Aliens: Mondo Pest - From 1999

Question. What is the making of pleasant discoveries by accident? Answer. Serendipity? Nope. It's Aliens: Mondo Pest.

The plot to the Alien movies was simple: girl meets alien, alien kills almost everyone, girl kills alien. The alien in question is the one with the cucumber head and the second set of slavering jaws hidden inside the first set. The plot to most of Dark Horse Comics' long-running Alien series has been a variation on who meets the ugly bug.

Just when this premise seems milked dry, leave it to DH to find another udder.

What is udder...er, utterly amazing about Aliens: Mondo Pest is that humor has been successfully added to horror in a way that has never succeeded on film. The comic plot is also simple. In quiet homage to the film Shane, Mondo arrives on an agricultural planet to rid its colony of aliens.

Then why is this comic book such a hoot? It's the style, stupid.

Its humor is subtle; most of it visual, but not slapstick. The art is clean, powerful, understandable and fun. But the characterization of the "kid", the kid's mom, Simon Plowright and Mondo is the real meat in this giant cockroach stew.

Mr. Mondo is a hulking slab of meat who owns Mondo Pest Control and an (subconsciously) utterly subtle sense of silliness.

As I watched Mondo's ship disappear into the emptiness of space at the end, a tear came to my eye, and, uncontrollably, I Found myself crying, "Mondo, come back! Come back!" Believe me, that's funny if you saw Shane.

Not for pre-teens. Highly recommended.

Aliens: Mondo Pest costs $2.95 and is 40 pages. From Dark Horse Comics, the art is by Ronnie Del Carmen with story chores by Henry Gilroy. It's available in comic shops or by mail.

Michael Vance

Gil Thorp - From 1999

If Jeff Millar's Tank McNamara emphasizes satire in athletics, Jack Berrill's Gil Thorp stresses the dramatic.

Gil began in 1958, and maintained a high standard of storytelling and character development. Even those who don't care for sports can enjoy this strip.

Gil is a high school coach, but the stories are more concerned with the teenagers he encounters. There are four major stories each year. Berrill may take three years to resolve a plot and not all have happy endings.

Berrill may spend several episodes on one football or basketball game, and then cover three more games in one panel, but his timing is superb.

Adult characters are aging slowly, but teenagers appear to age normally from 15 to 18 and to go through most of the stresses of adolescence.

Some of the most memorable stories have dealt with youngsters who resolve severe domestic conflicts through participation in athletics. Sometimes, the resolution is partial.

A recent storyline seemed to involve a girl's attempt to play on the boys' basketball team. She was being manipulated by a publicity hound whose lazy friend, Joe Sharky, was revealed as a "natural" hitter who had no motivation to develop his skills. Sharky was forced to decide how much he wanted to play and whether he wanted to maintain his friendship with the manipulative Harvey. Long-time readers will recognize this as a repeat from 1971. Harvey was originally named Yale Cody, but, apart from updated hairdos and clothing styles, the story is unchanged.

Will Joe Sharky's later adventures also be recycled? In 1972, he dabbled with a cult; in 1973, he played for the Detroit Tigers' farm team; in 1976, he lost Part of his hand, but Thorp taught him to pitch. Supposedly, he retired in 1979. The Sharky story and its "liberation" subplot are as timely in 1996 as they were in 1971.

Recommended.

Reviewed by Dr. Jon Suter

Nocturnals: Witching Hour - From 1999

Nocrurnals: Witching Hour/48 pgs, $4.95/by Dan Brereton/sold at comics shops and by mail.

Whenever a comics artist proclaims that "writing is important, but the art is everything", know that you have read a self-fulfilling prophecy.

That's what Rob Zombie wrote in his introduction to Nocturnals: Witching Hour. Its artist must agree. Brereton's art is terrific. Distinctive, well executed, visually exciting story-telling is too rare in comics, and Brereton is blessed with an extra helping of talent, and a deep understanding of cartooning techniques.

Visually, this is a fun Halloween romp as real monsters mix, undetected, with kids in costumes But there is no real story or deep characterization. Brereton stands in good company. Most comics writers and artists do not possess both talents in equal dregs. And when art is everything...it isn't comics.

Michael Vance

Frank Miller's 300 - From 1999

300 #s 1-3 (of 5)/27 pgs. & $2.95 ea. from Dark Horse/sold in comics shops and by mail.

Three hundred Spartan warriors march to defend Greece against invasion by Persia. Frank Miller revisits that famous historical battle with distinctive and powerful minimalist art, candid dialog and fast-paced plot. For some readers, that is not enough. Story content is also important.

I am among that some.

Miller has a reputation for "preserving our First Amendment rights". For him, that means the right to depict nudity, promiscuity or sexual perversion, profanity, graphic violence, drug use and the dirty side of human nature.

It seems odd, not surprising, that defenders of those rights rarely explore modesty, marital fidelity and sexual normalcy, decent language, conflict resolution without violence and the noble side of human nature.

Apart from male nudity, some violence, and profanity in his letters section, 300 is atypical of Miller's content through its third issue. Nevertheless, readers who think those destructive activities need airing will continue to buy Miller's work, and will enjoy 300 anyway.

Readers who do not will yawn.

Michael Vance

Justice Society Revival - From 1999

I recently commented on DC Comic's revival of the Justice Society of America. Part of the buildup has been both in new continuous series and short series. Some are better than others.

The most elaborate so far is a three issue series, Doctor Mid-nite, written by Matt Wagner and drawn by John Snyder. (In some places, the name is spelled Midnite. (Why publishers persist in these illiteracies has always puzzled me.)

Since the original Dr. Midnite perished in DC's Zero Hour series, a new version comes as no surprise. This version is far more grim than the 1940's character, but the original's pet owl has been reinserted. Fans of the original should consult The Justice Society Returns for an explanation of Dr. Midnite's fondness for such an odd mascot.

The original Midnite reappeared in 1964 in a Justice League-Justice Society story. Those new to the character were astounded to learn that there had been a blind hero long before Marvel's Daredevil. The characters were not that similar and Marvel stated that no one there even remembered Dr. Midnite or copied him.

At $5.95 each, this title seems pricey, but it will be essential for those who collect anything related to the Justice Society.



On a lighter note is Stars and ST.R.I.P.E., a reworking of the Star- Spangled Kid and his chauffeur Stripesy. (Were any characters ever more poorly named?) The original Stripesy now uses the S.T.R.I.P.E. robot to supervise a female version of the Kid. Issue 0 has sections in a cartoonish style and others in a traditional superhero style. I'll suspend judgment temporarily, but that robot has to go.

Closely connected to the revival of the Justice Society is Hourman. This android version of the 1940's hero resembles Marvel's Iron Man and Vision. The first four issues are very complex and use time travel paradoxes rather freely. Tom Peyer, the writer, may have to broaden Hourman's activities.

Hourman and Doctor Midnite get A's; a B- for the Kid.

Reviewed by Dr. Jon Suter

Heart of Empire

If incredible, insightful' and junk are synonyms in your dictionary, you will not agree with this review of Heart of Empire, a nine issue reprint of a "classic" English comic book.

Why? Because its art is incredible, its prose is insightful and its content is junk, and those words are decidedly not all synonyms for wonderful.

Heart is a complicated, layered dissection of history, society, religion and politics from many British eras. Both visually and verbally satirical, it requires a solid grounding in English lore to catch all the humor evident in almost every phrase and pen stroke.

It is fascinating, farcical, fantasy, friend.

Along with being extremely well written tightly plotted and timed with believable and witty dialogue, the characters in Heart are fully developed and intriguing.

That is a blessing.

The art is incredible. Distinctive, clean, visual storytelling is further strengthened by accurate anatomy, real variety in faces and body types, and some of the best, wildly imaginative and yet reality-based city scenes in any comic since the comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland. It can best be summarized by one word.

Wow.

What? Are these not the standards by which Suspended Animation recommends the best in comic books and strips to adults?

Well, two out of three ain't bad. But the third standard is content, and three really stinks.

And that is not a blessing.

Heart is an "adult" comic book in the best and worst sense of adult. At its best, it explores the complexity of life as an adult in a very complex world At its worst, it exploits graphic nudity, perverse sex, drugs, violence, a juvenile obsession with body functions, and lies and profanity.

It exploits the worst in human nature to sell itself while satirizing the worst in human nature.

Boo.

Reviewed by Michael Vance

Deity II: Catseye #3 - From 1999

"At the dawn of time, a great machine wove a magnificent tapestry consisting of a thousand words orbiting countless stars throughout a billion galaxies. This was the birth of the Universe. The object empowering the great machine of creation was the Catseye. For ages, good and evil have battled for control of this power source and its primordial energies. Now these forces are converging for a final battle to obtain this priceless object, and wield a power reserved for a God."

So begins the premise for Deity II: Catseye, and the great question: if Suspended Animation recommends comics that adults will enjoy, why review Catseye? It is not one of those unless you are an avid comics reader. It is reviewed because Catseye is one of those if you are young or young at heart and really enamored with Japanese comic books.

It is one for the young and young at heart because its art is outstanding, owing much to a dynamic and appealing colorist and an artist who knows how to incorporate color into his work. It also uses clean, visual storytelling strengthened by a well-delineated and imaginative setting.

Everything is heavily influenced by Japanese comics art.

Subtle but disappointing for adults is a cast full of perfect bodies. Some variety in body type would be welcome.

It is not one for adults because the plot is simply an excuse for an epic war, and that has been overworked in comic books. In addition, the characters in Catseye, although well defined, are predominantly teenagers. Most of the adults are sinister villains. Most adults are not sinister or teenagers, making it difficult for old codgers to identify with this title.

That is an observation, not a criticism.

By the way and in critical passing, there in not "a God" but rather One God.

Reviewed by Michael Vance

Deity II: Catseye #3/22 pgs. & $2.95 from Hyperwerks/written and drawn by Karl Altstaetter/ includes a brief preview of another Hyperwerks title, The Kosmic Kat Activity Book/sold in comics shops.

Comic's Legend: Frank Willard - From 1999

Creator Frank Willard's comic strip, Moon Mullins, was first published in the Chicago Tribune newspaper in 1923, in part as response to the syndicate's success with another strip, Barney Google. As Moon developed its cast of characters including Lord Plushbottom, Kayo and Emmy Schmaltz, Willard also created his own style. Moon gained popularity and became a classic of visual storytelling.

Born in 1893 in the Chicago area Frank Willard decided to become a cartoonist at an early age. His broad humor and simple art were character-centered and drawn with a heavy line.

None of Willard's characters faired well in polite society. In one story, Moon and Emmy get embroiled in a stolen car scheme and are thrown in jail. Moon turns imprisonment into slapstick comedy. In another continuity, Moon and cast travel to Florida when Lord Plushbottom opens a night club. Emmy's attempts to get the Lord to marry her also ends in comic 'tragedy'.

At Willard's untimely death in 1958, Ferd Johnson continued Moon Mullins as a one-a-day joke strip.

The adventures of Moon were published in comic books including: Large Feature Comic #29, 4-Color #s 14, 31, 81 (Dell Comics, 1941-'45); Moon Mullins #s 1-8 (American Comics Group, 1947-'48); Popular Comics (Dell #1-, 1936--), and Super Book #3 (Western Comics, 1944?).

Cupples & Leon published cardboard bound editions of Moon from 1927 to 1933 that were precursors of comic books. Dover re-published two Cupples editions as an excellent collection of strips in 1976 in trade paperback form. The Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics also features a section on Willard's rakish family of characters.

The work of Frank Willard is highly recommended for all ages.

Some older comics are expensive and difficult to locate. Price guides or comics dealers help. Comic shops, conventions, mail order companies and trade journals are best sources. Prices vary: shop around for the best values.

Michael Vance

Elseworlds Revisited - From 1999

I often review DC Comic's Elseworlds series in which alternative versions of major characters or incidents are explored. In the 1950's and 1960's, these were known as "imaginary stories," e.g. a story in which Lois Lane might marry Bruce "Batman" Wayne. I have usually been favorable to Elseworlds.

Most Elseworlds stories have been based upon DC's most popular characters. A three issue series, Conjurers, is a definite change.

The major characters are based on DC's mystical heroes and villains, but the resemblances are often in name only. Some are easily recognizable such as Boston "Deadman" Brand. Others, such as Zatana, are very different from their better-known originals.

It took me a while to grasp that this Deadman had a widow and that she was the daughter of Travis Morgan, the Warlord. Readers unfamiliar with this part of DC's lore could become frustrated.

Another character comes from an old DC humor series, Stanley and His Monster. This version is anything but humorous, but there are whiffs of the original concept. Chuck Dixon's script is complex and stands up nicely to multiple readings. Eduardo Barreto's art is good as is Lee Loughridge's coloring.

For those who need a super hero, there are appearances by Ted Kord, an inventor frustrated in a world where magic overrides the laws of physics and makes technology useless. Kord is, in DC's "normal" continuity, the Blue Beetle, a character rarely seen these days.

The conjurers are opposed to an other-dimensional race that reminds me of H.P. Lovecraft's "Great Old Ones" in his "Cthulhu Mythos". Dixon's use of Lovecraftian monsters is more restrained than that of most comic book writers and thus more effective.

Lovecraft's stories are probably familiar to comic book readers. Those who are intrigued by the idea of a Universe governed by magic rather than science might track down the Lord Darcy stories by Randall Garrett. At lease one anthology has been published and is currently available through the Science Fiction Book Club.

Reviewed by Dr. Jon Suter

Project Superpowers, published by Dynamite Entertainment, 32 pages, $2.99

As seems to be popular these days, Dynamite Entertainment has “resurrected” several Golden Age comic book heroes for a series entitled Project Superpowers. But this project is far more than simply an attempt to cash in on a trend.

The plot is by Alex Ross and Jim Krueger, and involves heroes of W.W. II interacting in the modern world. Readers are treated to the story of a hero who has to make a difficult choice, visiting what he sees as a lesser evil upon his comrades in order to put a halt to a larger one. But, was his decision the right one? That’s the question that is addressed, against a background of intriguing characterization, a looming global threat, and the growing anticipation of confrontations, not just between good and evil, but also between degrees of righteousness.

Additionally, any time a writer sets up a vexing “who do you trust” dilemma in a story, it’s a good thing. (Yes, I want to be vexed by storylines; it means I’m invested.) Ross and Krueger are quite successful in that regard, as Bruce Carter, aka “The Fighting Yank,” is torn between two would-be advisers; the ghost of an ancestor and a mysterious apparition called the American Spirit. This helps keep readers guessing, and glued to the story.

Carlos Paul handles the interior art, which fairly explodes with drama, action and intensity when called for, while ably portraying more subdued scenes as well. All the while, his style is grounded in reality, steeped in detail, and made all the more enjoyable by the choices of colorist Debora Corita.

Alex Ross supplies the covers for each issue, which, while not adding anything to the actual story, makes for a most attractive “wrapping” for this gift to comics fans.

Project Superpowers is well worth your time and investment, and will probably appeal more to teenage and adult readers. Find it at comics shops, online retailers and auctions, and at www.dynamiteentertainment.com .

Mark Allen

The World Below - From 1999

(Pictured is the trade paperback.)

Concrete is one of the finest comic books published today. The World Below is not one of the finest comic books published today. Both titles are written and drawn by one of the best writers and artists in comic books, Paul Chadwick, known for his rich and believable characterizations and dialog, intriguing plots and distinctive art. The World Below will not be known for four of these five Chadwick strengths.

So, what's up down below?

"Electronic magnate Charles Hoy has sent the Team of Six down a sinkhole in rural Washington State. From it came the strange mechanical flyer, years ago, which yielded the patents that made his fortune. Now he needs more technological magic...and so these six search The World Below."

Holy SF, that sounds like Jules Verne's classic novel, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and that can't be all bad! And that Team of Six sounds like artist Jack Kirby's Challengers of the Unknown comics title where a team of men with special talents tackled supernatural creatures. That can't be all bad either!

It isn't all bad. Chadwick's art remains distinctive, although the wild underworld creatures here are too heavily influenced by Jack Kirby's silly looking creatures from old monster comic books. Floating albino jellyfish? Flying lawnmower blades?

That Team of Six is part of the problem. There are simply too many people in this shindig, and that means characterization, Chadwick's greatest strength, is almost non-existent.

Plot and dialog are also part of the problem. Chadwick does an excellent job of recapturing the nuances of old '50's and '60's "B" movies and SF comic books -- stiff, pseudo-scientific phrases and creatures, plants and landscapes made of cardboard and plastic borrowed from Salvador Dali. With today's level of special effects sophistication, these nostalgic touches just seem silly.

Regrettably, The World Below is not above reproach.

The World Below #2 & 3/20 pgs. & $2.50 ea. From Dark Horse Comics/sold in comics shops and by mail.

Reviewed by Michael Vance

The Justice Society Returns - From 1999

(Pictured is the trade paperback.)

Anyone with the slightest interest in DC Comic's oldest team of super heroes, the Justice Society of America, will want the latest series based on their adventures, The Justice Society Returns.

This is a complex package. There are two issues of All Star Comics that provide the beginning and ending episodes. There are also seven separately titled issues that contain the "in-between" parts of the story. (All-Star was the venerable title in which the Justice Society appeared from 1939-1951.)

DC uses the original All-Star logo and its original corporate logo. The story structure also resembles that of classic Justice Society stories. The seven separate issues have different artists, another homage to the past.

For the separate issues, DC has revived titles familiar to Golden Age comics collectors: Adventure, All-American, National, Sensation, Smash, Star-Spangled and Thrilling. (Some of those were published by Quality, a firm acquired by DC in the 1950's.)

There are too many artists and writers involved to mention, but the writing is generally good. Some of the political ideas are more typical of the late 1990's than the mid-1940's.

There is more variation in the art. The best art is in National and Star-Spangled. I also give National credit for its effective use of Mr. Terrific, a very obscure character.

The narrator of the series is Hourman but he does not dominate. A strength of the series is an exploration of the relationship of weaker members of the Justice Society to the "powerhouses" such as Green Lantern or Hawkman. The treatment of Johnny Thunder, Atom, and Mr. Terrific adds considerable depth to their characters.

I had almost forgotten DC's experiments with sword and sorcery characters in the 1970's. Most lasted for only a few issues, particularly Stalker. That character becomes the major antagonist for the series.

This elaborate package is a prelude to a massive reworking of the Justice Society. Other attempts have not worked well, but I hope DC can set it right this time.

Reviewed by Dr. Jon Suter

For Better or For Worse - From 1999

Since the advent of The Yellow Kid, a market has existed for reprints of comic strips. Supermarket racks teem with compilations of Beetle Bailey and Family Circus; patrons of bookstores encounter larger anthologies. Frequent reprinting of older anthologies provides a barometer of the continuing interest in continuity strips such as Doonesbury and Lynn Johnston's For Better or Worse.

Polls consistently give high ratings to Johnston's fictional Pattersons, a family akin to the cartoonist's own. The characters age in real time and encounter the hilarious and dark sides of life. Death and violence have touched characters close to the Pattersons, but not the family itself.

In 1995, the infant April was rescued from drowning by Farley, the family's aging sheepdog, who died as a consequence. Some readers were aghast; others applauded the realism. Consistent readers shouldn't have been surprised. Johnston foreshadowed the event thoroughly. Two recent anthologies make this clear.

In "Starting from Scratch" (McMeel and Andrews, 1996), Farley sired a litter of pups, including Edgar, whom the Pattersons adopted. Prior to that, we find allusions to Farley's age and physical deterioration. The book ends with Parley's death and burial.

In a shrewd effort to capitalize on public interest, the publisher has issued "Remembering Farley", a reprise of sequences from his birth onwards. Readers can follow his growth from tiny puppy to aging hero. (This reader found an earlier and forgotten reference to Farley's age.) Effective closure is provided by the inclusion of strips from the summer of 1995 which depict the oldest child's first visit to Farley's grave.

Those who own the original For Better or Worse anthologies may not want the repackaged "tribute," but this format does allow a view of Johnston's consistent skill at characterization and plot development.

If aging humans are allowed to die in the next few years, it will be interesting to see how the public reacts. No comedy strip has allowed a major character to die "on stage."

Reviewed by Dr. Jon Suter

Superman - From 1999

Superman is the most durable of comic book heroes, and has survived lethal foes from Toyman to Luthor to Doomsday. In the long run, his most dangerous enemies could be the artists and writers who chronicle his adventures. No one seems able to maintain the level of intensity needed to keep the character interesting. Just when it seems nothing new can be extracted from Superman, however, along comes something different. Three current titles are worth consideration.

The first, an oversized volume, appeared in late 1998, Peace on Earth. Fans of Alex Ross's paintings of Superman and other heroes will want this. Others will be intrigued by the plot's attempt to answer the old question, "Why does a world with Superman still endure war, poverty, etc.?" For $9.95, this is a good buy.

Another oversized volume, Superman/Fantastic Four, is a collaboration between DC and Marvel Comics in which Superman teams up with the Fantastic Four to battle the planet devourer Galactus. This is a least as good as the two Superman crossovers with Marvel's Spider-Man several years ago.

Dan Jurgen's script and art are good. His rendition of The Thing is as good as any of Jack Kirby's. Some panels seem a bit rushed, but may be due to the inking rather than the pencils.

The one missing ingredient is Marvel's Silver Surfer, a character closely associated with Galactus. Since Superman becomes a herald for Galactus, some reference to the Surfer seems appropriate. For fans of crossover stories, this is another good buy at $9.95.

The third and best item is a four-issue series entitled Superman/Batman: Generations. John Byrne uses DC's Elseworld format to follow the careers of Superman and Batman from 1929 to 1999. I've always admired Byrne and this is one of the most satisfying stories he's ever written.

The plot is based on the natural aging of the characters. There is enough tragedy to satisfy anyone, but there is also an optimism rarely seen these days. Give this an A+.

Reviewed by Dr. Jon Suter

Ghost/Hellboy Special #1 - From 1999

24 pages, priced at $2.50, from Dark Horse Comics. Written by Mike Mignola, art by Scott Benefiel. Sold in comics shops and by mail.

"A hundred years of mob war over gambling, prostitution, drugs, whatever. A century of thugs killing each other in the street with way too many innocent people getting caught in the middle. Where does all that blood go?"

It goes into the premise of the Ghost/Hellboy Special, and this comic kicks. Violently.

It kicks the city of Arcadia to its knees. Ghost is slain and raining death on the thugs of Arcadia. Hellboy is hunting Ghost for the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense, and for the added sales from two popular characters in one title.

The result is a dark, violent tale of shadows.

Undeniably, some will find its violence excessive, either ignoring or overlooking its proper purpose in a story, forgetting that even the Bible is violent. The Bible correctly paints violence as ugly sin, and its only justified use as defense.

Unquestionably, some will find the writing exceptional. Ugly, hard, cold, it sets the tone both for the decadence of Arcadia and its citizens. Tight, fast and pointed, it turns the second rate character of Ghost into a first rate player by making her The Shadow (another famous vigilante), in a dress.

Unequivocally, the art is outstanding. Its balance of action and a claustrophobic fatalism is intriguing. It knows when to visually talk and when to say nothing in background detail. It implies more violence than is actually shown.

Undisputable, this violence is acceptable, and the Ghost/Hellboy Special is highly recommended for unabashed comics fans.

Reviewed by Michael Vance

Comics Legend Hank Ketcham - From 1999

Everyone knows Dennis the Menace, that mischievous five-year-old who has become an international symbol of boy-ness. But what do you know about Hank Ketcham?

Born in 1920, Ketcham is the cartoonist and papa of Dennis The Menace, one of the most popular comic strips in history. Beyond the adventures of that little blond whirlwind Ketcham has worked as an animator with Walter Lantz (Woody Woodpecker, etc.). with Walt Disney (on Pinocchio. Fantasia, and Donald Duck), and won the Reuben Award and Bill de Beck Award in 1952. Ketcham has also done magazine advertisements, and his Dennis is the mascot of a fast food restaurant chain, and the subject of games and toys.

Dennis the Menace began publication in 1951 as a single panel feature about family life in America. Ketcham's simple, clean art brought success to some of the best realized characters in comics, endearing Dennis and Margaret in the hearts of millions of readers worldwide. The secret to that success may also lie in the strip's premise: everyone has known and loved a five-year-old boy.

Many paperback book editions of Dennis the Menace have been published, and Dennis has appeared as a live action and animated TV series, and in several movies.

Comic books include. Dennis (Standard/Pines, Halden, Fawcett publishers,1953-'79); Dennis Giants (Standard/Pines, Halden, Fawcett, 1955--'69); Dennis (Marvel Comics, 1981-'82); Dennis and his Dog Ruff (Halden/Fawcett, 196l); Dennis and His Friends (Fawcett, 1969-'80); Dennis and His Pal Joey (Fawcett, 1961): Dennis and the Bible Kids (Word 1977); Dennis Big Bonus Series (Fawcett, 1980); Dennis Bonus Magazine (Fawcett, 1980), Dennis Comics Digest (Marvel, 1982); Dennis Fun Book (Fawcett 1960); Dennis Fun Fest Series (Halden, Fawcett 1980); Dennis: Pocket Full Of Fun (Fawcett, 1969-'80); Dennis Television Special (Fawcett 1961-'62); and Dennis Triple Feature (Fawcett, 1961). Dennis: His First 10 Years, a trade paperback, was published by Abbeville Press.

Some older comics are expensive and difficult to locate. Price guides or comics dealers help. Comics shops, conventions, mail order companies and trade journals are best sources.

Michael Vance