You know it surprises me that nobody is really talking about True Believers – Marvel have been consistently reprinting classic issue of beloved characters in a single issue format that you can buy in the UK and US for a buck. Now I know that they are pumping these issues out as a gateway for new fans that might read a single issue then go and buy a trade of the rest of the collection, but there is something lovely and nostalgic about seeing certain titles in the series on the rack in your LCS.
Recently Marvel have released a pile of Silver Age Fantastic Four reprints, from the first couple of years of material by Kirby and Lee. In Forbidden Planet Glasgow, I picked up reprints of issue #2, first appearance of the Skrulls, issue #8 – the first Puppet Master and issue #20 – The Molecule Man, and there’s more to come. To buy these issues in a decent grade would set you back a small fortune, and for many collectors it’s a collection you may never own, but the True Believer reprints give you the story as printed that you can read, enjoy, roll up and put in your back pocket, then give it to someone else to read.
They are a joy to have for collectors like myself, and to be honest, on new comic book day, I love to see them in stock. Marvel have in the past, released more modern issues of True Believers, including Wolverine’s first issue and ‘Infinity Gauntlet #1’, all to help promote the movies or trades, but where the releases really shine is in the hard to find and expensive Silver Age classics that some of us will never be able to afford.
I have a huge collection of Daredevil from the Silver Age, but never managed to get a 1st issue, however when they printed a Daredevil #1 – I was over the moon. Sure it’s a cheap reprint, but to stick it in a longbox with my DD collection did give me a sense of joy that you will only understand if you are a collector like me.
As well as Silver Age, there are a lot of Bronze Age beauties on the go as well. First appearance of The Punisher from Spidey #129 is a grail book, but you can own the reprint for a dollar, or how about first appearance of Thanos from Iron man #55, it’s there for the taking. There is a huge selection of these reprints on the shelves, Marvel have been releasing them for about 3 years now, but those 1960’s issues have always had a place in my heart. To be able to pick them up and flick through them gives me a warm feeling, and I hope they continue to put them out till I win the lottery and can by myself the originals!