Staff Picks (July): The Charlton Arrow #1
Jul 02, 2017
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When you hear the word Charlton and you are of my generation you think poor printing, hot rods, Timmy the Timid Ghost, romance and western comics but seldom super-heroes. A poor attempt was made when Blue Beetle and Son of Vulcan appeared, it was the advent of Dick Giordano and the Action Hero Line which revived Captain Atom, the Ted Kord Blue Beetle, The Question, Peacemaker and others. A second wave brought us Doomsday+ 1, Sam Glanzman’s Hercules, Vengeance Squad and E-Man.
While the Action Heroes ended up with DC and became the catalyst for Watchmen, only E-Man has managed to stay in front of comicdom through other publishers from Modern Comics to First Comics, Comico, Alpha, Digital Webbing and a trade collection from Devil’s Due/1st Comics before seeing a return to comics under AC Comics. AC Comics has always been a home for classic comic characters particularly the Charlton Heroes with their Sentinels of Justice comic in the early days of AC Comics.
Now we have AC Comics presenting for Charlton Neo: The Charlton Arrow #1 a new full color comic featuring the return of E-Man and Nova by their original creators: writer Nicola Cuti and artist Joe Staton. A wedding, a missing Mike Mauser, Cuti & Staton, full color — what’s not to enjoy about this book? Add the return of Monster Hunter written by Paul Kupperberg and art by Mike Collins (Doctor Who and DC’s Peter Cannon Thunderbolt) in a story that would creep out Cave Carson. Then taking a tip of the hat to Charlton Premiere we get a new character’s introduction with Mr. Mixit by Roger McKenzie and Steve Butler.
As a fan of AC Comics going back to the fanzine days as well as a fan of Charlton going back to Gunmaster and Bullet, Captain Atom in Strange Suspenstories, Partridge Family by Dan Sherwood and the real Sarge Steel (not what DC has attempted). Charlton Neo from AC Comics has added to the Charlton legacy with quality product to go with quality creators. I can’t wait for their next project. The fanboy in me feels 12 again.
—Steve Leaf
Publisher: AC Comics
Item Code: JUL171250
Release Date: 9/27/17
SRP: $7.99
