Your Favorite Adam Strange Stories

[Vroom]

The esteemed Syfy Channel TV series Krypton debuted on DC Universe this past Friday. During yesterday’s Watch-Along of the first seven episodes, I got to thinking about Adam Strange and his assorted comic book based adventures.

I have two favorites starring Mr. Strange. The first is his self-titled eight issue mini-series that ran from 2004 to 2005. It was written by Andy Diggle and illustrated by Pasqual Ferry. It also features L.E.G.I.O.N, the Omega Men and other fun cosmic characters. A very fun read and one that is currently being reprinted in the Walmart exclusive The Flash 100 Page Giant series.

My other favorite with the Hero of Rann is The Rann-Thanagar War. Published in 2005, written by Dave Gibbons (the penciller of Watchmen for those who may be unaware) illustrated by Ivan Reis and running for six issues with a follow-up one-shot titled Rann-Thanagar War Infinite Crisis Special.

The Rann-Thanagar War was the second countdown to Infinite Crisis mini-series (the others being in order of release The OMAC Project, Day of Vengeance and Villains United) and its focus was on the conflict between the two titular planets. Besides Adam Strange, the series also starred Hawkman and assorted Thanagarians, Kyle Rayner (in his rad Jim Lee designed outfit), Onimar Synn and other characters that I won’t notate here so as to be as spoiler free as possible.

It’s my favorite of the lead-in Infinite Crisis minis due to an interesting story, the intergalactic setting and beautiful Ivan Reis artwork (check out that cover for TRTW #1).

What are your favorite Adam Strange comic based stories? Do you thrill to his debut in Showcase and the Mystery In Space and Strange Adventures stories that followed? Or are you more into his exploits in (to name but a few) JLA, R.E.B.E.L.S, Justice League United and The Death of Hawkman?

Sidenote 1: All of the other above mentioned countdown to Infinite Crisis mini-series and their follow-up one-shots can currently be found in the Comics section. For your convenience, those titles again are (in order of release):

-The OMAC Project
-Day of Vengeance
-Villains United

SN 2: The Krypton Watch-Along will conclude this Wednesday, starting at 5pm Pacific Time. We’ll be watching the final three episodes of the season with JLWWSM as our host. The relevant Watch-Along thread can be found in the Movies and TV section.

[DCComicsCrisis]

I love Adam Strange. It could be because my names Adam and I’m strange, I dunno. Actually I do very much love the classic Sci-Fi premise of the character. But the whole “Adam” and “Strange” things are no doubt big reasons too.

[DCComicsCrisis]

Oh forgot to post my fav story. “Death of Hawkman.” Also his recent appearance in the current Hawkman run and Superman as well.

[TheDemonEtrigan]

The original stories by Gardner Fox and Murphy Anderson were some really fun early sixties space opera.

I also really enjoyed his appearance in Moore’s Swamp Thing run.

[prodigalson.kendall.50258]

I like that in both Superman and Green Lantern, he showed up and Earth was missing for two entirely different reasons. I always get him mixed up with Animal Man, but I think he’s in 52, which is a good comic.

[keylimetyrant]

The Island Of No Return. Strange on the attack against the Breakers.

[DCComicsCrisis]

@prodigalson How can you get Adam Strange & Animal Man mixed up LOL?

[prodigalson.kendall.50258]

@DCComicsCrisis They’re both c-list DC heroes who I know very little about. Also, I think they’re together in 52, which was my entry point into the DC universe. Also, both have mini series and quickly canceled on going series that people like, but I haven’t read.

[MACJR.1962]

I remember reading Adam Strange stories in various comics back in the 1960s and 1970s. I do not recall any one story as a favorite, but I recall that I did enjoy reading about his adventures whenever I came across them. However, I have not seen any of the modern takes of Adam Strange, other than SYFY’s Krypton, which has an odd take on his character.

Until I catch up on other, more modern, Adam Strange stories, I can only say that I liked the 70’s version of Adam Strange better that what I see on SYFY’s Krypton.

I do remember seeing Adam Strange as a guest character in other stories from time to time throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, but he never had much of a role and there was no real character development that was worth remembering. However, I do not recall anything that stood out as being different from the Adam Strange of the 1970s stories either.

I need to read “The Rann-Thanagar War”, and the Adam Strange title, and other related stories, to catch up.

MACJR

[Don-El]

I’ll stop by later with photographic memory lane, will include Justice League Canada…

[BatJamags]

Wasn’t all that impressed by Rann-Thanagar War, honestly. It felt like it was trying to be Big and Epic but except for maybe Aleea Strange (who’s admittedly adorable), I just didn’t feel invested in any of the characters.

I did really enjoy JLA #20 and #21, which prominently feature Adam Strange. Mark Waid is really good at fun, slightly Silver Agey mysteries and twists.

He’s also in 52. The story bits with him, Starfire, and Animal Man are probably the weakest of the plotlines… but the weakest part of 52 is still better than the best parts of most comics, so it’s all good.

[prodigalson.kendall.50258]

I’ve been working my way through 52 again recently, and while I thought his bit was the weakest part of the book back in the day, I feel like it has aged the best of all the plot lines.

[Don-El]

Apologies this has to be in several posts, but it’s one tedious image at a time here until the new Community is hatched this summer:

The most recent enjoyable Adam Strange-related series for my sci fi tastes was New 52 Justice League United (Jeff Lemire, Canadian…and surprise, this league with Stargirl, Martian Manhunter, Adam Strange, Alana etc…is based in Canada…notice the Space theme of the heroes yet?):

[Don-El]

But…my fav Adam Strange of all time is his 1960s Mystery in Space run, it is indeed the archetype for any other Strange you may encounter.

Speaking of sci fi, let’s see if I can jury rig posting three images in one post…here goes…

[Don-El]

Nope, but that’s ok. I’ve always wondered what a 1910 Steampunk Community would be like…

[Don-El]

Bug eyed alien, who ya gonna call?

[Don-El]

Last one, it was always fun when Hawkman and Adam Strange would bump into each other; sure, space is vast, but we fans gobbled these issues up!!!

[Vroom]

Another Adam Strange starring book I enjoyed was Countdown to Adventure.

A tie-in to Countdown to Final Crisis, this eight issue mini-series was published from 2007 to 2008. The main feature was written by Adam Beechen and starred Adam Strange, Starfire and Animal Man while the Justin Gray penned back-up starred Forerunner.

I highly enjoyed the Countdown books as they came out but I’ve not read any of them again since they wrapped up in 2008. It will be fun to revisit them again as they debut here.

[MACJR.1962]

I do not recall just which books I would find Adam Strange adventures in. They may have been add-on stories within other comic book titles, a common thing that was done back in the 1970s. Just short add-on stories to get people to see other DC characters and a snippet about what they are about.

It would take some in-depth research to find out how many Adam Strange stories I have within my collection.

I do have the 52 and Countdown to Adventure comics, but I am not sure I read them all. I was getting behind on my reading towards the end of the series/event. Then I just stored everything away and have only just started looking into things again. I just found the long box that had the first part of the 52 the other day, so now I can combine that with the rest of those that I found parts of in two short boxes.

MACJR

[TheDemonEtrigan]

Not a comic but one of the best episodes of Batman: The Brave and the Bold is the one where he teams up with Batman a bipolar Aquaman.