On The Shelf, Sabrina, Harley, and a few other things

 As part of Spider-Man's 60th anniversary, Marvel issued a facsimile edition of the 1st ever Amazing Spider-Man Annual from 1964, with the web-spinner's 1st meeting with the Sinister Six. Unfortunately, while the story's still good, artistically, it hasn't aged well. Steve Ditko's work would continue to morph as he transitioned from Marvel to DC & Charlton a few years later, using stock poses and facial expressions. When Ditko returned to Marvel in the late 70's-early 80's, this was even more apparent. When he went to Archie in the mid-80's, at least he had people inking him that calmed down the pencils. 

An annual in 1964 was 25 cents. Overcompensating for inflation Marvel's asking price for this reprint is an unsightly $8. Ugh.

Rating: B--.

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Spider-Man is not the only one turning 60, of course.

Archie Comics is marking the 60th anniversary of Sabrina, The Teen-Age Witch with a 1-shot special that follows the usual formula for the Archie & Friends series. That is, a 5 page new story, followed by reprints. In this case, it's a big mistake.

The idea was to hype up a new nemesis for Sabrina in Amber Nightstone, a redheaded witch who was born on the same day and at the same time as Sabrina herself. Unfortunately, Archie under-delivered, capping the story at 5 pages, contradicting their own goals. How are you supposed to build a rivalry if your new villain is vanquished in just 5 pages?

Seriously, they should've skipped the reprints and made this a book-length adventure. As it is, writer-penciller Dan Parent's 1st mistake was picking up the story as Amber enters, instead of setting things up correctly.

Unless they're planning on a new ongoing series for Sabrina, this isn't going anywhere, though I like the Easter egg of Sabrina's eyes & mouth on the outside of the Dark Decanter (think the open to I Dream of Jeannie). Veteran inker Bob Smith, who worked for DC in the 70's & 80's, backs up Parent.

We talked before about the cover, as Parent reimagined and updated Dan DeCarlo's original cover to Sabrina, The Teen-Age Witch 1 from 1971, the updates being the use of modern technology, such as a flat-screen TV which, of course, is showing Riverdale, and the change in Sabrina's wardrobe into a red blouse, blue skirt, and black tights (sneakers on the floor), posing her seductively on the sofa while multi-tasking. 

Story's too short, the reprints are fine, but book-length stories should be the order of the day for these 1-shots to keep readers coming back.

Rating: B-.

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Last year at this time, and, yes, today is Batman Day, DC previewed Batman: Knightwatch, a digital first miniseries that only now is seeing print. In the first issue, Clayface & Catwoman are the featured characters, both having walked the line between good & evil in recent years (and Catwoman has been more hero than villain in this era). Catwoman's battle with Batgirl recalls their rivalry in animated form back in the 90's. Unfortunately, it doesn't play well here.

Rating: B.

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As season 3 of Harley Quinn is dropping on HBO Max (the season'a already over, and the show's been renewed for season 4), DC serves up a Prestige format special, a parody of Bravo's Real Housewives line of "reality" shows, with The Real Sidekicks of New Gotham, an anthology 1-shot that is alternately amusing and annoying. If you're a fan of the profane satire, this is for you. Some of the stories have better art than Max Sabin, and that's saying something. 

I've advocated all along that DC should've made The Eat, Bang, & Kill Tour as a Black Label book, and this should've been, too. Keep this away from the kiddo's and the Republicans, and you're fine.

Rating: B.