Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger - Volume 1 [Paperback]

Mike Friedrich (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 542 pages
• Publisher: DC Comics (October 18, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1401210880
• ISBN-13: 978-1401210885
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.4 x 10.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #467,673 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Campy yet entertaining, January 25, 2007

By 

Silver Meteor "nickster" (Conway, AR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger - Volume 1 (Paperback)

This volume contains the Phatom Stranger's debut first issue, following in order till the end of the book. It's not completely Phantom Stranger; this is because that Dr. Thirteen the Ghost Breaker was created for the same series as a foil for the Stranger.

I personally loved it; it was the first Showcase Presents volume that I ever bought, and now I own Superman and Shazam!, and I love them too. It's unfair that this book got such a bad review when it's a prime example of Silver Age DC, with all its camp and classic artwork. Anyone who can't be patient enough or can't stand that particular kind of storytelling really doesn't have any bussiness buying this book anyway.

If you're an all over DC fan or one of the rare Phantom Stranger fans (like I am, on both counts), then get this book. The art is fantastic, and the cheesey dialogue is completely hilarious. I, for one, can't wait for volume two.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Groovy Horror at it's Very Best, October 10, 2007

By 

David Keith "FurNTats" (Indiana) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger - Volume 1 (Paperback)

As a fan of late 60s and 70s horror, this collection really hits the spot. Spawned in the age of TVs "Dark Shadows" and films "Rosemary's Baby", this series was part of a comic book wave that included a revamped "House of Mystery", "Tales of the Unexpected", "The Witching Hour" and "Swamp Thing".

The art is wonderful, and the Phantom Stranger really comes alive in the Neal Adams and Jim Aparo stories. Most of the stories are pretty decent, tho there are a couple of clunkers, and on the whole it is completely entertaining. I at first balked at the idea of buying a black and white collection of comics I remember in their original color. However, these stories translate well to B&W due to the strength of these superior artists of yesteryear. If only some of todays comic book artists had this kind of flair for drama and composition! Highly Recommended for fans of Groovy Horror.

I hope DC publishes a sequel to this collection as well as reprinting "The Witching Hour" and "Tales of the Unexpected". Color too please. :)

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Return of the Phantom Stranger, April 26, 2008

By 

Mr. Henry J. Saenz (McKinney, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Showcase Presents: Phantom Stranger - Volume 1 (Paperback)

I am picking up many of these Showcase Presents as it is a very inexpensive way to look at many of DC's more obscure characters. What an incredible gem this turned out to be. I had no idea so many great creators worked with this character. You have great writing by Mike Friedrich, John Broome, Robert Kanigher and Len Wein along with awesome art by Neal Adams, Curt Swan, Jim Aparo and Murphy Anderson. The stories and art are wonderful. I see a few reviewers were not happy with the inclusion of the Dr. Thirteen stories but the character was written to be the natural foil of The Phantom Stranger and it works well. I would have been incredibly upset if these stories had not been included. This is a great, fun read. Well worth the few dollars spent for a few hours of entertainment. I am giving this 5 stars because there are absolutely no flaws in the compilation as well as being a great read.