I bought the Marvel HOWARD THE DUCK VOL. 1 collection, which reprints in color all the Howard The Duck stories written by Steve Gerber in the 70d starting with the very first one through issue #16 of the original 70s series, in color, plus some additional contemporary-promo-etcetera stuff. There's a second volume I hsven't seen that presumably finishes the Gerber classic material. I read most of not all of this in the original comic books at the time, plus I read the I suppose now OOP Essentials book from the Oughties that reprinted much more work but all in black and white, with no extras - but anyway. Perhaps I've capsized this posting with all this format description? Hopenot. It's interesting to read this material all these years later -sigh-...........
I had some HTD comics back in the late 70s,being a kid I viewed his character to be just as valid as the big named Marvel heroes.My money is on him being the secret weapon against Thanos in the nest Avengers movie.
I fear it's gonna be the "math-the-long-way" solution for you, WLL. I was not even aware of Howard getting his own Essentials title, let alone a more recent-vintage compilation. Gerber was really running on all cylinders back then, wasn't he. But, I'm visiting a couple of stores in my area who can't help but overload their shelves with trade-paper-heft compilations. I would be glad to inquire for you. Just in case this hasn't come up anywhere within your eyesight, Howard the comic has a particularly notable/odious story behind its'debut. It sold-out (or perhaps never was recieved and stocked) in several areas of the country at the time of its' first issue and perhaps a couple issues further. One of the distributors became aware of its' geektastically high profile above and beyond your simple interest at the local drugstore magazine sections they usually service. Recall, comic store direct retail was not a thing in most of America, most funnybook shoppes being located in larger cities, whilst fans in your Peoria, Iowa Cities and Muncie's had to rely on whatever was spinning-around the racks each week at the Walgreens. And were serviced differently. Long-story-short, one of these enterprising/wheedling/snickering bastids decided to hold onto boxes and boxes and palettes and palettes of Marvel stock, sequestering them in "a warehouse in the seedy part of da city" for a couple years, causing the price for all this duckishness to enjoy an uncharactaristically- and rudely- inflated value, particularly in areas of the country where neither bill nor feather had neither set webbed foot or foul, poultry stench. Price Guides gasped, inquiries at various bookstores blathered, and one would find these gregorious DuckTales priced at ridiculous-er and ridiculous-er collector-gougeing tariffs for such an innocent 50-cent book. I've seen relatively-tame prices in comic convention Dealers Rooms of up to $22 for a first issue (and up to $75 for non-serious offers, presumably to drive the perceived value up even higher in theory)(prices are never usually sold books, mostly weasels sitting on things to sell, charging douche-y prices just to see the price guides reflect such douche-y-ness, thus driving the value - and esteem - for such items further into the stratosphere...IN THEORY). Short version: distributor hears buzz on book, sits on book instead of releasing it according to normal fashion, geeks sputter and start bigger buzz on book, re-sale values and asking prices skyrocket, value goes up accordingly, former comics geek writes funny posts in web forum decades later just for his own amusement...and caffinated self-therapy.
Oh, and, but, also....my personal review of the Howard The Duck movie from the '80s is: only one real valuable moment in the entire flick, and that's a brief-yet-gratifying flash of young Lea Thompson's thigh, just as she's climbing into bed with - oh-that-would-spoil-it-I-can-say-no-more.
I never got into superhero comics, but if I were to do so, I think I'd dedicate a tablet to them and get a subscription to Marvel Unlimited at $9.95 a month, or $99 a year and just go to town getting caught up on all these stories.
I bought Volumes 1 - 4 of "The Complete Collection" as they appeared but ultimately sold off 3 and 4. I originally had no intention of reading anything post Gerber but found vol. 3 for like $7 so figured I had nothing to lose (except for shelf space, which is why I ditched it). But the black and white Mantlo stories didn't appeal to me. Volume 4 was color again, and it actually had a couple of Gerber stories included, but ultimately I didn't feel this volume was worth hanging onto either (like I said, I'm all about the shelf space). I think I might actually like Vol. 2 more than Vol. 1. The "Howard for President" storyline was a bit tiresome for me. I guess you had to be there... Volume 2 with Dr. Bong and Winda Wester with the lisp was a real hoot! I love Steve Gerber's bronze-age work. Man-Thing, The Defenders.... he was a gifted writer. R.I.P.
I'm still scared of the Kidney Lady. The panel in one issue where Winda Wester teaches Howard to make goofy faces in order to relax when they're on the bus is one of my favorite moments in comic history.
