Mike’s lazy Doctor Fate post.

§ October 4th, 2024 § Filed under dc comics § 24 Comments

Okay pals, I had both my flu shot and my COVID booster this morning, and while I felt well most of the day, I’m kinda feeling it now. Soooooo…I’m taking it easy right now as I type this Thursday evening.

In the last post, a couple of folks mentioned that they would have liked DC’s ’80s Doctor Fate comics in a snazzy reprint. And when I was originally pondering the question “what unreprinted DC comics would you like reprinted?” it was Doctor Fate that crossed my mind.

As noted, there is a Doctor Fate book coming next year, under the title Doctor Fate by JM DeMatteis and seemingly reprinting the series DeMatteis wrote and was illustrated by Keith Giffen:

Given the title, I am hoping more volumes will come along, reprinting the ongoing series that DeMatteis and artist Shawn McManus did, picking up right from that mini:

However, also given the name, we’re probably not getting reprints of the early ’80s Doctor Fate back-ups in Flash by Marty Pasko, Steve Gerber and Giffen, which started in this issue:


Nor are we getting this wild Dr. F story from First Issue Special #9 (1975) by Pasko and Walt Simonson:


But luckily that story, along with all those Flash back-ups, were reprinted in this deluxe three issue mini-series released in 1985, just as Fate-mania was about to sweep the nation:


…so you can find those relatively easily should the Taste of Fate from this upcoming trade paperback release send you looking for more.

24 Responses to “Mike’s lazy Doctor Fate post.”

  • David E Beard says:

    I was amazed how good those Pasko reprints are.

  • Sean Mageean says:

    I agree with David A. Beard. DC should do facsimile editions of those Immortal Dr. Fate comics that reprinted the Simonson and Pasko/Giffen stories.

    And has DC ever reprinted All-Star Squadron yet?

    I don’t know why in general DC and Marvel and Archie don’t just reprint tons of stuff on cheap newsprint paper at a price point of $1 or $2 per issue–they’ve got eighty plus years of material they could be reprinting. And whoever owns the rights to the Harvey Comics characters should be reprinting Richie Rich, Hot Stuff, Casper, et al.

  • Patrick Gaffney says:

    It is 776 pages. so I am guessing it should have the whole two years of Dr Fate that followed the mini.

  • Mikester says:

    Patrick – if the price of the book is $29.99, then that page count has *got* to be a typo. Unless the price is a typo!

  • William Carter says:

    Fate-mania, what a crazy time that was. I remember all the cool kids suddenly started getting “the Nelson” haircut, dancing the Nabu and acting like they were into Order and Chaos all along. What a bunch of poseurs.

    I picked up the mini series a few years ago, bundled as a value pack, I think maybe $4.00. I’ve still only read the first issue of it, keep meaning to finish it, but I returned to school to pursue a career in social work a few years ago and a lot of “fun” stuff has to wait until I’m done.

    I really enjoyed the reprints of the Pasko/Gerber/Giffen. Good comics fun, full of over the top Lovecraftian ichor and tentacles.

    The Dr. Fate First Issue Special is one of my favorite comics. Simonson really plays with the symbology/language of the medium. It’s one I return to often. It looks especially nice on the old newsprint.

    I had a hard time getting past the McManus art on the ongoing series. I like his style overall, but he didn’t seem like the right fit for the series; my opinion might be different now. Once again my preoccupation with the artwork interferes with my ability to simply enjoy a well written comic.

    There are times that I truly envy the people who can’t tell Starlin from Perlin, or Sinnott from Colletta.

  • Jim Kosmicki says:

    this is part of DC’s new Finest series of collections – and they are all at that amount of pages for about $30 – I’m hoping the paper is at least the quality of what they are using for the Compact Editions – that seems to be reproducing the art nicely and at a damn nice price point.

  • LouReedRichards says:

    Well crap, I forgot to use my nom de plume. Now all of the McManus fanatics are going to come after me!

  • Dave Carter says:

    @Sean: DC published a Showcase Presents collection of All-Star Squadron that included the first 18 issues and the first Annual, plus the preview story from JLA #193 (all in black & white). https://leagueofcomicgeeks.com/comic/9458663/showcase-presents-all-star-squadron-tp

  • Daniel T says:

    I don’t think that Fate book is part of DC’s Finest. It’s more likely a Compendium and should be $59.99.

  • Daniel T says:

    Whatever it is the price is wrong so I just preordered it on Amazon since they often honor price mistakes (though usually their own and this is definitely a publisher mistake).

  • ExistentialMan says:

    Just picked up the three-issue mini on eBay cause I’m a sucker for those mid-80’s baxter paper reprints. Somehow, this one never caught my attention at the time.

    And, yes Sean, I’d be all over any Harvey facsimile reprints!

  • Sean Mageean says:

    I don’t know how often it gets reprinted in trade editions or whatever but Camelot 3000 should get way more love for the gorgeous Brian Bolland art alone.

    @ William Carter

    Many good points! I find Shawn McManus’s work to be an acquired taste …it was quite jarring when he took over The Omega Men art duties from Todd Smith…but then, The Omega Men never really fully lived up to its promise.

    There is also fun Lovecraftian stuff going on in the late ’70s Challengers of The Unknown revival–which also has some great early Keith Giffen art on several issues.

    @Dave Carter

    Thanks for the All-Star Squadron info. Good to know that DC has reprinted some of the series.

    @ExistentialMan

    You would think those old Harvey Comics would be evergreens–reprinted constantly to have kid-friendly comics out on the shelves every week at comic shops or in supermarkets.

  • I fell down a rabbit hole the other day, thinking about how much Bronze Age Green Arrow remains unreprinted. Basically, everything between “Hard-Traveling Heroes” and “The Longbow Hunters”. And we’re talking some primo material: Mike Grell, Mike Netzer, Trevor Von Eeden, Shawn McManus, Paris Cullins, Jerome Moore, etc. etc. You could fill a couple of Omnibuses with this stuff.

  • Thom H. says:

    I remain obsessed with that Dr. Fate mini. I think it’s some of Giffen’s finest artwork. In hindsight, you can see how it set him up for his run on 5YL Legion of Super-heroes. I would love to have just that series reprinted, maybe with some touched up colors.

  • ScienceGiant says:

    I wonder why reprints are always based on IP? I know they’re not in business of representing a particular artists, but looking at all the comments such as “primo Mike Grell” and “Griffen’s finest artwork”, you have to think they’re failing to capture a sizable market with BEST OFs

  • LouReedRichards says:

    @ Sean – thanks for the Challengers recommendation, I’ll have to check that out. I have never read any of those and only know of it from the panel Mike shared in his Giffen remembrance.
    I dig those 70’s Lovecraftian touches in comics that reek of dope and prog rock vs. current representations which feel much more joyless and death metalish – if that makes any sense at all.

    @ ScienceGiant – great point – there are so many artists that could work for. I’d certainly be interested in a Best of series.

  • Wayne Allen Sallee says:

    @LouReedRichards–same could be said for writers, and I’m thinking Priest. He wrote Xero in the 90s and he’s written stories for the holiday specials and the like. You could get one book that might be a little bigger than those those two short stints on the last of the Justice League arcs.

    I’d also like to see the same for Robert Loren Fleming’s THRILLER. Some of Trevor Von Eden’s earliest work. I know it will never happen, but still.

  • Thom H. says:

    Honestly, even loss leaders — like $1 issues of examples of a creator’s work with different characters over time — would be welcome. They could add in “here’s where you can find more!” and point to various trades. Of course, those trades would have to be in print, but I’m sure they could manage having 4 Keith Giffen-drawn trades on the shelves at the same time, for example.

  • Sean Mageean says:

    @Thom H.

    That’s a very good idea.

    I would actually pitch the idea of DC restoring 80 Page Giants that could focus on various characters or writers/artists that could also serve to hype the trade editions. A Keith Giffen 80 Page Giant, George Perez 80 Page Giants, Joe Kubert 80 Page Giant, etc. could be cool. And even better would be a Jack Cole or Lou Fine 80 Page Giant featuring great Quality Comics reprint stories.

    Or a Teen Titans, Legion of Super-Heroes, or Doom Patrol 80 Page Giant could be cool, with Silver Age, Bronze Age, and
    beyond stories.

    @LouReedRichards

    Yes, it totally makes sense–and those Giffen Challengers of the Unknown issues usually are pretty inexpensive and also fun as Deadman, Swamp Thing, and Rip Hunter appear. This was right before the DC Implosion happened when Gerry Conway was taking a very Marvel approach to his writing assignments for DC and a whole lot of characters that had been sitting on the shelf were cycled into various stories.

  • JohnJ says:

    DC doesn’t seem to be interested in publishing the “Best of” anybody’s art, maybe because it reminds us of how little they pay them for it? Marvel, through Fantagraphics, is starting to do books singling out artists of the Atlas Era in particular.
    They cancelled the Captain Comet Archive on me after I ordered it. They would probably do the same for a Rex the Wonder Dog/Detective Chimp collection but I want the Gil Kane and Infantino artwork.

  • Sean Mageean says:

    @John J

    That is a bummer. And agreed that classic art by the likes of Carmine Infantino, Gil Kane, and–one of favorites–Nick Cardy, should be getting archive editions.

    I haven’t been following modern DC for the last few years but I recall that Detective Chimp was at least being used in Justice League Dark/Shadow Pact. Maybe if Rex and Captain Comet were being used again in contemporary stories it could serve as an impetus to get their old stories reprinted.

    Has DC ever assembled a “cosmic” team that could have Captain Comet, Martian Manhunter, some Green Lanterns, Adam Strange, and maybe Starfire as members?

    Another thing I question is why, more often than not, the archive editions have mediocre cover designs and art. They should use an actual classic cover from the run of that series whenever possible, with the trade dress changed, of course, because it is an archival edition. In the case of Golden Age character anthologies where it might be a character like Wildcat who never got a cover appearance for Sensation Comics they should use a dynamic splash page of Wildcat (or whichever character) with the addition of the archival trade dress.

  • will richards says:

    DC have done some collections based on Artists – largely Batman-focussed – by the likes of Breyfogle, Aparo, Colan and Newton. However, I believe these last two were left unfinished. They also did a similar set by writer, but I agree that the wider DCU should be represented. Wonder Woman by Gene Colan or the later Flash run by Carmine Infantino would be top of my wishlist.

  • Sean Mageean says:

    @will richards

    That is cool that DC has been doing Aparo, Newton, Colan, etc. Batman editions.

    I think they could compile a list of twenty or so of the top artists from the Golden through Bronze Ages at least and release some 80 Page Giants featuring their work in order to promote various trade and archive editions.

    My top twenty historically important DC Comics artist list and proposed reprint material for 80 Page Giants would include:

    1.Jack Kirby –Boy Commandos/Newsboy Legion/Sandman/Green Arrow/Challengers of the Unknown/New Gods/Demon/Kamandi/OMAC, etc.

    2. Steve Ditko–Captain Atom/Ted Kord Blue Beetle/Nightshade/Question/Creeper/Hawk & Dove/Stalker/Odd Man/Shade the Changing Man/Prince Gavyn Star Man/Man-Bat, etc.

    3. Alex Toth–JSA/Eclipso/Rip Hunter/Black Canary/Super Friends/Blackhawk/Batman & Superman-World’s Finest/The Question/Mystery stories/Romance stories/War stories, etc.

    4. Carmine Infantino–Black Canary/Barry Allen Flash/Adam Strange/Elongated Man/Batman/Detective Chimp/Dial “H” for Hero, etc.

    5. Gil Kane–Hal Jordan Green Lantern/Ray Palmer Atom/Superman/Batman/Teen Titans/Hawk & Dove/Vigilante, etc.

    6. Joe Kubert–JSA/Hawkman/Wildcat/Viking Prince/Sgt. Rock/The Losers/Enemy Ace/Tarzan/Ragman, etc.

    7. Ross Andru–Wonder Woman/Metal Men/ Superman stories from DC Comics Presents/Vigilante, etc.

    8. Ramona Fradon–Aquaman/Metamorpho/
    Plasticman/Super Friends, etc.

    9. Nick Cardy–Teen Titans/Aquaman/Rip Hunter/Batlash/Romance stories/Mystery stories

    10. Russ Heath–Sea Devils/Sgt. Rock/Wildcat and Hawkman team up story/Batman/War stories.

    11. Wally Wood–Angel and the Ape/JSA–including 1st Power Girl appearance/Richard Dragon/Wonder Woman/Superboy/Hercules Unbound/Mystery Stories Plop,etc.

    12. Neal Adams–Deadman/Batman (and Brave and Bold)/Green Lantern & Green Arrow/Teen Titans/Mystery stories/War stories, etc.

    13. Bernie Wrightson–Swamp Thing/Mystery stories/Batman/The Weird, etc.

    14. Jose Luis Garcia Lopez –DC Comics Presents stories/Batman/Wonder Woman/New Teen Titans/Atari Force, etc.

    15. Marshall Rogers –Batman/Mister Miracle/Man-Bat/Mystery stories, etc.

    16. Jim Aparo–Aquaman/Batman(and Brave and Bold)/Phantom Stranger/Mystery stories, etc.

    17. Michael Golden–Batman/Demon/Mister Miracle, Mystery stories, etc.

    18. Keith Giffen –Challengers of the Unknown/Claw/Dr. Fate/LOSH/Ambush Bug/Justice League/Heckler/etc.

    19. George Perez–New Teen Titans/JLA/Wonder Woman/COIE, etc.

    20. John Byrne –Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman/Demon/Justice League/Doom Patrol/OMAC, etc.

  • Snark Shark says:

    “this deluxe three issue mini-series”

    That Mummy is going off the rails!

    “McManus”

    I like his art, but the faces look too damn “cute” sometimes.

    “William Carter”.

    BROTHER of John Carter, Warlod of Mars!

    “I dig those 70’s Lovecraftian touches in comics that reek of dope and prog rock vs. current representations which feel much more joyless and death metalish”

    I would go with the old stuff being DOOM Metal, but, yes.

    “having 4 Keith Giffen-drawn trades on the shelves at the same time, for example.”

    I would think his LEGION stuff would sell, and I love AMBUSH BUG, so I think it’s worth reprinting.
    “I don’t know how often it gets reprinted in trade editions or whatever but Camelot 3000 should get way more love for the gorgeous Brian Bolland art alone”.

    That one DOES have a TPB around, I don’t know if it’s still in print. i would say check ebay.

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