| Vic |
| Wednesday, November 09 2005 @ 09:16 PM EST |
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  By premium edition, they mean hardcover. Despite the bells and whistles, Uncle Frank's tale of babes and dinosaurs is still hot. Just don't expect anything extra in this hardcover Shanna collection.
In this the age of "Collector's Edition" DVDs, when I pick up a piece of merchandise that says "Premium Edition," I expect there to be "Special" features. Leave it to Marvel to roll back the clock on quality. No, it isn't priced at a time lost price point. This "premium" edition touts the standard 25 dollar entry fee. What I mean is that Marvel opted instead of the modern DVD approach to extra content to give us the 1983 Betamax/VHS no frills at all edition. Shame on you Marvel.
This is not to say that Frank Cho's art and story are not worthy of purchase. Uncle Frank has created a wonderful modern recreation of the Babes and dinosaurs motif long lost to comics and pulps. The problem is that if you already purchased the comics, there was no reason to buy this collection.
The draw of this package should have been the uncensored art that has been floating around the internet for ages. Shanna was orignally slated to be a MAX line title complete with Shanna in all her nekkidness, but for some reason Marvel wussed out at the last minute. I don't think they gained any readers for the series by doing this, but they definitely peed on their intended audience. Mr. Cho hasn't made any negative comments on his board about the move, but that could just be him being diplomatic in light of his current gig drawing a Spider Woman arc for Marvel that is slated to appear in New Avengers.
 Normally a collection like this would at least warrant an introduction from the writer, artist, close friend, grandmother, somebody. This edition doesn't even spare a page for Uncle Frank, fan loved creator of Liberty Meadows, to say hi to fans of the monkeyboy. None of Marvel's editors or publishers make comment inside of the cover either. This is just as well seeing as how fans of this series were up in arms and angry at those people from the second the censorship became apparent.
On top of the lack of kind words of introduction, Marvel saved money by not including a sketchbook section, pinup section, or deleted pages section. They didn't even include a kiss after the screwing they gave fans who purchase this no frills boot up the arse.
What really makes me scratch my head is that the uncensored pages are readily available and easy to find. Frank Cho has had them posted all over his boards at libertymeadows.com for ages. They were posted before the books even hit the shelves. Whose delicate sensibilities was Marvel trying to protect?
Once again, I love Frank Cho's work. I have every issue of Liberty Meadows and my wife and I are life fans of his work. We will likely buy anything he does, but Marvel really turned this amazing artistic achievement into nothing more than a "milk" run. *pun*
I realize that most of you have seen them already, but this is part of what you are missing in the hardcover that hit shelves today. Boobies. A great story if you haven't read it yet, but its cheaper to pick up the individual issues by about 4 dollars.
 
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