Sunday, May 22, 2005


Unity #0 from Valiant Comics, 1992. When Jim Shooter left Marvel, he started independent comics companies. This was a freebie to get people into their universe. This is the only one I got, probably because it was free. At that time, I was a Freshman-Sophomore in college so I didn't have a lot of money to start another new universe. I was into so many at the time that I just couldn't take on another universe, no matter how good it was supposed to be. I was into DC, still into Marvel's X-books, reading and watching a lot of Star Trek, and probably a few other little universes. I think that is the biggest strike against a new comics company. Who can really afford to branch out into a new universe? Marvel's New Universe failed in 1986, when they seemed infallible. DC tried their Impact line in the early 1990s. Dark Horse even tried one in the early 1990s. Many other independent publishers have tried and failed. I don't know how they should combat that either, because in a way it is sort of like the Presidential election. We complain about the big two and then never really get behind an independent, almost like we know we are going to lose is we choose the independent. We consider a vote for Perot or Nader a throw-away when in reality we are just saying no to the big two. (I've always thought there should be a box on the ballot marked "None of the Above" and if that wins, then the parties have to go back and get new candidates to represent them, but I digress...) So this comic was short but had interesting ideas. There were definitely bits derived from Shooter's Secret Wars and Secret Wars II, which I still love. Maybe I should look these up on the back issue market now. They are probably cheap. (Oh my God--I just thought of something--I'm sure Nome doesn't have a comics shop! What am I gonna do? Mile High Comics still has that subscription service, don't they?)

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