being the original Spiderman artist, created "Mr. A" in the 60s, a character who expounded on the obscure philosophy of Ayn Rand. (Dikto himself is quirky; a guy once flew over from Paris to interview him at his New York apartment, but Dikto would only talk to him over the building's intercom.) But while "Mr. A" was for a fanzine, he later made The Question -- essentially the same character --for Charleston comics. The company folded and DC comics bought some of the characters, including The Question. Anyone who knows comics knows about the Watchmen, or at least they should. The Watchman character "Rorshack" was based on the Question. DC also made some comics using the Question as himself, including a mini-series in the 1980s, written by Denny O'Neil. This novel is based on that story and O'Neil wrote this, too.
There was an issue of the Avengers (215 or 216) in which the Silver Surfer says that, since he had such power, he had a responsibility to
use it to help people. An Avenger said to him that it seemed like, even if the Surfer were just an ordinary guy, he'd probably be out there
trying to improve the world. That's kind of like the Question.
The Question defies most superhero categorization. He has no superpowers nor super weapons. While he's far from stupid, he's certainly not the sharpest knife in the drawer either, nor does he have much formal education. He doesn't even have have a superb mastery of weaponry, like Hawkeye or Green Arrow, and he's not out for "justice", since, as he mentions at one point, he's not even sure what "justice" is. He doesn't have some kind of haunting, driving motivation like Batman of Spiderman.
So what's up?
When tough guy Charles Victor Szasz blows into town at the even tougher Midwestern "Hub City", the Helltown of the title (which is what -- Detroit? Pittsburgh? O'Neil says its a composite), he's got nothing. His ratty old car dies almost immediately, he's got no job, no money to speak of, no family, and even his name is taken from the priest who showed him some kindness at the orphanage where he grew up (which has since burned to the ground). He somehow manages to score a job at a small local radio station doing broadcast news, largely by impressing the hell out of the station manager by taking on two armed bikers who attack them -- and winning, although sustaining some injuries. The station manager gives him a more radio friendly name: Vic Sage, and directs him to an eccentric, rich old man who'll who let Vic live on the property without charging much rent.
Later, on a story, Vic is beat within an inch of his life, but again impresses the hell out of someone: a quirky martial artist known as Lady Shiva. The impressive part was that he paradoxically kept getting up after he wasn't able to get up, as she put it. She brings him to another world class martial artist who nurse him back to health and trains him.
Back at Hub City, his benefactor, the old man --"Tot" -- was brutalized by thugs looking for Vic, and so is now willing to back him with resources, such as his the "faceless" face mask, and helps him arrive at the name, The Question. He also gets similarly expensive help from comics' original millionaire superhero, Bruce Wayne.
This reminds me a little of the premise of the old "Magnum, P.I." tv series. Due to his association with a wealthy man, the protagonist gets the fancy car, house and other expensive resources, and thereby
partakes of a millionaire's trappings but still retains his "working class hero" status -- thereby presumably not alienating readers/viewers
who are contemptuous of the rich. In short, having it both ways.
For me, though, the story kind of goes down hill after all this.
Sure, the newly formed Question goes on to accomplish his goals, but
the much more interesting story is the becoming, the origin. He never even really investigates his roots, and while there's a certain logic to leaving the matter unresolved -- he is, after all, The Question, and hence a mysterious past makes sense -- it's still sort of unsatisfying.
There are also a few interesting lines philosophically. When Vic asks his martial arts instructor, what does he think about hunters coming into the mountains to kill animals, I half expected him to be against
it, but he says he has no opinion, it really has nothing t do with him.
A Zen response, basically. When Vic later talks to Tot he says he's afraid that talking might prevent him from doing -- a concept sometimes used in modern magic. Some say that in talking about a plan, you lose some vital energy, maybe even enough to prevent you from acting accordingly.
So, an uncommon origin for an uncommon hero, and some interesting
philosophical ideas (mentioned but not explored). I'd recommend the book for these reasons, and maybe others will find the more conventional
latter part of the book more interesting than I did.

? by .. R. Smith ()
Let me answer some questions...
-Should non-DC fans read this book? Probably not. It does have good action scenes and keeps a decent pace, but it is by no means a mystery novel and the appearances of guest super heroes, even if they are ones without super powers, will come off as silly to people who don't read comics.

-Should DC fans read this book who aren't familiar with the Question? This is probably the prime demographic. The novel incorporates a lot of elements from O'Neil's gritty and wonderful run on the character's comic book series. That said, the comic books did a better job. Even the introspection of Question's psyche was better there, which is surprising considering O'Neil could have had even more space in this novel to put Sage's thoughts into text.

-Should Question fans read this novel? If you're a fan of the Ditko original, then absolutely not. More than anything this is what I missed from the novel - Vic Sage's hardlined objectivist beliefs earlier in life. Regardless of whether you prefer the Question as he was created by Ditko or altered by O'Neil, when O'Neil began his comic series with the character the Question had to rethink his objectivist beliefs. Instead of a metamorphoses from one breed of man into another, you get a schmoe turning into the Question thanks to the machinations of other prominent DC characters. An interesting take for maybe another hero, but I think Ditko's intentions for the Question has to be there somewhere, otherwise he's just a guy in a mask.
While this is an "origin" story for the Question, don't be misled into thinking this novel is a good primer for what the character is about.

Pros
-Basically a modern-day pulp novel. Plenty of action at a good pace.
-Moderate fun if you're a DC fanatic. Even then, the DC guest heroes are nothing to write home about.

Cons
-Not the best if you're a genuine Question fan.
-Many of the protagonists have interchangeable personalities, possessing the same wit and sense of humour.
-The villains in the story and the problems plaguing Hub City are so overt it's more silly than sinister. To showcase how corrupt the local government is there's nightly parties with pool tables, cards, hookers and booze held inside city hall itself.

Super Reader by .. Blue Tyson ()
This is the origin of The Question. Charles Victor Szasz is a drifter, who does not know where he came from. His story begins in Hub City, and that is where he is going back to. Showing some grit, he lands a job at the local podunk radio station, because no-one else wants it. Drops the name as too foreign, and his boss suggests Sage, so Vic Sage it is.

He rapidly gets into trouble, and severely injured. Blame Lady Shiva the unpredictable for part of it, but she rescues him, and takes him to Richard Dragon for recovery and training. He meets Bruce there, who decides to himself he will offer him advice and aid. A retired local scientists outfits him after he too suffers violence.

An arms maker is operating in Hub City, using coercion via children, a mercenary band, and a crazy reverend to keep it quiet.

An interesting aside between Batman and Alfred :

"I wish I knew someone I could trust to send to Hub City."

"How about the fellow who advised you? The one with the laugh"

"Alfred, he's ninety-five, and besides, he's a bit too bloodthirsty for me"

After The Question does some legwork, and is captured, but manages to signal a friend, Batman takes an interest, and Shiva owes him a favor.

O'Neill has produced a fine book.

cool by .. Cynthia Matthews ()
dont count this book out. people might say bad thing about this book but dont listen. it reads well, no slow parts, very descrptive and half the time you forget its a superhero book. The Question is an interesting character and does have and interesting origin.

Going against the tide by .. Patrick McArdle (Always moving)
Wow.
After reading this book, I decided it was appropriate to write a positive review but then I came here and saw what other people said. The weird thing is, I kinda agree with many of the other readers' comments ... but I still think this book deserves a strong thumbs up.
The superhero novel is a strange beast, IMO, and rarely done well. A superhero like The Question in particular seems out of place here. As others have pointed out, this is, in many ways, a pretty standard adventure/mystery story and the sole "comic book" element (outside of the "guest stars," which is a strange way to describe characters in a novel...) is The Question's appearance. He doesn't have super powers or even odd gadgets like Batarangs or boxing glove arrows.
The issue becomes, I think, is this still a "comic book" novel? I suspect O'Neil's response was, "It doesn't *have* to be..." So he kept the striking appearance of the character but made it more of a quirk, more Columbo's raincoat than Captain America's shield. The end result is a book that many may buy thinking they're going to get the character from the comic book when in fact, this story is much more in line with an ongoing paperback adventure series like "The Destroyer."
As a comic book reader, I've read many of these kinds of novels and many are just awful for reasons ranging from rampant "Mary Sue-ism" to the fact that a description of Spider-Man fighting Doctor Octopus over New York City without some accompanying illustration just doesn't convey the proper spectacle. Comic books are a visual medium and I think the characters (at least the superheroes or other extreme adventure characters) just work better when they can be seen as in comic books, cartoons or film.
But "Helltown" was a good, enjoyable read. I think the open minded comic book fan will enjoy this but, even more, I think the non-fan would like this as well.
I think some of the other readers may have made some mistaken assumptions about O'Neil's approach. I think O'Neil decided to take the approach of adapting a work from one medium to another. I think he chose not to simply re-write what he had already accomplished when he wrote the comic book series but to take the basic premise and take it along parallel lines like a musician who creates a Reggae version of a Beatles song.
I think O'Neil does *not* see this as the only novel in the series and left some unanswered questions deliberately. I actually could see The Question succeed as a sort-of brainy "men's adventure" series because the character has those distinguishing quirks but not to the extreme that it might alientate the non-comic book fan.
I will admit that someone who buys the book based on the cover expecting strong participation by Batman would be disappointed. I think even those expecting a straight prose translation of O'Neil and Denys Cowan's comic book series will be disappointed.
But for the casual fan or those who can enjoy the sort of "Vertigo" re-invention of well-established characters, I think "Helltown" will prove to be a rewarding read.